#it's just the same color i use for maru

[jojaxcola]

"can i ask YOU a question?"

[ jojamart mockumentary #15 ]

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[ddarker-dreams]

Cherubim.

Gojo Satoru x F Reader x Geto Suguru.

Warnings: Implied trauma, Gojo and Geto are both weird + manipulative. Word count: 6k.

-Index-

March 18th, 2006. 

2:26 p.m.

-

Gojo Satoru has found himself embroiled in his greatest turmoil yet. 

Assassination attempts? That’s nothing, he’s waved those off since he was a kid. Jujutsu politics? The higher-ups can yap until they’re blue in the face; they’re all bark, no bite. Curses? Similarly inconsequential. No matter how much power they hold, they're reduced to speckled splatters the instant they cross his path. 

For most, experiencing one of these dilemmas would prove too overwhelming, much less all three. He isn’t like most, though. He’s strong. Incomprehensibly strong. He can weather any storm, shift the tides of any battle in his favor. Has this gone to his head? Absolutely. He can handle ‘too much.’ It’s ‘not enough’ that’s proving to be an issue. 

This is why he’s detailing his recent woes to an uninterested Ieri Shoko, who made the mistake of reading in the dormitory’s common area. 

The scene is as follows:

Satoru’s along the length of the couch, his long, lanky limbs dangling wherever they can. He lays his head against the armrest, snowy hair succumbing to gravity in an avalanche that frames his face. He uses his ability to keep his sunglasses from meeting the same fate. Behind the dark frames, his eyes narrow into a piercing stare. If the ceiling were sentient, it would’ve fled by now. Such is the potency of his miserable mood. 

Parallel to him sits Shoko, the fat of her cheek squished upward from resting on her fist for so long. Books, candy wrappers, and notes from last year’s curriculum yet to be thrown away litter the table’s surface. Suguru’s could put a calligraphist to shame, even if they were written in a Badtz-Maru pencil you won from a gachapon. Your notes stand out as well. They’re bright shades of your favorite colors, organized according to a system of your own devising. Occasionally, the handwriting shifts, taking on Suguru or Shoko’s likeness for trickier kanji. You doodle hearts of gratitude around the yomigana they include for good measure. 

(You complained that his handwriting was ‘indecipherable’ when he tried doing the same. Out of spite, he gave you the cold shoulder… for three minutes. He withers and wilts without your attention). 

He sighs and concludes his monologue. 

“So, that just about sums everything up. Well? What’s the prognosis, Doc?” 

“You’re in desperate need of more friends,” Shoko replies. Satoru lets out an unsatisfied grunt. “And you miss [First].” 

Satoru perks up at your mention, finally giving that poor ceiling a much-needed reprieve. He shuffles around until he’s facing Shoko. 

“But she just headed out yesterday.” 

“I know.” 

“That’d make me really weird and clingy, right?” 

“Glad you’re catching on.” 

While Satoru contemplates the previously unconsidered possibility of him being ‘really weird and clingy,’ Shoko reopens her manga. She’s of the mistaken belief that the issue has resolved itself. Unfortunately for her, the problem extends beyond Satoru’s insatiable hunger for you. The problem is Satoru himself. Until he’s running amuck elsewhere, there’ll be no solace. 

She commends herself for her patience. 

In typical Satoru fashion, he continues testing it. 

“When was the last time you updated your passport?” 

“I’m not flying to her home country with you,” Shoko shuts down what he thought was a brilliant plan. “It’s just two weeks. Wait it out.” 

“What if we fly first class?” 

“Gojo.” 

“Yeah, yeah, it’s still too soon to meet her parents. It’s gotta happen eventually though, right?” 

Shoko doesn’t dignify this with a response. 

Satoru sinks into the cushions. Could there be anything worse than boredom? He has no missions lined up, you and Suguru are visiting family, and the first-years haven’t arrived yet. Pestering Utahime has lost its charm too. He could return home before the school year starts, but he’d rather have his fingers chopped off one by one than suffer that torture. 

“Hey, Shoko.” 

“Mm.” 

“Why aren’t you back home? I thought you got along with your parents.” 

“They’re both busy. I wouldn’t see them much.” 

Satoru doesn’t press the matter. 

It does intrigue him though — the relationship sorcerers have with their non-sorcerer families. Or, to be more specific, yours and Suguru’s familial dynamics intrigue him. Satoru can’t (and doesn’t bother trying) to care for the going-ons of anyone outside his small circle. This is more the hubris of a teenager who has been told he’s special his entire life than anything malicious. To Satoru, the world’s population might as well be stuck at three. 

Regardless, it’s an improvement.

Before meeting Suguru, those in his life consisted almost exclusively of suckups or stuckups. If he was unlucky, it’d be both, rolled into one terrible package. This was his reality. Jujutsu was his reality. He was the first to possess the Limitless and the Six Eyes in generations. The Gojo clan wouldn’t waste such an extraordinary opportunity. He was their pride and joy, personality aside. 

He was born to be the strongest. 

He can’t imagine any other life for himself. 

Then there’s you. 

He could see you leading a normal life. You wouldn’t be top of the class or a varsity athlete, but you’d be well-liked. Boys would nervously ask you out on dates and buy you roses with money they got from mowing lawns. You’d be the first one your friends would call when they experienced heartache. Maybe you’d go to college or land an entry-level job. Some co-worker with a decent sense of humor would win you over. Then you’d get married, rent a property, have a few kids… 

Satoru’s stomach twists. He grimaces, shifting his thoughts elsewhere. Namely, the question that’s bothered him for a while. 

Why did you become a jujutsu sorcerer? 

It was intentional. You chose to leave behind your home, your family. You knew the risks. How the body can break and ache in ways previously unrecorded. And what do you get in return for this thankless crusade? Sleepless nights where you tremble like a leaf beside Shoko? A nimbleness at dressing wounds that could only have come from years of practice? 

You’re open about everything until you aren’t. Fear, mortality, loss — when confronted by these unsightly truths, you retreat to someplace he can’t follow. 

Satoru can’t make sense of it. Neither can Suguru. Shoko says they shouldn’t press the matter. He wants to, though. He needs to know how you break. How else can he ensure that you never will? 

He thinks back to that humid August day. The binding vow eviscerated your insides, shards from fractured bones dug into your organs. Until that point in his life, Satoru prided himself on his immunity to fear. The pathogen never lasted long in his system. After all, fear is born from a lack of control. From having something to lose. If he couldn’t lose, what was there to be afraid of? 

It’s a question he’s been avoiding. 

(“If she dies,” he told Suguru, in a voice he barely recognized as his own, “They die too.”)

His mouth feels dry, his tongue heavy. He’ll drink that tea you’re fond of later to satiate his thirst. He wonders if you share its taste.

“What’re you reading, anyway?” he asks, hoping to take his mind elsewhere.

“Fruits Basket.” 

He laughs, incredulous. 

“Seriously? Didn’t take you for a shoujo type.” 

“I borrowed it from [First]. We’re doing a book exchange over break.” 

A book exchange… three words Satoru never thought would pique his curiosity. However, anything about you demands his undying attention. Even if it’s shoujo manga. Girls who read that genre do it to project onto the heroine, right? So the love interest must have appealed to you. What tropes do you like? Do you want a shy, sensitive soul who blushes and stutters in your presence? A misunderstood bad boy who’s only soft around you? The responsible student council president? 

Oh, he’ll have so much material to tease you with when you return. He can’t wait. 

“How do I enter this exclusive book club?” Satoru demands. 

“You don’t. I don’t trust your taste,” Shoko replies, much to his chagrin. “You can still read it, though. She has all of the volumes in her room.” 

… Your room? 

He grins from ear to ear.

Should he respect your privacy? Probably. Is he going to? Of course not. He never has, there’s no point in starting now. 

This trip of yours might yet redeem itself. 

-

Along the outskirts of Jujutsu High, Geto Suguru spots an odd woman. 

She’s wearing a baggy graphic tee, low-rise jeans, and gaudy bracelets on both arms. Her black hair is tossed up, thick strands sticking in every direction. Even from this distance, he can discern the silver glint of piercings that dot her ear like constellations. The stranger stands slouched, both her hands shoved into her pockets. For her to have gotten this far, she can’t be a civilian. Those unfamiliar with jujutsu can’t find this place. 

He stays still for a spell — watching and waiting. From this distance, she shouldn’t be able to sense his presence. It’s one of the few areas he excels at over Satoru. Satoru’s cursed energy is bright, blindingly so, a thunderous clap that can be heard for miles. Suguru prefers to keep his muted. It coils around his limbs like a serpent, never straying far. This is why you had no difficulty picking out Satoru’s stupefying presence on your first day, whereas he had to make himself known to you. 

Suguru’s lips quirk up. 

He was fated to meet you. 

“Hey! Kiddo!” A deep, somewhat raspy voice exclaims. He blinks rapidly, temporarily thrown off. “This ain’t an art gallery. What’s with the staring?” 

She noticed him? How? 

When the stranger starts slinking his way, he regains his composure. 

“I apologize. It wasn’t my intention to make you uncomfortable,” Suguru’s cadence flows smoother than a river. 

“Hah! ‘Uncomfortable?’ That’s a way of putting it,” she pokes the space beneath her emerald eyes twice. “Even now, I can feel ya picking me apart. Shit’s creepy.” 

His smile tightens. “I’ll be more mindful of my conduct in the future, then.” 

She waves him off. Her golden bracelets clink together as she does so, the sound grating his ears. 

“That’s a lie if I ever heard one. And I should know. Schemers excel at picking out their brothers in arms,” she juts her head up, giving the impression that she’s the one looking down on him, despite the slight height difference. 

“Anyhow, by the looks of it, you must be Sugu-kun.” 

… Did she just call him Sugu-kun? 

“What? Too soon* to be calling you that? Heh, heh…” 

Suguru’s smile tightens. “You can refer to me however you like, so long as I can return the favor.” 

She guffaws.

“Maaan, Goldie sure was gracious in her description of you,” the woman gives him a lopsided grin. “Name’s Akane. There — is the playing field leveled now?” 

“Ishimoto Akane?”

He doesn’t miss the way she winces as her surname is spoken aloud, rather pointedly at that. 

“Ah. S’pose I had that coming.” 

Suguru decides against prolonging her torment. He’s in a generous mood, it isn’t every day he has a chance to learn more about you. This is an opportunity he’ll take full advantage of. 

“And I presume 'Goldie' is [First]?” 

He makes a mental note to figure out the wordplay for your nickname later. 

“Full marks.”

Suguru hums, a sound indicating that he’s drifting deep into thought. 

You don’t mention your mentor often. When you do, it’s normally in the form of endearing (if not mildly concerning) anecdotes.

“She told me that natto is bits of caramel held together by melted marshmallows, like a Rice Krispy Treat. It… it was not like a Rice Krispy Treat…” 

“... For my twelfth birthday, she got me Pokemon Ruby. I remember crying because Roxeanne’s Nosepass took out my Torchic. My cursed energy spiked and the party had to end early…” 

“... Out of curiosity, I drank her stash of Georgia canned coffee. My heart rate was almost high enough to warrant a trip to the ER…” 

Getting anything else relating to her out of you was like trying to wring water from a rock. Suguru didn’t miss the wistful melancholy underpinning your stories. You recalled them with a far-off expression as if mourning that those days of whimsy were over. Initially, he considered it a consequence of growing up. Childhood idols rarely remain highly esteemed as the years pass and maturity accrues. 

His intuition argued that he should examine the issue closer.

(“I met her, y’know,” Satoru mentioned whilst he spun in a rolling chair ‘commandeered’ from Yaga. “Akane. Our girl’s mentor. Former mentor? Whatever the case is.” 

Suguru sat his pencil aside, any investment in his studies gone.

“When?” 

“Last March.” 

Suguru sighed. “And you didn’t bring this up earlier because…?” 

There’s a twinkle in his companion’s sunglasses-covered eyes.

“Must’ve slipped my mind,” Satoru shrugged. 

Liar, Suguru thought, unamused by Satoru’s faux nonchalance. He must’ve had his reasons for neglecting to mention it for so long. Suguru figured your impending trip home had something to do with Satoru’s ‘miraculously’ cured amnesia. 

“What? Don’t tell me you aren’t curious.”

The provocation failed to irk him. Instead, Suguru refocused the conversation.“Tell me your impression of her.”

Satoru stilled, threw his feet atop Suguru’s desk, and placed his hands on his neck. “About what you’d expect from a disgraced daughter of an influential clan. Bad-tempered, tattooed, pierced up… hah! Bet her old man would go into cardiac arrest if he saw her.” 

“Satoru,” he implored. 

“Fine, fine. So impatient,” The white-haired sorcerer complained. “I misread her. She got all mopey after she fessed up about Cursed Technique: Null. I wrote it off as envy. The student exceeding the master, or whatever.” 

Satoru remained silent for a moment. “Post Kaizu, though, I assume the feeling actually gnawing at her… ” 

Kaizu. 

Panicked phone calls. Satoru’s agitated exclamations. His horrified silence. Your breathing faded, theirs accelerated. You looked so small. So human. He scarcely believed the limp girl cradled in his arms just executed such a devastating maneuver. Your cursed energy had exceeded any output he’d felt from you before. It was too much, your body wasn’t ready to endure a spike like that. 

Suguru had never felt so distant from the title ‘strongest.’

At some point later on, in a hospital waiting room, Suguru posed a question. 

Satoru heard him yet offered no response.

“Who taught her how to do that?”

“... was guilt.”)

“You didn’t visit her.” 

Akane blinks. 

“Hah?” 

“You didn’t visit her,” Suguru repeats, his tone firmer. “[First]. Your student.” 

She exhales shakily. Suguru thinks she looks tired. 

“If you have something to say, just come out with it already.” 

He was prepared to wear her down for hours — this willing cooperation saves him time. Although, it doesn’t make navigating the volatile minefield that lies ahead any easier. He knows how to rein Satoru in when he’s going too far. He can fluster you without giving too much of himself away. After rescuing someone from a curse, he knows the exact pitch, timbre, and tempo necessary to pierce through their abject horror. He’s a virtuoso at playing people, a conductor hidden amidst the audience. 

Deceit. Misdirection. Coercion. 

His repertoire is expansive and ever-growing. 

From what he can see — what he can feel — the prodigal daughter before him boasts a similar discography. She returns his unflinching eye contact as if issuing a challenge. Daring him to use dubious methods that might work on anyone else. This obstinate resolve reminds him of you. Once you’ve determined your course, even he struggles to change the route.

He abandons all pretense. 

“You didn’t want her here,” he theorizes. Akane’s face reveals nothing. “You knew something like that was bound to happen.” 

Sorcerers aren’t only at war with curses. No, there’s an inner battle that must be fought as well. The recognition that the next assignment could be your last. And if it is, you won’t be commemorated by the masses; to them, you don’t exist. Your sacrifice will be known to a select few who mourn you, or  a few who don’t. Everything could go right. Everything could go wrong. Engaging in that high risk for such a low reward goes against one’s self-preservation instincts.

How each sorcerer handles this fight is unique to them. 

As for your strategy — you refuse to acknowledge this conflict exists. 

Paradoxically enough, that functions as your self-preservation. 

Akane smiles thinly. She’s almost his reflection, in that regard.

“Full marks.” 

-

Suguru idly observes as Satoru paces back and forth, his troubled figure illuminated by a row of vending machines. 

A nearby street lamp flickers. It’s late, but the local convenience stores glow with artificial light, tempting customers to come inside. Some are weary salarymen grabbing ready-made meals, others are middle schoolers clinking their change together, praying they can afford a sugary treat. The latest group cheers, indicating their triumph. 

The duo receives odd looks — thanks to their school uniforms, no doubt — not that they pay the judgment any mind. No one troubles them. Not even a wandering policeman, who, under normal circumstances, would scold minors out by themselves at night. 

Suguru theorizes that Satoru’s ominous aura is what subconsciously repels them. 

Earlier today, Suguru bid farewell to his parents and boarded a train for Tokyo. As nice as it was to spend time with his family, he’d been looking forward to reuniting with you and Satoru. He amassed quite the phone bill thanks to your frequent correspondence. Nonetheless, he carried the minor debt with pride; it’s a sign you often thought about him. He planned for Satoru to assume the debt by dangling the pictures you sent his way as ransom. 

His encounter with Ishimoto Akane grounded his soaring mood. This was made worse when he entered the dormitory, only to find a tight-lipped Shoko and agitated Satoru. 

Shoko remarked that unlike the two of them, she’d be handling things with ‘tact,’ and retired for the evening, not wanting to catch their ‘stupidity contagion.’ 

It’d been hours since then. That time stretch brought them closer to revealing the complete picture, but a few pieces remained missing or incomplete. 

The frenetic sorcerer stills and rummages around in his pocket.

Suguru takes the opportunity to break the silence. “I—” 

He cuts himself off as Satoru whips out a familiar-looking chapstick. The cutesy design befitting your aesthetic stands out like a sore thumb in Satoru’s large, calloused hands. 

“... Where did you get that?” 

“[First]’s room,” is Satoru’s response, spoken nonchalantly whilst applying it to his lips. “Why?” 

Suguru snorts. Sometimes Satoru’s ungodly strength blinds him to the fact that he’s still a teenage boy. 

“Won’t she notice it’s missing?” 

“I replaced it.” 

“Ah.”

“She has plenty more in the drawer beneath her vanity if you want one.” 

Suguru knows the exact spot Satoru’s referring to. They both helped you assemble it (Satoru got bored fifteen minutes in and fell asleep on your bed but still claims credit). 

After noting this suggestion, he asks, “Have you calmed down?” 

Satoru barks out a ‘hah!’ as if he’d just heard a hilarious joke. “Me? Shouldn’t I be askin’ you that?” 

Suguru massages his temples, sensing the looming headache that awaits him. “Satoru…” 

“We could follow her residuals, you know,” Satoru suggests. He tips his sunglasses down, revealing eyes that gleam with predatory intent. “With the Six Eyes, it’d be a walk in the park.” 

“And then what?” 

“Oh, you know, chat about the weather, latest political scandals, that sort of thing.” 

“You can’t strong-arm yourself through everything in life, Satoru,” Suguru chastises. 

Satoru opens and closes his lips. He folds his arms, scrunches his eyebrows together, and rapidly taps his foot. The shift puts Suguru at ease. Satoru adopts this countenance on the rare occurrence he’s faced with a formidable threat. The serious, almost somber visage speaks to his ironclad resolve. Suguru may have told his companion that he can’t strong-arm himself through everything, but that’s a half-truth; the Gojo clan’s pride can do whatever he pleases. 

It’s consideration of the aftermath that Suguru wishes to instill in his companion. Tempering the arrogance of a God is no easy feat. 

“... She isn’t going anywhere,” Satoru declares, as if any other outcome was blasphemous. 

“She isn’t,” Suguru agrees. Then, he lowers his voice, adding, “We can’t disregard what Ishimoto-san is getting at, though.” 

“Simple — all our girl needs is a good ol’ fashioned intervention.” 

“An ‘intervention,’” Suguru deadpans. “Didn’t you already try that?” 

Satoru smiles in a way Suguru can only describe as dopey, reminiscing on the night you got ‘mad at him for wanting you to be mad at him.’ That’s how Suguru interpreted the detailed account Satoru gave the next morning, anyway. 

(“I wish she would’ve cried, just a little bit; it would’ve made her look extra cute,” Satoru cooed, to which Suguru shot him an exasperated look. “Oh, don’t act so high and mighty. You’d make her cry just so you could wipe her tears away.”)

Suguru shakes his head. “Here’s what I think — the self-sacrifice in and of itself isn’t the problem. Well, the main problem. There has to be a reason, something personal… identifying that takes priority.” 

A gust rips through the narrow street, howling as it terrorizes store signs and doors with weak hinges. The two strongest sorcerers remain oblivious to the drift. What occupies their mind is greater than any force of nature, insignificant or otherwise. They have the means to challenge natural phenomena itself. And they would, should they deem it an obstacle to their goals. This single-minded determination is what elevates them beyond the rest. 

“I guess the old man has a soft spot for us after all,” Satoru says, referring to Yaga, Suguru guesses.

Breathlessly, he chuckles. “Maybe.” 

Studying Satoru from his peripherals, he silently mulls over the far likelier reality—  

—that Yaga understands Satoru’s potential for saving this world is matched only by his capacity to condemn it. 

-

From a young age, Ieri Shoko found irony everywhere she looked.

It’s prevalent in the medical field she wishes to pursue. When stabbed, it’s better to leave the knife in than immediately pull it out. For an immune system to better defend itself from a virus, it must first be exposed to it in trace amounts. If an appendage becomes too infected, removing that piece of the body is better than keeping it whole. It was you who pointed out this theme extends into the world of jujutsu. 

“You’d think fighting to survive a curse instead of defeating it would be an okay alternative, right?” You had said. “But really… that just means someone else gets to foot the bill. All ‘cause you cheaped out.” 

She regrets not asking you to elaborate. At the time, the observation felt so personal, so intimately interwoven with who you are, that she thought it best to leave it alone. 

Watching you now, lounging on the swing beside her, she’s determined not to repeat her previous mistake. 

“Tired?” 

“Well, yeah,” you laugh. It sounds off. “I wasn’t meant for long flights. It takes everything out of me, y’know?” 

Shoko unsuccessfully digs around her pocket for a lighter. The search ceases when she recalls its inopportune location — left behind in her dorm room in the rush to be the one who reaches you first. Not sure what else to do with her hands, she folds them onto her lap. Meanwhile, you pick at a stray thread on your jeans. 

“I didn’t mean from traveling,” she clarifies. 

“Hm?” 

“How many curses did you exorcise back home?” 

Your fingers go still.

“I dunno… a few?” You shrug, stuffing your hands in your pockets. “If I happen across them, I’m not gonna just let them run amuck. That’d be irresponsible.” 

Your nonchalance comes across as forced. You may be keeping your words lighthearted, but she can tell you’ve dialed up your senses, monitoring her closely. It reminds her of a cornered mouse. It’s then that any lingering doubt over her choices leading up to this moment dispels. Resolve strengthened, she swears to make as much progress as she possible before those two catch on. She felt a bit bad lying about your flight’s time, but felt the situation justified the call. 

“It feels different when they’re close to home, doesn’t it?” 

Shoko’s eyes scan over the lively park before them. There’s a group of children playing with one another, some scouring the grass for bugs and others playing tag. Their guardians watch from a distance, chatting amongst themselves, likely discussing the upcoming poor weather or latest neighborhood scandals. Young couples walk hand in hand along the pathways, cheeks flushed from the joy of experiencing their first love. 

“Encountering a curse is draining. Fighting them, even more so. But when they’re on a street you walk every day, or a few blocks over from your house, you can’t help but start thinking. ‘What if I hadn’t come this way? Would it have hurt people I know? People I love and care about?’”

Her eyes find yours. “‘What if it killed them?’”

You look like you’re going to be sick. 

She ignores how your expression contorts her stomach and continues. “Sorcerers are in the minority, it’s true. So… fighting to survive isn’t selfish. It’s strategic.”

In the distance, the rough silhouette of two individuals grows clearer. The spotlight she commandeered grows fainter with their every step. In what remains of the fading limelight, she considers you. The CC cream that conceals the worst of your exhaustion, how your pupils dilate from high caffeine intake, then your fingers. The keys that when steepled just so, open the future for others at the cost of permanently locking yours. 

She reaches over and gently squeezes your hand. 

“Remember — we won’t be much help to anyone if we’re six feet under. So let’s aim to stay above ground.” 

-

The evening sun sinks into the horizon, demanding acknowledgment in its final moments by dousing all in a fiery hue. 

Your uniform absorbs the brunt of this last stand. The dark fabric devours the waning sunlight, heating you from head to toe. It didn’t fully occur to you that you were back when you walked through the torii gates lining the mountainous path. Nor when you unpacked in your dorm, stuffing your passport away until your next break, where it’ll serve you faithfully again. 

Instead, it was the simple act of putting your uniform on again that made home seem far, far away. 

You’d gotten used to your clothes smelling like your mother’s preferred detergent. It’s a brand you couldn’t find in Japan, sold exclusively in your home country. You wondered what meal your parents were having when you straightened out your collar. If your neighbor ever fixed that rumble their old sedan huffed out as you slipped into your tights. Whether your grandpa knew you’d landed safely when you brushed lint off your skirt. 

The campus atmosphere is serene. Tengen’s barrier is a bulwark against curses, insulating you from any potential threats. Without this assurance, some part of you was always on the defensive, anticipating anything when you slept in your childhood bedroom. It siphoned away your vitality, just like Shoko pointed out. 

You sniffle and kick a rock aside. 

How does it always end up like this?

First Akane, now Shoko, you hug yourself. I just want to protect others. What’s so wrong with that? If I don’t, then who will?

You pause abruptly. 

When Akane began mentoring you, the world as you knew it changed. Suddenly, you were given knowledge no one else was privy to, for they lacked the tools to comprehend it. You’d seen those ‘creatures’, but it was Akane that explained their malevolent nature. What they could do, the pain they inflicted, how defenseless the population at large was against them. 

The shadow that this monstrous threat cast could never be outshone by light. The best you could do was create safe pockets the size of pins in the darkness. That was the extent of your hope, the most bitter pill you’ve ever swallowed.

The lingering specter of Shoko’s reassuring touch prickles along your hand. 

It’s easy to forget you’re not alone anymore after fighting by yourself for so long. 

-

Eventually, you happen upon a clearing near the school’s main grounds. 

The steep inclines surround a sizable outdoor track. This area is known colloquially as the school’s training grounds. You prefer to train in a more secluded, wooded area, but not everyone shares your enthusiasm for subtlety. Namely, the two prodigies who have turned the field into a colosseum that’d rival the battles of ancient Rome. 

You take a seat on the grassy hill and watch what unfolds. 

Your eyes can scarcely follow the blows Suguru and Satoru exchange. Their sparring sessions are unreal — blurring the very fabric of reality. Somehow, they manage all this without using cursed energy. The spectacle you’re witnessing is simply hand-to-hand combat. It’s like watching a film with skipping frames. In a matter of seconds, they can travel a hundred meters and return to their original position. Your brain struggles to process the stimuli your senses are feeding it. 

They were already strong when you met them. But now? The nomenclature doesn’t exist to properly classify them. 

And in the future… 

There’s no telling what highs they’ll reach or the ceilings they’ll shatter. 

Their light is the most dazzling you’ve ever seen.

Within a few minutes, they conclude their training session. Satoru instantly beelines toward you, whereas Suguru cycles through stretches. There’s not even a single drop of sweat on Satoru’s body as he plops to your right. He’s wearing his signature sunglasses, despite the night's looming shadow. 

“Shouldn’t you be asleep or something?” Satoru asks. “It’s past your bedtime.”

You punch him lightly on the shoulder. He yelps out an exaggerated ‘ouch!’ rubbing the area to soothe the nonexistent wound. 

Suguru approaches at a far more leisurely pace, sending a wave that you return in kind. 

Satoru, not one to be forgotten, yells out, “Be careful, Suguru! She’s violent!” 

“Only against those who deserve it,” Suguru replies.

Fondness blossoms inside your chest as you laugh. You’d forgotten how simple life feels around them. It’s as if when the three of you are together, you’re swallowed by a pocket dimension, isolated from everyone and everything. Permanently inhabiting this utopia is a temptation. 

Satoru places his hands behind his head and lays onto the ground. “Here I am, potentially out of commission forever, without a single ounce of sympathy to show for it.” 

“We could always settle in court,” you offer. 

Suguru stands before you, hands on his hips. “Or he could finally figure out how to use reverse cursed technique.” 

At this, Satoru shoots back up, his sunglasses falling askew. “Hah? Last I recall, you gave yourself a headache giving it a go. At least I’m not that bad.” 

“Hurdles are necessary to improve. Without any, how do you know you’re truly making progress?” 

Satoru gives him a grossed-out look. “All this philosophizing is gonna turn your hair gray before you hit twenty.” 

“That’s rich, coming from the guy whose hair is already white,” You point out. “What’s that say about you?” 

Suguru muffles his laughter behind his hand. 

Satoru’s quick to overcome his incredulity. “It says that I’m going to spoil the next volume of Inuyasha. Sesshomaru—” 

You cover your ears and sprint off. “Can’t hear you, can’t hear you, can’t hear you…!” 

He chases after you, periodically shouting the names of the main characters right when you think he’s finished. You do your best to block out his voice, running like your life depends on it. He’s hot on your heels, cackling at your expense. After a stretch of silence, you uncover your ears, hesitantly turning around to check if he’s finished his torture. 

You meet Satoru’s gaze. His lips are parted, his eyebrows slightly raised. Your reflection in his dark lenses appears equally perplexed. He straightens his sunglasses and regards you with an unreadable expression. 

“... You’ve gotten faster.” 

The comment is so quiet, you’re unsure if you heard him correctly. 

“Hm?” 

“Nothing,” he dismisses, waving you off. “You shoujo-loving types sure take this stuff seriously. It’s almost cultish.” 

“I don’t wanna hear that from the guy who references Digimon like it’s some sorta scripture!” 

“Honda Tohru is a lame heroine.” 

You audibly gasp. “Wh— you take that back!” 

And so it’s your turn to chase Satoru, who, for reasons unknown, is oddly knowledgeable regarding Fruits Basket. 

-

“Could you guys be honest with me about something?” 

“All depends.” 

“Of course.” 

Satoru and Suguru’s responses come out simultaneously, the contents offering little reassurance. You’re not sure what you expected. Nonetheless, you press past the gnawing discomfort, your conversation with Shoko a fresh memory. 

“Did Akane stop by while I was gone?” 

You scrutinize their countenances for involuntary reactions that might betray their inner thoughts. You begin with Satoru, who was in the middle of cleaning his sunglasses when you posed the question. His eyes, which normally brim with mischief, have an eerie calmness about them; like sheets of ice that were once choppy waters. He smiles softly and slips his lenses back into place, undoubtedly aware of the intent behind your stare. 

Then there’s Suguru. He hums, as if finding your inquiry unexpected and not an inevitable point of contention. He’s a more challenging puzzle to decipher than Satoru. With the latter, you can roughly gauge the greater picture, blurry and incomplete as it may be. Suguru, on the other hand, hasn’t given you enough pieces to attempt a solution. 

Satoru continues mulling over your question while Suguru responds, “Is that what’s been worrying you lately?” 

So they picked up on it too, you think. 

Frowning, you shift in your seat. Blades of grass tickle your thighs and you push your skirt down. 

“Er… not that, specifically,” you admit. You feel like you’re surrounded by walls that know just how far to close in to give the impression you might be crushed. “I just… I’ve been thinking. About why I’m here— what I’ll go on to do. And, well…” 

Much to their surprise, you stand, squeeze your eyes shut, and bow ninety degrees. 

“For so long, I’ve carried this burden. The truth is, when I first learned about Null, I was relieved. I’d always have something to rely on in the worst-case scenario. But at the same time… that meant not using it could also be a mistake. You have no idea how much that scared me.” 

You curl your hands up into fists. “I don’t want to think that way anymore. I see it now — have for a while, actually — strength I couldn’t even imagine before. So, I guess what I’m trying to say is… I’m in your care. If it’s alright, I want to rely on others, starting with you two.” 

Your heart pounds wildly in the silence that follows. 

Maybe this is selfish too, you think. But I don’t want to be alone anymore. 

You hear Suguru speak your name. It isn’t until he repeats it, his tone kind yet firm, that you straighten yourself and face him. 

Satoru stands further back, scratching his neck. Much to your confusion, a red flush has risen to his cheeks, extending up to his ears. Suguru corrects your staring by taking your face in his hands and redirecting your attention to him. Warmth envelops you. Your faces are inches apart, but somehow, the distance feels nonexistent, like he’s peering into your mind unhindered. 

“Surely, you can dream bigger than that,” Suguru chastises.

“... Eh?” 

“Do you think so little of us?” Satoru grumbles. It almost sounds like he’s pouting. Was he not listening to anything you just said? The sincerity behind your every word? Why are they both acting like you insulted them? 

“Eh?!” 

“I’m glad you’ve come to this realization, but… you don’t have to rely on anyone else. Just us,” Suguru takes a step back, though he keeps one hand cupping your cheek. You feel lightheaded. “After all…” 

“... We’re the strongest.” 

notes:

*this pun actually works decently in english ?? but akane is making a reference to how suguru sounds phonetically similar to すぐ, or sugu, which means 'soon.'

[moonferry]

yk when u want a specific type of content but it like doesn't exist so u have to make it urself..

anyway have some bachelors x masc farmer ideas/headcanons/rambles. idk i just say words. long post so strap in, folks! honestly these could be considered gn if u squint bc i don't really use masc pronouns in the writing, however there are mentions of masc labels (boyfriend, husband)

mentions of internalized homophobia + depression

i may do bachelorettes x fem farmer next so stay tuned :3

harvey:

- wears his boyfriend's/husband's shirts. literally no exceptions. if you wore it, he is going to wear it too. you left a shirt at his place? oh. it's his now. and he's going to be smiling the entire time he wears it. this being said, i think he'd totally be like T____T it doesn't smell like you anymore and ask for a different one.

- loves to compliment your appearance or just you in general (in my play through he literally says "you look so handsome. did you shave?" like 3 times a week)

- personally, i see harvey as being bisexual + super open about it. like everyone in town supports him & they're so ecstatic for him when they see he has a boyfriend.

- if you have yet to ask him out, though, and he's realizing his feelings i think it would be very hard for him to hide them. someone could be asking him something and you walk into the clinic? his entire train of thought is GONE. i'm talking they have to wave their hand in front of his face to get his attention back.

- don't even get me STARTED on if you propose. he'd literally walk into the clinic, slam his coffee on the reception desk and be like, "MARU, LOOK." pretty sure he fainted and maru had to fan him back to consciousness.

elliott:

- despite elliott's openness with his own sexuality, i think he was terrified of your rejection. not too terrified obviously because something something inspiration from painful experiences yada yada. if you ended up not being interested in him, he probably would've gotten over it - but don't be surprised if you notice some strange subtext in his writing. he's a romantic writer - if he has feelings, they're going to get written down. sorry folks.

- but * yay * you didn't reject him, so elliott is still inspired. maybe you even become the next love interest in his newest novel? who knows.

- in his 14 heart event, he writes a series of letters to you because he has to leave pelican town for a week. i absolutely loved this idea and i think elliott would do this even if he was in the town. they could be something as mundane as what he did that day/week and he just. put it in the mailbox. you still enjoy reading them, though.

- i think he absolutely loves using "my" like "my man", "my husband" "my beloved" just anything, really. he loves you so much - and he knows he doesn't own you, obviously, he's just so glad he is lucky enough to call you his.

alex:

- i think alex was TERRIFIED of falling in love with you. in his 10 heart event, he mentions telling himself that he shouldn't experience these feelings for another man. every act of kindness you showed him ate away at his heart and it drove him crazy.

- i think he experienced a little internal homophobia before finally realizing that it was okay. it doesn't help that george is so adamant about him finding a girlfriend (and that george has a little homophobic arc 🥲). alex probably internalized these ideas and pushed himself into his gridball/weightlifting obsession to quiet his mind.

- after he finally worked up the courage to tell you how he felt - and was entirely relieved when you felt the same way - it was as if a weight removed itself from his chest. he could finally breathe again. the world seemed different - in a good way. colors were more vivid, sounds were more pleasing to hear, the earth felt solid underneath his feel for once. he wasn't afraid of anything, especially not with you beside him.

- now, he proudly walks around the town with your hand in his, smiling to himself.

- sometimes those thoughts start to seep back in, though. like when he's about to sleep at night and his brain just can't shut up. he starts to hate himself again, and then he feels you press against him or hears you mutter in your sleep and his heart softens.

- also he got george and evelyn shirts that say "i love my gay grandson" they wear them proudly.

shane:

- surprised that anyone took a romantic interest in him, not surprised by the fact that you're a guy.

- i don't think shane has a "preference" for dating someone, he goes based off of vibes + personality rather than gender or appearance. he also doesn't label himself or his sexuality/romantic attraction.

- he's definitely a shirt lender. like you see a nice jacket in his closet and you're like "hey, hun, can i borrow this?" "sure."

- thinks you look amazing in his clothes. probably puts the best ones on hangers (or at the top of the clothing pile) in hopes that you'd choose them.

- even if he doesn't show it outwardly, he's super afraid of losing you. because of his mental illness, he can't help but think that every good thing he has will be taken away from him or that he "doesn't deserve" them. (he does, and you often remind him of this if he gets too into his head).

- i picture him reaching over and placing a hand on your arm in the middle of the night JUST to make sure you were still there and not the universe playing a cruel joke on him.

- can cook, but he's so used to making frozen dinners that he often forgets to.

- if you're taller than him, forehead kisses are a MUST. he will not let you leave the farmhouse until he receives his daily forehead kiss.

- i think he loves being the little spoon. it just makes him feel safer, more grounded in a way. he's been at the point where it feels like nothing is permanent and it can all end in the blink of an eye, so being spooned helps him realize that it isn't all that bad and that it will be okay, given the right time and effort.

- shane definitely falls asleep on his husband's chest like.. once a week.

- because mental illness is a constant battle, i imagine shane still gets "bad days". but don't worry! his loving husband is here to help. shane's depressive episodes usually consist of lying in bed (often for days at a time) and it's extremely hard for him to do anything. but the farmer is used to this - he's definitely read up on mental health books and how to support someone with depression. the farmer never tries to force shane out of bed or tells him that he needs to "get over it". the farmer often checks on him in between their farm duties. i imagine when the farmer is completely finished, they sits down on the edge of the bed and play with shane's hair or rubs their hand up and down his back:

"hey shane, are you okay?"

"i will be."

"i love you, chickadee."

"i know."

"do you want some ice cream?"

"yes, please."

sam:

- by far, the most "affectionate"? in a way.

- sammy loves pda im sorry. if you two are walking along, he has to be touching you in some way - whether it's holding your hand. your arm looped through his own, your hand in his hoodie pocket, etc. he just needs physical contact. i also think he'd look at you with big, wet eyes and wait until you kiss him.

- he takes you to band practice !!! seb and abby don't really mind, and you even offer some input on how they should approach their next song.

- absolute golden retriever boyfriend. can and will curl up on your lap and cuddle against you (even if he's ridiculously tall and lanky).

- if and when you attend all his shows/concerts, he definitely pulls you on stage once the set it over and kisses you publicly - sebastian and abigail just roll their eyes (this happens every single time. they're used to it).

- probably has your name written on his guitar.

- i think kent and jodi would be some of the most supportive people ever - they're just happy their son found someone to be with, regardless of gender.

- i think kent would probably sit you down and give you "the talk" about *grumble grumble* if you break my son's heart *grumble grumble*. not that you would, obviously, you adore sam. but kent's words do put the fear of god in you - this is the man who sends you bombs in the mail as a "friendly gesture"

- don't let that fool you, though, kent will be an absolute waterfall if you and sam get married. i also think he'd be more of a "ask for his blessing" before proposing kind of guy, but he'd give it willingly.

- sam loves it when you run a hand through his hair (if he had a tail, it would be wagging).

- sam puppyboy au? thinking thoughts...

sebastian:

- i think the only one surprised that seb has a boyfriend is seb himself. he always pictured himself a "loner for life" and DEFINITELY didn't expect to fall in love with this weird farm boy.

- he probably spends more time at the farm house/wherever you two hang out than his own home. but who could blame him?

- he was so confused about his feelings that he ended up talking to maru for help (crazy, right?) the two of them built a pillow fort near maru's telescope and spent hours talking. it was quiet nice. this helped him realize two things: 1) maybe his sister wasn't all that bad and 2) he was DEFINITELY in love with another man. he didn't know which was more confusing.

- i think sebastian likely confessed first in a sort of "nonchalant" way. i think the conversation went like this:

farmer,teasing: "oooh, you wanna kiss me sooo bad it makes you look stupid."

seb: "yeah, i do."

neither of you were prepared for that. i think he would ease the tension by just. ignoring what he just said.

- i think he smiles like a frog . a sort of :} if you will. like bulbasaur.

- speaking of bulbasaur, that is definitely his favorite pokémon. oh and froakie. he just like the little frog dudes. would love you forever if you won him a plushie from the claw machine.

- it's no secret that seb often thinks no one would notice if he left, but getting closer to you made him realize that.. someone would. and maybe that's enough.

- if he stays up late working on a project, just walk over to his desk and wrap him into a back hug. bonus points if you voice is gravelly from sleep. "let's go to bed, sebby." he'd melt. like full on puddle on the ground.

- because sebastian is like 5'6 you'd think he enjoys being the small spoon. WRONG!!! he is a big spoon exclusively. you don't mind, though.

- he would die if you played with his hands while cuddling. please give this boy some physical affection. he deserves it.

[elliotts-pocket-crab]

The marriage candidates and what phones i think they’d have

Sebastian- a newer android model. Has a random hatred for iphones even though he never had one. I think he just likes dissing “basic” things. His screen is dirty.

Elliott- surprisingly a new iphone AND an apple watch! They don’t match his vintage/academia aesthetic, so it’s strange to see him so up to date with trendy stuff. Otterbox protective case but nothing fancy-looking.

Harvey- bro has the same tracphone he’s has since 2010. He’s very careful with it. He also has a home phone.

Shane- a heavily cracked and dirty-screened android from 2015. Bought a phone case to prevent further damage.

Sam- somehow even worse cracked android, but new. He just got it a few months ago and he already cracked it skateboarding. No case, no screen protector, just vibes.

Alex- an old iphone from 2013. He got it when it first came out as a bday gift and he’s been careful with it bc he knows his grandparents can’t afford a new one. Plain but protective case.

Maru- 2020 iphone her dad gifted to her for an achievement

Abigail- 2019 android with a black case that has a skull and rose design on it. It also has a screen protector thats slightly misplaced on the screen

Emily- iphone from 2017 with a deco charm case she customized herself <3 its very cute and brightly colored with lots of personality

Haley- new iphone with an unprotective stylish case that won’t actually prevent any breakage. She does have a screen protector though.

Leah- an old second-hand android from ebay bc she can’t afford anything new. She also has a home phone.

Penny- just a home phone. She doesn’t see a use in having a cellphone when she hardly has anyone to talk to :( poor stinkabutt

[complimentaryculler]

I think Abigail is the Wizard's daughter. And I think Caroline didn't cheat on Pierre either.

The evidence for Abigail being M. Rasmodius's (which I think is a title and stands for Mage or Magister but that's a separate conversation) daughter is clear: she claims to have not dyed her hair in some time and it remaining purple, the same hue as the Wizard's;

Pierre asks the farmer if she "looks anything like [him]" and says he suspects he's not the father (though this could simply be a result of the jealousy issues Caroline ascribes to him);

Caroline says she spent time near the Wizard's tower when first moving to Pelican town and conceiving Abigail after 2-4 months (allowing for premature or late birth) in town;

the Wizard outright admits that he suspects one of the locals to be his daughter and that his wife left him after an unspecified "mistake" (a common excuse for infidelity, despite a drawn out and actively hidden relationship being quite a bit more work than most mistakes).

Of the marriageable villagers, only Abigail and Penny have the possibility to be the Wizard's daughter, with the unknown father of Penny, while Emily, Haley, and Leah being from out of town makes them unlikely and Maru resembling her father. Jas is another possibility, being Marnie's niece (though having lived with her since a very young age, as evidenced by Secret Note #11), having purple hair, and her home being near the Wizard's tower. However, Jas presents as an entirely normal young girl (despite a somewhat troubled home life) and closely resembles her cousin Shane's dark-purple hair, indicating a family trait. The Wizard only mentions a daughter, not a son. If he had had a child with Shane, then Shane would more easily claim her as his daughter, not goddaughter. Penny has no resemblance in looks or demeanor to the Wizard, and though that is possible in families it would also not give him reason to suspect her.

There are a few things that stand out to me. First, Caroline admits to having spent time near the Wizard's tower in the time Abigail was conceived- something she would be unlikely to admit if she had been having an affair, placing herself at the "scene of the crime" as it were. Second, she says she wishes Abigail would "stop" dyeing her hair, and that it resembled her grandmother's hair, "light chestnut-colored hair", like Pierre's.

Abigail confirms that the purple was not her original color, but that "it never fades from this color". But what makes me think the Wizard didn't cheat on his wife is the line, "It's rare, but it does happen." He could be referring to a birth control method failing, but frankly I'm dubious that a small town could have a woman become pregnant with no available father and have no one comment on it (such as Marnie, with no mention of past partners). The gravestone for Mona makes no mention of motherhood, which is almost inevitable on women's gravestones, which makes her unlikely in my eyes, and if she were his "other woman" it would be fairly obvious to him.

The fourth uninteractable gravestone gives us no information and so must be disregarded. I think that Caroline's time near the Wizard's tower during her conception time frame exposed Abigail to the Wizard's magic and contaminated (for lack of a better word) her. His magic changed her, making her his child just as much as Pierre's and Caroline's. Caroline would have no reason to suspect this, and so no reason not to admit to the farmer she was near the Wizard's tower. Pierre would notice that his child resembled another man, despite her similarities to him while younger, and draw conclusions. The Wizard would be unsure of it (while having had sex with the mother would make it very likely) and have reason to comment on its rarity. The Wizard's wife left him after a "mistake"- perhaps a mistake like not containing his magic enough.

And what curse does she cast on the farmer? Putting a strange, changed chicken in their nests, and changing their slimes unnaturally.

[kfkr1ze]

Vividly Colored Imagination - Chapter 2

Characters — ✈︎ Akuta, Kiroku, Nanaki, Muneuji, Ushio, Sakujiro

Location: 21st Century Museum of Contemporary Art, Kanazawa

Kaede: We’ve arrived, guys. This is the Kanazawa 21st Century Museum of Contemporary Art…!

Muneuji: The Tsuzumi Gate at Kanazawa Station was also very impressive, but this place is on a different level.

Nanaki: There’s a bunch of exhibits outside of the building too.

Akuta: It almost looks like a park of some kind, doesn’t it? I like this kinda onbianse! 

Muneuji: Did you mean ambience?

Kaede: That’s a good point, Akuta-kun. One of the main concepts of the museum is that it’s an “open museum like a park for anyone in town to visit.”

Sakujiro: “Polyphony” … Or in other words, the fundamental idea is to create a place where diverse styles and voices are simultaneously combining and harmonizing with each other.

Kiroku: Diverse… voices…

Akuta: Hey, Sensei. What’s with those silver balls over there?

Muneuji: I see some children playing with something and staring at each other as well.

Kaede: That piece is called “Maru.” It’s made up of 16 mirrored hemispheres, so some people may enjoy looking up close and playing around.

Ushio: Hmm. I thought that modern art was supposed to be difficult to understand, but maybe kids actually understand the essence of it.

Kaede: There’s still some time before we have to meet with the producer, so we can take the time to look around Kannai.

Nanaki: I wanna see this exhibit I saw on dazzle. Apparently when you’re walking around, there’s one where you can walk through a pool.

Akuta: Ah! Inspiration has struck!! The title of my next movie is gonna be “25,000 Isles in the Depths of the Sea,” which will be arriving in theaters at…

Kiroku: ………

(The meeting is coming up soon… My stomach… feels like it’s churning…)

…? This is…

(Nanamegi sent me something on dazzle called the “Color Activity House” exhibit… There doesn’t seem to be that many people there…)

I can… check it out… for a bit…… [1]

Rouzel: Hey, Kiroku! Are you able to calm down? Deep breaths, remember? Deep breaths! 

Kiroku: …Breathes in……

Pinfu: Can we hurryyy? I wanna go get something to eat already～!

Ripris: Everyone… Is here… Is everything okay…?

KB: Kiroku. Believe in yourself more. You have trained for this.

Kiroku: (That’s right… I’ve been preparing a lot for this. I’ve even asked my family if they could help me practice exchanging business cards… I’m sure… I can do it.)

Dewawa: Hey hey, isn’t the main problem the presentation, not the business cards? Is it okay for you to be wasting time talking about nonsense like this?

Kiroku: Uu……

Pinfu: My my oh my〜? Even though eve～ryone tried their best to encourage him～ This is why there’s no use in cheering someone up all the time. Just one little negative comment is all it takes for you to spiral～

It’s hard to even make a living as an artist y’know～ Wouldn’t it be easier just to quit?

Rouzel: It’s no problem! Kiroku is gifted! Me and everyone else here knows that very well!

Besides, the producer is an artistic person.

I’m sure that they will understand Kiroku’s unique talents!

KB: I as well. The lanterns that Kiroku made for the festival in Shodoshima were very well received. I am sure his work will be taken the same way this time as well.

Dewawa: Like the time in Shodoshima? Give me a break. If it’s like that, then it’ll be even WORSE!

Kiroku: !

Kaede: It’s about time for everyone to meet up. Is everyone here?

Sakujiro: Hm? I do not believe I see Kinugawa-kun.

Muneuji: Now that you mention it…

Nanaki: I saw him heading that way, so I can call him for us.

Kaede: Thank you.

Nanaki: (I’m pretty sure it was over thereーー)

Pinfu: Gyahaha! So you’re sayin’ it’ll be unfinished again～

Nanaki: ?

(That right now… was that Kiroku’s voice?)

Dewawa: If that happened, that’d just be awful, huh?

KB: Of course, it is true that the lanterns in Shodoshima were just a way to help with the festival. If the art is incomplete this time, the responsibility would fall on you as an official Ward Mayor of HAMA Tours.

Pinfu: That’s a big big BIG～ responsibility, right～?

Nanaki: (Those are… finger puppets, aren’t they? I’ve seen them around the room before, but…)

Dewawa: And that time, the lanterns just so happened to be called “creepily cute” …

This time, it might not even be cute anymore.

Pinfu: So in other words… Cr・ee・py! Gyaha!

Nanaki: (Is he talking about… that one time…?)

Ripris: It’s okay… I’m sure that… with the Chief, it’ll… all be just fine…

Rouzel: I agree! You have Mister Nanaki as well!

Ripris: Nanaki is… a sociable person… and his work is liked… by everyone…

Dewawa: So, an artist who’s the complete opposite of Kiroku! 

Kiroku: …Sighs.

Nanaki: ( …It looks like that talk is over.)

Ah, Kiroku. There you were.

Kiroku: …! Nanaemgi…

Nanaki: It’s about time that we meet up for the meeting, so I was just getting you.

Kiroku: Right… L-Let’s go.

Nanaki: (That talk seemed like the same old Kiroku.)

(Then, what the hell was that…?)

Previous — ✈︎ Masterlist — ✈︎ Next

Notes — ✈︎

If you're wondering why the colors are changing, this is Kiroku walking through the exhibit that Nanaki sent to him. It's this exhibit.

[ecargmura]

Kimi Ni Todoke Season 3 Episode 1 Review - It's Been 13 Years...

After 13 flipping years, we finally get a season 3 of the best shoujo anime ever (to me that is). 13 years means an entire zodiac cycle plus one had passed. I feel super old. However, I’m glad that it wasn’t a remake or a reboot. It’s a direct continuation! That’s seriously rare these days because shoujo animes usually stop when the couple gets together. We finally get a continuation of Sawakaze’s story after confession! However, what I was most surprised about the release of the new season is that everything was released all at once and that the episodes are an hour long! It feels like watching a movie!

I’m actually really surprised with the production! The voice actors are the same! The animation is the same as it was 13 years ago. They didn’t modernize anything as well! The time period is still 2011, so they still have flip phones! I’m so glad they didn’t change anything! I wouldn’t know what I would’ve felt if they modernized the cast a bit too much with brighter color palettes and what not. The music is the same too! I can tell they put so much love and effort into keeping things the same! It almost feels like a love letter to long-time fans!

This first episode is just Sawako and Kazehaya getting used to dating each other now. Their date that had been shown in the very last segment of the second season is finally expanded on! It’s basically what was shown in Episode 11 of Season 2, but longer! They do more things together like have drinks together and go to different places. I do like that their first date wasn’t really something impactful like going to a fancy restaurant, but it was just something students can do together. Going to a planetarium seems nice, though. I want to go to one!

Then, the two go through the process of meeting each other’s family for the first time. It does feel a little fast to meet each other’s family, but I guess it’s better to get it out of the way as soon as possible. Poor Kazehaya had to meet the neighbors and her parents all at once. While it was awkward, Kazehaya enjoyed the experience as he could tell she and her family are well-loved. That’s a good flipping man right there.

It was nice seeing how the Kuronuma parents reacted to Kazehaya. The mom is super chill and supportive while her dad is overprotective. I know that it’s because Sawako never had a boyfriend before so he’s extra protective of her. Like how he was with Chizu and Ayane, he does come around to Kazehaya once he realizes how good of a person he is and how much Sawako likes being around him. I do like that Mr. Kuronuma isn’t extremely overbearing like some anime dads.

Kazehaya isn’t the only one who gets to have fun; Sawako gets to meet her boyfriend’s family too! Maru meets Sawako again after a long while and he grew to be massive! What breed is he? Kazehaya’s mother seems to be a very friendly lady. She’s a bit strict towards her son, but she’s a good lady. Kazehaya got her face. Touta, Kazehaya’s younger brother, is a bit cheeky, but he’s a good kid. Kazehaya’s dad seems a little strict but he’s also a little quirky in the sense that his imposing appearance isn’t all that he seems. He likes dogs as he was complaining that Kazehaya didn’t bring the dog with him. I do like that his dad wanted Sawako to answer his questions and not have Kazehaya answer them for her. It shows that he wants people to be themselves and be confident and not depend on others. Both Sawako and Kazehaya have such good family.

There’s something going on with Ayane and Kento. I feel like Kento wants to date Ayane, but I don’t trust him. Ever since he caused problems for the main couple back in Season 2, he’s on my shit list. Stay away from her. There’s a moment with Ryu and Chizu post-credits. Oh gosh, these two are seriously a lot more frustrating to watch than seeing the main couple trying to get together. Ryu and Chizu’s relationship is so complex and complicated. I can’t wait for them to finally get together.

If there are any gripes, I’d say that I don’t like the opening. It’s not as catchy or memorable as the previous openings. It feels a little generic. Other than that I think that having one hour long episodes really does have a good grasp of grouping specific moments all together and not having to wait weekly. However, I still do miss the weekly formula of waiting for anime. If you have watched the third season, what are your thoughts on the first episode?

[a-fantastic-time]

"Come on sister, you'll get used to wearing what's similar to an Earth swimsuit." Explained the pregnant Blackfire, she had it arranged that Starfire was to be brought to this mostly aquatic planet, where most of it's inhabitants lived in underwater settlements

Starfire wasn't happy though, not only had she been kidnapped from Earth, but she had found out that Blackfire had married the prince of this planet, Marus, as a bargain, she'd get force to help overthrow Tameran and become empress again, and Prince Marus would get a wife to allow him to become the new king.

And now, she was to meet her brother-in-law in the dress of the people, it looked and felt like swimwear, Blackfire was wearing something similar, but she mostly wore it to fit in on this planet as it's Queen, but as expected, females got swimsuit-like wear, while males got something looking like swimming trunks.

But once dressed, Blackfire would lead Star to the royal chamber where the King & Queen would take their throne, with Blackfire introducing Starfire to Marus, kissing him lovingly first.

"Hello my dear, this is my darling little sister, and your sister-in-law, Starfire."

Referece

The castle had a lovely oceanic glass texture, allowing light from the surface to bend around it and giving everything a colorful shimmer. While the floor had a glowing rent tint due to large volcanic activity just underneath it it. Allowing the throne room to fill with a warm, yet sinister glow. The tall dark skinned shark-like male sitting a top the throne.

Marus's tail swayed back and forth as he watched his wife walk in, only to spot the younger sister she had been raving about since their marriage. "Well~ well~ well~ So this is my new little sister you have been to eager to bring with you my beloved, my she is just as beautiful as you said."

He stepped down from his throne, those dark red trunks of his barely hiding not one, but two massive bulges running down each of his thighs. Orange stripes along his body glowed red hot, just as the floors did. He immediately scooped his pregnant wife up in his arms and showed a possessive display of love, kissing her and grabbing her fat ass to squeeze. Showing little to no modesty, as he shoved his tongue into her mouth and even cupped one of her heavy breasts. The Tameranean woman having become so curvy since she had been knocked up.

He broke the kiss with a wet sounding pop, before turning to the red headed. "Its normally customary for me to show the same affection to my guests, but I will let Blackfire decide if you are worthy of that."

[chidoroki]

Heavenly Delusion EP12

aka: HELL NO

Was that really a dream with the robot asking them if they wanted to go outside? And why is Tokio’s hair all short suddenly? I should probably pay more attention to what year it is whenever they give us dates.

Okay wait, no?? The robot says it’s Friday, July 26 Ten’ei 18 and Tokio just clarified she got her hair cut short yesterday, but in the “dream,” if it was one, also had the same date.. I may be overthinking things or I may be stupid.

Why are all the young kids gathering around saying “danger” for??

And now most of Mina’s system isn’t working? And the place is really falling apart!

The dude says “don’t take notice of the different colors” of the chips but now I’m gonna be skeptical.

Robin is chief of the Ministry of Reconstruction? Or just of this large filtration plant Kiruko is now running towards?

Oh boy, is that really the same facility where all the kids once were?

I’m surprised Maru let Kiruko go investigate the place alone first.

They’re playing this calm, hopeful music yet it gives me a bad feeling like something is definitely gonna go wrong..

Oh no, if Kona stays behind with the younger kids while Miminime & the other investigate the wall, does he become a hiruko too? The young ones have definitely be acting strange and that vision of Mimihime’s last ep is definitely concerning.

The director could use her legs this entire time??

That dude mixed up Tokio’s kids during all the chaos..

Wow, I really love that shot of the broken glass and how the focus shifts right to the back of Kiruko’s head, like a reminder of how Kiriko was killed and Haruki underwent that surgery.

So not even Robon knows where Sakota is.

I don’t like how Robin’s tone changed right then as the lighting turned a bit red..

Kiruko went to investigate but didn’t bring the gun?? Why!!

“Kiriko. No, you’re Haruki. You’re both really interesting kids.” YEAH NOPE. I knew Robin was acting sus but that crazy grin confirms it!! What the hell does he have planned?

Handcuffs? He’s gonna hold Kiruko captive? … oh, wait, don’t tell me “that scene” happens like this???

Yeah, Mimihime’s fascination with the sky really alludes to that girl Usami was with.

I love how often this show has match cuts, now with Maru’s dinner to the lit candle.

“Right! It’s the sister you love so much. She’s about to be held by another man.” Son of a bitch, Robin, go fuck yourself!

I am SO PISSED OFF at this man.

[animehouse-moe]

Heavenly Delusion Episode 8: The Immortal Order

Searching for answers for both Maru and Kiruko, the pair are led to the headquarters of the Immortal Order. But, we quickly find out things are not at all what they seem, and we begin a spiral into a horror framed episode. Freakish human experiments, amputations and unauthorized surgeries, a thing you cannot call a human any longer being kept alive by technology, and something that lurks in the basement. What a terrifyingly good episode.

Hirotaka's overarching sense of direction was always something that would lend itself well to horror with how it holds static framing and places the focus on the interactions and acting of the characters, but paired with today's episode director I really feel like they took it up another notch.

There's lots of effort is placed on separating Maru and Kiruko in the layouts, whether it's vertical or lateral distance, or even not placing both within the same scene. But alongside that there's also a surprising amount of closeups on the characters to trend more towards the typical aspects of horror.

In terms of closeups, I really like these two because of how the characters move through the scenes. The second in particular is really impressive thanks to how well the light is animated.

Anyways, moving forward. Today's episode director comes in very strong with very angled shots to continue to add to that suspense and space within the basement that the pair explore. And even better is that they adhere to Hirotaka's sense of voyeurism and allow objects to occlude our view of the scene, so you end up with shots like this one of Kiruko carefully exploring the basement for any signs of a hiruko.

It's just really, really well suited to the fear and tension that the episode builds for this piece, giving viewers plenty of opportunities to get worked up about what's lurking behind each corner and in every shadow.

Also in terms of selling horror, this cut of Kiruko walking is really great. We're faced with her head on rather than being shown her back, so it goes in the complete opposite direction of Hirotaka's style to provide a scene far closer to horror in origin and feel.

And now we arrive at the climax of this horror, which I think they do an outstanding job with. They restrain themselves and don't go for jumpscares or anything primitive or childish within that range, and instead opt for that seeping terror. Something that appears slowly, but remains absolute in the character's vision, something that they are forced to recognize and become aware of as it creeps towards them.

Once more, you'll also see that they make full use of intense camera angles and closeups to bring that horror closer to the surface. To take the first person perspective of Kiruko looking down at the monster, and then follow up with a closeup on their reaction, it's a really great approach to cultivating and expressing that fear to the viewer.

Also, while you might be able to say it's "only" a stylistic choice, the color palette once Kiruko finds the big/parent hiruko becomes skewed. It's a really really great and subtle difference that gives viewers a visual cue as to what's happening, to sort of hint that things aren't exactly as they seem. Such a great idea considering the manga was unable to play with color to provide hints and context clues to readers during this piece.

Anyways, just more of the aggressive camera angles, layouts, and close ups because they're so damn good.

And then there's the icing on the cake with this sequence. The desperation in Kiruko's voice, the slow but deliberate movements to show Kiruko how unstoppable these monsters are, the terrible sounds that arise from their bodies. It's all incredibly harrowing and disturbing, and continues to play right into the hands of the staff. High overhead camera positions, intense angles and first person perspectives, closeups that provide the intensity and fear in each moment, and a soundtrack that plays directly into that fear. It's just such an incredible scene that caps off the brutal and terrifying basement sequence.

Anyways! We've made it out the other side of the horror, so I'll just touch on a few other clips and aspects of the episode, because largely speaking, this basement sequence is where we're led.

Yes, there's pieces about Kiruko's nerves getting to her because she's got a chance of meeting Dr. Usami, but the pieces like that are rather clear cut and well enough expressed that I don't feel a need to touch upon them.

So, the cool pieces. I really like how static the framing is on Maru and Kiruko's conversation with Liviuman. They continue to make use of that first person perspective within this conversation as well, which leads to some great scenes, and even pieces that prep viewers for horror, like this dolly zoom. Of course, the sequence isn't without its opposing scenes that play further into that sense of voyeurism and tie into the high angle and distant direction of the basement sequence. It's really impressive how well they're able to juggle the two opposing approaches, and reconcile them with one another to create a cohesive feel.

Before getting to the last real piece of discussion, I just wanted to mention how well the comedy does in this episode to break tensions and restart the process of building it back up. Just the right amount of pause before engaging in the humor, and it's very casual and simple stuff that doesn't take much to be well delivered. A really simple piece, but I feel like it does a good job of giving breaks and helping the episode feel less like a constantly spinning wheel, and more like a varied climb towards its peak.

So, the very last piece: Liviuman and The Immortal Order. I really like how they depict both of these organizations in the anime, with the additions of motion and sound. Not that you can't get the same vibe from both in the manga, but that it's a far stronger felt experience in the anime.

Liviuman is sensationalist, they're over the top and incredibly into what they're doing, believing themselves to be perfectly in the right as a group against most of technology. It's just... hard, to fall in with their side when The Immortal Order has been nearly indifferent to the protests of Liviuman. Even further is the fact that Liviuman's leader, Mizuhashi, had their leg amputated, but admits to the fact that they suffered an injury to it. They pretty well neglect giving the entirety of the information in regards to the issue, as Mizuhashi themselves sought out treatment from The Immortal Order.

Anyways, I'm getting a bit off track, the point is that the anime does a really great job of showing the dichotomy between the terrible and unethical Immortal Order, and the faithful and pure Liviuman with sequences like this one. You really get a feel for how things are actually going down between the two groups when you get to see one of them like this.

And that brings us to the end of this episode. I would say it's very much one that serves to show viewers things, rather than one that weaves foreshadowing and theories into it. In a sense, it's a really straightforward episode about getting Maru and Kiruko into The Immortal Order. But, of course, Hirotaka, Production I.G, and Ishiguro sensei are all far better than that, so we get a look into how religion and other forms of belief are able to twist and malform populations. The simple act of not understanding allows groups to twist perception and belief and create sensationalist movements that, say, isolate humanity from technology. So at the end of the day, there's still some higher takeaway from the episode alongside it's incredible cultivation of horror and fear.

[nonhumanresources]

Ponytober Day 3 - Casting Spells

More writing but this time it's cool because WOAH IT'S A COLLAB. Friend did the art and I did the writing! It's about me getting turned into a pony by a very distracted friend. Turned out fun I think, and the art is incredible! Check that out here.

Story itself is below! It can also be read here if you prefer a google doc. Due to length I suppose I'll format this like my regular story posts, too. Seriously I was not planning on 4k words.

Summary: Maru is a pony. This is new. However, book club is happening, and this takes precedence.

What to expect: pony TF and ranting about Animorphs.

Length: 4.2k words.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Maru trotted through the kitchen, taking in a deep breath. His nostrils flared, and he sneezed, the scents emanating from the oven far more intense than he was ready for. He stumbled at the force of it, getting his hooves tangled, clacking loudly against the wood floor. 

Behind him, the softer sound of sneakers echoed slightly through the hallway. “The sitting room is just through there,” Ash called from behind. “And uh, tissues should just be on the counter there. Sorry, there’s probably still flour floating around.” When he heard their voice, Maru’s ears swiveled backwards, bringing it to the forefront of his attention. It felt like squinting, but with his hearing. 

Maru glanced around, finding the tissue box. He actually squinted as he focused on it, the horn atop his head heating up, coming to life with a pale green aura. Another aura of the same color enveloped the tissue emerging from the top of the box, and he flicked his horn upwards, willing it to move. 

The first tissue did pop out of the box, but it shredded itself almost instantly. He tried again, this time moving slower, trying to keep it from stretching at all. The tactic succeeded, and he caught it with a hoof, rubbing his wet, sensitive nose. He still wasn’t used to being able to smell so clearly. The air was in high definition, now—he could even smell directions, if he focused, able to tell based on the breeze on his nose and the strength of the scent where it was coming from. 

“Thanks,” he mumbled, crumpling the tissue into a ball with his telekinesis and tossing it into the trash can. He glanced behind himself and saw Ash waiting patiently, dressed in a flannel and sweats. I guess it has been getting colder, Maru realized. With the new coat, he hadn’t noticed. He resumed his trot through the door on the opposite side of the kitchen, entering a cozy little sitting room. It was sparsely decorated, but there was a huge flag hung on one wall depicting Ash and their two roommates dressed in formal wear. The gag decor served to help enliven the space somewhat. A TV stand stood on one side, though it was pushed to one side to make room for a sofa and a lounge chair facing each other. It seemed almost intimidatingly formal, though he knew it wasn’t. 

Ash followed and let out a little laugh. “It’ll be more friendly when we’ve got attendees to actually make a circle of chairs. Hard to do when there’s just two people in the book club.” They stepped past Maru, brushing against his fur as they scooted through the tight space and settled down in the chair, legs tucked up underneath them, almost like a perch. “I figured the couch would be better for you, considering you’re horizontal now.”

Maru scoffed, but he did trot over and climb up onto the cushions, settling down with his forelegs hanging off the front so he could face forward. It was a bit awkward to sit twisted, but it was better than nothing. He slung his bag off his back and slid it to the floor beside him. “Yeah, I don’t think I’d fit in any of your chairs at this point.” 

“Too long,” Ash agreed. 

Maru felt his face grow a little hot. “Not to mention the pony body.” 

“Yep, lanky pony body.” 

“It’s tall, thank you very much,” Maru retorted. He coughed, changing the subject. He may be lanky, but that was a mark of pride, thank you very much. “That seemed like a lot of mess to bake cookies for just two people. Er, person and pony. What kind did you make?” 

Ash grinned. “Oatmeal.” 

Maru groaned, rolling his eyes. “Seriously?” 

They laughed, shrugging. “What? I thought it was the best choice, given the circumstances. Plus it’s funny.” 

Maru shook his head, but he couldn’t help but laugh at least a little. Leave it to Ash to turn baking into a bit. “Well, they better be tastier than they are funny. You wanna start?”

“Sure.” Ash swung their legs out from beneath themselves and stood. “I’ll grab a few cookies and we can get going.” They exited the room, and Maru heard the oven creak open, cupboards rattling. His gaze wandered the room curiously. While he sat, he fidgeted, his horn lighting up once more and snagging a pillow on the other side of the couch with its aura. He lifted it up and down, spinning it while he inspected the rest of the room. He’d originally done this to practice his telekinesis, but it had rapidly become a habit, and he’d bumped his head against objects he’d forgotten he himself was floating several times at this point. On the plus side, it had genuinely helped him learn better control over the magic. He’d gone from using telekinesis like a numb hand to grasp at everything, straining as hard as possible just to lift it a few inches, to something decidedly more magical. He’d thought of it like a spectral hand, but as time went on, it was feeling more and more like something more ethereal. Letting it act as a force of will, rather than a hand that he could use as he’d done before he’d changed, helped the telekinesis be less stiff. That had been a very exciting and very, very nerve-wracking realization. It was like he had to let go of his old form just to get better at using this one. Or maybe he was just catastrophizing. 

“Yeah! You get that pillow!” Ash cheered. Maru yelped and firing it across the room, smacking it into the far wall. He spun and glared at the doorway, where Ash stood, grin plastered across their face once again. “Sorry to startle you, just thought I’d give you some encouragement. That cushion must have said something real nasty, eh?” They held a plate of cookies, and they dragged a spare chair to the space between the recliner and the couch, setting it down there. They jumped back into the lounge chair with a few cookies in hand, this time with their legs sideways, feet sticking up over one of the armrests. 

“You wanna talk about it?” they asked, biting into one of the cookies and promptly fanning their mouth. “Ow. Hot.” 

Maru grabbed one of the cookies with his horn, blowing on it before he responded. Did he? “Not… particularly,” he admitted. The prospect of getting into it all was daunting. Turning into a small purple pony came with a shocking amount of emotional weight. 

Ash nodded, seemingly content with that answer. “Gotcha. We can talk about something far more important instead.” Reaching behind themselves, they grabbed a small paperback book off the shelf behind the couch and held it up. The cover was a somewhat horrifying depiction of a teenager transforming into a lizard. 

“Animorphs!” 

~ ~ ~

Ash had been the one to suggest a book club. After all, they were the only one who had actually read Animorphs other than Maru, and they’d been keen to reread the series along with him. Maru was already several dozen books ahead, but Ash didn’t much mind; it would help refresh the beginning of the story for Maru, while they got to enjoy talking about each book with him. Plus, it’s not like they were going to get spoiled on the ending; one of the only Animorphs books they’d actually owned as a kid had been the very last one, so they were already long past that point. 

Unfortunately, Maru had texted before the first meeting, abruptly canceling it. Everyone had been worried, as it was radio silence for multiple days before word got out: Maru, their loving friend, was now an utterly adorable cartoon pony. 

No one had quite been able to wrangle the how out of him thus far, but frankly, the entire group was amazed enough at sudden change to be willing to suspend their questions until he was willing to share the information himself—even though several were desperate to find out. Fortunately, all of them were pretty used to talking about this kind of thing; mostly, they were shocked it was actually real. 

So, book club was rescheduled, which gave Ash the time to speed through a couple more books. They’d been meaning to only do the first, but it had gotten them into enough of a reading mood that books two and three had flown by in time for the first official meeting. They reasoned that was more than enough to talk about in an evening. 

“Yes!” Maru leaned forwards, smiling. The expression should have sat oddly on his muzzle, but somehow, it twisted in just the right way for it to come off as natural and friendly. Cartoon horses were just more malleable than their real life counterparts, Ash figured. 

“Okay, so, since we both read the book recently, I don’t think we need a summary or anything,” Ash began, leafing through its pages. “It was good, for sure. I remembered the basic plot from when I was a kid, but it was fun to go through it again. Been a bit since I read anything for kids, too, honestly.”

Maru laughed, his head bobbing up and down. “Maybe the first book is, but they go so crazy so fluffing—I meant, frosting—gah, you know what I’m trying to say. Ponies have a hard time swearing.”

“I got it,” Ash hummed. “I remember some wild stuff, plus everything you’ve mentioned. Most kids books don’t have the main characters kill Hitler. Lump it in with Warriors and Guardians of Ga'hoole under ‘books I should probably have not been allowed to read but completely changed my brain chemistry as a child,’ eheh.” 

“Right?!” Maru resounded, leaning forwards even further. He was tapping his hooves against the couch in excitement, tail flicking. “Like—they’re constantly almost dying, their families are involved, it’s all insane.” 

“Not to mention the sheer amount of alien nonsense,” Ash agreed. “Book four is like, Atlantis, right?” 

“Yeah!” Maru leapt up from where he sat, and Ash leaned to one side, avoiding the sharp end of his horn. He shoved his nose into his bag and came out holding a simple journal in his mouth, levitating another, fancier one with his horn. He set the journal down and searched through the opening pages. 

“I’ve been taking notes as I go,” he explained, distracted. Ash leaned forwards to try and get a look, but they weren’t wearing their glasses, so it was legible as chicken scratch from this far away. “Here—yeah, this is the one where two of them just start having visions for no reason, and then they have to go find Ax underwater.”

“Forgot about the visions,” Ash mused. “What else is going on there? I remember some crazy water animal, right?” 

“Mhm!” Maru’s horn literally sparked with giddy excitement. Ash reached out and extinguished a spark that landed on the oatmeal cookie platter; it was pleasantly warm between their fingers. “It’s this big whale thing that’s got like, thirty tails, and it’s all red. I swear I have a pen somewhere, I could draw—”

He was cut short by a sudden ripple in the air. Like hazy heatwaves, an image swam in between the two friends, flickering like a low-battery flashlight. It was a great, hulking thing, with ruby red skin and eyes that seemed to glare out of its realm of nothingness at the two. The whole thing was cast in minty green light that streamed from Maru’s horn, not unlike a projector. 

The room was dead silent as the image faded away, the unicorn’s horn going dim once more. Ash blinked the bright afterimage out of their vision, the dread gaze hanging in their mind. 

“Dude.”

“I-I don’t know how I did that!” Maru yelped almost immediately. “I’ve barely even started studying illusion magic!” 

“No. Dude.” Ash knocked a fist on the wooden chair, and Maru’s muzzle snapped shut. “That was awesome.” 

Maru looked like he might faint, but he gulped it down. “Yeah. Y-yeah, it was cool. It was just sudden, is all.”

“Two questions,” Ash stated, holding up a hand. “One, what do you mean by studying?” They held up a finger. “Two, think you can do that again?” A second finger went up, and they waggled them in front of Maru’s snout. 

In response, the book on the couch came to life, floating up in the air. “Uh, I found it a few days after… y’know. The whole thing. It’s a book of Equestrian magic, I think, so unless there are other unicorns out there, I can’t see it being for anyone else.” 

“Also awesome,” Ash interjected. That brought a smile to Maru’s face again, wiping away the shocked expression. Good.

“As for doing it again… maaaaybe? Like I said, I don’t even know how I managed it the first time.” Maru shoved his journal aside to make room on the floor in front of him, dropping it open to a bookmarked page. Complex diagrams covered it, labeled with what Ash could only assume were notes on casting technique and the like. That sounded… magic-y enough. 

“Do you want to try it again?” Ash pushed, unable to keep a hint of excitement out of their voice. It wasn’t every day you got to see magic purple ponies, after all. 

“I mean, yeah, obviously,” Maru sighed, tapping his hoof on the page. 

“Let’s do it, then!” 

“How are we supposed to replicate an accident, though?” 

Ash shrugged. “More book club, obviously. Here, I’ll get back into place…” they trailed off as they threw their legs back over the armrest of the chair, shifting back and forth to get comfy. “There. Then you can look at your spell book, but don’t focus on it; just keep talking about Animorphs.”

The pony gave them a baleful look. “I don’t know if Animorphs is the answer to everything, Ash.” 

“C’mooon, Maru, just give it a try. Look, I’m even eating another cookie. I swear you can’t even tell it’s a new one.” True to their word, Ash snagged another oatmeal cookie and took a bite, opening their mouth to show off the half-chewed mush. Maru stuck his tongue out, turning away.

“Fine, just never do that again,” he chided. 

Ash gave him a thumbs up, then swallowed. “Okay. Book four. The Animorphs are… what, on a boat? Stranded in the middle of the ocean? Flying above it? Where are our heroes?” 

Maru rolled his eyes at the theatrics. “Boat, yeah. So, Tobias and Cassie were having visions, right? And then they all saw these ocean ruins on the news and recognized the writing on them as Andalite language, and it gave them such a powerful vision that both of them blacked out.” Maru sighed. “Look, Ash, I don’t know if this is gonna work.”

“No, no, keep going!” they protested. “Seriously, now I’m just into the story. I wanna hear about it.” 

Maru shrugged. “If you say so. The Animorphs had to make it out to the middle of the ocean, right? But it was too far for the two hour morph limit, so they had to get onto a boat somehow…” 

Ash listened attentively, doing their best to look relaxed while keeping an eye on Maru’s horn. It was an experiment, sure, but it was also just fun to listen to him talk about something he was so clearly passionate about. Whether or not they got to see some more magic, Ash considered this a successful book club. I’ll have to catch up a bit further for next time, they thought. Otherwise it’s just gonna be a storytelling hour featuring Maru.

The pony’s explanation of the book trailed off. He squinted, attempting to readjust his glasses with a hoof, only succeeding in knocking them further off kilter. A bit of telekinesis righted them. “Uh. These words are starting to make more sense to me. Should I be worried?” 

Ash made a noise somewhere in between ‘probably?’ and ‘no clue, you’re the magic expert.’ “Try reading them, see if that activates the spell or something. Then keep talking about Animorphs, every time you get into it your horn starts glowing. I’m sure there’s some magic-pony-emotion-thing going on.” 

Maru stuck his snout basically into the spellbook, squinting harder. “The Animorphs are with Ax, under the ocean, right? This one’s like….” He pronounced a word in a language that made Ash shudder, the syllables slipping around their ear like water currents. “And Visser 3 knows they’re there. Um, ssslierat alethandra. They need to get out before the whole ship gets blown up by the Yeerks, and…” 

He kept going, but Ash was finding it hard to concentrate. The magic words interspersed in the story weren’t just impossible to understand; they were actually difficult to listen to. They kept knocking around in their head, taking up far too much space, drowning out the rest of the story. An ache began to pulse inside their skull, and they rubbed their temples, trying to ease the pressure. 

They could tell Maru had taken a breath, but Ash couldn’t manage to get out anything than a grunted “Uh-huh.” He immediately launched back into the story-spell, and their headache continued to get worse. Their hand bumped uncomfortably against their forehead; Ash pulled it back, vision swimming. 

What was in front of them was very clearly a hoof. “Agh. Maru?” they mumbled, head pounding. He didn’t seem to hear. With another one of the strange phrases, their back arched, hip bones reknitting themselves and making the seated position awkward to maintain. 

This was, of course, not a great situation. Whatever spell Maru had, it wasn’t illusions—it was turning Ash into a pony, too. They grunted as their shirt grew tight under the flannel, aching back consolidating into two oddly textured lumps that strained to be freed. Ash had to stop him reading it and fast—they couldn’t be a pony, because tomorrow, they had classes to attend, and the two were very likely going to be at odds with one another. 

“Yeah, yeah. Hey, Maru?” They tried to interrupt him again, but they were slurring their words, voice quiet under the strain of the changes. They coughed, and the cough turned into a hack that stretched their neck to twice its regular length. “Maru!” 

They twisted around, frantic now. Maru’s eyes had a silvery sheen over them, vision locked to the tome on the floor. His horn was alight with shining magic, brighter than Ash had seen it the whole evening, bathing the room in an eerie green glow. The sight would have been exceptionally frightening, had he not been relating the plot of The Message, book four of Animorphs by K.A. Applegate. That part made it only moderately-to-somewhat frightening. 

Ash nearly passed out as, with one word, the pain suddenly spearheaded somewhere near their prefrontal cortex, then blossomed outward. They held their face with a hoof and a hand, feeling as a horn sprouted between them, fortunately passing right between two fingers instead of stabbing into them. It was sharp. 

“Listen, Maru, I—”

Shhhrrrip! One shoe tore in half, another creamy blue hoof poking through it. Ash kept trying. 

“I really think—”

Another magic word, and Ash’s hair was obscuring their vision, fluffing out into a styled mane. The blonde faded to green, then a deep blue towards the end. 

“Would you stop reading?!”

With a mighty tear, two feathered wings BURST from Ash’s back alongside a long, flowing tail. With their already precarious choice of seating position, the shove from beneath was all it took to shove them up and back. They flailed four hooves as they tipped over the armrest. Their wings flared outwards to help, which accomplished exactly the opposite, unceremoniously dumping them right onto their head. Collapsed in a heap of shredded clothing, mussy mane, and bedraggled feathers, Ash let out a deep sigh. One final magical word made two pointed pony ears pop into existence, peeking out from their mane. 

Well, they thought. At least now I get to see if I like the oatmeal cookies more.

~ ~ ~ 

“...the sperm whales let them ride them back to shore, and Ax… oh.” Maru blinked as he reached the end of the spell. His horn was glowing, but no alien fish swam through the air this time, glowering at its real compatriots. “Nothing? I swear I said it right….” 

He glanced once more through the spell. That really was all of it? The story idea had been interesting, and he had an easier time making out the runes now, but it really had been for naught. He sighed; Ash’s ideas were usually too silly to work, and half the time they were jokes, anyway. 

A whinny somewhere behind him stopped him dead. Maru’s stomach dropped, ears laying back. Oh no.

He spun around and clapped both hooves to his mouth, suppressing a shriek. A large alicorn was propped up against the couch, upside down. One he knew well—he’d drawn this alicorn, back when he’d had the ability to hold a tablet pen. 

“Ash?” he gasped, horn sparking again. One of the motes of light drifted down and rested atop their brand new snout. They blew it away, clearly exasperated. 

“That would be me, yes,” they said sardonically. 

“But you’re—”

“Yes,” they interrupted, sounding grave. “It appears my ass is, in fact, a horse.” Based on the unfortunate positioning, this was an easy fact to confirm. The deadpan delivery was even enough to push past the usual cartoon censorship. One of their shoes dropped off a hoof, smacking into their horn and bouncing away. “Along with the rest of me. Help me up, yeah?” 

Maru nodded and rushed over, tripped over himself in his haste. He braced his shoulder against the lounge chair and pushed, sliding it over the floor, only stepping on Ash’s wings and mane once or twice in the process. They wriggled all four legs, trying to right themselves. Maru helped tilt them and got smacked with a wing as they came rightside up, a wobbling mess. 

“Now then.” Ash stood up, taking a step towards Maru. Or, well, they tried. They only succeeded in throwing themselves face-first back to the ground. They quickly sat back up and coughed. 

“Ah. What I meant to say was this.” They reached out a hoof, pawing at the Animorphs book that had been dumped to the floor along with themselves. They made a motion as if picking it up and raising it into the air, and seemed surprised at how ineffectual this was in accomplishing anything whatsoever. They sucked in an annoyed breath, raising an eyebrow at Maru. 

“Look, the page SAID illusion, I swear,” he said, but the excuse sounded a little lame. “I… don’t even really remember casting it. I said it exactly like it was on the page.” 

Ash sighed. “I’m sure it said illusion. I trust you, Maru. However—” they raised both wings. “—I am also a pony. So something went wrong. You looked like you’d been possessed when you were casting that thing.” 

Maru opened his mouth, but Ash continued before he could speak. “Not actually possessed. Sorry, I don’t think my apartment is haunted. Maybe next time though.” 

Even despite the panic, Maru sighed, a little disappointed. “At least that would give an explanation. I’m sorry, Ash.” 

Despite the situation and all the awful feelings swirling around in Maru’s stomach, there was a deep-seated relief. At least I’m not alone. It was something of a selfish thought, but it was true.

Ash clicked their tongue. “Yeah. I bet. Listen, bookmark that page for later and stop working on illusion spells for now. Book club only goes until 8 and I need to learn how to move things with my mind before your ride shows up.” They tapped their horn with a hoof. 

“I can help!” Maru agreed readily. “It’s the least I can do. It’s not that hard once you start to figure it out.” 

“Sweet. Y’know, Animorphs kinda got it right with their transformation scenes, honestly. Felt like I was living the book.” Ash cracked a grin, and Maru groaned internally. He knew that grin. “On the bright side, I can think of a few people who are gonna be sooo jealous.” 

“Ash, I forbid you from gloating,” he snapped. 

“Oh, come on! You know I gotta. Just think of the funny pictures I could send!” They pushed themselves to their feet, shaky, but didn’t fall this time. Maru propped them up against his shoulder, and despite their extra alicorn height, he was pleased to see he still stood shoulder-to-shoulder with the other pony. 

They walked through the apartment, still arguing as they left the sitting room and the oatmeal cookies behind. There was a lot to go over, but the evening was young. There would be time. In the end, the only true tragedy of their first ever book club meeting was that the book itself lay discarded, flatly undiscussed. As it turned out, fascinating as Animorphs was, there were several more interesting things to discuss that night.

[greeneyedpixie99]

Stars *Leonard "Bones" McCoy* Chapter Three

Summary: After living in her brother's shadow since the day they were born, Eleanor "Nell" Kirk decides to take her life into her own hands. Joining Starfleet, she finds not only a place to belong but potentially, someone she wouldn't mind spending her life with.

Pairing: Eleanor "Nell" Kirk x Leonard "Bones" McCoy

Warning: None that I know of, if you find any let me know!

CHAPTER THREE

       When it’s announced that there will be an academic hearing on such short notice that even the Professors seem surprised, you things are going from bad to far worse. We had barely started the study of dying languages when it had been announced over the comms that all cadets and faculty members were to report to the hearing hall at once. Part of me knew instantly what it was about, the other part of me hoped and prayed that I was wrong. Still, it wasn’t like I could completely pretend I didn’t know my moron brother cheated and I hadn’t done anything with the information.

"Nell, I think your brother is going to get in trouble for cheating yesterday." Despite knowing she was walking beside me, It still made me jump at the sound of Nyota’s voice. I didn’t bother looking at her when I replied.

     "I kind of figured." Ignoring the concerned look from my friend, I pushed through the crowd of Cadets and into the Academy Council Chambers keeping as close to the group in front of me as possible, hoping to blend. I wanted to be as far away from anyone I knew so they wouldn't force me to defend or throw Jim under the bus. The mood i'm in there was a chance I just might.

It took little more than five minutes for the cadets to settle on the left and the Professors and other faculty to settle on the right. The Academy’s council were already seated when we came in so it was clearly important if they rushed through whatever else they worked on to be present. Which meant it was likely about Jim and his ‘amazing’ win with the unwinnable Kobayashi Maru. Praying it was done and over quickly, and my name was kept out of it, I dropped my bag into the set behind me and waited for the meeting to start.

     "James T. Kirk... Step forward." Of course. Surprise wasn’t even an emotion In me at this point. The council President waved a hand to the podium, the surest sign that my brother was about to face the consequences of his actions. So be it.

     "An incident has occurred today that concerns the entire student body. Academic immorality by one is an assault on us all. It will. Not. Stand. Cadet Kirk, evidence has been submitted to this council suggesting you violated the ethical code of conduct pursuant to regulation 17. 43 of the Starfleet code. Is there anything you care to say before we begin?"

     "Yes sir. I believe I have the right to face my accuser directly." Scanning the faculty's side of the chambers and raising a brow when a handsome Vulcan male moved from his designated seat and stepped up to the podium on his side of the room. This was not good. Vulcan’s were all logic, no empathy. If this was the teacher that had programmed the test, there was a much higher chance that Jim was about to get expelled or suspended. And given logic dictated me as his sister, I was praying the Vulcan wouldn’t mark me as his accomplice since I wasn’t even aware of the cheat until midway through the test.

     "This is Commander Spock, one of our most distinguished graduates. He's programmed the Kobayashi Maru test for the last four years." Commander Spock’s hair was cut in the same neat style most Vulcan’s wear, eye brows set in the same sharp upward point. The color was obviously natural and complimented his almost human brown eyes. He stood stiff and tall, clearly used to being the one commanding conversations such as these.

     "Cadet Kirk. It is obvious you somehow managed to install and activate a subroutine in the programming code, thereby changing the conditions of the test." Of course he did, how else would he have been able to mess around with Nyota’s roommate and work the coding to allow for his cheat. It was clever but it also left it open for the logical call that he had help. "Given the nature of the coding and the talent required, I can only assume your sister was involved." That son of a bitch! Did he really? He couldn’t have, I had given the code and the only copy of it to Admiral Pike after learning how to break in.

I was beyond angry now, had my brother foolishly and recklessly broken into secure files to find my codes to cheat. And the little bastard had claimed it wouldn’t and couldn’t be traced to me because it was his cheat alone.

     "I can neither confirm nor deny that I did as you are accusing, but look at my sister’s face. Does that look like someone that would help me cheat?" All eyes turned to me, so I didn’t bother hiding the anger and hurt at my brother. I was going to end him.

     "Be that as it may."

     “And can I ask, what is his point?"

     "In academic vernacular, you cheated."

     "Respectfully... define cheating."

     "to deceive by trickery."

     "Now let me ask you something. I think we all know the answer to: the test is rigged, isn't it? Programmed to be unwinnable." I scanned the crowd for Len, hoping he had been at least let in on the pompous attitude my brother was displaying. Not able to find him in the crowd, I instead aimed my gaze at my brother and hoped what Leonard called, 'twin telepathy' would allow him to hear every colorful thing flashing through my mind. At this point, I hoped he was facing serious chargers. He came here to finish what dad started and to live up to that legacy. Instead he was essentially shitting all over it.

     "Mr. Kirk, I don't see how the intent of the exam is relevant to these proceedings."

     "Because if i'm right, sir, then the test itself is a cheat."

     Oh my god James you are an idiot.

     "Your argument precludes the possibility of a no-win scenario-"

     "I don't believe in no win scenarios."

     How could he not believe in no win scenarios? After what happened to dad, after what mom had to do on her own. After what we had to learn growing up. If there was anything he was meant to believe with any shroud of certainty, it should be that no-win scenarios exist and they take and they take and they take. It took the Captain of the USS Kelvin, dozens of engineering crew members and it took our father. I didn’t have to see Pike to know he was looking at me. I was always the one more sensitive to the story of my father’s death, maybe because he didn’t know I existed and therefore had no expectations of me.

     "Then not only have you violated the rules, you've failed to understand the principle lesson."

     "Please enlighten me."

     "You, of all people should know, Cadet Kirk-" Spock found my crestfallen face among the cadets. He could see I knew where he was going with this. " A captain cannot cheat death." Tears welled in my eyes..

     "Me of all people?"

     "Your father, Lieutenant George Kirk, had assumed command of his vessel before being killed in action, did he not." It felt like the room was caving in, my father’s final words echoing through my mind. Always in my mothers voice because I didn’t know what my father sounded like. The tears were hot and steady, rolling down my checks as I shoved through the cadets and out of the Council Chambers. All my anger and frustration with my brother was gone, replaced by a fear I had been trying to move past. Starfleet had gotten my father killed and chances were, they would get my killed too.

I don’t know how long I sat in the atrium hidden from the newly released cadets, tears staining my checks, eyes rimmed red. But it was long enough that clearly Commander Spock had been sent to find me, because there he was, standing just in front of me, his face impossible to read. Very Vulcan.

     "I did not mean to upset you Cadet Kirk.Only to prove a point to your brother." Shaking my head, I gave a watery laugh.

     "I don’t blame you, when I began piecing together what I thought he did yesterday…I knew bringing our father into it would be the only way to get through to him. But he never listens to me.Doesn’t stop it from hurting though." Nell paused, glancing at the Vulcan. "Make no mistake though, If I had been involved, you never would have found out he had cheated." With that I pulled myself to my feet and stormed off, following the other Cadets away from Council Chambers.

“You should know Cadet Kirk, it was your coding that was used.” I paused, shoulders tense.

“Admiral Pike was the only one that had access to it until it was logged. I would suggest creating stronger firewalls if my brother was able to break in so easily.”

“Of course. One last thing, you are to report to your CMO. A distress signal was sent from Vulcan and all Cadets are to be assigned to a Starship to aid in evacuation.” His home planet, that must burn. To wait to save his people, his home, to comfort a cadet whose feelings he had inadvertently hurt trying to get through my brother's stubborn head. Despite the uncertainty I felt about the Vulcan and his intentions, I nodded, sending one last look over my shoulder.

“I pray we resolve this with little casualty, for your sake Commander.” And then I was gone.

[deathwords334]

(Disclaimer: This is not my work. I am in no way affiliated with the artist. I just want to show off artists that I think need more attention. I also don't have anyone I can talk to about the rabbit hole I've gone down that is Good Omens doujins. I will supply links to their social media and where you can find the publications (If available))

A semi belated Day 3! It's almost time!!! EEE! I'm shaking with anticipation!

So I kinda ran into an interesting situation with this one. See this is the first book I bought from Japan. Originally I bought it because of one artist (who's actually on Tumblr and Twitter... But I'm kinda scared to mention their Tumblr handle). But when I got it and started looking at it, I realized it's a collection of artists. Which raises the question... How am I going to credit the artists? I think only follow 3 of them. Funnily enough, one of the three not only has several other books for sale, but is releasing a new one tomorrow! To add to the confusion, there's another book that was/is being sold with a lot of the same artists. Thus, my conclusion, for now, is to just talk about this book specifically.

This is Angels and Demons Another anthology series, the theme for this one is (mostly) female presenting Aziraphale and Crowley. There are a couple that are male presenting, but it's not the norm. Likewise, a couple use different iterations based on different book covers. (Fun fact: the booth page at one point sold charms with Azi and Crowley in their book(s) designs. But they're sold out 🥲 I want them so bad~). The book also comes with a fashion sticker set: Drawings of Azi and Crowley with stickers of clothes you can stick on them. I haven't seen those in ages, so that's a cool add on. It's the second thickest book I have in my collection, second only to my Stalwart Sun, Wily Moon book I got semi recently. As I said before I originally bought the book because it had work from Isoji, but I recognized other artists once I bit the bullet and made a twitter account. Their art style is so cute! It's like a mix of classic shojo and how Osamu Tezuka used to draw women. The artist I mentioned that's releasing a new book tomorrow is Punctata. Here is their booth page. At the moment, the books are sold out, however I suspect they'll come back into stock when the event is over. The newest book seems to be an art book focused on female presenting Azi and Crowley. The third artist is Maru. They currently have an art book for sale as well as charms and stands. I'm super tempted to buy one or two... But as you can see, their style is more chibi than the others but are still very cute!

Angels and Demons is still available for purchase. It's a very good quality book with holographic patterns on the cover. It's so glossy... And the pages are in color! The quality matches the price tag. They also released a second book focuses on female presenting Azi and Crowley, and maybe some day I'll show off that one too. At some point I'll put up the link to that too. It's not on booth, so it'll take me some time to find it again...

I think I'll post one more before I take a break. It's oddly tiring trying to gather all the links lol... Worth it though~!

[sorakitsuneyourinternetweeb]

My Favorite and Least Sanrio Characters

Hello everyone, it's me, Sora. Glad you stopped to see my post :). Today, we will be talking about my favorite and least favorite sanrio characters. Of course, this is just my silly lil' opinion, so take this with a pinch of salt. Anyway, let's begin!

Favorite 1. Kuromi

First, let's talk about Kuromi. She's my all time favorite sanrio character! Now, I'm not gonna go full on deep into the lore, but I'll just say this. I was in my emo phase, we were at the mall, it was my birthday, and saw a plushie of her. Love at first sight, and she's been my favorite ever since! She's also a lot like me too, tough on the outside, yet girly on the inside. Her pink and black colors are also my favorite colors too! I hope we can see more Kuromi spotlight like when we got "Kuromi's Pretty Journey!" 💜

Worst 1. Minna No Tabo

Bleugh... I'm sorry to any Tabo fans out there... but still... bleugh... I'm sorry, but who the hell thought this ugly piece of shit was a good idea... If I found this thing looking up from my bed at midnight, I'd have a heart attack and die. I know, I know, not every sanrio character is gonna be a cute cat like Hello Kitty, but guess what? The Little Twin Stars. They're human like, and they don't look like a middle aged man-baby with a stupid face and dumbass hair. I really don't know why instead of putting underrated gems like U*SA*HA*NA and Wish Me Mell, they use this.... thing... End of rant, again, sorry if I offended any fans. 🤮 (PS. I just learned that this guy has a canon gf. What am I doing wrong...?)

Best 2. My Melody

I love her! She's a really cute contrast to Kuromi! Her anime, "Onegai My Melody" might just be my favorite anime of all time. I still sing the intro, A LOT. In fact, I'm working on a cover for that I'll post soon! Anyway, let's not get off topic here. Anyway, there's not too much to talk about for her other than her anime and rivalry with Kuromi, but she will always be in my top 3 sanrio characters! 🩷

Worst 2. Boy and Girl

...Are you kidding me? The same people who made Hello Kitty made this bland shit...? Nah.... No way! At least give them real names! What's the point!? At least with Patty and Jimmy, they might be kinda weird lookin', but they have personalities. But these guys!? They just look weird AND and ZERO personality! The only other piece I could find on the wiki was their "Lovely Round Eyes"... but all those "eyes" are is just two dots. C'mon, sanrio! I know you guys can do better than THIS. 👎

Best 3. Badtz-Maru

And for our final best character today, we have Badtz-Maru. I love this guy! I love his personality and style! And in Supercute Adventures, he and Kuromi seem to have a bit of a thing for each other, so two of my favorites being together makes me happy :). I also love all the side characters that come with him. I think that Hana-Maru might just be my favorite sanrio side character of all time! The XO clan is really fun to draw and make stories with, so you'll be seeing lot's of them in my sanrio gijinka chibi comics! 🖤

Worst 3. Hagurumanstyle

I'm sorry, what? Teeth...? Where the hell did the eyes go!? Ugh... I've had enough of this... 🦷

Anyway, I hope you enjoyed this blog! Again, this is just my silly opinion, so take everything with a grain of salt. As always, Sayonara!

[studentinpursuitofclouds]

I wanted to know the reaction of singles receiving a drawing of them from the farmer

Honestly I thought the idea was cute

Not sure if this headcanon can be considered part of this headcanon, because when I read ask, I had an idea: what if singles get a drawing from the Farmer, but they don't draw very well (just like me in life 🥲). But I thought that the question was addressed as if the Farmer paint well and give portraits to bachelors. I hope I didn't make a mistake.

Anyway, thanks for your ask, anon! Enjoy!

SDV bachelorettes:

Abigail:

Wow, she looks badass! Abby remembers showing the Farmer her orc drawings the other day, but she had no idea that the Farmer could draw too! She received drawing of her, where she is holding a sword in a fighting pose... So cool! Hey, if they want, then Abigail doesn't mind posing for them with a sword so they can draw her better...💜

Haley:

Haley, due to her popularity, was used to receiving gifts from her many friends and admirers back in school, so she was not at first surprised when the Farmer decided to give her something too, even if just as a friend. But what Haley really did not expect was that the gift would be her portrait, painted in gouache, where she, with her sunny smile, would hold a bouquet of sunflowers. And the fact that the Farmer drew it themselves, and so beautifully... It's pretty rare for people to find Haley blushing, but it looks like the Farmer somehow managed to do it. She will buy an expensive and beautiful frame for this drawing, and put in her room. This gift is really special for her.

Penny:

Is this... Is this for her? Th-thank you! Penny is shy, but gratefully accepted Farmer's drawing. She saw herself in the drawing, sitting under a tree and reading a book peacefully. Such pleasant colors and shadows are chosen for the drawing, and all this is watercolor... How beautiful... God, Penny blushed so much that she hid her face in the book she was holding! Thank you very much Farmer. She will keep this gift as a treasure.

Leah:

They can draw too? Can Leah take a look? Oh, this drawing is for her? Thank you! Wow, excellent technique! Perfect outline, soft colors, beautiful background... Leah is proud of them and will say that they clearly have artistic talent. Then she will ask the Farmer if they learned to draw somewhere and offer to go to the forest together somehow. Near the lake there is a picturesque and quiet place where they could draw a beautiful forest landscape. They can take some food and even have a little picnic...

Maru:

Maru is a little surprised that the Farmer decided to give her a portrait, but she gratefully accepts the gift. She had no idea that the Farmer is such a creative person. Maru noticed how carefully and accurately the Farmer portrayed her, and she also had no idea that she looked so...beautiful? Well, Maru knew that in reality she was quite good looking, but she was drawn so beautifully... Oh my, it seems to be getting hot in the room. Probably the heat is coming from her new invention, yeah. Better to go outside, to fresh air, especially since there she can better see the picture. Maru will keep it in a secluded place, so as not to accidentally spill chemicals or burn it during her next experiment.

Emily:

Wow, is this a gift, for her? Thanks a lot Farmer! Oh, it's her portrait! The painting depicts Emily surrounded by exotic flowers, so beautiful! A kind aura emanates from this gift, and she can feel how much work and attention each stroke of paint has put into it. Ah, what a beautiful background, the same color as in her recent dream, where she dreamed about the Far- oh, no no, nothing. In general, Emily is very grateful for such a beautiful gift.

SDV bachelors:

Shane:

As usual, Shane was returning from work until he heard someone call him. Hmm? Oh, it's the Farmer. What do they want from Shane? What, a gift? What is this piece of paper? Wait, this is portrait of him. And actually... not bad portrait. Shane sincerely thinks that he is much better drawn than in reality. Uh, do they want something in return? No? They just give him a drawing? Heh, thanks. Shane doesn't know how to react to this. But he will keep the drawing, and away from the eyes of his aunt and goddaughter, otherwise they will start asking unnecessary questions.

Alex:

Oh, would you look at this. Alex is depicted here in the same way as in life: inflated, toned, with a beautiful hair styled. The Farmer portrayed Alex in all his glory almost perfectly. Well, almost, because he is so perfect that not a single canvas will portray the future athlete as well as he is in real life!... In fact, despite his pride, Alex is very flattered by such a nice gift from them. He'll make sure to make room among his box of trading cards and autographs from athletes to put Farmer's drawing in. This kind of work shouldn't go to waste.

Sam:

Wow, Sam looks like a real rock star in this picture! The Farmer drew him playing the guitar and standing on a stage very similar to the one where he and his band first performed in front of the public, such was an exciting moment for the young musician. Wait, they're giving him this drawing? Sam is beaming with happiness. He will definitely show Sebastian and Abigail later, and will praise the talented Farmer for such a gift for a long time.

Harvey:

Harvey is a bit confused when the Farmer hands him a portrait of Harvey himself. I mean, thanks Farmer for the drawing, but it's just... No one has given gifts like this, like... Harvey can't remember if there was even one case. The Farmer handed him the drawing and quickly ran off on their own business, leaving Harvey alone in his clinic. He did not think that the Farmer could draw so beautifully. The doctor looked at his portrait for a long time, until a visitor opened the door to the clinic. He quickly hid the portrait in a book, ignoring the visitor's question about why Harvey's cheeks are so pink.

Sebastian:

Sebastian sat in his room with the Farmer as they showed him their drawings. The Farmer recently told Sebby that they can draw, and he wanted to see, with permission, the sketches. This went on for about 10 minutes, until Sebastian stopped at a drawing with his image, and Farmer wanted to pull out this drawing from the entire list to give Sebastian as a gift. To say that Sebastian was surprised is an understatement. It was not the first time he was given drawings and art, the same Abby and Sam often handed fanarts of their favorite characters from video games and films to their emo friend. But his own portrait, and even so well drawn... Sebastian briefly thanked Farmer for the drawing. Maybe outwardly he does not express much emotions, but inside he is simply not himself with delight, because it's so cool.

Elliott:

Incredible! Elliott is surrounded by talented friends! Just yesterday, Leah showed him her new mahogany sculptures, and today he receives a beautiful oil painting as a gift from the Farmer. And this is his portrait, marvelous! Oh my.... Of course, Elliott always looks after his hair and clothes, always neat and well-groomed, but the Farmer portrayed him in the picture just like a real person of royal blood. He is very grateful to them for such a wonderful gift, because a handmade gift is a true act of friendship. Well, not only friendship... Now Elliott needs to figure out how to attach the portrait so that it does not fall off the wall of his little beach house.

[tranzfalgar]

okay it’s time for some stardew valley headcanons for the bachelor/ette(s) so let’s GOOOO

Alex:

- he always awakes before his grandparents, and on warmer days he’ll go down to the beach to watch the sunrise.

- friends with elliot! the two of them sit on the side of the dock sometimes and just chat about life.

- knows how to make cookies, as evelyn taught him when he was a bit younger

- wary of the saloon, as he doesn’t really like the smell of alcohol and only goes into it if he’s forced to!

- if you marry him, he can and will pick you up randomly to surprise you while you’re working!

- if married, he will “bench press” your kids once they become toddlers, and it always makes them giggle

- hates the winter and gets cold really easily. on the first day of fall he’s already bundled up wanting it to be summer again.

Elliot:

- willy is like a father to him. the two of them sit on the docks and watch the fish swim by together

- sometimes he’ll braid his hair, and leah will bring flowers from the forest and weave them into his hair.

- has a rlly pretty singing voice, and likes to record piano covers in his spare time

- if you marry him and the two of u have kids, he’ll always braid their hair in the morning and tuck flowers behind their ears.

- he brings home fresh fish he caught and makes himself dinner every night. that’s why he’s an excellent cook.

- has actually caught a legendary fish before!

- his eyes change color, they can go from blue to green to brown in the same day. people call them the “prismatic shard of eyes”

Harvey:

- he’s so clumsy that sometimes he’ll even trip over air. due to this, he has little bruises all over his knees and elbows.

- his favorite animals are birds. sometimes he’ll go outside and just give them some bird seed. he loves watching them fly around.

- not only is he fascinated with planes, but he’s also fascinated with the weather. as a kid he used to watch the weather channel, and he dreamed of becoming a weatherman.

- when he needs to focus really hard, he’ll pull his hair back with a headband

- him and his mother were and still are very close, and he writes letters to her at least once a week

- he cannot cook to save his life, but he’s an incredible baker! will make you little treats if you’re friends or married

- he always wears a wristwatch, but the time is always 6 minutes behind. he likes it because it has a plane engraved into the side against his wrist.

Sam:

- he had adhd, and his stims include flapping his hands, tapping his foot and strumming his guitar

- he has a beautiful singing voice, think like wilbur soot but a bit more high pitched?

- the reason he likes cactus fruit so much is because he just plants them and lets them grow. he loves succulents because they don’t give him an allergic reaction!

- cannot play video games for shit. sebastian and abigail have banned him from multi-player games because he just sucks so bad.

- love language is acts of service, simply because he likes singing for people he cares about and doing little things for them!

- if you marry him, he will bring his guitar into the coop and/or barn and sing to the animals. they have learned to run over a greet him, since they love his singing.

- his hair is actually curly, but you’re unable to tell due to how much he gels and straightens his hair.

- has mastered the art of the puppy dog eyes

Sebastian:

- loves the hell out of halloween, but is scared of literally everything. he nearly cried watching a horror movie with sam and abigail.

- really good with a slingshot! so if he were to go into the mines, he would wreck some monsters shit with his slingshot skills

- he had glow in the dark stars on his ceiling, but removed them. he used to love the stars and space, but came to resent them because it was his sisters thing.

- he like…irl blushes. like an anime character. when he’s embarrassed, upset, flustered, his face will go all pink. everyone picks on him for it.

- has/had a crush on most of the towns singles. he is a bisexual disaster and secretly a romantic so….take from that what you will.

- a natural born ginger, but dyes his hair. he also has freckles on his nose! and he has an eyebrow slit because of a scar!!

- for some stupid reason, he takes really good care of his hands? like he always makes sure they don’t get calloused, and his nails are always painted black, despite using his hands all the time for work.

Shane:

- he cannot cook. he burned pasta noodles because he didn’t know you had to put water in the pan.

- he still has a chicken plushie from when he was a baby, and it still sits on his bed. and if he cuddles with it at night? no one needs to know.

- has a huge birthmark on his side shaped like a heart

- really good at mixology, so i think that when joja gets shut down, shane works at the saloon and makes the drinks while gus cooks. he adds a whole new section on the menu!

- friends with sebastian. they paint each other’s nails from time to time, or sit in the rain together and just talk.

- kinda strong as hell? he lifts boxes in joja for work, as well as carrying around jas, so i’m assuming he could just….pick the farmer and his friends up?

- he has the most contagious laugh, it used to be a rare sound, but now that it’s a pretty common occurrence, shane makes people laugh all the time with his own laugh.

Abigail:

- buff. she is buff as hell. her and alex work out together sometimes, since she expressed a desire for adventure. she has picked up sam and sebastian with no warning and thrown them into the ocean

- can talk to animals due to her being the daughter of the wizard! so sometimes she’ll go to marnies farm and just chat with the cows or something

- if she sees a tree, she WILL climb it. she loves it so much, it’s just so adrenaline inducing for her.

- her and sebastian tried to go into the mines before but sam stopped them because it wouldn’t have been very safe. they were all 14.

- trying to learn to play the ukulele with a little help from sam. it’s frustrating, but she really likes the sound of it, and she’s determined as hell.

- absolutely cracked at any and all video games he plays. mario kart? she will kick your ass. animal crossing? her island has 5 stars. pokémon? she always wins. you can’t stop her, she’s too powerful.

- she has glasses, but prefers contacts, since glasses would get in the way of her adventuring.

Emily:

- not only can she sew, but she also makes her own soaps and candles! any form of creation she adores.

- loves flowers, and has a lot of little potted ones in her room. she raises them, gives them little names and personalities, and then brings them to sandy and tells her all about each flower

- she can roller skate, and it’s her preferred method of transportation. she can do a bunch of fun tricks as well!

- has an eyebrow slit

- making cute little baskets of homemade gifts is her favorite thing to do for her friends. sometimes she’ll just leave them on their doorsteps for no reason other than she wants to!

- can SPRINT in heels. like even 6 inch heels she can just RUN and it scares everyone who sees it.

- she loves the sounds of birds chirping in the morning, and she’s able to identify the name of the bird by its chirping and calls

Haley:

- is able to perfectly crack and drink from coconuts. that’s why she loves them so much.

- has the worst sense of direction. she’s lucky she lives in a small town, or she’d get lost all the time

- the spring is her favorite time of year, simply because she loves to capture life coming back in those spring months. baby animals, blooming flowers, her friends on the beach or just chilling in the sun, all of it

- her most prized possession is the very first picture her and emily took as kids on their parents polaroid. it’s taped to her mirror

- has a little beauty mark under her lip, but it normally isn’t visible due to being covered with makeup!

- she’s able to do her own nails! this is because she is ambidextrous, yet she doesn’t know, because it’s never been brought up

- she fucking LOVES learning about and identifying plants, trees and flowers. she knows so many it’s crazy. she has a great memory.

Leah:

- resident true crime enthusiast and ghost hunter. she drags elliot with her around town to go hunting for ghosts. they also watch documentaries together!

- has a bunch of little scars on her hands from her artwork

- to get inspiration for works, she’ll go on walks at different times of the day, different seasons, different routes, and she’ll turn each walk into a work of art. depending on all the environment and those who she runs into, each piece is vastly different.

- animals love her, and will sometimes just follow her around for no reason. she doesn’t mind at all, she kinda loves it.

- friends with emily. they are currently teaching each other their own forms of art, since they love learning from each other!

- really good at dancing, she’ll dance while she’s working on projects and she’ll hum a song to herself

- her favorite statue was created after she went on a walk, ran into abigail, and the two of them went swimming in the ocean and stayed there as the sun set and the stars came out. she has a little crush on abigail.

Maru:

- her hair is ALWAYS tied up, it’s impossible for her to work if her hair is in her eyes

- when she was a kid she wanted to be an astronaut, because she loves the stars, but she found she prefers the science and math behind it all

- she pierced her own ears, she has little star earrings!

- watches cartoons and geeks out about them with penny when they meet up in town!

- for some odd reason, she is terrified of butterflies. no one who knows her, or even maru herself have ANY idea why, but she will run away if she sees one.

- her favorite memory was the one night her and sebastian stayed up really late as kids and snuck outside to look at the stars (back when sebastian still loved them) and they ended up seeing a meteor shower

- she presses flowers as a hobby, and just keeps them in a little notebook alongside her ideas for projects and gadgets.

Penny:

- while she’s cleaning her and pam’s home, she finds herself singing to herself. she has yet to be caught by anyone

- each day, her hair is done ever-so-slightly different. each morning, she likes to change it up, and sometimes jas or vincent will give her something to put in her hair

- also interested in ghosts, will occasionally join elliot and leah on their adventures

- she is naturally really warm, so she doesn’t have to bundle up as much during the winter. the kids cling to her because she’s like a human space heater

- has a bit of a geeky side, and she loves to watch cartoons a lot. when she can find the time, she always watches them. they being her lots of comfort.

- has a small scar on her side from when she tripped over as a child onto something sharp. she likes it because with two freckles, it makes a little smiley face

- loves the water and the feeling of sea wind in her hair. she secretly wants to learn to drive a boat, so she can feel that wind in her hair whenever she wants.