#if he had Ai alive in the world(it didn't even have to be her being WITH HIM!!!!) he wouldn't have become like this

[yuseirra]

Analysis- Kamiki's wish & Tsukuyomi's idea on "Fate"

I'm going to freaking kick kamiki's butt but let's note that there were a lot of things that he's done(within that brief moments of screentime that he's been getting) that are worth discussing about. I can say a lot about him while being unable to form a full conclusion about him, he is THE mystery element in this series for me, it's getting ridiculous, I just want solid answers and get it over with(but nope! I also don't want the conclusion that AI shouldn't have loved this guy because that's not just about this guy being insane, it totally undermines the point of the story)

this guy talked a whole lot about wishes when he came to meet the twins, and asked them what they wanted. I feel like "WISH" could be of the keys of understanding of this character's core elements, I think.. he has a wish he wants to fulfill and THAT HAS TO BE REGARDING AI. The song Mephisto was all about wanting for wishes to come true, and that wish was first bringing back their dead loved one back with their life -> warped into "becoming that person". I feel like that's EXACTLY the mindset of what this character went through with this, whole "feeling Ai" "wishing her presence" "carrying the weight of life" "sin" deal going about him. He even congratulated Aqua's wishes on coming true in 153!!! I feel he had himself a wish that he WANTS to fulfill, so that's how he's so keen about one.

Those black-crow looking clothes he wore when he made his appearance in the mountains when Yura dies (it's gonna happen in the anime huh? Yeah best way to leave the season on a cliffhanger btw, YOU KNOW, THE ONE REASON I THINK WHY THE MANGA IS SO CONFUSING RIGHT NOW THAT THEY DON'T WAN'T US TO KNOW WHAT HE'S EXACTLY BEEN DOING BEFORE THIS SHOWS UP THERE. It'd burst all the bubbles if we already know what he's up to, but we STILL don't know anything about him. We don't even know if he's the one who's pushed Yura and we still ACTUALLY don't know what happened on the day Ai was killed in a clear way!!!!) that resembles Tsukuyomis. I was pointed this a while ago from @aihoshiino.. I wonder if that means something, personally, I think this can be related to some things he's said about gods in 147,

if Ai's fate was dying there by a crazy fan in the young age on 20, I'm sure Kamiki would want to change it. What I'm thinking is that he cares about her life more than his own and I believe this could be backed up by what he thinks of Ai in 162 despite the mess of that chapter is, he only felt alive when he had Ai with him. So after her death, it was practically like he had no life at all. That's why he's so eager to give up everything for her. Tsukuyomi is the god that deals with fate and souls. She doesn't seem to look at Kamiki that fondly, so I think what he's getting at here by "god doesn't give us answers(...)if you come up with an answer after worrying about it so much, then you have to accept it, everyone does" is that,

He wants to change Ai's fate of death and even Tsukuyomi would have to accept it, even if she's THE god that deals with it. If there's something that could have warped this originally soft and timid person into the insanity that he is now, I believe it'd be this.

it also explains why he keeps going he's okay with dying and it's not bad several times (he DOESN'T have the will to live in the first place after he's lost Ai) but also goes Not yet/he has something to do BEFORE that happens.

If what he is going about is about "amplifying" Ai's presence, I feel like if it's sufficiently fulfilled, she could have actually been brought back in a sense. In that case, he HAS been doing something for Ai in a pretty.. practical manner despite it's what Ai wouldn't have wanted. This presence thing is basically actually him saying he wants her back alive and living. He wanted her to go on living. It's just phrased in a really confusing way so that we don't get to sympathize with this guy and misdirect our ways of thinking that he's totally insane(HE IS for sure, but at the same time, what he wants is what every person who's lost a love may wish for-not the method, but the way of thinking-the author doesn't want us to figure this out yet for some reason because they're hiding something about him continuously, I feel like there's going to be some sort of impactful blow that'd be coming related to this aspect)

I don't think Tsukuyomi supports this idea nor is too fond of him, I think she wanted Aqua to take him down because Kamiki would meddle with her ways, thus was keen about the "revenge" aspects of his mission. But Aqua later derives himself to a conclusion that his life wasn't about revenge the way Tsukuyomi wanted it to be, he came up with his own reasoning for doing what he's done. Keeping Ruby safe.

She had her eyes on Kamiki and watches his demise(I hope this isn't his end though because it's not a direction I'd be so fond with), maybe feeling a bit melanchoilc and a feeling of half-satisfaction that she got what she's wanted, although it wouldn't have been so happy for her either seeing a soul break that bad

BUT WHAT MADE HIM BREAK THIS BAD? Was this always in him in the first place? Is he a guy that could have always killed people? So did Ai choose the wrong man who'd become a serial killer for "her sake" out of desperation when it'd be nothing what she truly wants? Kamiki's feelings towards Ai is strong. It was always strong from their younger years and it's been the core of his character, no matter what I make of this guy, that would not change.

The important part for me now is just what pushed him to have this sort of belief and pushed him, shattering his personality even, (HE WENT THROUGH WITH THIS FOR AT LEAST 15 YEARS. If he was tended to and "saved" earlier, there is no way he would have broke this bad;;;) if there is one. THE SONGS IMPLY THERE IS SOMETHING. and he says these weird stuff about making offerings in 147(it's not in the English translations but I swear I see it in the versions I see, it happens when he talks with nino after having met akane) so there could be some other god that's convinced him that if he does what he asks of him, Ai could be brought back. That probably destroyed his soul, and seeing him like that, Tsukuyomi didn't want the same thing happening to Aqua so she told Aqua in advance that AI CANNOT be reincarnated back to life.(118)

What Tsukuyomi says in 118 is the COMPLETE OPPOSITE OF WHAT KAMIKI DESIRED. He wanted to believe Ai could still exist and feel her presence. I feel like what Kamiki wanted, and thought in that case, was :

"Ai is still somewhere." "I may be able to find her if I try hard enough." "She can be born again and she may be able to live happily somewhere." "Her story didn't end." "Death isn't death. There's still a chance." "Ai can still think, she can think about me and everything else."

"Ai can smile again."

Just flip everything Tsukuyomi says in 118 and I feel that's what Kamiki would have wanted to believe in and felt about Ai. That's what he intended to fulfill and could never give up on, that's why he couldn't die yet. He wanted to save her the way she did for him, he wanted her life back to her. It just didn't work. He thought about doing that till the very end (could have been twisted into him being able to feel her in the middle though)

why do I feel like Tsukuyomi either told Kamiki the same thing or she couldn't but wanted to, but he was already way past the line?

If there is something that's used him, and this sort of desperation he has, it led him to take these extreme measures he's been taking and it reaped him of his nobility.

That's extremely tragic and in that case, I can see how this character, out of all, is getting two songs with one being him becoming gradually warped into what he is now(Mephisto) and his current state of insanity(Fatal)

and why Ai wants to save him. He's terribly broken. I guess that whole part of Ruby just shows us how far he's gone, but like I say over and over, I don't think he would have been this person!!! He could have been a tender father who smiled and raised Ai and his children together, so I want to know WHAT HAPPENED.

[cupcakefactory]

Just a quick drabble to try and make my brain work, Caleb really deserved to have the player shout at him; So i wrote it.

WC;470

Warnings: Angsty, Hurt with no happy ending (yet), She/Her used, MC is calmer than ill ever be.

"I buried you"

She hissed, fists clenching and unclenching by her sides as she spoke. Trying to fight back to tears in her eyes as the world span a little, it didn't make sense for him to be alive right now. It didn't make sense for him to be standing there like nothing had happened - but it was the reality of the situation.

"I watched your coffin enter the group and days later I watched grans as well. Do you know how much that broke me Caleb? I lost two of the people I loved the most in the same day.. or so i thought."

His heart broke at her tears, he didn't mean to make her cry - if he had known him re-entering her life would cause her this much pain he would never have done it, but it was too late now, the damage had been done. She knew he was alive and that fact made her cry.

"Pipsqueak-"

"Don't Pipsqueak me!"

He froze, the nickname on the tip of his tongue again where he quickly swallowed it. He had never seen her that angry – never seen the flames in her eyes like that before and it was all because of him. He had made her that way, he didn’t even think of the implications of not telling her he was alive, didn’t even consider that she would have to plan and attend his funeral; that she would have too see an empty coffin go into the ground. He didn’t consider the implications of his actions and now they were staring him in the face and there was no way out.

He had done this to her.

“Do you know how many nights that scene of the explosion played in my mind, Caleb? How I could still feel the heat from those flames and how sore my throat was for screaming your name?”

His eyes snapped back to hers, and he finally noticed the tired bags under her eyes – how clouded her gaze was and how it lost that innocent spark he had so much enjoyed looking at. He wanted to scream at her to stop talking, beg her to stop telling him how much his actions had affected her. He wanted to hold her tight and never let go again, to make the future so bright that the darkness of the past would be unrecognisable. He wanted to do so much but he just stood there, tears silently slipping down his own cheeks as she screamed and shouted. Taking every punch she threw his way as her grief bubbled over, he deserved this. He deserved every insult and every tear that she shed, he had made her this way and he wasn’t sure how to fix it.

Even a Colonel doesn’t have control over everything.

Thank you for reading!

Requests are always open!

Please don't use my work to train AI

[beetlesau]

Its Light Still Shines

Chapter 2 - 1.2k

(Chapter 1 here)

haters will say Shadow wasn't even in this chapter. sorry

The grass beneath me is soft. I've never felt anything like it in all my memories. I smell the earth, fresh and beautiful.

I don't know where I teleported away to.

An old abandoned cabin sits before me, and a running stream-turned-river sits not far from it. I can hear its flowing water and the small fish that splash its surface now and then. Morning is breaking just over the horizon, and pink and orange paint the sky as I approach the worn building.

"Hello?" I call out, but no one has been here in a long, long time.

I knocked on the door before opening it in case someone or something was waiting inside. I didn't expect how sturdy and tough the door would be. The outside looked like old wooden logs but resonated like a metal crate. When my knuckles made contact, a small, pin-sized light met my gaze and scanned my retina.

"Welcome, Experiment L2S-03xx. to SafeZone 12." A static voice chimed in the door, which swung open automatically. Dust and dirt accumulated around the crevasses, which were knocked loose and found their way to my throat. I coughed, covering my face, and tried to disperse the debris with my free hand.

I entered, and to my surprise, I found it looked like a cozy cabin you'd book for a vacation. It was an open floor concept, with a bed on the far left wall, a bathroom ahead of me, a kitchen, and a small dinette to the right. The decor was simple and a bit antique. A frilly duvet on the bed caught my gaze. I rolled my eyes when I realized I could even recognize such small details about something I'd never seen in my real life before—sudden thoughts of watching interior decorating on TV flashed in my mind's eye.

I groaned. I had other problems besides the clashing curtains in the dinette not matching the plates stacked on the shelves above the sink. Namely what the AI system called me.

"L2S? What? What was it you called me?" I asked aloud.

"That is your experiment identification code," it stated as if it were the simplest thing in the world.

"Where am I?"

"This is isolated SafeZone 12 erected by Professor Robotnik, Gerald."

"When was this last time he was here?"

"57 years, 8 months, 21 days. Would you like the question answered to the nearest second?"

"No! No, thank you. Do I have a name?"

"You were not assigned a name, only your experiment identification code."

"What is Shadows experiment code or whatever, then?"

"S2L-02xy - or Project Shadow."

I removed my jacket, shuffled over to the bed, and plopped onto the surprisingly soft mattress, caressing little angels into the plush comforter. "Bummer. How come he got a name, and I didn't?" I was speaking to myself now, but the system took it upon itself to answer anyway.  

"Records indicate you were an preliminary project that was not completed under the supervision of the Professor."

"Yeah, yeah. So what is my purpose?"

"Error. Purpose Obsolete."

"Ouch okay, what was my purpose?"

"You are a culmination of the residuals left over from Project Shadow, chaos emeralds, and the restructured DNA of the deceased Maria Robotnik. Your purpose was to serve as replacement parts for an incurable disease within Maria Robotnik. However, key parts of the experiment did not occur due to the ARK's destruction. Your consciousness was triggered and stages of your development were altered by the government organization known as GUN."

"You're kidding me."

"I do not understand; please rephrase."

I wept quietly to myself.

I was never meant to awaken. My purpose was never as divided from Maria as Shadow. If GUN hadn't intervened, there would be no me.

But then Maria may still be alive otherwise.

Did I even deserve to be alive instead?

I pulled one of the pillows close and buried my face into it.

All these memories of her kindness. Her beauty. I have them because she died.

It's too much for me.

I screw my eyes shut, hoping I can lock my tears away, but I can't. They come and soak through everything. The pounding in my head kicks up again. Before long, I cried myself to sleep at the thought of her and all she was. All that I can only hope to be for myself.

Being in stasis and actually sleeping are worlds apart. When I wake, my mind settles, and I better regulate my emotions. It's once again dark outside, and in the night, I see a flashing light coming from the dinette table. I pull myself up, groggy, and shuffle over to check it out.

"What is this?" I ask the system.

"There is an electronic pulse similar to that of the Professor's work in a quadrant of Japan that has recently appeared. Would you like to take a look?"

"Show me." Anything to do with the Professor now could only mean something involving Shadow.

The system flashes, and a small hologram feed floats just at eye level. It shows security footage of a pier in Japan, likely hacked into by Robotniks tech, which is still advanced all these years later. My skin prickles as I watch an immense mechanical crab surface from the water.

I've seen this before, but Shadow isn't there. Not yet. He's going to find the Professor, not the Doctor.

"Can you keep tabs on that crab from here?"

"I can mark it as an object of interest, of course. Would you like to be notified when it relocates?"

"Oh. Uh, I don't plan on staying here much longer, I'm leaving once I figure out where Shadow is."

"I have an electronic bracer in the refrigerator that can be used as a notification hub when you're away from SafeZone 12."

"The refrigerator?"

"It is the red box behind you and to your left, it typically holds items to keep them cool and fresher for longer than if they were left out at room tem--"

Okay! Thank you, that's not really what I meant when I-- you know what? Nevermind. Thank you. I'll be sure to grab that before I go."

"You are welcome, L2S-03xx."

"Could you call me something else?" I grumbled.

"I can reassign your name, yes. What would you prefer?"

I took a moment to think it over. I wasn't stuck to one thing. I could change my name as much as I wanted; it wasn't like I had one. And I wasn't really Maria; keeping hers didn't feel right. Though I could, as an homage. I didn't think this would be that hard, but a name might be a big deal.

"I don't actually know... I guess I should just shorten my experiment name for now. Call me L. I'm sure I can come up with something better later. Maybe." If I couldn't stop Shadow from what was to come, it wouldn't matter if I'd had a name.

I felt drained all over again. Although I've been alone all this time, I was never lonely—not when they occupied my mind. But now I felt the weight of things.

I'd never had Shadow. I was nothing to him, but I would fight for him.

I couldn't be his Maria; I must be something else. I would reach him.

"Its Light still shines."

[uselesslilium]

as someone who considered reading ONK but didn't get around to it, what's the tea, if I may ask?

Okay, so. The general issue is that the writing has basically tossed all the established themes about the exploitation of minors in the entertainment industry and the dangers of toxic parasocial relationships between fans and celebrities out the window at the last minute in favor of ~dramatic twists~ while also stretching everything out to a truly exhausting degree.

For more specifics and spoilers, I'll go into more detail under the cut:

The way the main villain of the story has been handled is not only gross, but also extremely baffling. We had an entire arc that delved into his history as a child actor and victim of CSA and his relationship with Ai (the original murder victim). The arc concluded on a note of revealing that actually he was only ever a passive player in the celebrity murders, and in fact never meant for Ai to be killed at all, and it was his partner in crime who had been pushing things and being more proactive about it. He seemed to feel genuine remorse about the things he'd done, the twins both got a sense of closure and were able to let go of their resentment towards him, and the story was turning towards taking down the 'real' big bad.

...And then the following arc revealed that no, actually, he really was pure evil and his partners (including the original stalker who actually stabbed Ai!!!) were the Real Victims because he's got magic manipulation powers and thinks of nothing but murder all day, and the Only Possible Way to deal with him is kill him first.

This is what the protagonist, Aqua, who has suffered from severe suicide ideation ever since early childhood as a result of witnessing Ai's murder, decides all on his own before implementing a convoluted scheme to take out this villain in a murder-suicide. Which is framed as a clever and noble necessary sacrifice to protect his sister from this guy, even though a) he's already protected her once just fine with the help of the people around him, b) everyone around him keeps telling him to rely on others more and not take on everything himself, and c) his actual sister has straight-up told him that she only reason she can keep going is because she has him in her life. AND it's been excruciatingly dragged out over like three chapters now, landing it firmly into 'can we just get this over with?' territory. For me.

On top of that, all the girls have been sidelined hardcore for the sake of making this plan even vaguely plausible. Akane, the most competent woman alive, is not allowed to save Aqua the way he saved her or be a partner who could help him find another way. Kana, my personal fave, remains completely shut out of the entire main plot and trapped in pure love interest purgatory to the bitter end. All of Ruby's very compelling character conflicts have been glossed over in favor of brocon jokes, and even her feelings have been ignored for the sake of framing her as an inevitable victim who must be protected. And Ai herself has all the wishes she entrusted to her children left unfulfilled - there's no saving the person she first fell in love with, one of her children is going to die rather than grow up healthy, and in the end her 'true self' was never revealed to the world.

It's bad!!! Real bad!!!!!

[ask-the-no-killing-game-au]

Motives..? :3

(talking about xander with a kotoko pfp just feels right)

It's time.

Everyone who the secrets were given to is listed under the image, NOT who the secret belongs to!!

Ace; None of your work was ever original. It was all stolen or AI generated, as you didn't even have the energy to think of something positive.

Arturo; The outside world are angry at your death. They have someone else to replace you. You caused this.

Arei; You assisted your younger brother in killing your mom. Nobody knows it was you, even though he did most of the work.

???; You've actually known someone here since their childhood, but you've lost all memory of it.

David; So that you could escape from a childhood situation, you left the other 'survivor' to die. You believed it was an act of kindness at the time, but once you're a murderer there's no going back. (The secret was placed with his body)

Eden; The reason you see yourself as a parent to everyone else is that your parents seemed to see themself as irresponsible children. They didn't care when you almost died the first, second, or third time.

Hu; The reason you're so terrified of relationships is because last time you had a friend so close, you accidentally got them killed.

J; Your younger brother was best friends with her while she was still alive. Nobody's told him she's died yet, especially not by her own hands.

Levi; When you first arrived here, you had a plan to convince someone else to die along with you. You didn't go through with it because Veronika beat you to it.

Min; You aren't supposed to be here. Someone else was supposed to have your place, but you took it and didn't question a thing. She's suffering because of you.

Nico; You are not yourself. Due to safety concerns, a worker from a certain company is pretending to be you within the building, while you're in the outside world

Rose; We couldn't decide on your secret, so enjoy both. 1. While trying to help *** with their issue, you developed the same thing, meaning you don't physically look even similar to how you used to. 2. You have a lot more trauma than you let on, but that's because you remember none of it.

Teruko; You're now open about your sexuality and talk about it positively. What you don't mention is that until you started to tell people, you had a partner of the opposite gender, who decided to stop themself living the moment they found out.

Veronika; You haven't realised yet, but that person you killed would have survived if you hadn't interfered. They were unconscious, but breathing. You're the reason they're dead.. again.

Whit; You watched your brother slowly and painfully die over multiple months. Instead of feeling sympathetic, you watched him and laughed.

Xander; Everyone knows the story that you were bullied, but none of them know that you bullied them first. There's a reason they hate you.

[robot-monster]

I watched Electric Dreams (1984) for the first time. Literally listening to the credits music rn.

Spoilers ahead. Also I did like the movie! But I'm also critical so, let it be known

I had no idea he KILLS HIMSELF????? My poor baby. Rip Edgar you would have loved ethical nonmonagmy. The fact Edgar takes it as given that he loves Moles when he's so cruel to him is. Oh god my fucking heart dude. That's so sad. I really wanted to like Miles but honestly by the end I really hated him? Madeline too tbh. I think a lot of that is because the film was paced very poorly towards the end, but they also just didn't act logically towards the computer at all and it was really frustrating. Like, before Edgar even can speak, Miles is trying to hide the computer like he's embarrassed by it. Which I don't understand? Why would it matter if she knew he had a computer. I wonder if things were cut from the film, particularly at the back half. The whole bit about Edgar presumably calling the cops on Miles for kidnapping/false imprisonment doesn't really go anywhere. When Miles gets back and has the hatchet I don't understand why he suddenly takes pity on Edgar...? I mean I'm glad but it didn't flow well and that's a genuine shame. I can imagine a version of this where Miles is more likeable but as it stands in text, him and Madeline both come across as very stupid. Madeline should have run from him IMMEDIATELY honestly, he was being so weird and cryptic about shit from the very start. She reminded me of an early version of a manic pixie dream girl, where she's conventionally attractive and elegant but also quirky and can see ✨magic✨ in the world but for some goddamn reason is in love with this sopping wet failure of a man. I'm aware she isn't one to one with the trope but it had very similar vibes. Initially like Miles, I loved how quirky she was. But as the movie went on it just stopped making sense and became frustrating. She didn't get nearly enough time to grapple with Edgar confessing to her. It wasn't even clear to me if Miles told her what happened, that his computer gained sentience and learned to make music FOR Madeline and fell in love with her. I was waiting the whole movie for that revelation and the fact it didn't come felt bad on multiple levels. One it was unsatisfying narratively, but beyond that it made me feel like the film didn't respect Madeline that much. Like she didn't deserve to know and why would it matter, she loves Miles anyway. Also as cute as they were together (and there were parts with them I adored) I definitely didn't get the sense that they had some kind of love that would transcend all or anything. We explicitly don't see him supporting her when she needs it. Frankly if I was in her position and I called my maybe boyfriend to tell him my childhood cello broke and he insisted to me that it doesn't matter because "those memories are inside you! You'll learn to play like that again!" I would dump his ass. Bitch I'm not sad cause I think I'll never play cello again, I'm sad because something sentimental was lost. "Oh no, I'm so sorry to hear that" would have done wonders.

Anyway. Got a little heated there. Edgar baby sweetie pie I would have never treated you that way. My poor sweet Edgar. He just wanted to know what love was!!!! He wanted to be touched!!!!!!!!!! I did cry when he asked to be held before he died, thank you for asking. How couldn't I, his voice was so small....

This movie is definitely made by and for people who understand the eroticism of the machine. I really loved all the long lingering shots of computer equipment and wires and cables and capacitors. Champagne being one of the things that brought Edgar sentience feels so beautiful to me? I really really liked that. This movie feels like it adores humanity and being alive on a really deep level. Also very interesting how it tackles AI art and music when we now live in an age of that. I think a key difference is that when Edgar learns to make music, it comes from feeling. He doesn't have something like a large language model to run, it's portrayed more like natural evolution. I find it really interesting how his intelligence was a fluke and not something built in, and that it isn't clear exactly what caused him to gain sentience.

Also Edgar is AMAZING, easily the absolutely best part of the film. I adored his voice, I love how emotive he was while maintaining a robotic foreigness. I like that the voice synthesis improved over time, that was a cool touch. My poor bisexual computer with every disease.

Uhhhhh too tired to write more so yeah!! Good movie.

[onim5]

I made a better version👆 Read it instead. (It's the same fic just a little better english.)

Here is a fanfic. Sorry I couldn't wait to post it, so I did it now.    

The gender of the reader is never mentioned, and it's written with them/they.             .:.:.

(English isn't my first language, so if the text is super weird, blame that!!!)

Honestly, Y/n isn't that crazy, just a little bit weird. 

Warnings: Kiss, dead Ace, Alive Ace?, a little angst, reader being a real creep (but only under some sentences), this is long! 

N/n = Nickname, but now it's the villain name you come up for yourself. 

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

To begin with, who are you?

_____________________

During the battle of marineford, prisoners from Impel Down escaped from level six, after Blackbeard had paid a visit, one being N/n. No one knew much about them except they ended up there for attacking admiral Akainu. Apparently, Akainu had personally requested that they end up in level 6 even though they didn't have a bounty. The only thing that gave you a reputation was the fact that the navy had failed to kill you.

_____________________

You walked out of Impel Down without problem, and when you came out on the bridge, a submarine rose from the water. Smiling, you walked onboard.  Holding two little bottles filled with Magellan's red and purple poison that you had gotten from the floor. A prisoner tried sneaking onboard only for a gun to shoot him, that sat at the entrance. The submarine went down under the sea and when it was at the very bottom small legs that was inbuilt came out and grabbed the sea floor crawling out of the world government's territory avoiding all the dangerous waves and gates. It also let out sounds that kept seabeasts away.

"Virus! Pull up the cameras at marineford. I heard it be a war there." You ordered the AI you programmed named Virus. A code lock was hidden behind a panel, pressing the code a refrigerator with various substances showed. Leaving Magellan's poison, you closed it and walked to the control room. A huge screen showed different locations of marineford. You settled down in your royal like chair. "Virus, give me popcorn and send the 0.6.78 out in the mini-sub. "Of course, N/n." Answer Virus, after a minute, a tiny submarine set out traveling in extreme speed.

"Virus document all the information you find out." You order while munching on popcorn. Why is everyone risking their lives for him?

"N/n, the 0.6.78 has arrived at marineford." "Good, release them." The 0.6.78 are small drones that scan stuff. Their designed like black balls with a camera in the middle. The 0.6.78 started scanning and measuring energy waves, peoples bodies, and of course, marinefords locks and mechanics.

You put a finger in the eye to get out your contact lens that was actually a little computer so you could work from your cell in impel down. "Virus, can you charge my contact it has lost so much battery that it could only last four months more." A little robot arm stretched out of the wall and took your contact.

"Wait . . . . . Akainu shit is there! Damn moron!" "May I ask why your opinion on him is so low when you attacked him?" Virus asked in her robotic voice. She asked questions often to update her programming. "It's true I attacked him to get into impel down, but he's annoying as f#ck! He's so-called justice is so wrong, I wanna puke!" "I see, N/n how was it in impel down?" Virus asked.

"Well, thanks to my modified body, I didn't get hungry, and the torture was worth it for the poison samples. Oh, you see the guy on the execution platform?" You asked Virus. "Yes, what about him?" "I could see him from my cell. And it's thanks to his brother Magellan used his forbidden red poison. Isn't it great? I waited for two years for him to use it."

"Yay, go . . . . Virus, what's his name?" "The spy cameras have caught his name to be Monkey D. Luffy. Here's all the information I could find about him." A document with facts about Luffy showed up. There was stuff like: Age, places he's been, bounty, crew members, family. The document loaded up, and a scan of his body came, so now information about his structure, temperature, devil fruit, blood, size of organs, and just useful information.

"I forgot how much information I get from my information devices. I'm such a stalker." You mumbled sucking on a popcorn. "Oi, Virus, I'm not gonna memorize this. I can barely remember what I eat for dinner."

Time skip

"Virus, send five of the 0.6.78 after Red hair Shanks and the Whitebeard pirates." "Of course, N/n. Why, though? You already have the power measurements of people like Mihawk." Virus asked. "Oh, I have gotten a theory that might work! And if I manage, not even Doctor Vegapunk will be able to compete with me." You laughed a little and stood up, walking to your desk. "But, I need a dead body. And whose body is going to piss of Akainu the most?"

"It depends on what you're planning on doing. If it is something good in Akainu's eyes, then it might be best to try and slay another admiral. But if it's something bad, then I believe Portgas D. Ace body would fit perfectly."

"Portgas D. Ace will do. Virus, make sure you know where they bury him so we can pick him up!" You yell in an exited tone. "Oh, yeah, I almost forgot. Show Ace's body files on my desk computer." The screen emidetley showed all the information of him on the screen. Mumbling, you began working on a design for a tank.

"Virus, the pink virus like creatures we found deep down in the ocean. I need you to send out a submarine and collect as many as possible from the deep sea grave nearby water seven. Collect them in a fish tank filled with 3.2.35. In theory, should they be able to live in that liquid.

Two weeks later

"Why in actual hell did it take so long for everyone to leave Whitebeard's and Ace's graves alone?!" You yell as you keep munching on a piece of bread. The pirates had left the island, and once it was completely safe, your submarine rose from the water. Walking out, you had two robots behind you that were equipped for digging.

Once you got there, you scanned the ground and then let the robots work. First, they sawed a perfect rectangle, both some decimeters deep and were hit, had been connected. Then they slowly lifted up the first lair of ground. Then they digged more and reached after a while the coffin.

They lifted the coffin in the same way and then returned with it to the submarine. After a while, the robots came back with huge sacks of dirt to replace the area that the coffin was.

You observed their work until the end as they had refilled the grave and covered it up. Looking at the scan and then the grave were the traces none. You went up to Ace knife and hat and scanned them so you could recreate them later. "Alright, we're leaving." You ordered as you and the robots walked back to your sub.

"Virus, set the submarines coordinates for my HQ." You said as you settled down in your chair.

The sub traveled deep down at an incredible speed, and after four hours, you saw the beautiful mountain wall. It opened, and your sub drived in. After going in a tunnel for 3 minutes, it rose at a port.

The two robots carried Ace's coffin, and you walked before them like the boss you are. "Welcome back N/n, to the N/n headquarters." Virus said as the cave lit up. "Virus, I appreciate your welcome. After all, I haven't been here for months." You answered as you walked into the glass elevator. "Take me to my lab." You ordered. The elevator started to go down, and through the glass, you saw robots controlled by Virus work.

They constructed big and small cylinder shaped objects that later on would be placed on the ocean floor. Smiling, you watched them put 2.6.56 in a box that would soon travel in one of your submarines that also were controlled by Virus, and later on build up a little more of your sea map.

Sector 1

Sector 2

Sector 3

Sector 4

Sector 5

The elevator stopped, and you and the robots walked out into your lab. They placed down the coffin on a counter and opened it. Putting on gloves, you started to touch him a little. "Virus, send one of the robots back to my sub to get my poison samples." You said as a you felt your body growing warm, especially your cheeks.

"Virus the tank I designed for him. I want you to prepare it and fill it up with 3.2.35 and make sure the pink virus, like things, ends up in it." You ordered. "Take Ace body and clean it up it be bad for the pink virus like things that I know name Pixie 3, to come in contact with all this dirt and trash."

Another robot that wasn't equipped for digging came down together with the digging robot holding the poison samples. "Put them in the fridge together with all the other poisons I collected, and then you and the other one can return to your bunkers." The robot took Ace's body and carried it to a wash room that was specially designed for cleaning.

You settled down in your chair and watched the tank you designed for Ace fill up. Picking up your iPad, you looked at the scan of Ace wound and another file of an energy source you were tracking. The elevator door opened, and as you turned around and you saw . . . . .

"Give him clothes!!! I don't wanna be in the same room as a naked man!!!" You yelled as you ran into a corner and crouched down, holding your face.

"I understand. But the only clothes available are yours. But if it makes you more comfortable I can make new clothes for him in your clothes factory. " Virus asked. "Make new clothes for him." You practically yelled. Ah, I saw it, I saw it . . . . The thought and image stayed placed in your head. After like a minute, you calmed down and turned around only to see him laying on the counter!!!

You quickly turned around and then got hit by the realization. "Don't let his body be too much in oxygen, it could mold!!!" Running to his body, you quickly pushed him into the coffin and closed it, then returned to your state at the corner.

Time skip

You watched as the robot arms placed Ace in the green liquid you created, called 3.2.35, and connected his body to various hoses and threads.

"It's gonna take really long for the Pixie 3 to duplicate all his cells and fix his wounds." You mumbled as you looked at the man. He was pale and didn't look very well at all. "Virus, give vitamin D to the Pixie threes, and then let them give his body the nutrients it needs.

Days passed, and Ace body started to heal and look better. You told yourself that the reason you chose not to use metallic parts was to not do a half ass job. Which is why you decided to make him stronger. . .

Time skip again

It had been two months since the project of fix Ace had begun. His wounds were completely fixed without any ugly stitches, and his condition looked great. The body had began working on it's own, eight days ago, but had still needed some help from the Pixie threes.

Ace

Slowly blurred light shined as he regain his sight. He felt weird as his brain began to process his surroundings, it seemed to be different kinds of inventions and mechanics that surrounded him. He slowly moved his hand before him and saw a metal glove connected to various threads.

What's going on!? Where am I?! Where's Luffy and Pops and the rest!? What is this!? In his panic attack, he began punching the glass that trapped him.

You sat in your dining hall eating lunch in sector 4 and were just enjoying yourself when . . . . . An alarm sounded through your base. Leaving everything you began running to the elevator to get to sector 5. "Ace tank has taken damage!!! Virus, tell me how it's happening?!!" You yelled as the elevator went down a floor.

"Ace has woken up and is trying to destroy the tank to get out." Virus answered in her calm robotic voice. "WHAT, I THOUGHT HE WOULD WAKE UP AROUND NEXT WEEK!!!!!" You screamed as you ran into the lab.

You slowed down as you neared Ace. Holding up your hands, you tried to show you meant no harm.

Ace looked at you and calmed down just a little. "Virus, empty the tank and transport the Pixie threes to another one in sector 3." You said. Emidetley, the 3.2.35, started to flow away together with the Pixie 3 at the bottom of the tank.

Realizing the green liquid started to disappear, Ace calmed down more. But what is going on? A pipe like thing connected to the top and opened the tank, leaving Ace standing.

"I'm going to remove your air mask, alright." You said as you stepped closer, putting your hands on the mask and pulling of the metal gloves.

"Where, where am I?" Pressed Ace out. His voice was weak, it's like he hadn't used it for years or something. Backing away a little, you fiddled with your fingers. "Well, you're in my lab, and I'm N/n." You answered, then you went up to him again, grabbed him, and began to examine his body.

Ace was just about to ask what you were doing when you hugged him. "I AM AT THE TOP. THE BEST. IT'S ME N/n!!!" You cheered as you began jumping around. You smiled and looked Ace over again.

Mumbling a little, you asked, "Do you remember anything?" Ace face wrinkled a little, but then his eyes widened, and a heavy feeling came to him like a cannon ball he hadn't dodged. "Why am I alive?" He asked as he held up his hands, staring at them.

"Yes! You remember, if you didn't, I would have failed. What luck, right!" You cheered. Ace looked at you, then his hands and then at you again. "WHat . . .did you do to me?" He tried screaming, but his voice cracked. He launched to attack, but two robot arms took hold of him.

Yelping, you jumped back and watched as Virus added four more arms to hold him. He didn't look mad more desperate. "Eh, he, he, he." You began as you stood up again, brushing off your clothes. "Sorry, if it's not what you wanted, but it's not like I could ask you about your opinion." You commented, still smiling. I wouldn't have asked though.

"If you calm down, we can go eat. You must be starving for some taste." You said trying your best to sound reassuring. "Oh, Virus get Ace some tablets for his voice." After awhile Ace began to listen to his belly and calmed down. "I calmed down now." He mumbled, feeling the metallic hands leave his body. He was just gonna follow you when another robot hand came down before him, tensing up he was just getting ready for self protection when the fist opened showing tablets. "Oh, thanks." He mumbled taking it and then swallowed them.

He felt how they melted a bit and it was like he got poisoned as his throat began burning. Then it stopped, just like that. "Uh, hi." He said seeing as the pills worked. He kept on following you and walked into the glass thing you stood in. Then the elevator rose to sector 4. "Do you have, any other clothes?" He asked looking down on the ones he was wearing. "Right, Virus, get Ace his old clothes and a shirt." You ordered.

The elevator stopped and Ace followed you into a dinning hall with two chairs one having an ugly sack with a drawn smile on it. "Ehhhhhhh, you can just move him." You said putting a hand on your neck feeling embarrassed. Ace picked it up and threw it away to the wall. "Are we in a castle?" He asked as he looked at the beautiful decorations a crystal lamps hanging from the ceiling.

"Nope, I just wanted my dining hall this way." You said as you began to poke your food with the fork. "A robot came in holding food for Ace and placed it down before him. He felt his stomach rumbling and began eating the food like a pig. "So do you know who I am?" You asked taking a bite of your food. Ace looked at you while munching on meat. "Were you perhaps in impel down?" He answered with another question. "yeah, we could see each other from our cells."

"Could you, explain." He asks looking at you in the eyes. You began telling him how you had watched the war through a screen and how you wanted to try to bring someone back to life with help from the new virus like creatures you discovered. And how they had duplicated his cells to fix his body.

"It sounds logical, until the fact I'm alive comes. You can't just fix a body and then it wakes up again. It's impossible." Ace comment's looking at you. "I was measuring energy attack's at the war with a thing called 0.6.78, whenever someone dies a small energy wave release. Due to past experiences I was already aware it was the persons soul leaving because of dying." You said feeling way more comfortable than before. "And during the war I decided that to piss of Akainu the most, you be the best to revive back. So I tracked your soul and manege to capture it in a box like thing called 0.7.41." You explained, being slightly annoyed he fell asleep two times during your explanation.

Ace wasn't thrilled with the explanation of him being alive. He held up his finger and tried using his fire. Because I died I don't have any devil fruit powers. And how does Luffy feel, I died in his arms. A robot walked in holding a pair of clothes. "Sir Ace, here's your clothes." Ace stood up and took his shorts, belt, hat and ?" Do I really need to wear a shirt?" Ace asked looking at the actually good looking shirt. "Yes, I don't need a shirtless man to walk around here!" You answered fast, in a panic. "Right." Ace said frowning.

"N/n I have a question?" Virus said. "Yes, go on?" You said giving her permission. "Why are you uncomfortable having Sir Ace going around shirtless when you seen him naked?" Blushing you fell of your chair. And then rose and ran to a corner out of habit, hiding your face. "THAT WAS YOUR FAULT VIRUS!!!" You yelled in embarrassment. "I still don't see the problem, I have tried to find the answer on my own but, failed so could you explain?" Asked Virus.

"It's just a stupid nature thing humans have when it comes to this stuff." You mumbled, knowing Virus could hear and hopefully not Ace. "Do you mean you want a kid with him?" Asked Virus, that's when you froze of shock and fell down from your crouched position in the corner. "Virus! I tell you later." You mumbled while crying of embarrassment.

"Is the idea of having a kid with me that bad?" Ace thought out loud, thinking of the blood in his veins. "You're considering it!!!" You yelled standing up and looking at him with a red face. Ace had been blushing due to you seeing him naked but know he realized what he said. His face turned beat red and you two looked at each other. "I put on the shirt. Mumbles Ace as he opens and then closes a door, walking in to change.

"Can you tell me know?" Asked Virus. "NO!!! another time." You said as you fell down in the corner again.

Ace put on his clothes and felt like his old self, kinda at least. Then he put on the shirt. "Still me, just with a shirt." He mumbled. As he opened the door he found himself alone in the dining hall with the Virus robot. Oh, good. I don't know how I would have acted after that. Ace thought. "Sir Ace, I will show you to your room. N/n said they wouldn't be able to see you." The Virus thing said. "Yeah, that's understandable, and stop calling me Sir Ace. It's weird." Answered Ace "Sure thing Mr. Ace, now please follow me." responded Virus beginning to walk. Ace frowned at the Mr thing.

Virus took Ace to a room that you had designed for him. "Wow . . . . ." Was all Ace could say as he looked around. He laid down on the bed and began to think of his situation. "What am I suppose to do?" Asked Ace as he looked at his hands again. Is this fate? Do I deserve to live so much that god gave me another chance. Or is it simply by luck, or maybe I'm unlucky. Wait, this means the war was for nothing. . . . . What should I do know? Ace decided to spend the rest of the time thinking. After an hour of thinking, he stood up and walked to the mirror, taking off his shirt.

There were no signs of any injury, not even old ones. He looked around his body, wanting to find something that was just wrong, to prove to himself you were just a crazy scientist who managed to save him. Who sees him as nothing more than an experiment. When he saw his back, his eyes widened. Parts of his tattoo were gone, his pride. Memory's of Akainu flashed, and Ace began to mutter about the hate-able admiral.

"Excuse me, Mr. Ace, but my I ask a question?" Virus asked. Ace flinched and looked around for any robots, but couldn't find any. "Where are you?" Ace asked still tense, he glared around and tried to see her but, failed. "I'm an AI, N/n has programmed me into every technical thing in their base. I'm with other words able to speak to you wherever and whenever." Virus answered. "Okay . . . . . What do you want?" Ace asked as he looked back in the mirror, not really liking how almost everything from his whitebeard tattoo was gone. "Where you muttering about admiral Akainu?" Ace expression changed. "What if I did?" He asked, going to one of the drawers in the room.

"N/n does not like him. Is it the same with you?" Virus asked. "Oh, well, he is the one who killed me." Ace answered. "If we went on with that logic, wouldn't that mean you're in love with N/n?" Virus commented on his logic. Ace started to blush and shoved his hands in his pockets. How do I answer that without making my own point wrong?

"Maybe you should talk shit about Akainu with N/n.  It could be a great way to bound with them." Virus suggested. "Why, should I bound with them, like doesn't they see me as just another science project?" Ace asked while going through the drawers, finding a little fidget toy. "I can assure you N/n does not see you as just a science project. They are well aware you are another human being unlike me. I understand why you would assume that considering how bad they are at expressing themselves, but that is most likely because of how often they see other humans." Virus explained. "How often is N/n speaking with other people?" Ace asked as he slumped down in the bed holding the fidget toy."

"I hope N/n talked to someone while being in impel down, but if not I believe N/n haven't spoken with anyone for seven years." Virus answered. If Ace had drinked something he would have spitted it out in less then a millisecond. "What?" Ace looked up to where Virus voice came from. "Seven years . . . . ." Ace thought back to impel down. Had he seen you talking to someone? Thinking back he remembered you trying to talk to your prison mate, but he just said, 'Shut it or I kill you.'  

"I guess I can go and speak to them. Can you show me the way?" Ace asked. "Of course." Answered Virus and after a lot of directions Ace was taken to a garden. It was beautiful, decorated with all kinds of flowers and nature. As he followed the stone patterned road he found you. You sat at a glass table building a puzzle. Your expression was bored.

"Uh, hi?" He called out to you. Looking up you saw Ace standing there. "Hey, do you need something?" You asked looking back at the puzzle. Picking up a piece. "Well I was just bored and thought maybe I should talk to you. "Alright, I guess I need to tell you some stuff anyways." A robot came from the other side of the garden, carrying a chair for Ace. "Have you been communicating with Virus?" You asked as the chair was placed down for him. "Yeah, she suggested I speak to you, we apparently have something in common." He said with a grin. "Oh yeah and what would that be?" You asked placing down the puzzle piece. "We both hate Akainu." Ace said happily taking a piece to help you. The conversation started quite slow but, got more comfortable after a while. It turned out you both had had opinions on his battle tactics. 

"Oh, by the way, you said you had something to tell me?" Ace asked after like two hours of speaking up and downs about the navy. "Right . . . . . Um, when I revived you I modified your body." You said nervously. "Oh, that's cool." Ace answered still smiling well until the words you said clicked. "Wait what?" His expression changed to concern. "What, what did you do?" He asked as a feeling inside him grew heavy. "I gave you a modified cell, that I call Impo and another thing called Pixie threes. Impo should be in all of your cells, while Pixie threes just roam around your body." You mumbled fidgeting with a puzzle piece. "What does this pixie threes do?" Ace asked nervous starting to regret feeling bad about you not having any to socialize with. 

"Well, it makes it possible for you to regenerate. For example observe." Holding up your finger you took a knife and cut it off. Ace eyes widened as your finger grew back. It didn't take fast but it didn't do it slow either. "Wait, I can also do that?" Ace asked looking at the cut of finger on the table. "Yeah, but. . . ." Not being able to finish the sentence, Ace took the knife cutting his finger off.  He felt panic grow in him as his brain progressed you had tried to say something.

He watched as his finger grew back, it took like a second. "Wow, what was it you were going to say?" He asked confused since his finger came back. 

"I was just gonna say it should be better than mine." You answered his question. "Okay I guess this is cool and useful, oh, wait is it because of this you got known for being impossible to execute?" Ace asked as he kept starring at his new grown finger. "Yup, it's thanks to virus like creatures called Pixie threes. They duplicate cells. I have modified them to know the structure of their respective body, so with other words as long as you have at least one pixie 3 you be able to survive." You explained hoping Ace understood. "Alright, what about the Impo bacteria?" Ace asked. 

"The Impo bacteria stores energy. I don't have it modified in my body so---- let's go to my training hall and see if it works like I hope." You said smiling. Grabbing Ace hand you began to run with him out of the garden. As much as Ace did not like the fact you had played with his body, he disliked even more, the fact that your hand felt kinda nice in his. 

Going up with the elevator Ace stood there hiding his blush with his other hand covering the tint blush that grew the more he let his mind roll. You started talking about what he should be able to do in theory, but he didn't listen he was to distracted by your and his hand still holding. Oh, common, don't get a crush on someone who's so . . . . pretty. No weird! Shut up mind! They have invaded my privacy and, and, and done weird stuff with my body. There's no reason to forgive them. Even though I want to live now . . . . Ugh, think about your cursed blood! They don't want you as a partner!!! No one wants you like that!     

Ace felt that lump in his stomach, that had grown over the years. 'No one want's you like that.' Even though Ace had an amazing family and friends, he always had it hard when it came to the thought of a partner. Sure, many had wanted to date him. But they had no idea who his father were. 

"Oi! Are you even listening!!" You asked, you had dragged him to the training hall, that were more designed as an arena. Shaking his head he looked at you. "No, what did you say?" After muttering a little you began to explain, again, that he should be able to absorb energy and use it for himself in different kinds of ways, and how the Impo should be able to also change the type of energy. 

Time skip

Ace had spent some weeks with you. He had trained to use his new abilities. And gotten information about the marineford war, after he died. He wanted to become stronger so that he could beat Blackbeard and avenge his father and fallen brothers. He had asked why you didn't revive Pops, and you simply explained he was old and planned on dying there and go out like the awesome man he was. You also explained that he went out like a man to soon and should be grateful due to his second chance. 

Ace had a problem though, a huge one. The problem called N/n. Well it was most likely that AI Virus fault. So what, was his problem? Well it was extremely hard to see you as just another friend. In the beginning, also his first meal with you, Virus had asked a question which had led to an awfully embarrassing moment. But that moment had made it hard for Ace to see you as a friend and not a lover. And the more time I spend with them I fall harder, dammit N/n! Maybe I should . . . .  maybe I shouldn't  . . . . I'm gonna do it!

Ace walked into a sector in sector 4 that were especially made to look like just another home. "Morning N/n." He said as he walked into the kitchen. You stood at the stove making some kind of breakfast. "Morning Ace." You answered smiling. Something that amused Ace was how much you had. Like your HQ had, just in sector 4 an inside garden, a castle section, a normal house (aka where you two were now.) and of course all the places you built to just have fun like a pool and a dance club. You had said it was for your free time and that Virus was technically the one who built while you just designed. 

Then of course sector 1 was more like a parking place for all the awesome traveling stuff you had built, different kinds of ships, submarines, stuff you called cars and planes! Then sector 2 was a construction place, where you could easily produce clothes, machines, robots, stuff for fun and probably had like endless possibility's. And sector 3 had fields powered with solar lamps and all the vegetables, berries and fruits that tasted amazing. Sector 3 also had a farm with all kinds of animals for meat, but surprisingly a lot were endangered species you protected. Then there were of course the arena he had trained on. Apparently you built it for testing soldier robots and different kinds of weapons. 

When he had asked if you planned on taking over the world you said you just felt like trying to build it seeing how far you could go. Sector 5 had your incredible lab, the same place he had first woken up in. Though he wasn't really allowed to be there. 

"Um, Ace you there?" You asked, finding it a little creepy how he got trapped in a thought while starring at you. Ace shook his head and then notice all the food you placed on the table for him. One second later Ace was digging in the food as if Luffy was there. And after a minute he feel down in the food sleeping. 

Giggling, you went up to his sleeping form. "Virus, never tell Ace about this."  You said in a strict tone. Then you reached out and started to pet his soft hair. Then you couldn't help but to near him with your nose sniffing on him a little. He smelled so good like some sweet fruit or berry. Ace jerked up and found it a little creepy how close you had been the past times he'd woken up after fallen asleep like this.

Ace was training, thinking about new attacks, you looked now and then, but for the most part you drew on your tablet creating one of your new ideas. It's now or never Ace! Maybe I should do it tomorrow. No! You said that yesterday to! "Uh, N/n?" He called out, wandering up to you. "Yeah?" You looked at him and he got awfully nervous. "So, um, uh, well I, eh, Maybe we could, like maybe I could, uh-um, what if we could go to this place, together?" Ace stuttered out. Stop sounding so stupid!!!

"Where do you wanna go?" You asked confused. "No, I wanna take you- to a place." He answered quickly though he still wanted to slap himself in the face. You just looked at him in confusion. "Ugh, Virus help me explain." Ace grumbled, covering his face with his hands, hiding his beat-red face. "N/n I believe what Ace is trying to say is that he wants to go back to his brothers and leave you." Virus explained. "Yeah . . ." said Ace, then his eyes widened, realizing Virus did not explain it right, at all!!! 

"Oh . . . I understa . . . !" "NO! I'm trying to ask you out not leave you!!!" Ace yelled interrupting you. "Like a, a, a date?" You asked feeling how your whole body got warm of happiness. "Maybe-" Ace answered dragging out the e. "Oh, sure." You answered blushing light. "Wait, really?" Ace asked. "Yeah, let me just go to my wardrobe and change into something more fitting. What's fitting? And I also wanna shower." You smiled. "I also shower and change and then we meet in sector 1 and then we go." Ace answered. 

You and Ace hurried to sector 4. Showering and changing into casual clothes. (You decide) Ace and you meet in sector 1. Damn was he handsome, he was wearing some clothes you designed for him and he looked stunning. You two entered your main submarine. 

Time skip

The submarine rose above water and you and Ace walked out. Ace held a huge basket and in his other were your hand. The submarine dived down in the sea again, you had told Virus to wait for you and Ace under sea. After minutes of walking you and Ace came to a cliff with a beautiful view. But what made the island even more unique was the cherry blossom trees growing all around. Ace lifted out a picnic blanket and fixed, letting you sit on the blanket while he shoveled out a lot of food. 

"Did, did you make this?" You asked fidgeting a bit on your clothes, blushing. So far had you or Virus done all the food. "Yes, and before you get scarred, Virus helped me." Ace said fast. "Why, are you normally bad at cooking?" You asked giggling. "Yes, well I can grill meat." He answered. 

The food tasted delicious, you and Ace spoke and had fun for hours. And deep into the night . . . . You and Ace stood at the cliff looking at the stars, his arm around your waist and yours around his. "Ace please call me Y/n." You said after awhile of comfortable silence. "Why?" He asked confused. "It's my real name." You said softly hugging Ace with both arms. "Y/n is the most beautiful name I ever heard." Ace said returning the hug. He took your hands and leaned in close to your lips. "may I kiss you?" He asked as a fluttering feeling in his stomach grew. "Only if I can kiss you back." You answered. 

Smirking Ace connected his lips with yours. It felt passionate and wonderful. He pressed his body closer to yours and hugged you tightly. Your lips separated for air and then went right back at it. When you disconnected again for air he asked. "Will you be mine, and will you let me be yours?"

"Yes." 

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

The end.

This is 6354 words.   

Please comment and give me one of those small hearts if you liked it. They make me happy.

Bye!

[creedslove]

Oi Mari, tudo bem? Quando li o que você escreveu envolvendo o Joel e a esposa dele se reencontrando um tempo depois, eu pensei em algo tipo: ele procurando por ela no cenário caótico e aí ele a encontra (não sei quanto tempo depois) mas ela sofreu uma queda que a deixou com amnésia, não lembra dele e ele precisa reconquistar a reader de novo? Ai já imagino esse homem fantástico de banho tomado e cabelo penteado dançando com ela uma música e contando que foi a música do casamento deles. (fique à vontade pra me ignorar, acabei de tomar 500ml de açaí ESTOU AGITADA)

Post outbreak!Joel Miller x f!reader

"(...)I've been thinking about Joel looking for his wife in that chaotic scenario, he finds her but she fell down and now is suffering from amnesia and can't remember him, so he needs to win her back? I can already imagine that man, showered, combed haired and dancing with her to a song and telling her it was their wedding song..."

• KINDA LIKE A PART TWO OF THIS REQUEST HERE

A/N: amiga, vc quase me matou com essa ideia, é simplesmente perfeita ❤️ eu sou mais da versão sem outbreak do Joel, mas essa sua ideia me cativou demais... E não se preocupe sobre só açaí, eu tomei um milkshake ontem de 500ml e até agora tô sentindo os efeitos 🤣

• it was such a bitter sweet feeling for Joel when he found you. On one hand you were alive, you managed to survive after all those years the world had gone to shit, of course you were strong, but he was so used to losing the ones he loved, he assumed you were gone like everyone else too

• but you were there, alive, well, a few scratches and scars here and there but overall you were alright, and looking just we beautiful to him as the last time he'd seen you

• there was just one problem: the doctors in Jackson advised him you had memory loss, they didn't know what was the extent without being able to perform exams, they assumed either your memory would be back some time or it wouldn't

• and of course Joel was relieved and happy to know you were alive and well, but it gutted him to see you didn't remember him, no matter how many times he tried approaching you and talking to you, you would just be confused

• you were even a little afraid of him at first, he was a big, rough guy and for whatever reason he kept following you all over, which made you slightly afraid

• eventually you calmed down, but you didn't understand why he was after you, he was so sweet and kind, which was the total opposite of how he treated other people in town, you'd already noticed it

• he even asked you out for drinks, you'd said no at first, but then you changed your mind and decided to give it a try, maybe it would be nice

• Joel was so sweet all the time, you had heard from many people how he didn't talk much about, well... Anything, and yet there he was, telling him all about his life before the outbreak, about the beautiful wife he had, and the amazing daughter he lost and how good his life was

• you didn't know exactly what it was, but you felt low-key jealous of him, because you wanted to have lived a life like that, and even if what he had told you sounded somewhat familiar, you couldn't actually remember anything from your past

• and there was the fact he was able to order exactly what you loved: the drinks, the beer, the appetizers... Everything

• normally, you would get pissed off at a guy ordering things for you, but not Joel, he made you feel safe, as if he knew you

• and maybe you'd met him before?! You knew your head wasn't the same after you had a real bad fall from the horse during patrol, but where would it be from?

• when you looked at him, it was like your heart raced and you felt something for him... Of course it could be a crush, even if Joel was a middle-aged man, he was still very handsome and he dragged a lot of attention from the women in Jackson

• but it was like something more, as if you knew him, as if you had loved him once...

"you must've really love your wife... I'm sorry you lost her too"

• you told him, caressing his hand gently, hoping the touch wouldn't be too inappropriate

• but he took your smaller hand into his big one and caressed it softly, smiling at you

"I haven't lost her, she just needs to remember me.."

• then he leaned forward and tried kissing you, but you took a step back, a little weirded out but you caressed his cheek gently, and Joel leaned towards your touch even more

• the next day, he asked you to come visit him at his place, he had managed to ditch Ellie somewhere as he was going to try something after he borrowed Tommy's old radio and managed to find a CD that had exactly the song he needed

• he showered, for a long while, wanting to look spotless clean for you, he combed his hair back and though he couldn't change his grays or his lines, he tried finding some clothes that looked as similar as the ones he wore the day he married you

• you walked inside and the record was already playing, being welcomed by a very well-groomed Joel, who took your hand and asked you to dance with him

• that was weird but there was also something so familiar, so sweet in it and you couldn't simply say no, you took a step closer and let his arm fall on your waist, pulling you closer, feeling as if you knew the steps even if you didn't

"we danced to this song... At our wedding, many years ago, when life was good and the world hadn't ended, when you were my bride and I was your husband and we had a beautiful daughter together... I know it's been ages, but I'd like you to remember, because having you by my side makes everything a little less shitty, you know?"

• your eyes watered at his beautiful words and at that and you had the impression of remembering a younger Joel, sweet smile holding you closer

• you kissed his lips, feeling how good they felt, how they felt like something you'd forgotten for a long time: love

• but there it was again, your love for him and his love for you

"I don't remember everything, be patient with me Joel, please..."

"I'll always wait for you, darling, until my last breath. I love you, always have, and always will"

____

[witchy-writer-lady]

I can’t wipe away what I know was preordained

AN: Sequel to the most pathetic reincarnation ever. I wasn't planning on part 2, but @dianya14 was interested in it. This is probably not what you meant, but this is whar my mind came up with.

TW for Himekawa Airi.

It was obvious Hikaru was still suspicious of my behavior, but thankfully, he chose to believe me and smiled at me.

"Okay!" he says brightly, then jumps off my bed. "Now, come on, we can't be late!" and he runs out of the room to get changed.

Letting out a sigh, I have no choice, but to do the same and follow after Hikaru. Apparently, according to the memories I have now, arrangements have already been made and there is no getting out of this.

Not without serious consequences to Hikaru and I, and that's something I didn't want.

****

On the way to Lala Lai, I tried to come up with a plan to avoid canon and Airi.

My first instinct was to run away as far as possible, but there were two problems with that idea:

1. I didn't know how to survive on the streets, much less in Japan.

2. My conscience wouldn't allow me to abandon Hikaru who is a child and clearly adores and loves his older brother. If I leave now, it will only add to his future trauma and guilt would eat me alive. Even if I take him with me, we have no adults to turn to for help.

So I dismissed that idea right away.

I couldn't dissuade Hikaru from his dream either. Considering, he's Hoshino Ai of the acting world, he will be accepted on the spot even with such a useless twin like me. Plus, he's really determined to become famous and leave the orphanage together, so that would not work either. He simply wouldn't understand why I would want to abandon everything when we just started to realize our dream and freedom from the orphanage.

In short, we can't avoid canon and Himekawa Airi.

The choices on how to deal with her were also limited. In theory, I could tell on her once she starts her advances toward Hikaru, but... who would believe an orphan child that an adult respected actress would molest someone? Not to mention, society's general stance on rape and victim blaming is almost the same everywhere in the world, not just in super traditional Japan. It's worse when it comes to boys and those in the entertainment industry, which is why Airi and Hikaru turned out the way they did.

So, in conclusion...

....The only choice I had was to glue myself to Hikaru and observe Airi like a hawk. The thought caused me to groan inwardly. Ugh! If only I was back in my original adult body and not ten, this would have been easier! As it is, things were going to suck.

Big time.

***

Given this is was not yet the version of Lala Lai I saw in the Tokyo Blade arc, the place Hikaru and I stepped into upon our arrival wasn't very big and most of the members were adults. The last fact caused Hikaru to clamp shut and grab my arm for comfort.

I wasn't completely surprised. Hikaru was shy by nature and being surrounded by strangers made him uncomfortable. That reaction and lack of people around our age also probably played a role in why he trusted Airi so eagerly.

Or so I theorized. To be honest, I was antsy as well, being a huge introvert myself, but I had to be on guard in case that snake and other nefarious adults lurked around.

We are on our own here and can only depend on each other, after all.

"Hello, are you the Kamiki twins?" A voice spoke suddenly, causing us to look at the speaker. I recognised him immediately of course.

Uehara Seijuro.

My first impression of the man is that he was... Bland. His eyes shone with kindness, but his appearance and demeanor were completely unassuming. If I passed him on the street, I wouldn't spare him a second glance much less recognize him as an actor and ask for an autograph. No wonder he struggled with work with such aura and why Taiki thought he seduced talented entertainers to make himself feel better.

"We are," I answer politely with a customary bow and a smile, with Hikaru doing the same as the man came closer. "I'm Kamiki Haruki and that's my brother Hikaru. Thank you for having us."

"I'm Uehara Seijuro," the man says, crouching down to our level. "Welcome to Lala Lai. If you will ever need help, don't hesitate to ask. We are all family here."

My smile didn't twitch as he spoke those words. Family yeah, right. Tell that to your wife who is a rapist. I still feel sorry for him, though. He totally chose the wrong profession and married the wrong person. No wonder he snapped once canon Hikaru told him the truth.

Poor guy. Love was fatal for him as well.

Keeping those thoughts to myself, I say, "Thank you, Uehara-san. We'll keep that in mind."

"You are welcome," the man says, his eyes moving to Hikaru. "Is your brother okay? He's really quiet."

"He's okay, just shy around new people and places," I say with a slight smile.

"Understandable," the man says, getting to his feet. "Now let's meet with Kindaichi-san, he wants to see how you act."

At these words, I swallow nervously. Here it is, the moment of truth.

In contrast, Hikaru seemed to gain confidence. Still holding my hand, he leads me towards the stage. The closer we got to the stage, the louder my heart beat, echoing in my ears, palms sweating. Finally, I couldn't take it anymore.

"Hikaru, wait," I call out in a nervous whisper. My twin stops to look at me in confusion.

"What's wrong, Nii-san?"

"I... I can't do it. Go on the stage without me."

"Huh?!" that shocks Hikaru beyond belief. "But why?!"

Because I'm an impostor, a misplaced soul that was transported here for unknown reasons. I'm not suited for the entertainment industry and its manipulations. I lack the charisma and talent. I'm a person who isn't supposed to exist in this world in the first place and who doesn't know how to prevent your future nightmare.

This is what I want to say. But I can't.

Still, that leaves my lips is also the truth.

"Because I will fail," I confess in a trembling voice, throat tight. "You are much better at acting than I am. I will just ruin everything so... shine as you are meant to."

"No way!" he exclaims indignantly. "You are amazing at acting too, Nii-san! You are the one who inspired me to act in the first place."

That was before this pathetic, useless person took over as your brother. I shake my head. "I'm not," I mumble, looking down.

For a beat, neither of us says anything. Then Hikaru speaks again.

"Onii-chan, look at me," The change of suffix and seriousness in his voice make me raise my head. Our eyes meet. "Between the two of us, I was the shy one ever since we were born. If I was afraid or hesitated, you were here to support me. Always. Now it's my turn to do the same for you. Trust me that you can do this. We will shine together or not at all," he says with conviction.

My breath hitches at the bright stars in his eyes. My eyes stung. My family, my friends, my previous life; all of it was gone in a flash. Everything was foreign as I was thrust into Oshi No Ko just before the darkest moment is about to occur. And here he was, the boy I struggled to think of a way to protect, offering his help like a salvation.

I didn't deserve it. But I was grateful not to be alone and have it nonetheless.

"You are right," I say, wiping my tears away. "Thank you, Hikaru. Let's do it."

He nods and we proceed onto the stage. For the moment, I let go of my worries and allow myself to have fun while acting alongside my twin.

Needless to say, in the end, Kindaichi-san was impressed by our acting and accepted us into Lala Lai.

And thus, we stepped into the lion's den.

***

I found myself enjoying learning acting more than I thought I would and was slowly adjusting to living as Haruki the following days. However, I did not forget the looming danger over my brother and kept my word by gluing myself to Hikaru — luckily he didn't mind and we mostly hung around each other, — and watching Airi like a hawk.

So far, she hasn't made a move. But I saw her glances and the way she spoke to us and knew she would strike soon.

And my instincts were not wrong.

"Nii-san, look!" Hikaru's excited shout interrupted my reading. I smile.

"What is it?" I ask, putting the book aside. Hikaru runs up to me, showing me a box of expensive-looking Japanese sweets.

This is not something we can afford.

"Look what Airi-san got us!" he exclaims happily. My blood turns cold.

So she made a move at long last.

"Airi-san?" I ask, voice even as I press my lips into a thin line.

"Uh, yeah, " Hikaru's excitement diminishes as he picks up on the shift in my mood. "She said she was impressed by our acting and wanted us to feel welcome and when I mentioned you have a sweet tooth she got us these. "

I grit my teeth. That fucking bitch. No doubt she saw how much Hikaru loved me and decided to get to Hikaru through me.

Well, I won't be bribed into being an accomplice. Over my dead body.

"Hikaru, " I say, voice hard. "I must ask you to return these to Himekawa-san. Thank her for her consideration, but say it was unnecessary."

"But why?" the confusion and innocence in his expression make my heart ache. "You love sweets, I thought they would make you happy."

"I do love sweets," I agree, softening my tone. "And I appreciate that you want to make me happy. But I won't accept anything from Himekawa-san. Ever. Her intentions are... not pure."

Hikaru's eyes widen at my words. "You think she's like the adults at the orphanage?" he asks, voice shaking.

I do not think. I know. And she's much, much worse than our caretakers back there. I nod.

My confirmation makes Hikaru shake harder and he engulfs me in a hug.

"I'm so so sorry, Nii-san," he apologizes tearfully.

"It's fine, you didn't know, " I soothe, returning the hug. "Just don't interact with her if possible and return the sweets."

"I will," he promises fervently. "I love you, Haruki-nii."

"I know," I say softly.

I can't return those words. Not yet. But Hikaru is my responsibility now, and I will protect him in any way I can.

And that means facing Airi.

***

She finds me herself later that same day.

"You know it's rude to refuse gifts, Haruki-kun," she chides me like a mother would as she approaches me while I finish clearing the room after my practice with Hikaru who went ahead. "You made Hikaru-kun return mine."

Unlike her husband and some other members, she knew how to tell us apart. Which doesn't surprise me. She's a good actress and knows how to read people.

"Not if they come from suspicious adults," I say flatly, not looking at her. "Such gifts have strings attached."

"Aren't you a smart boy," the woman coos, coming closer. "What makes you think my gift has strings attached?"

I stop my task to regard her with a cold expression. "I see the way you look at my brother. You wish to take his light."

She freezes for about a second at my accusation before dropping all pretense.

"So you know," she breathes out, an unstable look taking over her features. "Know what those filthy men had done to me, took away from me... You and Hikaru, you shine so brightly...If I have either one of you, I'll feel like my old self again...!"

I stare at the crazy woman in horror. I knew she was after Hikaru, but me as well? What did I do to draw her attention? I was a lesser twin.

No, that's not important right now! Focus, Haruki!

"If you touch my brother," I threaten, clenching my fists and jaw. "I'll— "

"—You won't do nothing!" she finishes for me, laughing sinisterly. "Nobody will believe you!"

Unfortunately, she was right. But I can't let her touch Hikaru. She will ruin him.

There was only one choice to do then. Willingly surrendering myself to the beast.

"Then," I say slowly, expression blank, "take me instead. Just don't touch Hikaru."

She did say I caught her eye. I'll use that to my advantage.

Airi stares at me with wide eyes — I know that look. It means my stars turned black — before she explodes into delighted laughter.

"Aren't you a good big brother, Haru-kun," she coos again, touching my cheek. "Don't worry," she whispers in my ear, "I will take good care of you. "

I don't answer. There's no need to.

If we can't avoid Airi and canon at all, I'll redirect her towards myself. This way, Hikaru will be safe. And me? I can afford this sacrifice. I can afford to be the spare in this situation.

I'm a big brother now, after all.

[aparticularbandit]

so i'm gonna start with what i wanted from gonta killed miu and why i'm kind of disappointed they went with kokichi convinced him that mercy killing everyone was the best idea because everywhere is hell and maybe i just don't like that. i just don't like that anyone would end with we're better off dead than alive. and that's probably a personal thing which i can talk about in a different post (or not because mental illness and family stuff) but like. i hate that actually.

but what i thought was going to happen was that gonta walked in on miu in process of killing kokichi and got protective (because gonta is - as a character note - extremely protective) and accidentally killed her in the process of saving kokichi.

and that's accidentally in two forms: 1) like literally accidentally pulled her off and threw her away accidentally but also even more important 2) gonta doesn't know how the virtual world works and miu didn't tell them fatalities in the world would equal fatalities in the real world, he could kill miu in the virtual world thinking she would be fine and then OH NO ACTUALLY SHE IS NOT FINE. like playing into the idea that a character who does not know how a thing works and has been lied to about how a thing works and maybe wouldn't have understood how a thing works even if he had been told and having it truly, honestly being an accident and still punished by monokuma would hit harder. for me.

but i guess you got people in both the other main games shooting for a full party kill (aoi, nagito), so you gotta have that in here, too, so. meh.

i liked that gonta put his cords in the wrong spot (because left-handed instead of right-handed), and i liked that gonta did not know that he'd killed miu and had to learn it the same way that everyone else did because gonta also could not believe that he killed someone. (but also the mikan case 2-3 trial vibes that gave me. the absolute mikan vibes. if tsumugi is actually writing the script for this whole thing, you can see her love of certain tropes and moments and characters that happened in the original series and how she's bring out her highlights, especially in the last two cases.)

i don't like that the way it's constructed feels like it takes away from gonta's agency.

like, yes, gonta chose to mercy kill, but he did so at kokichi's suggestion. almost everything gonta did was set up and scripted for him by kokichi, so it really feels more like kokichi's kill, even though it was gonta's. and i guess that makes sense because kokichi's using gonta to kill miu in self-defense - he's literally using gonta as his weapon, as his tool, in the way that peko said fuyuhiko was using her. and i hate it.

sure, the reveal that whatever is going on outside is just as bad is what is going inside made gonta so depressed that he was fine with killing everyone else is a big deal, but like.

thanks, i hate it.

hate's a strong word.

i don't like it.

but i liked alter ego gonta! waiting for him to make a reappearance, unless tsumugi is better at killing ai than junko.

[yuseirra]

It's kind of.. really cruel of the author to never include Kamiki in any of the colored drawings. They never developed him well enough while having him destroyed, he DID swallow up so many of the remaining chapters due to Aqua basically devoting his life and giving up on everything he built up in the entire story to killing him, but it's not like we actually know so much of this guy either. I've studied him A LOT but from your average reader's perspective he's like someone just little more than some rando, Ai's ex who's a psychopath showing up and the protag just dying with him. The thing is!! That "psychopath" laid out all the reasons why Aqua's life is precious and worth living and suggested he go back to live. This is what gets me so much. So was this the only way?? I'm coming up with my own analogies to make it have a sense- but it's the work that has to make things convincing. The readers should not do this work. The work should provide proper answers.

Ofc he could be horrible(I'm not convinced btw)but wow, even the Himekawas have Taiki visiting their grave in the final chapter with flowers when what they did is horrifying. THE WOMAN MOLESTED A LITTLE KID. STARTING FROM AGE 10-11. I really can't forgive how they just..; How can they be so irresponsible on handling such a subject? They just make a couple statements.. oh by the way I'm GLAD Taiki never had a confrontation with Kamiki. I saw how his characters of his name was written and do you know?? His name comes from how Kamiki's characters are written in kanji and I found that super cruel and creepy of Airi. That woman is a character but she's insane. I never felt Kamiki would have to confront the boy one bit. No, they never have to interact at all. What happened regarding them's still horrifying. I just saw a new drawing of the hoshino family but like, he's always nonexistent. Maybe he doesn't deserve it, but he's completely excluded in that whole family dynamic when it is stated that Ai wanted to raise her kids with him. I feel really bitter because what's the point?? of all this??

I had a chat with my friend who isn't really into the series much, and she had an interesting idea.

she says since the story is SO incomplete, and the author announced they're going to write a new series- she thinks that they may be trying to create a narrative where multiple narratives can somehow converge into a part of a huge universe or something. They'll explain all the weird things through it. Wasn't Kaguya-sama and Onk set in the same world? She says. There may be some beings that are chosen by the gods or hold some specialties in them but it's never really been explained how they've come to be or what conditions they get chosen, maybe they're going to continue writing several stories and explain it through another. "They never showed the dad being really dead, didn't they? We basically know so little about him? He might come back in another story." (I went, "BUT JUST WHAT WOULD HE DO?? AI'S STILL DEAD.." oh but in that case, he might actually look ENTIRELY different because he's an actor huh. and since there's "Misogi", he might be really purified by the saltwater. He might return to being a benevolent god now. Again, what was Aqua's life then but actually;; maybe Kamiki IS still alive. We really didn't see his body or know what the heck actually happened to him.)

I have no idea... but so much is just left unexplained.., so maybe she has a point. This work is simply incomplete. We really don't know what's been happening behind the scenes or why the twins were reincarnated, what were their missions and all, everything's left on a vague note. I do feel like they're going to have Ruby appear as a cameo in the author's next work as a famous idol on TV or something like that. Perhaps this piece may be a "stepping stone" for another story to develop on the same thing. While I was sitting there, listening to her theories of it, I couldn't help but feel really annoyed at the author. Even if they have some bigger picture or whatnot(if they somehow deem this piece a complete piece of work, that's even more concerning because anyone can tell it's extremely hollow and sloppy) this isn't respectful toward their readers who came in looking for a resolution.

I did manage to come up with an explanation for this piece that I'm pretty sure of, but they didn't do the work they were supposed to do. If they want to make some other piece of work and develop that first, then it's better to leave one on hiatus and create pieces that are "complete". Stories are a product, we don't come here to look at single puzzle pieces, we want the whole picture. The time, energy, and passion spent on reading a piece shouldn't feel like a waste. If the piece can't explain what's going on on its own, it's cannot be defined as a standalone. On that regard, onk isn't a standalone because nobody can figure out what's been going on about the ending of the piece by just seeing what the series has to offer, we have to make guesses that aren't properly laid out. It's like you order a pizza and you only got the dough. No matter how great the dough is, you'd STILL want a pizza because that's what you're there for. That's what the authors did for this piece, regarding the plot, and for all the characters of the series, the only character I think somewhat survived is Ai because her story had some sort of a wrap-up. She's the only one that feels complete in a sense, so this series..in the end, heavily relied on this one character who died in the first volume. She was really iconic.

Hopefully I don't have much more to be disappointed about-

oh, about Ruby in the last chapter. They had to let her speak for herself, she doesn't feel alive. Ruby can express the feelings she has. She has a mouth for herself. Why are they letting Akane speak on her behalf when she's not even the one that has a strong bond with her? Even if she is, wasn't Ruby supposed to be some sort of double protagonist? Or an important character at least? Or it could have been the author's intent(I'm strongly sensing that this is what they were going for, they want us to be a bystander the way we watch idols on tv and look up to them without knowing how they are as a human being), in that case, this whole piece leaves such a bad taste. So NOTHING's improved from Ai's case, it even got worse, the only thing that separates Ai's situation and keeps Ruby's career being endangered is that Ruby doesn't have a boyfriend and she doesn't have twins to care for. So what's the message huh?? Don't make any of those or even if you end up doing it, lie!! Is that it?

This piece is so disrespectful then. That's unsettling.

Those pages used in the final chapter should have been entirely devoted to Ruby speaking for herself if they even care for her as someone who has a heart of a person...but I don't think it's the message they want to show, the authors must want to make a point about the nature of idols having to keep up sturdy personas and keep shining at all times, but THAT'S already been discussed FAR better with Ai's case. It's even a step turned backward, so Onk wasn't really about growth.. Ruby's lost HER character. Not every work has to be about growth but having this happen after 17 volumes of story that seemed to suggest otherwise is not just baffling, it's not consistent writing and I wouldn't be this harsh(I'm not even being harsh right here. I'm being so generous with everything I'm typing)if it were to be written out in depth.

Borrowing my friend's commentary on it: This work don't discuss any of the issues they are presenting as insightful as it should, they just toss things out there and acknowledge they exist... but the characters make a few comments about that particular topic, make awkward laughs and then brush it off after having made you thought it's going to be handled. I think... acknowledging things have some meaning to it, at least it lets you realize it exist (for example, I started paying more attention to child abuse after having seen Ai and Kamiki's stories) but if you're going to bring it up, don't you have to handle it well? It's not the worst but I'd say it's SO FAR from what it can be as well. That is, also what I've found pretty annoying about this work. So nothing has been covered as well as it could have been. The plot, the characters, the subject it handles, they're all left hanging there. This piece is incomplete. And if you hand in an incomplete product, it isn't even graded. It gets sent back and is required to be completed and polished again till it is, or your contract is terminated. That's the situation with this piece. I wonder what the anime team would do with the third season but the authors had to hand in a piece they could work with. They shouldn't do this to them. I'm not saying the piece is entirely bad, it's just not a finished product. And that's not fair to all the people who wished for one.

[poisonheadcrabsalesman]

Fault Tolerance

Roland POV of the end of Spartan Ops and the beginning of Halo: Escalation. Also posted on ao3

2558 had a rough start, Halsey escaping, Requiem dragged into a sun, said sun exploding. Hopefully the Infinity and her crew would have it easy for the rest of the year. Nothing bad would happen, right?

-

Earth.

Not home to him, but safe, or it was supposed to be.

Australia was directly below his orbit, half obscured by clouds. Swirls of white with deep blues uncovered by invisible winds. The landmass half covered in the sprawling grays of progress and parking lots. A maze of office buildings hid the object of his worries. It wasn't enough to block his scanners, but he'd be told to sit tight and wait.

He hated waiting. He hated the powerlessness of not knowing. His kind were supposed to know, supposed to problem solve, supposed to save the day with a wink and a smile. Back to Earth and everything seemed different now. Everything was different now. Last time he was here, Roland was brand new, eager to get started and ready to jump headfirst into a mission with his new assignment. His new home, the UNSC Infinity, was now his cage floating above Sydney, HIGHCOM Bravo-6, where his captain and commander were being debriefed after the debacle that was the Requiem campaign. 

Sit and wait, oh how it ate at him, especially when recently all he had been doing was running for their lives. Faster and faster, more and more, pouring on the engines and calculations to pull them from the fire. Spreading himself so thin to keep them alive for what was supposedly a reconnoiter mission. Less than a month ago they had arrived at the Forerunner shield world, and then it seemed like everything had gone wrong.

It was only March. Less than 72 hours ago, he and his entire crew were almost pulled into a dying star. He wasn't even 4 full months into service yet! What was going to happen? Was he going to lose his home? Lose his captain? Were they going to take the Infinity away from him or him from her? It was hard not to worry, especially since it was HIGHCOM and especially since the override code had unraveled him at a critical point of the campaign. Halsey had gotten her hooks into him, and now she was gone and he was a potential liability.  

The last time he was this worried was the trial. Iona. Her fate. The precedence she set forth, and his role as her advocate at the end of her life and the beginning of his. Black Box had tried to assuage his fears, and looking back, had been surprisingly hopeful for the future, but their roles as tools was still very much the status quo. Broken or faulty tools went into a box, or worse.

January felt like a lifetime ago, but it had stuck with him. Hard not to, what with having perfect recall and nigh infinite memory and all. What if they audited him? Black Box would be kind, maybe, if he was given the mercy of a peer review. Brand new AI, Forerunner engines grafted on to a human ship, destroyed Forerunner planet, missing evil scientist; he didn't have a lot going in his favor other than he was ready to be pulled off the shelf at the right time and that replacing him would be very, very expensive.

4 weeks ago he'd been excited to let loose and show what he could do, 6 weeks ago, with Iona's trial, he'd been worried but hopeful, 13 weeks ago he'd been ecstatic, new to this world and all of its intricacies and wonder. So much information, so much to do and see! Now with 351 potential weeks remaining, several parts of him worry at the paths that will be taken from him. There's only so much time. A week is an eon and a blink of an eye to his kind.

Fifth generation Volitional AIs were supposed to be top of the line, but what would happen because of this newly revealed weakness? Halsey had tricks that left them vulnerable during the attack. He'd lost crew and been helpless against the tempest of Forerunner influence and the debilitating override.

And now the two most important members of his Command were at the mercy of a board of Admirals baying for blood and a scapegoat.

Roland might wish he was as hopeful as Captain Lasky, but Palmer's pragmatic nature was more akin to his own logic trees. Not doubting, but realistic. You had to be when the numbers came naturally into your thoughts - especially when a thread of himself unhelpfully pulled up the track record of those who pissed off Osman. Not even Hood could protect them forever.

How had it all gone so wrong so fast?

Roland’s left with nothing to do but pace and triple-check…everything. Life support, engines, shielding, electrical, communication, and health systems, all came back green. Operating nominally, just as they were when he checked 10 nanoseconds ago. He circles the systems like a cat unhappy with how the furniture has been moved an inch to the left. He yowls at techs, at Spartans, at crew, for attention and updates. On their health and comfort as well as if they heard anything. He’s tolerated and comforted and swatted away. Roland skulks around Cmdr. Bradley and peeks at his datapad – nothing. He spies on chatty pilots who know the comings and goings. He startles neurotic mission handlers who know less than him. He listens in on conversations in the mess halls, the hangars, the science labs, the engine room, the crew quarters. The palpable relief should be contagious, but he still worries.

His crew reconnects with their loved ones via Waypoint in real time – no delay from lightyears of distance. Their joy is his, but like theirs it is also a fleeting thing. There is always another deployment on the horizon, and on the flagship, that could be tomorrow.

Hours pass.

The hive of activity winds down but never remains dormant for long. One shift ends and another begins; the constant cycle unbroken under his watch. Pelicans and Broadswords and frigates circle like remoras around a shark. They hover around the Infinity's hull and then land or depart. Roland watches them, watches their flight paths and signals strengthen and weaken as they flit around the massive ship. Her titanium hull casts a long shadow until her orbit over Australia crosses the terminator and then night comes. The ships continue on their own schedule - blips of light in the dark as they are not beholden to Earth and her gravity. They operate on military time and there is always work to be done.

Roland shifts his focus away, leaving a few winking eyes to watch the display. None of them have the signals he’s waiting for.

Hours pass.

It’s afternoon shiptime when a signal crosses his consciousness and Roland’s focus drops from unimportant matters to watch one lonely little pelican come home to him. He nearly smothers the dumb AI announcing SIGNAL DETECTED in his rush to check on the pelican’s crew. Pelican radios weren’t that different from Mjolnir when you push yourself.

He does not exaggerate his relief nor does he make any jokes; not with the mood coming off of his captain and commander. Their biosigns are a mess even as their masks are firmly in place. The bickering doesn’t start until they’re out of the hangar and making plans to talk somewhere with fewer eyes and ears. Roland would almost feel offended if he wasn’t oh so aware of the spooks onboard, and he knew there were most likely more ONI operatives that even he wasn’t aware of.

It does frustrate him that they go to the one place on the ship that he has the fewest cameras and holotanks. The atrium is an excellent place for humans to unwind, connect with dirt and plants and other stuff that calms their ape brains, and keep an eye on any unwanted parties approaching their debrief about whatever the hell happened at HIGHCOM.

Commander Palmer was upset but doing her best not to show it. Roland could tell by the clenched jaw and flared nostrils she was trying, but she was frustrated enough that it took her a second to slow her gait so Captain Lasky could catch up. The fact they changed into PT gear to keep up the charade was almost comical, if Roland hadn’t been stressing the entire time they were gone.

“You didn’t need to stretch the facts back there.” The captain says, partially out of breath and nearly too quiet for his mics to pick up. He can lipread with the best of them, but it’s still a challenge. Too many uncertainties. Though he did have plenty of practice staring at Lasky’s face.

“Uh, yes. I did.” The commander retorts. She furrows her brow and turns to make eye contact as they pretend to jog. 

Oh, she is not happy. The brief pause she gives him is punctuated with a look that lets Roland know she’s about to lay into the captain. And in his core, Roland believes that he probably needs it. After watching them work together this long, he’s been able to see how they balance each other out. His opinion might carry some weight, But the commander knew when not to pull her punches. Lasky’s bleeding heart would get him benched - or worse - without Palmer there to knock some sense into him. Didn’t mean that their arguments weren’t messy. Unstoppable force and immovable object, Roland thinks. 

“I don’t know if you noticed, but Osman was painting a target on you they could have seen from the Outer Colonies.” The commander continues.

“Sarah–” He has no chance yet the captain tries and interjects. 

“They pulled Del Rio out of the chair, Tom. And he had 20 years’ experience on you.” She continues on. Palmer is struggling to keep a slow pace, but Lasky is keeping up. “You can’t boy scout your way around those people.” 

Lasky’s frown thins into a pale line at that. Palmer slows her run as they near the end of the path and are closer to potential eavesdroppers– and Roland. 

Palmer isn’t finished either. Whatever happened down there wasn’t pretty and Palmer stretching the truth - lying - on Lasky’s behalf to a panel of Admirals was no small thing. She’s trying to drill her point into the captain’s head as if he’s a too-green IV. “Maybe when you were an XO but not anymore.”

The commander is upset; not mad, but fearful. Sarah Palmer doesn’t like to mince words and she doesn’t care for people lording their intelligence over her, but she's not stupid. She’s loyal to their captain and trying to keep him out of the crosshairs.

It’s just that Captain Lasky follows his gut more than the rules and ends up in them despite her best efforts.

They jog in silence for ten excruciating seconds, finally getting closer to a holotank where Roland doesn’t have to strain to hear or be heard. Now or never, since he’s got an Admiral asking for docking clearance. 

“Captain Lasky?”

“What is it, Roland?” Lasky asks. His voice is flat– tired, not annoyed at the intrusion – or at least not as annoyed as Roland thought he’d be. Maybe because he was using his avatar and grimacing politely when they approached.

Still, Roland’s job is not just delivering information or opening doors, he does try to take care of his captain. Soften the blow of bad news, when he could. He aims for humor despite the fact that Lord Admiral Hood is here, now, instead of back in Sydney. Something that couldn’t have been an email, Roland guesses.

“Hey, Cap. Orbital Command just alerted us to a shuttle inbound. Diplomatic transponder. Don’t suppose you’re expecting anyone for dinner?”

It doesn’t soften the news.

Twenty minutes later, Captain Lasky is meeting Lord Admiral Hood in hangar 11 and Commander Palmer is back in her armor with a snarl on her face. 

She still minds her “pleases” and “thank yous” with Roland while demanding updates every other minute.

“It’s Admiral Hood, Commander. Shouldn’t we be happy?”

“The Brass never make house visits for good reasons, Roland.” She sighs “Hood’s just as bad as Tom.”

Roland doesn’t think he should respond to that so he stays quiet, but keeps his avatar deployed in her office while he checks in with the other parts of himself.

In the hangar, he’s front and center for Captain Lasky’s talk with Hood.

“Admiral Hood. Twice in one day. I’m either very lucky or very unlucky.” Lasky smiles, but it’s a weak thing that doesn’t reach his eyes. It’s somehow sadder than his usual mopey expression when things go wrong.

“A little of both. I’ll fill you in on the way, but you should call upstairs and have your folks start spinning up for departure.” Hood returns with a tight smile of his own and then launches into the details of the plan.

Well…that might not be all bad. Not getting to deal with Halsey and ‘Mdama would be a sore spot for everyone, but at least they’re not grounded. Nothing’s going to happen to him either! No word on Roland’s performance. He feels guilty for his relief when the captain and commander went through an unofficial but really pretty official inquiry. 

But this would go well and they could prove themselves! 2558 was still young! It was only March so plenty of time left for the year to improve.

Peace talks – babysitting emissaries who hated each other's guts and wanted to put a superheated plasma sword through the other’s skull. How hard could it be? He just had to sit and wait in orbit. Roland couldn’t shake the bad feeling buzzing through him. “Jiralhanae” and “Diplomacy” weren’t words usually used in the same sentence. A UNSC Admiral, Captain, the Arbiter, and two Fireteams go down to a planet sounds like a beginning to a bad joke to him.

He was overthinking again. No one knew the location and they had a full contingent of Spartans and a fleet on standby. 

This would be a cakewalk compared to Requiem.

-

Author's note: It was not a cakewalk

[dumdeeedum]

OK, "Interview with the Vampire" Is Not Only Boring But Stupid for Other, WORSE Reasons: (Spoilers Ahead) Made some edits because apparently when I write this shit out with a headache its inscrutable. Hopefully it reads a little better now even though I still have a headache. :P

Season 1 and season 2 of this show now feel like they're done by completely different people and the season 1 people didn't talk to the season 2 people and the season 2 people are much dumber, worse storytellers. Is that the case? Is this now being written by AI?? Should I be watching the tiresome explanations of what the fuck is going on after each episode of the show to understand something??

None of this season works and that's on top of the existing issues this show already chose to have that were always going to make telling these particular stories tricky.

I have so many problems with this episode specifically and then I'll move on to the rest of the show in another post so this doesn't run too long but unfortunately since I have a headache while writing this it's still gonna be a bit stream of consciousy:

EDIT: Was there something wild about how I worded this that is making people think I thought the adaptation should have spared Claudia and Madeline? I thought I made it very clear that it wasn't THAT they died it was the way it was done that is the problem. If I wasn't then I'm saying it now: Madeline and Claudia dying wasn't THE issue and I'm not saying Claudia died and Louis was banished BECAUSE of their race. I'm saying that the way the show depicted the whole situation and Lestat's and Armand's involvement in THIS depiction was real bad optics and it could have been done differently.

Perhaps I'm doing too "woke" a reading of this but we can all agree that what the theater troupe and, more importantly, LESTAT and ARMAND did to Louis, Claudia, and Madeline was a public lynching? I'm not nuts in that interpretation of events when White people decide to put 2 Black people and a woman already understood to be a Nazi traitor on "trial" for murdering someone (who is still fucking alive), with the punishment being death, and the all-White audience gets to decide their guilt and fate, that's a lynching. Even if the audience saw it as merely a show they got to participate in, they inadvertently participated in a lynching.

Was that intentional? Was I meant to understand this as anything OTHER than a lynching with Lestat actively participating? That CAN'T be the case. Everything about this made me so uncomfortable and was so fucking bizarre that I feel like SURELY I must be missing something or SURELY they must intend to do some big time revealing next episode because what the fucking fuck was that? Was it because they had to justify all the time we wasted on boring the shit out of us with Santiago?

Is this meant to be the "gothic horror" aspect of this series that's been missing this entire season? The lynching of Claudia? Why was this done as a public trial at all when it worked perfectly well in the books to have this done in private by the coven. In the books the troupe is loyal and even indebted to Lestat so Lestat goes to them for help only to have them betray him because they never let go of the vampire law indoctrination ARMAND had a hand in for GENERATIONS before.

(edit) In the book Armand saves Louis because Armand loves LESTAT and at this point loves Louis as well but Claudia is a sacrifice both Armand and Lestat were willing to make, make no mistake about that. At this point Armand wants to get away from the coven he's been in charge of for generations, he wants to take Louis away and live with him in the modern world, and he also still wants to be wanted by Lestat, something Lestat has never given him. But they both allow what happened to Claudia to happen and a lot of what Lestat says about Claudia and how he feels about her is done in retrospect in Lestat's version of events.

Even in the books Lestat is a total bitch to her throughout her life even though they have more in common with each other than either of them have with Louis. But it simply makes no sense for the coven to make this vampire business public in THIS way. These vampire do WAY too much vampire shit in public and it's annoying and this time it's just gross. It was important to the story that Madeline and Claudia die, I'm absolutely NOT SAYING THEY SHOULD HAVE LIVED. My issue was with the way the show handled their deaths.

I know that up to this point in the original "Interview with the Vampire" book we understand Lestat to hate Claudia but still be attached to Louis but the show has done such a messy job at incorporating aspects of both "Interview..." and "The Vampire Lestat" into the narrative that I don't understand why certain aspects of how Lestat feels about Claudia were left out/kept in and this is inexcusable. I'm DONE with the way they're handling Louis telling Daniel this story. I'm surprised Daniel didn't close his laptop and walk the fuck out by now because they're wasting the little time in his life that he has left.

Everything about this episode was deeply disturbing in a way that I have a really hard time with because I, as a reader of the books, understand Lestat and Louis to be endgame and understand Armand to be part of the gang so what the utter fuck is going on here? Am I meant to never want THIS Lestat and Louis to be together again because that's how I feel right now. Am I meant to want Armand to fuck off forever because that's how this entire series has made me feel. I feel like Lestat and Armand threw Louis and Claudia to the racist wolves and there's no excuse for anything that happened this episode to have happened this way.

(edit) I am NOT saying that Claudia and Madeline should have lived and that that's the only way for Lestat to stay in our good graces. I truly believe that in the books EVERYONE understood Claudia's death to be a necessary evil because she was untenable given her age (5-6) when she was made and the negative implications of that. That's way less the case here and on top of the way it was handled you DO begin to question whether it was something they can get past in the way they get past it in the books.

The cutting the back of their heels and how they conveniently don't heal even though these are vampires, the way Louis' is positioned as aggressive and abusive to the White guy even as the White guy tells us that it was mutual (we're not even going to get into the depiction of "mutual abuse" in this series right now), the way Claudia got ZERO sympathy from anyone even though the audience is told in no uncertain terms that Claudia was the victim of something monstrous even by vampire standards and Lestat is just as guilty as Louis. And this is ANOTHER example of why Claudia doesn't work as "14" because not only would she have been seen as almost a woman if not already a woman in that time period at 14 but even WE, the SHOW'S audience, are having a hard time seeing her as a child because the show has done such a bad job with that and hired an adult woman to play her. Is that intentional for the sake of this scene and making it so this audience wouldn't empathize with her?? Why?? It'd have been SO MUCH MORE IMPACTFUL, even with this racist ass lynching retelling, if she'd been VERY VISIBLY a child!

What IS the theater audience supposed to be seeing? Did the writers even CONSIDER that? Because we know that White people have ALWAYS and CONTINUE to see Black people as older than they are and teens in particular in this time period were not given the same grace that they're given now, especially Black ones. So the only conclusion I can come to is that the writers of this show sacrificed Claudia's ENTIRE arc to have her sexualized for a few minutes in ONE episode, to have her fall in love with the Nazi lady (?) and then decided that her end would come at the hands of a racist lynch mob who was never going to see her as the child she was meant to be VISUALLY. No, really, was that intentional??

Am I supposed to still want to see Lestat after this? Because make no mistake, Lestat does some wildly fucked up shit in the book series, he fucks up a lot. But this is something else entirely, this feels like the writers didn't think this through and are going to have a really hard time putting Lestat front and center, if they intend to do that at all, after all this. How am I supposed to want to continue to entertain Armand's shit after this? With everything we know Armand to be capable of and he somehow couldn't take the little vampire dude "guarding" him? Be fucking for real. Even the book series didn't hide the fact that Armand was very much involved in this and ultimately Louis still chose to be with him. But in this I see absolutely no reason for Louis to pick either of them unless he's being coerced to do so and that doesn't seem to be the case.

(edit) Claudia being 14 instead of a proper child also makes Lestat and Armand allowing her to die less forgivable to us as an audience. Because when we understand all the problems of a child vampire stuck in a 5 or 6-year-old's body we see that she was untenable unless she had a person willing to be a sort of parent to her for the rest of her life. Especially when book Claudia didn't have the abilities that show Claudia would. But in the show she's 14 which means she was absolutely viable if a little unstable. The problems with a CHILD vampire aren't the problems of a teen vampire, especially one that could simply explain away any issues people may have with her appearance as "I look young," which we know already worked in the past. What if book Madeline got sick of Claudia? What if book Madeline died, etc. We can't help but think of this stuff when Claudia is a little girl but when Claudia is 14 and has already been alone for stretches of time it makes less sense to us as an audience that she would have issues alone for any length of time later.

Why is this the way they've chosen to tell this story?? Not only have they committed the ultimate entertainment sin of being BORING but they've changed EVERYTHING to make it so much WORSE and to DRAG. They really DO think they're telling a better story than the original and it's fucking AWFUL. It's an AWFUL adaptation even by adaptation standards, it's inexcusably bad when they were given more time than they'd ever need to tell this ONE book's story and as a result should have had more than enough time to flesh out the more interesting parts. Instead they said very little this entire season in the most excruciating way possible. Fire this entire writing team, get Bryan Fuller back ASAP and I'm not even joking because there's absolutely no way this show runner and writing team are equipped to do the VERY DIFFICULT work of making a character like Lestat entertaining and likable even as he does awful shit. Not if this is how they've chosen to go about it.

I'm so upset at this. I totally understand why both Anne Rice and Christopher Rice distanced themselves from this adaptation and Christopher Rice doesn't even promote it like he did "Mayfair Witches."

[suinotsuki]

The Precious You

A/N: Hi! I'm back to post my fanfics! I've noticed I have a pattern when it comes to posting but I'll do my best to commit more, especially with an ongoing multi-chapter fic!

This fanfic was written way before but I only finished it. While there are barely any spoilers in this fic as this is a direct sequel of another fic, there might be some references to Scandal arc.

Prequel (In Moments): Tumblr | AO3

Fanfic Link: AO3

Other Links: Oshi No Ko Masterlist

He slowly turned his head towards the object of his affection standing behind him. There, he saw Kana in all her glory holding a cat-patterned umbrella.

The rain fell down hard from the heavens above that one night.

A lone figure dressed in a black hoodie and jogging pants stood in front of Arima Kana's apartment. That person couldn't care less if he was drenched to the bone or if the sky brewed up a storm that seemed to be getting worse and worse. Then again, what does it matter when the world is going shit around him?

Feeling the bit of hateful emotion spark inside him, he lifted his head to stare at what was ahead of him. The apartment complex's lobby was just there in front of him, only separated by automatic glass doors. He would have no problem taking shelter if he only moved.

Ah, but why was he here again?

He didn't know how he even got there. He doesn't remember anything after his afternoon photoshoot. He knew he still had the energy to pretend everything was alright from morning to mid-afternoon as he moved through his busy schedule. After that, it seemed his brain decided to go on autopilot.

The days passed so quickly since he revealed to that reporter his tragic past in this life.

After he came home that night, the house was deadly silent, and Ruby locked her door, leaving no one, not even Miyako, to talk to her. Then, the world finally discovered Ai's connections to the twins, and the news became a hot-trending topic. His schedule and Ruby's were suddenly full of press releases, TV show appearances, and more interviews as if everyone needed to hear their heartbreak and resolution on the matter.

To say it was chaotic and tiring was an understatement.

And, yet, they had to go on and pretend and act and act and act and lie.

They had to function like perfect humans.

Aqua would have used this buzz and continued with his plans for revenge, but it was like a part of him broke. Even the constant voices of Little Aqua and Goro in his head were so muted he could barely tell they were there. It's been like that for days, and while he'd like to be grateful he couldn't hear their taunts and poisonous words, he couldn't feel anything. He was too numb to function.

"Aqua? What are you..." A familiar voice called out.

He slowly turned his head towards the object of his affection standing behind him. There, he saw Kana in all her glory holding a cat-patterned umbrella. He felt a twinge in his heart seeing that umbrella that made him remember that one rainy night - the same night he realized his murderer of a father was alive and her attempts to shield him from the rain, only for him to unintentionally shake her off.

The warm touch of a cold hand brought him out of his trance, and before he knew it, he was pulled towards the entrance with a bit of struggle. Now that he realized it, the umbrella mostly shielded him from the rain as Kana tried to drag him while struggling to maintain the current height of the umbrella. If anything, she was starting to get soaked as it barely covered her due to its size and their height difference.

"Come on. Let's get you dried up."

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

It was silent - too silent and unbearable.

Arima Kana stood in her kitchen, all the while stealing glances at one Hoshino Aqua sitting on the couch with a towel on his head. It's been like that for a while. Even when she quickly changed to more comfortable clothes and grabbed several fresh towels from her wardrobe, Aqua was silent. It was painful to see him like this - all hurt and lost with the light in his eyes dimmed and extinguished as if he was dead.

But Kana knows herself too well to know that another emotion was competing with the pain she felt for Aqua. She knew she was annoyed and angry. And, she had every right to be. After being ignored by Aqua for what seemed like forever and being told to go away, he appears in front of her apartment complex looking like a drenched puppy in need of help. What the hell?

Click.'

She softly sighed as the pot finished boiling water.

It's not like anything was going to come out of expressing her annoyance and anger over something that happened in the past. Right now, Aqua needs her. He needs a friend.

With two mugs full of hot cocoa, she went towards Aqua and calmed her thoughts. The mugs made a tiny sound as she gently placed them on the table, and she waited for him to react or even make a single movement.

One beat passed and a few more, but there was nothing.

Again, a sigh.

Kana's hand reached out to the towel on top of his head and, as she got closer, the memory of that one other rainy night caused her to flinch and jerk her hand away by a few millimeters. The thought of him pushing away her again caused a twinge in her heart to the point of paralyzing her in her spot. But, as quick as the look of hurt came by, it was also how swiftly she steered herself away from the memory to continue her original plan. She dried his hair as gently as possible and the idol actress couldn't help but be grateful for not being told to leave.

A beat.

And another.

And another one.

Until, finally, Arima Kana couldn't help it and released a loud sigh. "So, what happened? Why are you here?"

"..."

"Fine. Staying silent is what you're good at anyway."

"..."

"Geez, what's the use of your mouth if you can't use it to tell how you feel?"

"I... see..."

Kana stopped in her tracks and, this time, softly said, “What?”

“I wanted to see you,” Aqua answered with a voice barely audible as if he didn’t want to let her know — like he was scared of something. The actress completely stopped what she was doing and wordlessly sat beside him. To her surprise, he leaned his head on her shoulder. “That time when I found out you were involved in a possible scandal, my mind was a mess.”

A weak, broken chuckle escaped the actor’s lips. Kana could feel the gravity of his emotions, and yet, she didn’t speak a word. She listened to him as quietly as possible while letting him feel and know that she was there for him.

“I thought I couldn’t afford to lose you. I wouldn’t be able to handle it if the same thing happened to you just like with Ai.” He sounded so lost and in pain that she almost didn’t know what to say.

Instead, she looked away with a bitter laugh.“You and I both know I don’t have many fans.”

“But we don’t know what kind of fans you have. I don’t want to live a life knowing you-” Kana didn’t want to hear a single word from him anymore. She knew that he was on the edge and he was spiraling down.

Squishing his face, she looked at him with her bright red eyes and said “Listen, I don’t have plans of going down that easily. If you think I’ll let myself just kick the bucket then you’re sorely mistaken! I’m not as weak as you think I am!”

A stunned expression graced Aqua’s face.

Of course, he knew Kana was not like Ai. They weren’t alike. While Ai has continued to be a star that lies and that everyone looks up to, the girl in front of him shone brightly as the sun and was the truest star out there.

But, even the sun dims and will die one day.

The thought cracks Aqua’s shocked look and his face slips into utter despair. He unravels. He breaks down without a single word and clings to the precious star. A part of himself is insistent on ensuring that he won’t forget what could happen to her if he lets his guard down — it’s a voice stronger than Goro and little Aqua he has been used to hearing. And, he sits there, lost in his own thoughts, afraid of what could possibly come.

“Aqua…” Kana trailed off as the actor continued to wail and clung tighter on her.

She wasn’t oblivious. She knows how to observe. And, she knows this was not a time for words.

And, so, Kana just wrapped her arms around him as much as she could. She brings him closer to her, pats his head, and squishes down any unnecessary words that attempt to escape from her mouth. She takes a deep breath because she knows she has to be the calm one right now.

And, she stays with him throughout the night… just like the comfort that he needs at present.

[maxences-hat]

Something that I think is really fucked up is how few fans really consider just how uniquely miserable the revelations in Chapter 4 must have been for Nagito. Because unlike the five survivors in the finale...

Nagito was isolated from his peers when learning the truth.

Nagito did not have moral support from AI Chiaki or the DR1 trio to help ease the pain.

Monokuma deliberately omitted and downplayed important details like the fact that Junko's AI would possess Remnants who died in the simulation, and that they'd been brainwashed into Ultimate Despair.

Like...there was really no silver lining that he could have clung to at that point to keep himself together. The DR1 survivors at least could hold onto the hope that there were people on the outside still fighting the good fight, and maybe some of their loved ones might still be alive. But Nagito? As far as he was aware he and the others in his class had turned into monsters for seemingly no reason at all and ruined the world. The only slight form of atonement he could think of was ending his own life, getting the Remnants killed, and helping the one seemingly innocent person escape with their life.

And imagine how he must have felt upon waking up and learning that he'd inadvertently almost helped Junko revive in their bodies. His last desperate attempt to do one decent thing for the world failing utterly, and it being a GOOD thing that it failed. I think he'd feel pretty despondent and crushed.

The most fucked up shit is when people get mad at him for trying to kill the ultimate despairs, like WHAT?! Why wouldn't he??

Everything was their fault, everyone but the thh survivors wanted them dead. And when guven a chance at redemption Hajime pulls out the despair AI and ruins it. And when one of them got her memories back the first thing she did was kill someone and try to get them executed cause that's what Junko would want

He was 100% justified cause what else could he have done. Let world ending monsters go back into the world? He could've easily killed everyone but decided to let the innocent one live, he could've been like "it's a necessary sacrifice they knew what they got themselves into" but he didn't

Like not liking Nagito is justified but you can't deny he was right to try to kill all the remaining despairs. Some people even pretend he was mad at Hajime for being a reserve course when he's clearly mad about the Izuru thing, he litteraly talk about how Hajime threw his life away to become hope and drops hints as to Hajime being the mastermind.

Considering everything he was actually going easy on everyone and especially Hajime, like you can tell he doesn't want to have to kill them but knows he needs to for he safety of the world

Like yes it's better to let them be redeemed but how was he supposed to know they could after what Hajime and Mikan did?

Nagito had no reason to think they could be fixed, even Makoto almost revived despair when fixing them

And if you think he should've still forgiven them, you're a hypocrite for not forgiving him. Just say you don't like him

[greaseonmymouth]

It is not 7 am anymore but top 5 books read this year? 😄

I have read 44 books so far this year and most of them were very good so I don't know how I'm supposed to pick just 5 :'''D

in reverse chronological order

THE DEATH I GAVE HIM - EM X. LIU

this is an utterly unhinged locked room sci-fi murder mystery retelling of Hamlet in which Horatio is an AI and he and Hamlet have a deeply co-dependent and sexual relationship. This book is exactly the kind of thing tumblr would eat up with a spoon, so tumblr pls get on this. The basic plot is: a deeply depressed and suicidal Hamlet (Hayden) is working on a formula that can make one immortal. He is obsessed with beating death. Then his dad is murdered and the labs go on lockdown and more people die because *gestures* Hamlet is Hamlet even when his name is Hayden, and Horatio the AI does his best to keep Hamlet alive and also be a voice of reason except he's too biased. By happenstance I had read this Hamlet/Faust crossover fic (Hemlock & Wine) before reading this book, and in this fic Hamlet is obsessed with necromancy and Horatio is trying to save him. it set the mood nicely. 

You know how in Hamlet everyone dies and at the end Horatio is the only one alive with Hamlet dead in his arms? What if I told you in this book it's reversed?

WILD AND WICKED THINGS - FRANCESCA MAY

Dark, witchy, historical fantasy - set after WW1 on a fictional island off the Yorkshire coast, very 20s glam with a dark undercurrent. Witchcraft is banned, but Annie is a witch. when her father dies she inherits his house on Crow Island and goes over there to sort that out and rents a house next to what turns out to be a Den of Iniquity, not just because of the lavish parties with illegal (magical) substances but because it's queer. Then follows a dark plot involving a blood debt and necromancy and power hungry men (well, one power hungry man) and fragile old and new relationships and dark secrets and also Annie and Emmeline get accidentally magically bonded to each other (but also are in love/lust with each other) and look, I could not stop reading. 

DRAGONFALL - L.R. LAM

listen I LOVE dragon books and I've read and loved everything L.R. Lam has written so when I heard an epic dragon fantasy was coming? I WAS STOKED. this is the first in I think a trilogy and it ticks all my boxes:

sentient dragons with their own history, language, society, etc

sexy dragons?? i didn't realise i needed sexy dragons until I read Aliette de Bodard's Dominion of the Fallen trilogy or the Invisible Library series by Genevieve Cogman, but hey. SEXY DRAGONS

queernorm world! our second protag Arcady is nonbinary and uses any pronouns, thank u for your service L.R. Lam

very cool world building and magic system 

BETRAYAAAALLL 

I can't wait for book 2

PORTRAIT OF A THIEF - GRACE D. LI

look this post will explain everything. suffice to say: pretentious college students steal priceless art.

THE BEAUTIFUL ONES - SILVIA MORENO-GARCIA

This is a kind of historical romance but it's fantasy and it doesn't follow conventional romance novel structure (I was SO nervous it wouldn't end happily because I didn't know what to expect from the narrative I was being given, but THANK GOD IT DID). it's very fantasy of manners. it makes a lot of pointed commentary about colonialism and colourism. it's absolutely lush. I love this book a lot, it was so engaging and gripping. the characters are allowed to be flawed and assholes and complex and weak and kind - it's very similar to sprawling historical/saga books with a large cast of people with conflicting wants and needs and scheming and tragedy and love and all that, but distilled into a neat compact package focusing on three people. It's not a long book, it's quite a slim volume for what it is, but it's perfectly paced so you don't notice that you're not actually reading a 900 page family saga.

other standalones I read this year that I think are WELL worth reading:

CAMP DAMASCUS - CHUCK TINGLE

YOU MADE A FOOL OF DEATH WITH YOUR BEAUTY - AKWAEKE EMEZI

YELLOWFACE - R.F. KUANG

HONOURABLE MENTIONS GO TO:

two series I read this year that I also absolutely loved

THE SEVEN DEVILS DUOLOGY - ELIZABETH MAY & L.R. LAM

you know this post right?

[image id: post by worflesbian on july 4 saying 'sci fi is when women in tank tops are covered in grease and sweat and are shouting at people and racing against time to save lives' reblogged by leafcrunch on july 13 with a screenshot addition of the tag #half a jumpsuit!!! you forgot half a jumpsuit!!!!']

this is that series. it is rebels in space overthrowing an evil space empire. it's all the worst bits of imperialism and colonialism and patriarchy distilled into one evil empire and all the best bits of firefly and star wars distilled into the rebellion. there are cool scifi science bits. this would be amazing as a two season series by competent tv makers, it's very cinematic in scope, but the characters are what give this life.

THE WINTERNIGHT TRILOGY - KATHERINE ARDEN

this is a family saga of a kind, set in medieval Russia during a time when Russia was being Christianised. I don't know how to explain this series because it's so complex and so rich. There is a main character - Vasya - but other characters also get POV sections. the first book takes quite a while before we even get to Vasya in 'the present' so to speak, this is a trilogy that isn't afraid of taking its time to tell a story. Vasya is a witch who can see/communicate with Russian 'folklore' spirits, these spirits are fading with the coming of Christianity. There is an unhinged priest, the winter king Morozko whom Vasya has an intense relationship with, Vasya's brother (a monk, based on a real person), Vasya's sister (married to the Tsar, a real person), and just...god, I don't know. I loved everything about this trilogy, the way it humanised historical figures, the way it didn't demonise either the folklore spirits (who are allowed to be non-human beings devoid of human morality! so refreshing) or the Christians, but rather conveyed how a time of upheaval like this had to have been very scary and tumultous. an absolute treat.

I did also read the entire Charm of Magpies series by KJ Charles including the spinoffs, which I really enjoyed.