#i enjoyed writing this one especially

[blindmagdalena]

The Fall

2.8k mostly sfw homelander x reader. christmas adjacent. depowered homelander.

Summary: After being struck by an unidentified projectile that renders him powerless, Homelander crash lands in your backyard, wholly at your mercy.

this is a rework of this original prompt. inspired by the fable of the mouse that aids the lion whose paw has been stuck by a thorn.  ♡

Homelander is over a hundred feet in the air when he hears something whistling through the sky behind him. Some kind of projectile. A small missile, maybe. It's nothing he hasn't handled before: It could blow up in his face and he would be fine. He’s more curious about what exactly it is, who’s stupid enough to fire it at him, and where it’s coming from. 

With that in mind–in that split second he has to react–he decides to forgo dodging it and instead attempt to catch it.  However, as the mystery projectile gets nearer, his vision begins to tunnel. 

What the fuck? 

His reflexes slow, and before he knows it, the projectile strikes him hard in his left side rib, exploding in fumes that fill his lungs and coat his skin. In an instant, he feels pain like he's been turned inside out, a sensation worse than anything he’s felt since childhood. Instantly he's plummeting towards the ground, crashing directly into your backyard in an eruption of snow and yard furniture.

With his vision going black, the last thing he hears is the sound of the world turning deafeningly quiet.

When Homelander comes to, he's being shaken. No–compressed, hands over his chest, pushing again and again in a steady rhythm. Warm lips press against his, and a rush of air fills his lungs. His eyes snap open, and out of pure reflex, he drives his fist into your unfamiliar form, sitting up with a frenzied look in his eyes.

You should have flown back thirty feet with a hit like that. Instead, you only fell back onto your ass, coughing. Homelander's hands are shaking as he looks at them, and he can feel blood dripping from his ears, taste it in his mouth. He's disoriented, his whole body heavy. He's having trouble breathing, every ragged inhale a struggle, and his heart is pounding.

"Someone tried to kill me," he rasps in disbelief. Not surprised that someone tried, but that someone very nearly succeeded. "Someone... Someone tried to fucking kill me," he says again, growing more hysteric the more the pain sets in. His own brain is hammering against the confines of his skull, beating at the backs of his eyes.

He’s certain that he’s halfway to cardiac arrest, but no matter how he tries to focus, he can’t calm himself. His strength is gone. It’s gone. He looks at you, you, who should have a hole punched through your chest. Instead, you’re staggering to your feet, totally unharmed. 

"Homelander!" You address sharply, audibly trying to rein in your own bubbling panic. He can see his own fear reflected in your eyes. You’re just as confused as he is. Just a stupid little mouse that crawled out of your hole and found him like this. "I can help you, okay? Let me help you."

There’s something about the sharp authority in your voice mixed with an undeniable quiver of compassion that catches his attention. It could be the degree of his vulnerability sinking in, but after a second of dumbfounded staring, Homelander nods.

It must be pure adrenaline that gives you the strength to help him into your house. You don’t look like you should be able to carry him. He's practically dead weight in your arms, barely keeping himself on his feet as you both stumble into your living room. The height difference does neither of you any favors.

You get him down onto the couch before fetching a wet rag, a bottle of water, pills, and a first aid kit. He watches you fumble with it, hands shaking. He assumes it’s adrenaline, though you lack the acidic stench of it. No, you probably don’t. He just can’t smell it anymore. He can’t smell anything except the faint tinge of blood, and whatever nauseating scented candle you use to stink up your home. Though, even that’s distant compared to what he’s used to. However, he finds he doesn’t have it in him to panic. Is this what shock feels like?

He takes the water you offer him, but denies the pills. “No, no. I have no idea what that shit will do to me right now.” You nod, setting the bottle aside. You then lean over him, inspecting the level of damage. His ears are ringing, and his whole body is throbbing with sharp, painful aches. Maybe the pills would help, but he’s never had to take painkillers before. He’d rather swallow tacks than lean on something so pedestrian.

As you work, he notices a mottled mark blossoming darkly across the center of your chest, just under your collarbone, approximately the size of his fist. Without thinking, he reaches up to touch it, remembering the blow he’d dealt you.

You startle, looking down where he touches with a wince. The skin looks as tender as he feels. It must sting. Is he bruised like this beneath his suit? The thought of these same ugly dark marks mirrored on his own body brings him visceral disgust. 

"Don't worry about me," you tell him, as comforting as your voice can muster. You grasp his wrist and gently lay it back down at his side.

I'm not worried about you, he thinks derisively. "That should have caved in your chest."

"Guess it's my lucky day, then," you say absently, more focused on using a wet cloth to wipe away the blood from his temple, up into his hairline, seeking the injury. You're meticulous but gentle in the way you handle him, cupping the side of his face to turn him one way, then another.

If not for how clumsy your movements feel, he’d think you’ve done this before. There is care and determination in the way you tend to him, but no obvious medical expertise. Even the kit you pull from looks out of date and sparse. You probably picked it up from a gas station on a whim because you needed safety pins. "I think these need stitches," you say as you carefully apply bandages, brows furrowed. Homelander's gaze lingers on your lips as you speak. What kind of person sees someone fall out of the fucking sky, blowing a crater in their yard in the process, and then thinks to give them CPR?

"I'm calling an ambulance," you say, moving to stand. That breaks him out of his stupor. He catches you by the wrist, stopping you in your tracks, despite how pitifully weak his own grasp feels. "No, no, not... Don't do that," he says, screwing his eyes shut briefly. No one else can know that this happened. Besides, if those psychopaths are still out there, it will draw them right to him. "Too much attention, I just... give me a fucking minute," he says, flexing his hands. They still feel weak, tingling like they've fallen asleep, but the bizarre sensation is gradually beginning to abate.

Whatever was done to him, it doesn't seem to be permanent. 

He hopes to fuck that it isn’t. "Okay," you say tentatively. Instead of leaving, however, you reposition to continue wiping the blood from his face, gently rubbing from his temples down his jaw. He watches you like a hawk, rolling his fingers in and out of fists, gradually feeling his strength return to him.

He's unaccustomed to the way you're handling him. One hand cupping his jaw, ginger in the way you move his head only when you absolutely need to. The concern wrinkled between your brows is so palpable, so sincere, that for a moment he almost forgets you're strangers to each other.

"What're you doing?" He asks eventually, voice low. You pause, looking down to meet his eye. "Oh, I just... There's still blood, and I didn't want to leave you alone."

Your response tightens something in his chest, like a steel coil wrung too tight, leaving him uncomfortable. He feels small, vulnerable, and the tenderness of your touch is doing nothing for it. "I don't need you," he snaps defensively. "I'm fine."

"Okay," you respond, aggravatingly calm. Still soothing. "What do you need?" Homelander opens his mouth, but hesitates. Your earnestness is infuriating, waiting on bated breath for what you can do for him. He closes his mouth, jaw tight. His gaze flickers back down to the bruise on your chest. It's darker now, varying shades of purple and yellow fading into one another.

Looking back up at you, he schools his expression into calm focus. "Close the blinds," he says, gesturing with his head to the window, where you have twinkling white Christmas lights strung up. 

"I need to lay low awhile." He can feel his powers steadily returning. Once he gets back to Vought, he'll find out who it was, and rip out their fucking spine.

You've already gotten up to do as he asked, drawing the blinds down, and then closing the curtains over them. Afterwards, you turn to leave.

"Hey," Homelander calls, frowning. You stop in the doorway. "Where are you going?"

"The kitchen," you answer, hand on the doorframe. "You can call if you need something."

"Stay here," he says, ignoring the bit of petulance he can hear in his own voice. He doesn't care if you're confused. He doesn't care that he doesn't entirely understand himself. He just wants you to stay.

He watches you take a seat at the end of the couch, near his feet. He exhales, closing his eyes. It isn't as though you could do anything if proficient killers did appear, but for whatever reason, no matter how useless you would ultimately be, he feels better for having you near.

Even a curtain is better than no door at all.

After half an hour, his senses begin to sharpen again. It begins as a dull, irritating buzz at first. It has him rubbing at his ears, screwing his eyes shut. It rolls in and out of focus, making it difficult to adjust to. “Are you okay?” You ask from the other end of the couch, where you’ve been sitting with remarkable patience. Maybe you’re afraid of him. He hates not being able to tell by the rate of your heart.

“Peachy keen,” he replies flatly. “Hearing’s coming back.”

“That’s good,” you say, though the inflection you end with makes it sound more like a question.

“Yeah, yeah, it’s good, it’s just… Loud,” he says, grinding the heel of his palm into his temple. His skull is still pounding. “Everything’s all… Coming back in a jumble. Giving me a fucking headache,” he says, though as he speaks, he realizes he’s able to focus fairly well on the conversation, drowning out the more intrusive ambient sounds. “Keep talking.”

You look surprised by his demand, but after a beat, you oblige. After maybe an hour of idle conversation, he learns your name, that you work from home, you like decorating for Christmas even when you spend it alone, and that you've lived a thoroughly dull, ordinary little life until this very moment.

That’s just what you’ve told him.

From his personal observations, he's learned that you’re a perpetual fidgeter, that you touch your face when you're nervous, and that you would rather laugh than take any of his disparaging remarks about your mundane life to heart.

"I think it's lucky for you that I’m so boring. I might not have been here otherwise," you counter. Your smile is so inexplicably charming–nose wrinkled like you’ve somehow pulled a fast one on him–that Homelander forgets to refute your point. Instead, much to your alarm, he sits up.

"Oh, steady! Are you sure you're okay?" You ask, standing as he does, hands out as if to catch him. He stretches his hands out in front of him, and then curls his arms back in. Exhaling, his eyes flare crimson. He likes the way it makes your heart jump when he looks at you through the red glow.

His lips quirk, lasers fading out. "Good as new," he says confidently, though the aches of his fall still linger in his joints. Not quite new. He takes a few long strides across your living room, pausing in the doorway to your kitchen, where he can see through to your yard, and the absolute crater he left in it. "Vought will... take care of that," he says, gesturing vaguely to the destruction.

You can't help but laugh, crossing your arms loosely to survey the damage with him. "I appreciate it, but really, I'm just glad you're alright," you say honestly, staring out into the wreckage of your yard.

Homelander purses his lips slightly, glancing at you from his peripheral. Above him, he feels something brush the top of his head. When he glances up, what he sees hanging in the doorway makes him smile deviously.

Without warning, he puts his hands on your waist and spins you to him, lips landing warm and firm on yours. He absolutely devours the surprised little noise you make against him, halfway tempted to see what other sounds he can wring from you.

Your heart quickens to a race in his ears, and much to his delight, you kiss him back. You even surprise him by grabbing the back of his head with both hands, deepening the kiss of your own volition.

Not one to be out done, he adjusts his hold on you, one arm wrapping properly around your waist while the other slides up to cup the back of your neck, gloved fingers gently squeezing your bare skin.

To his delight, you retaliate with your tongue, slipping it between his lips and coaxing his forth.

Just full of surprises, little mouse.

Maybe you aren't so boring after all.

He meets you eagerly, exhaling a rough, excited little huff through his nose, dropping the hand at your waist to grab a cheeky squeeze full of your ass, wringing a soft moan from you that sends a bolt of heat straight to his cock.

When Homelander pulls back, you're flushed warmly all over. You smell of antiseptic wipes and peppermint, like Christmas in a hospital. It’s bizarrely appealing.

"What was that?" You ask, dazed.

"Mistletoe," he purrs, tipping his head back without taking his eyes off you, settling his hands back on your waist.

You look up slowly–taking a solid few seconds to process–and huff a gentle little laugh, nodding at the aforementioned ornament dangling above you. 

"Is this your way of saying thank you?" You manage to ask after swallowing back the lump in your throat, your shoulders relaxing, though your heart continues to gallop in your chest. "I hope you're still going to pay for my yard."

It's Homelander's turn to laugh. "Oh, no. I haven't even begun to say thank you yet," he assures you, hands lingering on your hips. 

The kiss had been pure unrestricted impulse, nothing he intended to follow through on. However, now that you're toying with the hair at the nape of his neck, your skin warm against his, your eyes half lidded, he’s not sure that he wants to let you go. Your lips shine where you’ve licked the taste of his from them. 

“I think for your good deeds, you’re owed a very merry Christmas,” he says, waggling his brows. 

You give a flustered, incredulous bark of laughter, covering your mouth as you look away from him, that flush of yours intensifying, making your whole body thrum warmly. You wouldn’t need to worry about keeping warm on these cold winter nights if he had his way with you.

“Okay, well, uhm, thank you for… for that thought,” you say, tripping over your words in a way you haven’t this entire encounter. “You hit your head pretty hard, though so maybe before you make any promises, we make sure you get checked out by an actual doctor,” you say, pushing lightly against his chest.

He maintains his hold for just a second longer, utterly immovable. It feels good to be himself again. He runs his tongue along his teeth, downright predatory in the way he stares down at you, but he does relinquish his hold.

“You should come with me to the tower. You know, now that you’re… Compromised,” he says, folding his hands behind his back. “Someone might come looking for me here. Interrogate you on my condition.”

Real fear flashes in your eyes at that. “Wait, you’re serious?”

“As a heart attack,” he gives back gravely.

“Uh… Okay. Uhm, let me… I’ll pack a bag,” you say nervously, stepping away from him to do just that.

“Okie-dokie,” he gives back simply, glancing around your home while he waits. He picks up an odd little gnome with a big red hat that covers everything but a little button nose, and a long white beard. Maybe he’ll convince you to bring along some of your festive decorations.

Merry Christmas to me, he thinks, already daydreaming about twisting the head off of whoever hit him with some kind of neutralizing agent.

He might thank them for the impromptu date while he’s at it.

[wrathofrats]

Not to complain live on the dash but fuck it is so insanely frustrating knowing that when I post about the ghoulettes I’ll get about 25% (if even that) of the normal interactions I do because I love them so very much. It’s just upsetting and discouraging

Anyways support your local ghoulettes

[crookedfivefingers]

[chrxnicdaydream]

skk | 3.5k | hurt/comfort

read on ao3!

[omelu]

The Class Ever After

So for a long time (since about 2018ish) I’ve had this kind of EAH story idea floating around in my head. Basically it’s about the class directly under Apple and Raven (aka the first-years) and how they handle the whole aftermath of Legacy Day and the destiny conflict. Pretty much all of the eah ocs I’ve made fit into this idea, and while I don’t really have a plot per say, I have lots of scenes, concepts and ideas floating around in my head (and in my computer).

I found a draft I had written that was supposed to be a “beginning” to the story and I revised it. I don’t know if I’ll extend this to an actual fic (since I have a lot of other original projects I want to be writing right now), but maybe I’ll write down some of the concepts and scenes I have.

The Class Ever After (snippet; ~1700 words)

Legacy Day was, by far, the biggest event at Ever After High. Thronecoming, Spring Fairest, and even Graduation Day were just breadcrumbs in comparison. That was fitting, since Legacy Day was so vital to the survival of Ever After. Every year, Ever After High’s second-years donned their ceremonial outfits, climbed the steps to the podium, and pledged to follow their fairy-tale destiny to the world by signing their names into the magical Storybook of Legends.

Without Legacy Day, fairy tales would stop being told.

Without Legacy Day, Ever After would go extinct.

Without Legacy Day, everyone would go poof.

And that’s how Marshal Nottingham found himself teetering on the edge of his seat, trying to catch a glimpse of the second-years lined up on the terrace. He’d never been to a Legacy Day ceremony before, and so he felt that it was his duty to study it all as closely as possible. The grand, book-shaped podium glittered in the moonlight, tall and regal. Above it, half a dozen mirrors magically floated in the air like jewels on a crown, prepared to broadcast each student’s face to the audience as they made the most important pledge of their lives. 

All around him, students buzzed with conversation. Third and fourth-years leaned back in their seats, reminiscing about their own Legacy Days. Faculty members congregated in their designated section, deep in hushed, frantic conversation. Second-years lined up in the hall, pacing anxiously or straightening their parent's outfits. First-years, like Marshal, watched anxiously to see what would happen.

“I should’ve brought my MirrorPad,” he muttered. “It would be much easier to take notes.”

In the seat next to him, Owlen von Rothbart yawned. “Oh, give it a rest. It’s not like you’re going to forget how to sign a book next year.”

Next year. Marshal looked up at the podium, dark eyes glittering. In just three hundred and sixty-five days, it would finally be his turn.

“One year!’ Marshal shook his head. “That’s barely any time to prepare! Do you know how quickly a year passes by if you’re not paying attention?”

Owlen just shrugged and flicked his mahogany bangs out of his eyes.

Marshal sighed. Normally, he got along well with Owlen. When he’d met his new roommate just a few weeks ago, on the first day of school, he knew that they’d be friends. Both boys were destined for villainy, and more importantly (at least to Marshal), both of them cared about keeping their shared room clean. They had so much in common that sometimes Marshal was taken aback by their differences. He just couldn’t fathom how casual Owlen was when it came to preparing for his destiny. But whenever Marshal brought it up, Owlen brushed him off and changed the subject. Which he was doing again now.

“Are they going to start soon?” he asked, craning his neck to see if Headmaster Grimm had gotten up yet. “I want to get some more barre practice in before curfew.”

Marshal sighed. Sometimes, he felt like the only one who took his destiny seriously.

“Hey, Marshal!” Bella Donna Gothel and Amber Fox stood in the aisle, waving at him. “Can we sit by you guys?”

“Of course!”

Bella and Amber slipped into the row, brushing nonexistent dust off of their formal clothes. Bella had dressed in a purple witch gown adorned with thorns, while Amber had opted for an orange pantsuit with a foxtail hem. Her bright red hair had been swept up in a ponytail, putting her fox ears on full display.

Marshal and Owlen had met the two girls in their General Villainy class, and together, the four of them had formed a coalition of sorts. Bella was the daughter of Rapunzel’s princess-napping witch, and Amber was the daughter of the fox who had tried to eat Coach Gingerbreadman once upon a time. With Owlen, the son of the sorcerer who had cursed the Swan Princess, and Marshal, the son of the sheriff who chased after Robin Hood, they made up the FVEAs– Future Villains of Ever After.

Marshal liked hanging out with the three of them. They understood what it was like to have a villain for a parent. They knew what it was like to have other kids run away from them, to be scolded for being polite, and to live with the hexpectation of being ruthless at all times. Being a villain kid was tough, but Marshal knew he could handle it with these three at his side.

“Ooh, don’t look now, but–” Amber elbowed Owlen in the ribs and stealthily motioned to the aisle.

Laura Stahlbaum, the daughter of Clara, glided down the aisle, shimmering in her red and white dress. She was holding hands with a short boy made of wood. Nathan Nutcracker. The two were laughing about something, looking every bit like the picturesque fairytale couple they would become one day.

Owlen’s face went pink and he slid down in his seat.

“You should say something to her,” Bella gently urged.

Marshal frowned. He didn’t understand why Bella and Amber kept feeding into Owlen’s crush on Laura. He wasn’t her destined prince. In Marshal’s mind, he should just forget about Laura and focus more on mastering evil spells.

“Absolutely not.” Owlen slid down further as they came closer. “You know she’s with Nathan Nutcracker.”

Marshal swelled with pride. Owlen was staying strong in his destiny!

“Hi Owlen!” Laura called, waving daintily at him as she passed their row.

Owlen sat up quickly, fixing his feathered bow tie and blushing madly. “H-hey…” 

Marshal deflated. Or maybe not. Even if Laura and Nathan’s story didn’t technically end in a fairytale wedding, Owlen still had no part in their destinies. Why was Marshal the only one who saw that?

The fairy lights dimmed as Headmaster Grimm took to the podium. A hush fell over the crowd. Marshal sat at attention.

“Today is a momentous day,” he began, his voice deep and regal. “Today, we will witness the very magic that allows the world of Ever After– and our lives– to exist.” He shifted to face the second-years, who had lined up on the podium stairs as he had spoken. “By fulfilling your destinies, you ensure that stories continue to be told. You ensure that we all have a future. No part is too small or insignificant. You each have a part to play, a duty to fulfill. I urge you not to take this responsibility lightly.”

Marshal straightened his spine. Even though Headmaster Grimm was speaking to the second-years, he could feel the weight of responsibility resting on his shoulders. He wished he could be one of the students lined up by the podium, but he only had a year to wait. One year before his destiny began. Yes, he would grow to be despised and hated, but he would be fulfilling his duty to the world. He would have a purpose.

Headmaster Grimm finished his speech to thunderous applause and stepped back, letting the second-years into the spotlight. Marshal watched intently as a girl carved of wood took the stage and announced herself as Cedar Wood, destined to be the next Pinocchio. He gasped when the key magically appeared and the Storybook of Legends flipped to life. Though he couldn’t see the book, he could see the story playing out in the girl’s eyes. The slight changes in her expression as she saw her whole life play out in front of her. Marshal longed to be in her place.

When she signed, the crowd erupted into cheers. 

“Go Cedar!” Nathan Nutcracker cheered, leaping onto his seat. 

“Sit down, you scratching post!” Cato en Boots hissed, his ginger ears flicking in annoyance. “Some of us are trying to watch!”

Sheepishly, Nathan plopped back down and the ceremony continued. Marshal watched it all with wide eyes, trying to commit each pledge to memory. Out of the corner of his eye, he noticed Owlen take out his MirrorPhone and start lazily scrolling through MyChapter. He frowned. Shouldn’t he be paying attention? His focus shifted to the rest of his friends. Amber looked at her long, sharp nails, and yawned. Bella was quietly using her magic on a patch of clover growing through the terrace tiles, letting it wrap around her chair leg.

Marshal’s spirit sank. Once again, he was the only one who cared. Suddenly he felt alone, like he was stranded on a little island with all the passing ships too far away to call out to.

He was distracted from his internal woes when Apple White took the stage. The daughter of Snow White was a legend amongst Ever After High’s students, a person that everyone admired and looked up to, including upperclassmen. She was everything any future fairytale should aspire to be.

She delivered the pledge perfectly, grinning so widely that she could have been mistaken for the daughter of the Cheshire Cat. When she signed the book, the crowd erupted into its loudest and most raucous cheers yet. Someone started tossing confetti in the air, and a few royals tossed their crowns with it. Apple White was the ultimate celebration of destiny.

The celebration died almost instantly when Raven Queen took the stage. Lightning crackled behind her. Marshal sat a little straighter. She was the first future villain to take the stage. Next to him, his friends abandoned their distractions, staring up at the future Evil Queen with wide eyes. Hope stirred in Marshal’s chest. Maybe they cared after all.

He watched with bated breath as Raven nervously stumbled through the pledge. Her key appeared, and the Storybook of Legends flipped open. Raven watched her destiny unfold with a frown. The hope in Marshal’s chest stirred and became something uncomfortable, settling like a pit in his stomach. 

The quill appeared, and Raven reached for it– and then hesitated. Stopped. Suddenly, she pulled her hand back, squared her shoulders, and looked directly into the audience.

“I am Raven Queen,” she announced, her voice powerful and bold. “And I’m going to write my own destiny. My Happily Ever After starts now!”

She slammed the Storybook of Legends shut. Above her head, the projection mirrors shattered and exploded, along with Marshal’s hopes for his future.

Next to him, his friends cheered.

[yardsards]

a pet headcanon of mine is that after they're done with the sigil removal, emira expands her horizons and starts studying the psychological side of healing, pulling in some resources from the human realm and combining it with boiling isles methods (i imagine the field of psychology in the boiling isles, while existent, was often pushed aside as just a lesser branch of the healing coven back when belos was in charge. i do imagine there's often magic like the memory tweezers involved)

and i imagine she ends up focusing in on like, art therapy and self-expression, because she knows how important that can be, after having her individuality stifled so hard when she was young

[the-river-runs]

My best friend Fandom has once again returned and asked me to post to Tumblr for her! Once again, I have permission to post this video and all edits were done by Fandom (http.redshoes on Instagram)

These memes are all based on Cryptid Sightings by @naffeclipse

She has a lot to say this time around!

A message from Fandom:

"Hello Naff!! And hello everyone :D

It’s me, your girl, your local meme and edit maker, Fandom (aka http.redshoes on Insta 😎)

I’ve come back to make another meme comp for you guys! I wanted to make this earlier, but:

1. I was busy saving/collecting ATSV content on Instagram like Pokémon to getting noticed twice by Jack in the Box ☺️

2. I had to create an Ao3 account (understandably ofc AI theft sucks) and was um. You know… being silly in the comment section 👀 (please don’t mind me if you ever stumble upon them - I react and appreciate the stuff I enjoy in weird ways 💔)

3. Was waiting for my friend here to finish reading so I didn’t spoil anything in the memes! We both loved the series so much and man. The Naff do be eclipsing fr in releasing chapters left and right biggest round of applause for one of my favorite authors here 👏👏👏

Naff, you did such a great job writing this fanfic. I’m going to repeat myself from the comment section BUT you need to give yourself a pat on the back, relax, take a break - just reward yourself. You deserve it all and I hope that you take care of yourself for all the hard work you’ve done 💞💞💞

I’ve also included the lovely artist themselves, @themeeplord , again in one of my meme comps.

It’s only one meme but dang they always draw Eclipse to be getting that gain 💪💪💪 (bc of how muscular he is haha.) Mad respect to all of the drawings they create - they’re always a banger to see.

(Most of the memes surround the last episode + epilogue so if you haven’t read those chapters LOOK ‼️ AWAY ‼️ Don’t get spoiled 🤯)

(P.S. for the imagine scenario that’s not a meme, this is what they’re saying in the audio:

“[Amused] You can hear their heartbeats? Come on, that’s a little far fetched.”

“[Soft chuckling] I can hear yours too… Your heart’s beating pretty fast.”

I’d like to think this would take place around the beginning of “The Episode Bedeviling Bodies,” where the Hunter is still trying to understand their dear friend and what they’re capable of. I thought it was fitting ngl and included it in the comp.

There were uh, more memes I wanted to include, but I’m running low on storage space atm. I’ll get back to making more after I’m done clearing that out ^^’)

(P.P.S. Okay I don’t have Tumblr obviously but 🕴️ apparently you guys really liked the SJ memes I made??? Because my friend’s been receiving notifs of it still??? Thank you so much you guys!! I didn’t really expect people to enjoy them that much 😭💘💘💘)

Now without further ado, enjoy the meme comp! >:D " -Fandom

[aceghosts]

1- Write about your ship cuddling into bed together after a long and tiring day. + Rooney and Yori?

Thanks for this one! This turned out rather short but very fluffy.

[Prompt List]

Summary: Rooney and Yorinobu cuddle in bed and chat after a long and tiring day, especially about dinner with some old friends. Words: 1.2k words Content Warnings: No warnings apply. This is just straight up fluff.

Taglist (Opt In/Out): @bbrocklesnar, @sergeiravenov, @alexxmason, @voidika, @imogenkol,

@strangefable, @socially-awkward-skeleton, @tommyarashikage, @theelderhazelnut, @carlosoliveiraa,

@cassietrn, @direwombat, @derelictheretic, @cloudofbutterflies92

Rooney sighs contentedly, staring at the warm, comfortable-looking bed adoringly. They had been looking forward to crawling into bed all night. “If I did not know better,” Yorinobu teases with a soft smile, “I would think you are only with me for my bed.”

 “I might be,” They tease back with a smirk on their face, crawling into the bed on the left side. Rooney always takes the left side, closest to the door, preferring to put themself between Yorinobu and any points of entry. Between him and anyone who might want to hurt him.

The mattress is far softer than they’re used to, far softer than they normally like. (After many years sleeping on a cot or in uncomfortable places in general, Rooney prefers a firmer bed.)  But Yorinobu prefers his mattresses soft like he could sink into them, and considering this was his bed, Rooney wasn’t going to argue with him. What really matters is that he is getting into bed with them.

Yorinobu climbs into bed on the other side as Rooney pulls the plush cream comforter over themself, the weight a soothing pressure. As soon he is underneath the covers, Yorinobu seeks Rooney, spooning with them. His left hand finds its way to their hip, sliding underneath the black fabric of their tank top. He rests his hand in the dip of their hip, thumb lazily tracing patterns in their skin. Meanwhile, Rooney plays with his hair, fingers gently teasing his short black hair. Yorinobu yawns, a content smile on his face as the duo lay in bed, weary from the long day behind them. “How did your meetings go today?”

He frowns. “Too long. Too boring.”

Ah, it was that type of day. “I’m sorry,” They sympathize, “that really sucks.”

“It does,” Yorinobu confirms, “Some like to hear the sound of their voice, never getting to the point. Or they repeat the words of my father, marionettes on a string.”

Rooney winces in sympathy. “Oh, Yorinobu…”

“Enough. How did your day fare?”

“Frustrating.” Rooney felt like a dog chasing their tail, every lead they followed seemed to fizzle out, “None of my leads worked out.”

“You will find them,” He says it so sincerely, that Rooney is tempted to believe him, “You always do.”

“Yeah, I hope sleep will give me a new perspective.”

Yorinobu smirks. “If sleep does not help you, perhaps I can.” Rooney groans affectionately at his innuendo, rolling their eyes as he laughs.

Silence permeates the room, and Rooney relaxes, this being one of the few places they could. They close their eyes, weariness weighing down on them.

“What did you think of our dinner with Alexandre and Marion?” Yorinobu asks, Rooney opening their eyes as he breaks the silence. Alexandre and Marion Garnier were high-ranking members of the Arasaka Corporation, specifically in the European branch, and allies of Yorinobu. Alexandre was a former French General while Marion had worked in diplomacy, easing tensions between Europe and Japan. Yorinobu continues, “They were delighted to see you.”

Delighted was an understatement. Rooney had few fond memories during their time at Arasaka, Yorinobu occupying most of them. However, Rooney had missed Alexandre and Marion, and the Garniers had clearly missed Rooney too. Rooney first met the couple when they were attending a dinner party with Yorinobu, early when the two were straddling the line between friendship and something more. Alexandre and Marion were distant at first, polite, but not overly friendly either. The Garniers most likely assumed that Yorinobu would tire of Rooney quickly, and it wasn’t worth getting to know them. (Not that Rooney could blame them. Yorinobu wasn’t known for his long-lasting relationships, something he had in common with Rooney, for very different reasons.) At the dinner party, Alexandre began a discussion on a recent military conflict. Rooney, naturally, jumped into the conversation, excited to talk shop.  Alexandre and Marion stared at them in curiosity, only to monopolize Rooney’s time for the rest of the night. Rooney enjoyed spending time with the Garniers, discussing politics, history, military strategy, and other topics.

 “Delighted?” They quip, running their hand through his hair.

Yorinobu laughs, a pleasured shudder running through him. “Alexandre and Marion always adored you. I thought they would ignore me the whole night.” Rooney remembers the way Alexandre and Marion lit up at the sight of them, ecstatic smiles as the duo got out of their chairs to greet Rooney. Marion hugs them tight, telling Rooney how good it was to see them again and how much she missed them. Alexandre shakes their hand firmly, but Rooney doesn’t miss his misty eyes as he gives them a fond look. When Yorinobu and Rooney are finally able to take a seat, Alexandre and Marion immediately assault Rooney with questions, mainly about what Rooney had been doing after they left Arasaka. (There had also been a few pointed questions about Rooney and Yorinobu’s relationship, mainly if the pair were back together.)

“I was afraid they were going to do that too.” Although, Rooney couldn’t be too mad. It was nice to talk with Alexandre and Marion. Every time they look over at Yorinobu, he watches them with fondness, a slightly smitten smile on his face, arm resting on the back of their chair, hand on Rooney’s shoulder. It makes their heart melt a little, knowing they feel the same way about him. “I really did miss the Garniers.”

“They missed you. Alexandre and Marion were devastated when you left; they wanted to find you. I threatened them to leave you be.” Rooney looks away guiltily, knowing the Garniers had not been the only ones devastated by their departure. They still remember the heartbroken look on Yorinobu’s face as he watches them choose the military over a future with him. “Rooney,” Their eyes meet his brown ones, “What did Alexandre say to you before we left?”

Rooney remembers the way Alexandre beckoned them over, out of earshot of Marion and Yorinobu. ‘Shepard, it is rare to get a second chance,’ Alexandre looks away from them, towards Marion with love in his eyes, ‘especially when it is with someone you care about. Do not be a fool and make the same mistake twice.’ “Alexandre said that I had second chance, something that most people don’t get, and I shouldn’t make the same mistake.”

“What did you say to him?”

“That I won’t. I don’t make the same mistakes twice, and I’m going to make the most of it this time.” Rooney’s hand leaves his hair, tracing the edge of his face. Alexandre was right; they should not be so foolish this time around. “Yori, I love you,” a swell of affection rises within them, “I want this to work; I don’t want to lose you again.”

He smiles, letting out a genuine laugh. “You and I got the same lecture tonight,” He pulls them closer, his leg slotting between theirs, “I love you too.” He presses his lips against Rooney’s lips, a soft kiss. He tastes like the wine the group drank all night and the tiramisu the pair shared for dessert. Rooney deepens the kiss, pouring all the unsaid words into the kiss. Rooney is going to make this work; they can make it work. They’re going to find a way to protect Yorinobu and save V from the Relic. 

[nalpurex]

i got souyo brainworms again and i gotta share some thoughts i have

this ones a long one so ill put a 'keep reading' thing here just in case yall dont wanna scroll past a wall of text

basically some headcanons about a healthy mix of chad narukami and normal yu, injecting loads of gap moe into this guy

(and it eventually devolves into some weird semi-story because my brains really spiralling here)

okok so, hear me out, chad narukami isnt that bad as an idea...? maybe as a more calm iteration, just another layer to yu

in the p4 manga, we get to see some of yu's backstory. (its been a while since ive read it so i might get some details wrong but) his parents are very busy people, always working and moving around, so yu's always moving around with them

because of this, hes a very independent but also lonely kid. poor guy doesnt talk much with his own mom and dad, and he never really have a good enough chance to form lasting friendships

so when he moves to inaba and starts making friends there, hes like 'oh i really want to keep these guys around...' so he starts putting up a bit of a persona (hah), some cool, unfazed guy that everyone can rely on thinking thats what people might like more. to his credit, it works pretty well, but its a bit stifling for yu himself. hes never had this many friends though, so he'll keep it up

we all know yosuke admires him quite a fair bit as is, just as a dependable friend and a strong leader. he looks up to yu in these aspects, thinking hes basically the perfect guy. (and lets never unpack that thought.) talented, charming, 'gets all the ladies', that kind of stuff

at some point its just the two of them, maybe walking home from school or something, yu gets pretty comfortable and his facade slips a little. maybe he says something completely silly, or heavens forbid theres a stray cat along the road! ("awww look at the little guy, cmeree, pspsps- oh- ahem- uh, its pretty cute...") it surprises yosuke quite a bit. he's thinking about it a lot as they part ways, it was... definitely a new side to his partner, but its also not a bad thing...

after that, yosuke starts noticing more small things about yu. whenever he invites anyone to share his lunch, its always something they like. whenever the IT are talking, he makes sure no one feels left out. he likes cats, a lot more than hes willing to show, and he loves nanako a whole lot too. his partner's... a bit of a softie under that calm and collected vibe, isnt he?

(alternatively, it'd be really funny if the entire IT knew? like "yeah, hes got a straight face all the time and sparkles fly around him whenever he strikes a pose, but hes got a dedicated schedule for hanging out with us and hes always asking when we're free. hes a big puppy, really.")

anyways, yosuke tries to encourage him to show more of this other side of him. stuff like "c'mon, we'll think you're cool either way!" and yu at first is a little hesitant, so yosuke suggests he just try it out with him

he feels some pride about it, because hes the first to learn about this side of yu! his partner trusts him the most, hes the most comfortable around him! (whats this strange other feeling? hm. dont like that.)

yu takes a little more time with the others, but theyre very welcoming about it nonetheless. specifically, they find it very charming! (making cute shapes in your bento? sewing cute stuffed toys with kanji? playing with literally every single stray cat you lay your eyes on? hell yeag.)

of course the facade doesnt completely shatter, because some parts of it are still true to yu. its just that he'll now crack the dumbest joke youve heard in your life with the same old straight face

(aaand now to derail for the sappy stuff huhuhu)

because yosuke's usually the first to be exposed to whatever new shenanigans yu's up to, eventually he starts getting some... weirder things. he brings some of it up to the other IT members and he looks insane, like:

"what? he hasnt been giving you guys origami?"

"why would he? i mean itd be cool, but thats just his part-time job isnt it? hes probably sick of paper cranes!"

"cranes... haha, yeah..." (as he thinks about the row of stupid paper animals sitting on his windowsill)

yu over time starts getting real sweet with yosuke, and he kind of gets the feeling he should just... keep this to himself...? especially when he doesnt see him acting this way with anyone else, and a small part of him wants to keep it to himself. all of this, just for him.

but that would be kind of gay, wouldnt it? hes not gay, is he...? he gets pretty happy whenever yu smiles at him, whenever he does something for him, but its just because he appreciates him as his partner... right?

eventually it all comes to a head when yu invites him to that... that spot high up in inaba. (ykno the one, its got the railing and shit.)

yosuke's climbing the hill, wondering whats yu gonna tell him, and at the top he sees him already waiting there as the sun's about to set on a nice breezy day

he kinda jokes a bit about it, like "damn did you ask me to come here now for the atmosphere?" but yu's strangely quiet

so they kinda just stand in a bit of an awkward silence before yu clears his throat... and confesses to yosuke.

...

they just. stare at each other for a bit. yosuke's at a loss, heat slowly rising in his cheeks, because what the hell?

and then yu explodes into a flustered mess, bumbling about "hey yeah man you dont have to accept if you dont wanna, i was just saying things yknow? you dont really have to-"

yosuke cuts him off, sighing a little. he tells him its okay, hes kinda had a feeling he felt the same way but he wasnt ready yet... and now his partner's confessing to his face, he cant really put it off anymore, can he?

("by the way, did you plan this? like, the timing and everything?"

"i... had a hard enough time saying 'i like you' with a straight face as it was, i kind of had to..."

"... ah.")

[remyfire]

When the writer agonies hit.

[miralines]

One thing I think is interesting/useful to note about the Rose Red book is that it is a book that was published in the OUATIS galaxy a little under ten years after the war, and that it has an in-story author— and, crucially, that author is not necessarily an entirely reliable narrator.

More rambling about this under the cut

The author, Althea, is a normcivilian with an unusual amount of sympathy for the now-decommissioned Rose Reds. This is not a popular position, and between:

A) her rhetorical goal of changing the minds of people actively against the Rose Reds being allowed to survive

B) the constraints of mainstream publishers, who are under social/political pressure to not threaten the new government, requiring her to be both neutral and not too challenging,

C) her own corresponding bias in believing that neutrality is both possible and desirable,

and D) her limited viewpoint as a normcivilian (not a Rose Red) from a privileged background,

There are quite a lot of places where events, people, and viewpoints are presented in ways that are somewhat misleading. Althea has a degree in journalism, but she does not live in an entirely free society, and both external forces and her own biases do color the narrative she presents throughout the book.

In short, she’s the equivalent of a left-leaning ally to a marginalized group who’s a bit more centrist than one might hope and is presenting herself as even more centrist in order to be published at all through mainstream channels and taken seriously by people who are biased against her cause.

[lu-is-not-ok]

loving the analyses! could we get ebony stem/ya śūnyatā tad rūpam, if your inbox isn't too full? keep up the good work!

Well, I can fulfill one half of this request, considering I already talked about the other Outis E.G.O for... Way longer than was probably necessary.

That being said, let's dive under the cut for this.

So, let's start off with Ebony Queen's Apple. Or, rather, Snow White's Apple, the Abnormality Ebony Queen's Apple is an Abberation of.

The story of Snow White's Apple is a very interesting twist on the fairytale, focusing on the experience and feelings of the apple that poisoned Snow White.

This apple, created by the witch's rage and curse, was left abandoned after it fulfilled its purpose. Lonely and festering hatred towards the princess, the same feeling the witch was experiencing, it waited to rot away and disapper... But it couldn't. No matter how much time passed, how much the apple was crushed or eaten by bugs and birds, it would continue to exist.

Surrounded by the bodies of the birds and bugs its poison killed, the apple began to ponder its existence, until one day it sprouted enough of a stem and leaves to move from its spot. Thinking of the princess who was woken up from her poisoned slumber by a prince, the apple decided that it was a princess in its own right, but didn't need a prince to be woken.

The main theme of this abnormality is loneliness and jealousy mixing together to form an intense, "toxic" hatred. There's also this interesting idea of immortality and its negative connotations, being that the apple wished to effectively die, but would never rot, instead stewing in its own loneliness and the harm it inflicted just by existing. There's also this interesting idea of a role reversal, of the apple that inherited the witch's will and feelings becoming a princess in its own twisted way.

Now, that's all nice and good, but what about Ebony Queen's Apple.

Here, I would like to briefly rant about the fact that the wiki for Limbus Company contains all the MD Events, all the Abno Logs (though not always with proper assignments who said what), all the detailed Battle Info... but. For SOME FUCKING REASON. It does not include the text for mid-battle events. IT SAYS THE EVENTS ARE THERE!!! BUT DOES NOT PROVIDE THE FUCKING TEXT!!!!

Thank you, shitty fandom wiki, this is useless! You're making my job Harder!

In fact, I'm going to bring up those events as the First Thing, because they actually have the most thematically relevant details out of all of the information we have.

Ebony Queen's Apple has two mid-fight events. One that always activates on Turn 3 of the fight, and one that activates when its Head part is broken once and brought down to half health.

Let's start with the first one, perhaps the most interesting one.

It begins by describing Ebony Queen's Apple as "a heart torn into thousands of pieces", and how it burrows and tangles itself underground to hide itself from all eyes. Already, we have this repeat of the idea that the Apple is inheriting feelings from someone else, being that person's heart rather than just an apple cursed by that person.

This is followed by another interesting line, giving the reason for someone to pull up these roots as "there is no wound that can remain unearthed". The wording of this is kind of odd here. The word 'unearth' means to find something by digging something up from the ground, so for something to remain 'unearthed', it has have already been found and dug up.

Which... doesn't make sense when you first think about it, because it's giving a reason for digging something up by telling you that... something can't remain dug up? Unless, you connect it to the previous line. A wounded heart should not be seen by all eyes. No wound can remain unearthed. Ebony Queen's Apple is very much trying to hide its pain, and that's why the Sinners have to pull on these roots. Reveal the Apple's own pain. Because it by itself never would.

When the Sinners proceed to give each other looks, another interesting sentence follows. "Being coiled in piercing, sharp pain was something to avoid even in one's dreams." While, on the literal level, this is obviously meant to refer to the Sinner being bound by Ebony Queen's Apple's roots, I do wonder... Is it also referring to the pain the Apple itself is experiencing and trying to hide?

The skill check is a Wrath Advantage, with the additional flavor text saying "The dry earth must be upturned. Which Sinner was up to the task?". It's interesting how Wrath, the Sin of defiance, is the one that does better at upturning reality, if you will. But, that's not directly related to the Abno, so I won't dwell on it for too long.

What follows a successful skill check is the Sinner digging up the roots with their bare hands and coming to some... interesting realizations. To quote the text directly:

"In their hands were the doubts of others. The Sinner realized... That while the injury may heal, distrust might take deep root in their heart."

This, I think, is the reveal of what the source of Ebony Queen's Apple's pain is. The Apple has been hurt before, and while no physical injury or pain remains, there is still that pain of distrust, that pain of fear over being hurt again. The coiling, sharp pain that took root in the heart that the Apple represents. And that same pain that the Apple tries so desperately to hide.

Now, let's talk about the second event, which I have to rant about again. There is. Very little online info about this event, as usually one can very easily skip it because of how easy Ebony Queen's Apple is to defeat. The only footage I've found of it is in a Solo video, with the person pressing the Skip button, so if I miss any text in that event, this is why.

And no, I couldn't check what the event was on my own, because by the time I'm writing this Ebony Queen's Apple is no longer available in thread luxcavations, and I'm not going to be doing a whole MD for the chance of finding the boss or waiting a whole week just to be able to confirm the event text. I may be insane, but I'm not that insane.

So, in this event, when the Sinners look up at the Apple's face, they gaze upon "the weathered memories within". Again, there's this idea of the original harm that was done to the Apple took place such a long time ago that its memories have become weathered. It could also refer to the pain and distrust being what made those memories weathered by them, everything the Apple can remember now tainted by these feelings.

Another interesting line in this event is the following: "When the apple browns, cracks, shrivels, and attracts lowly creatures... That is when it has met golden bliss." There's that same idea of the Apple seeking death just like Snow White's Apple. How rotting away and becoming one with the earth, finally letting go of this pain, is the one thing this Apple considers as true bliss.

Upon succeeding the skill check (Pride advantage for taking advantage of the Apple being lost in bliss, btw), an interesting line is said. "The fruit was emptied of its lifeblood long ago; only futility remained."

It's a very evocative sentence to me. It gives the image of Ebony Queen's Apple being a sort of walking corpse, something that should have already died, but something within it was keeping it clinging to life in futility. Was the moment the Apple got hurt enough to begin its distrust the moment it lost its lifeblood? Was that pain and distrust the thing that kept it going in futility?

Now, let's take a look at the actual battle info. Don't worry, this one won't be as long as the MFE one, since Ebony Queen's Apple doesn't have as much to ramble about regarding its Skills and Passives.

Ebony Queen's Apple uses two different Sin Affinities - Gluttony for attacks done with its Stems, and Pride for attacks done with its Roots. All of the Apple's body parts have two attacks each, with the exception of the Head, which only uses a single Affinity-less defense skill.

Starting with the Stem attacks:

Pale Stem - The appearance of Snow White's Apple's stems actually plays a notable role, as they are constantly described as looking like they are dying and withering, yet they're still alive and growing. Likewise, I think it is worth pointing out what Ebony Queen's Apple's stems look like as well. The descriptor of 'Pale' combined with the almost skeletal appearance in its design proper gives the image of a plant that has been dead for so long its color and structure is unrecognisable. And yet... it's still alive, despite all odds.

Distrust - In case we didn't pick up on the idea of distrust from the mid-battle event, this attack would absolutely clue us all in. Incredibly straight-forward, not much more to say here.

Now onto the Roots attacks:

Root Spike - This one is so straightforward that I don't think there's much to read into here. You could probably read way into it with the idea of distrust and how it connects to the idea of taking root, but... Nah. I think this one is just a simple physical description of the attack. They can't all be deep.

Shared Pain - An interesting fact about this specific attack is that it only starts getting used After the mid-battle event (wiki says it only enters the pool after both events but I'm Sure I've had this attack happen after only the first one, so *shrug*), which has some interesting implications.

Recall that the first event involves a Sinner digging up Ebony Queen's Apple's roots, effectively exposing the pain and distrust it feels to everyone around it. And this action is what lets the Apple use the Shared Pain skill... If you can't hide it, make a show out of it, I suppose.

Now, onto the last one, the Head's defense:

Vain Fruit - Now, I think this is a very interesting skill name, as it could have a double meaning. Vain could mean someone with a lot of pride, an excessively high opinion of oneself. However, vain could also mean something useless, futile. In a way, I think both of these apply.

On one hand, Ebony Queen's Apple absolutely fits the Limbus definition of Pride. Hiding and trying to ignore its own pain for the sake of keeping up appearances, doing something for its benefits while ignoring the negative consequences. On the other, we are directly told that the Apple's continued survival is futile, there is no life left in it, only pain and distrust. Its continued existence is in vain.

So, I think the description "Vain Fruit" fits it quite perfectly actually.

Now, I'll take a brief look at the Passives as well.

An Apple's Twilight is an interesting one. When used figuratively, twilight can describe a state of gradual decline, or a state that is obscure and hard to define. In a way, I think that's exactly the state Ebony Queen's Apple is in. Not quite alive, but not yet dead either. In the twilight of its life, you could say.

Entangling Roots is clearly connected to the first mid-battle event, where the Apple is described as tangling itself to hide its pain. These roots are what entangles the Apple, and by pulling them out, this Passive is turned off premautrely.

One Sole Root is an interesting one, because I think it comes back to the idea of Pride/Vanity. That everything is about keeping up Ebony Queen's Apple's image, keeping up that one single root that matters. Note how the Roots are the part of the Apple that is covered up by its dress, and how "breaking" the Roots doesn't necessarily break the roots themselves, but exposes them by breaking the dress covering them.

So, let's finally mention the Abno Logs, shall we?

Something very interesting about Ebony Queen's Apple is that it's noted to not be immediately hostile to the Sinners, rather trying to communicate with them telepathically. It's in stark contrast to Snow White's Apple, whose hatred and poison would actively harm anything within its vicinity.

Even more interestingly, Ebony Queen's Apple asks the Sinners to "Bring Snow White", which leads Faust to realize this Abnormality has some connection to Snow White's Apple. However, something about this is interesting - it's very clearly talking about Snow White, the princess, not the other Apple. Do both of the Apples have some sort of connection to that princess?

The next Log mentions something interesting - Faust speculated that Ebony Queen's Apple could potentially 'believe itself to be a "noble".' Consider how Snow White's Apple began to believe itself to be a princess after spending a long time thinking about her. Likewise, Ebony Queen's Apple seems to have done something similar, instead beginning to believe itself to be the evil queen, potentially also after thinking about her for a long time.

...So I have a theory here. A Lore theory, if you will.

The Snow White's Apple is an Apple who took on the heart of the witch (which, if you somehow don't know the story, is the Evil Queen in disguise), but decided to become like a princess after being hurt by her.

What is the chance that Ebony Queen's Apple is the opposite of that? An Apple who took on the heart of the princess, but decided to become like the Evil Queen after being hurt by her.

It would explain a lot, in fact. The reason why Ebony Queen's Apple isn't initially hostile towards the Sinners? Because at her heart, Snow White isn't a violent or malicious person, it's the persona of the Evil Queen that the Apple took on that is violent. What character in the fairytale would be the most likely to develop high levels of distrust? Snow White, who's being constantly hunted down by the Evil Queen through a variety of deceitful tricks. Why would the Apple look like it's been dead for a long time? Because Snow White was put into a coma, seemingly dying due to the Evil Queen's actions, before she was brought back to life.

So... decoding Ebony Queen's Apple is nice and all, but where does that leave us themes-wise?

Well, distrust is the most obvious theme here. Specifically, the pain one experiences and feels the need to hide because of the fear of being hurt again. There's also this similar idea of immortality, but in this case it's specifically the futile attempt of living after one's death, literal or figurative. A walking corpse, if you will. Finally, the role reversal theme rears its head up again, though in this case it's about a kind, soft-hearted person becoming malicious and selfish, so as to never be hurt again.

And now, we get to the big question. What does all of this mean for Ebony Stem Outis?

Well, let's look at the Awakening attack. In this attack, Outis uses Ebony Queen's Apple's Root Spike attack, which by itself doesn't tell us much. What is interesting is how she invokes this attack. The motion she makes puts to mind the leader of an army, directing their troops forward with the decisive raise of a weapon.

However, the more interesting part here I think is her dialogue line. "If this is to seize victory…" So, those who were here for my Ya Śūnyatā Tad Rūpam analysis might have an idea of where this is going.

This, I think, is Outis expressing her own justification for putting on the persona of the 'Evil Queen', of a brave, selfish commander. It's to seize victory, whether it's about the Smoke War, whatever ulterior motives she has in her current position, or perhaps even something far more personal. Because, if you win, you can't lose and be hurt further, right?

After all...

Outis has proven herself to be quite familiar with this idea, hasn't she?

Now, onto the Corrosion.

Here, the idea of Ebony Queen's Apple representing something that is already dead is further cemented, as Outis's face turns completely skeletal upon becoming Corroded. Interestingly enough, the animation she uses here is the Apple's Shared Pain attack. Perhaps Corroding under the influence of this Abnormality shows enough of her vulnerabilities for her to decide to unmask just enough to use that attack?

The dialogue line here is also very fascinating. "Just a little more…", said in a notably pained manner. Just how desperate is Outis? Just how much pain is she pushing herself through to continue on? How many 'just a little more's has she been clinging to this whole time?

Just like how Ebony Queen's Apple's attempts to keep living after death are futile, Outis's attempts to continue on despite what happened in her past are also futile. No amount of pushing through and inching forward will lead her to where she wants to be. No amount of telling herself that the Oddyssey had a purpose will actually give it one.

Finally, we're at the point where we can do some Sin Analysis.

Ebony Stem is a Gluttony-affinity E.G.O, and it's a very clear yet very interesting case of one. The hunger is very much there, but it's not what one would usually associate with Gluttony on first glance.

The hunger for survival is there, but it's not literal. In this case, it's the striving towards surviving without being hurt, surviving despite the pain distrust causes. Likewise, the hunger for progress is also there, in this case it's for trying to move forward despite what happened in the past, to keep inching 'just a little more', even though it's clearly futile, with no end in sight.

This futility, I think, is what truly makes this a Gluttony E.G.O.

Now, as for the necessary Sin Resources, they are as follows (ordered from needed most of to least of): Pride, Gluttony, Lust, Gloom.

Pride is quite important to Outis's character, and especially to this E.G.O, as she requires a whole four of it to use it. While the whole idea of her ignoring the harm she inflicts on others to get what she wants still applies here, I think there's another layer to this - ignoring the harm she experiences in doing so.

One of the main themes of Ebony Queen's Apple is how one tries to hide and ignore the pain and distrust one feels for the sake of the appearance one puts on, an incredibly Pride-coded action. Likewise, Outis has to hide her pain and insecurities to be able to put on the persona of the strong-willed, merciless commander, a highly Prideful act by Limbus's standards.

Gluttony follows after, with Outis requiring three of it to use Ebony Stem. Due to it being the Sin Affinity of the E.G.O, most of the points I made while talking about that still remain. Outis needs to wish to survive without pain and keep moving forward despite it being futile to use Ebony Stem, simple enough.

Then, a surprise guest.

Lust. Outis requires two of that Sin to use Ebony Stem. While Lust often represents indulgence, I believe this case is very similar to the case of Lust in Ya Śūnyatā Tad Rūpam. It represents Outis's dedication to her personal goals, how she has to be willing to do anything to fulfill them to gain access to this E.G.O. Plus, there is that additional layer of her wishing to not be hurt, though that can count as several different Sins depending on the context, and it's something I would put under Gluttony for this E.G.O specifically.

Finally, there's Gloom. Outis requires only one of it to use Ebony Stem. It's a small, but nonetheless important part of this E.G.O. I believe Gloom here represents the pain and trauma that led to Outis developing this behavior in the first place. The harm that was inflicted on her in the past, and the distrust that clings to her afterwards. It's a small part due to Outis's highly goal-oriented nature, causing her to focus on other aspects of Ebony Stem, suchs as reaching the goal of victory... But that hurt is still there. That piercing, sharp pain coiling around her heart, that she's always aware of at the back of her mind, no matter how much she wishes to hide it.

Of course, her Passive here being named Stem of Distrust only drives the point home even further.

Something interesting about Ebony Stem Outis's Sin Resistances is that, while very close to Ebony Queen's Apple's, they're not exactly the same. Both the Apple and Outis are Fatal to Wrath and Pride, as it's what can easily tear down their masks - the will to defy their commanding presence and tear it down, knowing that exposing their pain will hurt them in the process. However, what they differ in is the Sins that are Ineffective (x0.5) against them, and the ones they Endure (x0.75).

For Ebony Queen's Apple, its Ineffective Resistance is Gloom, and it's Endured Resistance is Envy. Meanwhile, for Ebony Stem Outis, the Ineffective Resistance is Gluttony, while Gloom is Endured.

I think the reason they're protected from the influences of those Sins is, well... They're the reasons why both the Apple and Outis put on those personas in the first place. They're both protected from Gloom because the whole reason they act like 'Evil Queens' is to avoid getting further hurt, with it being much more important to the Apple.

The Apple endures Envy because its pain likely comes from the influence of a single person - the real Ebony Queen. As such, by mimicking her, the Apple is effectively ensuring that it won't be as hurt and influences by her as it was in the past. Likewise, Gluttony is Ineffective against Ebony Stem Outis as that's the main reason she puts on this mask, to continue moving forward, to keep on living after what happened, regardless of its futility.

There is... certainly something going on with Outis that we don't fully know about yet. Something about her two Gluttony Affinity E.G.Os having themes of distrusting other people, and all of her E.G.Os having some form of idea of putting on a front that's far more aggressive or selfish or commanding than the real self might be...

Girl, what is with you.

[tennessoui]

Wait, there are people who LIKE WIPs? Mind officially blown. O_o

yeah idk maybe just consider that all your favorite fics were wips at one point and one writer liked it enough to spend hours turning that wip into a finished fic and I doubt they were writing just to write an ending

like that fic did not emerge fully formed as a multi chapter novel length anon divergent masterpiece on ao3 one day!!! even if a fic is all posted at once, ONE person knew it and loved it as a wip or it never would have been posted at all!!!

like come on!!! think about fic writers as people who are experiencing their wip more than you ever will no matter how many times you read it and I promise the concept of liking a wip will NOT blow your mind

[despairforme]

[ahogedetective]

HELLLOOO, LOVELY PEOPLE!!! Just wanted to let y'all know that by now, I'm back home and situated~! And as promised, here are a few pictures, HEHE: the con was SO fun and we all had a great time!!! And there was so so many wonderful cosplayers who were all so sweet and some even complimenting me JKFNDKJD GAH IT MADE ME SO HAPPYY 💖💖💖I hope you cuties are having a very nice Sunday and weekend overall~! hehe but YES, here's some pics under da cut!!!

Kayayday drip!!! 🎹🩷

Some pics I took with a Kotone/Femc, a Battler, and a Toko!!!! 🎧⚔️✂️

AND I MET KATE @caramialunaestelle THERE TOO, EEEE: SHE WAS THE PRETTIEST CHIDORI!!! 🌹( And I met @s1lver-bullet too, HEHE: two of my tumblr mooties, it was such a nice surprise~! I'M SO GLAD YOU GUYS HAD FUN, TOO!!!)

ME AND A FELLOW KAEDEEE!!! AND KAITO, TOO!!! 🩷🎹🚀

And a Himiko, too!!! 🪄 Was so awesome finding some of my classmates there, HEH HEH

And then some merchy merchhhh!!! ✨✨✨

This is the design of the back of a jacket I bought there and it is SOOO COOL, I LOVE IT, HEHEHEH 🌸!!!!

[pancakes-with-grounded-hazelnuts]

hsr: references to jingliu, jing yuan, and yanqing's backstories. interpretations + hcs roughly based on anything up to 1.4

(hi i don't make proper theories or analyses. i just scream my feelings into a void in a chaotic barrage of words.)

thinking about sword family again.

how jingliu’s readiness to teach anyone swordsmanship regardless of fame, talent, or circumstances transformed jing yuan’s life. i think about little jing yuan, whose passion for swordplay went against his parents' wishes, whose talent leaned far more into cunning than the blade. and yet jingliu acknowledged his desire to learn and acknowledged him as he was. even now, he still speaks of her with respect and fondness.

i then think about how jing yuan now, many years later, is mentoring a student of his own, yanqing. a boy with no known background but had a fiery passion for swordplay. how he went against public opinion to give him opportunities on the battlefield at a young age. the dubious ethics of this aside, i can see little yanqing felt his passion and abilities acknowledged.

i think of them being acknowledged by their masters, for not only their strengths and weaknesses, but their dreams. i can imagine a great sense of hope dawning on them. they will never forget it.

(extra headcanony territory) and then i picture, the student of her student, standing before her, hungry for another contest, hungry to learn more techniques from her. he knows she's deemed a criminal by the xianzhou, he knows her past is full of painful complications beyond his comprehension, but through all that, jingliu is still a brilliant swordmaster, and that's what matters to him. he will acknowledge her as she is. he will cut through her punishing memories with his sharp tongue. "what's the holdup? it's time for swordplay!" and she will smile the sweetest and most sincere smile she had for years, for there's fun to be had.

and so the cycle of hope has come full circle.

>> disclaimer: i might be too paranoid about this, but i feel the need to note that the positive way i wrote this (and other posts) doesn't mean i think what these characters do for each other is necessarily the best or healthiest (even by in-universe standards, let alone my own). i acknowledge the flaws and greyness of this world, but i prefer to read them in the context of its own setting and focus on the positives for a lot of these posts because it gives me the most joy.