#i'm still not sure about these colors but i didn't end up liking the lighter tones :P

[inogart]

Red string of fate

[sleepymarimo]

A TAMA...WHAT? - TOJI FUSHIGURO

"toji. if anything happens to my tamagotchi while i'm gone, i'm actually never talking to you again."

"...huh?"

: ̗̀➛ 1.2k cw: none! silly goofy fun, tamagotchi death :'(

the sorcerer killer isn't sure what to do with the small device in his hand, which looks a little too colorful for his liking. too flashy. when you'd called him a few hours ago to tell him you needed a favor, he didn't expect to be a damn babysitter to a pixelated pet for a whole week.

he would've declined, maybe suggest a "compromise", but you seemed a little too serious about your threat of not speaking to him ever again.

and, despite his best effort to maintain a nonchalant front, he knew that he wasn't going to take that risk.

you'd let him stay at your place, a nice perk, so now he lays back on your couch and fiddles with the buttons while watching the small pet eat or play or even work. how does this thing have more of a stable life than he does?

lips set into a focued pout, those big digits of his nearly crush the poor buttons into dust. "the hell do you want now?" he growls, having just set down the device to watch a boat race on t.v.

toji's never been intimidated by new jobs, by thinking outside the box, but at this moment he'd rather be taking on a horde of curses.

yet... he kind of gets the hang of it. maybe a little too much.

by day three of his tamagotchi journey, he feels pretty confident about taking care of the pet. pride surges through his veins when he checks all the stats and sees no issue, the tamagotchi thriving under his care.

he becomes a little too obsessed with the toy sometimes.

shiu, on a call with the assassin, finds himself having to pause when he swears he hears this constant beeping in the background.

"fushiguro-"

"just hold on," toji interrupts, the phone resting on the table while he works on the tamagotchi. "this thing is sick as shit. i gotta give it medicine."

the mediator isn't even sure what to say at that, a part of him wondering if his mind is playing tricks on him. "i thought you were just going to get her a new one. you're still keeping up with that thing?" shiu asks into the receiver, holding the phone between his shoulder and ear as he reaches for a cigarette and lighter.

another few beeps can be heard through the phone, then a relieved sigh. "fuck no. and m'not 'keeping up'," toji specifies, almost offended. "m'owning this piece of crap. it's easy work."

on the other end of the phone, shiu finds solace in a deep inhale of cigarette smoke. luckily, he's able to get toji on a pretty good gig with the promise of outstanding pay.

even during the meeting a couple days later, the sorcerer killer is brushing off high end clients as soon as he hears that damn beeping. "gimme a minute," he gruffly says, before mumbling in a more hushed tone. "s'fucking needy..."

raising one hand as if he's putting a simple pause on the conversation, he uses the other to click click click until he deems the virtual pet satisfied.

meanwhile, shiu is embarrassed as hell and makes an effort not to look the client in the eyes.

content enough, toji places the tamagotchi back in his pocket with a gentleness that he doesn't usually, if ever, displays. "a'right. so how much are ya paying again?"

...

by the time you arrive home a day later, exhausted from a flight and too many train rides, you're ready to be reunited with your virtual companion.

"okay toji," you call out, the door shutting behind you with a click. "where's mimitchi?"

you hear his heavy steps before you see him, his frame rather... rigid. "well hey to you too," he greets, stopping just before you and giving your form a quick once over. "and who the hell is mimitchi?"

sighing, you give him a proper hello before looking at him a little suspiciously. "that's the tamagotchi. mimitchi is her name," you explain, starting to tap your foot. where was it? "so...?"

his eyes momentarily widen, like he's genuinely surprised. "huh? it's a girl? and that's her name? what the hell..."

while it's a funny sight, you don't stop giving him that pointed look. your arms even cross, indicating that you really weren't in the mood.

toji scoffs at your little display, shrugging his shoulders. "i lost it," he replies. "must've fell out of my pocket or something..."

your heart drops. "you what? seriously? toji!" a pout settles on your lips, sincere disappointment written all over your features.

does he feel bad? yes, he does. with a sigh, he steps closer and wraps his arm around you, placing it on your lower back. he's shitty with words, but he knows how to ground you.

"look, sweetheart, i'll get you another one," he starts, his words making your heart feel a little more light. "tomorrow we can-"

breep! beep beep beep!

breep! beep beep beep!

while you freeze, toji's hand goes straight to his pocket. "shit, i thought it fucking silenced it."

jaw dropping, you look up at him as if he's just stabbed you in the back. hell, he might as well have!

"are you serious?" you chuff, not believing his audacity. your hand reaches for his pocket, but he's quick to pull out the tamagotchi and hold it out of your reach. "oh, you asshole! i can't believe you."

caught in the act, he allows himself to scowl just the smallest bit. "y'the one who left her," he points out, as if he has a say in how to be a present parent. "i'm just stepping up."

your offended gasp triggers a chuckle from him. reaching for the tamagotchi again, you whine when he moves it even further from you.

the back and forth lasts for a while, until a truce is made.

sitting on the couch, you hold the device and check up on mimitchi, who seems to actually be in pretty good condition. you're thoroughly impressed, even letting him know so.

"you're still a jerk for lying," you point out, sure that you weren't going to drop that anytime soon. he just shrugs, acknowledging his wrongs but not really apologizing, as per his usual style.

however, seeing that your beloved mimitchi is already retired and aging... you decide to let him have her. if he wanted the full tamagotchi experience, he was going to get it.

so, while he smugly pockets the toy once more, you just wait.

that moment comes a whole two days later, the day starting off just like any other. in your room, the morning light barely shining through your window, you wake in time to hear those dreaded sounds that no tamagotchi owner wants to hear.

beep...beep...beep...

then, you hear toji abruptly sitting up on the couch, pushing buttons left and right. "not a fucking chance..." he mumbles, surely not expecting a cute toy to have such an abrupt end.

you can only muffle your laughs as he stands, those heavy steps of his coming straight for your door to demand an explanation.

an: lol this idea came into my mind and i just had to get it out. hope you enjoyed bc i kinda laughed writing it:')

[atarathegreat]

BAKUGO NOW

Did you say: fantasy AU Bakugo smutt?

Dragon Prince Bakugo.

Bakugo wasn't opposed to an arranged marriage, per se. His mother and father were done with their exploring, and his mother was done berserking. Bakugo himself still hunted, but his mother and father were done with what they called 'young people activities'.

Besides, a marriage meant a celebration, and a celebration meant that everyone got to go wild. Drinking, sparring, dancing! It would all be so much fun for him and the others. It was like Bakugo could already smell the ale and feel the punches that he would be earning. It excited him to no end. Whoever was going to be his wife, as lucky as she was, would have to manage with him being as rowdy as he pleased. Maybe he would get lucky, too, and she would be a barbarian like him, just as rowdy.

"Bakugo, are you really going to wear that nasty pelt?" His mother, Mistuski, stood in the arch to his chambers, soon to be shared with a stranger, "You wear that dirty thing to go hunting and fishing and you want to wear it for a wedding celebration?"

Bakugo turned and glared at his mother, all while taking heavy steps toward the pile of clothes and pelts in the corner, "You want me to wear these overly fancy rags? Do I look like someone who wears green? I'm likely to be mistaken for a boar or a nightwalker!" He was wrong, of course, as he usually was, but his mother understood his anger. Her son didn't like fancy items or flashy jewelry. But his hunting pelt? Surely he had better sense than that. "Don't you want to make a dazzling first impression on your future wife?" Mitsuki smiled, holding up a nicer, cleaner pelt.

"I don't rightfully care. Our marriage is political at best, and a mothers move to get me married at worst." Bakugo plopped onto his bed.

Mitsuki was shocked. Not that he was wrong, her son was intelligent, but that he had openly said it without knowing what was leaving his lips. Sure, political was the best way to call it, bringing barbarians and the clerics together in, at least, a shaky alliance. But it would also be a lie to say that her and her husband hadn't also planned it so that her son would have a wife sooner, maybe even kids if he felt like being the bare minimum for a husband. Mitsuki sighed and sat next to her son, her awfully thick-headed son, "Can you just do as I ask you? Just this once, let this go smoothly?" She hated to beg her son to be clean, but she knew that there was a soft spot somewhere in him.

"If I do, will you get off my back about it?"

"I might."

To relent and let his mother have her way would bite him in the ass later, but he got up and switched the pelt out, securing a lighter wolf pelt at his hips, "Happy now?"

"Okay! Be ready by midday and don't get covered in blood, this needs to be a good impression for the girl and her family." Mitsuki clapped as she left, feeling triumphant.

Come midday, her victory was null. The poor girl's family had sent her alone. From Ethel to Kazar, the young lady had traveled in the back of a wagon with nothing but a simple dress. No jewels, no colors, not even a smile. Mitsuki watched as the girl stepped from her wagon, simple flat shoes hidden under the long fabric of her skirts. She was supposed to be a noble, but she looked like a little peasant child who begs for money.

"I thought clerics wore robes and traveled together?" Her husband, Masaru, watched the girl with pity, "She looks sad."

Her soft flat shoes were dirty and torn, like the bottom of her dress, and the rest of her was...grey. Her and her aura were dull and grey and defeated. As if she had nothing left.

"So much for that alliance, huh?" Bakugo scoffed, returning inside the castle to avoid the silent creature that would be his bride. She wasn't interesting enough to keep him around for anything, and he wouldn't subject himself to the nap she would give him. His mother, on the other hand, refused to let this be the ending or a fail. Mitsuki smiled and took the girls hands in her own, "Hello, sweetheart. How was your trip?"

"Long, Your Highness." The girl even sounded like a field mouse, how adorable, "Long and silent."

If anyone had paid attention for a fraction of a second, they would have seen that the wagon rode off as soon as her foot touched the ground. Sad. But Mitsuki was happy that the girl was in Kazar now, at least she would grow to have some semblance of a family that would travel with her. Mitsuki nodded, "Call me Mitsuki. What is your name, hun?"

"Y/n." She responded well enough, albeit timidly. Masaru suspected that Y/n was raised in one of the many families that viewed the woman as caretakers and mothers. A devastating fate when women were as strong as the men if given the chance to build muscle. There was no doubt that Bakugo would be upset by this girl not being strong or loud. "Where is your family?" He was curious, who was this girl and why was she alone?

"They sent me alone. Said that the alliance meant little to them so long as I was out of their sight." Y/n spoke without confidence, but as if she believed every word she said, "They wanted to thank you for taking this burden off their hands."

That struck Masaru in a visceral way. Her own family saw her as a burden? How awful. She was anything but, and she was cute, clearly had nice genes for a cleric.

"I wish to apologize. I... I know little. I cannot read or write; I hardly understand my own ways. I'm useless and lack the ability to bring anyone joy." It was so awful to hear the things she said about herself. Y/n was pretty, Mitsuki could already see the beautiful grandchildren she would gain from this girl and her son. Good genes and good genes bred better genes, in her mind. "But I am willing to learn, if there is anyone with the patience to deal with my stupidity. I can clean, but I've never been praised for the work." She was so upfront about what she thought was things they would turn her away for.

And this behavior persisted into the celebrations. Y/n isolating herself in the corners, in the shadows, avoiding the others who wished to get to know her and welcome her to the clan and village. It was upsetting.

Bakugo found her after a hefty search (a search of ten minutes where he wasn't actually looking but happened to glance at her a few times before finally approaching). "What's wrong? Do you not realize how grateful you should be for this?" Bakugo came on strong, he was aware of that, but who hid during their own wedding celebrations? She seemed to be brushing it all aside and acting as if this was what she deserved. "Apologies. I'm not supposed to interact with anyone." Y/n was a mumbling mess, never speaking louder than she thought she needed to. It pissed Bakugo off to no end. "Whatever. If you don't want to be down here, then go to bed. You'll bring the mood down." He returned to the sparring corner of the big room, joining in with the fights.

Y/n, with a lot of difficulty, managed to find the bedchambers where she would be sleeping. It was Bakugo's room, of course, she knew that, but now she would also occupy the space. It was a messy space, a man's space. How was she supposed to feel at home in this strange place, with strange people, and an even stranger lifestyle? She was used to the women being small, quiet, never drawing attention to themselves. The women here in Kazar, they didn't seem to care about the consequences of having the attention. Aside from that, the women were muscley and brawn. They even knew how to read.

She crawled into the windowsill and looked up at the stars. For a brief moment she foolishly thought about whether her family was missing her. It was a dumb thought, one she wiped away quickly.

Meanwhile, Bakugo was sparring and drinking, thoughts of his new bond gone as he drowned his liver in ale and whatever foods had been made. His concerns were with winning the matches he was in. Zero thoughts of the girl up in his window. When he did finally stumble his way up to his chambers, Y/n was there immediately. Her gentle hands held cold cloths to his alcohol warmed cheeks. "What the hell are you doing to me, woman?" Bakugo grabbed her wrists to keep her hands on his face. The way she stared at him, wide eyes that reminded him of a frightened doe staring at a hunter as she waited for him to make a move.

"You're too damn quiet." Bakugo moved his face closer to hers, wanting to see what type of reaction he could pull out of her. Y/n seemed like a stoic girl and Bakugo wanted to see her lose her temper, to see her make any face except that doe eyed stare. So, he kept moving closer, until his lips touched hers and he'd never felt something so soft. He would blame the ale later.

Her body was rigid, yet loose, as Bakugo held her cheeks to keep her from moving away from him. Her tongue tasted of fruits, wild berries and water from a stream. It was addicting for the man, even if he was just some drunken barbarian at the moment.

Something about her softness was drawing him in. The way she moved how he wanted her to and the careful way she touched him, like he was as fragile as she was. It was different, in a good way.

"You have a choice in this." He mumbled, unable to make himself pull his lips away from hers, "Just because I am your husband does not mean you have to do everything I wish."

And she still didn't reject him or his advances. It was almost like she leaned into them, put more pressure in her gentle touches and soft caresses. The pelt around his hips hit the wall before the floor as he tossed it, not really giving a damn about where it went as long as it was off of him. "You're cute, I'll give you that." Bakugo mumbled as he walked her backwards towards the bed, bunching the skirts of her dress in his hands, "I wonder if the rest of you is as soft as your hands..."

"I'm not worth your physical affections." Y/n fell back easily onto the bed, never pushing Bakugo away. A loud laugh exploded in his chest at her words, "You're worth it if I find you worth it. You clearly aren't smart enough to gauge that."

Soft was an understatement. Plush and soft, Bakugo couldn't keep himself from squeezing every inch of her skin. "Soft as a hawk sprite chick. You ever felt one of them?" Bakugo nuzzled against her collar bone, "I'll catch one on my next hunting trip so you can."

This girl, this woman that Bakugo has been married to, what type of life had she led? Why was she so subservient to him? She didn't even fight him as he undressed her. He was a stranger to her, and she just... let him do as he pleased. Would she even make noise if he didn't ask her to?

Bakugo bit at her neck, smiling to himself at the involuntary gasp that he had pulled from her. He had caused a sound, though it was soft, to leave her without asking. "You're softer than the women here, you know that? It's nice, but I want you to talk more. Fuck, scream at anything if you want." Bakugo shuffled his pants down his legs and laughed at the way she avoided eye contact. It was apparent that she would be someone he'd have to have a small amount of control over, but that was the fun with some of these things. Bakugo leaned over her and grabbed her chin, "I want to see these pretty eyes on me."

Without a second of warning or even courtesy of being careful, Bakugo snatched her to the edge of the bed and snuggled his cock deep within her hold. She was soft, and it felt like she was trying to pull him deeper. "There you go, just keep squeezing." Bakugo pulled back a little to look at the connection he had forged, "Stretched fuckin' wide, you know that?"

She was cute when she whimpered, her unscathed hands gripping at Bakugo's rougher skin was nearly driving him absolutely crazy. This stranger, this quiet woman that Bakugo was so, so sure he would hate, had managed to make herself the center of Bakugo's, albeit drunken, world. There was nothing to stop him from leaving his teeth marks across her skin, and she looked a lot better with his markings. He had to think for a moment about how wonderful it would be to see her running to him after a hunting trip, how excited she would be to see him return was something he was hoping to see one day.

The pleasure was getting him too lost in his mind, making him think that maybe being married wasn't so bad, that maybe it wasn't just a political marriage. He didn't even see that he was hurting her, but she didn't sound like she was in pain. Blood started to stain the pelt blanket below her, causing a slight bit of concern. "Are you okay?" He didn't stop, she was too comfortable, but he also wouldn't make the mistake of thinking her body was as tough as a barbarian womans. "Stings a little, but it's okay~" Every word sounded like it was laced with euphoria. Maybe she had never felt such a thing, never had sex. Perhaps her body was as strong as a barbarian womans, she just hadn't ever used it.

"Hold on to me if you need to, I'll take care of you." Bakugo mumbled, putting more of his teeth marks across her neck.

[milkweedman]

Replacement hat completed. I knit this out of a skein I spun last year. Most of the fiber is a southdown/hampshire blend I bought at a fiber fest last year. It was a large batt that I spun on supported spindles, picking the colors to create stripes as best as I could. The bits of orange/lighter brown is some unknown roving I dyed with onion skin and added in. Most of the time I'm knitting with handspun where I also prepped the fiber; there is a clear downgrade in yarn quality here lol. Makes me feel better about how long fiber prep takes--its worth it.

The body is a 2 row repeat that I'm sure is some kind of common rib but I don't know the name. Cast on a multiple of 3. Round 1: knit all. Round 2: knit 2 purl 1, repeat to end. Repeat rounds 1 and 2.

I tried several different crown designs for this and disliked all of them, but I'm happy with what I ended up with--I divided the stitches into 3 sections and did CDD at the end of each needle, every other row. Right near the end (after adding the colorful yarn) I did k2tog at the start of each needle as well bc I was really running out of yarn.

The colorful yarn is some scrap I found and used on a whim, but I think it works well. It's some of my really early hand blended and dyed yarn (the blue is the one color I didn't dye).

I also got a little fancier with the icord (switched colors every other row--looks awesome !) And the tassel has colored segments rather than being random, which I also really like. It won't really be seen as the headrest of my powerchair would be in the way but oh well. I can still show it off.

Lastly, I sewed a smooth river stone onto the very end of the crown to help weight it, as it's a slouchy hat but knit quite rigidly, so it needs something to hold it down. Works well. It was brought to my attention that this could result in worse head injury if I hit my head right where the rock is (I think that would be quite a feat given where it sits on my head) which doesn't bother me at all but should be factored in if you want to do something similar. Maybe I will sew a felt pad there to help cushion ? That would probably be wise.

Anyway, yay, new hat !! I really loved my old hat which fell out of my bag on the way home from work a couple months ago, but I love this new hat too. Hopefully I won't lose it for a while.

[queenofthursday6599-blog]

You know what I find like intensely bewildering about the FOP fandom.

Is the fact that somehow it's still a debate among people about whether the kids in the Channel Chasers flash forward, Tammy and Tommy, are Timmy's kids with Trixie or Tootie.

Like they're very obviously supposed to be Tootie's kids.

Even when I saw Channel Chasers' ending as a literal kid, I instantly clocked the fact that Tootie was the mom and not Trixie, because neither kid looks anything like Trixie, and both have stuff inherited from Tootie.

So I'm putting this debate to bed right now.

The girl looks essentially like a mix of Tootie and Timmy's design (with long-ish hair that's down), while the boy is just Timmy with black hair and Tootie's nose and skin tone.

[What Tootie's skin tone was at the time Channel Chasers came out.

The show runners change the saturation of the show like 3 or 4 times over the years, and outright change some character's skin tones at some points.

Wanda for example also originally had lighter pinker skin in the earlier seasons, but it was changed to the same tanner/more orange toned skin as Timmy and Cosmo's.

Tootie however retained the lighter pinker skin, it's just that as they upped the saturation, her skin turned more pink.]

The Twins:

Tootie:

Timmy:

"But Trixie has black hair and blue eyes too, and the girl is wearing a headband just like Trixie's, so Trixie could still be the mom"-

Trixie is asian. Trixie is asian. Trixie. Is. Asian.

We can see Tommy's eyes, and we can tell he didn't inherit Trixie's eye shape, even though that would be perfect for making him not look like Timmy with his hair dyed black.

Not to mention neither has Trixie's nose. Or her height. Neither are rocking a turtle neck sweater, or boots.

Neither have Trixie's straight across bangs, the girl doesn't have Trixie's winged little eyelash, she has the same tri-prong eyelashes as Tootie.

Not to mention the girl twin's styling. She wears a plaid skirt and glasses just like Tootie's.

Sure she's got a pink headband instead of high pigtails like Tootie, but you know what other female character wears a pink headband?

Both Timantha and Timeena (only showed up in the comics, and is also a fairy), Timmy literally as a girl, wear pink headbands:

"What about the fact that Tootie has braces and Tammy doesn't?"

Tammy doesn't have any kind of tooth division at all, not even one showing where her top and bottom teeth separate in a lot of her scenes.

Even if the kids aren't a total one to one match with Tootie, they still look far far more like Tootie's kids than they do Trixie's.

Like even if the mom of Tammy and Tommy are someday confirmed to officially not be Tootie (which I doubt they'll ever do), I still wouldn't believe it's Trixie over just someone who looks pretty similar to Tootie and has a lot of the same features as Tootie.

As I've gotten older I've just become convinced that the people who honestly believe that Tommy and Tammy's mom is Trixie have just always been hardcore Timmy/Trixie shippers, and just didn't want to believe Timmy ended up with Tootie.

Which is fair. I don't want Timmy marrying into Vicky's family, or to Tootie at all. Girl has no boundaries, and is part of the worst possible family situation to marry into.

Considering A New Wish shows that Vicky hasn't changed at all in 20 years.

Also I know the show runners say that they have some traits of Trixie also thrown in to the kids to make it ambiguous who their mom is, but like where?

They don't have her eye shape, her eye color (they don't have Tootie or Timmy's eye colors either), her eyes being wide set (compared to Timmy and a lot of other characters), her nose, her height, her bangs, her eye lashes, her fashion sense, her straight hair.

They have literally nothing from Trixie, on either of the kid's designs.

Other than the fact that the girl wears pink and white, and a headband. But that's also just the color pallet of Tootie & Timmy combined (or just Timantha's), and all of Timmy's girl versions also wear some kind of headband.

They 100% designed Tommy and Tammy to be Timmy & Tootie's kids, and then decided that the mother was "intended to be ambiguous" when Timmy/Trixie shippers decided to head canon Trixie as the mom because we never see the mom or have her name dropped.

Because shipping drama fuels fandom interaction, which fuels ratings, and they didn't want to alienate the Timmy/Trixie part of the fandom by confirming Timmy/Tootie was endgame.

Though they tossed the idea of it being ambiguous who Timmy ends up with out the window in the live action trilogy and just made Tootie the end game of that canon.

So yeah, I've always thought Tootie was Tammy and Tommy's mom, but here's all my proof and reasoning.

Which as someone who did ship Timmy/Trixie as a kid, you could imagine that seeing Timmy's future kids look like Tootie and my main ship for the show wasn't endgame was kind of upsetting.

I could ramble on about the reasons why Tommy and Tammy are obviously Tootie's kids and not Trixie's for a whole lot longer. And the fact that they show up on Trixie's family tree on the wiki but not Tootie's, even though it's canonically supposed to be unconfirmed either way, irks me to no end.

But I'm going to cap this post right here. Maybe I'll bust out my punnet squares, and show why I think Tommy and Tammy being Trixie's is genetically impossible, some other time but I've thought about this too much today. But that day isn't today.

[theanxiousghostartist]

TMAGP (red) Designs - 2

Alice Dyer

TMAGP Spoilers below!

I didn't change her much from her original design:

I kept her hairstyle and skin tone the same, but I did change her style as she reads more punk to me. She is wearing a blazer because I hc that Lena told the crew to wear "work appropriate garments," with her example being a blazer. Alice is challenging her rule but she probably doesn't really care. She did probably make Alice take off her "Fuck the government" pin for the minister's visit though.

I also changed her hair color slightly and changed the dye to green to match Gwen's eyes (I'm trying to have colors overlap with each other in their designs). I used browns and lighter blues/pinks to help add some more hues into her design as well. I gave her some Chester and Norris earrings (I'm fully on board with the headcanon that Sam, Celia, and Alice are doing fanfics/art about the two). Her eyes are still blue, but because of her glasses and the lighting, they look more green 😅.

Finally, I made sure not to give her an ID, like I have done for Gwen and will do for everyone else, as she keeps it in her back pocket, out of sight, since it "doesn't fit with the aesthetic" and it pisses Gwen off.

Character Analysis:

Alice is a very strong and confident character who challenges authority often, something we saw right from episode 1. While she has a dark, dry sense of humor, she tends to deflict upsetting events with humor. She tries not to take anything seriously. This is something that drives Gwen to her wits end and annoys Sam at times (especially when it relates to the Institute). We can also infer that it challenges her relationship with Lena, just based on what we know about Lena and her personality. This trait is probably her attempt to compartmentalize, something she told Sam to do over and over, especially at the beginning of the series. Yet, Alice is still pretty controlling and overprotective, something that we see a lot of with Sam and Luke (her younger brother), which was probably a trait she took on being the eldest sibling (or, at least older than Luke). These two traits, especially the latter, are most likely what hurt her relationship with Sam. Sam tries his hardest to have control over his life and is very stubborn. He does not want to be controlled, as he didn't have much control over his life beforehand. Alice wants to protect him and will go to the point of manipulation to do so (I want to get more into this fact with Celia and the anonogram theory).

Still, Alice cares a lot for the people in her life, especially Sam, who it is implied that she still has some sort of feelings for. She cares about Colin, as she was the only person who actually checked up on him (to our knowledge) while he was on "mental health leave." She cares for Teddy, Celia, Lena (presumably), and yes, even Gwen (citing coffee mug incident here). However, she cares for Sam the most, brushing off Teddy and Colin to try to save him (it was a lose-lose situation either way, but it shows her priorities).

Now, without Sam (and Colin, probably Lena too), she is going to most likely focus on 3 things:

1. Getting Sam back - She and Celia (she may be manipulating Alice for this, but jt just depends) are most definitely going to be looking for a way to get him back.

2. Care for the people she still has left - This means she is going to focus energy on making sure Luke it ok, helping Celia with Jack and making sure she is ok (I'm theorizing that she and Celia will bond a lot in S2, which could leave for an interesting reveal of what really happened to Sam/Celia's original plans for Sam), and spending time with Teddy. She is most likely going to leave Gwen out of this because of the anger about her future incompetence.

3. Figure out what is going on, but still maintain normalcy - Unlike Gwen and Sam, Alice doesn't have a need to know - she actually prefers to be kept in the dark. However, she is going to HAVE to know some things in order to figure out what is going on/face the horrors. Yet, Alice is going to try to maintain a sense of normalcy and compartmentalize. She will still make jokes, try to piss Gwen off, challenge authority, etc. This is how she will cope - work is for normal work things, and home is for every other emotion.

Theories for S2:

She will bond with Celia (talked about earlier)

She will have a breakdown at the END of the season - Alice is very good at hiding her emotions, and she will do that until she can't any longer. She will basically try to cope with humor/compartmentalization until the end of Season 2, where she finally breaks down, perhaps even giving way to Becoming.

She will retrace Sam's and Celia's steps - This is based on her figuring out what is going on with the horrors. My theory is that Alice (and maybe Celia) are going to retrace their steps - look at the Institute ruins, talk to Gertrude (and try to get more information out of her) and Gerry, see if Helen "remembers" anything else (I am positive she withheld vital information from them), look into the Archives Crew again, etc. I predict that this will lead to her and Celia going over what happened to Sam, and Celia finally telling Alice the truth, leading to Alice's breakdown (the person she trusted so much betrayed her, she was kept in the dark, etc) and a possible alliance with Lena (assuming she wasn't killed) or someone else against the Fears.

Artist Note: Sorry this took so long! (/gen) I got very busy with college and Inktober, so this project got pushed to the side. I hope to have everyone else finished before Season 2 premieres!

[nerdierholler]

It's done! Attempt number two at book making is complete! It's still just Ethan's Wayhaven Book 1 run. I did a big overhaul of the typeset compared to the first one, which I was trying to make small to minimize the page count. This came out about 130 pages longer and the text seems to breathe much better now. I also added a couple of basic graphics, a moon in the chapter headings and little moons as section headings. I used variegated red embroidery thread for sewing the signatures for just a pop of ominous color between the pages. It is a game about vampires after all.

Working with paper instead of cloth for the cover was a mixed bag. It looks gorgeous in a way I couldn't do with cloth but it was harder to get just right and I'm not sure it will hold up the best long term. But as a second attempt, that's ok. I tried new things and learned new things this one which was the goal and overall I think it's a more attractive finished product, or at least more visually interesting.

The breakdown on mistakes is under the cut. It's mostly for my benefit so I can remember later but please learn from my learning if you would like!

First off here's a comparison of my first and second attempts.

The paper I used for the first wasn't exactly 8.5x11 as noted before and I think it was even narrower than I realized before I tried to trim the pages. It is a significantly shorter book! Also the typeset differences. I'm really happy with how the new one came out.

Mistakes and improvement for the future.

Paper, Paper, Paper - I didn't even attempt to use interesting paper for this, just regular printer paper. Not needing to worry about trimming was so nice. I bought 9x12 sketch paper thinking it would fit in my printer, it did not, and I wasn't going to trim every single page to size so I have that now in my crafting pile. Maybe I'll make some blank journals with it. I do like the slightly off white color and heavier weight of the paper I used the first time and if I put in a fancy paper order I'll take that into consideration.

Paper: Part 2 - I want the scrapbook paper I have to be heavier and the cardstock to be lighter. Once I put glue on the paper it was so hard to work with because it wanted to wrinkle but also felt like it might tear if I tried to smooth it too much or reposition it. I ended up backing the piece on the front cover with a piece of printer paper and that seemed to help.

Mull - I've been using cheesecloth. I didn't starch it last time so I tried that this time but also saw something about putting glue over the whole piece of mull first then attaching it instead of holding it over the spine and dabbing/brushing glue on top. Bad choice. The mull is a mess and it isn't flat on spine, it was weird and stiff and there's slight gaps in between signatures as a result. I couldn't rip it off though so it is what it is. Won't be doing that again in the future though. Minus the mull issue I was really happy with the textblock though.

Endpapers - Again fighting the thinner craft paper. I should have sewn these on but I didn't. However I couldn't add them later because of the mull issue once I realized that so they are fully glued to the first page for added strength instead of being tipped on. Making them then and sewing them on takes more time but might be the better route to go in the future.

Gluing - I feeling like have terrible gluing technique. Things feel too wet but then if I use less or add some water for easier brushing on it doesn't stick as well. I think this is just a practice thing but considering how much gluing there is, it is a little frustrating.

Labels - Tried that for the first time with paper. Not sure how I feel about it . I think it looks alright but mostly it was about the paper quality and durability. Story of this build.

The Casing In - It was not great.

The back is alright but I really messed up the front cover. I think I pushed it too far back into the hinge so the cover doesn't quite close all of the way and is why there's such a large fore edge wrap space. I also think I made my spine piece slightly too narrow so that didn't help either. Ah well. Warping could also be from needing to glue the extra backing paper to the cover paper first and it's just too much glue pull in one area with nothing to balance it.

She's done though and once again I'm carrying over lots good knowledge for the next one. If I saw it sitting on someone else's shelf and they told me they made it I would be super impressed so I should give myself that credit as well.

[yuesya]

AAAAAA TWIN AU!! Geto being dragged along onto the trauma rollercoaster that is Satoru’s life as always, lmao. Since the pair can share techniques, though with difficulty, does Satoru eventually become known as even more of a terrifying prodigy for inexplicably having two cursed techniques? Or does Shiki ever manifest outside of Satoru to help out in dire times (Toji) or just to indulge some sadistic urges and everyone’s like ‘there’s two of them now?!’

"Good work, everyone!"

Satoru rolls his shoulders and stretches out his arms as they're finally, finally back on school grounds and within the protective barriers. The past few days spent protecting the Star Plasma Vessel have been long and eventful. If it weren't for the pressing need to prioritize defending Amanai from the relentless assassins and mercenaries aiming for her, he'd really like to have a nice long talk with whoever it was that decided it was a great idea to kill an innocent girl for no other fault than existing.

It's a bit of a touchy point, for Satoru. For obvious reasons.

... He still hasn't made up his mind on if he wants to hunt them down after the mission is concluded. There's no doubt that Shiki would be happily game for it, the bloodthirsty little thing, but Suguru might have a few choice words to say about it all.

Whatever, he'll decide on it later.

Satoru sighs, finally closing his eyes and letting his Limitless technique drop. His innate technique is a taxing one to use even on a good day, and keeping it running 24-7 is tiring, even with Shiki's help. Shiki tries, but unfortunately the formulas are difficult to maintain for her on her own, which means that Satoru still needs to be the one operating the technique. It's a relief that he'll finally be able to take a break now, before-

His cursed energy ripples, and Satoru startles when his Limitless barrier is suddenly yanked back up, most decidedly not of his own volition.

Shiki-?

His eyes widen. Another mercenary? When did he get behind him, and how had he never noticed?

Shiki snarls in his ears, a viciously hateful sound towards the man who'd almost ran them through with a sword, her voice unheard to everyone but Satoru. It's the work of seconds to throw their unexpected assailant away from them with Limitless; Suguru provides assistance by summoning one of his cursed spirits to attack the man the moment they are a good distance away. The worm-spirit swallows the man in a single gulp, but Satoru doubts that will trap him for long.

"Satoru! Are you alright?"

"Yeah, I'm fine." That was a close one. Thanks, lil' sis. "Don't worry about it, Suguru. He didn't even scratch me."

The man -a Zenin sorcerer? No, not a sorcerer, he had no cursed energy- emerges from the belly of Suguru's cursed spirit in a spectacular spray of off-color gore and viscera, holding a cursed tool that he most certainly hadn't held in his hands just a moment ago.

"Hmm," the man says. "I was sure that you'd disengaged your cursed technique... guess I've gotten rusty."

Disengaged-? So he'd been waiting to ambush them?

Satoru bares his teeth sharply, "Amanai's bounty was lifted already, idiot."

The man smirks, "Yeah, because I was the one who took it down, hotshot."

He was the one who'd put up that timed bounty in the first place? The one that had ensured they were attacked nonstop by opportunistic curse users the past few days?

What an asshole.

"When fighting people like you without any weak spots, you need to have ups and downs and give them the illusion of achievable goals," the man hefts his heavy cursed blade against his shoulder as if it's no lighter than a feather. "If I hadn't set that timed limit on the bounty, you wouldn't have deactivated your technique until the very end... well, not that that worked out, in the end. But you're slipping, aren't you? You didn't even notice me until right before I was about to gut you."

It hadn't been Satoru who'd noticed the man, but Shiki. Even now, standing right in front of him, he was invisible to Satoru's Six Eyes -there was only the cursed energy from his cursed tool and that strange cursed spirit coiled about his body, but apart from that... this man had zero cursed energy. Some strange form of Heavenly Restriction?

Well, that didn't matter.

Satoru closes his eyes.

When he opens them again, everything in the world is covered in cracked red lines -including the would-be murderer who'd nearly gotten the drop on him.

"Me, slipping?" Satoru grins provocatively. "In your dreams."

[matthindavick]

Hey ghesties, uhhh I was nervous as fuck to post this because I haven’t had the energy to do much in the way of full drawings (all of it was funneled in a specific project I am seriously struggling on) so I only have picrew edits (which also limited my design ability in terms of silhouette) but I need to talk about my Little Guys (ghoul ocs)

-a note on my canon I set up for them, it’s generally a “no one dies” au, though occasionally I play with resurrection aus? Either way all the papas get to live and be a fucked up little family together. Also I know they "Didn't grow up together" in terms of Copia but instead yes they did.-

(Second note because I'm not sure how everyone else categorizes these, I use era to mean a different Papa as frontman (but mashing Copia's cardinal and Papa times together since he's still the same character)

First up: Cinder!

Made with this picrew, edits include burn and singe marks on their clothes: https://picrew.me/en/image_maker/251735

Fire ghoul, they/them, era 3/4 depending on au

Their basic premise is “give Terzomega a child through Hijinks” which currently includes a group of overenthusiastic Siblings attempting to help by summoning a ghoul. Luckily it doesn’t go dangerously wrong, but they do end up with a ghoul kit.

A kit they immediately lose, because Cinder bolted out of the area.

Cinder is notably shy and skittish for a fire ghoul (hence why I went with “cinder” as it’s a cooled fire related term, and “ash” is a bit too much just a human name for my preference?) And they get cold very easily, so once they got out of the commotion they found the nearest lit fireplace to hide in.

I've gone back and forth on who finds them, but tend to favor it being Omega or him and Terzo, because they would be scared by just a human and while it could be one of the other ghouls, I just don't really feel it? (And I am.. not great at characterizing uhh most of the ghouls. Including Omega tbh.)

They're dressed in a cute little frilly outfit because I think Terzo likes to dress them up like a little prince. It's very hard to get them to keep their clothes unburnt so there is a lot of effort taken to give them fire resistant clothes (they still manage to singe the edges)

Resurrection au is way harder on them, and includes them being summoned (and subsequently adopted) era 3, to get the full angst from Terzo's death.

No one dies version is them being summoned era 4, because I think Terzo (and to a degree Omega) would do much better with a child after retirement from touring.

Their favorite uncle is Copia, due in large part due to adoring his rats (cuddling many small warm cute babies? Sign them up!) But also because knowing that he's an anxious person makes them feel better about how big and scary the ministry is to them, no matter how long it's been.

Next: Ember!

Made with this picrew, edits include a change to the skin tone, lighter oranges and yellow in the eyes, and the embers: https://picrew.me/en/image_maker/1564386

Fire ghoul, he/they/she/xe, era 4

Ember is in general, sweet. Gentle, helpful, and calm. Warm, emotionally and also physically, radiating heat like a smsll furnace. All perfect qualities for a ministry ghoul. But they are very clear about their limits, that their temper can flare high with the best of them.

He is happy to do plenty of jobs around the ministry, but his favorite tends to sound a little surprising: tending the grounds and gardens. The soft heat of the sun, the cool grass, and the ever changing shapes and colors of flowers, it's all peaceful to xem.

In resurrection aus, she finds the gardens not in disrepair per se, but definitely not like it has been given care. She has to be careful, lest her heat burn the more delicate plants, but he personally revives it to the best to his ability. It's quite the surprise to both of them when Primo returns, to a small fire ghoul neck deep in his garden as it stands around them, healthy, if not amateur. They get to bond over this =)

In no one dies au, there's a slower burn bond with Primo, with him teaching them about the plants, two calm exteriors with burning, molten cores finding companionship.

(...also if maybe I like to ship xem and Primo that's my business. I'm very scared of being called cringe, can you tell?)

Finally: Prism!

My poor baby with 4 variants on their design and less defined things.

Made with this picrew, edits include adding the glowy aether symbol, and adding iridescence/opalescence to the eyes: https://picrew.me/en/image_maker/1493001

Quintessence/fire ghoul, she/they, probably era 4?? Who knows

Unfortunately, Prism is currently mostly vibes? I think she's probably a bit tricksy maybe? (Maybe a bit... scatterbrained? Like. Like refracting light. Because it's scattering light. Like a prism. Well more like the way the bevels in a cut diamond make it sparkle and refract light, which is actually how I imagine them but prism is more succinct for use as a name) So I'm going to talk about a couple design details. (I'm curious what design other people like best? I may do a poll about it if people are interested)

I realized this may just be a me thing, but I imagine the ones with the hair up as the hair spikes going up through the horns, so the horns curl around the hair, though the picrew doesn't actually depict that as much as I thought at first?

Also the black shirt + red cloak feels more like "on stage" type outfits, the way the ghouls wear darker colors, while the white and purple shirt is more casual with the light colors. (Interestingly, they each kinda emphasize each of her elements with red being fire and purple aether)

I got too many "looks like homestuck" comments from friends before I even made the wavy hair + red and black outfit and while I love that one I'm so scared it reads as "Aradia"

So I think that's generally my guys? Hope y'all like them?

[ask-codeearasure]

The Outer Realms -- Chapter 18

<-[Previous Chapter]

[Next Chapter]->

Wish to refill Ink's Paints? Go to our Ask Box

—-----

Chapter Eighteen:

Memories

—----

“One of the keys to happiness is a bad memory.”

― Rita Mae Brown

—-

Waking up in a very familiar bed in a very familiar room, he couldn't seem to find the memories of coming to the location or even what his name was. All he saw was a very familiar arm and a hand hugging him tightly, possessively so. The mismatched coloring of each bone brought ghosts of memories to him, but no sense of a name.

It started with an E, but what was it?

E…. Something….

What was his name again?

It started with…. Oh, what did it start with…?

He tried to remember as he messed with…. E’s fingers and joints. Gently pressing on each joint to make the fingers move but not wake….E.

It ended with a k…

Yes…. He was sure of it. It felt correct.

He looked around and saw on the nightstand a small vial with what looked to be… some sort of paint. He looked over slowly at E. He was still asleep. Twitching, but asleep.

Scooting to the side gently in an attempt to not wake him, he silently reached over enough to take the vial. It was such a small container and it was a bit murky, like paints that have mixed and the substance separated… It was half-empty too.

Oil paint.

He felt nothing towards it but at the same time… he had the urge to drink it.

He silently shook the vial until the murkiness faded into a lighter color and then popped the lid and took a swig, and some sense came crashing back. The ache he didn’t recognize he had faded slightly.

Error. The person who was sleeping next to him was Error.

His name was Ink.

They were in Zephyrtop, and he heard the distressed whispers of at least… two? People right outside the door. He hoped those were his dads, or really any of his siblings at this point. Ink blinked away the blurriness clouding his vision, trying to move from where he was, but felt no indication of legs or his right arm being present. Not even a pelvis.

 It all came rushing back to him.

He died in that fight.

—--

Dream slowly opened his eyes, welcomed to a foggy world of blurriness that was fading in and out of focus. He closed his eyesockets again as he, with much effort, pushed himself up off the bed so he could sit up straight. Once he felt stable enough, he stretched his arms, popping his shoulders in the process with a yawn.

He didn't feel even a ghost of pain or exhaustion. Just… peace.

He didn't think he slept that well in a while.

Rubbing the sleep out of his eyesockets, he saw a familiar face sitting at a small table with a tea set, having a small tea party with a few dolls, one of whom had a rather intricate knife stabbed right through its chest.

Katagma?

It took him a moment to remember the cup of tea he had drank from the mad skeleton. Yes… the cure that Izanagi had Katagma deliver.

The mad skeleton looked over at the guardian only to suddenly jump up and tackle Dream back into the bed.

“You're awake!” Katagma exclaimed happily. He grabbed Dream’s face and seemed to check every inch of it, “Not a speck of gray!”

“Yesh… I'm… awake…” Dream could barely speak as Katagma further squished Dream’s face and checked him over.

“They were so worried about you!” Katagma smiled.

They were– Dream remembered the auras of raw anxiety and apprehension around him before and a little after he drank from that teacup. The same feeling poofing away from Katagma’s own aura was indicative of that, but at least they had one less thing to worry about! 

Katagma gave him a confused look only to realize he was on top of Dream. Awkwardly, he slowly and carefully got off of the guardian and off the bed.

“Sorry.”

“It's alright.” Dream sighed, sitting back up.

“You hungry? I can make you a proper English Breakfast! Beans on toast, some eggs, roasted cherry tomatoes, some tea!” Katagma rambled.

“Maybe in a little bit, I’m still… waking up. But thank you very much!” Dream said, rubbing the excess sleep out of his eyes with another yawn. He reached out to track the other familiar auras of his friends.

Carrot, Cy, and Occultatum were deeper in the library. Alphys and Toriel were nowhere to be found.

“Where's Dr. Toriel and Alphys?” Dream asked.

“Back at the Asylum. They're making you a prescription, just to make sure you're fine.” Katagma said getting his tea cup and taking a small drink. “They were really concerned when they saw you finally ridding yourself of that venom.”

“I should thank Izanagi for that..” Dream mumbled only to suddenly ask, “Speaking of, where is he?”

“Hm?”

“Izanagi… where is he? I don't sense him anywhere in the library or this AU…” 

Katagma stared at Dream for a moment, as if trying to figure out how to answer the question, he looked away.

He didn't want to answer.

“Your anxiety is spiking…” Dream mumbled, “What's wrong? Did something happen to him?”

“Oh… no.” Katagma said.

He was lying. Dream still couldn’t read his aura like everyone else’s, but right now it appeared somewhat more stable. Katagma didn’t want to talk. That was okay, Dream wouldn’t force him, but perhaps he didn’t check what his face looked like, since looking at it caused Katagma to flinch.

“He's fine.” Katagma stated. He took a step back and disappeared. He didn't even leave a smile behind like he usually did.

Dream tried to sense where he was… but he wasn't anywhere in the building or even in the AU. The guardian of positivity sighed, managing a new hit of guilt. Alright, it was probably too early to ask where Izanagi was, not when his friends were already put through enough stress wondering if he’d wake up at all. 

He’ll ask Occultatum later, if the situation permits. 

Dream breathed in, then out, sliding off the bed and taking his IV with him by habit. He found a sink, turning on the faucet for cold water he could use to relieve the tension left on his face. Katagma was right, though! In his reflection in the mirror, Dream saw no sign of graying bones or rot, only small stains running down his cheeks. They were a little numbing to touch, but easy to wash off.

Next, he went to check his IV. Technically that was Occultatum’s job, but Dream couldn’t help but be curious about it since up until recently, it had been supplying him with the positivity to keep functioning. 

But now it was empty. 

“Hm…” Dream gently removed the dispensing needle from his arm, the hole in the bone where it once was healing up almost instantly. He didn’t see any leftover apples or arrows from the other him on that one table either, so they could have been moved, or maybe Dr. Toriel and Alphys were using them to make the prescription Katagma mentioned.

He has to meet that other him as well, wherever they are.  He couldn’t help but find it suspicious that Katagma would run off like that. Frowning, he rubbed the spot that the needle was formerly at. He hasn’t healed up like that in a long time. He didn’t even feel the pain of when he had initially got shot. It was as if everything was happening so quickly and suddenly and then hit a wall simply to pause.

Standing up Dream stretched his arms, legs and back as much as he could, feeling each joint pop as he did so.

He really did feel better than he had ever been. It was almost like the time before he and Night–...

He stopped that train of thought as quickly as possible. Shaking his head. No. That village used him. He knew that now. He accepted that now. He knew better now. Straightening out his oversized clothing and his hood, he went over the nightstand, got his crown, put it on, and then finally opened the door with such ease, like it was as easy and thoughtless as breathing. He really was at peak health.

He followed his senses to locate Occultatum and Carrot on the ground floor.

“You really think that my brother is out there?” Carrot asked, in almost a whisper.

“Yeah, if anything, he’s definitely active somewhere in the multiverse, if we can find even a trace of his magic, I might be able to locate him using the very spell I use to track Katagma.” Occultatum said confidently, “If it’s possible, I might be able to teach you how.” “Not gonna lie, Tatum. That’s kinda creepy.” Carrot clicked his teeth, reaching into his pocket for what looked like a box of cigarettes, but pulled out a candy stick to nibble on.

“Hey, he’s as unpredictable as two pulsar stars orbiting each other,” Occultatum replied, offended, “I have no other choice if I want to keep him from hurting himself or somebody else – It’d be even easier if Klezmer didn’t keep fucking it up, but I have to keep updating the spell every single time.”

They felt a pulse of uninhibited positivity flash in front of the entrance corridor, and there Dream was. Carrot blinked several times in a row, like he thought he was hallucinating and wanted to snap out of it. The shorter Papyrus looked over Occultatum’s shoulder, squinting towards what must be Dream, and the little guardian waved at him. “Dream??”

“No way…” Occultatum breathed before suddenly running over to Dream and checking his face and joints, “You’re awake! I almost thought you’d be…” he didn’t dare to finish that sentence. He obviously didn’t expect Dream to wake up at this point – perhaps at all. When he finished checking Dream over, he asked, “How are you feeling? Any dizziness? Pain? Stiffness?”

Dream shook his head to every symptom, his eyelights a much brighter gold, and peacefully attentive to Occultatum’s concerns. He looked perfectly energized for the first time in weeks, and there was not a speck of gray coloring in sight. 

And even though his aura wasn’t entirely back in action, both Carrot and Occultatum picked up on what little was present.

Dream was healing.

“Oh! No, I do have something!” He lifted the used IV packet into view, carefully wrapped along with its cord, needle, and plastic casing. “I’m sorry if I took it out too early again– it didn’t have anything left in it when I woke up.”

Occultatum took the packet and nodded, “I see, it must’ve run out while you were asleep, since Tori and Alphys went off with the rest of the ingredients…”

Dream was right, they were using up what was left to make the medication Katagma mentioned before.

“So he’s back to normal, right?” Carrot asked.

“I assume so, but Tori wants to make sure every last drop of venom is neutralized.” Occult stated.

“And what if that’s not possible?” The orange-hooded skeleton bit down on the candy in his mouth, more out of compulsion than anything else. “You said DeVille’s venom is compounded in intensity in comparison to Morabito’s. Would it build back up again or stay the way it is? Will Dream have to be on medication for who knows how long?” Occultatum couldn’t help but shake his head and shrug as he scooped up Dream to carry him around like a child, “I don’t know, honestly. It also depends on Level of Violence from what I know and experienced. I took a hit from him personally and had to be locked in the asylum for a month till I could control my emotions again. Considering that Izanagi helped here, Dream’s emotions should be back to normal somewhat. But whatever he couldn’t feel before getting hit he’s gonna start feeling it now. Morabito couldn’t feel any negative emotions before he got hit with DeVille’s venom, when he did, he was thrown into a suicidal depression and self-loathing for almost a year.”

Dream held back a shudder at that concept, and twisted a little bit out of Occultatum’s grip to compromise a place on his shoulders. The only emotion he knew he couldn’t feel before was hate, and considering so many in the multiverse fell and suffered intensely because of it, Dream didn’t know where he’d start in coping with it for himself. He was all too familiar feeling it in other people, Blue and Ink included back in the days where they protected the multiverse as a closely-knit team. He didn’t deny that there were things he couldn’t blame anyone for hating, considering the details behind certain traumas could never be excused in a million years, but the idea of him finally feeling the emotion of intense, concentrated loathing coming from himself was… the first reaction he had was fear, but there were ways to manage it, Dream just knew. The one example that came to mind was Blueberror’s case, both before and after the incident with Error.

He hoped he would see his friend again soon.

“You good, little buddy?” Carrot spoke up, shoving his hands into his hoodie pockets. “Ya look like you saw a ghost.” “Yes,” Dream said habitually, then recalled the talk in his tea-influenced dream and scrambled to correct himself, “I-I mean I am mostly, I’m just thinking. I don’t… uhm…,” he fell silent, some of the words he wanted to use refusing to pop up in his mind.

“Oh, that reminds me,” Occultatum used his magic and teleported a small phone to his free hand, “Here, Tori wanted me to give this to ya.” It was a small touchscreen phone, “It’s enchanted with my magic so you can contact us while you’re out doing your job. It has my number on there along with Tori’s and Katagma’s. So if you ever need anything or anyone to talk to, you have us.”

Dream received the phone and bit the tip of his tongue, watching the screen flash on with pop-ups, tiny text bubbles in Spanish pointing him in the direction of how to start its system and access customizable options. He didn’t know how to use a phone, but saw a couple examples from his friends on how they could work. So holding onto it with both of his hands, Dream began to fiddle with the device, taking an extra moment here and there to fully process the instructions it was giving him.

He didn’t fully understand how this would help him in the long run beyond the idea Occultatum presented, maybe he was missing some information on the subject, which Dream was used to happening long before this point, but he’d figure it out.

A shimmering portal opened up on the other end of the room only for a roar of unrelenting frustration to be heard, “OKAY THAT BRAT BETTER BE UP RIGHT NOW OR SO HELP ME I’M GOING TO FUCKING LOSE IT!”

“Aaaand, that’s Morabito…” Occultatum sighed, “Great…” he put Dream down, who had instantly looked up from the phone in response to his stand-in and flinched at the unexpected dose of negativity.

“SERIOUSLY I’VE TALKED TO THE SAME PEOPLE SO MANY FUCKING TIMES ABOUT ALMOST THE EXACT SAME FUCKING THINGS AND THAT AIN’T EVEN THA WORST OF IT.” roared the voice. Finally, the owner walked out from behind several bookshelves, his blue and gold suit, though well put-to-gether, was a stark contrast to Morabito’s frustration. Rage emanated off of him, and visibly so thanks to how he was breaking his own summoned arrows out of a need of release. 

To say Carrot was taken off guard at the entrance was an understatement, but managed to hold it together until Morabito’s twisted face came into the skeleton equivalent of rendered distance. Underswap’s prankster cut off his own snort, slapping a hand over his mouth and nose, then turned around so Dream’s raging alternative couldn’t see him. Carrot gripped the shelf in front of him, his maxilla and mandible beginning to jitter together the longer he held in his inevitable laughter. When Morabito saw Dream, he leaned against a shelf and sighed in heavy relief, “Oh thank god, squirt, I thought I was gonna have to keep this shit up for the next month! How the hell do you do it? I’ve been jumping from AU to AU having to yap about the same shit for ages and then this weird living mudpuddle kept following me around for the past three days! THREE FUCKING DAYS! I shot him with so many arrows you could mistake him for a god damn porcupine! I swear! How do you juggle all this shit?”

Mud puddle? He must be talking about Nightmare! Carrot had to apply his other hand to his face, a squeak escaping from between his teeth. Dream shot him a puzzled look, not understanding what Carrot found so funny in the middle of Morabito letting off some frustrated steam, but decided to pay no mind. 

“Uh… It depends on how I think about it…” Dream found the ON/OFF button on the phone, switching it off for the time being. He couldn’t tell if Morabito was asking out of exasperation or genuine, appalled curiosity. “I’m sorry it’s been a lot for you. Are you okay otherwise?”

“Depends on how ya think about it…?” Morabito gave him a concerned look, he then looked over at Occultatum in disbelief, “Are you sure he’s okay? Maybe Tori should give him a once-over… kid, I’m fine. The last arrow did a number on the weirdo. Shot him right through the skull. I just can’t stand the repetitiveness of it all. At least when I collect desires, I go into other people’s dreams, a lot of them being more different than the last. With your job, I felt like I was doin’ an insane-person’s social experiment with no end!”

“Oh…” ‘Insane-person’s social experiment with no end’? That wouldn’t be how Dream described it, but then again he wouldn’t wish his occupation on anyone else. It took so much patience, time, and energy.

But Dream loved helping people. Even from an objective standpoint, it benefitted both parties. He would receive more positivity to strengthen himself, and the fact he was there would leave a positive imprint on the reality he just visited. Everyone deserves a chance at improving their own lives. Sometimes they just needed a guide or someone who would listen to them. It really depended on the situation at hand.

He didn’t understand what Morabito found so repetitive about it, since everyone he spoke to had their own struggles and differences in personality and ideology that affected how they responded to everyday events. But on the other hand, he and Morabito were different people. He was bound to have a wildly different perspective than Dream did.

Morabito gave a frustrated growl at Dream’s befuddlement only for Carrot to speak up, having cleared himself of the giggles, “He’s fine, Tori just wants to make him a prescription, I don’t know how long she’s going to have him on it, so we’re going to have to go to the asylum to see her here in a bit, so you’re finally free to go back to your AU.”

“Finally!” Morabito sighed. “I just hope that thing didn’t follow me here… It was so desperate, my god! I almost thought that shitty detective was after me again! If I find that creature in my AU I’m gonna lose it and I might end up committing murder. It’s bad enough I have to put up with DeVille always encroaching on my territory, stealing my clients with his freaking liquor! One negative masochist is enough! I don’t need more!”

Occult held back the urge to not snark the mobster. He knew about Morabito and DeVille’s plights in their AUs. Some detective was after them for encouraging people to sleep, Morabito through the use of addictive medication and DeVille through alcohol. He actually got some from Katagma, all of it apple-based. DeVille, having used magic to grow an entire orchard worth of apples, had years worth of alcohol, all of which were processed and distilled, ready for anyone to take. 

He remembered Katagma mentioning that DeVille had the tendency to market towards women, specifically stay-at-home mothers and wives since it was popular to use alcohol in cooking as much as it was for drinking. Morabito went the clinical route, but didn’t expect for his product to be popular enough to overdose on. Humans were addicted to the medication which had traces of his magic in it. It was still a mystery as to why. Even Tori couldn’t figure it out.

In an attempt to distract Dream from his counterpart’s ranting, Carrot handed him Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, a bookmark in the page the guardian left off of before he drank that bewitched tea, “I heard you were fond of this one.”

Absentmindedly, Dream took the book, momentarily confused over the offer until he saw the cover again, “Thank you, Papyrus!” Then it hit him that he forgot to tell Occultatum one more thing. Dream kept his eye on the cover, thinking back to Katagma leaving in anxiety and sorrow. He hoped he didn’t make the illusionist feel worse than he already was, but there was no way to confirm his emotional standing if he wasn’t here. “Excuse me? Occultatum?”

“Yeah?” Occult looked down at Dream. “What’s wrong?”

“I might have made Katagma upset and now I can’t sense him anywhere… Do you know where he went? Do you know if he’s okay?”

“Katagma?” Morabito gave Dream a confused, “If that bastard ain’t here, he’s at the asylum. He can only teleport between here and Asylumtale when Occult’s watching him.”

Occult nodded, “Yeah, wonder why he went there.” He used his magic to bring a screen showing a map of Asylumtale’s Underground, there was a small dot near where the gates of Snowedin was at, but a bit off to the side, like a building was built into the mountain walls themselves. “He locked himself in his room…”

“I asked him about Izanagi. Was that wrong of me?” Dream looked to the side, thinking it over again if he really did overstep a boundary. As much as he never intended to, he made mistakes here and there, and Katagma’s emotions and basic body language were difficult to read.

“Oh…” Occultatum frowned, he really didn’t want to do this to him. “About that… No, you’re not in the wrong, nor did you do something wrong. He and Izanagi are really close… If Katagma isn’t going to tell you, then I guess I’ll have to be the one to do it… It’s only right that you know.” He took a deep breath, this was going to hurt. “Izanagi sacrificed his memories to perform the ritual that got you that cure. From what Katagma told me, the demon was repelled by the spell Izanagi used. That demon kept him from losing any memories he had after whatever caused that hole in his skull. So he lost the majority of his memories… Katagma said it might take a while before Izanagi is… well… Izanagi.”

Dream nodded, then fell silent, mulling over that information. He wanted to pay Izanagi a visit and thank him for the cure, but now this made him want to do that more, even though it was in both their best interests that he wait until the priest recovered. 

“Dream. Don’t even think about it,” Carrot barely looked over the top of his book, something having to do with math and physics, “You have just started to really recover. Is going to a different version of Horrortale that appealing to you now?” “No… No, it’s not,” The guardian of positivity replied honestly, his shoulders lowering as he kept thinking. In one of the halls leading to his room, Dream caught sight of a star-themed map of the Outer Realms. He suspected one of the orange stars was this variation of Horrortale, but if it bore any similarity to the one he was most familiar with, it probably had an overabundance of negativity. He wouldn’t be able to get in or out without another outcode’s help.

“Hey, I know you’re worried about him. There’s nothing wrong with that,” Carrot closed his book, keeping his index finger on the page where he left off, “If you want to get back to business so soon, maybe the sentient strawberry tequila sunrise can think of something. Outerswap is pretty big from what I gather, after all.”

Occultatum looked at Carrot as if wondering how long this whole thing was gonna last, but also impressed he kept coming up with more insults, “Oh, don’t give me that, you orange creamsicle, I don’t speak Japanese. If you want someone who does, Katagma is your only bet unless you want to try your luck with DeVille, Edelweiss, or even Klezmer himself. And I doubt you want that.”

“I’ll take my chances with Edelweiss,” Carrot replied with little to no hesitation, “I don’t know about Dream, though.”

The guardian in question shook his head, opening his book again, “No, not yet.”

Suddenly Morabito appeared behind Occultatum, he looked like he ran a marathon, sitting down in one of the chairs, “Nope. Nope. Not doing that… No, not going back there again…”

Occultatum looked over at the mobster, “Asylumtale?”

“Yep.”

“Sketch was there?”

“Yep.”

“What did he say?”

Morabito glared at Occultatum, “What didn’t he say? He and Katagma got into it again. I’m not getting tied up in that shit.”

“Oh, he’s dead…” Occultatum growled.

“Good luck with that, he’s lost his stupid paints.” Morabito huffed, “Idiot said he probably lost it in that scrap with the Inner Circle’s glitch and husk.”

Figures he’d do that… Occultatum wondered if he could convince Tori into letting him throw the idiot into a blackhole like he’s been wanting.

Dream had just turned to another page, but closed it again and looked up, “Wait—! His paints are gone? What if he stops functioning?”

Occultatum chuckled, “As if, he never took them anyways, only kept them in his bag because he doesn’t want anyone to make him take them. He finds emotions to be the same as a mental illness. He’s never taken them, he just… exists. We’ve theorized he has a soul somewhere out in the multiverse and that’s what’s keeping him functioning, but we haven't found it if Klezmer hasn’t destroyed it already.”

The guardian blinked, his prior confusion having doubled, “Is Sketch not your version of Ink? I don’t understand…,” Dream bit his ‘lip’, “Ink needs his paints to live! He has to take them daily or else he just… stops!”

It perplexed him that Sketch didn’t have the same struggle, but if he was in a fight with Ink and Error at some point, that could mean one of two things. One, Ink now had extra vials, and his life was extended. But for option two, Error could have disregarded the extra paints entirely. If he were spiteful enough, could have thrown them away as well. But Dream also didn’t know the true extent of how close the two were, and it’s not like he ever asked Ink for details. For all he knew, Ink could be in good hands, and his concern wasn’t necessary. All he knew for certain was Error was a sporadic individual. He could be happy one second and hostile the next, but he couldn’t safely assume the situation with so little information.

“Well, I’m this area’s version of you and I ain’t related to Nightmare DeVille by a long shot and I require Positive Desires as sustenance. Why shouldn’t Sketch be drastically different from that Ink?” Morabito stated.

He wasn’t lying either, Klezmer was far more active and far more stable from Error. Even going as far as using his strings in a completely different way, and also having friends, unlike Error who was said to be as stable as Jenga tower standing on one leg, and lazier than a sloth. And Katagma was like if Dusttale Sans and Killer had crazy sex in a back alley with five hundred bottles of tequila, only to have a child and name him Katagma, and that was putting it lightly. Each variation was more different than the next. The Outer Realms were beyond different than anything Dream had encountered. Izanagi was the greatest example of it. He was Japanese and a priest of all things, calm and collected. Polite as could be. No Horrortale Sans was ever like that. He wasn’t even obsessing over food or starving himself in the same breath.

“I didn’t say they shouldn’t be different–,” Dream stammered, “I just didn’t have much context. I’m sorry.”

“Yeeaahhh, you’re gonna struggle with that here,” Carrot mumbled through putting another candy stick in his mouth, “You got more differences here than just the outcodes too, Dream. In one of the AUs here, it’s illegal to fucking sleep. Can you imagine that?”

Morabito grinned and raised his hand, “That would be mine! Thanks! I fucking hate it! We’ve been starving so fucking bad we’ve been dealing illegal drugs and alcohol to force them to!... We need them to sleep so we can get their desires for substance. I’ve been alive because I’ve been getting desires from other AUs since I met Sketch… It would be nice if my AU wasn’t shit… Lucky bastards, all of you.”

“Well damn, dude, would you like me to conk out now if that would help you out?” With a shit-eating grin on his face, Carrot had never looked so excited to faceplant from where he stood.

“No, go to my AU, and kill every single political figure. Just murder them in the face.” Morabito grumbled, “I’ve been tempted to have Katagma do it, but that would be too obvious, and Tatum would kill me for it.”

“Yes. I would kill you for it.” Occult confirmed, smiling.

“Anyways, because you losers aren’t fluent in Dream and I am, I suppose I should translate what he was going for,” Carrot put his book away, and held the candy stick between his middle and index fingers like he would with his usual cigarettes. He cleared his throat, meeting Dream’s glance, “Don’t give me that look, they don’t know basic kindness even if it punched them in the face.”

Dream sighed, hoping Carrot wouldn’t lay into them with too much vitriol. “Dream, even though he didn’t have the best access of words, was concerned for Sketch in regards to his health, much like he is for his friiieeennnnnnndd, Ink,” Carrot cringed inwardly at the use of the word, but the subject of the gay allegations against Dream were going to fly over the guardian’s head faster than he could chuck rocks, “Then next on my list of predicting his next train of thought, I assume Dream was then going to ask if he would be allowed access to Asylumtale so he could deescalate the situation and perhaps provide further relief if needed.” He then looked to Dream, “Is this translation accurate, my friendo?” The guardian nodded, “Mmhm!”

Occultatum snickered at the comments and statements, “We do know kindness… but towards Sketch… No. Not at all. Gratitude, a bit, but not kindness. But if you want to try to get into that mess, then go ahead, just don’t expect to get very far. Just go ahead and get ready, we need to get to Asylumtale anyways to see Tori. Your clothes should be in the top drawer in the room I lent you.”

“Yeah, that’s gonna end terribly… I’ll leave a few arrows and desires here just in case… Try not to die.” Morabito snapped his fingers, summoning a small bunch of the Positive Desire Apples and a bundle of arrows. “Good luck. You’re gonna need it.”

Carrot nodded, understanding the tension in the room almost as much as Dream did, but unlike Dream, he had no plans to go. He wasn’t gonna deal with another Ink, especially when this version has been heavily implied, if not outright said, to have worse behavior in comparison. His plans for the rest of the day were to sit back and relax, wait for Occultatum to return from transporting Dream, then ask what the census was on bringing Indigo and Undyne here.

“Thank you,” Dream replied to Morabito, ignoring the clear agitation and defeat in his voice.

—-------

Asylumtale was not much like normal Asylumtale, in fact… It was even stranger. Dream had assumed before the last discussion that the asylum it was named after was built into a wall of the mountain’s cave system, but it was far… deeper than that. He had stepped out of a portal made by Occult to see the largest building he had seen since many of the Kings’ and Queens’ castles in various AUs. The Underground looked to be vast in comparison. They didn’t even seem to be between Snowedin or the Ruins, more that they just… blended together, even a pathway led between the two and the asylum building itself as if it were a house along a path of sidewalks.

Occult opened the gate and nodded at Dream to follow through. The AU radiated a mix of positivity and negativity. He saw a small skeleton playing with a human child as he was about to walk up to the asylum.

“Papyrus!” called out the human child, “Catch!”

The human child tossed a snowball at the skeleton.

“Oh you’re on!” the skeleton grinned, “You’ll never defeat the Great Papyrus! Master of Snowball–” the human threw another snowball, this time hitting him in the face.

The fight was on!

Normally the Papyrus of the majority of the AUs was a grown adult. This one was like a Littletale merged with an Asylumtale.

“Come on.” Occult said, gently grabbing Dream’s hand and leading him to the doors of the Asylum.

The moment that they walked through the smell of sterilization was present. The asylum smelt clean. Almost too clean.

“Hey, Grills” Occultatum sighed. “What’s the damage?”

“Well… not much, took us a good second to wrestle Katagma and Sketch down. But luckily for us, the enchantments kept them from using their magic.” Grillby stated dull-ly, looking up from his newspaper, “Is that the little star you found?”

“Yep. Dream, this is Grillby, he’s the one you’ll be getting your prescription from – speaking of which, how's it coming along?” Occult asked.

“Alphys is almost done. Thirty-seven-point-five milligram tablets of pure Positivity Magic. They should help the kiddo recover in no-time. We figured out how to condense it down. He’ll have to take one daily.” Grillby stated.

“That’s good. Let’s go check on the dumbass-twins.” Occult sighed, dragging Dream along.

“You keep calling me a kid. Why is that?” Dream quickened his pace, keeping up with Occultatum easily, “I am over five hundred years old…”

“Because, you’re cute, short, and just generally kid-like in a little quirky way. Plus, because I can.” Occult said simply, “Also, I don’t care if you’re five hundred years old, you are very much kid-like in an adorable way. But I’ll stop if you want me to.”

“I would appreciate that,” The guardian stated. If not for several people with similar emotional issues to Katagma’s, Dream would have had minimal issue tracking him down, but if Sketch had any more similarities to Ink, that could also mean he couldn’t find him the usual way. 

“Alright, Starlight.” Occultatum shrugged as he led Dream deeper into the asylum.

The building split off into many halls, it was almost maze-like, but once the rooms started to get into the double-digit numbers, that's when Dream saw a familiar face… but it wasn’t Katagma.

Sitting on the floor, using a notebook as a sketchpad, was a figure with a pale gray-blue hoodie and fur cuffed boots. His eyelights dull, and face unreadable. He seemed to be drawing using a basic pen.

“Hey, Sketch.” mumbled Occultatum.

Sketch looked up from the notebook slowly and glanced at Dream. “What’s that?”

“This is Dream.”

“Oh.” he went back to drawing.

This guy was something else. Dream looked him over in bewilderment, thinking outside of Sketch’s comment.

“Lost your bag?” Occult asked.

“Mmhm,” Sketch hummed.

“Even your paints?”

The husk looked up at Occultatum, “Yeah, I think that the one who's like me took them. Don't know why. He's wasting his time over something so useless.”

Occultatum practically radiated loathing. Dream let go of the taller one’s hand due to the pain of the negativity and rubbed his fingers together to numb the sting. Dream looked at Occultatum, then Sketch, whose blank stare was chilling. 

It started to make sense as to why Occult and Morabito detested Sketch. They were giving back the same energy that he gave them. Though Sketch had no emotions, his attitude and dismissiveness was exactly the same thing that infuriated Morabito and Occultatum so much. Dream even sensed that Occultatum was only acting concerned for Sketch, perhaps for Dream’s own peace of mind, despite how uncomfortable it made him.

“Maybe you just haven't tried them out long enough.” Occultatum practically forced himself to say.

“No.” Sketch said looking back to what he was drawing, it was a basic pattern, “They serve no purpose. Emotions are only for the entertainment of the creators, I don't need them because. I need to work objectively.”

Occultatum glared daggers at Sketch but didn't speak any further, his emotions clearly turning more negative the longer he stood there. Convincing the husk to take an artistic equivalent to medication wasn’t the reason they were there to begin with.

Dream gave Occultatum a pat on the arm and released the breath he didn’t think he was holding. “If you want to leave, it’s okay. I’ll handle this.”

“Okay… I’ll be at Katagma’s room, it’s further down the hall… you’ll know it when you see it…” Occultatum sighed, releasing his own held breath before walking off. Leaving Dream alone with Sketch.

Sketch didn’t even seem to acknowledge what they were doing, going back to his notebook as if it was more interesting than them. For anyone else, the etiquette of basic conversation would have been thoroughly disrespected and all participants would have been insulted. But did Dream care all that much for societal rules of interaction?

In this case? Not particularly.

The guardian sat on the floor across from Sketch, crossing his legs. He couldn’t pick up any emotional indication of discomfort or otherwise from him, as that was to be expected, but body language could exist on its own as well, and that wasn’t present either. From what Dream could translate for himself, the artist looked comfortable where he was, for the little feeling he could register, if any at all.

Sketch looked up for a moment before turning the page on the notebook, looked back up at Dream and began drawing again. Dream could only figure that the artist was drawing the guardian himself. “Are you okay with me talking to you?”

“Why wouldn’t I be?” Sketch asked.

“I don’t know what your preferences are. I wanted to make sure,” Dream replied.

The artist paused his drawing and seemed to think for a moment, “I don’t have many preferences. I don’t mind speaking to you.”

“Okay,” The guardian nodded, “Can you tell me about your work?”

“I just go and observe other AUs.” Sketch stated, continuing his drawing, “I observe their developments and do my best to not interfere unless I have to. Such as when Katagma and others that work with Klezmer are going around killing characters, then I have to step in and stop them. Once I get them to go away, I leave the AU and move on to the next.”

Dream brushed away the personal feeling of unease, settling on exploring it later. The familiarity of his younger years didn’t sit well with him, even to this day, but… that was okay. At least, for right now, it had to be. “Is that why you and Katagma had conflict earlier? You don’t like that he hurts others?”

Sketch shook his head, “No, that’s not it. He didn’t like it when I told him that the only reason he does it is because he hasn’t gotten over the fact that his purpose is over. His AU was used – like all other AUs – as a form of entertainment. His story is over and he hasn’t gotten over it. He really should’ve moved on by now, it’s been years.”

“That’s… not really how that works.” Dream stated, resting his elbows on his knees, “N-not entirely…,” He took a moment to collect his thoughts, thinking back on his time with Ink and Blue through a filtering lens. The concept that everyone around him was a ‘character’, a being with no sentience with no wants or needs, used to be a subject debated between himself and Ink. The guardian wasn’t a fan of the vocabulary used, where every word implied something or someone wasn’t real in their own right, but sometimes explaining a concept to someone using what they already know is one of the better approaches. He breathed in, “Stories have sequels, and not every character has a purpose… this doesn’t mean their right to exist is over, or that none of their experiences matter anymore… it– uhm… certain events make imprints on people. Emotional or not, it was important, and it’s not something they can always move on from. Does that make sense?”

Sketch tilted his head in thought, trying to process the information, “I suppose it does. I don’t see the reason for it, but I do understand that some creators really like for their stories to continue, but Katagma’s was over a long time ago… Perhaps the creators are still playing around with his story. But the reason for him keeping that imprint of that previous story is hard for me to understand. Digital Klezmer was that way. He always kept that scarf of his around until I threw it away. He was so upset with me for it, I don’t see why. I was only trying to help, plus it was hard to understand him sometimes when it would cover his mouth.”

“Maybe… hm…,” Dream raked his memory for the word he was looking for. Maybe he should have asked for a dictionary before he and Occultatum departed from the library, “I want to try to explain trauma and sentimental values to you, but I can’t think of the words I need…” 

Perhaps he could use a comparison. 

“Imprints in these stories are… hard to figure out. A lot of the time, these can have traumatic effects on the characters that experienced bad events. So uhm… think of that like a scar,” Dream took off his golden filet, rubbing his thumb over the curled metal in thought, “Scars can heal with time, but not always, even when they scab over. They can leave marks, which are reminders of the bad event that caused it…”

“But why remember it then?” Sketch asked, putting his notebook and pen down, to the side of himself, “They can just remember other things instead, can’t they?”

“Yes and no,” Dream replied, “Trauma does… odd things to one’s mind, and these effects can… vary from person to person. It can depend on many things. But sometimes they do forget it, and sometimes they can’t. How trauma is like scars is they can come in many forms, and there are forms of it where healing is one of the hardest things someone can do. Think of it like… they lost a foot. They can keep moving with the right help, but growing it back might not be a choice for them. That foot won’t come back, and replacements aren’t the same.”

Sketch shrugged, “Unless I heal them, then they’d be as if they were just painted. But I see what you mean. You sound a lot like Dr. Toriel. But I still don’t understand how emotions of all things have value. Seems more like a disease than it does anything else. If it is such a hindrance, then I don’t see a value in it.”

“Emotions aren’t always a… hindrance…,” Dream scooted up against the wall next to Sketch, leaning back on it, “In truth, they are many things, but I don’t think they have no value… if you sort all emotions into things like negativity and positivity, that doesn’t really help define them either…” 

“Emotions can help in terms of living, like if you find yourself in a situation but objectively can’t find anything wrong with it, but your emotions either favor it or don’t… they can serve as a uhm… a compass? In theory. And ignoring a feeling can hurt you in the long-run, too, because they are trying to tell you something you can’t see or define with words.”

“I know it’s… vague, but emotions do more things than what they are blamed for…,” Dream put the circlet back on his head, “I don’t always understand them either, sometimes… heh.”

Sketch tried to think about it, he seemed to process every word but couldn’t seem to come to a definite conclusion in all of it, “I understand what you’re saying, but for me to test out that theory… It’s a bit too late for that. The other version of me has my bag, so it’s not like I can try it. I suppose I’ll just have to be more careful with my words and actions to see if anything changes with how people react to anything I say.”

“That’s okay! Maybe when I see him again I can get it back for you,... if that’s what you want.”

“I’ll think about it.” Sketch said plainly.

“Alright! I have to go now, but thanks for talking to me!” 

Next stop, Katagma. Dream got up, minding Sketch’s notebook and pens on the floor. He looked down the hallway, and saw the end of Occultatum’s cloak sticking out one of the open doors. That must be Kata’s room. 

He looked back at Sketch, giving him a wave goodbye, and headed towards the door.

Sketch waved back.

—------

Occultatum, throughout the time that Dream and Sketch were talking, had been trying to comfort Katagma, though it was barely working considering that there were far more claw marks and tears in the padded cell that was Katagma’s room… and he had to be tied up again. The belts that were on his straightjacket were fastened tightly to keep him from trying anything.

“Please, tell them to let me out…” Katagma whined, flopping backwards.

“I can't. You know this.” Occultatum sighed.

“But it's annoying.” Katagma whined again.

“I know… what did you even do?” Occult asked.

Katagma stayed silent for a moment, “Tried to bash his face into the tile floor…”

“Katagma….” Occult groaned.

“He deserved it!” Katagma said defensively. “He kept saying we’re characters and–”

“I know. I’ve spoken to him multiple times.” Occult huffed, “But you know you can’t lash out violently here!”

“But…” Kata whined and rolled over onto his stomach so he could squirm his way to a comfortable position. “It’s not fair that I have to be tied up but he doesn’t.”

“He can’t feel pain, remember? He wouldn’t care if Edelweiss or I shot him a couple times,” Occultatum stated, “It’s not like he’s going to react to anything.”

Dream caught himself from just walking in, and stopped to lean just outside the door frame, knocking on the flat of the door, “Hello? I don’t want to interrupt anything–”

“You’re not,” Occultatum sighed, relieved that Dream seemed okay, “So, how was your time with Sketch? Didn’t annoy you too much did he?”

“Violence isn’t surprising when it comes to interacting with him… obviously.” Katagma frowned, finally sitting up to look at Dream.

“It was…,” The guardian glanced at the ceiling as he looked for the right word, “...productive, I think. I didn’t find him annoying or hostile.”

Occult and Kata stared at Dream in shock. They looked at each other, wondering if they heard the same thing.

“Kata is definitely hallucinating again.” said the tied up skeleton, “Kata thought he heard you say that Sketch wasn’t annoying and the conversation was productive.”

“No, Kata… I heard the exact same thing…” Occult mumbled, “What happened?”

Katagma looked like he was horrified at the prospect of there being someone who could get anything through to Sketch, and while Dream clearly picked up on that, now it was his turn to be more confused than a three year old shoved into a trigonometry class.

He raised a figurative brow, doing a double take between Katagma and Occultatum respectively, “I don’t think he understood what he did wrong and why, so… I asked him for his side of what happened and explained what I could from there… he didn’t understand all of it, but he was… responsive? To what he did.”

Katagma stared at Dream, “Bloody hell, you got farther than Klezmer ever did.”

Occultatum shook his head, “I doubt this is gonna last, Toriel found her conversations with him to be productive but she still struggles with him. But I’ll give credit where credit is due, at least you got something.”

Katagma looked like he wanted to hug Dream for putting in the effort but he was obviously tied up at the moment, literally. The jiggling of the belts behind him were evident of his situation. He flopped backwards again in frustration.

Dream didn’t know how he felt about the two’s complete lack of faith in Sketch, but the jingling coming from Katagma distracted that thought from continuing any further. He stepped into the room, closing the door at the halfway point while he was at it.

He was familiar with Asylumtale, the Inner Realms one, but it often had so much concentrated negativity he hardly ever had the chance to really know its environment or what the inhabitants were like for himself. The only concepts he was given came from Ink, and they didn’t visit the AU as much either.

Was Katagma’s… shirt? Coat…? A product of this place, or was it a universal concept? “Are you okay? Why are you in that?”

“Oh, the straightjacket?” Katagma asked, “They put me in it because I kept being… violent… and I just started feeling comfortable in it and started decorating it… But it’s become a habit of them tying me up if I become violent...” Katagma changed his tone of voice as if to mock the speaker – who was likely Toriel – “This is for your own good! We can’t risk you hurting yourself or someone else!” He rolled his eyelights, “Well, I wouldn’t hurt anyone if that someone would just stop being such a pest.”

“He killed this AU’s Undyne before he got the straightjacket, after that he just started willingly wearing it and at any sign of violent behavior, he’ll be subdued and tied.” Occult stated, “I’m still trying to figure out a spell to make it an automatic thing.”

“YOU WOULDN'T!” Katagma screeched with a look of betrayal.

“I would.” Occult glared at Kata, “You know the difference between right and wrong, and yet you keep killing! I’m stopping you one way or another, even if I have to go against Toriel’s orders.”

Dream couldn’t help but stare at the absolute look of horror and hurt on Katagma’s face. Katagma frowned and looked away from Occultatum who in turn softened up a bit. To change the subject and make the room a bit more comfortable, “So this is your room?”

“Yeah!” Katagma smiled, “It’s not the best room, but it’s nice!”

Sure it was…

[laugtherhyena]

I don't know what LINUJ was thinking when he chose to make Yoruko's upperclassman and Minako two separate characters but personally I don't really mind it? Mostly cause when I see background characters that don't officially appear beyond a few mentions, I go, "A character that barely has a skeleton of a personality that I can mold to my whims?! WOOO!!" and then proceed to squeeze them like a stress ball. I don't think about Amane (the upperclassman) a lot, especially in comparison to Kojiro, but I think it'd be fun to explore her character as I do have a project idea with her as part of the cast but it's kinda on the backburner of my brain cause I'm trying not to make too many projects at once cause I'm already struggling to juggle a bunch of other stuff at the same time. That being said, on the topic of Amane's pink hair, I actually think it's dyed?? Not sure cause I only just got passed the second bad end with my friend in Chapter 6 so we haven't seen the context of Yoruko's CG where she's in her fantasy, so take this with a grain of salt, but for some reason the wiki labels the CG as Yoruko talking to Minako??? And the woman shown has her hair having faded pink tips, revealing that her roots are actually brown. Ngl, the idea that Minako (still) dyes her hair to the color she has today is really funny but I think that's just the wiki editors messing up on whos who. Sometimes wikis aren't the most reliable source of information when you want to quickly review something without replaying the game and stuff, and I think it makes more sense that in Yoruko's fantasy, she'd be reunited with who she believes is her upperclassman, even if she cares about Minako. And if we take her appearance in the fantasy as truth from what little we can see of her, that means that both Amane and Yoruko dyed their hair for their hostess job (although Yoruko did it to mimic Amane specifically), lmao.

But yeah, I think the sequel cast having connections to the characters of the previous game is a really neat tie-in, even if it's not very strong and it's interesting to explore their connections with each other in fanon. My headcanon with Setsuka and Teruya being sibling figures to each other could be interesting since they actually reunite through their work, and probably spent a lot of time catching up and getting to know each other again. Which makes it hurt even more when Setsuka goes missing. Like, Teruya probably freaked out when he realized he hasn't heard from Setsuka in a long time and tried to push for an investigation to search for her which Kinjo put a stop to due to his own plans with Syobai. Poor guy was probably torn between disobeying orders to find Setsuka since he didn't want to lose another important person in his life or falling in line to Kinjo due to his loyalty to him. But if Kinjo were to suggest that she might've been kidnapped for the killing game, possibly to "fill in space," Teruya probably chose to fall in line since stopping Mikado's killing game would probably be the closest way to save Setsuka, even if he wanted to do more. And we all know how that worked out...

On a much lighter note, in a Non-Despair AU where Setsuka and Kojiro cross paths again after many years, I like to think that they reignite their friendship since I see Kojiro being more upset over Setsuka ghosting him (and Teruya) for years without an explanation than the fact that she cheated and got herself banned in billiards, which probably caused some controversy with his sponsorship for her. Hell, he probably thought she was dead or something with how long he didn't hear from her. That's kinda what happens when you go into hiding instead of confronting the consequences of your actions, Setsuka. But once they get pass the initial awkwardness, Setsuka and Kojiro becomes best buds again. They also become drinking buddies with Teruya (as an adult) chaperoning them, much to his (affectionate) annoyance.

It's crazy to me how he just made this random ass character instead of making Minako herself be the upperclassmen, like that would have led to a much stronger connection between Yoruko and the first killing game's class than Minako just so happening to be the boss at the bar her and Amane worked at.

Slight tangent here but, seriously, Amane Kaira? Two letters away from Akane Taira? I know Linuj has a track record of having characters with similar names in the another series, but this ridiculous. How were we seriously meant to believe this was a real person? Because for the longest time i just assumed that "Amane Kaira" was the fake ID Minako used when she worked at the bar with Yoruko since she mentioned both of them had it because they were minors back then.

As for the wiki, i believe it really is just flat out wrong when it says that's Yoruko talking to Minako (which generated this whole misconception) because those CGs were first uploaded there just a little after Ch6 came out so we didn't had everything properly translated back then and it just never got fixed + just from the little we see of this girl you can tell she's not meant to be Minako

In addition, the hair color of the girl in the Cg is a soft pink whereas Minako's is a pink closer to a purple-ish (violet-ish, whatever you wanna call it) tone + from both of her sprite galleries Minako's hair really doesn't seem to be dyed when you compare it to characters we know have dyed hair in the series (Emma has visible brown streaks in her blonde hair and Hajime's is really really light at the top for some reason)

And if this isn't enough, Linuj straight up adresses her as her own person in Yoruko's character sheet (translation by ToastCat333)

So yeah, Amane, the totally real person who is not Minako Tomori! As much as this stuff annoys me, I can't say I'm not a fan of picking minor characters and making up ocs out of them, I'm curious to see what you'll make up of this character.

[guppygiggles]

Like Real People Do, Part 5! ♡ (Casper x Avery)

☁️ Summary: Avery is curious about tickling, which he's never experienced. Casper can hardly contain himself. Both are a bit nervous -- can they find a way to break the ice?

☁️ Warnings: Ler!Casper, Lee!Avery, VERY SUGGESTIVE, LOTS OF TEASING, SUPER SUPER GAY, NO MINORS!

☁️ Author's Note: This is probably the most self-indulgent thing I've ever shared with Tumblr, and if you can believe it, I didn't even go as far as I wanted to, and I am planning on continuing this scene ahh-

This is a series now!

Part 1

Part 2

Part 3

Part 4

Part 5 *you are here

Part 6

Part 7

Part 8

If you just got here and want to know more about my characters, you can read my comic starting right here!

“So… how do you want me?”

We were standing at the foot of my neatly made, queen-sized bed. Avery was so tall that day, I wondered if his feet would hang off the end; it was going to be close. Biting my lip, I was helpless but to imagine him lying on his back, arms over his head as I straddled his waist, his boisterous laughter filling the room. How did I want him? How did I not? 

I turned to look at him, still dressed in his cold-weather day clothes. He hadn't even taken off his sweater, yet. 

“Well, you won't be very comfortable wearing that outfit. You might… get a bit warm. Did you bring anything to sleep in?”

“Warm, huh? You must have big plans for me,” he quipped, catching me off guard, and then added with a giggle before I could respond, “just playing; I’ll go change.”

As clothing shuffled on the other side of the bathroom door, I was grateful for the hum of my AC unit to cushion the silence. Just listening felt intrusive, but my apartment was so small, there was no way to give him more privacy. Leaning against the wall of my bedroom, I looked down at my socked toes flexing against the carpet. I’d never seen Avery's bare feet before. I'd never seen most parts of his body; in the few months I'd known him, he'd never worn anything more revealing than his standard short sleeve button-up and slacks, even in the summer. Sheepishly, I wondered what his belly looked like; I bet it was as soft as the rest of him, maybe even softer. I wondered if I'd be able to see the mysterious storm inside of him more clearly on a bigger canvas. I imagined his ribs, his sides, his underarms… how ticklish was each spot? Was he squirmy? Squeaky? Was he the type to hold his giggles in until he couldn't stand it anymore…? 

I whimpered, fidgeting impatiently as I tried to resist the urge to imagine him further; I was beginning to sweat, and we hadn't even started yet. Graciously, I did not have to wait long – hearing the bathroom door open, I peeked around the corner. 

Avery emerged wearing a sky-blue tank top and matching plaid flannel pants. Like some Victorian-era aristocrat spying an uncovered ankle for the first time, I blushed at the sight of his smooth, white shoulders and biceps. His skin had the appearance of marble, albeit with a slight translucency; like thick smoke trapped in a bottle, I could barely make out the billowing, swirling texture beneath.

“Ah… I stole these clothes. It was before we met,” said Avery, bashfully.

I took a moment to gather myself. “Oh, th-that’s okay. Walmart has enough money, you know? And, that blue looks very nice on you.” 

A much lighter shade of blue colored his pallid cheeks. “Oh, thank you! You told me before that you liked when I wore this color, so… I thought you might like it.”

A brief silence passed between us.

“So, dewdrop… do you want me to just lay down?” 

The tension was palpable. I was desperate to break the ice. 

“Sure, just get comfortable. And, geez… don't be so tense!” I paused, exhaling a held breath, and appreciating the irony that I was also very tense. I summoned my strength to say the next few words out loud: “T-tickling is supposed to be fun, you know? You're not nervous, are you? It's just me… little pipsqueak Casper,” I reassured him, offering a shy smile. “I'm not gonna torture you, okay? We'll go slow.” 

Avery smiled back, but I was still sensing a bit of trepidation. “Ah… I guess I am a little nervous. I mean, I'm excited, too! I just know this is important to you, and… I'm worried I won't… meet your expectations.” He trailed off, growing quiet at the end as he looked away from me. 

Avery's expression crushed me like a piece of hard candy. I closed the gap between us, placing my hands on his bare shoulders. 

“You worry so much about disappointing me, and yet you never have, not one time. Avery, there is no way you could react that would change how I feel about you. Even if it turns out that you hate being tickled. Hell, I'm… I'm grateful you're even willing to try this with me,” I comforted, gently stroking my thumb along his skin. “If you don't like it, nothing will change. We'll just get some ice cream, watch another movie and cuddle until it's time for bed. Okay?” 

He smiled at me, then; a real smile, and he seemed to relax a bit, too. “Thanks, dewdrop.” 

“Anytime, cutie. Now go get comfortable, and we'll see if this pipsqueak can give you a giggle or two.” 

+++ 

I inhaled deeply as a stream of cool vapor filled the room. Keeping a humidifier in my apartment was a necessity when Avery was around, especially during the dryer months. He liked when I used scented oil, too; today it was lavender, but I could still detect the scents of old books and wet stone on Avery's skin as he laid beside me. I sat at his hip on the bed, legs folded pretzel-style as I placed my hands on his tummy, over his shirt. 

“I’m just gonna rub a bit first, okay?” I didn't want to catch him off guard – I'd never touched Avery like this before. Sure, I'd rubbed his back or arms occasionally while cuddling, but I'd never intentionally touched a “classic tickle spot” with intent, the way I was about to. 

“Ah, okay…” He relaxed a bit, sinking into the bed as my hands rubbed his belly, over his shirt. Through the thin fabric, his skin was cool and soft against my palms. I felt a slight vibration as he hummed; he seemed to be enjoying it. As I caressed near where his belly button would be, Avery’s face scrunched a bit, and he shifted slightly against the bed. 

“Holy shit, already?” I thought. My heart was going crazy. 

“What's wrong?” I asked, the faintest lilt in my voice. 

“I, ah, felt something… different…“ He said, a little breathlessly. I watched his blush deepen, soft blue spreading across his face. 

“Hehe, if this is already making you squirm, you're probably super ticklish,” I said, and then grew a bit bolder, “you ready to try a real tickle, now?”

It seemed he mustered a bit of confidence, himself, because his response caught me off guard:

“Do your worst, dewdrop.” His eyes were teasing; even a bit challenging. Where did this come from?! 

Despite my furious blush, I did all I could do: respond in kind. 

“Oh, my worst? Alright, you asked for it, Nimbus!” 

With that, my fingers went from flat to clawed, and I began to wiggle them into Avery's soft tummy. It was far from my worst; I knew he didn't even understand what he’d asked for, and I didn't want to overwhelm him. Nonetheless, his response validated my suspicions. 

Avery's back arched off the bed, his fingers splaying out as his hands rested at his sides. His cheeks puffed up as his face scrunched even more, and I could see him fighting a smile that threatened to break into a laugh at any second. His blush was so vibrant now, his glasses were fogging up. Noticeably absent, though, was any effort to stop me. 

My god.

Something awoke inside me, and I let it take control. 

“What's wrong, cupcake~? I thought you wanted my worst, and this is still far from it. Doesn't look like you're handling it too well, are you? Are you just a little ticklish here? Why don't you tell me~?” My words were saturated with teasing. Though I wasn't inexperienced with tickling, I'd had very few opportunities to be the tickler in the past, and that side of me clearly ached to come alive. Despite practically trembling with nervous energy, there was no reasoning with the demon; it was hungry, and Avery was the first meal it’d had in years. 

“I- kehehe… I c- ahahaha!” He tried to respond, his words both laced with and interrupted by laughter at each attempt. My fingers jumped around to different spots on his belly – scribbling below his navel, gently pinching his sides, wiggling all ten into his softness at the center, never letting him adjust to the sensation. It was immediately clear just how uncontrollable his giggles were; Avery laughed as though he didn't expect to, and was being ambushed by just how ticklish he was. 

“Awwww, who knew clouds were this ticklish? C'mon, I know you've got a big laugh in there… let's hear it, hm? Do I need to try a different spot, maybe?” I taunted, moving my hands up to his chest, my digits now formed into wide claws as I gently dug my fingertips into his ribs. 

“PFFFff hehehehahaha!” He cried, and for the first time, he moved his hands. I was expecting him to grab my wrists – instead, he used them to cover his now wildly-flushed face. My heart melted. How was he this cute?! 

“Aww, don't hide from me! I want to see you laughing up a storm!” I joked, unable to resist giggling along with him; his unrestrained laughter was infectious. It seemed my weather-related wordplay had quite the effect on Avery as well, as his laughter spiked significantly.

“Don't sahahahahay THAHAHhahahat!” he whined through his cackling, hands still firmly covering his blushing face. He squirmed beneath my fingers, which still randomly and playfully spidered along his ribcage. Considering his laughter was practically bouncing off the walls, he stayed remarkably still as I tickled him; I wondered if it was because he enjoyed it? 

“Hehehe, aww, what's wrong? Was the weather teasing a little too close to home? Listen, being this ticklish is snow laughing matter,” I continued to taunt, twisting the knife as my fingers switched to dancing up and down his plush, unguarded sides. Avery roared with laughter. 

“AHAHAHhahah! STAHAHAHAP!” He begged, and I instantly stilled my fingertips. Still hiding his face, Avery's chest heaved as he caught his breath, exhales fluttering with soft giggles. I tenderly stroked the curves of his head, and as I did, I felt a curious tingle in my fingers – then, I noticed for the first time that tiny sparks of electricity were shooting off from his skin. 

“Are you okay? I didn't mean to overwhelm you,” I said, afraid for a moment that I had gone too far. 

I watched as he lowered his hands and looked at me. He was beaming; the edges of his flushed face practically glowed with humming electricity. 

“That was so much fun! I can see why you like it so much.” His huge grin revealed a row of delicate, round teeth.

“I am so glad you liked it! Gosh, Avery, you are so ticklish. In fact, I bet you're ticklish everywhere.” 

“Ooh, can we find out?”

I stared at him. I had never said it out loud, but in that moment, I was sure I couldn't possibly love him more. 

“Oh, don't worry – the night is young, and I've got lots more weather puns I can't wait to try on you.” 

[jedi-lothwolf]

Soultember Prompt 5: Color one from 2018 list

Fandom: The Dragon Prince

Summary: People are colorblind until you see your soulmate for the first time. Amaya never expected to be looking at her enemy as the world lit up around her.

    The breach had never looked so beautiful. It had always been a place of death and fear but right now it was lit up by color. It stunned Amaya for a moment, the color that erupted from the lava.

    The moment of admiration quickly faded to dread. Why here? Why now? Why, her? The general looked back to her opponent, a skilled Sunfire elf. She looked just as surprised.

    Then the elf drew her sword. It was colorful, the blade being different shades of, green? No yellow. It looked lively in the same way that Sairi had told her.

    Amaya drew her sword. She looked at it, curious to see how it changed. Nope still gray. Something seemed wrong about fighting the women you're destined to love.

    Even if they were soulmates they were enemies first. They attached each other but both soldiers couldn't help but get distracted. The bright colors that surrounded them, the overwhelming feeling of the world looking so different. 

    The colors were the only destination. There was something alluring about the elf. Every part of Amaya felt that this was wrong. It felt traitorous to feel that way.  

    When their fight ended Janai wandered around, taking in the sights of the world.

    Amaya wasn't going to tell anyone. But when she arrived at the base and saw Gren she couldn't help but smile. He looked good in color. His hair was definitely not what she had been expecting. It was like a lighter version of the lava.

    'What are you so smiley about?' Gren signed.

    'Just happy to see you' she replied.

    Gren smiled. That was sweet.

    Amaya's smile slowly faded. She didn't want to lie. Gren was her closest friend, she should tell him. He was unwavering in his optimism, he'd find the positive.

    Then she looked at him. She had to come to terms with it first. She couldn't tell Gren, at least not yet.

    For the next few days Amaya wondered about the elven stranger. She was a good fighter, strong, beautiful, and dangerous.

    When night fell that day, the general rode up to the breach. She knew it wasn't a good idea but, she had to know. When she got off her horse, she went to where the two had met.

    And she wasn't the only one there. The elf sat near the edge of the path. She looked gorgeous. It pained Amaya, finding beauty in Xadia. She hated it, she hated her self for it.

    Then the elf stood. Amaya waved. The soldier looked at her, "what are you doing here?" She asked.

    'Looking for you' she signed.

    "What?"

    Grabbing a piece of paper, a feather, and an ink well, Amaya questers to the ground. Unsure the elf walked over and sat down. Then the human did.

    Amaya grabbed the feather gently and wrote, 'Im deaf.'

    The elf looked at her and reached her hand out for the pen. She took it and dipped it in the ink. 'Okay'.

    Amaya took it back. 'So, you're my soulmate?'

    'And you're mine?'

    They looked at each other.

    "This alone is treason." The elf sighed.

    'It is' Amaya wrote. 'What's your name?'

    The elf grabbed the feather carefully, 'Janai.'

    'Im Amaya.'

    "Amaya" Janai said. It sounded right, saying her name. She hated it in the best way she could.

    Maybe this would be okay. Everything had to be okay. Fate wouldn't be so cruel as to connect them only to have it be impossible to love each other right?

    'Do you like color?' Amaya wrote.

    The two's hands touched as they exchanged the feather. 'I do, do you?'

    'I do. Got a favorite?'

    "I'm not sure what it's called but-' then she pointed to a color on her armor.

    'Yellow?'

    "How do you know?"

    'My sister used to tell what the colors looked like. She said it was bright and lively; the color of the sun.' 

    'Oh, you have a sister?'

    Amaya nodded sadly. She grabbed the pen and dipped it into the ink. 'She's dead.'

    "Oh, I'm so sorry."

    Amaya didn't say anything.

    Janai grabbed the pen softly, 'What's your favorite color?'

    She pointed at the color of her armor, 'blue.'

    "How did she describe blue?"

    'The color of the sky and of the ocean but also sadness.'

    Janai tried to look at the sky but clouds blocked her way. They stayed over the breach, making the area darker than the rest of the land around it.

    'If you want we can take a walk? I can tell you what color some things are. If I'm right anyway.'

    Janai looked unsure, "to do that we'd need to leave the breach."

    'Then I'll follow you'

    "Are you sure?"

    Amaya nodded. She stood up and extended her hand out for Janai.

    Janai led the way. It was the first time in nine years that Amaya had been in Xadia. It felt different being there just to talk instead of going to kill.

    Deep down she knew this wouldn't be the last time she'd be in Xadia to see Janai and the more she thought about it, the more she was okay with it. Fate would have brought them together for a reason and maybe that reason was simply to love each other.

[lesbiangummybearmafia]

The Gilded Age, 02x05 Close Enough to Touch, my thoughts...

Omg I'm so happy for Aunt Ada! It was brilliant she didn't allow her fears to stop her marring the Reverend Forte. Their so sweet together. I understand that Aunt Agnes had to marry that man she did and as result had a horrible marriage but I'm glad the Reverend Forte pointed out to her that it was for her own selfish reasons she didn't want Ada to marry him and not because she was trying to protect Ada. I'm also glad Aunt Agnes got her head out of her butt and went to the wedding! Because no matter what she said under the grumpy exterior I want to believe she actually happy for her little sister. Now I want them to find a man for Aunt Agnes, wouldn't that be amazing to see!

Ok I completely annoyed by the whole Peggy and her boss thing. How played out, over done, so predictable and well just lazy is that?! Why can't they make her character smarter than that. Be all like oh hell no fool, you're married. Yes we had a scary fucking moment back there but no we don't need to be kissing or anything else. Because it makes Peggy's character come off as less than she is, less intelligent, less brilliant. It does such a deserves to her character!

But Bertha's staff was so not on our watch mf! I freakin love them. Especially Church making sure the Duke didn't end up with a lap full of hot soup. And Watson for catching on to what was going on in the first place! Bertha needs to give them and Mrs. Bruce a rise!

Oh I loved, loved watching Turner's plan at revenge go up in smoke. Omg Mrs. Fish comments perfectly just hitting Turner's last nerve lmfao!! God their making me truly hate her.

Bertha's dinner party gown was so beautiful. I do like seeing all the lighter colors this season and flower prints. I thought Bertha was rather cute when she kept checking to make sure everything for the dinner was perfect and all her staff kept reassuring her. I would like to see more moments like that where she's well cute. When Gladys tried to walk further down the talk, Bertha all come back here you lol. I so knew one of the main reason Bertha wanted to meet the Duke was because of Gladys. If she gets her way Gladys is going become a Duchess. It was great Bertha and George are not longer fighting omg. I didn't realize how heavy that made the show until the episode. Even with the events with Peggy unfortunately the episode still feel lighter.

Oscar and Maude Beaton are very sweet together but I don't want to see Maude get hurt. If Oscar actually loves her, perhaps like one loves a very dear friend or a best friend than maybe it's alright but if not. He definitely needs to stop acting like any kind of goldigger though! I just really want him to have honest feelings for Maude is all.

Marian if she doesn't want to be with Dashiell Montgomery ok. But her doing cringie face everytime he said something in that direction is getting old and annoying. Could she please grow the same spine for herself she seems to have for everyone else.

It's so awesome they put in about Emily Warren Roebling the first female engineer. That whole thing Larry finds out is completely ture part of history. I really appreciate the show added. It's important that our women's history finally be included.

[popculturebuffet]

Transformers More Than Meets The Eye Retrospective Season 1 Finale: Remain in Light (Patreon Review for Brotoman.exe)

Hello all you happy Autobots. It's been over a year, two spotlight issues, a two issue prequel, an annual and as of this review, 22 issues but we've done it we've reached the end of more than meets the eye season 1.

It's been a long project but one of my faviorites, one I always wanted to do but simply didn't have the time on my own and was more than happy when Brotoman commissioned these. I owe him a world of gratitude for his support and patience. Without him I woudln't of been able to talk about gay disfunctional robots every month and for that, i'm eternally grateful. This is one of my faviorite comics and re-reading it slowly and intently has only solidified that.

So a few things before we dive into this wonderful story: The first is something I forgot to mention last time that brotoman pointed out, something important I missed in my tired daze: How big a moment Rewind saying "I Love You" To chromedome is.

See before this, the series was coy about the two: It made it damn obvious the two were a couple.. but also used terms like them being "friends" and no one using words like couple, common law husbands or pound pals. The two were just a duo at first and if you were a mite thick headed like yours truly, who at the time I first read the comic didn't look for gay subtext like a bloodhound after a cheeseburger, you'd miss it. It was still obvious, the way they act around each other, their history, the way they fight.. the two are ENTIRELY an old married couple and act it and anyone looking closely could see that. But Roberts knew that those three little words were, to quote an interview with Sequart Orignization, a step up.

All that said, the Chromedome/Rewind relationship stepped up a gear – and moved fully into the open – with issue #16, when Rewind tells Chromedome (not for the first time, but it’s the first time we’ve seen it on the page) that he loves him. I was conscious that this was really nailing certain colors to the mast, and I was ready to make a case for those three words to stay in the script. But both John and Michael Kelly at Hasbro were incredibly supportive and encouraging, and the declaration of love survived the editing process. The reaction to the first Transformers gay couple was amazing – overwhelmingly positive. To be honest, I thought most people would be pretty cool with it, because most people are sensible and decent, but it was still encouraging to see. Hooray for Transformers fans."

I"m happy to hear that the reception was entirely positive and that Hasbro was supportive. I'm sure there are still a few idiots who were again it here and there, but like those who actively deny huntlow happened.. their a few idiots who can't accept objective reality and there's only one way to deal with them

Moving on to Remain in Light itself, We need to talk about the big shockwave shaped elephant in the room. Dark Cybertron is intended to be the finale for both this and Robots in Disguises' first season, a big epic crossover to shake up both series status quos and onboard us into season 2.

In practice.. it's the big showy finale to Robots in Disguise with the MTMTE cast guest starring. It's still VITAL to MTMTE, I would've simply recapped it like I intend to recap RID if that weren't the case: Nautica and Nightbeat are introduced, joining the crew in season 2, Megatron has his heel realization that leads to him also joining the crew, Cybertron finds out Prowl didn't kill MOST of the lost lighters (RIP Rewind I), and Chromedome powerbombs the motherfucker off a cliff.

I'll unpack this scene more when we properly get to it but I cannot see Prowl get powerbombed off a cliff while he's somehow SHOCKED this happened despite begging for it. It's Dellliccciooousss.

The fact is while a crossover was inevitable the death fakeout meant both books were completely isolated from each other, and thus their plots.. really don't intersect much. Prowl's actions have consequences and his baiting Chromdome leads to bad shit over in RID, but for the most part the two books are their own stories and their own spheres and by the time they intersect it works well enough... but it's clear they just work better on their own. It's likely why the third addition to this line, Windblade (both volumes) was made to stand on it's own while having an easier time intersecting back with Cybertron as our heroes are one teleport away versus the lost light being deep in space and in it's own character stuff. Windblade, btw is fucking great and I intend to cover it at some point, just not as part of this retrospective. It's it's own beautiful thing.

So while Lost Light was going to get into the Dark Cybertron hype, it needed to cap off it's own story first as it would've been a bit much to try and cram two series with a wide buffet of ongoing plots and plans together. So we get Remain in LIght where a LOT of character arcs are paid off, a few questions are answered, and a few things are set up for both next season and the eventual finale of the series. As usual it's remarkable how much Roberts set up, but here's where it gets to payoff more: last arc paid off the overlord conspiracy and rewind and chromedome's relationship, this one pays off magnus' breakdown, the circle of light and even where we found skids and just what was chasing him. It's a true epic and I can't wait to share it with you under the cut.

Part 1 picks up exactly where we left off: Tailgate is running to tell Cyclonus some "stupid news" while Rodimus, Blaster and Ambulon look over the security footage since Ratchet was busy telling Tailgate he gonna die. And to remind us Ambulon exists before the carnage to come.

For now Blaster's friend Mainframe is able to track the shuttle, so Rodimus is rounding up a crew to go find Magnus, with a determination we've scarely seen and a grimness we really haven't.

Meanwhile it turns out Tailgate's sickness... is cybercois, a condition that slowly kills the trnasformer, taking away their movement , speech and eventually memory.. and given memories of this place are all Tailgate really has he didn't take it well. Cyclonus urges tailgate to face his death with dignity and head on, agreeing to keep it secret and leaving... to mutilate his own face with a large scrap, enraged the one person he has on this ship is about to die and he can't just cut his diseas in half.

Hot Rod leads the crew to a big hole, making it very clear that he dosen't care what they ahve to say their going in... and for once his impusilvness pays off as what he finds is Luna 1, cybertron's missing moon which was mentioned before and I honestly forgot was the setting for this arc but it's a brilliant payoff and a way to have Rodimus have acomplished something big: he found one of the lost moons. Even if the quest has gone nowhere, this is still pretty damn big and he has perceptor confirm it. What's more curious, even if Perciptor dosen't buy it? Luna has a BILLION PEOPLE on board.

So Rodimus assembles his crack team.. and this is the first time we really see what we'll call Team Rodimus come together: While Rodimus has interacted with all these guys before, this is where it becomes clear how much he cares about them as more than just his crew:

First recurit is Rung whose surpised after Rodimus' outburst last time they talked. Naturally that's exactlyw hy: Rodimus flipped out largely because it was something he didn't want to hear... and with magnus gone he NEEDS that opposing opinon.

The rest of the team includes Brainstorm, whose happy to go and is already packed (holds up suitcase), Ratchet as the Medic, Perceptor as the more stable science guy to Brainstorm's mad scientest, and Whirl... who Rodimus flat out admits he just needs to throw a punch. Also going along is Chromedome, who Skids begs to help him: Since LUna 1 is allegedly's a giant treasure trove, Skids wants something to repair his memory. Swerve also wants to go but is harshly turned down by rodimus due to limited capacity, while Cyclonus agrees to go and take Drift's place as spirtual advisor, since he's the most religious person on the ship left, which he agrees to if Tailgate can come.

What I really get from this is while Rodimus is asking most on qulaifications, only being really straight with Rung.. like I said this shows who he really cares about: his team has to be small and he's a dick to swerve.. but it's likely more he knows Swerve might be in danger here and if there were room, skids and swerve would be along. These are who he can count on, who he's leaned on, who he needs without his two main supports on the ship. And this team will only grow as time goes on.

For now Team Rodimus heads to the planet, with Tailgate hoping to find a cure and Cyclonus.. thinking hope is a lie and telling him to never hope. And also he killed his puppy. He made him a puppy and then he stabbed it. A bunch. And then he showed tailgate the pictures.

Anyway our heroes land on the seemingly barren moon only to find...

IT's a hell of a reveal, and one that will be vastly important down the line... it won't really have any consequences for NOW but just remember this in a few years when we get to the final arc. For now jus tnejoy the sense of wonder on everyone's face: even Ratchet, the crankiest of crank and Tailgate who

We then find out what constructed cold means as Tailgate asks... granted I think I covered this definition back in chapter 1, but as a reminder; cold construction is making a cybertronian via "Spark splicing" using a bit of someone elses to craft a new one. This was in part due to demmand: Cybertron couldn't expand out into the cosmos if it didn't have enough people. Problem is as we've seen like any society Cybertron is quick to prejudice, and thus once Nova Prime who invented the process left, many a city started trying to "prove" constructed cold bots were inferior, something Chromedome is still bitter about and rightfully so.

It's about then things go to hell: On the ship commuincation is suddenly blocked between the bridge crew and away team, and Skids hears some clanking. on Luna 1, our heroes are soon swarmed by decepticons as Lockdown arrives

Okay probably not the right reaction but for those curious who this guy is, Lockdown was one of the handful of original characters from Transformers Animated, my faviorite transformers show and the one that reignited my spark for this fandom. And then this comic did it again, it's a bit cyclical. Point is even if I badly need a refresher on that series, Lockdown was their kraven the hunter, a bounty hunter who hunted down autobots for the decepticons, mostly working for them out of necisity and largely being his own man, so he fits for being a gun for hire for someone else. He sadly dosen't get as much to do here, at least in this season I can't remember if he shows up again, but it's just nice to see something from Animated imported as later installments tend to either make new transformers or stick with the core ones.

On the ship.. things are worse... Skids is confronted by those mysterious robots, who i'll just go ahead and call by their proper names: Legislators... only this time their giant sized and emerging out of the oil pool. What's worse is they soon creep up on EVERY deck of the ship, all shouting the same thing: 1984. Oh and in case you thought things couldn't get any worse as Team Rodimus flees... Ratchet is shot down and isolated....

We pick up from the siege in issue 2: the ship's overrun, our heroes are outgunned and only Swerve is able to land a solid hit as only one came to Swerves

... admitely I just wanted to show off the my first blaster. (Clears throat)

SAY YOU, LITTLE AUTOBOT. YOU WANT TO SHOOT THINGS WITH ALL THE BIG KIDS BUT YOU CAN'T FIRE THEIR BIG OLD GUNS FOR BIG OLD BOTS WITH YOUR WIDDLE BITTY BABY HANDS? TRY MY FIRST BLASTER! MY FIRST BLASTER IS A GUN DEISGNED FOR LITTLE FELLAS LIKE YOU. jUST POINT SHOOT AND MY FIRST BLASTER WILL TELL YOU IF YOU DID AND SUPPORT YOU IF YOUR NOT. MY FIRST BLASTER, FROM BRAINSTORM INC A DIVISON OF BRAINSTORM IS SMARTER THAN YOU LLC.

WARNING: NOT SELLABLE ANYWHERE EXCEPT THE LOST LIGHT. DO NOT GIVE TO BOTS UNDER 1. DO NOT USE WHILE DRUNK UNLESS IT'D BE REALLY FUNNY. COPYRIGHT VIOLATERS WILL BE HUNTED DOWN AND DIPPED IN ACID.

Meanwhile Skids continues his fight and easily wins using his super learning, able to predict his new foes attack easily and counter it.. the problem is while it's a great skill when your fighting a few of Legislators.. it's not so great when your fighting NINE of them and they'll likely keep coming.

So back on Luna 1.. it isn't much better. Whirl and Cyclonus get seperated from the group, and Rodimus, while finding out Ratchet got taken down from tailgate.. simply can't go back for him.

Rodimus then procedes to do some dope as hell sacrlige as he plunges into a titans corpse to give him more room to evade their captors. Sadly while his moves are dope as fuck and Lockdown is sure to give them the slow clap they deserve.. he's already gotten everyone else. After taking a second to tell pharma everyone else hates him, a worthy use of his time. What a legend.

So our heroes end up in a jail cell where, for the past two issues, Rodimus has been recapping these events to Minimus, his cellmate.. who looks an awful lot like someone a certain dead bot was looking for.. hmmm. Questions for later.

For now Rodimus admits they weren't just dumped in a cell first, as Rodimus correctly figures Lockdowns taking them to his boss: a long lost moon as a base, teleport tech.. all of this screams big bad.. and Lockdown is at the end of the day a guy just doing his job. Pharma mentioning a collective "lord and master earlier" already told us this, but it's a nice character bit, shows that beneath his reckleness Rodimus is far smarter than he appears and far more capable than most give him credit for. He's an idiot, sure, but he's one with great skill and intiution.

And sure enough there is a big bad behind all this.. and of all people it's..

I was as shocked as rodimus but it's a clever rug pull: We've seen Chief Tyrest brought up a lot, his accords are what Ultra Magnus is duly appointed enforcer of and back in Last Stand of the Wreckers, he's the one who oversaw the Aquetius trials. So seeing him show up is a suprise... but seeing him be BEHIND all this is a nice swerve. He also makes a perfect contrast to our crew: the embodiment of order and rigidity veruss our far looser, far more human crew. Metaphorically I mean thir still giant robots.

Tyrest is being an obstinante dick, proving he really is Magnus' boss, charging our heroes with crimes against creation. We find out our ambus ISN'T dominus, but his brother minimus, an allged energon trader who hasn't tried to escape because he's waiting for his day in court, a BIGGGGG honking neon sign of a clue at who this guy is. But more on that later, for now Tailgate has a bit of a breakdown, with no one knowing why since he didn't tell anyone present he's dying and could be trapped here for what days remain.

Meanwhile Ratchet.. is not doing any better, with Pharma torturning him, showing off his new shapeshifting hands which can become TWO chainsaws. That double groovey. He's no less stable than last time, but now he dosen't need to PRETEND to be and is honestly an even better villian on return: he has a joker style quality to him as he fiddles with his double groovy hands and plays with ratchet making him ask what's in THE BOX

Turns out 9 robots vs skids does just mean send more legislators and we get a nice speech from the guy, with him pointing out how the Lost Light took him in, cared for him and welcomed him no questions asked.. and

Unfortunately while Skid is totally badass.. he's also wiped.. and thus dosen't see this coming

We'll get into who this fine bastard is later, for now he knocks out Swerve too.

Back in Prison, Tailgate asks about tyrest, noting Nova Prime had a chief science offer of the same name.. the same guy. We get Tyrest's backstory: He was a nobody until the war when, with Dai Atlas' help , they helped 10,000 neutrals off world. Tyrest returned to TRY and broker peace, simply two city states, one for each side, but naturally since one of those sides was Megatron that never went anywhere. It instead lead to the Tyrest Accords, a series of rules of engagment the biggest being not exporting cybertronian weaponry. It's thanks to him the universe isn't a smoldering crater and thanks to Optimus he's chief justice.

As for what he's doing here... no one has a clue. He was last seen during the Aquetius trials, which Rodimus helpfully recaps: trials using a judging machine that 100% predicts guilt, and hasn't been seen since the trials. They also pass around energon sticks, something equivlent to either gum or cigarettes or autobot slim jims

Rung offers Minimus to snap into one.. then delberately spills it and spills it more, causing him to HAVE to get them off the ground and organized... and proving what Rung's figured all along:

Yup, while Ultra Magnus was indeed Ultra Magnus... he was also Minimus Ambus. It's complicated and naturally Hot Rod's a bit confused, so Magnus backs it up slightly: he war bought into luna one and reparied... then smacked in the face by tyrest.

Tyrest decides just bitchslapping Magnus PHYSICALLY isn't enougH: having read his logs and found his actions disgraceful, both the micromanagment and the various fraternizations, he disables the armor and left ambus as he was.

As for why Magnus was a fancy suit of armor, turns out Ultra Magnus is a legacy of brave autobots, all one percenters.. but smaller rewind sized ones, Loadbearers. So while their not super tanks from the start.. it means they can be heavily modified and thus wear the Magnus Armor. The Magnus Armor was forged after the original Magnus, a real brave bot, died: Tyrest saw what fear and awe he imposed and realized he could exploit that and thus created an "immortal lawman". If this is sounding very sinestro to you and making you nervous, that's the idea. As for why small transformers it's simply that most cybertronians can't get fancy armored add ons" too much and they freeze up. A loadbearer has plenty.

So our magnus, Minimus was the latest.. and seemingly last. He also has ten days left.. but it turns out Pharma wasn't lying: Tyrests doctors can work miracle.

Back in the flashback, we get a recontexulization of Magnus character from Tyrest, who isn't exactly reliable , hence why I didn't think too heaviyl about his words before.. but in hindsight.. they make perfect sense and the interview I mentioned backs it up: Magnus.. had a nervous breakdown.

For most of the lost lighters the war ending is a fresh start: the war is over.. but for the bulk of them the war wasn't something they fit into. They were fighting because they had no real choice or had been for too long. And in the case of some like Chromedome the war simply took one terrible thing they were forced into and swapped it for another. The war ending means a chance ot start over and do anything else.

Magnus... fit perfectly. He was a stickler for order, a natural talented combatant, and while he was the latest to wear this armor, he more than earned it. The war was chaotic and horrible, but it also had rules, a clear bad guy (even if this book shows there's still plenty shades of grey in the autobots), and a clear end goal. Life.. dosen't have those. LIfe is just doing your best and hoping today is good. It's not perfect, it's often messy, but it's just how it is. Magnus didn't really have to worry about small talk or what he does with the rest of his life.

It also explains why he took the lost light: it was seemingly close to what he'd been doing: going through space, righting wrongs, etc, all. Cybertron would've had more order.. but it was also filled with thousands of bots who resented him for everything he'd had to do over the war, and a new world he understood even less. It was the lesser of two evils, so he overcompesated by becoming anal retintive in the extreme. He's a soldier who simply couldn't cope with the war being over, a tale sadly as old as the nasty institution itself and didn't get himself the help he needed.

Magnus replacement.. was Star Saber, that guy we saw make Skids into a kebab. Magnus was mostly talking to them though.. because he was curious. He asked to be put in there as.. nothing is adding up: the decepticons, the titan, and now this "crimes against creation" charge that wasn't in the laws before. magnus, still being a tad naive even after all of this, goes to talk to tyrest.

While he does, WHirl and Cyclonus have escaped having killed a bunch of decipticons themselves and after their done getting to the numbers, see a cell block above... identified as such because it's directly over a giant smelting pool, as whirl puts it "a prison you can dunk" Whirl of all people is the logical one here: They need a ton of weapons to go rescue the others, and he can sniff an armory. Somehow. Honestly I'd question it but if anyone could find weapons through sheer force of will it's whirl.

Back with the head tha twouldn't die, Ratchet assumes this is about revenge.. and it is, Pharma wanted to hunt ratchet down, but his main goal

Thing is Pharma's a mite bit paranoid and hasn't removed them because their hard locked, and he assumes rigged to explode. Ratchet uses this to his advantage: he calls Pharma a coward, stating that he really didn't do it because he's scared he can't and essentially challenges him to a surgery duel: first to fix it win. Honestly Chicago Med and Grey's Anatomy could use WAY more of those. I'd watch every episode twice if it was a death sport race to see who can surgery faster. Get it on it Dick Wolf and Shondra Rhymes!

So back with the bicker twins, Cyclonus and Whirl argue, with Cyclonus pointing out byu this point.. Whirl could've had his own hands back and his face if he wanted, with Whirl genuinely worried if he stops being angry, he wouldn't be him anymore. Cyclonus gets stabbed from behind for our THIRD stabbing this story and our FOURTH in the last few issues, but it's not fatal, Whirl saves him.. and our dynamic duo find the prisoners: not our heroes, who are as it turns out somewhere else.. but the circle of light. It's why they have so many swords avaliable.

Back with Ratchet he made a bit of a tactical error.. while his gambit was clever.. he forgot that Pharma is basically the joker now and thus had ambulon and first aid brought here as swerve and skids were to Team Rodimus cell: their going to be the guinea pigs and despite ratchet's begging, he can't get the contest called off. This is happening. And unfortunately for ambulon instead of across the waist... Pharma decides to go lengthwise.

Semantics point is ambulon is super fucking dead and purple chainsaw blood is all over. It's a brutal, horrifying death.. and tha'ts really the only reason it works. That Pharma set up this horrifying death game, when he could've just done minor surgery and used one of the Legislators, since they aren't really sapient at this point anyway. Otherwise.. Ambulon is a guy we barely knew who disappeared entirely: Pipes was also mostly absent till his death.. but Pipes felt like an actual character and had enough characteirzation up to his death. Ambulon.. feels like he was kept on just for this chainsaw death since First Aid had more to give. It's not a bad death, I mean... look at that gore, but it's not as weighty especially coming after two big tearjerking ones.

Back at the cells, Swerve fills the rest of the crew in: the legislators have locked down the place, and he tells them about Star Saber, who it turns out in this unvierse is a notorious evangelical nutball who tried to do atheist genocide. So you know the MOST stable person to give a big sword. Star Saber being made into a villian.. was a bit contervseral according to tv tropes. Saber Originally was the optimus prime equilvent for one of the G1 animes, Transformers Victory, having a neat design and big old sword. So making him into a sociopathic religious nut wasn't the best for some. Me I think it's fine: the series already has plenty of heroic autobots and it helps reinforce the idea that being on the autobots .. dosen't make you a good person. Same with Tyrest.

He shows up to drop off a new prisoner.. and it makes Chromedome have a relization: when Skids memory was begging for estape it was asking for getaway... the autobot whose now being loaded into their cells.

Minimus goes to confront Tyrest who couldn't give a shit what Magnus thinks.. but is willing to explain what his grand evil plan is and why he's doing all this supervillian nonsense: guilt. Turns out Tyrest is one of the archetechts of Cold Construction, and instead of using sparks.. it used the matrix. This is a brilliant move and explains why, with cold construction only stopping fo ra bit because it was assumed the matrix was dry when really someone stole it assuming this was blasphemous.

And sadly. Tyrest has started to agree. The Aquetius trials drove him around the bend, with all the guilt and horrible actions of the autobots on trial getting to him.. to the point he started to drill into himself, hence the holes.. including one in his own head. Huh Egon WAS right it would've worked.. as Tyrest saw something beckoning him and thus the space bridge is a portal to cyberutopia itself. But being ... unhinged to say the least, Tyrest has decided he has to atone first... since all the criminals on trial were constructed cold, he assumes their an abomination and plans to use a literal killswitch to kill every last one tommorow. And beofre Minimus can stop this.. he has a legislator squish the poor guy's head.

Onto Part 4. After a reminder of the various gushers of blood abound, we cut to a fight with Whirl, Cyclonus and the Circle of Light. Turns out the circle had been cut down a bit, but is still a massive army, allowing for an epic battle while everything elses going on and the revelation that will come in hand in a bit that Cyclonus, being a true believer, can power their faithswords, which use energy from a spark to do something something something religion. Look I'm being as through as I can, but this is a MASSIVE story arc.

In the Cell Getaway TRIES to have a reunion with Skids, while also introducing his catchphrase bomp.. basically a sort of fistbump he used to annoy skids. At any rate Skids can't remember anything but Getaway can and fills the rest of the cast in on Tyrest's madness, which is a term I try to be careful with as someone with a mental illness myself.. but really appleis to a man whose drilled a thousand holes into himself and is trying to do holy genocide right about now. When Rodimus mentions Ambus not being back yet... Getaway drops the bomb on him baby, he drops the bomb on him... that Ambus LURED them here.

Back with Team Holy Genocide, Tyrest explains how the hell he knows this switch will work to someone who was there for it: He kidnapped Pharma because Pharma is apparently famous for being Forged, so he could prove it wouldn't kill Forged transformers. THe attack on the circle of light? A whole cities worth of test subjects, taking ten thousand down to one thousnad. Speaking of which given the Circle is a mite testy about the genocide, Tyrest decides to handle the situation by.. letting the equally religious genocidal monster he keeps on payroll handle it.

Skids has a bit of a breakdown over his missing memories so not wanting to see his best friend break down further, Swerve asks Gateway to fill him in on what he's missing. Skids and Brainwave were partners in the Dipolmatic Corps... which was really Autobot Special Ops. What good would being spies be if they broadcasted that fact? They had a similar job as the wreckers, impossible missions and such, but while the Wreckers were more Impossible MIssions Force, going in somewhat subtle and always ending loud and dangling themselves off cliffs, the ASO were more the stale beer type of spy: get in, do the mission, maybe surivive.

Their mission this time was to put a mind bullet in Tyrest's head.. not kill him, to Skids relief, as the binary gun, that gun Skids couldn't find when he was introduced, wasn't designed to kill, simply implant a thought, and a very simple one at that: Resign. As for why, while Skids boss didn't know the fulls cope of what tyrest is doing he got the feeling something bad was going down given he was chasing down titans and talking to the decpticons. Sadly .. Skids missed, Tyrest set his horeds on them and while Skids escaped, he followed one last protocol: after all the binary gun had two bullets... and the other was used on him to erase the mission

To no one's suprise, Prowl's the spymaster here and to even less shockity shock, him prodding the already deranged man with a god complex led him to speed up his plans. The good news of all this though is Getaway.. can get the mout. He's an escapeologist, a master escape artist, macguver as a transformer and the only reason he hasn't busted out? He didn't have a fresh set of keys.

While Getaway plans his way out, so does Ratchet, who has an argument iwth first aid: First Aid makes the valid point that Ratchet has a savior complex; he hasn't really retired.. because he dosen't think anyone else can do the job as well as him. Turns out this isn't it: Ratchet didn't let first aid help.. because Ambulon was long dead by chainsaw to the face, and he simply was stalling to weaponize his corpse, a nice little callback to drift doing the same. The two argue over what to do with Pharma, Ratchet not wanting to sink to his level and First Aid wisely feeling Pharma will just come back to haunt them again, if probably not the one to do it since i'ts clearly out of anger his friend we saw maybe once just got chainsawed in half by the guy.

The argument is interupted by Team Rodimus. Turns out the keys... were all the stuff on everyone and using Brainstorms breifcase straps (he had it on him as it's designed that only those who KNOW it's there see it) and Chromedome's fingers to create a dart gun, knock out the guard then have everyone use the sticks on the bars at the same time. THeir out, and Tailgate is hopeful he can find a cure. And what I like, and forgot to mention is HOW Luna 1's a treasure chest: it's not because it was lost. Luna 1.. is just luna 2 with a diffrent name. But since Tyrest took up refrence he also took every bit of treasure the magnuses had built up with him and thus he really CAN work medical miracles. It's juts without Pharma.. they might not be able to.

For now it's time to light up the stage cause it's time for a showdown. With team two guys , a religoius leader an an army it's not great as the legislators won't stop and there's a LOT of them, and Star Saber makes it worse. While Dai Atlas does his best against his polar oppiste.. Saber snidely tells him "Primus hates you and stabs the life out of him"

Team Rodimus don't have it much better.. they arrive, point a gattling gun at Tyrests face.. and tyrest simply activates his staff and the bodies hit the floor. It's a subsonic suggestion they can't move, so powerful they don't even belivie it when he tells them and with that.. he pulls the switch. Brainstorm and Chromedome start to fade.. and they aren't alone...

It's a brutal sequence ending with the scavengers... and with that tyrest has almost won, and all he has to do.. is step into the light of his portal as it activates.

So as the final chapter opens, Tyrest is about to get his big prize when...

It's a clever save: Tailgate's condition had been front and center for most of this arc, Ratchet outlined loss of functions.. it's poetry. I also love him jamming his finger in the head hole, it's a detail I did'nt notice till writing this but I love it.

WIth that the rest of the crew can rally.. but Tyrest uses tailgate as a human shield with Tailgate revelaing his condition so Rodimus can shoot.. but Rodimus has grown from the incident with fort max and can't bring himself too... thankfully..

Before we can process "how the hell is magnus still alive", we cut to the battle outside and we get an awesome fight with Cyclonus and Starsaber, with Cyclonus stabbing the fucker in the eye.. before he gets teleported away. Where? Well.. that's al ong ways off from being answered, but for now he's away from gutting people range so that's good at least. Back with Team Rodimus, Rodders asks what we're all thinking "What the hell". Turns out in a clever, if still somewhat labored twist... Minimus didn't tell them HOW many loads he was carring. This is as far down as he goes, but it still makes a lot of sense. Tyrest not KNOWING this dosen't, but we can handwave it as Tyrest assuming he got the heads and just.. not carring enough about magnus to double check the corpse, a mistage that made him into one.

Our heroes need to scramble to find someway to shut off the killswitch though as Tyrest was still sane enough to not put a shutoff on it. Before they can deal with that properlyt hough, Pharma heads into the portal with First Aid giving chase.. and Pharma saying far more than he needs to, chuckling and grinning about all the autbots at delphi and bursting into laughter about his lengthwise joke... and soon bursting from the head as first aid shoots him.. and then collapses, not able to deal with taking a life for the first time

It's a powerful moment. Pharma absoltuely deserved to get his head burst... but it's still a life and it dosen't, as first aid clearly hope, make the pain of everyone he's lost go away.

So while this goes on Perciptor has a hail mary: he hooks rodimus up to it, which MIGHT hurt him and will defintely destroy their matrix piece, using it to undo the code. While Rodimus makes a "there goes our map" quip.. it's very clear he has no intention of backing out: personal glory isn't worth the deaths of everyone.

So with Death on the way he decides to clear the air with Magnus, ask if he really betrayed them. Turns out.. yeah he entirely lured them out here, having become disturbed with Rodimus' increasing irresponsiblity. It wasn't a full trap as he had no idea Tyrest was so far gone, he just wanted him to give Rodders a lecture, snap him out of it, tha tsort of thing not you know, nearly kill them all and then try to commit genocide as an encore. It speaks to who Magnus is: he's orderly.. but he's not the zealot his former boss is. He just wants to do the right thing.

And so does rodimus..w hich leads to one hell of a confession

It's a powerful moment an da wakeup call for rodimus: while he's still carefree after this... it's him realizing he's been way too caviler.. and let his own ego and pride get people killed. And he needs to , instead of hiding from it like he did, face the conseqeucnes of his actions. It's also a nice moment in that instead of seeing his sacrifice as a way out or a glorious way to redeem himself as he might have before the incident... instead Rodimus just hopes he lives long enough to begin the real work.

As he writhes in pain, Tyrest.. turns out not to be dead and says one word: one... which sends all the legislators their way.

In the meantime Skids ends up on Cyberutopia.. yeah... in a big reveal it, or some form of it exists and skids ended up there due to taking the portal: it was blocking anyone who had guilt in them, and Skids.. finally felt free enough to try it.

What he saw there will be important later but for now the plan worked: everyone is saved and Whirl celebrates, deciding to put the past behind him and cyclonus... and after a quick murder fantasy Cyclonus agrees. He has somewhere more important to be.

Back in the control room the legislators swarm and Skids shows up to help.. while something takes Ambulon's corpse through the portal. No time to dwell on that setup now as the legislators need to be stopped..a nd it's tailgate who once again saves the day in a brilliant way too. Remember how Magnus had him memorize the law and just about everything including the dimensions of the kitchen sink? Well when finding out the law computer is right there, this allows tailgate to easily write a new one REPEALLING them all. the legislators freeze, our heroes win the day, and Tyrest vanishes. And sadly while Tailgate won the day.. he passes out.

Thankfully we have a solution: on his deathbed we get a very poginant line from Tailgate, the little bot who simply wanted to be special and important...

It's a small line.. but one that sums up the comic> life isn't about being a big hero or saving the unvierse, though our heroes certainly did that.. it's abotu living it. It can be hard, messy and often rediculous.. but it's more than worth it.. and with that Cyclonus gives Tailgate the gift of life.. by stabbing him in the chest

And for once.. IT IS HEALTHY as it was a way to do a spark transfusion, one Whirl of all people brought up. It was risky.. but it was worth it.

So as Rodimus decides to bounce, deciding this big discovery wasn't really wroth it with one crew member dead, first aid traumitzied and brainstorm in his lab, unknown to all having taken the super spark, and the rest of the sparks having gone quiet after the matrix became dust.. he's lost.

Magnus however.. is found. He may not know what his future is.. but he's finally at some sort of peace.. and has a ncie gentle talk with cyclonus

Remain in Light was one of my faviorite arcs of lost light.. and re-reading it only clinched that view: it's a tense epic that's fast paced but manages to cover a LOT of ground without anything feeling underserved, and the result is stunning. It's a worthy end to season 1.

And it WOULD be where we leave off.. but before dark cybertron we have one issue left, issue 22.

Little Victories is a nice Coda to the season, an issue I skimmed over the first time I read the comic due to the art... not being great. Artist James Raiz takes over from here through dark cybertron and his art style isn't bad, being kind of sketchy and gritty. Not my cup of tea but not bad art. The problem.. is that the art style dosen't fit lost light at all. I mean look at this panel with cyclonus

It's a good joke, but it looks just so dead serous and grungy. It just dosen't fit what's entirely a slice of life issue, showing a recuritment film Rewind made before his untimely passing.

That said giving the issue a second chance or two i've come around... once your ready for the jarring art shift, you can enjoy the story with plenty of fun documentary gags including Magnus having part of the film removed and getting editiing rights, as well as having Swerves swears censored.

There's two plots here: The first involves everyone being curious what Rungs alt mode is, with Swerve having a bet as to who can get him to show it first, leading to a really great, really stupid joke

I love this comic for it's deep characters, engaging plot and world building.. but I also love that a large part of the comic is just roberts letting these robots act like jackasses. It makes them so damn relatable. I mean someone had to try this.

The other is Thunderclash, what a guy. Thunderclash is a legendary hero and the king of the parody sues, a guy so noble and kind that even optimus looks up to him, a hero unparalleled. He's this series Ace Rimmer, and intentionally too as Roberts is a big red dwarf fan, something that isn't a huge suprise but is welcome.

For those not familiar with Ace, he's the alternate counterpart of Red Dwarf's Arnold Rimmer, an uptight attempted ladder climber who usually fails due to his own incomptience and ego, while Ace is everything Arnold WISHES he could be: Smart, handsome, good with a joke, beloved.

So naturually someone like Rodimus, full of ego and self importance himself, needed someone just simply better than him doing the same job who everyone on his crew unabashadely loves. Thunderclash is just.. that nice and I love the ways they bend over backwards to make EVERYONE fall for this guy, from him being one of the few autbots to be nice to cyclonus and earn his genuine respect with his knoweldge, to teaching Perciptor of all people something. It's just great fun and it's just as fun to watch Hot Rod gnash his teeth over someone else getting all the attention.

There's also a third kinda plot as the crew runs into the Ammonites, a group of robots fighting a forever war with some bug aliens that whirl seemingly end sin ten minutes. We don't know how and tha'ts how I sleep at night

All three collide at the end: Thunderclash's ship needs a jump, esspecailly since, while an epic hero of epicness, he's dying: the ship is Thunderclash's life support and being the autobot's own personal jesus, he's naturally using this time to save everyone he can. It's why his crew's behind on their own quest for the knights.

Sadly one of his crew turns out to be an ammonite spy and they turn out to not have been the good guys, thankfully Rung has an idea and turns into a blunt insturment. Or is it an object. point is he's blunt, hard and blunt. As for WHAT he is...

This will be important going forward, and in hindsight may be one of the most important little bits in this issue. Thunderclash will be too.

We then get the ending which is... eh in my eyes. I like Lost Light's comedy, I point you to just a few paragraphs ago with the stupid alt mode night joke. But this bit.. feels a bit of a stretch: it turns out the film was being screened to the circle of light who ALL, every one of them, boo hiss and complain about them all being fuckups. Besides being more than a little harsh... the film was made by a DEAD AUTOBOT. Rewind DIED before this was made and i'm damn sure they told them that. I like the jokes and I don't mind shots at how little the crews acomplished, it's a decent runner but here.. it just feels mean. Doubly so since the lost light JUST SAVED THEIR ASSES and the ENTIRE UNIVERSE, and not a one of them think tha'ts neat. We get a heartwarming ending showing how much it means but this joke.. just really dosen't work at all. One of Roberts rare misfires but boy is it off target.

That said the issue overall is fun and i'm glad I gave it a second shot. It's good stuff and like seemingly EVERYTHING before the finale itself, it's got a lot of setup.

Next Time: Before we can get to DARK CYBERTRON we have to see what everyone else has been up to

Thanks for reading

[cirilla-fiona-riannon]

Kicho's Main Story Chapter 5 Part 2

These translations are not intended as a replacement for the game. Please support cybird by buying their stories. JP SPOILERS under the cut. Expect mistakes.

Kicho: "It's true that everything you need in life is given to you here."

Kicho: "But that's not the same as this. As long as I'm here, I'll give you a payment based on my standards."

Kicho: "That's why, if you want anything, just say it."

Kicho pointed his finger at a shop with a curtain in front of it.

Kicho: "For example, this shop sells cosmetic products."

Kicho: "It's probably nothing compared to what you have in the future, but this one offers high-quality products."

Kicho: "There are also books, figurines, hairpins, and most other things you could find on this street."

Mai: "Oh, nice! It's like the shopping mall of the Sengoku period."

(I don't know what I want, but I'd like to see everything.)

Mai: "Then can I start with that one first?"

Kicho: "Sure."

And so, with bouncy steps, I went to a couple of shops with him, after which we went into an eatery for a break.

Kicho: "Well, have you decided yet?"

Mai: "No."

Kicho: "To think that after all those shops we've been to, you didn't find anything you wanted."

Mai: "Sorry. They're all pretty, but I don't think I need them."

(Nothing really comes to mind when people say I can have anything.)

(Unless there's something I want, I'll just enjoy looking at different things and be happy with it.)

Kicho: "Well, it's okay. Take your time and choose."

Mai: "But the time一"

Kicho: "You're already aware that there's no more work after this, as you're sharing the schedule with me."

Kicho: “In the first place, I’m the one who brought this up. I’m not gonna rush you.”

Mai: “Thank you. Then I’ll take your word for it and think about it for a little longer.”

Kicho: “Yeah.”

Kicho: “More importantly, we’re gonna eat now. You can at least decide what you want to eat.”

Mai: “Okay! Leave that to me!”

As prompted, I looked up at the paper on the wall.

(Wow, the soba noodles look delicious. The grilled skewers look yummy too.)

(No, the stew is not easy to ignore, either. I’m pretty sure it’s well-seasoned.)

Mai: “I’m so torn.”

Kicho: “I just heard your lively reply earlier.”

Mai: “Because look at this shop’s menu!”

Mai: “It's unfair to put all this delicious-looking food together.”

Kicho: “.............”

Mai: “Sorry! I’m really indecisive when it comes to these things.”

Mai: “Alright! I’m just gonna do an eeny, meeny, miny, moe on this.”

Kicho: “Pfft.”

Mai: “Kicho!?”

He suddenly burst out laughing, making me widen my eyes.

Kicho: “The popular food in this restaurant is the skewers you see written there.”

Kicho: “We can order that for today and ask for a different one the next time we're here.”

Mai: “Sure, thanks for the suggestion.”

(Even though it wasn’t the first time I’d seen it, it still surprised me.)

(His smile is bad for my heart.)

We then finished our meal and went back out into the street.

Mai: "It was really good. I can see why that one is popular."

Kicho: "I see. You like it."

Kicho: "Then, let's continue shopping. Tell me if there's anything you want to see."

Mai: "Okay, thank you."

(That being said, what else would I like to see?)

(I feel like I've seen more than enough stuff already.)

Mai: "Ah!"

I spotted something at the end of the street and walked up to it as if I was being drawn in.

Mai: "Hey, look at all these fabrics. The colors are so beautiful."

Mai: "Um, can I go inside the shop?"

Kicho: "Yeah, do whatever you want."

I quickly entered the shop and looked at the fabrics one by one.

(This elegant one has a soft milky white color. And the pattern is rhododendron?)

(This indigo is also pretty. If the obi is a lighter color, I'm sure一)

Slowly, the cloths took on the shape of a kimono, with an obi wrapped around it.

(Yup, nice. A lovely combination.)

Kicho: "You're very passionate about this."

Mai: "Sorry, I got caught up in my own world."

Kicho: "I knew this shop was for you. Your reaction is different from the other shops we visited."

Kicho: "Here, look at this."

Mai: "Wait! Is that a velvet?"

Kicho: "Yeah. This shop also sells fabrics from other countries."

Kicho: "I'm sure they have more. Tell me what you like."

Mai: "What?"

Kicho: "It's my reward for you."

Kicho: "You can make whatever clothes you want out of whatever you choose."

Kicho: "You'll also need a set of needles. If we backtrack down the road, I'm sure we'll find a shop that sells them."

Kicho: "Let's get them later, okay?"

Mai: "Okay!"

(I'm so happy! I can make clothes again.)

Kicho called the shopkeeper, who explained and helped me choose some fabrics, then we bought a set of needles.

On our way home, he looked ahead and glanced at me.

Kicho: "Is there anything else missing?"

Mai: "No, it's more than enough. Thank you very much."

(It's supposed to be a reward for my work, but is it really okay to get this much?)

(He's done a lot for me, so I'll give him a gift in return.)

(Now that it's decided, I need to think about what kind of clothes to make.)

When I was at Azuchi Castle, Hideyoshi got me to help as a seamstress, but because I didn't have much experience sewing kimonos, I had to assist everyone else.

Thinking that I could make it myself, I began to get more and more ideas in my head.

(As I thought, a kimono would be a safe bet. I'll make it in light and calm tones that are typical of him.)

(Oh, but we have a lot of business meetings, so maybe a foreign outfit?)

Kicho: "Mai, come here."

Mai: "Eh? Why一"

Mai: "Waah!?"

Just as his arm went around my shoulder and pulled me close, a rushing person walked past right next to me.

(I didn't notice him at all.)

Mai: "Sorry, thanks."

Kicho: "Good grief, it's okay to get carried away, but keep your eyes on the road."

(Oh…)

As if to criticize my actions, Kicho tightened his arms around me, and I could feel the strength and warmth of his arms, making my heart beat faster.

Kicho: "If you fall and injure your hand, you won't be able to make clothes."

Mai: "You're right. I'll be careful."

Mai: "Sorry."

(I've been out of sorts ever since I saw the fabrics. I really have to be careful.)

I moved away from him, reflecting on the situation, when...

Motonari: "Heh, looks like you guys are getting along pretty well."

Mai: "Motonari!"

Kicho: "Why are you here?"

Motonari: "I have some business with you, but am I interrupting?"

Motonari: "I didn't expect to see you guys so close to each other in broad daylight."

Motonari: "I heard that you keep her around to monitor her, but I guess this is your aim."

Kicho: "I wouldn't keep a suspicious person in the trading post for such stupid reasons."

Motonari: "Hey, hey, don't answer so seriously. I was just joking."

Motonari: "You don't have to take this countryside girl seriously. With that face, you can get any woman you want."

(Hm? Countryside?)

(So he didn't tell him I came from the future.)

Kicho only shook his head without losing his cool expression.

Kicho: "I don't need it. I have no interest in love."

Kicho: "What happened earlier was only necessary to prevent an accident."

Mai: "That's right. He just saved me!"

Motonari: "Heh."

Motonari smirked and glanced at me, his red eyes teasing me.

Motonari: "You're not convincing anyone with that face."

Mai: "What face?"

Kicho: "Don't worry about it, Mai. He just wants to get some satisfaction out of you."

Mai: "What look is he saying?"

I put my hands on my cheeks and found them faintly hot.

(Am I blushing?)

Kicho: "More importantly, Motonari, if you need me, let's talk at the trading post."

Kicho: "It's probably about that thing. Also, I have something to tell you."

Motonari: "Yeah."

Mai: "Um, what's this all about?"

Motonari: "Oi, oi, are you ignoring my advice again? I told you it's better not to step in too much."

Motonari: "The fact that you're watching him so intently that it looks like you're his lover from the outside means you're not worth trusting."

(-----!)

Motonari: "If you don't want to wear a collar, you'd better behave yourself."

Kicho: "Mai, I'll have those items delivered later. Stay in your room when we return to the trading post."

Mai: "Understood."

With Motonari's words stuck in my heart, the three of us walked down the road, the setting sun shimmering in the distance.

(Kicho still doesn't trust me.)

(I knew that, but it still hurts when it's put into words.)

━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━

Sasuke: "You're really here."

Sasuke: "I finally found you. Mai."

The day after Kicho and I went into town一

Mai: "I'm finally done checking and organizing these documents!"

After stretching, I put together the bundle of papers.

(I didn't take a break, so I finished early. I think it's already past lunchtime.)

(I don't have anything to do after this, so maybe I can help someone else with something.)

(Oh, but first一)

I got up from the chair and picked up the perfume I wear every day.

(I don't know what's gonna happen, but I've got to look presentable, just in case.)

As I left the room and went down the hallway, I saw, as expected, a guard standing near the entrance.

(Someone's here.)

(As expected. He's so shrewd.)

------------Flashback------------

Kicho: "Mai. I'm going out with Motonari today. You stay here, okay?"

Mai: "Are you sure you don't want me to accompany you?"

Kicho: "Yeah, my men are there. You can freely move around here, but don't go outside."

Kicho: "I'll be back by nightfall."

---------Flashback Ends---------

(Going out with Motonari, huh? They are probably just going to resume their talk yesterday.)

(He doesn't want anyone to hear it, but that's exactly what I want to know.)

(Also, it's not like I can inform someone even if I know.)

Mai: "Alright, time to help with some cleaning."

I was about to turn back down the hallway to get a rag when一

Male voice: "Excuse me, I have a delivery for you."

(It looks like someone's here.)

(I feel like I know this voice.)

Kicho's subordinate opened the door, and the owner of the voice entered, carrying a large package.

Sasuke: "Hi. Sarutobi delivery at your service."

Sasuke: "These are the items you ordered yesterday, miss."

(Sasuke!?)

Mai: "Long time no see! I almost called your name there."

Sasuke: "Yeah, thank God you kept your mouth shut."

Sasuke: "If they found out that you and I knew each other, we wouldn't be able to talk like this."

Mai: "Yes. It's really nice to talk to you."

Mai: "I think the last time we saw each other was when we had tea at Azuchi. What have you been up to since then?"

Sasuke: "My employer told me to return."

Sasuke: "It would probably distract you, so I didn't tell you."

Sasuke: "I told you about Kenshin Uesugi, remember? I'm a ninja under him."

(This means that Sasuke and I are enemies in the eyes of others.)

(That's why he didn't tell me the details.)

Sasuke: "But when I returned to the castle, I found that the turbulent world was in serious trouble again, so this time, I came undercover to the border instead of Azuchi."

Mai: "I see. Then we're the same."

Sasuke: "Are you here as a spy too?"

Mai: "Yeah. Actually..."

When I briefly told him how I came here and my current situation, Sasuke was surprised but kept his usual expression.

Sasuke: "So that's what happened. That must've been tough."

Sasuke: "So, one of the people you were with in town yesterday is Kicho?"

Mai: "The one with the black hair is Kicho. Wait, you saw us yesterday?"

Sasuke: "Yeah, I saw you guys are pretty close."

Mai: "What? Oh!"

(Maybe he saw us from the time when Kicho hugged me?)

I felt my cheeks burning as Sasuke tilted his head at me.

Sasuke: "How do you feel about him?"

Mai: "Well..."

Mai: "I guess he's someone I don't want to become my enemy."

Mai: "I went undercover because I thought he was a bad guy, so I didn't really understand him during our time together."

Mai: "Of course, I'm a pacifist. That's why it's been difficult."

Sasuke: "I think I kind of know the feeling."

Sasuke: "People usually don't consider their enemies human beings."

Mai: "Yes."

Mai: "Anyway, I don't have any special feelings for him."

Sasuke: "Really?"

Mai: "Huh?"

Sasuke: "Sorry, I'm not trying to interfere with your feelings, but I just thought that if something were to happen, you, the spy, would suffer."

Sasuke: "And as your friend, I can't overlook that."

Mai: "Sasuke..."

The seriousness of his eyes showed that he wasn't lying.

(He's saying this because he's worried about me. He's really a good friend, but一)

Mai: “Don’t worry. No matter what happens, I won’t bend my beliefs.”

Mai: “I know it’s not easy to live in this turbulent world, and all lives are important.”

Mai: “That’s why I want to make a path where even one of those lives can be saved by my justice.”

Sasuke: “I see. That’s a relief.”

Sasuke: “Then, as your friend, I’ll help you.”

Mai: “Are you sure? That'll help a lot.”

Mai: “Oh, but I can’t run away from here.”

Sasuke: “No problem. You’re here with Mitsuhide, right?”

Mai: “Yes, I haven’t seen him for a while, so I don’t know if he’s still in Sakai.”

Sasuke: “Don’t worry, I’ll look for him. I stayed in Azuchi for a while, so I know his face.”

Sasuke: “If I can contact him safely, I’ll report to him for you.”

Mai: “Eh? Is that okay? You’re Kenshin’s一”

Sasuke: “Yeah. I’m a Nokizaru ninja, but remember, I'm also your friend and a pacifist."

Mai: “Okay. Then I’ll share the information with you.”

(His being here probably means that Kenshin and Shingen are also wary of Kicho.)

(Also, I don’t think getting this information around will affect the Oda army.)

While sorting everything in my head, I told Sasuke that Motonari Mouri was still alive, the number of weapons, and his goal of continuing the turbulent world.

Sasuke: "Continuing the turbulent world?"

Mai: "Keep this a secret, but Kicho also experienced time slipping like us."

Sasuke: "There's someone other than us!?"

Mai: "He was originally from this period, but apparently, he saw the future through a wormhole and came back."

Sasuke: "I see. So you mean to say that he decided to continue living here even after seeing the unification of Japan."

Sasuke: "What the hell happened to him? Or maybe he got affected by the distortions."

Mai: "Distortion?"

Sasuke: " I believe the Kicho in history was a woman."

Sasuke: "She was the daughter of Dosan Saito, the Lord of Mino, and was also known as Princess Nohime."

Mai: "So, this Kicho who is here now is..."

Sasuke: "I don't know all the details, but I guess he was affected by the distortion of history."

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