#i'm no forgery pro

[dontwear-itout]

UR THE 1 YES UR THE ☆WE NEED U BACK ON BASS GUITAR!!!!!!

[missgallavjch]

i know it's a trivial thing but seeing some panels from sas*ke hetsuden kinda hurt. early this year something really bad happened to me that completely changed my life and naruto, sasuke, and their bond have been such a source of comfort for me and helped me take my mind off my grief and all the reasons why i'm not doing okay, and i know that story is not canon and i'm trying to ignore it (i've muted all tags and related words both on here and on twitter), but i know it will only get worse and it hurts me that my enjoyment of something that has become so dear to me and that has helped me so much over the past year is inevitably getting (at least a little bit) ruined by this.

[kobitoshiningneedle]

I've spent a good amount thinking about Ikuko Hachijo = Sayo Yasuda theory, but not from the point of whether it has basis in canon or not (there are some strong nods that could be interpreted as hints; as much as there are some contradictions to it), but from the perspective of how it would recontextualize the entire finale of the VN. And to be honest, I'm not sure whether I myself would fully subscribe to this theory, because both point of view make a cohesive interpretation of the story itself

1. Ikuko isn't Sayo

So it just would be as taking Ikuko/Featherine's character and purpose at face value - a sort of the author's self-insert who is an outsider of the story and who literally and metaphorically gives the reader a chance to make the final choice. These types of character are expected in sich a multilayered work as Umineko

So in the final episode she was revealed as someone who was helping Tohya process Battler's memories through making the forgeries. In a sense, the forgeries are Battler's journey to Beato's heart, and in the end, after facing various oddities, the Battler "piece" that was locked in Tohya reunited for good. Incidentally, the manga's final frames illustrate that better: there is meta-Bettler (the one who drowned together with Beato) and the Tohya/battler who fuse into one on the end

In a similar vein, it's also interesting to think about what's going to happen with Tohya himself after the party in Gospel House. Will his new and old selves be finally at peace (logically, it would mean a some degree of the recovery)? Will he be starting to gradually his Battler's memories (this is more of a pro-magic explanation, but no problem about that, it's the magic ending after all)? Will he suddenly die just there (this one is a rather gritty scenario, considering the sequence takes place in an orphanage with a hall full of kids)?

But anyway, ultimately, the whole story was about understanding the story and the main character behind it. So Ikuko/Featherine, at least in some form, was an intuitive way to make some sort of a foothold - both for Ange (the other outsider who wants to understand the story) and the reader. They gave the name Virgilia to a wrong character, heh

2. Ikuko is Sayo

With few tweaks there can be made a case that, much like Tohya, Sayo survived the drowning. Taking a new name and appearance (wouldn't be the first time for her), acquiring a house and servants (she's super-rich) she really could trick Tohya/Battler into thinking she is an unrelated person. But why would she do this?

Well, first of all, being together with Battler and discussing mystery novels was her dream. There's a big but about that, because it just couldn't be the same way she imagined in her childhood - it was accentuated that Tohya and Ikuko have platonic relationship, and that may be because she doesn't want Battler to "know the truth about her cursed body". Despite her self-doubt, it really could be that Battler's words in the boat scene were heeded, and Sayo reconsidered her stance, leaving her self Beatrice dying instead, probably as a way to finally put behind her past.

In this case the meta-narrative is still working, since now it's both Beatrice and Battler become some metaphorical figures in the Forgeries, both abandoned by their bodies/shells. The forgeries are still meant to help Tohya to come in terms with his memories and losing Ange (like meta!Ange's death in ep4 was tied into her disappearance in 1998)

This is a less tragic and more positive ending for Sayo, and I don't really think that she doesn't deserve it. Among other reasons this is why I think the Ikuko=Sayo theory has some merit

So, I'm not really sure? Battler finding (and fighting through) the way back to Beatrice is a very beautiful narrative for a sucker for angsty romance such as me, but the idea of them also having at least some resemblance of contentment on a more mundane level is pretty attractive too

[nuclearforest]

Animal crossing for the blorbo ask?

I,,,, I'm sorry i took so long 💀💀

This is a real fun suggestion! Ty! Picking the last 2 was super hard tho because you don't really think abt getting way too annoyed in any animal crossing game 🤣

BUT I did my best and scraped the bottom of the barrel for the most petty of reasons lmfao. So without further ado:

1. blorbo (favorite character, character I think about the most)

Vivian; first wolf I got on my island and I love her? She's a little vain but her design is gr8 and the snooty villagers are still pretty sweet in ACNH. Big improvements over past games lol.

2. scrunkly (my “baby”, character that gives me cuteness aggression, character that is So Shaped)

Poppy; I will get cuteness aggression for pretty much any ACNH character but the little fall themed squirrel? I would kill for her 💀

3. scrimblo bimblo (underrated/underappreciated fave)

Bam; he's a funky little deer! Love his colors and love how the jocks just. Are. Such good vibes. Meatheads with hearts of gold and the second I find him I'm moving him in lol.

4. glup shitto (obscure fave, character that can appear in the background for 0.2 seconds and I won’t shut up about it for a week)

Blanche; I'm not entirely sure what even constitutes obscure in animal crossing because there are so many little critters, but I bet as long as they're not one of the ones people go rabid for it counts as an obscure fav lol. Anyway she's another fun snooty character whose house I really loved and it had fit so well on my island before she moved away. But that's OK she eventually made room for another wolf 🤣

5. poor little meow meow (“problematic”/unpopular/controversial/otherwise pathetic fave)

Redd. He's an awful little fox WHO WONT GIVE ME THE LAST 5 PIECES OF ART I NEED, THE LITTLE BASTARD, but he's pretty pathetic and I subscribe to the idea he just randomly picks up legit copies of the famous art he sells or, in the process of his own arts and crafts time, manages to make epic forgeries without trying. Then again that also implies the pieces that done work are inherently cursed with the easter eggs and I love it. Man fix your boat and you're golden lmao.

6. horse plinko (character I would torment for fun, for whatever reason)

Tipper; listen she's a cute little cow and it's fun and all but when she settled in my campsite and I nabbed her from a friend it took. So much time travel to get her to lose out I lost my mind. I unintentionally lost a bunch of cute little notes I had hoarded on my board and my island was overrun. I had to borrow friends' time to clear my island of weeds and flowers. The only pro is that I discovered Lag Mountain. Otherwise I would out her through the same torture of clearing 💀

7. eeby deeby (character I would send to superhell)

Broccolo; that dumb little mouse moved into my City Folk town on the Wii, right next door to my house, and had refused to leave. When I was younger I used to be so MAD like I didn't even mind Peewee as much as I minded him because at least the ape had the decency to give me personal space. But Broccolo? Nope. So superhell for him.