#even then i don't care much for personality change aus (i say sort of kind of making one with em but... 'that's different' /heavy jk)

[eemoo1o-animoo]

I agree with you. Grelliam is a ship I adore only in fanfic and aus. But in canon? Hell no. Grelle deserves better. And they drive each other up the wall, but not in a fun way.

I don't even like it in AUs, I say, having planned out an AU with @magicalara of which I'm writing a sequel to their original work on it.

[wasyago]

hello! Im just wondering if there’s any side effects Etho has because of staying in the cave in trails gone cold au or did it just change his hair.

good question! probably? this hasn't really been discussed or thought through, so don't treat it as 100% true, just me thinking out loud.

❄️ talking visual changes, his hair and eyes changed color permanently, his skin is now paler, even if the effects lessened when he was out of the cave, nothing is fully reversible. i dont imagine there's a way to get rid of the sculk that is in his body already, because it's like- everywhere. in his blood, in his lungs, in his brain, in his bones. it's dormant and doesn't do him any harm, and maybe in 10 or 20 years his body will slowly get rid of it, but its an if not a when.

❄️ in terms of other changes... i imagine he's constantly freezing now, nothing ever helping to warm him up. his nervous system is messed up beyond repair, so he could probably shove his hand into fire and get burned and still be freezing.

❄️ he probably also always feels slightly feverish and weak? you know how when you're ill and you stand up to do something but standing up takes all your energy and you're too tired now? that kind of thing. he's just tired all the time.

and then there's also all the indirect changes?

❄️ he lost an eye. goodbye depth perception, and layered with his other changes he's probably very clumsy now.

❄️ i imagine his hands tremble more often than not, both because of the freezing and because of his strained psyche.

❄️ dude is like. traumatized. very badly. he decided to leave one of his closest friends to die so he himself could escape. his other closest friend was a better person than him but died because of it. he never said goodbye to any of them, he can never apologize. they're gone forever, and they're still down there. etho survived but at what cost and was it actually worth it?

❄️ i don't know if he feels any sort of calling from the cave, but maybe? maybe it's the sort of thing where he can't tell if it's his own thoughts or not, because it could be a cave trying to get him back or it could be his own wish to return in attempt to "fix it".

i also wanna say, poor gem. she has to take care of this guy now and im so sorry to her. it's gonna be a very long time until he even starts healing, and it's gonna be a very difficult time. there's like, so much to say about gem too, because she also lost two of her best friends and she wasn't even there to witness it, all she gets is her traumatized brother...

[otaku553]

The blessed (and their shadow)

Galacta Knight and my hero of yore oc, Nebula :) I have many thoughts about them if you want to read!

OK SO some of you might remember two of my old headcanons (which are very relevant for the characterization of nebula)

The four matters are kind of like the alchemical Aristotelian elements where they exist in a square or diamond with 2 attributes for each. The Aristotelian elements are fire, air, water, earth, (very familiar I'm sure) and fire and air are considered hot, while water and earth are cold. Fire and earth are dry, while water and air are wet (if i remember correctly). So on the scales of moisture and temperature, each of the elements lead into each other but are distinct and separate. Now, with heart, dream, soul, and dark matter, I have a similar idea but with different scales. Heart and dream correspond to positivity (in emotions) and dark and soul correspond to negativity. Then, heart and soul correspond to activeness, while dark and dream correspond to passiveness. I believe this is slightly different from my old headcanon where each of the matters corresponded to a different attribute, though this is less of a change and more of a rotation of 45 degrees. This is very relevant to Galacta and Nebula in particular, since they are in my au/headcanons the heroes of yore corresponding to heart matter and dream matter respectively.

The masks that Astrals wear act as a barrier or separation between the Astral and their duties as a warrior. Astrals tend to look younger than they actually are, and are often perceived as pure souls of light and positivity due to the nature of their origin. Therefore, when they become a Knight or a warrior, they also gain a mask to separate themselves (or their purity and sanctity) from the violence and brutality of war.

Now, even though the four heroes of yore theoretically have saved the universe at least once by sealing Void, I'm guessing that saving the universe wasn't the only thing their powers were used for. Oftentimes great power comes with the danger of use for political goals, which leads to war and such, and I wouldn't be surprised if the heroes were also participants in war, but as overwhelming forces of power and strength that demoralized the enemy. In any case, this creates an interesting dichotomy between the way the heroes are perceived by those they protect as paragons of light and goodness, as opposed to whatever atrocities they might commit on the battlefield.

Between the four heroes, there is also likely an imbalance in the public perception based on their matter correspondences. Negativity and positivity are often assigned arbitrary moral values that say that being positive is good, and so Galacta Knight and Nebula Knight are in a unique position of being heroes among heroes due to their positive alignment. However, whereas Galacta Knight acts as a true role model and paragon, Nebula Knight sees themselves as a shadow of sorts and thinks they lack the qualification to call themself a "good person."

Whereas Galacta Knight values all life, as an astral that feeds off of active positivity, Nebula Knight values rest and relaxation. Galacta Knight feels the weight of every life they take on the battlefield, and feels immense guilt for taking life, which they see as beautiful. Nebula, on the other hand, thinks that on the battlefield, there is probably no greater rest than death.

They do have somewhat of a moral compass, however, since they do realize quickly that this is wrong of them, seeing as death only begets greater sorrow and no one should have to die in the first place. But this also makes them realize that they are not qualified to be a good person since they don't quite care all that much about the lives they're taking.

Added to Galacta's status already as a hero above heroes, this makes Nebula raise Galacta to a high moral standard, and a sort of pedestal above themself. They do not feel like they are on equal footing with Galacta, who is genuinely good, whereas Galacta sees no difference between the two of them and in fact considers Nebula as a truer equal than the other heroes because of the societal expectation for both of them to be paragons.

This leads to Nebula taking off their mask when going into battle because if the mask only exists as a way to separate the pure and good astral from the ruthless and violent warrior, then Nebula believes that for them, this distinction does not exist. Eventually, Galacta and the other heroes get worried enough that Nebula puts the mask back on to appease them, but the scars from that time still remain.

Nebula is sort of my character for exploring the morality of the heroes :) Though Nebula considers themself to not be a good person, ironically, by taking off their mask, they are the only hero that truly confronts and acknowledges what they do without any barrier to absolve their guilt. Taking on responsibility for their own actions without averting their eyes from it is something only they can do for a while. Though they may not feel the full weight of remorse for their actions, they are definitely feeling it in the way that their self worth is damaged by closer evaluation of their own morals.

[a-twistedheartslonging]

Okay so idea for your nonhuman au. Idk if you've gotten asks similar to this one but I still think it's cool

Make Pomefoire Harpy's. Just make them these big, fluffy, stupid, birbs. All of which have no sense of personal space. They love to ruin Yuu's personal space. Especially Rook.

Vil is 100% a peacock. No changing my mind on that. And he's constantly trying flash Yuu his tail feathers. And when they don't notice or seem to care he gets so pissy. He has the biggest temper tantrum about it. But if you compliment his feathers, boy oh boy will he be all over you. The big bird man just melts into a pile of pretty feathers in your arms the moment you so much as open your lips to compliment him.

Rook I imagine is some sort of falcon or Hawk. He loves to fly around, and often times dives down to just miss Yuu by a couple inches. Yuu thinks it's some sort of scare tactic, but in reality he's trying to impress them.

Now Epel in my mind is a sparrow. He seems to be very meek and shy but when he wants to he can be very flirtatious. He can and will take Yuu by the hand and dance with them. Oh you can't dance? Mm too bad, time to dance. He won't listen to any sort of complaints you have about it. He's very bossy when he wants to be.

Tbh nothing for the AU is really set in stone so I might do stuff about them being different kinds of beasties than what I originally wrote, and if peeps want to send in their own different things, I'm totally fine with it.

I haven't done anything for the pompom dorm but LOVE harpies.

It makes total sense for Vil to be a type of peacock one, but also...

Have you seen a Secretary Bird?

Tall, beautiful, and long legs. I see one and can't help but think "that's him."

Jamil might want to be careful cuz they stomp the shit out of snakes though. Said stomps are very strong too.

Regardless of the kind of bird he is you know he's going to have the most beautiful feathers that he spends so much time grooming and has perfected his mating dance...not that you know it's a mating dance. Showing any positive reaction to it considered acceptance so...be careful friend.

Man, I've tried thinking up what kind of beasty rook would be but it's just so hard because he's...Rook.

Falcons and Hawks are certainly great hunters, our already dangerous Rook would become even more deadly. Dude would so swoop down to scare you and give a silly giggle at your scared reaction.

With Epel, I was thinking of him with the more obvi choice of being a bunny but thought it would be funny if, like, one of his parents was a bunny, the other was a bear, and he came out a bear but ended up with the small cuteness of a bun.

He's your little lavender cuddles teddy.

Him as a sparrow though. 🤔

Did you know that sparrows wave their wings to communicate with each other? Scientists used to believe that wing waving was a friendly way for sparrows to say hello or goodbye to friends. But that’s not the case. The opposite is true; wing waving is all about displaying anger.

Image a pissed off Epel flapping his wings at someone.

Their also wonderful singers and use that to attract mates, imagine him trying to rizz you up with his own songs.

[gwendeeagain]

What do you think of Siblings Karushuu AU ?

Short Answer:

It's fine, they're cute... I guess. I don't care much for it, not because I dislike the idea, but because I feel like them being siblings doesn't really add much to their existing dynamic.

Long Answer:

I attempted to write Siblings!Karushuu early on. I have 1 complete oneshot, and I think one WIP (I don't remember if I published it in my Scrapbooks collection).

Thing is, I'm not sure what exactly about them being siblings is a draw as opposed to them being unrelated or just interacting in any other premise.

The both of them already have quite a robost family setup that influences their personality - Karma with absent parents, Gakushuu with his too-present father (and ?absent mother).

Sibling AU fics that I've read tend to shoehorn in Gakuhou to be Karma's father, which is expected since he's an established character in canon, and his role can't be omitted without too much damage to the rest of the plot. (Furthermore, if you're the kind of person who is writing a Karushuu siblings AU, you're clearly interested in the Asano family dyanmic (that's actually all there is to Gakushuu) so you're just not going to omit Gakuhou.)

Unfortunately I've observed that this rarely influences anything about Karma. Karma either remains as he is in canon and it's explained that he's a black sheep in his family to have ended up in 3-E, or the plot puts him in 3-A and it's explained that he either has an impending transfer to 3-E/it's his last chance; or that his nepotism is what keeps him in 3-A. Karma's values and principles about academics and the inherent worth of human beings is rarely affected in these retellings (because that's what people like about Karma) but because that's Gakuhou's main shtick, it feels like the whole premise didn't matter at all.

There's even less to say about Gakushuu's mother because neither Karma nor Gakushuu's mothers are present in canon anyways and it's easy to just explain them away as unimportant, given how much space Gakuhou takes up in the mind. Usually I read that their mother takes off with Karma and leaves Gakushuu alone with Gakuhou, so... no changes there.

Another potential appeal is the sibling dynamic between Gakushuu and Karma - but then I'll just question what exactly about a sibling relationship differs from... any other relationship between two unrelated people. Karushuu in canon already has the sort of snarky-bantering-rivalry energy anyways, if that's the thing you're looking for. I've seen fics that write them as estranged by having their parents split them up as kids, but then that's essentially the same as a childhood friends AU. I guess we really can't replicate familial love and the obligation of being blood related unless it's this specific context. The idea that they're cut from the same cloth, only separated by time, but they will eventually reunite... oh hey, we can make them soulmates, put a curse on them, or make a demon pact.

There's also the resentment angle, as overcompeting siblings tend to have, "you look like the other parent" acidity if we throw in a divorce plot. But that doesn't affect their existing interaction, I feel - it gives them different things to say when they fight, but they're still rivals as they would in canon.

I don't know. My point is that I guess I can't think of a premise that would interest me in a sibling au above any other au if I had the option. Any differences that do arise feel miniscule and don't affect the broad strokes of whatever I'm looking for in a fic.

...Not even incest, which is a hot take. Yeah, I read/write and enjoy incest. But come on, whatever Gakushuu and Gakuhou have going on in canon already is far more interesting than anything I could ever manufacture for sibling Karushuu. The strange enmeshment and tension that the canon Asanos have in Mamasano's absence, ...could work similarly to sibling Karushuu's furtive us-against-the-world codependency under their Father's omniscent gaze... if you're into that sort of thing. I could be, but more often than not the Asano family dynamic pulls me away from looking elsewhere.

I mean, I'm just not into the siblings thing. You could be. Don't take this post as my condemnation of Karushuu siblings, I still enjoy reading them and the quality of the fic takes precedence. I've had my expectations pleasantly subverted before.

Hehe thanks for the ask! I love rambling

[theamityelf]

About Makoto in sdr2 AU how would his dynamic with Hajime would outside and inside trial? Also, I think Makoto would realized he from different class from others because he checked his class ultimate beforehand. Specially when there are two lucky students so they at very least have one year difference because they choose one lucky students per year. Like, why does he and togami here with other teen from different class? What makes Monokuma single both of them? Where are their other classmates? And maybe monokuma still hinting the change of title but Makoto doesn't realized it but some other students would. Like the impostor, if they still alive, would realized Makoto being the only person from different year. Or maybe Komaeda because he's observant. And how about Chiaki? Like, it must be awkward for her because she knew him but couldn't do anything because maybe her program made her register him as student rather future foundation member.

(Yeah, I think the case where he doesn't know he's in a different class than them is the one where he loses the memory of being invited to Hope's Peak at all. In the case where he does remember being invited to Hope's Peak, he knows he's in a different class, but they still have to be told that it's specifically the class right after them.)

I totally agree that it would be great if those students (Imposter, Nagito, etc.) picked up on Monokuma's hinting more than Makoto. I mentioned Nagito specifically, in the other post, because I think Nagito would be the most intrigued by the idea of Makoto having once been a luckster but now being something else. I think Imposter would notice the implication but wouldn't care as much about it. They'd just kind of log it away in their mind, in case it becomes important.

And Chiaki definitely knows everything that's going on with Makoto but just can't tell him.

As for how Makoto and Hajime would interact in and out of the trials, I think (and this isn't even a manifestation of my shipping agenda! I really mean this!) that Nagito would play a big role in that. Especially in the first investigation, which I will get to later.

When they first arrive at the island and Hajime passes out, I think that would be the first meaningful interaction between the three of them. I think both Nagito and Makoto would express concern, but when Nagito commits to waiting with Hajime, I think Makoto will leave.

Presumably, introductions happen very shortly after Hajime faints, and when everyone is dispersed and doing their own thing, I think Makoto would end up paired with Mahiru.

After all, Makoto didn't pass out, he tried to be there for Hajime, and when Mahiru says "It's the boys' job to protect the girls," I can imagine Makoto saying something like, "Oh, right, I'll do my best!" Basically, I think Mahiru would tentatively consider Makoto pretty reliable, at least relative to the rest of the guys. Just a normal, sturdy guy. I could see Mahiru deciding she wants to look around for good photo spots or something of the sort and Makoto tagging along to help her carry stuff.

All of this to say, when Hajime wakes up and goes around meeting people, I think Makoto is with Mahiru, helping out with whatever she's up to.

Makoto introduces himself, like, "I'm Makoto Naegi, the Ultimate Lucky Student. And, that's about it."

Hajime says, "I thought Nagito was the Ultimate Lucky Student."

"Yeah, I think I'm from a different class or something...I looked up the Ultimates from my class when I got my letter, and I don't remember most of you."

"Did everyone look up the other Ultimates?" Hajime asks rhetorically, with a glance at Nagito.

"Hi again, Makoto," Nagito says cheerfully. "Nice to see you're making yourself useful. What are you up to, Mahiru?"

And so on.

I think they would stay in that dynamic (of Nagito and Hajime as each other's first friends on the island and Makoto separately friends with Mahiru or whatever other friendship he forms; I think he would definitely also try to spend time with Imposter, assuming he's Byakuya Togami from his class) for most of Chapter 1. When Monokuma appears, I think Makoto would say something like "There's no way anyone here would kill each other!" and Hajime and Nagito would both think he's pretty naive, but I think Nagito would also encourage Hajime to "Try to think more positively. Like Makoto!"

And, like we've said, sometime between Monokuma showing up and the first murder happening, Monokuma starts hinting at something different about Makoto, which Nagito clocks immediately.

Now, as for the first investigation. (I'm not saying who dies first or how, because if I'm going to think through that exact chain of events, it'll be in a different post.) In the first chapter of canon SDR2, Nagito kind of insists on investigating with Hajime, and that's Hajime's first/formative experience in investigating the murders. In THH, Makoto's first investigation happens the way it does because he's the one under suspicion, so he has to investigate to avoid being the one they vote for. (Of course, I don't think Makoto would have been complacent about the investigation if that hadn't been the case, but those conditions are still important to acknowledge.)

What I'm imagining is a scenario where Nagito has noticed both Hajime and Makoto separately and is kind of trying to test both of them. He thinks they both have protagonist energy and wants to see which will prevail. So while Nagito does still probably play a role in the first murder and help the killer to confuse things about the crime, I think he would also specifically frame Makoto.

After all, if there's a mere lucky student who has ascended to the ranks of the true Ultimates, as Monokuma implied, Nagito wants to see him prove himself (...under a great deal of pressure, because also Nagito is kinda jealous).

So he frames Makoto and investigates alongside Hajime. Pushing Hajime toward actual clues and confusing Makoto as much as possible.

And then in the trial itself, I think Hajime will have found more physical clues and will supply more of the just-knowing-stuff-beforehand answers (like what an octagon is), but Makoto will have more testimonies from witnesses and gathered more spot-the-difference type evidence (like the Hifumi glasses thing in THH). They both do great with their respective areas.

Chiaki and Makoto are the best at keeping things going when the conversation lulls, and Chiaki and Hajime are the best at cutting through the noise when people get a little too set on a single argument. Chiaki is very involved for both of them.

(Nagito is awed at the teamwork and competency. Makoto has fully won him over, and of course he still adores Hajime.)

And I think when Makoto finds out Nagito was deliberately framing him, his feelings would be hurt, and Hajime would still feel betrayed, also, by Nagito turning out to have plotted to start the killings. And I think they would talk to each other about that. It would drive them together as friends. I think Makoto would maintain that it was all Monokuma's fault, even if he feels hurt by what Nagito did, and Hajime would agree that Monokuma is the real enemy but still very much not let Nagito off the hook.

And in subsequent chapters, when Hajime tries not to care about Nagito, I think Makoto continuing to openly care would kind of give him permission to actually deal with the hurt and anger and care he still feels for Nagito. (Chiaki would be right there with him, in that regard; these two care about everyone, and Hajime is the one who, while he does care about the others, doubts them a lot, too.) Makoto kind of slides incidentally into the role of Hajime's optimistic friend once Nagito loses his trust, and I think Hajime doesn't trust Makoto quite as much, as a result, but they still gravitate together.

In future investigations and trials, Hajime, Makoto, Chiaki, and Nagito are the main players.

(Boy, I hope this brainstorm answered your question, but you can send another ask if it didn't, lol!)

[neverpathia]

WIP Ask: I wanna know about Nerves and Nightmares [of course I do, Paranoid my beloved]. Tell us as much as you can / want without spoiling too much :]

also I love the HC of Paranoid being the resident overworked mom of the Long Quiet, it's the same for my Paranoid

okay.

let me preface this by saying that I probably know as much about this WIP as the average audience member. and why is that? because I actually didn't think about properly plotting it out.

if anything, I was just like "okay I wanna write stp fanfiction for my AU". and then I went ahead and was like "I wanna write it in first person." and then at first I wanted to make cheated the main POV character (so we could've had like 'Rages and Razors' or something I don't even know man) but then I decided. nah. paranoid's better for plot and he's my wife now.

so here we are. what an awkward start to a relationship.

i've blabbed a little about it in the main post so I shall blab a little more about it here. it's cosy fantasy. daily going-ons. a little slice of life. taking care of work. living and learning and changing. dealing with the other voices' bullshit. they all live together in a cosy little village, and he's the resident healer apothecary guy, and there's thankfully no shortage of bullshit to deal with.

this is a story of adaptation and new beginnings. this is a story of tying up loose ends. this is a story of development; of discovery and rediscovery. this is a story of learning to relax, of accepting your flaws, of facing your fears.

above all, this is a story of healing and recovery.

so obviously I had to focus on paranoid because COME ON he's the perfect pick. he's inevitably going to have to interact with everyone because of his job. so we get to see at least one moment with every single voice. he's also kind of unstable by himself, but he's gonna get at least a little better.

there's a truckload of character development. does that count as a spoiler? he learns that the world isn't out to get him, not anymore. that he doesn't have to be so on-guard and mistrustful all the time. and to fucking stop overthinking that much oh my lordy lord.

hero features pretty prominently in this. oh golly gee, I wonder why. totally not like they become boyfriends or anything of the sort. they totally don't learn to acknowledge their flaws through each other. that they might be more similar than they realise. that they don't have to be alone in navigating the overwhelming reality and endless expectations- okay, yeah, that totally never happens. /j

cheated does also feature quite a bit in here though, because he's the star patient. not because he's so cooperative, but because he's paid way too many visits to the infirmary and paranoid is very done. they have a kinda hilarious friendship. like "fuck. you're here again." just ranting back and forth about "god everyone else is so dumb, thank god I'm the only normal person here." (neither of them are normal.)

so if you like either of the above then yeah. nice.

also just because this is cosy fantasy and no one dies or anything, doesn't mean this is all sunshine and rainbows and 100 percent cruelty-free. far from it. for starters, I have made broken and smitten best friends and if you know how that one platonic smitbroken ficlet went then you will have an idea of how bad it can get. that won't be the only toxic relationship, or even friendship, up in here.

of course not. nightmare's roaming around somewhere in a fic where the mc is we-all-know-who.

and then there's the individual issues of everyone, left alone to fester. it's not just about paranoid. there's hero's guilt and remorse. cheated's bitterness and resignation. but there's still paranoid's overwhelming workload and ever-increasing stress. the fact that he has to deal with the traumas of both himself and his patients.

it's not going to be nice.

and there is at least one attempted suicide. spoiler: I haven't mentioned the perpetrator in this post just yet. wonder who he could be...guess lol. consider that my first warning.

like, I love psychological angst. no death or murder or downright destruction. just people left in the throes of their own worst qualities. that's my fucking speciality.

but we cannot have recovery if there is nothing to be saved from.

and another thing to take heed of: there obviously isn't going to be a lot of smut, but I'm a male writer. there will be women. there will be feminine characters.

so most of the time I'll probably end up fixating on Paranoid's large eyes and billowing hair and delicate features and slender frame and stuff. why? because wife. but sometimes the narration will veer into...uh, say, describing how buxom the Thorn is. consider that my second warning.

[rius-cave]

It was honestly a very random thought while trying to fall asleep but now I'm unable not to think about it. So the classic sinner!Adam plot is that Lucifer helps him and protects him and all. But it jumped to my mind, what would happen if the tables turned? In theory, of course, because it couldn't happen, Lucifer is extremely powerful, he's the devil and all.

But either way, imagine this scenario. Adam is already a sinner, Lucifer helped him, provided safety and protection, and even though it wasn't exactly just a simple "kind and selfless act", it's still how Adam was able to avoid being ripped to shreds by other demons.

Then, Lucifer is suddenly stripped from all his power. Let's say that he can get harmed now just like any sinner/angel, and let's take Charlie and the others out of the picture for now. It can be just temporaty, but he can't do anything about it. No matter what kind of person or king he is, I'm very sure that many demons would try to take him down if they knew about that. It's hell, after all.

Would Adam help Lucifer in a situation like that? Would he atleast try to protect him, or like, keep him from harm, probably risking his own safety with it? (given that he's not nearly as powerful as Lucifer is normally and now he can't be protected anymore)

Or would he leave completely? I honestly believe he would rather do that. Just save his own skin, definitely not dealing with the shit of those demons. Even though they would be after Lucifer, who did technically save him (albeit not risking anything with it)

However I don't think he wouldn't care. I'm not sure if he would feel much guilt, he would probably just tell himself that he has no reason to risk anything for that fucker. But I don't believe he could truly dismiss the situation, especially if they already bonded somewhat.

So yeah I just kinda wanted to share this, and if you have any thoughts about it I'd like to hear them

nod nod, I see, hmmm, very curious.

You're right, it is unorthodox to have Lucifer being the one stripped from power for a change. I was initially going to suggest a whole AU completely, but I'm sensing that the point is to explore the possibility of this scenario while still keeping the entire Devil and First Man context, right?

Indeed, I think the result of this would depend on hooooowww much exactly Adam has bonded or been involved with Lucifer by that point. If he had recently fallen? Oh, he'd actually enjoy it, and would root for Lucifer to be ripped to shreds lol. Probably he'd feel a sick sense of satisfaction for everything he did to him + thinking that he finally feels what he's been feeling as a sinner this whole time etc etc.

If they had bonded a little by that point, then yeah I agree, he'd still get away, but I think it's important to take Charlie + the others (maybe even the other sins?) into consideration, because Lucifer wouldn't be left COMPLETELY alone, ya know? Unless this was like... a sudden situation and Adam and Lucifer were completely isolated from their friends for some reason.

In that situation, I could maybe see Adam "pretending" not to be protecting Lucifer, ya know? Like, fighting the other demons, but saying it's only to save his own skin and all that (despite the demons being there primarily for Lucifer). If they're in some sort of alliance, however fragile, there's still a chance that Adam would stand up for him out of sheer inertia. You know, they're like, technically together at least in a non-hostile manner, so if a bunch of people come to attack them, your first instinct would be to fight back and all that?

I think it depends on what kind of attack and immediate context they find themselves in, what place, what people present, what was the conversation they were having right before, etc, etc.... all these variables would influence whether or not Adam would protect him, and to what extent.

ALTERNATIVELY, one way that Adam could definitely defend him, would be in a more social way. Imagine Lucifer is having a meeting in Heaven or whatever, and he's obviously getting nasty looks from literally everyone. In that regard, I think Adam would definitely be offended and angry in his behalf. One angel gives Lucifer a look and Adam jumps up like "WHAT? What's your problem, asshole, huh!? Can't mind your own fucking business???", meanwhile Lucifer looks at him with a lovestruck puppy face lolol

[ymirfritzistrolling]

I'M THINKING SERIES?? (js me thinking not my attachment issues lol)

and m thinking jjk normal au series!!

PART 1 - THE CLUB

The bell rang, disturbing his sleep along with the rinses of sunshine hitting his face. Que to the weekend made all students rush up their feet out of the school. The cold day ended with snow in Tokyo, a storm approaching had all the students -and teachers- on the edge with the hopes of school closing the next week.

That never really changed anything at all, as Megumi grabbed his bag and coat and made his way to their club room. "Jujutsu Fighting Techniques" As if it wasn't surprising enough that the school allowed a fighting club take place for after school activities and not go to any sort of competitions, Megumi's "step dad" was the one teaching the class.

He opened the club door to see all the students already in place, waiting for Gojo and him. He threw hig bag on the back of the class and sat down.

"Ya Megumi, didn't you hear the news?"

The pink haired boy yelled, making his twin annoyed.

"I can't believe how my own voice irritates me this much just because you're the one speaking."

Their bickering grew as the loud noises in the school slowly went off with all the students leaving already. The tall twin said something about how stupid Itadori was and why he was the one living with their dad when Sukuns got to live with their mom.

The 2nd graders were gossiping about some teacher who had gone mad through the day. The foreign student from America with slightly darker skin layed nearby them. With his sigh the reason entered: Gojo Satoru. A family frend of his real dad's family-not his dad's, but his dad's family's- who had adopted him due to his father's money and drinking issues. Not everyone is cut for a father's cloth.

Gojo greeted them, telling some random things about the weather being cold and him not wanting to do this blah blah. He then made them go down to the gymnasium to do practice matches because quote - unquote he was too lazy to be teaching em the new shit.

They all followed him down, changing to their uniforms and match each other. As the evening went long, they were finally finished after lots of rounds.

When they were all done and bout to leave, they heard their teacher calling out for them.

"Oh and, a new student's coming. She's a 1st grader, heard she's Russian but came from Europe somewhere. Go easy on her on Monday, principal says we don't have enough activities to qualify as a group so we're gonna be making a show at the competitions this winter-break. We need more people in the club. Off ya go now!!"

The others went on their way as Megumi walked along with Gojo, getting in his car.

"You know who she is don't you? You wouldn't care about some new exchange girl."

He uttered as he fastened his seatbelt. Gojo laughed at his question.

"She's my niece."

Megumi furrowed his brows.

"I thought you were an only child.."

"I am, her dad is my mom's sneaky link. That's why she's from Russia. They ran off to there in order to get away from my dad."

"Dropped some lore there, Gojo."

Megumi said, rolling his eyes at the over-detailed explanation. He rested his arm on the window while Gojo started the car and drove home.

There'll be 5 of them in the house now..

Maybe it'd be good for me, Megumi thought. At least my dogs wouldn't be the only things with me when Gojo leaves for those stupid ass business trips.

He sighed off the thoughts. What kind of a person could she be anyway...

part two

[princess-of-the-corner]

Glad you liked the submission, as I have more on the Aware of Abuse AU!

I think it would be really interesting to reflect on how this situation would be kind of a drawn out grapple for Marinette. This is in no way salt and I think if it was written she'd both warrant having hear grievances hear, but also could definitely come off as a bit antagonistic, or at least wary.

(Exactly how hostile she defaulted to with Chloe tended to oscillate episode to episode so ya know how it be)

Marinette would have the easiest time getting close with Kagami. She has no history like with Chloe & no baggage, IE friendship with Chloe, like Adrien. Tomoe is not someone Marinette admires and its much easier to see abuse in the physicals side. While she'd struggle to see it more in the verbal or negligence side; or otherwise be able to rationalize the negative behaviors such as over protectiveness.

Meanwhile Adrien would be tied a lot closer to Chloe going into school as she'd be being less overtly antagonistic or vain. Plus, they'd have a much stronger "We need each other to keep from falling back into old patterns and to survive" mentality.

Plus Adrien would be a bit more overtly snarky and less respectful to authority or stuff like Gabriel's fashion shows. He still is very nice and super wants to be liked by everyone all the time, but it'd be a lot easier for her to see the negatives in his behavior.

Chloe meanwhile would probably rankle and outright frustrate her the most. Not just because she'd still be hard to get along with in general, or because she still is not against ignoring rules or disrespecting authority figures. But because...

No clue what your religious views may or may not be, but have you heard those talks of "Catholic guilt" and the idea of needing to suffer, do penance, ETC before one can be redeemed?

Marinette wouldn't strictly think or want that, but there would be a part of her that would sort of... Well resent that Chloe is seemingly just choosing to change and not even necessarily enough.

That is to say, Chloe might still rudely reject Sabrina's cookies out of hand but then instantly walk it back and have some.

But more in that she's suffered no defeat, she's not been taken from her previous luxurious circumstances, she hasn't seemingly lost anything and even more she'd not even be overtly contrite.

That is to say, Chloe wouldn't be doing stuff akin to the Lady Luck AU (Nothing against it, great fic!) where she'd frequently reflect on how much of a 'fuck up' she was. Or or say stuff like, "I know I was a bitch but I am trying to be better". Or feel guilt in the "I can't even be mad they assume the worst of me cos I probably would have done X."

She's just choosing to be different and on some level its deeply unsatisfying and even frustrating.

(Where is the arc, the climax, the catharsis!?)

Especially if some people roll with it or let her get away with it when she starts falling into old habits.

Marinette doesn't want Chloe to suffer or beg forgiveness or hate herself she doesn't. She just doesn't understand why now? Why at all? Why because of her friend? Why because of how she was treated and not how she treated others?

Why couldn't she care enough about hurting Marinette to change!?

That I think would be the lynch-pin and one that is, from Marinette's perspective, as well as others in and out of universe entirely sympathetic, she was hurt after all.

But in that same vain Chloe's an abused child lashing out due to trauma and taught such terrible lessons she sometimes couldn't process that she wasn't doing 'right'.

Marinette's been hurt, and that would need to be properly addressed. But it wouldn't need to happen in a self recriminating manner necessarily.

Not that I don't love those, self hating characters rife with issues are fun to explore. It is just that I think it'd be interesting to explore both, changing as a person, and a "Bad" victim getting help before they actually even start processing over much how others might warrant reoperations.

Does that make sense?

The story "restorative Justice" sort of dips into this from a different middle ground angle and most stuff by Generalluxun often have elements of it too.

Oh yeah no it's.

Marinette doesn't understand why Chloé is Like That™ in the first place, so she can't fathom her wanting to change.

From Mari's perspective, Chloé's life is pretty perfect. She's beautiful, she's rich. She can do whatever she wants whenever she wants and always gets her way through money or influence. She's always bragging about how she's so much better than everyone. Clearly her parents must adore her because they spoil her with gifts and never tell her 'no'. Any 'hardships' are just minor inconveniences that Chloé brought upon herself by being mean.

So why would Chloé choose to change? If it's not broke, don't fix it. Chloé's life is Perfect™, why would she do something to make it different?

It's not that she wants Chloé to suffer, or thinks that she /should/ suffer. She just doesn't understand why someone with a Perfect Life™ would change without going through some kind of suffering that forces introspection.

[sygneth]

Echoes of Elysium | Disco Elysium AU ...something?

Warnings

General warnings for my blog's content applies. Check here.

This AU is (rather) not very alternative. I am just trying to develop further events and some background for the characters, but even though I'm making research and I try to stay canon-compliant, only to fill in the gaps, I cannot guarantee it will never happen. Especially in this fandom, where many interpretations and paths are equally canon, we may not agree on some things, I hope you'll enjoy my point of view nevertheless. Some episodical OCs will appear too.

INDEX

EOE on ComicFury!

EOE on Tumblr:

Chapter 1: New Beggings -> START

EOE on AO3:

Main plot (uhh still in the process of uploading!)

Ficlet series (additional content)

LORE:

Precinct 41 plans and explanation

Plot outline

After Martinaise things are slowly getting back to normal, but the general atmosphere in the city gets thickens every day, La Retour is hanging in the air. Despite this, Harry is trying to stay sober and make amends. It's hard to say if Kim's appearance on the 41st is making things easier or harder between Harry and his old friends.

The Return happens. In the after-revolutionary mess, everybody tries to move on, but things are changing in almost every aspect of life. And on top of this, a particularly hard case drops and somebody has to take care of it.

The start of the project is directly after Martinaise, so forgive me this vague description, but I would hate to spoil the plot haha.

Okay, from now on additional info, still important but not crushial.

I want to focus on the relationship between the people of Precinct 41 and their internal experiences. Impactful events and thicker action will happen too, but mostly in the later chapters of this.

There are also some important premises of this AU I would like to highlight:

Kim was raised in an orphanage, presumably held by some Dolorian organisation (order?). Some of his old-fashioned manners and vocabulary are remainings after growing up in a religious environment (even if he's not very religious himself).

Eyes died around 9 months before the events from the game. Since then, Kim has been willingly working alone. His superiors were not very fond of that but somehow he managed not to get partnered with anyone.

Harry has no known family members left. At least as far as he and his friends know.

Jean and Harry's partnership started four, maybe five years ago. According to the game, it was "two years minimum" but personally I think those losers were stuck with each other for much longer.

Jean's years-long, unexplained depression has roots in some sort of personality disorder. Also, he is codependent on Harry, probably co-addicted too. He had problem with speed himself, however it's not nearly as serious as Harry's. I see him as more of a weekend/party drug user, as for now.

I assume that since the communist revolution gay relationships were technically legal in Revachol. Technically, because there are still no rights for same-sex couples and the social recognition is poor and rather negative (I got inspired by my own country in that matter)

That's all I can think of now. I will probably just add new information in the description of he pages.

Okay, cool, one last thing. What do you mean by "...something?"? Is this a comic? A fanfiction series? What am I looking at?

The answer is: I don't yet know. I am planning this to be mostly a comic, but I cannot say there won't be some written as fanfics parts or some kind of in-between media. I don't really want to limit myself to one medium only, but at this point, I have no idea what this will evolve into. I honestly just want to have fun lol

[subway-boss-jericho]

(Hammer anon) 

Hi =] 

It's worth mentioning that the twins did have a pretty solid understanding of what they were signing up for

That good to know! I think I’m just very used to arceus offering people a deal and then Not Explaining the Consequences (very… fae coded I suppose lol). It’s very sweet that despite all this they still agreed. Ingo wants to help people!! Of course he does. Every time I look into their in game quotes I���m always taken aback at how supportive and kind they both are. Like. Ingo is Nothing but encouraging and so so happy to see people succeed and grow. It makes sense that that sort of care would carry over to protecting the people he cares about (and even those he might not know!). Emmet is very similar- while he may be more to the point and use less words, he’s still super encouraging and kind! Even when he wins he still encourages you to come back and try again and again- he loves winning more than anything but even when he loses he’s still super happy! 

I think that’s sort of character for them has faded in and out over time, and it’s super nice to see it. In the end, both the twins are fundamentally kind people that want others to grow. 

… I forgot where I was going with that! Something something you are doing a fantastic job representing that with this story and how they act/ the decisions they make.

he has to made more of an effort to be kind and understanding and patient and gracious than he fucking wants to.

Customer service attitude sneaks up on him even without running a subway /silly 

There is. So much here I could gush over (how much emmet cares for ingo, how much he respects his brother and his want for others to understand and acknowledge him as well)  but the. They love encourager so much and want to help each other and although they struggle to find ways to do so, and cannot use the methods they used to, they still find ways to support and help each other though this. They still have eachother’s backs no matter what- even after such a huge shift in tracks. 

There is something verrry sweet about that. (A real “would you love me if I was a worm over 120 ft mechanical bearing bond comprehension / a magical mechanic that can make metal float?”) 

It’s funny to imagine Emmet being at the end of his rope talking with someone, and ingo just. Walking up to them and the other person hurrying away. (Well. It’s funny if you don’t think about it to much) 

That trust IS earned, that kindness is repaid.

I have many thoughts of the twins being kind no matter what. Even with nearly every odd turned against them and forever changed, they are kind. And, eventually, that kindness is returned. Love that message- it’s a hard one to internalize but it’s so worth spreading. 

… you are giving me fic ideas. (Not necessarily related to this au but)

No one else has heard him speak since the change, but Emmet listens, and Emmet is thrilled at every opportunity he has to hear him.

( ╥ ᴗ ╥)

I swear I had more to say here. This is just very sweet and I want to gesture at it with strong emotion (love listening to people talk. It’s so nice to hear them just speak. I’m sure for emmet and ingo it’s. So much.) 

they'd also be able to train and grow and continue to push eachother to greater heights, even if one of them is warden and the other isn't.

“You grow stronger by matching yourself against a strong opponent. Please do your best and run toward the destination, an even higher state."

“Winning against us is a milestone in your life. You can rack up more and more. Please move on toward an even greater goal!"

 “it was very fun! You want to win, and I don't want to lose. That's real. When we clash in battles, I feel very excited!"

“We won, but I am not really satisfied. I can tell that you won't give up. Because you will be much, much stronger. That's why we are waiting for you to come back!"

Yeah I think so too. 

I can just imagine how they would encourage each other to keep getting stronger- even when far away from one another. Better combinations! New strategies! Just for the next time the other visits. 

no special interest in trains (yet,)

I know the focus had been mostly on the getting used to everything in huisi but I would Love to hear about adventures in the future. I will. Ask specific questions in another ask! But feel free to ramble about anything so I can ping some ideas around =] 

Emmet can solve nearly every problem… monster or a tragedy or a weapon.

Not quoting that entires sections here as it’s rather long- but ough. I Know I keep going back to “the relationship they have is so sweet” but you are Killing me here. Emmet knowing he can take care of ingo… finding his new form buetiful thanks to the gifts he was given… being there and letting his brother rapid fire informations and rambles and thoughts… ingo being able to make his brother feel safe, being able to feel and sense him in ways that he never had before…

Seeing the other hurting and wishing with all their heart to comfort the other. Just doing their best to make sure the other knows that they are there for them, no matter what. 

they made me realize I have autism.

Yeah. Yup. I have the braking suspicion that a Lot of people had that realization (I! Also had that realization.) 

Ingo does mention that he thinks he recalls him and emmet used to “battle and discuss Pokémon, I think” so it makes sense they would do the same here! Even if ingo himself is the “Pokemon” lol. 

The most successful way Ingo finds to help Emmet sleep is actually by giving him his own room aboard.

https://imgur.com/a/7wKhc3Q

(This is a link to a drawing- You can totally post it on your answer tho!) 

Just a sketch- fighting the combination of executive distinction + other ideas in my head + wanting to keep some of the other stuff a surprise 

I know! I skipped a lot of details (trust me I am chewing on All of them- I just may not have known what to add / not had anything to comment about it) but man I. Am shaking this around like a chew toy. 

Hiii :DD Hi welcome back!

I think I’m just very used to arceus offering people a deal and then Not Explaining the Consequences

Mhhhhm. That's a common fandom trope, and one that I'm frankly not very fond of. I have a lot of thoughts and opinions about how Arceus is handled in fandom and I don't want to get into all of them right now, but broadly in all my AUs where Arceus is involved, I try to write it sort of like a benign background grand master. It orchestrates these events and conclusions, but tries to avoid getting directly involved where possible. In my AUs, Arceus is actively avoiding being malicious whenever it is present and everything is done for a reason.

So in the case of Mecha AU, where it is directly getting involved in a drastic way, I want to actually give it a chance to have a character in the story than just being a 'deus ex machina.' (HAH. double pun) Most of that is through nuance, which is why I've been quick clarify that Ingo and Emmet knew what would happen and why I made Arceus' blessing so specific. It comes back as an key character later in their story, although that's a tale for a different time. Mainly, it's just really important to me that Arceus actually gets to Be a character instead of a plot point. It has motivations, goals, and a personality.

Every time I look into their in game quotes I’m always taken aback at how supportive and kind they both are. [...] Something something you are doing a fantastic job representing that with this story and how they act/ the decisions they make.

🥺 That actually means more than I can say. I've noticed that this particular trait does often get either overlooked (especially in?? Emmet's case??? for some reason??) or otherwise written in a way that doesn't quite feel right to me. I'm glad that this specific trait comes across in my work because i care about it a lot and it's the thing I focus on most when attempting to create anything about the twins.

I don't feel like I get it right all the time either, to be honest, but I do try my best. The way they're written canonically is so compelling to me but gamefreak please..... they have so few lines.... there is so little to work with. God knows I'm going to stretch it as far as I can but pokemon is just kind of Like This (vague gestures towards stories with a young target audience and casts way too large to thoroughly develop each arbitrary character)

In the end, both the twins are fundamentally kind people that want others to grow. 

(To summarize: This ^)

[Jericho-Typical ramble below:]

Customer service attitude sneaks up on him even without running a subway /silly 

It does!!!! It does and he HATES it!!! I think they should be nice to him and give him a break. I also think Emmet should get to go to a rage room as a treat.

They still have eachother’s backs no matter what- even after such a huge shift in tracks. [...] There is something verrry sweet about that.

THEY DO!!! THEY DO and it's SO important to me.

They would still love eachother if the other was a wurmple. If Emmet was a wurmple he could live in Ingo's lungs with the rest of the wild wurmple colony (JOKE) (But not entirely. because. Ingo does have a couple of stowaway bugs in his vents now and then. He's so big that if he sits very, very, very still, they'll climb on him like he's any other mountain or building. Emmet keeps having to remove them from the premises so their webs and nests don't block the airways, but Ingo keeps letting them back in when Emmet isn't looking) <- He can get away with this because bug types are known to have fewer brain cells (intensely affectionate) so they don't immediately clock him as giant living threat

[Doodle from a few years ago]

It’s funny to imagine Emmet being at the end of his rope talking with someone, and ingo just. Walking up to them and the other person hurrying away. (Well. It’s funny if you don’t think about it to much) 

Actually, since Emmet tends to stay nearby him and Ingo can reach very far, MY funny visual is Emmet just. TOTALLY pissed at somebody. and Ingo reaches over with his claw to drag Emmet away by the collar of his coat. This is not realistic. He probably just lets Emmet climb onto the inside edge of his claw and carries him off, but the first option is a lot funnier to imagine.

I have many thoughts of the twins being kind no matter what. Even with nearly every odd turned against them and forever changed, they are kind. And, eventually, that kindness is returned. Love that message- it’s a hard one to internalize but it’s so worth spreading. 

I feel a sappy kind of complicated feeling that I'm not quite sure how to put into words other than, y eah 🥺

The one thing that has never failed me is being kind. If nothing else succeeds, I am a firm believer that being kind cannot be completely overlooked, even in the face of fear, uncertainty, and anger. Kindness heals a lot more than people realize, even if you're directing it at other people. So, in stories I write, I also find it hard to write characters who are genuinely kind and caring in conflict with the people around them ksjdhgsg Call it a flaw, it probably is one, but man im a sap for kindness as a universal mediator.

… you are giving me fic ideas. (Not necessarily related to this au but)

:D!!! I'm thrilled to hear it!! If you ever write anything do let me know!! I love when my work can inspire other people to create things of their own, genuinely makes me so happy.

( ╥ ᴗ ╥) love listening to people talk. It’s so nice to hear them just speak. I’m sure for emmet and ingo it’s. So much.

I didn't have a lot specific to add to this but it reminded me of one of the first drawings I did of the Engineer and Mecha Ingo (This is from 2022) and I guess today is art day because I really wanna share some of the doodles I've made over the years of these two

Emmet IS in this drawing he's just very very small.

This makes me want to draw something new between the two of them. A quiet conversation or something with Ingo talking while Emmet listens. I'm not sure if/when I'll have time but it would be really nice 🥺

I know the focus had been mostly on the getting used to everything in huisi but I would Love to hear about adventures in the future. I will. Ask specific questions in another ask! But feel free to ramble about anything so I can ping some ideas around =] 

Ohhhhohohohh......... This is not a good topic to let me ramble about anything. We've been mostly talking about Hisui so far, but the majority of my time with this AU until the last year or so was spent hyperfixated on Post-Hisui. I would say that just as much of the story takes place after Hisui as it does in Hisui, and I think the most important note about their "adventures in the future" is that, getting to that future is the hard part.

The Engineer, as previously mentioned in the main masterlist, falls into a coma not long after Ingo sinks into the ocean. Ingo... Does not. or, not right away. Emmet's sleep is very... different. And specific. It's unnatural. Forced. And, if you'll recall from that same initial post, Emmet will not die as long as Ingo is still alive. He's functionally immortal.

But that means that Ingo is still there, at the bottom of the ocean. He has internal oxygen stores. He has onboard water and power. He doesn't need to "eat food," necessarily. He can last for a long time without any external help, in large part because he can't move. (Half buried in the sand, the weight of the ocean is too great.) He's not using up the normally vast amount of energy he requires to function.

And he waits. and waits... and... ...The worst part is, Ingo doesn't have any point of reference for what is going on outside. He doesn't know what the people of Hisui are doing, he doesn't know where Emmet is. He doesn't know that Emmet falls into an unshakeable sleep right on cue alongside his own internal systems shifting to a power-saving hibernation.

Ingo is alone under the water for a very, very long time.

That's all I'll say for now. I'm very ill about it and I don't want to ramble too long when you've mentioned sending a different ask about it another time. Ingo's time under the ocean is, a lot, and none of it is happy.

Seeing the other hurting and wishing with all their heart to comfort the other. Just doing their best to make sure the other knows that they are there for them, no matter what. 

No matter what happens now or in the future, this is what their relationship is based on. As much as that love and care is the thing that fuels them, it's also one of the things that hurts the most. They care SO much, more than anything, yet sometimes they care so much that it aches. their whole story is like this unfortunately and I uhhmmm,,,,,,, i havent found a way to, fix that. so I'm working on that part.

I can't quote that whole section either because it really is so much, but I keep rereading it too. It does give a very good perspective into how both of them feel and the experiences they're having. In a way, I think it does a better job than most of my other explanations.

[The most successful way Ingo finds to help Emmet sleep is actually by giving him his own room aboard.] https://imgur.com/a/7wKhc3Q This is a link to a drawing- You can totally post it on your answer tho!

[Drawn by Hammer Anon]

DUUUUUDE!!!! THIS IS SO CUTE OH MY GOSHHH 😭😭🥺 I've been staring at this all evening. This is so lovely and sweet and peaceful... I especially love how you've personalized Emmet's space here. He looks so comfortable in the hammock

The way you've drawn his core is extremely fascinating to me but does make sense based on my extremely limited description. Mentally noting this down for later I didn't give a good description of Ingo's core, but this is what it was ""supposed"" to look like:

I put ""supposed"" in quotations because while this was my first idea from years ago, it also feels extremely lackluster, so I've been wanting to redesign completely it for a while. But also holy shit please if anyone knows what that ^ shape is called I spent SO long trying to look it up with no results and I really don't want to just call it the Fruit Gusher Shape because surely there's an actual word for this kind of twelve sided shape (ignoring the bottom side-view drawing don't worry about that one)

Anyway

The funny thing is, I HAVE tried to draw Emmet's room several times, but your sketch is actually closer to how it looks in my head than any of the drawings I've made. This is because. All fictional locations in my brain operate on dream logic and generally have incomprehensible non-Euclidian structures. So genuinely this is exactly how I envision it when I talk about it.

The room is rectangular (longer than it is wide) in my head but this ^ was for a school project with specific requirements. Again, really don't like how Ingo's core looks here so I'm thinking of redoing it entirely/almost entirely. I like the closer/more cramped/more homey vibe of the sketch more than the digital one.

The way you drew it actually makes me really happy, and I'm thinking maybe I should push aside how I think it's "supposed" to look in order to actually mess around with how it Really looks in my head. You got the computer terminal basically perfect, and I love the addition of the pearl clan banner + the little gliscor plush/toy. Super lovely 🥺

I know! I skipped a lot of details (trust me I am chewing on All of them- I just may not have known what to add / not had anything to comment about it) but man I. Am shaking this around like a chew toy. 

All good! 🤝 I definitely do the same when I'm not sure what to add. Rest assured I have been regularly coming back just to reread everything and hrhghthhh. Yeah. Good. I fully understand. I wouldn't call your ask chew toys because those aren't my thing but like, if AUs are songs then your asks are like the Audio Visualizers that play in my brain whenever I think about them. Does that comparison make any sense? Maybe not. Point being: metaphor for a sensory stimuli I like

Mecha AU Masterlist

[nightwonder7]

the thought of a Ghost AU hug pile after Alice finally opens up to them and starts coming to with her own hard past with their help has me in shambles ;u;

another note though...how would the double identities work? would it be kind of like the ghosts can change forms or one personality takes over the other? Two separate ghosts who need to do different things before being put to rest?

and another question(s) that popped into my mind while writing this was: What is the requirement for releasing a ghost? What if said thing is really hard to do, like burning something precious? Or what if the first time it happens by accident and Alice & ghost Co don't even get to really say goodbye? 😭

HHHHHHHhhhHHHhhhh that is so wholesome! ;O; I can see the ghosts starting to notice that she becomes overly diligent in her work. To the point it is concerning, for she is staying up late for many nights studying the files and becomes too upset at every set-back. It's no longer about emptying the manor of ghosts so she can have her peaceful home back.

The ghosts doing some sort of intervention and want to know why she is wearing herself down like that (over the time they had known each other, they have started to care more for each other). Alice then tells them that she feels that it is her responsibility to help them and shares some of her past. For if she fails to help them, then she breaks the promise she made to herself that she would help others no matter what. All stemming from the emotional baggage of her parents' demise. The ghosts are the first ones she openly talks about her troubled past with. Que the group hug and words of reassurance ;u; Even though they can't really touch her fdghsjfks it'll be like an air hug XD A cold one...

----

I'm glad you asked! So the hunter form of those with double identities is actually a sort of corrupted form of their spirit, facilitated by the curse. Some are more susceptible than others to the mysterious power that veils the manor, and thus their unresolved trauma manifest in peculiar ways. This comes to play especially during events of strong emotions, such as when they start remembering their trauma. In these forms the ghosts are dangerously strong and can cause actual physical harm and destruction; much more so than the ghosts who don't possess this form.

In order to quell a ghost that has been corrupted, one must try and anchor them back down to earth. They are in a state of chaos and pain, and the only way to anchor them down is to first get their attention and make them listen. Then have them focus on something and slowly pull them out of chaos little by little with words. One thing that can help here is to use an item that holds significance to the ghost; something that is associated to a good or peaceful memory. Or something sentimental. For Joker; perhaps Margaretha's music box or a daisy? For Luchino; something related to his research like his papers or specimens? For Orpheus; something related to his childhood such as the stories he used to write and the doll. For Norton; the coin he carries around. For Mike; a piece of the circus.

It is a dangerous task, but once they calm down, they are able to get out of their corrupted form. This ghosts are still able to slip back into these forms again if they don't resolve their unfinished business.

----

So the curse is multilayered, protected by each of the ghosts' personal bindings. All of them need to be broken individually before the curse can be lifted. Once that is done, all the ghosts will be released simultaneously. So fortunately, none of them will slip away spontaneously ;u; Aaaahhhh but the thought though! 😭

The key to each binding is a little different from one another. All of them need to remember how they died and the trauma that first brought them to the manor and come to terms with it. Some of them also require tending to unfinished businesses in order to get closure. It can be to find out what happened to a loved one, finishing a piece of work, or, as you said, destroy something. It is for Alice and the ghosts to figure out what needs to be done. Pff imagine in order to break Matthias' binding, Alice needs to destroy Louis, but no matter what she does to that puppet, it just comes back again in mint condition XD

[mihai-florescu]

Sorry to barge into your inbox but I love your takes on the cisbend stuff, it feels like there's little to no acknowledgement of how many different angles you can look at it from and it makes it (almost) impossible to judge other people's cisbends if you don't know Which angle they're doing it from…

Like, "what if the character themself was the same, but their agab - and, consequently, how the world treats them - was different?" is different to "what if every aspect of the character relating to their gender was 'flipped'?" is different to "if the characters agab was different, how would they change to have the same narrative and themes?" is different to "what if enstars was a danseimuke instead of a joseimuke?" (<- not entirely sure I'm using those right but hopefully you get what I mean) And looking at "genderbends" in general these are of course also all different to "what if this character transitioned?"

And there can be overlap between those angles, or different interpretations within the same angle, and there are probably more angles than the ones I listed. Since gender is so varied, and it's not like male and female are strictly opposites, I think it's very fun to think about!!! The variance they can have feels very underutilised to me… I think people also tend to worry about changing the character too much, but differ depending on whether they're more worried about changing the Personality/Interests or the Narrative/Themes. Now that I think about it it might be a kind of Watsonian vs Doylist thing? Sort of?

I could go on but if I do I'll never stop 🫡 ALSO TO BE CLEAR this isn't meant to be like passive aggressive(?) to the other asks this stuff just gets my brain going. Oh and I hope you have fun with the rest of ms2 when you get to it!!!

YES sorry it took me so long to answer this ask even though i dont have anything much to add regardless, i was on that ms2 insanity grind🙏 i love the observation of the watsonian/doylist perspective actually, i hadnt considered it but it does make sense nodnod, thank you for barging into my inbox!

I think the first step in approaching a cisbend should be regarding the role so you then know how to continue. What do you prioritize? Seeing what new story would develop had x character had a different gender assigned at birth, or playing around with how they could follow the same narrative and evolution as in canon but from a different starting point? I think both are worthy imagination exercises that could even result in new ocs and interests for the individual... i care about things hypothetically. I care about the idea of things. I dont really have skin in the game myself, i am more fascinated in what goes on behind the scenes of a person's au more so than the result. I think that's why i like cisbends now, i see them as a glimpse into people's imagination. Of course im still a hater and am bored by the basic cookie cutter hourglass long hair no story no point other than to be hot designs. But those say something about the person too dont they... maybe not! Maybe im just an overly judgemental bitch that looks too much into stuff. My sense of reality and perception of other ppl as real has been funny lately. Slash neg

[asheronangel]

i need

to share

this dream i had.

i want to make it an au but i want to finish the drawing i'm already working on since i'm still figuring out sonic art-style

so ahem:

shadow and sonic.

but from a different dimension? just the two of them.

and they're both in an art-style different than the typical one. stylized.

shadow is greys, no black. he has like. muted rainbow trailing after his quills and maybe as accents? idk grey with muted rainbow

sonic is like. rainbow dash. a lighter blue with darker blue uhh accents and more-saturated rainbow following his quills + the darker blue but i think less rainbow than shadow. (and for some reason in the dream i remember being disappointed that "they didn't make sonic greyscale like in the concept" so??)

and they've just been living together for their whole lives. so brothers i declare them

anyway they live in this like. colourful varied jungle kinda. and i remember them racing on a mountain/cliff/rock thing.

and they fought these robots, and sonic kicked one into this uhhhh like giant gear looking thing sticking out of the ground? but when he did the lower half of it opened like a door and the momentum pushed him into the portal. (because the gear-thing was like a wall and he didn't just kick it he jumped and slammed it into the gear with his foot)

and shadow watches, somehow knows somewhat about what happened even though they never saw this thing before (he definitely doesn't know everything though) and then he uhh jumps onto the part of it that hadn't opened above the portal, but he stood there for a bit like gravity was being weird and i think the thing actually kind of pulled him to it?? and then he jumped into it

and sonic appeared to some sort of school? in front of it. and i can't find anything exactly what im looking for but:

perspective-wise it's more like the first and third. that angle, looking up, but you can see the whole building. and the school's kinda square? colour-wise it's like dark browns and desaturated colours. i kept on thinking "dark academia" but results for those buildings are all kinda castle-like?

and yeah it was at night

and he notices his appearance has changed, and he looks more like regular modern sonic in that sort of art style. and i believe he says something like "i can't believe i'm being compressed into this!"

anyway he joins the school i believe but i don't actually know what he does there. he does get an outfit though like ik he gets a dark brown jacket

shadow does something idk he's transported somewhere different in the same world. i think the person he ends up hanging out with is Very Confused in What He Is and doesn't like him very much at first.

he also looks different and more like regular shadow

and eventually he finds sonic at that school and he joins it and gets and outfit (along with the person he met) and idk what they do there

oh my god it's mlp equestrian girls what

that was the end of the dream i believe however upon thinking about it more later i got some stuff:

when sonic and shadow were Little they were raised by like. a mongoose i think? whose name started with "T"? and he's the only other person they knew in their world. but one day he left (which he usually does to get stuff) but he didn't come back

they waited for him for a While

but shadow realizes he'll never come back and tells sonic this, sonic says he would never abandon them, and shadow says something along the lines of "it doesn't matter whether he wanted to leave or got lost or what, he's still gone either way and we need to take care of ourselves."

and so they do? and shadow's like a big brother to sonic here.

i was also wondering "wait canon shadow's the ultimate life form science experiment he doesn't age though how does child shadow exist here" and my brain proceeded to conjure this:

sonic grew regularly like a regular kid and started getting taller than shadow. then shadow's body decided it's time to hit his growth spurt. but it was an unnatural way that it was uhh designed to do because for some reason my brain's decided artificial life forms in that dimension or by his creator don't really grow (physically) naturally

which is to say he grew Way Too Fast in a visibly unnatural way (haven't figured out that part yet) and it resulted in terrible growing pains. i also imagine he still has pains from his unnatural biology but thankfully it's not as bad and it's something sonic got used to comforting him through :D

and when sonic got his growth spurt shadow watched him Closely to make sure he'd be okay but sonic's growing was natural and longer than his. so he might've had some growing pains but not as bad as shadow

also for some reason i decided that instead of having rocket shoes. shadow's rockets are just In his feet like a cyborg. idk why i've done this. i pictured the friends they made their new friends concerned by this discovery as it does not look comfortable

i have no idea who made shadow or why in this au. lots of mystery in their dimension which i want to keep a secret from them but i need to actually know something to make it a secret

if you read all of this and don't immediately think i'm weird thank you 👍

(and if you have any ideas to add i'd love to hear them yknow yknow)

[hurlumerlu]

writ in water now we saw the show’s version: 7 25 14 “Trust someone like him to skip straight from bargaining to acceptance, and not bother with the rest.” (which i think is still quite accurate)

Thank you :D Man, that scene was incredible. I love it when First Kanaphan does that thing where he just kills all the light in his eyes.

7. What inspired the idea for the plot?

I saw the footage of Kant jumping in the trailer and immediately went "dramatically confronting the enemy you love at the edge of cliff on the deck of a boat? oooh yes please" but the whole thing is so impractical and theatrical (kidnaping someone from a hospital and putting him on a boat and making him jump at gunpoint in broad daylight is just so much work and unnecessary risks) that I didn't really know how to approach it (which is why i first went with the staged execution idea: it's showy because it must be seen to work). But then we got that little characters interview video where Kant first mentioned he didn't like the beach and didn't want to say why and that's when the idea of "he's got a terrible fear of drowning and the execution is so needlessly elaborate because it's very pointed revenge" fully clicked! But that directly led to "ok but why would he jump then?", which led to "what does he care for more than himself?" which led to the satisfying irony of a liar having all his moments of sincerity used against him. And then tumblr was losing its collective shit about the Northern Lights and I had my ending.

25. Is there anything you would change now about this fic? Why or why not?

Since the show hadn't dropped, I knew I would get some things wrong wrt characterization and events, so it was conceived as a sort of AU from the start, and I'm entirely fine with that. I wouldn't - for example - try to put Kant's absolutely devastating, bone-deep terror of the sea in there, or Bison metaphorically throwing his heart in the water, because I love that the show suckerpunched me with it. It was so good! I'm glad I never came up with it! That being said, if I had to change one thing it would probably be the brother talk. We knew very little about Babe (I'm not even sure I knew Babe's name) so I chose to make it very vague. I don't regret it but it might have been more impactful if I had some canon interactions to start from and make things really personal. I would perhaps also tweak this section a bit: Under Bison’s left eye, an old muscle spasm made itself new. He was being kind. He was giving Kant a fighting chance. And the goddamn bastard thought he could get picky? Like, it's not not Bison, but it doesn't feel quite like him either, I think, and it's probably my least favourite section of the fic, so i wouldn't feel like I'm losing anything (not even something self-indulgent).

14. My favorite line from this fic was Trust someone like him to skip straight from bargaining to acceptance, and not bother with the rest. What inspired it?

So obviously the question was "how does Kant react to the realization that he truly will have to jump?" I liked the image of someone trying to raise placating hands only to be reminded they're bound, and the gesture made sense given that's he's jumping to his death to appease Bison's wrath. It also seemed in line with the Kant we had seen in the interview, who came off as calm and composed (and even as wanting to come off that way), and not particularly comfrontational. The air he gives off in the trailer, too, is of someone who is more of a runner than a fighter, but it's not like he has any escape route here, so what's left? He has tried negotiating for a less terrifying death already, and it's been denied: acceptance it is. And I thought it would be another twist of the knife for Bison to recognize this as something Kant would do, because he knows this man (but he doesn't. but he does.) Finally I must confess that it's a very "me", line. I have always been extremely partial to characters whose main survival tool is desperate bargaining. It's rather lame and extremely human and often a mood and I like when men beg. So that was really just one of the self-indulgent things mentioned above, and everything I said before was more me justifying it after the fact u_u

(behind the scene asks game)