#i think of my grandpa. his eccentricities. the way he rambled on and on about history or his own experiences

[orcelito]

the weird thing about when someone dies is that they're never truly dead in my head. when i think about my grandpa, my grandma, my uncle, i dont think of them as dead. i think of them as just... gone for a while. some longer than others. i think about my cat sammy and my cat cassy and i feel like i could still look over and see them there beside me. i can see the way sammy would always cuddle right up to me and lay his head on my shoulder. i can see the way cassy would swivel his head at me when he wanted pets.

they're all dead. they're all gone. but i feel like i could see them again, just like old times. all i need to do is give them a call.

[cheerstotheelites-if]

RO Updated Look³ (but I'm actually satisfied)

Under the cut for my design and change ramblings + the old design if you wanna compare and see the changes.

Here they are, fully in technicolor. Blasted melanin into Weylyn, Eliseo, and Ophelia, because A) I dislike how washed out they looked in the old design, B) makes them actually look distinct and not muddled, and C) they are literally mixed race and that feels like an injustice to them (yes 'them', because I'm including Weylyn now (his other half is from his mother's side). The color palette for each of them (individually and together) looks better, now that it's less saturated and easier on the eyes since the colors are bit more muted now. The clothes are better now too, and look like something they would all actually wear on a normal day based on their style preference. Plus, noses! All of 'em got distinct nose shapes. I tried to give also their own eyeshapes, but I think I mostly failed at that. And, uh, I guess face shapes? Weylyn's the most noticeable compared to his old design, and I honestly am happy with how he looks now.

Fleur's the only one that changed the least, I swear. She only got a haircut and called it a day. Jasiel too, but I'm already satisfied with how I dressed him, so he's fine the way he is already. Just changed his color palette from the saturated traditonally drawn art of him by muting down his colors and gave him brass bronze colored eyes to differentiate him from his siblings' golden ones.

I'm still really happy about Zephyrine's redesign, makes her the girly I knew she was destined to be. It really makes her stand out more and gives a better impression of her, plus it oomfs her character silhouette which is nice. I'd like to imagine she thrifts her clothes frequently, so there are a few clothes she has that look worn and washed out and clearly refurbished by her. The golden zig-zag on her cardigan is put there by her since she found it plain without a little pizzaz, and the gray beads on the end of her skirt used to form a leaf patter for each pleat, but lost beads overtime, so Zeph just added more beads, not to remake the shape (god forbid her patience runs out before she even manages to make one), but more on mark the skirt as now hers and styled to her preference.

Weylyn and Cooper were eventually dragged in to the redesign, mostly with fixing their hair (especially Cooper's since I didn't like him looking similar to Eliseo's) and clothes. Cooper's fit needed to give him that goofy weirdo vibe I wanted for him, plus actually making him look more friend coded than, uh... whatever I had in mind for his old fit. He's a bit more bejeweled, as more of a subtle telling that this man comes from wealth and is also kinda eccentric. For Weylyn, besides minutely fixing his hair and gave him new clothes, I changed his eye color too to a more yellowy hue than the old gold-ish one. It's not that obvious on mobile, but I swear it is on PC when I was drawing. 😭

Finally, Ophelia and Eliseo. The latter is fully embracing the dark grunge with pierced ears, a bit more silver chains and more rings and all that black clothes. The yellow smiley face is based on the band Nirvana's iconic logo, I just made it drippy and the smile into a toothy one for the troublemaker vibes this dude is going for. I gave him a mullet now (I think it's a mullet yet I also refuse to believe it is), based on some bad boy hair pictures I used as reference from Pinterest. Ophelia, on the other hand, had layers remove, let her wear a grandpa sweater and brown pants instead of her shorts (permanently stained with mud from all the times she went out to the forest to find for beetles), have a little string with beads dangle from her belt line as a treat. Her hands wear fingerless gloves now, and her doc martens are now replaced with regular old sneakers and black socks to hide her scarred ankles. She's droopy eyed now and I think it fits her more now for her personality and story compared to her round eyes. I based that loosely on Anya from Mouthwashing.

I didn't do a uniform line up like last time for the RO's that attend Lumintoile, because that'll be it's own seperate thing alongside an updated uniform look in general for the students. So you'll see everyone (minus Cooper) wearing uniforms with one of three pairs wearing a uniform variant for the different seasons. I also do plan to make an updated relationship chart, to see what's going on now currently between the RO's now that the story has changed and a new contender has arrived.

Older designs for comparison (minus Jasiel bc the man was not a concept at the time of me making this 😭)

[the-acid-pear]

I just can't get enough it seems, time to start the next Baki the Grappler book!

It seems that this one will take on the saga i saw on the anime (at least by the end) so that's exciting

Chapter 1

First off quality is SHIT lmao

Yesss i remember this. I still think that shit about everyone trembling is a lil... Mmmm bullshit.

Baki be like <:] but in a smug way

Look at Tokugawa my man

OH RIGHT HE LEFT THE TOURNAMENT WITH A CAST

This feels so random

Oh right the synchronicity shit

Baki is so -_- in this manga

Look at the old timer go

YEAH FR TOKUGAWA JUST BROUGHT EXPLOSIVES TO A SCHOOL FULL OF CHILDREN TO MAKE A SHITTY ANALOGY SHSHWKWGGE FREAK OLD MAN

Chapter 2

Ahegao

Epic grandpa

HO NICE

Mf really swam thru the Pacific ocean

Chapter 3

Huh i thought he was Scottish

This random guy was pretty interesting looking, the one executing Doyle

Fucked up shit how they still do this stuff

King, i can somehow still remember his voice in particular fsr

Also since no one reads this i will say it: Doyle does NOT look white ahagdbafhsdbc

I like that he didn't bother killing the doctor

Is that Strydum? 🥺👉👈

Chapter 4

Shagddjd i was going to say that, this dude could have easily taken a different path from violence

GAARN? MY MAN? MY BELOVED GARLAND? IS HE ALIVE STILL?!

FFS NOT FOR LONG HHH LOOK HOW THEY MASSACRED MY BOY...

I mean it's fair, Sirkosky uses weapons, but man, Garland... :'/

This all hits so different once you know the characters :]]]

Chapter 5

That pic is still so brutal

What an absolute troll shsshwgxgd

Also fun fact when i watched the anime i didn't pay much attention at first so I assumed the Russian was Spec (i didn't even know Sirkosky's name)

I love how that was unnecessary shagdhsr

ADAGDFAGAFAD this guy was also great

Spec was fucking insane man aggsggahsfg

I love he's full of tattoos

The absolutely king

OH RIGHT Spec is sus *laugh track*

Chapter 6

Oh hell yeah, grandpa's ex

Baki tf you doing there in the cover you madlad

...bottom storage.

THEY ARE SO MEAN LEAVE HIS SHORT ASS ALONE SHSGJSGS

He's my size btw

Was there a motive for him to be naked or was he just a freak btw?

I love the shape of his eyes ngl

I love how scared the guards are while he just calmly rambles

I don't wanna call yanagi my grandpa because i think yanagi can get it and it would be like calling him daddy but the Gilf™ is Dorian man life is so hard when you are me

I love Yanagi's face lol he's handsome

Chapter 7

Poor Baki lmao he just got better from the maximum tournament and now this

Lmao Baki has a point

Unnecessary, Doyle

Chapter 8

I love how they were recruiting dangerous mfs to beat up this random guy bc his vibes are fucked up

This guy looked a lot like jack

You gotta be brave to shove a knife that sharp into your pants

I love how Baki literally did nothing to em

Baki's face just looks wrong this isn't my beloved child

Imagine you are about to fight this mf and he just shoves his hand inside his pants

Chapter 9

This dude really looks like, fully japanese jack hanma

JWGWKEGWKSGE I LOVE HIM

I love how Spec just showed up dressed up as a fucking monk or something

Chapter 10

You guys know, Dorian reminds me of my now dead great grandfather, with the moustache look even more.

Not impressed, 15 yo Hanayama did the same when throwing a tantrum

He's so insane i luv him

Okay but look at the cut of that outfit look at how well it hugs his chest and waist but flows bellow... Spec my dude you could have been a mad good model 😐 he's even giving me gender envy! 🥺

I love how Baki used both his hands for the handshake

Chapter 11

Ho, speak of the devil, i was just talking of this fucker with Blood

Mf got so old

I like how there was no motive for him to be naked he literally is just Like That

Also it's from here that he got that wasp waist lmao

Mf just flexing at this point lmao

GRANDPA!! <3

Yanagi got cake

That's so unnecessary rude, obsessed. Also, as if you weren't old Yanagi. I see why they broke up now ;/

Chapter 12

11 and 12 are the same fsr

Chapter 13

I honestly wonder where these prisoners got their clothes, like, aside from Doyle that one time everyone else is never shown shopping or even owning money

Also i love the fact that on a daily basis i dress the same as Spec, that definitely says something bout me jagsjsgwhwfwg 😭

To be honest, considering the size of Spec's body, they should definitely feed him more

He didn't wash his hands 😢

Dick and balls too strong ajgshsgsg

I love how fucking, polite he is.

Oh i see, i thought he might have stolen a wallet or something but nah

Btw i genuinely don't remember shit JAGSKSGWJGS even if it watched the anime i forgot most of this

Chapter 14

GOD the way the anime butchered Katsumi, he's so handsome in the manga in comparison 😐

Also i like how they aren't explaining this like, Katsumi was the one who lost, did he wait until Retsu was okay to fight again in HIS ("") dojo?!

RETSU STOP DOING THESE SORT OF TRICKS THAT'S PHYSICALLY IMPOSSIBLE AJDGSJSG

HE'S JUST BUILT DIFFERENT

Okay he actually explained, oddly nice of Retsu to accept tho

Hoho this scene hits different now that i know and like Katsumi

Also I'm not even gonna question where Doppo is, dude is never just around skdgksgd

Chapter 15

I love this genre of cover

WHITE BOY SJDGSJGSHS-

I love that retsu is just watching, he's still an asshole QJGSJSGWH

If i didn't know Katsumi I would say he died

I did actually think he had died when watching the anime

Retsu still has his thicc ass i see

Chapter 16

See all this makes sense now that i know retsu and the shit he has seen and been thru!

Angry lad, lucky his hair didn't burn

I DIDNT EVEN REALIZE HE EXTINGUISHED THE FIRE WITH HIS SCREAM

Chapter 17

Ahegao in the cover

I'm looking at the pages and I'm obsessed with Doppo being described as a "bold, badass karate master", it's so accurate <3

Also Igari being called eccentric, and the mention he defeated Mount Toba!! <3

Baki is slowly looking more like Baki

"my mother is dying"

Tasks keep failing successfully

Chapter 18

mAh boy...

That happens and it's the worst

Musashi you good boy 🥺

Chapter 19

Igari <33

That's insane

Chapter 20

I love that Igari looks legitimately worried and sad, not sweating tho

I love how he didn't have any serious damage until the punches like, okay.

Poor Igari tho

DID HE CHEW EM OFF OR SOMETHING? SHSHWGEGCH

Was anybody going to tell me is Sikorsky and not Sirkosky?

Also i love how legitimately scared Tokugawa is, probably more than when Yujiro picked him up

Chapter 21

The heights are so off in this saga

Oh my fucking god i didn't know Spec was 221

Either heights are all over the place or Yanagi is not 160

Either way HOW CAN YOU BE THAT SMALL? 🤣

GAFSFWEAD Tokugawa like "i own this place 😐"

Doyle is still the most decent one of the bunch

URSURSUTSUSTSRU

LOOK AT YANAGI DORIAN AND SIKORSKY ALREADY GETTING THEIR HANDS READY SBDGSHW

I googled how big Andreas from the tournament was and like, 2.40 😦

LET'S GOOOOO EVEN WITH A BEARD OMFG 😳😳😳

I see Hanayama descended into alcoholism after losing in the tournament. Also tf is with that bag? Was he hiking or something?

Jsgsjsgd Shibukawa is so excited too

I think this is chronically the first time Doppo appears with fully casual clothes, usually he either was in a suit or in his karate uniform

I'm straight up simping to the public now sgsjsgwhw

Chapter 22

LOOK AT THESE DUDES..... 💞

FUCK I WAS GONNA SAY THERE WERE MORE BAD THAN GOOD GUYS THEN LOOKED DOWN AND REALIZED THAT NO, SHIBUKAWA WAS JUST NEARLY OUT OF FRAME 😭

They all look so upset about that information

SIKORSKY NAME GOT SPELLED AS SILCOSKI...

Looking at them drives me insane i developed such a bond with all these fighters

I haven't seen Doppo this excited since last time his wife showed up

BAKI SWEARING?! 😰

How did Tokugawa grab Baki's shoulder?

ALSO WHY TF IS BAKI SO SURPRISED AS IF HE DIDNT GO AROUND BEATING UP PEOPLE WHEN HE WAS 13...

Don't worry Baki y'all will, Tokyo is not that big it seems

Shibukawa swearing 😨

"Imagine being mid but and Spec pulls up on you" "imagine having sex and she takes the mask and it's fucking Spec"

To be fair i would fuck a 2.21 muscular lady without going "hmmm this doesn't seem like a good idea..." in any moment

Chapter 23

I love how Dorian is just looking up

ACTUALLY ALL THEIR STANCES, Yanagi making dead eye contact with Gouki, Sikorsky with a firm pose just as Hanayama, Doyle with hiss chest up but eyes down giving a sense of pride, and, well, then there's Spec being Spec.

I like seeing Sikorsky having fun

I love Spec he played so smart SGSGSGS

😳 love wins!

Oh i had already forgotten about the dojo

Old man Dorian just has that effect on people

Threesome i see /j

He really was just fucking hiking i would love if they ever explained that ough 🥺

Did his facial hair just disappear?? STSGSFSD

BWHEKEGWJG THEY REALLY JUST FORGOT TO ADD IT FOR ONE PANEL IM OBSESSED

Such a good kick tho

The relationship these men can have is so oddly nice like not Doppo and Retsu specifically but all of the fighters in general. Like many of them barely know each other, but they all know their fighting styles and respect each other, plus have no reason to be in bad terms with one another and specially not now that they are all fighting for the same cause. It's just so nice to see em idk JAGSHS

Hey Igari.

Chapter 24

Thank God Doppo went <3 again it had been so long

Babe are you okay? You hadn't put a lil heart in your speech bubble for a while...

King really punched the fire

I will chose to believe that's true bc it's impressive 😍

You know it's funny like, Katsumi is mad good but he doesn't has as much experience as his dad and that leaves him in disvantage

Hehe i remember that guy

The manga is so much better than the anime ffs

I love that he didn't even realize

Chapter 25

Manga i don't think that's science

Also Baki just chilling with some doves lmao

I'm looking thru old messages see how my og reaction to this was

Huh i found nothing, that's odd. Well my reaction would have probably been like NOOOOO anyway so, y'all can imagine it

You left my dilf handless you fucking asshole good thing he has a wife

Imagine this dude cuts your hand and then just flexes his knowledge about science or whatever

HSSGGSFS THEY FIXED THE NO BEARD ERROR

Illiterate king <3

A guy did this to me once btw!!! Obviously in way smaller scale but he just touched something and the bleeding soon stopped!!!!

Honestly that's the most huge dick energy thing Doppo has ever done

Pfff I'm starting to remember why i liked Doppo so much 🥴

Bitches confused over him running away, tf was he supposed to do? He played it smart since there are no rules

Though yeah an eye and NOW a hand, insane

Chapter 26

Sjshhdhsn tanuki?

Oh, fox, he was calling him slick

Manga is pretty faster than the anime

Chapter 27

Where's your honor, Igari...

He is right sadly enough 😔

Oh i keep forgetting Igari's nature, he was probably trying to pull his silly little tricks again

This is just brutal honestly

Hehe this time i didn't get scared ☺️

I like that at least I'm not the only one who needs their mind off the gutter

Chapter 28

Love seeing em datin <3

He's so aggressive accidentally i love these dorks sm 😍🥺💞

SPEC FFS SJGDHWGW

Chapter 29

SPEC FOR FUCKS SAKE SJSVSJWGSH

Hanayama is such a real bro man

I LOVE THAT HE WAS JUST STALKING BAKI TOO BTW SJDGJDGDHSBDGDGS

To think i will still love hanayama but for entirely different reasons 😌

Chapter 30

Kaoru looks different but idk how

What the fuck is Spec even saying?

The fact that that makes no sense, i still love it a lot tho.

ALSO I ADORE HOW QUIET HANAYAMA IS WHEN FIGHTING

Okay Spec really has a point it really is beautiful

GOD I'M STARTING TO UNDERSTAND THESE CHARACTERS TOO MUCH I NEED HELP AJDGSJSGSHS 😭

But it's beautiful in the sense like, look how built he is! Look at all those scars!!! It IS beautiful it's a masterpiece!!!!!!!

"i choose to believe this is how hanayama always undresses" KSHSKDGSJ THE AMOUNT OF SUITS THIS MAN DESTROYS.. OBSESSED

Though yeah Hanayama in general is also beautiful isn't he?

Chapter 31

I would sob man look at him. Look at Shiba.

NO ONE RISKS HIS LIFE MORE THAN SHIBA YOU FUCKING ASSHOLE I STILL HOLD A LOT OF RESPECT FOR HIM!

A BENCH...

I really don't get why he's letting himself get hit, is he just flexing?

I cannot way to see him do his Technique ™

Chapter 32

Manga is so much superior to the anime, like, i haven't complained about Spec even once bc he isn't annoying anyone, in the anime he was so infuriating!!

I love when they just steal their standing poses sjsgjssgsh

That distortion effect so good

Chapter 33

I still think it's weird they used humans and not machines, though it was effective

I love how Spec managed to punch that statue without calling the attention of much people that's impressive

And i love that he keeps saying man he sounds like me with bro

Hanayama my beloved

Chapter 34

Yeah I'm not reading all that 😐

Oh this explains the holes in his clothes

[bluebrine]

it’s still... odd to me that other people had such different experiences growing up with this series than i did. i had such a personal relationship with it... seeing others talk about the sequels, what they liked and disliked for the series- and it’s like, really? we had very different childhoods (...story of my life, ha).

in my elementary school, our library only had one of the books- Dealing With Dragons (the one with this delightfully cheesy cover by Tim Hildebrandt lol).

(also, please note, there is no indication here that this is the first book of a series. just..... keep that in mind.)

haha, what if 🤭 ..... i was beautiful princess, and you were a dangerously charming dragon 😜 ..... and we were both girls? 😳💦 

good god, little me LIVED for this book. i checked it out & reread it over and over again- the librarian must have got sick of me at some point but i didn’t care lol. i stayed up too late reading it with a flashlight under the covers, i read it during class beneath the desk (i was not... particularly stealthy. they kinda just let me think i was getting away with it lmao).

i know every young kid likes books with fantasy and magic to make their boring lives less lame, but the way i buried myself in this one was... 100% pure escapism. (pour one out for all the weird kids who had no friends outside of books, am i right ladies?) 

the story has a theme of just..... running away from it all, cause everyone else apparently knows so much more about what’s Right for you- what interests are Right for you, what clothes are Right for you, what boys are Right for you, everything! everything was chosen for you, no dystopian YA lit required! 

(CAN YOU POSSIBLY GUESS WHERE THIS IS GOING?)

i didn’t know what the concept of a lesbian was or why no one else thought it was weird that you couldn’t have interests that were Not Like Other People (the Right People), but that’s what this book meant to me. the entire core of the story was showing kids that you could pick your own hobbies, your own home, your own family & friends and it wasn’t up to the Right People to decide that for you.

fuck ‘em!!! run off to the mountains! live in exciting domestic bliss with a giant, well-read, protective dragon lady who can breathe fire and loves to eat your cherries jubilee every night (ABSOLUTELY NO METAPHORS HERE NO SIR)! back home your family is freaking out (but kinda relieved)- cause this is crazy, dragons are dangerous and ruin the women they steal away (where have i heard this before?), but also your family doesn’t... really miss you. they don’t actually want you back- as you were, anyway. once the prince sweeps you off your feet and away from the dragon’s evil clutches and properly marries you, oh sure, then you’re welcome back with open arms! (but that will never happen.)

fuck ‘em!!!!! make cool friends with other misfits and live a life full of adventure with the family you found along the way! there’s witches who live in eccentric homes with 50 cats, there’s neighborly old dragon grandpas who love chocolate pudding, there’s other girls who don’t think you’re weird and like to hang out and read magic books in the library too! you can make friends and be happy! it IS possible!

and that meant so much to me as a kid. i never fit in (i wonder why), i never seemed to like the Right stuff (I WONDER WHY), and for the things i did care about, i went about it wrong- according to the Right People, who didn’t much care about what i thought at all.

...anyway Dealing With Dragons is an allegory about the power of lesbian escapism & independence and i love it very much. i still love it, over a decade later. it’s a fun, captivating, whimsical little tale that means more than childhood nostalgia to me. i spent hours daydreaming about the story in elementary school, content with the characters and setting in a way that just... settled something in me. 

but then i read the other books.

because there were... OTHER BOOKS!? WHAT??? (again, i never knew it wasn’t a stand-alone story lol).

when i got to middle school and had a whole new library to consume, i naturally looked for my fav type of books- those with cool fantasy ladies with swords and dragons on the front (that’s a genre, right?). and, lo and behold, there were more parts to my favorite story!!! lads, i lost my goddamn mind. there were THREE MORE? WHAT??? utter batshittery. how had they kept this from me? i had to read them immediately. 

what would the stories be about? i saw Cimorene on the covers, sword-wielding and pants-wearing (’fuck yes’, said little me). what adventures would she get up to with Kazul, now that she was king of dragons? what would life in their new home be like? the new libraries and treasuries and kitchens would be massive- what secrets would they discover? what was living in dragon society like, now that they sat at the top together? what new recipes would Cimorene cook with her friend??? (that one was very important to me lol).

i checked out all of ‘em at once, and channeled deep into the obsessive focus that only a truly lonely middle school girl can attain. I was SO EXCITED for this. 

-- and got my heart ground to dust under Patricia C. Wrede’s heel.

...because, see, i hadn’t known there was an Enchanted Forest Chronicles. i hadn’t thought about what that actually meant. it, as inevitably as the tides, meant the incoming of the one thing that made me truly hate reading sometimes- romance. cause these books weren’t about Cimorene and her friends or Kazul at all. they were about a sudden love interest and the child Cimorene had with him cause of course that’s what fucking happened. what else was i expecting? what else could stories possibly be about? i read through all of the books, feeling a little more like somebody shot my dog with each chapter, and could only feel sick when she got married & pregnant at the end. i was 11 years old and i knew something was wrong but not why.

(aaand looking back now, was that baby’s first taste of queerbaiting? does it count if you do it to yourself?? ah, youth. i don’t let myself get my hopes up anymore.)

for a very long time, i hated the idea of love (...quite the oxymoron, that one). cause it always, always meant that the people i cared about changed in ways that i didn’t understand at all. what, some boy you’ve never met before shows up, and suddenly your important quest and friends and family are... an after thought? why? don’t you care about them? don’t you love them too? why does this always happen? why is there always a boy and love and babies and nothing else? (why, why, why indeed? and yes, i was one of those kids who got fucking mean when their friends started only looking at boys, how’d you know?)

anyways. i hated it. i couldn’t possibly have articulated why back then, but it always made me so mad, despite the fact that the words on the page were telling me that this was the best thing that could ever happen in life. that just made it worse, cause why am i getting so upset over this? it’s a good thing, objectively- they’re in love. they’re happy. why is it making me feel so fucking angry instead?

this series doesn’t really... deserve any of the repressed vitriol it made me feel, though. Cimorene’s love interest that appeared in book two, Mendanbar, is actually a pretty cool guy! he has an innate, natural connection to his magic forest kingdom. he’s sick of fairy-tale tropes, he has a sweet anti-wizard sword, he’s very kind and brave- and i fucking hated his guts (...lmao, sorry dude).

there’s nothing actually wrong with this series’s romances. the couples care about each other and support each other well. i’m glad for all the kids who got to see some happy romances, i truly am. but god, that wasn’t for me, and it probably wasn’t for the other lonely kids who picked up a book about running away from what the Right People wanted for them either. 

for a series about rejecting what society tells you is the Right thing to want, the characters just... end up wanting that exact same thing anyway. oh, the thought of marrying a man and spending your life with him, baring him heirs until you die, sounds unappealing? so distressing, in fact, you’d literally rather get eaten by dragons? WELL DON’T WORRY, this one particular guy is actually good! of course you’ll fall in love with him! you’ll want to be pregnant forever with his horrible frogspawn! you’ll be happy! 

...what do you mean this is what you were running away from?

--------------------------------------------------------------------------

i spent... an inordinate amount of time as a child reading Dealing With Dragons. while i cannot possibly blame the author for my individual experience with their work, which WAS written as a series (the finale was written first, actually! way back in 1985), the fact remains that my interactions with them were... soured. 

in a way that was out of the author’s hands, really, but i just don’t know how to think about this series without that bittersweet hurt in my chest. i cried like, twice, writing this stupid, rambling essay thing, and i don’t actually know how to look past that. i suppose the tried-and-true method of just... rereading the first book and pretending everything’s fine always works lol.

i own a few different versions of these books. there’s a full set i was gifted later in middle school -the nice glossy ones, with Peter De Seve’s lovely cover art! -which i have never once reread. they’re in immaculate shape, really.

i also own an absolutely, completely beat-to-shit paperback copy of the same version i must have read a hundred times as a kid. its cover is creased and peeling, there’s a bunch of weird stains and rips and dogears, and i adore it. i picked it up this year at a used book place, and every time i look at it i can see some small, desperate kid who doesn’t even know they’re lonely but still curls up around that book again and again. 

[dlamp-dictator]

Allen Rambles about Dusk Diver

I finished playing Dusk Diver, a small beat-em-up by JFI Games. I originally played it because it was on sale, I’ve had my eye on it for a few months now, and I needed a break from DMC5 for a bit. And boy do I have some thoughts about it now that I’m done with the game. Namely a bunch of nitpicks, but... we’ll get there in time. 

But as always, let’s start with that Synopsis.

Dusk Diver takes place in the Ximending district of Taipei, Taiwan. The story focuses on Yumo Yang, a Taiwanese high school senior that got caught up in a spiritual adventure over her summer vacation. While out with her friend she was randomly pulled into the alternate dimension of phantoms and demons. Before she was about to get killed by one a local loin god protects Yumo by (accidentally) transferring his powers to her. After she fends off the phantoms she decides to help clean her city of phantoms over summer break with the god’s help, along with the help of his eccentric and frugal boss... Boss. 

The plot takes off from there as Yumo pummels phantoms, gains allies, brightens up her town, and learns more about why the phantom and human realms are colliding. I gotta’ say, it’s nice to actually write the synopsis without having to either look at wiki article or outright copy it. This game is very simple for both good and ill. 

So... what do I think of this game? 

Well, unlike Assassins Pride I’ll be going over the bad first and then try to end on a high note, since for all my issues and nitpicks I did enjoy this game very much.

With that said, let’s start with...

The Bad

The Localization

So the localization is very similar to Under Night In-Birth Late[st] in that it feels very unfinished. When I talked about Under Night’s localization I was a little too harsh on it for my current liking and I’ll use Dusk Diver to explain myself a bit better.

Dusk Diver’s localization isn’t bad. I played this game listening to the Taiwanese dub and nothing sounded too off, but the script, the actual words on the screen, were rife with spelling and grammar errors, inconsistent terminology, and even moments where you could read the actual code of the game in the text. This the translation was either rushed, or it didn’t have enough time to really finish it, which makes it feel really sloppy. The said thing is that this game does have a rather charming script despite this, but reading all those errors and trying to correct them in your head can be... annoying.

The RPG Elements

So... this game is a beat-em-up that revolves around doing large combos and keeping up a hit counter to get higher drops of health, SP, TP, and other resources. The main goal of combat is to get combos going, collect SP and TP, and use those to do more damage to the enemies. 

So why is there an RPG level up system in this game?

I still have a lot of DMC5′s mechanics ingrained in me, so forgive me if this sounds pushy, but in most hack-and-slash/beat-em-up style games tacking on an RPG-style upgrade system only slows down the overall gameplay. 

Let me explain. Every time you complete a level for the first time you gain skill points. You use those points to improve your HP, SP, attack, etc.. This doesn’t feel good to do for this style of gameplay. In most beat-em-ups/hack-and-slash games skill points and similar currency are typically used for new moves or special abilities. DMC5′s red orbs are for new moves, Nero’s devil arms, and a limited amount of health and devil trigger increases. Senran Kagura uses its currency for costumes, accessories, and music, with the mere act of leveling up giving you higher bases automatically and more moves when you reach a certain level that proves you’re familiar enough with your current moveset to expand it. Solely making the numbers of damage and health go up doesn’t make you feel more powerful, it makes you feel like you can just handle the enemies that have gotten a lot more health and do a lot more damage for no reason other than slowing down the gameplay. I’ll save my recommendations for later, but the quick version is that the skill points should be used for more moves, more SP, and Drive duration only, as health and attack feel really arbitrary points to tack on for this style of gameplay.

The Platform/Alternate Gameplay Modes

Not often and namely during side missions for the Boss, but sometimes you have to do platforming segments and reach a certain point on the map and defeat some enemies.

They’re terrible.

Much like Devil May Cry, movement, jumping, and generally getting around feels fine save for me wishing Yumo’s run speed a bit faster. However, precise jumping and general platforming just don’t work. I don’t believe there’s a drop shadow in this game, the jumping itself has much different momentum when trying to maneuver in the air, making some moving platforms a pain to reach, and while the platforms themselves are rather large, the moving platforms go too slow compared to a lot of the fast-paced combat, making it a painstaking wait to get to the next fight.

Again, like DMC, this most platform this game should have is fighting on rooftops. In fact, I believe in the second or third mission you did have to traverse rooftops and it was actually pretty fun. Like I said, the platforms are usually wide enough that even with the wonky jumping it’s not a pain and getting to a higher point on the map and seeing the overall scenery is... nice. 

It’s just when you want me to pull off jumps like this is a Mario game is when things get dicey.

But those are all the big issues down, or at least my top three so...

Smaller Issues that Bug Allen

Like I said, I have more nitpicks than actual problems with this game. The game itself is a fine 10-15 hour experience, but there are several smaller issues that just pile up as you play it. It shouldn’t take you out of the game, but they did frustrate me a little. With that said though:

The minimap needs an ability to mark sidequests, it’ll make for a lot less backtracking and random pausing to look at the map and see where I need to go. I understand that this game is a more or less faithful for recreation of the Ximending district, but for non-locals playing this game like me finding locations is rather difficult. 

Since this game has visual novel styled cutscenes it’d be nice to have a log button to backtrack conversations just in case you skim over some important dialogue.

On that note, an option to control the speed of the text would be great as well, as I didn’t see one in there initially.

Cutscene Skip Button. It’s annoying to do the hard mode of these stages and having replay cutscenes I’ve already seen. Especially when I’m just hunting for Dragon Vein Shards.

Dragon Vein Shards should be tied solely to upgrades, as using them for plot advancement only adds to the grind... or so I would say if not for me have twice as many of the shards needed for progression every time. Again, I’ll go more in depth when I talk about my desires in a sequel, but for now I’ll just say these items should either be for leveling up or as a sort of collectible.

I’d like the rank system to be more like DMC, tying clear time, damage taken, max combo, and things like all together so that the end goal isn’t just to speedrun a stage for the S-rank.

Can the menu option be mapped to the triangle button like every other game? It kept throwing me off when I tried to pull up the map.

There doesn’t need to be a small cinematic when you do certain guardian attacks. It locks Yumo in place and has a real high chance to miss its target save for bosses.

It’d be best to map items to the buttons instead of the d-pad, as it kept tripping me up when I was trying to heal. 

I think that’s it for the major nitpicks, so let’s move onto the the good stuff.

The Good

Story and Theme

The story of Dusk Diver is simple, but effective. You go around saving the district by fighting monsters, you see how those monsters effect the district in each arc, and you solve the problem, usually getting an ally along the way. The few people that are aware of your secret job as a magical martial arts girl, usually the elderly or spiritually attuned, are very supportive toward Yumo. 

The game has an overall light, encouraging tone. It wants you to love the city as much as Yumo and Leo do, and it works. All of your side missions have you help out the locals in some way and you gain increased power for the super mode. You work at a convenience store, you partner with the local gods and guardians. Everything you do reinforces the idea of protect, preserving, and understand the town you live in. Yumo gets bonus dragon shard veins by frequently eating at local restaurants and becoming a regular. You help tourists out finding places to visit. You help an elderly man by taking photos of his old stomping grounds and he reminisces on what those old buildings were originally for. You help a coffee shop for free drinks. The list goes on, but a lot of the game reinforces this theme of community and loving the town do so much in. This is a very comfy game despite all the action of bashing demons and phantoms.

Characters

While simple, Yumo as a character is a very cheery girl that just wants to help others. She’s a bit annoyed at being forced to help at first, but she is someone that’s helpful at heart. And seeing her want to protect her friends and town is genuinely heartwarming. 

Plus, I really like her design. I’ve always been a fan of simple street clothes, and black with yellow highlights will always sell me on a character. 

Your guardians are pretty fun too. Leo’s knowledge of the city and desire to help others really gives him a cool grandpa vibe. Bahet’s a quiet and encouraging guy with a noble background despite his punk fashion. Le Viada is a model with a complex around her age and big sister mentality, the list goes on. Again, these characters are simple, but effective.

Gameplay

While I did have my nitpicks, the gameplay is solid beat-em-up action. Light and heavy attacks with the occasional use of the the guardians. And each guardian has a special ability with their damage. Leo can do massive damage to enemy shields, getting rid of them in one or two shots with his more powerful moves. Bahet can slowly chip away at an enemy with his scythe’s poison effect. Le Viada’s guns can outright ignore enemy armor and punch through it, as well as lay down traps, and... there’s a fourth guardian for when you beat the game. I won’t spoil it, but they’re basically a turret that stays in one place while you summor your other guardians, making her unique as you can’t usually summon two guardians at a time. And like I said before, aiming and lining up certain attacks can be a bit unwieldy since some moves playcinematics that lock you in place, but it’s overall fun. Racking up combos, using big AoE moves, it all feels great.

And with all of that out of the way.

Wishes for the Future

Much like in my Fire Emblem rambling I don’t like the idea of correcting a story or game that’s already been finished, but I find no issue with discussing what I want for the future. And I really thing this game can have a sequel. The game states that Yumo isn’t the first person in recent time with latent spiritual powers, or that this is the first time that the phantom and human realms became loose. And hell, Yumo is still someone that wants to protect her town, so it’d be easy to make a game in another area of Taipei that’s gone out of whack, or even give the reins to someone else. And I do want a sequel. 

Like I said, my main issue with this game are some nitpicks that could honestly be fixed with a patch or a two-month delay. If this game sold well enough to get a sequel I’d buy it. 

That said, here are a few things I’d like to see in that hypothetical sequel. Such as...

Rankings

A lot of these are going to be taking a page from DMC since I was taking a break from DMC5 to play this, but the ranks shouldn’t be tied solely to clear time. That just makes people speedrun the stage and miss Dragon Veins. Having rank linked to time, combos, hits taken, and so on would give you some breathing room when you try and explore a stage, as you wouldn’t be punished for being curious. You’d still need to be quick, but you won’t be completely screwed either.

Leveling Up

Leveling up give you skill points that you can stick into your health, SP, attack, super mode duration, just dodge duration, luck, and moves. This game shouldn’t give attack or health for skill points. This is just my belief with design, but beat-em-ups shouldn’t just jack up the health of normal enemies as you get stronger, instead just giving us tougher enemies with different patterns of attack. The game already does this with some success, so those slots that increase health and attack seem pointless. You get skill points when you complete a stage for the first time, or find dragon vein shards. This... really puts a lot of pressure on the kinds of skills you upgrade, and while I’m not against that it does make this very light-hearted oddly restricting as you debate what to upgrade. I’d recommend using those dragon vein shards solely to level up instead of for story progression as well. With each upgrade costing more and more dragon veins as you increase your stats. In this first game you can collect over 150 dragon veins. You only need 50 to complete the story mode, and I had about 75 by the time I reached the final mission. 

I know some people struggled to grab them, but... I didn’t, so... maybe have the veins do something else than gate story progression.

Post Game Activities

If we are going to have a post game to finish up some side quests for 100%, then we might as well have some extra things to do too. 

Oh right, I never mentioned that yet.

Yeah, once you beat the game you’re essentially in a free-run mode to finish some leftover side quests and do a few extra things you might have missed, but... I finished all the side quests before the final story, so I was left with just finishing some hard-mode missions and finishing up my upgrade tree. That said, if there is going to be a post game here’s a few ideas:

Survival Mode where you fight waves of enemies. Some akin to a Bloody Palace Mode where you can compete for a high score among friends and online.

Post Game dungeons that are hard as hell, this could be DLC if you wanted as I wouldn’t mind paying for more content like this.

Extra moves/skills. Yumo’s moveset is rather small compared to DMC and Senran Kagura. If we’re going to have just one character to play as then I’d rather have a complex character that takes awhile to learn than an easy one where I’m spamming the same moves over and over... or give us more characters to play as with equally simple movesets.

That’s really it. The game overall is fun with it’s only real flaw being a rather short game for 35 bucks. Like I said, either some DLC or a sequel would make me feel better about recommend this one, but if you want a fun, short beat-em-up game then this is out on steam, PS4, and the Switch. Feel free to get... though I’d recommend waiting for a sale.

In any case, back to DMC5 for me.

[mythicamagic]

Swimming in Silk - Chapter 8

Training in front of her, engaging her in conversation and now lending her his clothes…Kagome is starting to suspect that Sesshoumaru is trying to gain her attention.

Sesskag - Romance, Humour and some drama

Rated M - As always you can read this story on Ao3, fanfiction.net or Dokuga

Chapter One - here       Chapter Three - here    Chapter Five - here

Chapter Two - here        Chapter Four - here       Chapter Six - here  

Chapter Seven - here    Chapter Nine - here

Mourning Mortals ~

Her legs had given out beneath her, though Kagome did not faint. In fact she remained lucid to the very real stabbing pain through her heart, if her scent was anything to go by, Sesshoumaru surmised. She hadn't really responded after the subsequent crying and numbness, seemingly lost to painful memories as the world kept turning without her. Sesshoumaru had carried her back to the stronghold and brought her to a new room, since their own needed repairs.

Shippo wanted to follow her in, but Inuyasha had grabbed him by the tail and dragged him away.

Sesshoumaru had given orders to remove the dragon carcasses and start the repairs, but remained with her in the room.

"You should...go and oversee the damage."

Burning gold glanced down at her as she lay curled on her side, hands drawn up to her chest. "It is fine."

Her cheeks looked sore, stained with red blotches from crying. "I should...go. Mom and Souta probably need me."

When he remained silent, she blinked tiredly up and him. Unreadable eyes observed her, a slight softness to them, despite their intensity. Kagome bit her lip and drew herself up on the furs, reaching for him. Being wrapped in warm silk only made her burrow further into the security he offered, into the place where she didn't have to do or say anything. She held onto him tightly and inhaled his scent, her own calming. Sesshoumaru watched her silently, for the first time experiencing something he never thought he would.

He felt strangely inept.

The Killing Perfection had lived up to his name and slain many, including countless mortals- fathers and husbands alike. He'd given no more thought to them than one would a moth wilting in the dark or crunching under boot. They died so quickly, easily compared to he, that were it not for Rin and now the Miko, he would never have acknowledged them at all.

"What is...cardiac arrest?" He asked, testing the words on his tongue. Inuyasha had struggled to say them earlier too, though perhaps for different reasons.

Kagome inhaled sharply, causing his claws to twitch. He should not have spoken.

"It- it's when our hearts suddenly malfunction and stop pumping blood around our bodies. When our hearts stop pumping blood, the brain is starved of oxygen. T-then we fall unconscious and stop breathing."

Golden eyes widen, a chill running down his spine. "Your very hearts can kill you from within? Simply by stopping?"

She squeezed him slightly and gave a weak chuckle. "Yeah. We don't need to get impaled by claws or withered by old age or illness to die. It just happens sometimes, but can be triggered by a bunch of stuff like our diet." She paused for a moment, "but then there's freaky stuff like having a brain hemorrhage, or spontaneous human combustion-"

Suddenly appearing to read the room, she looked up. He'd become very stiff against her, eyes flitting over her body as though trying to see any signs of weakening. She smiled tiredly, "let's talk about something else."

His hand settled atop her head, stroking gently. "This one does not know what you require."

"There's not really a cure-all for grief. I-it just helps to have your loved ones around you. Then you're not alone." She rested her cheek against his chest, exhaling. Silence engulfed them as her fingers clenched and relaxed in the furs beneath them, his natural calm working wonders for her frazzled state.

"Tell me of him," came his deep baritone.

Kagome squeezed her eyes shut and shuddered violently, "h-he's stupidly eccentric and talks- talked...about history stuff all the time. Thinks he knows everything about demons. But he...he cares about me and Souta, I even kind of felt like he was my kooky Papa. Probably sounds strange," she murmured, continuing to talk about him in present tense. Sesshoumaru did not correct her.

Her lips moved up to press against the mating mark on his neck, feather light. The bite marks looked to have bruised, the purplish magenta taking on an almost semi circle form. Like a sunset.

He parted her clothing- though this time not to illicit desire, instead brushing his thumb lingeringly over the crescent moon hiding beneath.

Claws dragged through her hair, calloused palms stroking down along her trembling spine.

She only managed to stall for time another hour before Inuyasha returned.

In a way, he'd willingly made himself the bad guy, the tough love. Kagome knew that, could tell from the lowered ears pressed tight to his skull that he hated every second he barked for her to leave.

"They need you dammit. You can't just bury your head in the sand!"

When she didn't shout or bluster, only nodding numbly, the Hanyou's guilt and worry only doubled. Sesshoumaru glared at him, eyes narrowing into slits, but Kagome put her hand on his arm.

"You're right. And I'm sorry, Inuyasha. You rushed here to tell me but I've taken so long..." she trailed off, grip tightening around her crutches. "I just...needed to recharge. Let's go now."

Sesshoumaru felt her bite marks on his neck pulse, ebbing and flowing as her emotions tore at her. He carried the miko without another word, rising up into the air in a flurry of white silks.

And that was how Kagome found herself standing before the Bone Eater's Well.

The Daiyoukai stood quiet and watchful at her side, staring into the dark depths with thin lips. His dislike for it was palpable, and her hand reached out to squeeze his.

"Funerals and stuff afterwards can take awhile. I'm not sure how many days I'll be, so..."

He gave a curt nod. "This one will not linger, but should you return-"

"I'll send for you and wait at the village," she finished for him, smiling tiredly despite it all. He hummed, hesitating to relinquish her hand and instead turning to her.

"Kagome. This one cannot know with certainty, but my double may be there, on the other side."

She blinked, thrown. In all the bombardment of information, she hadn't even stopped to consider that. Her hand reached up to touch her bite marks as he continued.

"If this is so, you should accept the elixir and return to me once you're ready." Sharp eyes fixed on her face while various emotions crossed it.

"Oi! Don't you think whatever it is you're yappin' about could wait until AFTER this stuff? Her damn Grandpa just died and you're talkin' about something else?" Inuyasha piped up, leaning against a tree not too far away.

Sesshoumaru's jaw locked, glancing at him with a cold expression, "silence whelp."

He's just trying to cover all possibilities, but... Kagome thinks to herself, reaching out to grasp Sesshoumaru's shoulder. It had the desired effect as his attention fell back to her. "If I do that...we don't know if that's leaving your future self alone after 500 years."

His gaze was stony and unsympathetic. Her heart leapt in her chest, "I-I can't think about the schematics of time travel right now. We don't know if this works on Back to the Future Logic, I can't wrap my head around alternate timeline implications right now,” she rambled, uncaring as her reference flew right over his head. His arm slid around her waist and tightened, until she was rocked forward on her crutches and feeling lips crash onto hers.

Inhaling sharply, Kagome soon melted against his mouth- his teeth catching her bottom lip and biting down briefly. Heat flushed down to her toes. Her fingers climbed from his chest to his shoulders, soon burying themselves in the hair at the nape of his neck, combing through the long strands. His tongue brushed inside her mouth and she squeaked, realising they were being beyond rude with Inuyasha right there, though he appeared to be ignoring them.

Trying to pull away, Kagome growled when he held fast- nipping his lip.

Braking away, she blushed slightly. "I'll heavily consider it," she mumbled, tightening her arms around his neck. "Don't worry, I'll be back in two weeks tops."

"Hn, this one is not worried."

I am, she chose not to say, kissing him briefly once more before leaning away. Sesshoumaru released her waist but surprised her by turning to look at Inuyasha.

"You will go as well," he muttered lowly.

Inuyasha blinked, mirroring her shocked expression but quickly scoffing. "Keh, was gonna anyway. Not like you have a say."

"Be nice," Kagome sighed, turning to face the Bone Eater's well as the Hanyou strode forward. He wrapped an arm around her waist, while she glanced over her shoulder at Sesshoumaru. His expression remained unreadable, but she forced a small smile and touched her shoulder briefly.

Gold flickered. His hand rose to skim sharp claws over his neck, making her heart do a funny thing in her chest.

Inuyasha jumped up, lifting her and the crutches with him. Their forms disappeared into the depths of the well, scents disappearing soon after.

Being enveloped in Mama Higuarshi's arms had been both cathartic and gut-wrenchingly painful. Kagome had burst into a fresh set of tears, hugging her close. When Souta had joined them they'd turned into a barber quartet of wailing, crying humans. She could sense Inuyasha somewhere behind her, deeply uncomfortable. His ears remained pressed back against his skull the entire time, even when they'd gone inside to chat while preparing the wake.

"We rushed him to hospital but it was so quick. One moment he was here and the next..." her mother had explained softly.

"Was he in pain, in the end?" Kagome murmured.

"I-it's hard to say honey, but I saw him. He looked very peaceful. Just like he was sleeping," Mama Higurashi forced a smile, smoothing the edges and wrinkles as always. No pain or sadness was allowed in their house. Kagome could tell the strain of keeping up that facade was starting to take it's toll.

"I'll help with everything that needs doing- the arrangements for the funeral. Just anything, mom. Please know you can rely on me," she said seriously.

"Thank you, sweetheart. I think your Auntie will be here soon to help too, don't worry."

Kagome nodded slowly as she continued tugging on some black clothes, rubbing her eyes tiredly.

It was in the early hours of the morning that Kagome first realised that the present Sesshoumaru hadn't been waiting for her in the Well House, and for that, she felt grateful. There was too much going on to add that craziness to the mix. Flopping onto her pink bed, she sighed heavily, searching for a certain energy outside.

"Inuyasha," she called softly.

The window slid open. Hearing a shuffling, she felt his very slight weight rest against the side of her bed, sitting on the floor. "What?" He grunted.

"You can sleep in here like old times you know. It's not a big deal."

"Keh. Maybe not to you, but your hubby might have a thing to say about it," he grumbled, laying down on his side none the less, facing away from her as she looked at the wall. "How come you haven't told them about him, anyway?"

"T-they know I'm dating him," she said defensively, soon sighing. "Come on, I can't bring up getting essentially married while this is going on."

"Guess so," he grunted, closing his eyes. "You all alright?"

Sensing the genuine concern behind his gruff persona, she hugged her pillow and hummed. "Not really, but we're dealing with it. Sorry, I know our blubbering must be hurting your ears."

"Don't be dumb, dumbass," he pillowed his cheek against his palm, nose twitching. "So...it's over now."

"No. That was just the wake. It's the proper funeral tomorrow." Kagome squeezed the pillow tighter, imagining it was mokomoko.

She felt incredibility grateful when he didn't comment on her tears soaking into the material.

A week passed.

They'd had Grandpa's funeral on an ironically beautiful day. He'd been dressed in his best clothes to be cremated.

The seven days had been a good amount of time to get things organised. They hadn't much family, but what few who had attended gave condolence money to help with the expenses. But it still hadn't been enough to cover the whole thing.

Mama, Souta and herself had found three packages hidden under Grandpa's bed, meant for each one of them individually. Mama had received a beautiful traditional calligraphy set, and recalled that she'd wanted to buy one for awhile. Souta found a bundle intended to pay for his tuition fees in the future, though he'd offered to use it to help with the funeral. Mama's voice had sharpened then, declining.

"What did you get Kagome?" He'd asked her.

Kagome touched the package wrapped in brown paper. It pressed down like there was something soft underneath, perhaps a kimono, but Kagome theorised it would be miko robes.

"I uh...I'm not sure. I'll open it later," she'd forced a smile, before hurrying to go finish the chores.

A picture of the deceased had been placed at the family altar in the household, and following the memorial services, Kagome had been all but wiped out. Too tired to think or mourn.

It was when the second week passed and began to leak into the third that it happened.

Inuyasha had been living off ramen noddles and not complained all that much, considering. But finally home sickness got to him. Hugging him tight, for the first time in a long while- bridging a gap Kagome had tried not to be aware of, she'd smiled genuinely at him. "Tell Sesshoumaru that I'll be there tomorrow, I need to make sure the memorial goes up okay."

He nodded and awkwardly patted her back, ears flicking. "See ya soon."

Waving him away, Kagome watched as he ruffled Souta's hair in passing, rushing towards the Well House. She tested her leg for what felt the hundredth time that day, standing upright on two legs. She'd finally rid herself of the crutches, and smiled to herself because of it. No more stiff cramping hands from holding the grips or aching ankle. It was still a slight bit fragile, but Kagome dismissed it as a habit from her reflexes to try and ease off it.

"When's Inuyasha coming back?" Her brother asked, grinning as he kicked a ball towards her.

She caught it under her previously injured foot and playfully turned, kicking the ball back with a bounce. "No idea, kiddo. He's been here for nearly three weeks, I'm sure he's eager to get away at this point-" a loud yell caught her attention, before his red and white form sped towards them. "Or maybe not?"

"Kagome!" The Hanyou burst, landing in front of her in a billow of red robes. His golden eyes were wide and panicked.

Her stomach plummeted. No, not again. "What's wrong?"

"The fucking Well ain't opening!"

They say bad things come in threes.

If her ankle nearly breaking had been one, and Grandpa's death the second, then surely the well's sudden closure again was the third. The how and the why frustrated Inuyasha more than it had her. She patiently listened as he ranted and raved about it, a very clear worry in his eyes. Kagome however, just sat, cast adrift. Sesshoumaru was not there to anchor her. She couldn't recharge. The most she could do was touch her shoulder and inspect the crescent moon on her flesh. It hadn't faded, which assured her somewhat and remained the only reason to hope their circumstances might change.

But present Sesshoumaru did not arrive either.

"Where the fuck is he, anyway?" Inuyasha grunted, pacing up and down her bedroom while she hugged her pillow on the bed.

"He wouldn't just ignore us. There has to be a good reason." Her hazy eyes drifted around her room, grazing the puzzle boxes she'd meant to give him, the children's toys for Rin and Shippo. She looked at the package Grandpa had left for her, sitting innocently on the desk, and felt her heart lurch.

"Maybe he lost track of time trying to wrestle out that stick shoved up his ass. It's not like he'd care about- hey!" Inuyasha jumped when she suddenly stood. "W-what's up with you?"

Kagome exhaled, curling her hand into a fist. "I'm going to go look for him," she muttered. She'd wasted time, she realised. Not on Grandpa's funeral, no, before that. Arguing with Sesshoumaru about mortality or monogamy. She'd let her worries and emotions overtake her then, but faced with sitting there, stewing in loneliness- her heart cried out for action.

Turning on her heel, Kagome raced from of the room, out the house- down the shrine steps. The simple act of running felt amazing to her legs.

"Hey!" A voice called behind her. Kagome stopped at the bottom of the stairs to see Inuyasha clear them in a single bound, landing beside her. "I'm coming too, dumbass."

She smiled and reached to grab one of the white ears perched atop his head, "not without your hat- dumbass." She pinched it, causing him to yelp, before letting go. "I'll try the city downtown. You check this area first and see if you can sense anything. See you later!"

Inuyasha grunted, watching her leave, black hair dancing wildly behind her. His brows furrowed.

Kagome hurried down the streets, following them into the denser parts of the city, spreading out her reiki. I want to see you, she thought, and became ashamed that it wasn't Grandpa she was thinking of

Her shoulder pulsed, and she tried to think of it as guiding her. Maybe if she pushed herself harder and harder, some of her desperation might reach him, wherever he was.

Please, I want to see you!

Yet no matter how far she stretched her reiki, spreading it thin throughout the city- all she caught was the faint flicker of Inuyasha's presence.

She ran until her legs and lungs burned, until the air began to feel thin. Stumbling to a stop, Kagome panted, feeling a few passerby's bump into her shoulders as they carried on with their busy days. Looking around wildly for a sign- anything at all- a hint of red and white, or gold. The lush, fluid, exciting brush of his youki, anything- Kagome stopped.

Catching sight of herself in a store window, she slowly touched her black clothes. Still in mourning.

Guilt swamped her.

"Why don't you open the package that Grandpa left for you?" Mama Higurshi had asked.

"I...I don't know," she'd admitted, hugging her legs. "Maybe because...once it's gone, that's it. I'm not going to get another present from him. And I just-"

Kagome remembered her mother's soft comforting touch on her shoulder. The mating mark had pulsed underneath, hidden by her clothes.

"Was Grandpa ever angry or sad because of me?"

Warm brown eyes became concerned. "What makes you say that, honey?"

"B-because I wasn't here- never here. I was always so busy in the feudal era. I'm so sorry, Mom."

Kagome stood among the sea of people she was supposed to belong to. It was not lost on her that she was still doing it. Still looking for a way, a solution to escape the modern world again. And despite her Mother's assurances, Kagome felt like a stray puzzle piece trying to fit into a separate jigsaw.

So when a gentle- cripplingly familiar youki brushed her cold cheek, Kagome's head rose. Her heart squeezed. Soberly making her way through the crowds, she followed it until stopping at the bottom of Higurashi's shrine steps.

Despite the guilt it caused her, Kagome felt intrinsically that she couldn't ever ignore the Daiyoukai. Even if she wanted to spend time with her family and be there for them, something hooked into her and wouldn't let go as she scaled the stairs. The youki led her inside her house, up the stairs and to the threshold of her room once more. Opening her door with her heart thundering fast, her eyes fell to Grandpa's present on the desk.

Youki coated it, emanating out, as though he'd touched it and let slip just a little energy to grab her attention. Glancing around, there was no sign of Sesshoumaru, but a part of her felt like he'd been standing there. In her humble little room, surrounded by pink. The mental image almost made her smile.

Kagome smoothed her hands over the plump package, sighing heavily but setting her shoulders. She'd put it off for long enough. Tearing into the crisp brown paper, she ripped it aside to expose pure white material. Miko robes, as she'd anticipated- except, no. Miko robes didn't bare such a crest. Bringing the clothing out and holding it up, her stomach dropped. Ice shot through her veins.

"Oh Grandpa,” she murmured. Her hands shook a little as she held Sesshoumaru's signature red and white silks.

They were pristine, having been kept in mint condition. How they'd come to be in Grandpa's possession or why he'd kept them went unanswered. Kagome distantly wondered these things, but was distracted by the familiarity of the clothing.

Bringing the material closer, she rested her cheek against it's rich softness. Tears pricked her eyes and Kagome hid them- burying her face in the clothing.

It didn't smell of him. Pale fingers clutched tighter, hugging the silks to her. In another act of impulse, she slid her arms through it's sleeves and wrapped herself up in something so painfully his. She clutched the parting over her chest and exhaled. Why hadn't he stayed to see her?

A flicker of something caught her attention, small but growing. Pink light spilled out from the clothes, brushing along her skin almost like her reiki. It filled the room until everything bled away, drowned out by the soft colour.

Kagome felt herself be plunged into pink tinted waters.

Blue eyes widened as her lungs protested. She instinctively searched for the surface amidst the sea of pink and floating bubbles. Looking below, past her feet, Kagome instantly pushed herself to swim down, seeing a bright circle of light beckon her closer. Energy flitted around her, feeling similar to when she'd floated through the well. White silk caressed her legs as she swam, desperately kicking them while her sleeves lifted up past her elbows. She struggled to push herself on, holding her breath and clawing through the water until she broke the surface.

Breathing in gulps of air greedily, Kagome peeled back the black locks plastered to her face, blinking and glancing around.

Open countryside greeted her, bathed in the warm colours of sunset. A forest lay behind her. Hope dared leap into her heart and Kagome eagerly pulled herself out of the river she found herself in. Breathing out, she steadied herself before standing, hearing water drip down from her soaked clothes onto the grass beneath her toes. Seeing a familiar village in the distance, Kagome took off instantly in it's direction. Old fashioned huts, horses and carts, rice fields. Even the same hill leading up into Inuyasha's forest.

Barely containing her tears and not questioning a thing, Kagome bolted through the village entrance. Bursting into Kaede's hut, startled gold eyes met hers.

"...Kagome."

Sesshoumaru stared, expression frozen with shock.

She raced forward, wrapping her arms around him and burying her face in his chest. "I'm back. I- I was so worried when the well stopped working, but you're really here."

Breathing in his scent, she barely noticed that he remained stiff. His clawed hand settled on the back of her head, stroking slowly, as though he were only just registering her. His body then seemed to cave in on itself and he wrapped strong arms around her, pulling her in almost painfully close. Her bones protested but Kagome didn't care, lips crumpling into a fragile smile.

Hearing footsteps behind her, Kagome turned her cheek just slightly to see grey hair and miko robes. "Oh Kaede!" She sniffed and pulled away, rubbing her eyes. "I'm sorry I was gone a little longer than planned, but I'm here now-"

"Lady Kagome?" Came a different voice than she was used to from the old woman.

Kagome frowned and rubbed her eyes again, blinking away the tears to see a brown gaze staring at her. Laughter lines creased her face, while crows feet dotted the sides of her eyes. This was not the weathered Keade.

"Um, hello. Who's this?" Kagome glanced over her shoulder to look at Sesshoumaru, whose hand found the small of her back. His lips drew into a thin, grim line.

"You have been away for some time," he said quietly.

"I don't understand, I was only gone three weeks-"

"Grandma Rin, Grandma Rin!" Some children ran into the hut, clutching at the woman's hands.

Kagome blinked and felt horror shoot into her heart. The old woman met her gaze and smiled sheepishly, giving that same bright look, like human sunshine. A few daisies had been twisted into her grey hair.

Rin's smile turned a little sad and sympathetic as the colour drained from the shikon miko's face. "I think it's been a little longer than three weeks, Lady Kagome. More like 50 years."

Kagome stared, feeling warm, steady palms support her back just as they had before.

Perhaps bad things come in Fours.

[tumblunni]

Tell us things about Team Galactic that you love. Tell us what it is about the commanders and leader you love!

Oh man, where do I start! Where do i end?? XDI’ll just list random stuff!

* I started off liking Team Galactic just because they’re very silly in an endearing way. I unironically love the over-the-top designs for everyone!!* But I also gained even more appreciation for them as the game progressed! They’re like... CRAZY competant! They manage to succeed A LOT at all of their goals, and even though they’re an eccentric lot their leader is a terrifying badass and their ultimate hidden goals are some of the darkest in the series. And it’s a great duality! And I love how its actually aknowledged in-universe as a plot point! People underestimated them because of their outward silliness. And Cyrus deliberately kept the full truth from all of his underlings, so even they didn’t know exactly what they were helping him do. There’s a lot of theories that this is even why he selected the people he did for the job, he picked a bunch of easy-to-manipulate dopes who would craft a harmless goofy image for his team. I don’t think that’s entirely fair though, I don’t think the commanders and grunts are STUPID, even if they can come off as space cases sometimes. I just like to think that cyrus subconciously recruited a bunch of ragtag goofballs who had similar mental illnesses to him, out of a repressed desire for companionship...* ALSO I LIKE HOW I CAN THINK WAY TOO MUCH INTO THE HEADCANONS OF THIS TEAM, OK LOL* Oh and I REALLY REALLY like how the vast majority of the grunts are 100% good guys. Everyone thinks their boss is gonna save the world, and everything is justified in the name of that. And a lot of them are such softhearted goofballs! They were one of the earliest teams to have so much absolute comedy to them, and a sense of being a big ‘ol family. They’re like the beta of what also made me love Team Skull a lot!* An important point to consider: Team Skull does not have an Official Evil HQ Nap Room. Thus they can never truly win.* ALSO CONSIDER: seriously, this big grumpy emotionally-repressed evil bossman ranting about how friendship is futile, as he draws up the plans for the official evil HQ nap room. And the tv room. And the family kitchen. And the glow in the dark star pattern wallpaper. And then hugs his crobat.* I unironically love the turquoise bowl cuts and wanted forever to dye my hair and now my hair is not exactly that colour of turquoise but its blue at least. LIFE GOALS ACHIEVED!

ABOUT THE COMMANDERS:

* I love them much!! I think i’m in the minority here, but i liked them even more than cyrus! This gen was also the first gen that had such heavy personality writing for the admins. Gen 3 introduced admins with names, but the aqua and magma ones had the same dialogue just with a few words swapped here and there. My only complaint is that the commanders didnt get as much screentime as they could have, the games hadnt hit that era yet. I hope if we get remakes their roles can be expanded as much as tbe gen 3 admins were!* Another unpopular opinion: grumpy grandpa is best. I will sit here in the tiny charon fandom forever! And cry forever at the potential plotline of him once being childhood friends with a rotom before he turned evil. That whole journal is just WARM AND FUZZY FEELINGS and then it gets so sad when you think about where he ended up after like 50 years! Gramps, go back and hug your pokemon again, ok?* I think Jupiter is unfairly underrated, cos she’s a badass and a cool team mom! And I like to headcanon her as kinda buff and athletic so i was happy she was drawn that way in the pokespe manga. I feel like she’s the heavy hitter of the team in both pokemon and actual punches! While being hella elegant and full of sass! And also I like to imagine she loves poison type pokemon and treats them like pampered poodles, cos that is a cute mental image. I always thought it was funny that such a stylish lady has a giant fart skunk as her signature pokemon! The most fashionable fart skunk in all of sinnoh~* Mars is awesome and badass and cute and awesome and I LOVE that her pokespe personality aligned perfectly with my headcanons somehow?? I like her as a perpetually cheerful kinda-unhinged mad bomber type warrior that has everyone fleeing in fear. She’s adorable and tough and EVEN SCARIER cos her toughness is done in an adorable way! Like.. basically, harley quinn??? (But without the uncomfortable abusive boyfriend plot) I think personality-wise she’s the most engaging of the main commander trio, and she fits super well as the one who gets the most battles during the main game. She always feels like the face of team galactic to me, more than Cyrus even!* And saturn is just cool and cute and his personality might be a bit less developed in the games cos he only gets one battle scene, but he’s still awesome! Its just a shame that all the adaptations gave wildly different ideas of what his personality might be, and I can never decide which one I prefer. So I like to just imagine they’re all canon, and he can be a calm and collected serious dude with a secret grumpy goofball streak. I feel like thats better cos then he’s just as eccentric as the rest of the team and he can stand out just as much, yknow? Oh, and also I liked his design the most as a kid! He was the one I wished I could look like!

OK LOL IM SORRY I RAMBLED SO MUCH

[jojoingjoseph]

dailygrandpajoseph‌:

Oh my god! Memory loss! 

You can just call me Grandpa Jojo, then. Or Super Awesome Especially Young Grandpa! Or Aged like Fine Wine and definitely Better Than Italian Casanova Jojo! Or hmm… maybe… Ultimate Bird Yeeter Jojo! 

I don’t quite know where we are, oh dear. Hmm, it will come back in time. For now, though, here, drink some soda. It will definitely make you feel better! And then you can have some candy, careful, some of them have a little bit of spice, definitely not chocked full of sriracha! 

And then we can talk about what you remember. Or what about now! You can remember about now, and we can make new ones while waiting for your old ones to come back. Like happy things! Picnics! Tea time, and maybe a little bit of partying. 

Or we could go pranking my grandson. He’s the most adorable child, do you know? I have photos of my children! And my children’s children! And my children’s children’s children! 

And, if you want, it’s alright if you want to stay for a while. At least, until everything comes back. That’s alright, isn’t it? 

Ah, I’m overwhelming you, aren’t I? Oh no, oh no! I didn’t mean to… Ah this old man rambles on and on, I’ve become quite the long talker! 

★ “ Er.. I think I’ll… stick with Grandpa Jojo. ” The elderly man certainely was eccentric! Why it’d even bring the beginnings of a smile to the youth’s face, taking the offered soda gratefully. “ Thanks, can’t tell how parched I am! ”

★ “ Heey, this stuff tastes great! ” Candy? Perhaps it’d be wiser to pass on that if there was spice in it. The brunet smiled and nodded along, unsure what to think of everything; especially in regards to his missing memory but simply being near this kindly, warm old man was more than enough to bring a sense of security in the idea that everything will turn out fine. Somehow, someway, things will be fine.. even if he can’t remember his own name right now.

★  “ No, no! I.. I’d like that very much, Grandpa Jojo. It’s not like I’m in any rush if I don’t remember a single lick of anything! ” The smile that had found it’s home over the young man’s face slowly dimmed as a saddened pang coaxed it’s way to his heart. Bringing a hand to comb through his brown locks, the young man looked off to the side, as though he’d find the reason for this downward turn of emotions right there. 

Oh, hello! Is everything okay? I was wondering if you would share some soda with me? My entire family is out and Jotaro is asleep so I'm feeling a little lonely. ((dailygrandpajoseph))

@dailygrandpajoseph

This wasn’t real, it was something he’s seen before.. or was it? Was this a vision or was it truly happening? could he tell?

Could he tell…

Jotaro                                 Family                Lonely                Jotaro                   Lonely                                Jotaro                                Family                                  Lonely                                       Lonely

★“..it’s not… real.. ” The air smelled thickly of blood from where he was, so many instances where he had the scent of it in his nostrils.. Fighting.. fighting.         Jotaro       . fighting..         Caesar..            Speedwagon          School                                   Dio                     ████  ███                   Fighting                                                          Kakyoin                 ███████                                                  ██████████████                     ███████★ “ It’s.. not real. ”