#her observations. which is funny considering she even admits to being blatantly wrong about her conclusions on several occasions.

[fuckmeyer]

Ithaca is a beautiful character study. the way we get to peel back the layers of Carlisle's character & place them in the context of his relationship with Edward is an absolutely fascinating look at the true dynamics of Carlisle & Cullen family.

i think fandom often forgets that the Cullens are viewed through the eyes of a 18-year-old girl who only catches them in glimpses & only knows the people they became after decades (centuries!) of mistakes, hardship, & growth. she simply does not know enough about them to give us an accurate picture of who they are.

while there's no better example of this than Edward, Carlisle Cullen also gets a rose-tinted biography, both by the narrator & the fandom. crazy! canonically, Carlisle is wildly morally gray

he turned Edward, Esme, Rosalie, & Emmett without their consent despite his convictions that vampires may be "damned regardless."

though these acts are framed as "saving," there is absolutely no moral compass guiding his decisions to "save" one human over another; instead, these decisions seem to have stemmed from a place of loneliness.

he occupied werewolf territory without their consent and offered them a treaty in lieu of total genocide.

in Twilight, we never see him intervene when it's clear Edward is obsessed with, & stalking, the Police Chief's daughter.

he acquiesces to Edward's demands that they leave Bella (unprotected!) in New Moon despite the fact that she is a prime target for Victoria's revenge.

in Breaking Dawn, we find out he ran medical tests on Jacob without his consent.

he seems to have no problem overthrowing the most benign ruling body vampirekind has ever known despite having no desire to rule or plan to fill the power vacuum that would inevitably be left in their wake.

Carlisle is a prime example of why looking between the lines matters, especially in a "vampire fairytale" like The Twilight Saga.

one of the overlooked horror aspects of Twilight unrelated to Bella & Edward's romance is 200-year-old Carlisle Cullen changing 17-year-old Edward Masen, a boy so sick he couldn't even consent to becoming a vamp.

Edward says Carlisle was lonely and wanted a companion. but what kind of "companionship" can a man get from a child? Carlisle was desperate, sure, but he could have picked anyone dying during the influenza pandemic to be his companion. why Edward?

imo, Carlisle didn't want a companion in the sense that he wanted an equal partner. Carlisle wanted someone he could care for forever without having to worry about them dying. he wants to play the role of caretaker because—up until this point—it's the role he knows best and the only role he's comfortable with. because the influenza pandemic put this image of himself in jeopardy (as he has to watch countless die of a novel disease he cannot treat), Carlisle looked to someone who could reaffirm his role. Carlisle doesn't want a relationship between equals—he wants validation that he'll always be needed in this world. what better way to do that than to change a young boy who will never mentally progress beyond 17?

the argument here is, "oh, well Carlisle treated Edward's mom who made him promise to save her son." it begs the question why THIS plea is the one that gets to him. was this the first time a 200-year-old doctor got pleas from his patients to save them? i highly doubt no one on their deathbed ever thought to appeal to the Mysteriously Perfect Hot Doctor to save their life by any means necessary.

which leads me to believe Edward being turned is not just the result of a) Carlisle being lonely, b) a "noble" man making a promise, or c) the pandemic creating ripe conditions for someone to disappear, but also, e) an implicit desire to reaffirm his role as caretaker in a moment of self-doubt; plus bonus, d) a worse fifth thing

[kwrittink]

Wrong - EXPLOSION

Pairing: F!Reader x AdoptedBrother!Jungkook

Genre: Fluff/Angst

Warnings: language

<AFTERSHOCK                                                                            COLLAPSE>

"Oh dear, I can't believe we placed second at the event!" JiMin threw his head back with a frustrated groan, the plastic prince's crown headband almost tipping off his head. You chuckled, stealing one more piece of the flower cotton candy, receiving a warning glare back. 

"And that's because you just wanted to spectate at first," you quipped, resuming to eat more of the sweet and sour popcorn that had you obsessed all afternoon. Daylight was already scarce by the time you had left the patisserie but you two had too much fun together, so hanging out for a couple more hours wouldn't hurt. 

"Yes but I think I got a little competitive," He admitted, taking a long sip of the edible gold glitter laced passion fruit, and boba tea - 'Fairy King's Nectar' tasted weirdly delicious though - he had insisted on buying both, licking his lips and making them glisten in the low light of the park you've been wandering on. "Wasn't for that other couple blatantly cheating at the game... I mean searching for answers online should be considered as such, right?" You snickered and nodded as he turned to you with a small frown. 

"Don't worry, I know SeokJin and he'll surely hold other events along the year," you assured the man that had admitted being called 'Mochi' through high school and university - and you were going to bring that back that for sure -, watching a hopeful look appear on his face. 

"So we can come! You'll come with me again right?" And you didn't know why you just let yourself fall into his charm - maybe he was meant to be a fairy king or something and enslave you to his will forever - but you nodded after a second of hesitance while being stared at by wishful eyes. JiMin chuckled pleased. 

The end of that 'date' - how it had been casually hinted at by your company - had everything to end in a good note, while watching dogs play around, even greeting some of them as the night fell and you finished your snacks. You felt at ease, distracted for the first time in days of the existence of Jeon JungKook, which wasn't exactly the root of all your problems, but someone you wished you didn't miss so much. 

"But in all seriousness," JiMin made you snap from your thoughts bumping his shoulder into yours and you glanced to the side, meeting his contented expression close to your face. "I had fun today. Thank you for coming and not thinking this was weird, you know, for the working relationship we hold." He said and you smiled back at him, patting the hand resting on top of his thigh. 

"I'm glad you asked me. I actually thought of you as someone closer to me since we first met, being honest. I was really happy that we became friends, though." You admitted, watching a grin play at the corner of his lips, a snicker that sent a waft of passion fruit and cherry to your face. 

"Well it's really nice you think of me as a friend and not some odd client, though I-" And for a second you thought to be hallucinating, because you could swear his eyes were trained to your lips as he started to practically whispering what he was saying, but you didn't have time to really get it, because suddenly a voice was calling his name. A voice you knew so well it made you cringe, shivers rolling down your spine as you turned around slowly, wishing to be wrong. 

"Hi JiMin, funny to see you in this neighborhood- Oh, Miss Y/L/N... Good evening," the drop in his voice was noticeable, even if you knew for a fact that he hadn't just seen you there, based at the look in his eyes. You greeted him back in the same polite manner while JiMin got up to talk to him, seeming to be a little embarrassed. You wanted to leave as soon as possible. 

"So Jin's couples event? That's nice. I was just finishing my evening run, since there's nice weather," as he chatted with his partner, you chanced again a glance at him, this time properly measuring his figure, taking notice of his lean figure, how the dark shirt clung to his damp chest, sweaty hair swept back in a swift motion and strong thighs exposed by his shorts. You held a sigh, he had no business looking good while in the post-run state. 

As I don't have any business minding that. 

"It's not like you would go with me to that kind of thing right? And Y/N was free, so I didn't see any harm on asking her to be my company." JiMin shrugged, hands fitting his pockets. JungKook hummed, squinting. 

"Sure Rose would have loved to come as well, she's always at your disposal..." He trailed off and both suddenly became awkwardly silent. That was your cue. 

"We were actually about to say goodbye, it's getting late and work starts early tomorrow... At least for me," you tried chuckling a little to clear the air, getting up from your seat. "

"Ah sure, you're right. I'll take you home and-" 

"Actually, I wanted to discuss some stuff with you, JiMin. There have been some issues with financials that will have to be solved first thing in the morning so..." And JungKook dared to wince at both of you, as if that wasn't complete bullshit. You knew him well enough to know that. JiMin's expression fell, fingers running through his hair exasperatedly. You knew he'd want to fix that as soon as possible, since one of the things that he hated the most was dealing with money problems. Actually he's the most eager to have an estimated budget of every project as soon as possible, that's probably the only annoying thing about this man. 

With a pained look, Park JiMin turned to you. "Y/N, I..."

"Don't worry about it, I'll take a cab... I know those things are urgent," you started, walking up to him and blatantly hugging him while under Jeon's burning gaze. "Still I stand by what I said. I had fun! We should do this another time." And with a playful wink, you walked away, immediately calling NamJoon to come pick you up. 

Your best friend surely had a good laugh about the whole deal.

--

"You're getting popular these days, Y/N." Mou giggled as you told her everything over a coffee in the break room, since work had been postponed that day for after lunch, due to a supervisor's meeting. You groaned, taking another sip of your beverage while eyeing TaeHyung by far and how handsome he was looking recently. It had been two days since your 'date' with JiMin happened and you still haven't talked to him.  

"I'm glad my messy love life amuses you, my dear. If I can call it that, I mean." You quipped. You almost didn't mind that she was having this much fun about the whole deal, since it changes the 'NamJoon' subject, for a change. 

"Oh but of course! Three hot men after you and all you've got to do is choose! That's something I'd wish for," Mou shrugged and you had to physically stop yourself from rolling your eyes again before they stuck to the brain-side of your head. But wait, did she say 'three'?

You bopped her forehead lightly, smiling softly. "Well, but you only have your heart set for one, despite the circumstances... But what do you mean three, last time I checked I got involved-ish with only two."

Despite her face flushing, Mou still rolled her eyes back at you while putting one more teaspoon of sugar in her coffee. "Drop the 'ish' because we both know Park JiMin was going for it before Mr. Jeon arrived. And by the way that's what I meant by 'three'. Jeon JungKook is totally into you!"

Blinking slowly you processed what she had just said. "What have they put in your coffee?" You snickered at the absurd statement and glanced around, wondering if anyone had heard you in the break room. Since there wasn't anyone glancing your way, you felt safe, but still whished your friend would tone it down.

"No but hear me out, the ride to the company in his car and the sweets basket could be certainly be misunderstood but him interrupting JiMin right as he was about to kiss you and stopping him from taking you back home with that lame excuse shows clear signs he's running for it too!" 

You rolled your eyes at her, not wanting to believe that JungKook was being anything more than just a brat trying to sabotage you. Why would he want anything to someone he'd already abandoned? Surely that kiss years ago didn't mean anything to him, you didn't mean anything.

"What are you so excitedly gossiping about?" Min YoonGi leaned on the counter, nodding for a coffee mug lazily, which you fetched kindly to avoid his question. But Mou wanted to share, apparently. 

"I was just trying to convince Y/N that this guy is interested in her even though he's been acting a little like a brat," she said and you glared at her from the coffee machine stand, hoping she would shut up. You liked your boss, but wasn't that intimate with him and would like to avoid that. Your career wasn't suffering for your bad decisions yet, and you were trying to keep it that way. 

"Oh, that Jeon kid? Yeah, he seemed pretty intense since their first meeting. But I thought they were exes or something like that?" Bingo, you knew he would think like this. At least he's always muttering. No one would hear this nonsense. 

"No, he's just a little weird you know. Handsome though, don't you think?" You watched YoonGi observing Mou compliment JungKook as you walked back to them, a weird feeling of seeing something on your boss's face that made you think of awe or endearment. Could it be...

"I don't know about that, but he seemed shy that day, enough to not even look Y/N in the eye..." But in the blink of an eye, the slight change was gone and you shook your head to the matter, focusing on the other impossible thing that was being spoken about. 

"He just didn't like me, that's all. And even if there was a slight possibility for that whole delusion to be true, I would have to turn him down, since I work for him." You stated, placing the hot liquid in front of your very grateful boss and sitting to take another sip of your coffee. 

"But what about Park JiMin-"

"Nothing is going on between us besides friendship, I've told you." You interrupted Mou with a sharp look but didn't miss the smirk on YoonGi's face as he too started his coffee. 

"That's not what the local gossip is talking about," he said and before you could even think of countering whatever he was to say, you boss produced his mobile on the table, quickly unlocking and going to an internet page he had already open - gossiping site, you knew he liked those stuff - turning to show you a sort of obscure picture of a couple from the back with their faces close in a way that could only be intimate. One couldn't really see the girl in the picture but by her - your - side it was clear that the man leaning for a kiss was Park JiMin, dressed in his casual clothes. 

Your face started to feel hot but ignoring that fact you still glanced up at YoonGi and his smug expression. "Nobody can say it's really me." You muttered while Mou grabbed the device to see it too, reading the headline that made you shudder. 'X's city most wanted bachelor in a late afternoon date with a mysterious woman: is the co-owner of A.R.M.Y. out of the market?' 

____________________________

masterlist

[meitanteikazuha]

In Reverse 2: The Night Before the Wedding Locked Room Case

Have some more of the Heiji/Kazuha roleswap fic! If you want to start from the beginning, here’s the link to it on AO3!

"You're sulking, aren't you?"

"W-what are ya talkin' about!?" Looking startled at the question, Heiji quickly moved to deny any such thing. "Of course I'm not! Why would I be sulkin'?"

It wasn't that he was the least bit annoyed that his plan to lure that Kudo Shinichi guy out had failed once again. He had thought for sure if they called Ran out to come and pick them up at the station upon arriving Tokyo, that the Kudo guy would have shown up with her, but it would appear that he was wrong. The only people who had come alongside Ran was that mustached geezer, and that weird glasses kid.

Who had, incidentally, been hogging all of Kazuha's attention ever since they had gotten here. For some reason, it bothered him. He knew that Kazuha was good with kids, but what did she even see in a brat like that anyways? He wasn't the least bit cute!

"You are!" Ran insisted, unable to keep the bright smile off of her face. "Kazuha-chan told me, you know. About your plan to try and trick Shinichi into showing his face here."

"I don't know what ya mean!" Folding his arms in front of his chest, Heiji averted his eyes from her, doing a splendidly bad job at lying. "I don't care about that idiot high school detective one bit!"

"Which one do you mean by that? Shinichi? Or perhaps Kazuha-chan?" Ran couldn't help but ask. Really now... even when he wasn't being honest, he really couldn't help but be honest. He might deny it, but it was written all over his face- his jealousy, that was.

"What does it matter, which one I mean?" Heiji asked, daring to glance back in Ran's direction and instantly regretting it. What was that look on her face for? Was she making fun of him?

Honestly, he really didn't get this Neechan sometimes.

"It matters a lot!" Ran insisted, nodding her head. "You like her, don't you? Kazuha-chan, that is."

"Ya said somethin' like that before too, but lemme tell ya right now, I don't think of Kazuha that way." Heiji insisted, as he turned his gaze back outside the car window, eyes narrowing a little as he caught sight of Kazuha and that kid exchanging some words with each other. What was so much fun about talking with a kid anyways?

"Then, if you don't think of her that way, why are you so upset about Shinichi?" Ran asked, tilting her head. "It seems an awful lot to me like you're jealous, Hattori-kun."

"Je-" Sputtering a little, Heiji's face betrayed him, turning a bright red color at her words as he turned to look at her. "I'm not! I just wanna make sure that Kazuha's not hangin' around some kinda weirdo, that's all!"

"Besides, I don't see what's so great about the guy anyways!" Leaning back in the car seat, Heiji's brows furrowed together, an irritated expression on his face. "He didn't come ta visit her even once while she was in the hospital. From the way she talks about him, it sounds like the two of 'em are friends, but what kinda lousy bum friend doesn't come visit ya after ya've been shot?"

"Well that's..." Trailing off for a moment, Ran had to admit, Heiji did have a bit of a point. Even if it had just been in the leg, the fact remained that Kazuha had been shot- and had the scar to show for it now, too. "I'm sure Shinichi was just busy with a case. He can't even come see me that often, so..."

"What's so interestin' about cases anyways?" Heiji muttered, once more averting his eyes from her- this time for a different reason than before, Ran sensed. "Ya'd think after the case Kazuha might think twice about detective work, but she's just as gung-ho as it as she usually is."

"That's just how they are." Ran told him simply, shrugging her shoulders. "I don't really understand it myself either."

"Hmm." Not looking entirely convinced by such a half hearted explanation, Heiji could only let out a small sigh. "Well whatever, I guess. No point in sulkin' over it, I guess."

"Ah, so you were sulking!"

"...shut up."

"Ah, he's lookin' this way again."

"Hattori-kun, you mean?" Following Kazuha's gaze, Conan could only frown, just barely catching the person in question looking away from them. "You're right."

"That's the fifth time already." Kazuha observed, her smile growing somewhat amused. "Do ya think he's jealous or somethin'?"

"Considering that he stormed in during the middle of our tour demanding to know where Kudo Shinichi was, I'd say he's jealous." Conan noted, merely lifting a brow, not missing the way that Kazuha briefly flinched at his words, averting her eyes. "But not of me. I'm just a kid, after all!"

"Nah, he's probably jealous." Kazuha noted, glancing back Heiji's way again.

"Of a kid?" Conan asked, unable to help but sound a bit skeptical. "I thought you said that you weren't even interested in him that way, Kazuha-chan."

"I'm not, I'm not!" Kazuha said quickly, the hurried nature of her response leaving room for skepticism. He was starting to get the impression that perhaps there was a bit more going on between the two than either was willing to let on- or perhaps they had both simply failed to notice the nature of their own feelings. "I just think it's kinda funny, really. That he'd be jealous of me talkin' ta what he thinks is a kid."

Well, he had gotten a bit of a weird idea planted in his head after the last time, but it was better not to tell Conan about that. It would pass in time- or rather, even if it didn't, she doubted Heiji would arrive at the truth. His mind could work in awfully strange ways at times.

Either way, it was probably nothing to worry about.

"Funny's not really the word that I would use to describe it." Conan pointed out, turning his gaze back towards the car, a slight frown crossing his face as he watched the occupants of it enjoy a conversation between the other. It wasn't as if he thought Heiji was any kind of threat, or anything like that- but seeing things like that only really served to remind him that he couldn't be in that place himself, right now.

It left something of a bitter taste in his mouth.

"Does he always try to challenge boys who spend time around you to fights?" He couldn't help but ask. Hopefully by the time he returned to his real body for good, he'd be over such feelings. Given the way he seemed to be hitting it off with Ran, he could only assume that they would be seeing much more of him in the future.

"Not always." Kazuha said, shaking her head. "Actually, this is the first time, come ta think of it. He always does get kinda grumpy when it's someone he doesn't know, though, but he's never actually tried ta fight them, or anythin' that. But I'm sure he's not serious about that, Kudo-kun, so ya don't have ta worry!"

"No, I think he's plenty serious." Conan dryly remarked. "More importantly, did you two really only come out here just for a wedding?"

"Really, really." Kazuha reassured him, giving him a smile. "I'm sure nothin' like last time will happen again. My luck's not normally that bad." Pausing for a moment, she let her gaze drift once more, her expression speaking volumes. "My luck, at least."

"Ah." Simply leaving it at that, Conan merely cast another glance back towards Heiji, lips twisting in a tight frown.

Come to think of it, they had only gotten involved in that case after Heiji had appeared.

In so far as keeping secrets went, Toyama Kazuha was not precisely terrible at it. For the most part, she managed to keep careful track of what she said, and aside from that one time, generally was able to keep track of what to call him. Putting aside the fact that she had spoken a little more freely about Kudo Shinichi than he would have liked within private circles, she was mostly quite good at it, in fact.

Mostly.

"Well? How does it feel to be the great detective of the Heisei Era?"

"It's incredible for me too! My cases are solved so easily, like in a dream..."

That loud snort that Kazuha let out in response to his words was anything but subtle. Though she'd tried to cover it up with her hand, that had only served to draw more attention to it, in the form of an assortment of odd looks from around the table. Sending her the best glower that he could manage under the circumstances, Conan took some small satisfaction in the way she paled at it.

"Ah, sorry, sorry." Holding up a hand, Kazuha let out something of an awkward laugh. "I just remembered a funny joke I heard the other day, that's all. Don't mind me!"

For the most part, the occupants of the table seemed to buy the excuse, and the topic had changed rather quickly. Heiji's gaze had lingered on Kazuha for a moment longer than those of others, a slight frown on his face, before he too, seemed to brush it off.

This guy might actually be slightly more perceptive than he had first thought- he would have to be a bit careful, in that case. His type was the last type that he wanted his secret to be known to- he couldn't imagine anything good would come of it.

Well, Kazuha was probably right. Only she and Heiji would be spending the night here, after all- he'd be going back home with Ran and Kogoro after dinner was over. Since nothing had happened yet, he doubted anything would at this point- especially after the fiance in question finally showed himself.

For the time being, he could take it easy.

Which would be easier, were he not seated right next to someone who had very blatantly expressed an intent to fight him the last time they'd met. It was one of the very few times in which he'd found himself grateful that he wasn't, well, himself at the moment.

While he wasn't one normally to believe in jinxes, perhaps that was the best way to describe the events that had unfolded. He'd been certain, so certain, that nothing was going to happen this time- only to be proven wrong in the span of an instant.

The sound of shattering glass had brought with it an ill omen. Sure enough, not only was the butler of the family nowhere to be found, but they also had a locked room to deal with- one that turned out to have a corpse inside. It was of none other than the missing butler, a man by the name of Shigematsu Akio, who appeared to have been rather well acquainted with Heiji.

He'd been stabbed in the chest, and the murder weapon in question was nowhere to be found. A locked room case- and a rather annoying one at that. The fact that they had to put up with the annoying attitude of the son didn't help matters at all- even if his own actions had lead them to a clue that they might have missed otherwise.

"Maybe that story's true, then?"

"Story?" Kazuha asked, peering up towards Heiji, only briefly wondering when he had gotten there. Conan had been a bit more startled by his sudden appearance- not that she could blame him, Heiji didn't seem like the type to move quietly when he wanted to. "What story, Heiji?"

"Somethin' my mom told me once." Folding his arms in front of his chest, Heiji cocked his head in the direction of the retreating form of Sakuraba. "I overheard Morizono-han just a second ago askin' if he could start the burial arrangements fer Shigematsu-han. Said somethin' about buryin' him near his wife."

"So? What's that got ta do with anythin'?" In spite of words, it was clear from her tone that the story had nevertheless piqued her interest. Heiji had come here quite a few times as a child, from the sound of it, so there was a chance that what he might say could prove to be useful.

Since he was a child, though... she supposed she was grateful that nothing had been said that would have caused his temper to flare during dinner. Be it good luck or sensitivity, she'd rather not have to handle dealing with one of Heiji's moods on top of solving a case. Those two things never mixed well.

"I'm gettin' ta that." Heiji grumbled. "Honestly, here I am tryin' ta help ya out a little, an' ya gripe at me."

Ah, so he was in a bit of a mood after all, Kazuha noted, merely letting out a sigh. Well, she couldn't say that she didn't expect it. Generally speaking, Heiji hated being around crime scenes, so she guessed it was only natural that he'd be a little more testy than usual. "Yes, yes, finish yer story already Heiji. I want ta hurry up an' go back ta check out the crime scene already."

There was a slight pause there, before Heiji frowned, turning slightly on his heel. "If those two are really in love with each other, then it'd be the same as in the past. Apparently the one that Morizono-han's wife always came ta see wasn't him, but Shigematsu-han. He just got the wrong idea, an' thought that she was comin' here ta see him instead, an' ended up proposin' ta her."

"Well, he probably figured it out afterwards, though." Heiji added with a slight shrug. "I guess it's what they say about history repeatin' itself."

"Yer right, it is similar." Kazuha noted, exchanging a brief glance with Conan. She got the feeling that the matching pendants weren't entirely unrelated to the case at hand, and she was pretty sure he felt the same way.

"Right?" His grin only momentarily shifting at the way that Kazuha and Conan exchanged looks, Heiji tucked his hands into his pockets. As he thought, that kid really was weird- he'd been following Kazuha around like a shadow the entire time. For that matter, he didn't seem all that disturbed by the appearance of a corpse either.

Come to think of it, it had been the same way the last time too. Not to mention, what kind of kid just dove in to take a knife for someone by instinct like that?

Edogawa Conan, apparently.

"I don't think it's gonna work, Kudo-kun."

"No, we can't say that yet, Kazuha-chan." Conan noted, peering down over the balcony, trying to more or less eyeball the distance between it, and the one below. "That's why you're going to test it, to find out."

"No, no, that's not what I meant." Kazuha told him, shaking her head. "I know ya asked me ta do it seein' as yer a little short on height," and unable to help herself, she let out a faint snort there, "...but I'm not all that tall myself, all things considered. The only suspect I have the same reach as is Kaede-san."

Glowering slightly at the short comment, Conan nevertheless recognized that she did have something of a point there. If her arms weren't long enough to reach what she needed to in order to get the balcony below them, then rope or not, doing the experiment might actually put her in danger. Needless to say, he didn't want that.

"We still need to test it somehow, though." Conan pointed out, a tight frown on his face. This did complicate things a bit. "I'm not sure how much luck we'd have in convincing Uncle to try it. If I asked Detective Takagi, maybe..."

"Ah, there's no need fer that." Kazuha said, holding up a hand. "If it's just someone with longer arms than me, I got the perfect person in mind."

"Who?" Blinking a little, Conan looked up at her, slowly catching her drift as he did. "You can't be talking about-?"

"Yeah. Heiji'll do it if I ask him too." Kazuha told him, nodding her head.

"There's no way he'd actually just-"

"Fine, I'll do it."

He stood corrected, apparently. From the way he had grumbled about it at first, he'd been almost certain that Heiji was going to turn her down- but apparently, he'd be wrong, and she'd been right.

Well, they were childhood friends, after all, and he, on the other hand, had only just met the guy- and barely, at that. He got the feeling that Heiji was trying to avoid situations in which the two of them would be alone together. Judging from the vibe he gave off, he was pretty sure it had to do with him being fully aware of the fact that he wasn't really all that great with children.

"Thanks a bunch, Heiji!" Clapping her hands together, Kazuha smiled brightly at him. "I promise I'll pay ya back later. We'll go get some takoyaki at yer favorite place when we get back home, my treat!"

"Ya don't need ta treat me, Kazuha." Gaze flickering slightly away from that of her own, Heiji's eyes narrowed. "I mean, it's not the weirdest thing ya've ever asked me ta do."

Conan couldn't help but take a bit of interest in his body language- all the more so since it was more subtle than what he had started to become accustomed to seeing from the dark skinned Osakan. Just like the rest of him, his body language was generally boisterous and easy to read, even by someone who had only just met him, but this felt... almost considerably more schooled.

It... bothered him a little, actually.

"I'll do it anyways!" Kazuha insisted, her tone leaving very little room for further argument. "Then, I'll head outside so I can watch from the ground with Ran-chan. Do ya think ya can watch things up here fer me, Conan-kun?"

"Sure!" Deciding to put it out of his mind for the moment, Conan nodded his head. If there was something going on between the two of them, he supposed it wasn't really any of his business. "Leave it to me, Kazuha-neechan!"

"Oi, yer not seriously havin' the kid watch my rope, are ya?" Suddenly turning a shade paler, Heiji almost looked as if he was reconsidering his offer. "Shouldn't it be the other way around?"

"It'll be fine, Heiji!" Kazuha almost chirped, a bright smile on his face. "Conan-kun's the reliable type! Ya might be able ta learn a thing or two from him yerself, really."

"He's five." Heiji protested.

"Six." Conan quickly clarified. "I'm six."

"No way!"

In hindsight, he should have guessed that Kazuha would have more than a few problems with the idea. She was the daughter of a police detective, something that seemed to come hand in hand with a strong sense of justice. It was to be expected that she had more than a few issues with a tactic that involved accusing an innocent man.

"I'm against it, Kudo-kun!" Shaking her head, ignoring the few drops of rain that managed to find their way through the canopy of the tree, Kazuha gripped the branch tightly. "Sure, we're lackin' proof, but there must be some other way than ta just waltz into the trap that bastard set up!"

"I get what you mean, but..."

"If ya want ta do somethin' like that, yer on yer own, Kudo-kun." He already somewhat understood as much, but as he thought, Kazuha could be rather scary when she was angry. Combined with her stubborn nature, arguing with her on the matter might be pointless. "I'll help ya corner the guy afterwards, but there's no way I'm doin' somethin' like that!"

She'd already done something very much the same by mistake, and it had left a sour taste in her mouth ever since then. There was no way she was going to fall for such a trap the second time- even giving the appearance of doing so was enough to make her skin crawl. Besides, if the motive was what she thought it was, then there was no way she was going to take part in giving that bastard even a fraction of satisfaction about his plan working.

Even if he said they would tell the police beforehand that they were trying to lure the real culprit into a trap, it just didn't sit right with her.

"I get it, Kazuha-chan. I won't make you do it." Conan told her. There was no point in butting heads over something like this, and he wasn't about to force someone to do something they were so very clearly against. "I'll just use uncle for it."

It would be a little bit of an annoyance, but he didn't want to force her to do anything that she was clearly uncomfortable with. Though she wasn't saying it in so many words, it was clear that her miss from before, from the first time that they met each other, was still bothering her.

"Then, thanks." Kazuha said after a moment. She was grateful that he had listened to her, stubborn as she knew she was being, but it wasn't as if she wasn't aware that she was putting him out, at least a little. "An' sorry, Kudo-kun."

"It's fine." Quick to reassure her, Conan glanced downwards again. "We'd better hurry up and get out of this tree though. I get the feeling if we stay up here any longer, Ran's going to come up to get us."

"I'm amazed that she even let ya climb it in the first place, given what just happened."

"The only reason I'm even up here is that she couldn't catch me first."

"In the end, it's like we came all the way out her fer nothin'."

"Don't say that, Heiji." Shoving her bag in the overhead compartment, Kazuha firmly closed it behind her, sliding into the seat next to Heiji. "It's a good thing we came! If we hadn't, the police might have arrested the wrong man."

"They sure as heck seemed ta be in a hurry ta." Heiji muttered, turning his head to look out the train window, brows furrowing. "Can't believe it was all part of a trap ya set up that mustached uncle. Doesn't seem like yer kind of thing, Kazuha."

"It wasn't my idea." Kazuha pointed out, folding her arms in front of her chest. "I would have preferred somethin' more direct myself! But as it stood, we had no evidence, an' everythin' we did have pointed ta Sakuraba-han."

"Hmm." Gaze flickering back towards her, Heiji frowned a bit. "Well, whatever. Since it all worked out in the end, I guess it's fine. Still, I gotta say, I didn't think the sleepin' part was so dang literal. It thought that old man was asleep fer real!"

Biting back a comment that he was, in fact, fast asleep, Kazuha merely let out a laugh instead. She didn't really care for lying to Heiji like this, but if it was to keep a secret for someone else, she'd put up with it. "Right? It surprised me the first time too!"

"Guys gonna get himself killed someday, if he keeps dozin' off at crime scenes." Heiji muttered, leaning back in his chair, letting out something of a loud yawn.

"He's not actually sleepin', Heiji, I just said as much." Kazuha told him, frowning a little. "An' that sounds like somethin' yer father would say, not you. Did somethin' happen?"

"Nothin'." Turning his head to look out the window again, Heiji tried to ignore the expression he saw on Kazuha's face, cast in reflection. "Shigematsu-han just said some stuff, that's all."

"Heiji-" Opening her mouth to say something, Kazuha quickly shut it, withdrawing her words.

Learn when to pick your battles, someone had told her once. It was advice that had nothing at all to do with Heiji, but she often found it applied. She'd bicker with him about all sorts of things, but speaking of this topic now, right here, she knew, was very likely not to end well. There would be a time when she could broach the subject with him- but now wasn't it.

She just wanted him to understand already that it hadn't been his fault.

[cchie]

Redd Blaze’s Big Ol’ Honkin’ Questionnaire

A. Psychology

What of the Meyers-Briggs personality types they most fit into? INFP, ENFT, et cetera…   Redd is an ESFP for sure. “The Entertainer”. Friendly, playful, enthusiastic, energetic, helpful. 

What alignment are they? Chaotic neutral, lawful evil, et cetera…   Chaotic Good. Redd isn’t super selfish so she isn’t Chaotic Neutral, and she’s not evil.

Do they have any emotional or psychological conditions? Are they aware of it? Do they try to treat it?   I’m sure Redd has ADHD and used to have anger issues. She also has depression but has been getting better about it.

Are they a pessimist or an optimist?   Optimist! She used to be a pessimist but ever since escaping her father with Ducky, she’s become a brighter person.

Are they good at handling change in their life?   She doesn’t really know how to approach it at first but eventually goes with the flow. She likes change and embraces it after the initial warm up

Does your OC tend to assume their interpretation of events and reality is correct, or do they question it? I.e., “I’m sure that’s what you said” versus “It’s possible I misheard you.”

  Oh, Redd is never wrong. She’s very certain about everythng, except for the things she’s uncertain of, in which case she will still determine something definite about it.

Is your OC confident in their reactions to life in general, or do they get embarrassed or easily shamed for it? I.e., if something startles them, do they insist it WAS scary? When they cry, do they feel like they overreacted?   Redd doesn’t get embarassed easily. She cries a lot and doesn’t think it’s an overreaction and actually believes it is a sign of strength. Redd isn’t startled easily but when she is, she’s not embarassed and rather laughs it off and thinks it was awesome.

Is your OC a martyr?   I mean, I guess? She took all of her younger brother Ducky’s beatings for him since she didn’t want him to get hurt. So in a way she did sacrifice a lot of herself for his safety.

Does your OC make a lot of excuses? For themselves? Others?   Oh, absolutely. Ms. Blaze doesn’t ever mean it in a manipulative or harmful way, she just does so to keep everyone happy.

Does your OC compromise easily? Too easily?   Hell no. Compromising with her is extremely difficult when it comes to the important things. When it comes to smaller stuff, it’s super easy to please her.

Does your OC put others’ needs before their own?   Yes. Absolutely. If she cares about you, she will do anything for you. She has a very fierce love. She’ll take a hit for you, physically, mentally, and emotionally.

Does your OC have any addictions? If so and problematic, have they admitted it to themselves?   Redd gets high off adrenaline. She’s the SHSL Daredevil, so naturally, she would be. There have been times where Ducky has come to Redd about some of her stunts as he grew older, but he would reluctantly step off once Redd’s fierce determination shined way too bright.

Does your OC have any phobias? If so, where did they come from?   Redd actually has trypophobia. It’s a fear of irregular holes, cracks, etc. It freaks her out because it reminds her of the abuse her father put her through and also, it’s just plain terrifying.

Is your character empathetic?   Yes! She doesn’t always seem it though. Once she understands the exact emotion someone is feeling, it clicks in her head.

Is your character observant?   God, not really at all. She’s too busy in her own world to pay attention to details and small unimportant things.

Does your OC have to go through their own trials to learn a lesson, or do they listen and learn from observation and lecture? I.e., does your OC listen when someone tries to tell them the importance of budgeting, or do they have to go experience what happens if you don’t budget first?   Oh, she absolutely has to go through her own trials. Really, the only person she listens to is Ducky, and sometimes Reed or December. She’s too stubborn to listen to anybody else.

What’s one of your OC’s proudest moments of themselves?   Saving Ducky.

Do they get jealous easily? Do they feel bad if they do?   Not really. She’s pretty confident. She’ll only get jealous over loving parents and geniuses. Even then it’s more of a wistful jeaousy rather than a malicious jealousy.

What instantly irritates them or puts them in a bad mood?   People who are mean for no reason. Abusive parents. Being told what not to do.

Are they harsh on themselves?   It depends. Physically, yes, but she can handle it. Emotionally, sometimes. But she always finds a way to deal with it.

Do they make excuses often? I mean, I answered this question earlier.

Is your OC intended to be found generally attractive? Unattractive? Average? Is there a reason why?   Generally attractive. She’s a strong, well-figured redhead. Her confidence also helps.

Does your OC place much importance on their appearance? Do they feel confident in it?   She always feels confident no matter what she’s wearing. She could be wearing a banana suit and still feel absolutely comfortable and like she’s killing it.

What are some of your OC’s biggest personal obstacles? This could be emotional, physical, social… Are they aware of it? Are they trying to overcome it?   Redd tries to overcome being told what to do most of the time, hence her SHSL Ability. She knows she’s incredibly stubborn and wants to work on that a bit more. She also knows that she needs to get a handle on her emotions because of things she’s done in the past.

B. Social

Do they believe you have to give respect to get it, or get respect to give it?   Redd firmly believes in giving respect to get it. If you don’t show it, why should you get it? This was ahuge factor with her father and her hatred towards him, aside from all of the abuse.

Do they get frustrated when lines at places like pharmacies, check-outs, delis, banks, et cetera, are moving slowly?   Oh, most definitely. She doesn’t complain loudly about it though because she understands that the workers are trying their hardest. She’s just frustrated with the speed of things since she’s always on the move.

Under what situations would they get angry at servers, staff, customer service, et cetera?   The only time Redd would ever get mad over someone in food service was if they were blatantly discriminating against somebody, or treating children like shit. She would also say something if she noticed a manager being particularly hard on their employees.

Do they tip well? How easily can they be moved to not leave a tip?   Tipping has always confused Redd. There’s something about a rule for 20% or something? She doesn’t know. She just gives a hefty amount since she has quite a bit of money from the stunts she does. When Ducky got older, he taught her that tips are generally given based off of the quality of service. But the thing is, Redd always thinks the quality is great and continues to tip a large amount of money.

Do they hold doors open for people?   Yeah! If she sees somebody is walking her way, she’s very polite and holds open the door. Especially if it’s older people or children. She knows how rude some people are and refuses to be like that intentionally.

Would your OC let someone ahead of them in line if your OC had a big cart and the person behind them had very few items?   Hmmm, this is hard. On one hand she woudn’t want to because in fairness, she got there first, and she’s all about speed. But I think if somebody asked her if they could go in front, she would let them.

How do they respond to babies crying in public?   She runs over to try to cheer them up by making funny faces and holding them. She tries to remember that she needs to ask the child’s parents if she can hold them and throw them up in the air, but it’s hard because she just gets so excited.

Is your OC considered funny? Do they believe they’re funny?   She is considered funny! The people who played in the campaign I created her in loved her. She thinks she’s frigging hilarious. Even if her jokes don’t make any sense.

What kind of humor does your OC like the most? Slapstick, ironic, funny sounds, scare pranks, xD sO rAnDoM…   Redd finds almost everything funny. Scare pranks crack her up but she doesn’t like the ones where the person gets genuninely upset. Slapstick can be pretty hilarious to her but, really, almost anything can crack her up.

Does your OC find any “bad” or “mean” humor funny? Do they wish they didn’t?   She hates that kind of humor. It’s not funny if somebody is getting genuinely hurt.

Your OC is running late to meeting someone: Do they let the other person know? Do they lie about why they’re late?   She doesn’t really let them know unless she remembers. She’s very forgetful. She doesn’t lie about why she’s late. Redd is very blunt and open about things. “Yeah, I was late because I was too busy sleepin’! Sorry!” 

Your OC orders something to eat and gets their order done in a pretty wrong way, something they can’t just pick off or whatnot to correct, or something major is missing. What do they do?   I mean, she’ll eat it anyways. Can’t let food go to waste. Redd will eat just about anything, she’s not a picky eater.

Do they have a large or small group of friends?   Large. She makes friends wherever she goes. She has a lot of love to give and passion to show.

Do they have people they are genuinely honest with about themselves?   As of right now, occaisonally Ducky. Sometimes she’ll initially lie about how she deals with things and Ducky sees right through it, so then she’ll open up and apologize.

Does your OC enjoy social events, such as parties, clubs, et cetera..?   YES. She loves them. She gets to make more friends, be her obnoxious self, and show off. Plus, there’s almost always free food.

Does your OC like to be the center of attention or more in the mix?   Center of attention. She doesn’t mind being more in the mix, but when se does, she accidentally makes it about herself. Her loudness is a great factor to this.

C. Morality

Does your OC have a moral code? If not, how do they base their actions? If so, where does it come from, and how seriously do they take it?   Redd is a very morally grey character. She’ll drink alcohol despite being underage, but she won’t do drugs because that’s bad. Redd has a very upright moral code, but once murdered a acquaintance to save her little brother, and tried to get away with it. She also beat the shit out of her father because of his incessant abuse, believing she left him for dead. Redd believes in justice and getting what you deserve. She bases her actions off of these things: will this hurt someone, do they deserve it, will I get hurt, will this affect Ducky negatively, and what would Ducky think?

Would your OC feel bad if they acted against their morals? If not, would they find a way to excuse themselves for it?   Redd felt incredily guilty about murdering December in order to save Ducky. She confessed immediately after getting caught and regretted taking an innocent life. She knows it was wrong, but would probably do it all over again if she had to.

Is it important for them to be with people (socially, intimately, whatever) whose major ideological tenets align with their own?   Not necessarily. She doesn’t mind being friends with people who are completely different form her. Really the only basis she has for being around people is that they aren’t jerks who hurt people.

Do they consider themselves superior or more important than anyone else? Lesser?   Redd thinks she’s a god reincarnated. She knows she’s dangerous, attractive, and physically superior. She doesn’t think so in a shallow way, but more in confidence. She thinks she’s the best. Because she has to.

Do your OC’s morals and rules of common decency go out the window when it comes to those they don’t like, or when it’s inconvenient? Aka, are their morals situational?   This is tricky. But in the end, they would go out the window for her. SHe would know it isn’t right, but wants survival of the fittest.

What do they do when they see someone asking for money or food? If they ignore them, why? If they help, how so?   If she sees somebody doing this, she will immediately give them both. She always carries cash and woud go to the nearest place and buy them a meal. She knows the world can be rough.

Do they believe people change over time? If so, is it a natural process or does it take effort?   Redd believes people can change over time, but is very hesitant to believe it firsthand with people who have done wrong. She’s very hypocritical when it comes to this.

Is your OC more practical or ideal morally? I.e., do they hold people to high expectations of behavior even if it’s not realistic for the situation, or do they have a more realistic approach and adapt their morality to be more practical?   I mean, she doesn’t really give a shit. She doesn’t have too many expectations and goes with the flow.

D. Religion and Life and Death

How religious is your OC? What do they practice, if anything? If they don’t associate with any religion, what do they think of religion in general?   Redd isn’t religious. She doesn’t practice and she thinks religion is a little silly, but respects people’s beliefs and finds them pretty neat.

Do they believe in an afterlife?   She doesn’t, but she hopes it exists. It doesn’t make sense to her as a concept, but she wants to be able to continue existing somewhere, especially if her loved ones will also be there.

How comfortable are they with the idea of death?   She’s comfortable with it but doesn’t want to die until she’s ready. Redd gets sad when people she dies and she takes it hard, but she knows and understands it’s a natural thing and tries to cope via those beliefs.

Would they like to be immortal? Why, why not? If they are immortal, would they rather not be?   Redd would absolutely take that offer up. I feel like she would love to be immortal, but would only hesitate because then that meant she would have to continue to exist without her loved ones. So actually, she wouldn’t! The desire to be with her loved ones is stronger than her desire to do everything in the world there is to do.

Do they believe in ghosts? If not, why? If so, do they think they’re magical/tie into their religion, or are they scientifically plausible?   She does believe in ghosts. Everything has energy, and energy can neither be created or destroyed, so somebody’s existence has to go somewhere, right?

E. Education and Intelligence

Would you say that your OC is intelligent? In what ways? Would your OC agree?   Hahahaha, Redd is surprisingly intelligent in some aspects, but otherwise, she’s very simple, to put it plainly. She can definitely be an idiot and not understand or get a lot of things, but she’s smart in other areas.

Which of the nine types of intelligence is your OC strongest in? Weakest? (Linguistic, existential, naturalist, et cetera)   Bodily-kinesthetic is most definitely her strongest. Her weakest would probably be logical-mathematical or lingustic. She doesn’t understand math as well as she wishes she did, and she’s not great with words. Redd speaks with malapropisms.

How many languages do they speak?   A lot! Whether she gets all of the words and pronounces them correctly, is another question.

Did they enjoy school if they went to it?   Redd enjoyed Hope’s Horizon but often slept in academic classes that bored her. She was too hyper for everything else that if the class couldn’t keep her focused, she would just sleep or eat.

What’s their highest education level? Do they want to continue their education?   She eventually graduated from Hope’s Horizon, but didn’t go to college right away. She took a break for quite a few years until Ducky pushed her to attend college and get a degree. Although she wasn’t super open to it, she wanted to please Ducky. And when Ducky said, “Yeah? Well I dare you to go to college”, well, she just simply couldn’t refuse.

Do they enjoy learning? Do they actively seek out sources of self-education?   Redd loves learning about different things as long as they excite her. If they don’t, she doesn’t seek it out. If someone starts teaching her about something boring, she’ll try her best to get out of it or loudly proclaim “SNOOZEEE” if it’s a snore-fest.

Are they a good note-taker? Are they a good test-taker? Do exams make them nervous?   No, no, and yes. Taking tests has never been her strong suit and she’ll just goof around and guess.

What’s one of your OC’s biggest regrets?   Leaving her father alive, but also letting her emotions control her in that moment.

F. Domestic Habits, Work, and Hobbies

What sort of home do they live in now, if at all? How did they end up there?   After escaping her abusive father, Redd purchased a mansion to accomodate to her and Ducky. She ran away and looked for an abandoned house to stay at for just a day or two. Luckily, she found a giant, red mansion. She contacted the agent and bought it off.

What’s their ideal home look like? Where is it?   The home she has right now is her ideal home. It’s in a large secluded area so that her and Ducky can have some peace and quiet for once.

Could they ever live in a “tiny home”?   Nope. Redd takes up to much room and needs the space to run, move about, stretch, etc.

How clean are they overall with home upkeep?   Not very clean at all. When she remembers to clean, she tries realy hard, but it ends up still looking very messy. Her idea of cleaning is putting things into “organized” piles.

How handy are they? Can they fix appliances, cars, cabinets, et cetera?   Redd can be pretty handy, but she usually is the one accidentally breaking whatever needs fixing. She’ll usually come to Piper or Ducky if something needs fixing. If neither are available, she’ll resort to Google and epically fail at the instructions and somehow create something entirely new. Or get it to work but in a very bizarre and unrecedented way.

How much do they work? What do they do? Do they enjoy it?   Redd’s full time job is as the SHSL Daredevil. She loves doing action-y things, stunts, dares, etc. It’s her life.

What’s their “dream career” or job situation?   She has it! Travelling the world, meeting people, eating good food, and doing dangerous things.

How often are they home?   As often as she can be. She likes coming home because it’s the first place that feels like home. But for the most part, she’s out and about.

Are they homebodies and enjoy being home?   Not a homebody, but does enjoy being at home. She loves spending time with Ducky and inviting friends over to her mansion to play games, work out, swim, etc.

Do they engage in any of the arts? How good do you intend them to be? Would they agree they are?   Redd doesn’t do art! She thinks art is beautiful and music is too, but she doesn’t know how to do either of them. She’ll participate when she feels like it but gets just a little dscouraged when it doesn’t come out as great as she wanted it to.

What are some of their favorite things to do for recreation? How did they get into it? What part of it do they like the most?   Anything extreme? Redd will love. Skateboarding, shark tanks, skydiving. But she secretly likes spending time doing what Ducky likes the most.

Would they enjoy a theme park?   She would LOVE theme parks, but kicked out of some of them for reacting certain ways and trying to do dangerous things.

G. Family and Growing Up

Is your OC close to their family?   Only Ducky. Her father was a real piece of shit and her mother left when she was very young, never to be seen again. Ducky is her life. She protects him and wants to make sure he grows up normally.

Who makes up your OC’s family, at least the more important members to them?   Her and her little brother Ducky.

Does your OC find their family supportive? If not, what would be an example why not?   She finds Ducky very supportive! She relies on him a lot.

What kind of childhood did your OC have?   A very terrible one. Her father would get drunk and beat her. When Ducky was born, she had to take care of him because herfather would just drink and watch tv and go to work. When Ducky was a toddler, her father realized he had somebody else he could take his anger out on. When he first swung his fist at Ducky, Redd’s eyes widened in fear and anger and she jumped in front of Ducky, taking the hit for him. Ever since then, she made sure Ducky was never home alone with him and took every hit and blow intended for him.

Did they go through any typical phases growing up?   Not really. Redd didn’t get to have any typeof typical childhood she she grew up very differently.

Do they have any favorite childhood memories?   When she took Ducky to the movies for the first time. He was so excited and she was so happy she could treat him to it.

Do they have any childhood memories they’d rather forget or be less affected by?   LOL. Redd wishes she could forget all the times her father scarred and burned her. She has long scars and burn marks from the abuse all over her back, arms, legs, stomach, etc. Most places where people can’t see. She used to wear long sleeves and jeans so nobody would notice. Once she ran away, she started becoming more comfortable in shorts and short sleeved shirts. She wishes she could forget her father, but uses her scars and marks to remind herself of her dedication and protectiveness.

H. Romance and Intimacy

What is your OC’s orientation, romantic and/or sexual? Has it ever been a source of stress for them? Have they always been pretty sure of their orientation?   Redd is pansexual and panromantic. She’s always been sure of having all types of love but was initially confused as to why her father hated gay people. She thought it was a bad thing. She soon realized it wasn’t and came to grips with it. Redd is also polyamorous but doesn’t mind being monogamous if her partner is.

Is your OC a thoughtful partner, in whatever aspect of that you want to cover?   Yes! Redd is very thoughtful, but a bit awkward at first. She’ll always try and make sure her and her partner(s) have fun and feel loved. In the beginning she’ll forget things and events but eventually she’ll start traingin herself to set reminders.

Does your OC believe there’s only one ideal partner (or multiple ideal if not monogamous) for everyone, or that there are many people who could be right?   No! She’s polyamorous and believes that whatever feels right to the person, that’s how it is. If someone feels there’s only 1 person for them, then there is! If someone believes there are 3 people for them, then there is!

Does your OC believe in love in first sight?   She does. She loves love.

Does your OC believe in marriage (or their culture’s equivalent)?   In a way, not really. She believes in the legal advantages of marriage but doesn’t believe marriage is the be-all end-all. Although, a wedding would allow for good food, loud music, and loved ones.

Has your OC ever cheated on anyone or been cheated on?   She has never cheated on anybody and she has not ben cheated on. You better pray you don’t cheat on her.

What do they look for in partners? (Emotionally, mentally, physically..)   Someone who is fun and appreciates her for who she is. If they are cool with her, then she’s down.

What’s your OC’s idea of a perfect date?   She doesn’t really have one. She’s perfectly content with whatever they do together. But I guess if I had to say something, good food and an adventure of some kind.

What are some things that your OC finds to be an instant turn-off in potential partners?   Abusive and intentionally mean people.

I. Food

What are their favorite kinds of flavors– Sweet, salty, sour, spicy, creamy, et cetera?   Redd loves salty and spicy foods. Creamy weirds her out a little bit, but she loves food and is willing to eat anything.

Do they have any eating requirements or preferences? Allergies, vegetarian, organic-only, religious restrictions…   Nope! Redd requires meat in every meal just because of preference but she’s not allergic to anything.

Are they vegan/vegetarian (if their overall culture/species generally aren’t)? If so, why? Do they think animal products are wrong in all circumstances?   She could never. Meat is like oxygen to her. She thinks it’s wrong but doesn’t think about it too much.

How often do they cook? Do they order out a lot?   Redd is never allowed to cook. She’s too attention defecit and forgetful and bad with directions. She orders out A LOT.

Are they a good cook?   See above.

Could they eat the same thing they enjoy over and over and not get bored of it quickly?   Absolutely. She eats steak and bacon almost every day.

J. Politics, Current Events, Environmental Aspects

Where does your OC stand most politically? What would they align with most?   Redd is more on the left side of the spectrum. 

How politically aware are they?   Redd is surprisingly politically aware. She used to pay no attention to things like that becase she didn’t think it affected her. But traveling has opened her eyes and now she is more open to it.

How politically active are they?   Redd will absolutely fight for rights and take place in marches. She’ll go to protests and be the loudest one there.

Is your OC the sort to fall for fake news? If not, do they ignore it or make a point to clarify that it’s wrong?   Ducky is her source of correct information, and Violet and Jack as well. In fact, there’s a group chat dedicaed just to Redd linking articles to them asking about teir credibility.

Are they or would they protest for a cause they’re passionate about?   Absolutely. Redd is a very passionate woman and won’t back down for what she believes in. She would have certainly marched in the Women’s March.

How do they react to people whose political viewpoints are very opposite of theirs?   Not well. She’s not very open-minded in that aspect and will get in their face about if they even show ANY sign of agression.

How much interest in environmental health do they have?   She is interested but not as interested as she could be.

In reality-based or applicable worlds, do they believe in global warming? Do they recycle?   Yes! She tries to be aware but often forgets. She does indeed believe in global warming.

L. For the Writer/Owner

How have your characters changed since you created them?   Originally, I was going to have Redd be a little more serious. But then I decided to make her this lovable ginat goofball. I really love the archetype of dangerous girls who could kill you, but have a big heart and are dorks.

What do you consider the biggest themes in your character, if any?   My biggest themes with her are action, overcoming abuse, and love.

Did you create the character to be like yourself, did they end up being like yourself, or are they very different from you?   This is hilarious because me and Redd have a lot in common. Each OC of mine takes parts of myself and I create and add things to them. Redd takes my passion and what I wish I could be. She’s like an extroverted me. She has my dedication and stubbornness as well. However, she’s more blunt, more extroverted, more active, etc.

Would you hang out with your OC if you could?   PLEASE. I would love to hang out with her. She would be great.

How did you come up with your OC?   @thores came up with a tabletop RPG for a Danganronpa type game. We had to create three characters, and so Redd was the first character I came up with. I wanted to play a more physical character since most of mine reflect my on physical abilities and comforts. I decided SHSL Daredevil would be pretty cool. I then came up with her personality, found a reference picture, and built her background from there.

[subpopmountainbabe]

With alot of recent talk about female empowerment, I am going to address an elephant in the room for women like myself, who have sometimes found it difficult to get close to other women for no reason other than the fact that I have often fallen victim to the toxic jealousy of fellow females. I know there are plenty of wonderful, genuine, uplifting women out there, but when you have lost things from jobs to friends, tips, & social media accounts at the hands of jealous women, it can certainly leave you questioning who is genuinely happy for your achievements, or there for you overall on a pure level. Just like any emotional scars, enduring something negative repeatedly can certainly skew your perceptions of the world and the people in it. To this day, I am still healing from wounds inflicted upon me by other women...while it still continues to happen for no reason other than the fact that I exist. If there is one thing jealous women are terrified of, it is others knowing or finding out that they are jealous of you because that entails swallowing their pride or admitting they aren't perfect. This just makes it harder to find your voice when you fall victim to these types of people. These aren't only the strangers giving you the stink eye from across the room, either. Sometimes these women pose as close friends, while simultaneously pulling the wool over your eyes by trying to sabatoge you, or poisoning the well behind your back. They often know what to tell people also, in order to make their lies sound more believable by manipulating people's observations, while leaving out important unseen ones.

It is frustrating when you sense, or (at times) downright know someone is jealous of you, but you don't know how to tell other people about it without coming off as cocky or full of yourself. Everyone preaches self esteem, until you actually refer to yourself as being pretty, or intelligent, which as I said can further complicate things. Yet, the damage is real, when experienced in excess, so I will be the voice for the other women who know what it feels like to constantly be outcasted for being pretty, intelligent, successful, or for any other reasons jealousy commonly occurs. It matters because of the emotional damage it can create (especially long term) as it repeatedly occurs in different settings throughout ones life. Being an intelligent, witty, or attractive female does not mean you deserve what others have put you through, whether subtely insulting you with backhanded "compliments" in social settings, or trying to get others against you with pathological lies. In order to truly empower other women, we must also hold those who have created hostile environments for other women, accountable. I'm not talking about women who just don't like someone for logical, or justifiable reasons (hint: a dislike for someone doesn't always equate to jealousy) but with the absence of truth or logic, it often does. To be clear, I am specifically talking about jealous people who ACT on their feelings in cruel ways that can inflict emotional harm or distress onto someone else. Everyone feels jealous sometimes. It's a normal human emotion when kept in check. If you are creating situations for someone else like the ones I'm about to mention below, (which are all real life examples I have endured over the years), then you need to do some introspection and figure out the root cause of your hatred. If you know people who are like this, then you need to stand up to them and hold them accountable even if they're your friends or family. This is also for people who tend to be gullible and don't know the signs. The only way to truly empower one another as females, is to first address the senseless hostility that some exude towards others for simply existing. These are all real life things that have happened to me, that were no doubt acts of jealousy: I will no longer remain silent while people take their issues out on me or other women alike. Having issues is not an excuse to screw over other people. We all have issues, and we have all felt pain. In fact, even pretty or intelligent women sometimes feel insecure, believe it or not. At the end of the day we are all people, and are deserving of kindness when we have shown kindness ourselves.

Anyhow, these are the things I am talking about that I am still healing & trying to learn from. I am going to type in 3rd person because I know I'm not the only one these things have happened to.

1. When a group of females lies to the boss to sabatoge your job, even after you've repeatedly helped them do theirs when they asked you to. Groups of females like this are the most toxic types, because it's harder to disprove to others when trying to defend yourself from their malicious intent...even though you know exactly what they're doing.

2. The "friend" who acts nice to your face, or will pretend to be happy for any achievements you've made, but will lie on pathological levels to other friends or aquaintances when you're not around so that other people won't like you, or at least not too much, therefore preventing others from getting too close to you. This is a form of 'poisoning the well'.

3. Having to rebuild social media platforms from scratch several times due to false & wrongful reporting. Unfortunately, Facebook has a broken appeals system. I could easily disprove their lies, but it was to no avail.

4. *A hint for guys*. Ever notice how that woman (or women) you liked before you met someone else, never seemed to reciprocate your feelings? Or perhaps they just didn't seem to give much of a damn at all. That was, until you publicly posted about your new relationship. Suddenly they seem to "care" about you. They went from never caring about your posts, to suddenly commenting on everything. Or maybe they are suddenly making an effort to call you. Don't for one second think they suddenly realized your value as a person. What's really going on is that they see you've moved on from crushing on them, and that you are no longer inflating their ego because you found somebody better, who actually loves you. For some people, losing that attention is like losing oxygen. It is especially evident when the girl who loves you is also intelligent, funny, or attractive. This has happened to me at the beginnings of every new relationship I have ever been in. Thankfully my husband saw through the girl who tried doing this to him at the beginning of ours, but you'd be surprised by how many guys play dumb. *Hint for women*: If this has happened to you, and your guy defends miss egotistical, your guy knows what he is doing. He knows she isn't just "trying to be nice". She is blatantly disrespecting your monogamous relationship, and he is entertaining her to keep her around as plan B or C, and you should take that as a clear red flag to leave him because there should be no plan B's or C's if he is committed to you. Im not talking about his female friends, who cared about him before you two were together.

5. Having someone constantly challenging you, even after being articulate and logical. Don't get me wrong, I'm not talking about someone who challenges you out of sheer curiosity or because they genuinely disagree. I'm talking about the person that constantly disagrees just to disagree because it's something you said. This is just their way of being competitive and trying to one up you. A good indicator of this is when they don't do it when it's just the two of you, but constantly do it when others are present.

6. This one is probably the most relatable for alot of women, and also really needs to STOP. If your man checks me out, it's not my fault. If your man tries to make a move, and I reject it, it's not my fault. If your man calls me hott, it's not my fault. Now, I'm obviously not talking about women who entertain his poor behavior or engage in it...because screw homewreckers. I am talking about the ones who haven't done anything wrong whatsoever. As women, we need to stop hating women because some end up with shitty, disrespectful men. Yes, I know that men are sometimes a huge root cause of creating the animosity that women feel towards other women...but if the woman has done nothing wrong except exist, then you need to re-direct your feelings towards your men, and not the women, who more often than not, have no interest in your man.

7. When you work(ed) as a waitress and have/had women glaring at you even though you've made an obvious choice to give her more attention than the man in order to ease her mind and assure her you aren't interested in her spouses stares or flirtatious gestures...but it doesn't ease her mind and she hates you, and you begin to hear her talk crap about you, or trying to jip you on a fair tip instead of holding her man accountable for the insensitive behavior that clearly upsets her. I'm sorry your man made you feel this way, but it's not my fault. If you can't see that I put in a significant amount of effort to make your experience as comfortable and enjoyable as possible, then you are quite frankly, in the wrong. I have been the woman with a disrespectful husband in the past (not my current husband, but my ex-husband to be clear) and I do empathize with women who unknowingly end up with womanizers to an extent, but for me, the extent of that line is drawn when you take it out on someone who did nothing wrong to you. I know there are waitresses that lack empathy and who do cross the line of what most consider to be a respectful presence, but that was certainly was never me because I have been on both ends of this spectrum.

While I could go on with real life examples all day long, I tried to only post the ones that others will likely relate to for now. I hope that this post has made some people question their own behavior, judgement pertaining to gossip or rumors, and that it will inspire women to start being kinder to one another. If you got this far, this is likely something that has affected you personally. That, or you have been the jealous woman for whatever reason. I hope that either way, this inspires people to change for the better, or to create an environment in which the victims of this form of emotional abuse can heal from.