#kuro morale events

[kuro-morale-events]

Remember, we all like the same dark source material. Be kind to the real people voting!

What's this?

[sebadztian]

KME Kinkmas 2023

Christmas Fun

Prompt: Bondage

Rating: Mature/Explicit

Pairing: Sebastian Michaelis/Ciel Phantomhive

Tags: Light bondage, Modern AU, Human Sebastian

Summary: Sebastian ties Ciel's hands and they have sex.

@kuro-morale-events

[human-monokuma]

Event: Demon Tree

{A fellow up from the story event}

*Everything's going crazy. People have begun attacking each other at random like wild animals, Cars were crashing into everything, large tree roots were sticking out of the ground all around, and the sky was blood red. All the while, a massive tree sits at the center of the chaos that spreads. What's going on? What's happening to this world? Can you survive the chaos?*

@themultiverseheroines @oddblogfullofoddmuses @puc-rewrite @perfect-bloodcovered-family @ultimate-disinterest

@notsobloody-wrenchs @d4y-0f-judg3m3nt @shslarchivist @rxnowned-vxmpire-hxnter @master-detective-archives

@candy-cocktail @mxfia-kingpins @obsolete-journalist @my-ultimate-academia @anemoacedia

@the-shy-pony @mystery-orphans-club @virtuoso-lies @yui-samidare-reborn @c-o-r-e

@ultimate-investagter-graduate @thehypnoticsnakedomain @ask-kuro-twins @fangedandfurious

@dreamyandkikimora @hoshi-neko-hikari @ichi-peachy @harmonious-hunting

@restoringhopeau @morals-and-florals @ask-ultimate-personas @seven-crimes-and-punishments @junko-enoshima-ii

@hopes-memorial @warriors-of-no-hope @your-divine-priestess @ask-the-ultimate-cosplayer @ask-the-ultimate-matchmaker

@beyondteyvat(Hu Tao, Zhongli, Raiden Shogun, Sara Kujou, Furina, and/or Neuvillette) @paw-prints-on-your-heart @ask-emma-magorobi @edens-garden-au

[snippychicke]

Your Kuro work is awesome! I've been on a Kuro kick lately and was wondering if you could write a prompt about a reader with the straw hat gang figuring out Kuro's identity like immediately and just messes with him by not revealing his secrets cuz she's a low morals gal as well

Maybe a little spicy ���

I am so sorry about the delay. Things have been harsh, but I really loved this idea. It has a bittersweet ending, but open to interpretation.

You had broken out of the marine prison at Shells Town the same time that Luffy and his crew-not-a-crew had stolen the Grand Line map from Ax-hand Morgan. And, well, one thing led to another and you were roped into the not-a-crew just like Nami and Zoro.

Unlike them, however, you were an actual seasoned pirate, and was amused by the antics of your Captain. That bright optimism and empathy seemed at odds with his dream of being Pirate King, and you wanted to see what would become of him. Especially after the events of Orange Town and the fight with Buggy the Clown.

And then you ended up in Syrup Village.

You remembered three years ago; the whisper of the Captain of the Black Cat pirates dying at Ax-hand Morgan’s blade. You hadn’t wanted to believe it then, considering you had seen Captain Kuro fight more than once through the years. It seemed like a cosmic joke that many of the pirate crews you had joined in your younger years had run-ins with the Black Cats.

It was either that or Kuro himself was hunting you down, just for those small heated moments as he toyed with the decision of allowing you to live like a cat playing with a mouse.

And seeing Klahadore? You didn’t fall for it for a second and knew that the ‘butler’ knew as soon as your gaze met his across the garden. His eyes narrowed slightly, and you could almost hear the silent command. ‘Silence.’

Oh, you’d be silent for now. But maybe it was your turn to play with him.

---

Zoro had complained about you wearing black, but you simply rolled your eyes. As soon as you saw the black dress with gold details, complete with a simple black velvet choker, a plan had formed instantly in your mind. You were going to taunt and tease the former pirate as payback.

And by gods the look on his face when he saw you, eyes widening just a fraction with a hard swallow making his adam’s apple shift. It boosted your confidence as he followed Merry and Kaya down the stairs, his eyes never leaving yours.

“Cat got your tongue?” you teased quietly, assuring no one else would overhear.

“Silence.” he hissed, eyes narrowing as he stood by your side, his posture still as stiff and rigid as always. “What are you doing here?”

“Funny, was going to ask you the same thing,” you teased as you sipped the cocktail you had been given. “The rest of the world thinks you're dead.” There was a bit of unintended bite to your words, but you hoped he wouldn't notice.

Who were you kidding, of course he noticed. You saw that familiar head tilt and raised eyebrow of intrigue, but thankfully he stayed silent.

And you tried. Really, you did. “...just tagging along with these wannabes,” you found yourself saying after a heartbeat. “They're… something else. Amusing, mainly, but oddly competent. Somehow.”

“Hmm.”

“Not like you, of course.”

You downed the rest of your drink and pretended not to notice Kuro (Klahadore?) look at you… and then cover a smile by coughing into his white butler-type gloves (so different from the black furred and bladed gloves that he used to wield. You still remembered what it was like to have one of those blades resting beneath your chin, the others carefully arranged as not to hurt you but could with the slightest twitch.)

“I see you haven't changed,” he finally stated. “You still can't control your mouth at all.”

“It's why I try to keep it occupied with other things,” you sighed before realizing how that may have sounded. (Or maybe that was your own thoughts dirtying the meaning and it probably sounded benign to everyone else.) “Wait, that's not--I mean--”

Thankfully you were saved as your conversation with the stoic butler didn’t go unnoticed by Kaya. “I don’t mean to interrupt,” the young woman lightly spoke as you floundered for words. “But… Do you two know each other?”

Kuro stiffened slightly, erasing any signs that he had actually relaxed in your presence. “We’re acquaintances,” he answered simply--or was that sharply?

Either way, you couldn’t help but scoff, “Is that what you’d call it?” You literally could not recall how many times you had been entangled with the Black Cat pirates, your life spared by the captain because of some odd whim every time. Each time feeling an undercurrent of something when he spoke to you.

Both Kaya and Kuro looked at you-- the former with surprise, the latter like he was about ready to murder you right then and there. You blushed as you rubbed your neck self consciously. “It’s uh, complicated.”

Thankfully, the young lady of the house smiled without asking any more questions. “That’s wonderful! I’m so glad you were able to reunite, Klahadore rarely ever talks about his past.”

You felt the itch to say something. Your drink was empty. You had no little plate of horse-dours or whatever they were called. You could feel the intimidating aura radiate from the fake-butler next to you, threatening you not to speak. “There’s nothing to speak of, miss Kaya,” he spoke with such soft kindness that seemed unnatural from the man you knew.

“Yep, nothing interesting. At all. We’d just run into each other. A lot. Either the universe decided it was a funny joke or he was stalking me, one or the other. Though I always did think of him as an oversized cat, ya know?”

Kuro just had to say your name and you shut your mouth quickly, sealing your lips to prevent anything else from escaping. Kaya was doing a poor job of hiding her smile behind her hand. There was a decided humored light in her eyes as she looked up at her ‘butler’. “I never thought about it, but I think you’re right. No offense, Klahadore,” she tacked on quickly at his dour look.

The expression shifted into something akin to endearing patience in a simple blink of an eye. “None taken, my lady. I’ve… heard the sentiment before.”

“I’m sure you have,” you coughed. “I’m gonna go get myself another drink, do either of you want anything?”

Kuro fixed you with that sharp glare of his. “I think it might be best if we move onto the dining room. Your lips hardly need any further loosening.”

If he had been worried about you ruining the birthday dinner, you were sure Kuro was sufficiently surprised when it was your ‘captain’ that handled that with a grin on his face to boot. You (unwisely) lingered around while everyone else retreated to the guest rooms, deciding to admire the eccentric decorations of porcelain plates adorning the walls and ceiling. (your favorite was the little tuxedo kitten with a blue bow around his neck, attacking a ball of yarn. No reason, of course.)

“Miss, do you need help to your room?” the maid asked (Sham? They looked like them at least).

“Uh, no I’m good,” you said with a faint smile, wondering if they remembered you but decided it was unlikely. “I was just, uh, admiring the decorations.”

Sham narrowed their eyes, clearly unhappy with your response but excused themself with a small ‘hmm’ and began to clean the dining room, making you feel very unwelcomed. You took the hint and meandered towards the hallway leading to the guest rooms. The place was sprawling and a monument to the family’s wealth, but you were blessed with an intuitive sense of direction and had already more or less mapped out everywhere you had been, noting servant’s passages behind the walls just by the sight of small seams in the walls.

The wealth and splendor of the house was something that itched at you as a seasoned pirate and thief. If it wasn’t for the fact you knew Kuro himself was likely watching you like a jaguar protecting its territory (or maybe hunting its prey) you would have pocketed as much as you dared. The truly-silver dining utensils. Bits and bobbles that could fetch a pretty berry on the black market.

So caught up in ‘admiring’ the display of a knife made of seastone and a hilt encrusted in gems (that could be sold for tens of millions of berries, if it was seastone. An ‘accident’ with Luffy could prove it too…) you failed to noticed the faint reflection in the glass.

A cotton-gloved hand wrapped around your throat, the other quickly grabbing your wrist from reaching for the dagger that rested in a holster attached to your upper thigh.

“I think not,” Kuro purred quietly in your ear, causing the knot of fear in your stomach to tangle with the flutter of butterflies that suddenly bloomed as you caught sight of his reflection. “I’ve been biding my time for three long painful years. As fond as I am of you, I won’t be merciful if you ruin this.”

Despite the underlying threat as he tightened his grip, you couldn’t help but smile. There was the Kuro you were more familiar with. It hadn’t made any sense for him to give up being a pirate captain for this. “Have I ever went against you, Kur-”

His hand tightened enough to choke you for a split moment as he pressed closer to hiss in your ear. “Do not say that name.” The pressure eased up, allowing to gasp for air, though his hand remained. “...but no. You’ve always been… obedient.”

You cursed both him and your own body for the way you trembled at the way he said the last word, how it stoked a fire deep in your belly. “If it hadn’t been for that mouth of yours, I would have had you join my crew.”

“Loose lips sink ships, and I might’ve done that once or twice,” you admitted. “But I kept the little secrets of yours I gathered through the years here,” you said, touching your chest with your free hand. “And this one will be no different.”

He hummed in thought, lips brushing the exposed part of your neck while his gaze met yours through the reflection. “We have two hours to kill before the last step of my plan comes into play. Why don’t we find a way to keep your mouth occupied until then?”

--------

“How did you sleep through all of that?!” Usopp exclaimed after everything, making you rub your neck (hoping that no one noticed the marks you tried to cover with the high collar of your shirt.)

“...I’m a very heavy sleeper.” That and Kuro had made sure you were well worn out by the time midnight struck. You were still amazed he was able to move, let alone act like it had been nothing as he kissed your brow and told you ‘Be a good kitten and stay here until I return.’

Which you were fully going to obey, considering you knew how vicious and uncontrolled he became when in the thick of it. Except daylight came, the metal shudders protecting the window retreated back into the wall… and he never returned.

Learning why had you twisted up inside for reasons you didn’t want to examine. You frankly didn’t care that it had been his plan to kill Kaya-- she was nothing to you, after all, and you had seen death so many times you were numb to it. Granted, to you the plan seemed a bit obtuse and over-the-top, but who were you, the woman with no plans, to argue with Kuro of the thousand plans.

But there was the fact that while Sham and Bucchi were now in marine custody, Kuro hadn’t been found. He had escaped (apparently after Luffy headbutted him through a window.) You were relieved. Delighted. Worried. Anxious.

To find him after three years of thinking he was dead, a few hours filled with admittingly some of the best orgasms of your life, and now this. Knowing he was on the run with no one watching his back, while you continued to tag along with a misfit bunch of pirates that were still not quite a crew.

Young, hopeful pirates that would likely soon realize that the world wasn’t as nice as they thought. The world was either kill or be killed; Plunder or be plundered.

Luffy called your name, a rare frown on his face as you shook yourself out of your thoughts. “Come on, Kaya said that she has a ship.”

You smiled tightly at the teen. “Thanks, but I think we should part ways here. I don’t think the path to my dream is with you, sorry.”

You expected him to protest, but instead there was a faint smile that seemed far to knowing and wise for his years. “Gotcha. Go chase your dream.”

[cmyk-universe]

KURO SACHIGO

The Shadow

^The reference above applies only to his lore and personality, not to his visual appearance.

Profile:

Nickname : Kuro

Gender : male

Current Age : around 22

Heigh : 180 cm

Element : Cryo

Role in combat : DPS

Weapon : Claw/ Dual blade (agility based)

Occupation : Bartender in a nearby bar and also bounty hunter (Riftbeasts only )

Therians talent : agility, claw, jumping, shapeshifting swiftly, strong sense of smell, moderate night vision

Human talents : Excellent driver and cooking

Therian type : Wolf

Color scheme : Blue, black, and yellow

Address : Somewhere in Duskfall City (a smaller city outside Neoterra)

Goal : Revenge for his deceased friend and family

Likes : Meat and alcohol

Dislikes : Natto, durian, insects (as food only)

Background:

Kuro’s family was killed during the war between shapeshifters and humans when he was 10 years old. Since then, he has lived in survival mode. The war and loss left him with a deep trauma and a grudge against humans.

As a 'stray wolf' Kuro survived all alone for some time, until he found a companion who shared his struggles—another stray wolf who had faced similar hardships. His name was Renji. Both of them settled in Duskfall, a small town outside Neoterra, mostly inhabited by surviving Therians. Unlike Neoterra, Duskfall is a rustic town, built along side of the cliffs, densely packed, and illuminated by neon lights. At a glance, it looks aesthetically pleasing, but life there is tough and chaotic. They eventually found a small abandoned building, hidden enough under the cliff, and settled there.

Sometimes, they resorted to stealing just to survive. However, as victims of the post-war era, they upheld a moral code: they only stole from those they believed deserved it, and they shared their spoils with the poor and homeless. In addition to stealing, they struggled to earn money through various means, such as running small jobs or errands for people in the city. They even provided emergency heat during winter by using their wolf forms. At times, they received food from the people they had helped. They also worked as hunting assistants or, when necessary, took on bounty hunting jobs to help eradicate Riftbeasts. Escorting people as bodyguards was not an exception either.

Duskfall is also home to stray cats—not Therians, but real cats. Kuro, sympathetic to the plight of struggling creatures, had a soft spot for them. Whenever he had leftovers, he fed these cats, and over time, they began visiting his hideout regularly. He didn’t mind; in fact, he started naming them and treating them as his pets.

9 years surviving, Kuro and Renji accidentally witnessed a group of humans committing a crime. To avoid being identified, they fled in their wolf forms. The humans, in pursuit, managed to shoot and kill Renji, while Kuro was shot in his left front leg as he ran. He was later rescued by Hyona, who hid him from the humans, tended to his wounds, and sheltered him. Hyona had no idea that Kuro wasn’t a real wolf—he simply believed he was helping an injured animal.

Even though Hyona was in his human form, Kuro found himself letting his guard down slightly. Hyona’s selfless actions made Kuro feel that he could trust him, and besides, Kuro could smell a faint ‘cat’ scent from him. However, Kuro remained cautious. He stayed the night in Hyona’s home, recovering in silence, pretending to be just a dog and never revealing his true form or identity. Hyona, unaware of the truth, fell asleep beside Kuro, only to wake up in his bed the next morning—Kuro had slipped away quietly before dawn.

On the other hand, there was a bar owner in Duskfall who seemed to have been aware of Kuro and Renji's existence for some time. He often gave them food whenever they passed by his bar. Shortly after a certain event, he noticed that Kuro was no longer with his companion. Feeling even more sympathetic, the owner approached Kuro, wanting to learn more about him. At first, Kuro was cautious—despite the man's human appearance, there was something else about him that Kuro couldn't quite figure out.

The bar owner, however, had a gut feeling that Kuro had great potential if properly trained. So, day after day, he continued to show kindness, gradually gaining Kuro's trust. Eventually, Kuro accepted the owner's offer to work full-time at the bar.

Initially, the owner gave Kuro simple tasks like moving heavy objects and washing dishes. But as time passed, he noticed that Kuro might have a knack for cooking and mixing drinks. With a bit of training with his other staffs, Kuro quickly picked up these skills and was eventually promoted to bartender. He didn’t mind working the night shift, but in exchange for a decent job, he had to adjust to being around a lot of people and learn how to be more polite with customers. He managed to do so—though in his own way. His manner of speaking remained blunt, regardless.

-To be continued-

Personality:

At first glance, people tend to see him as cold and indifferent. His traumatic past made him distant and caused trust issues. If you’re human, he won’t even bother to start a conversation with you. His unwelcoming demeanor often makes people feel uneasy, and many avoid him. His direct and blunt way of speaking can come across as harsh, even when he’s right. People might not admit it, but Kuro doesn’t sugarcoat the truth. He’s been through enough to know that the world can be bitter, and he’s not afraid to reflect that in his words. However, Kuro isn’t the type to insult others without reason. Having grown tired of hiding who he is, he doesn’t bother concealing his animal features anymore. No insult or judgment can hurt him now, as pretending is far more exhausting.

Beneath his cold exterior, though, lies a deeper reason for his behavior—he’s secretly lonely. His distant attitude is a defense mechanism to avoid getting attached to people too easily. Beyond his grudge, he’s afraid of being betrayed or abandoned again. He constantly battles with his own vulnerability. Despite his aloofness, Kuro never forgets those who have shown him kindness. If you’ve ever helped him, he’ll watch over you, whether you notice or not. His emotional attachment develops quickly, which scares him. He’s the type who struggles to forgive himself if he fails to protect someone dear to him.

Once he trusts and feels comfortable with you, he’ll often be around, sitting silently by your side, content with the quiet company. Secretly, he’s quite clingy—he loves cuddles and enjoys being petted. When he’s feeling down or shy, he might approach you in his wolf form, seeking comfort. But if you’re truly close, he won’t hesitate to do so in his humanoid form either.

Other facts:

He's skilled at hunting in the wild and doesn’t mind eating raw meat. However, constantly living in survival mode also forced him to learn basic cooking skills, though he’s not as decent as a professional cook.

He's an introvert by nature, Kuro isn’t fond of crowds, but ironically, he works as a bartender in a night bar. His late-night shifts leave him sleeping through most of the morning and afternoon.

After saving up enough money, he was finally able to buy himself a motorcycle. Due to his excellent driving skills, he's occasionally invited by street gangs to join wild motorcycle races. He's actually lazy and usually rejects their invitations, but when he does race, he typically wins

Kuro is incredibly street-smart. Although he didn’t spend much time in school due to his circumstances, growing up in the slums has given him a natural ability to navigate urban environments and avoid trouble.

Kuro has an exceptionally strong sense of smell, allowing him to distinguish between people's scents. His sharp instincts also alert him to any potential threats or suspicious intentions directed at others.

Back to index

[stuffgoeswrong]

Hibike Euphonium season 3 episode 7

Broooo!!

Brilliant. This is easily my favorite episode so far. I love that Reina, Kumiko, and Shuuichi communicate in one shared notebook, first of all. It's so sweet and funny. Other things just, are making me emotional. Mamiko making up with her dad and just giving a gift to him that he enjoyed after the season 2 drama? Yay! And Kumiko and Hazuki going to the college event together really felt like this chapter in their lives is ending. I'm so proud they're growing up even though Kumiko still hasn't decided what she'll do (but we know where it's going at this point). Their conversation afterward was funny too. Plus! Natsuki and Yuuko visiting with snacks and just talking about how the year is going is so very realistic.

The thing that took me by surprise was Mayu Kuroe this episode. Something's clearly been off or hinted at with her even though she's so nice and respectable. I've been worried where it's going, but now we've seen she's very similar to middle school Kumiko, yet she's in Kumiko's same grade. It's haunting and unnerving for Kumiko to see what she used to be like: without passion and kind of without opinions. Mayu has such a ways to mature and grow from where she's at. She just wants to please everyone, which isn't a bad thing, but can be dangerous if she has no moral code. She seems to think less of herself than everyone around her because "no one would ever love someone who isn't" opinionated or whatever. She likes being around those people but doesn't think she's like them herself.

And they frame all this through Mayu's photography! Where you don't see the person taking the picture and often don't even think about them. We look at her pictures through her eyes, but lack the seeing through her heart. She likes taking pictures, but she's never in them. She doesn't have a reason she likes it, not that we can tell, but she'll need that if she's going to make a profession out of it. She's like a ghost or a shell right now even though she thinks highly of her musicianship and does have some preferences, she says. To hammer the point home, she asks what drink Tsubame likes most so she can just have that instead of guessing what she wants. I think I got chills, what a way to end that heavy scene.

But Kumiko, caring band President, invites her into a picture for once. Later, Mayu says it didn't develop properly when she's sharing photos with the group. Foreshadowing? Going forward, she might resist Kumiko's efforts to help her with whatever she might need. Kumiko's biggest challenge is again helping her younger self.

So yeah. I just needed a moment to analyze this episode cause it did something to me. A lot happened and a lot was done very well.

[rayclubs]

Ever since watching Live Action One Piece, I can't stop thinking about how good the writing is in the actual show, so I'm going to seriously analyze it for my own fun and pleasure.

OP is kind of notorious for being nonsensical, whimsical, goofy and not particularly loaded with themes and heavy-to-grasp concepts, so a lot of people think of its arcs as mere sequences of events without an underlying thematic structure. This is what the Live Action gets wrong, but to the original show's credit, the formula is so intricately woven that you can't easily define it like in other serialized media. It's also a bit more... Nebulous? Okay, I can explain.

At least four of the earliest arcs follow the same formula. I'm sure it applies to later arcs too but they get longer and things become muddled down the line - not in a bad way, the core concepts still apply, just differently, so I'm only going to talk about the first four important ones. The formula is this:

The main character, Luffy, is introduced to another character who, in one way or another, displays a character flaw that prevents them from achieving their goals and dreams.

They encounter a foe who displays the exact same flaw in a different way.

Luffy confronts the foe on moral grounds and demonstrates a virtue that overcomes and overpowers the villain, leasing him to victory.

The newly introduced character, inspired by Luffy's example, experiences a change of perspective, which helps them overcome their own flaw and take a step towards their goal.

If you're thinking that sounds about right, then holy shit, our wavelengths. If, more likely, you're thinking "this is kinda far-fetched", then oh boy do I got proof of concept for you.

It's incredible how clear and well-executed the parallels between heroes and villains are. Like, okay, listen, here's Zoro's arc.

The villain, Axe-Hand Morgan, is a self-assured, self-centered tyrant who treats his comrades and subordinates as expendable tools and has no loyalties except to his own greatness.

Zoro isn't a tyrant, he's kind-hearted and has a strong moral compass, but he is still flawed: like Morgan, he doesn't have any loyalties except to himself. He's self-assured as hell. We learn later that he used to have mercenary friends but they went their own separate way at some point, and when they meet again, Zoro shows no clear loyalty to them - he's kind-hearted, so, of course, he cares, but he was never bound by their alliance and obviously considered the three of them to be drawn together by coincidence.

And to be clear, in the world of One Piece that is a flaw. Most characters swear allegiance to factions - pirate crews, marines, revolutionaries, other groups - and draw strength from them. Villages and towns are shown to survive hardships through unity and companionship.

Even Zoro's ultimate goal, the person he swore to defeat in mortal combat - Mihawk - although he appears solitary and not "bound" to a crew or a cause, we learn later that he is affiliated with the government. But that's a bit off-track.

While trying to save Zoro from execusion by Morgan, Luffy demonstrates a stubborn determination to work together. As soon as he recognizes that an injustice has been done to Zoro, he works not to solve the problem by himself, but to help Zoro deal with it. While another character tries to free Zoro from captivity directly - literally untie the ropes that are holding him - Luffy hands him his swords first.

Notably, Zoro is the only main character who defeats the main villain of his arc, all others are defeated by Luffy. I say "notably" because Zoro specifically is ony able to achieve this through cooperation with Luffy.

As the show goes on, Zoro's loyalty quickly becomes one of his core traits.

That's just one of them, so let's do Usopp's arc next.

The villain, Kuro, is a pirate captain who gave up his name and title. He is trying to turn away from who he is, remake himself into someone new through deception and trickery.

Usopp is doing the exact same thing, albeit in a decidedly more innocent way. He lies about his heroic feats and achivements, about his strength and the size of his crew, about practically everything. His lies aren't a flaw per se, as he never stops lying in the future. It's not his cowardice, that doesn't change much either. It's his conflict with himself. He's a pirate but he isn't. Pirates are coming but they aren't. He's proud of his heritage but he doesn't really get to be proud all that much until Luffy comes along.

Luffy defeats Kuro by being a better pirate, or by being better at being a pirate, or by being a pirate at all. Luffy has simple, clear-cut views and ambitions, he knows what kind of person he is and what kind of person he's trying to be, and he lives by it. That's the virtue.

As Usopp says his goodbyes before leaving his village, he gathers his little "crew" of kids together and makes them state their ambitions - one wants to be a writer, another dreams of owning a bar, etcetera - this is him imparting a lesson he just learned himself, on knowing who you want to become and living to be that person.

Usopp's best friend Kaya, inspired by him, resolves to become a doctor.

All this is also a showcase of Usopp's legacy, but don't get me started on legacy in One Piece, we'll be here for an hour.

So there we go. Let's do Sanji's arc next, it's way easier than Usopp's 3D chess pirate-gender.

The villain of the arc, Don Krieg, engages in malicious dishonesty to secure advantage in battles because he doesn't believe himself to be prepared enough for the journey he's undertaking.

Sanji is exactly the same but without the trickery. He justifies his inaction with the vague concept of being indebted to his mentor, even though his mentor considers the debt fully paid and sincerely wants him to live his own life.

Luffy defeats Don Krieg via stubbornness, bravery, endurance and ingenuity. It's similar to his other fights and not emphasized enough, which is probably why it's always been one of the more boring parts to me personally, though it's still wonderfully executed.

More importantly, Luffy reduses Sanji's mentor's journal, stating he wants to have his own adventure, not follow in someone else's footsteps. This is almost word-for-word the lesson Sanji needs to learn. Get out of there and do your best, you're ready, you'll never be more ready than you already are.

And finally, Nami's arc.

The villain, Arlong, believes himself to be inherently superior to those around him. If he recruits help, it's out of convenience, not necessity. If he forms bonds, they're business, not camaraderie. He does care for his fellow fishmen but that has more to do with the extended fishmen backstory and politics than anything so I won't touch on it.

Nami is equally flawed by hubris. She thinks she's better, more competent, more capable than the people around her, she has that complex you get when you don't have any friends in high school and end up doing all the group projects by yourself.

While fighting Arlong, Luffy makes a point out of stating and showing his own reliance on his own crew, and even lists off the skills they excel at that he himself doesn't possess. It's very on the nose but still awesome to watch.

He then absolutely fucking wrecks Nami's old prison-slash-workshop, demonstrating symbolically that, while her skill is great and important, it's not the main reason he values her as a crewmate and friend.

Nami gets over her hubris, begins to rely on others as allies more than assets, and relaxes a little about her paranoid hypercompetence. Good for her.

Okay so hopefully this convinced you. This was also going to be the part where I go on a long tangent about why Live Action One Piece fails on so many levels but then I realized I'd need a whole separate post for that, so I'm just gonna state the main point and leave it at that.

Netflix screenwriters seemed to have watched One Piece (roughly up to episode 130) and decided the arcs did not have any thematic uniting element even though they clearly did, as per above. They proceeded to rework the plot to introduce what they thought would work as unifying elements (introducing Baroque Works early, having Coby in every episode, cutting out Don Krieg and replacing him with Arlong) which inadvertently undermined the story structure and ruined the show.

Anyway, there's more. One of the earlier arcs is Buggy's arc which follows a different format. It doesn't see any new additions to the crew but it does see Luffy's worldview challenged by an outside force. This is an early example of a Luffy arc. Other examples include Loguetown, Jaya/Skypiea, and Foxy's arc (regrettably). Also Marinford and the events prior but that's, like, self-evident, I think. This story format borrows from classic romance literature and is way more straightforward. Buggy being an early example of it in the show, while being a comedic element himself, also introduces a lot of these story concepts. His journey could also be considered somewhat parallel to Luffy's, but that's a bit of a stretch, to be honest.

I completely forgot how I was going to end this analysis but hopefully reading it was worthwhile anyway. Live Action One Piece sucks. Cheers!

[kuro-morale-events]

KME Ship Wars Final Results:

Sebaciel wins!

Sebaciel (87.9%)

Sebaciel² (12.1%)

Thanks to everyone who voted! I was definitely surprised at many of the outcomes, and this event was super fun to hold. We'll be doing fun poll tournaments like this in the future, so stay tuned!

In the meantime, why don't yall share your favorite ship's works? It can be your own, feel free to tag us or submit links through asks. Make sure to tell us why it's your favorite! :)

-gabedemon

[sebadztian]

KME Kinkmas 2023

His Butler: Hungry

Prompt: Bloodplay

Rating: Mature/Explicit

Pairing: Sebastian Michaelis/Ciel Phantomhive

Tags: Bloodplay, injury, blowjob, fluff.

Summary: Over the years, whenever he gets injured, Ciel has noticed that Sebastian has developed a strange fascination with his blood. One day, out of curiosity, he makes an offer that the demon can't refuse.

@kuro-morale-events

[stainlesssteellocust]

Actually that would be an interesting crossover, mutually incompatible multiverse rules notwithstanding

Kuro realising there’s a Japan here too and it’s been fucking annihilated

potential clashes with the Cunning Premonitions and Plots

the kids horrified at the sheer annihilation on display, maybe give it a bit of a moral twist where the feather is actually doing something vaguely useful for some of the locals

It’d be interesting if they got shards, pretty much the same thing happened in that kinda naff world they entered at the start, a power/entity attached to them and then detached once they left. Worm going “Hey what the fuck are they let’s attach a few shards to 'em and get some data flowing, see what they do” and then later they just warp out of the worm!branch of the multiverse and leave the shards behind like “WHERE THE HELL DID THEY GO”

Narratively it would be cool to give them trigger events and that could certainly be engineered, but I feel they would be given powers either way

afterwards the gang are just like “well that was terrifying let’s never speak of that place ever again”

probably be after they got thrown off course and could start going to more dangerous worlds

[kimyoonmiauthor]

World Lit: Three basic ways to choose events.

So kinda piggybacking on the whole Story structure thing, but I’ve been thinking about this ever since I learned that the plot isn’t the basic for a lot of story structures and perhaps why particularly white male European lit doesn’t follow the other types of ways to choose events. So I’m throwing a theory out there, but I honestly haven’t read extensive texts to back this up... but I do know this is true from talking to other writers, and consuming a ton of fiction in all different kinds of forms.

So generally, you have the story driver...

What I find keenly interesting is that youtubers often pick up on the conflict-only narrative and call it weak. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aqqfMtFs_sY

Such as in this case, where she says, “But I don’t FEEL anything.”

Which is interesting to me, because the argument from Lubbock et al about the conflict narrative was that it was supposed to bring “more emotions”.

Though I suppose WW1984 also argues that you need other ingredients.

But in this case, of the pure conflict narrative, a bunch of bad things happen and you choose events around those bad things happening.

In a pure Brecht style you would have a huge ensemble cast of people, and the “bad things that happen” would show the “true worth of a person” to “prove they are a leader.” In his opinion, this would not be divorced from character development but in line with it. So think more like Les Miserable, but more uplift--he was all about the uplifting third act.

In the Brecht style, and to a certain extent Lubbock (though not entirely), you would base things around character-->event-->character (multiple)-->event, etc. Until the conclusion. This (including setting, etc) would then become the “plot”.

And then the main thrust of the story would be located in the “plot” in this type of story theory.

BUT, let’s look at Japanese, Korean, Chinese, Apache, Inuit, Aboriginal (loosely all together according to the source I have), some of the Pacific Islander stories in the South Pacific, and to a certain extent, West African folktales.

The way you choose events isn’t located in character, because often the character serves a higher master. It serves the story. And the events also serve a master, also the overall story. So often events are chosen around a theme or a Tone. So if you have a moral tale, instead of choosing the worst thing to happen to an individual character to lift them up, you would choose every type of event you can think of around a certain theme.

For example, Toni Morrison was super adamant that Beloved was not plotted around conflict in the white male term on the Charlie Rose show. And if you follow the traditional way Griot and diaspora from that region center their stories is around morality. If you follow then, the events are carefully chosen around morality of slavery in Toni Morrison’s book Beloved. (And yes, I did read it.) It doesn’t ask all of the easy surface level questions, does it? It asks some of the questions about Uncle Tom’s Cabin, and white-made narratives about blackness even when well-intentioned. And also about the main theme of Beloved’s morality itself. The characters move through this morality.

Under the Queen Umbrella (Korean, original title is shroom) also thematically chooses things around parenting, family, and what love means under those circumstances (also the radical acceptance part of the drama made me well up with tears) and what does it mean to protect someone? What does it mean to be a parent? What does it mean to be a mother?

Personally after consuming a ton of fiction from different regions, I think when it’s good, it’s really good, Japanese are masters of command of tone. I fan myself all the way through the sheer command of creating a mood without particularly theme, but by casting subtle touches here and there from Japanese literature, film, and command of story. It bleeds so well into everything (and then I cry in envy). And I don’t mean only Kurozawa. (Though c'mon, Kurozawa is a master). Events chosen around tone are there to create a singular mood, and this is often done so well.

I also have to give a shout out to Apache and Zuni storytelling which masters stories that sound different to the same person at different ages. And you can tell how carefully the events are laid out to get this effect.

But what I get from watching reactions, etc is that people resonate strongest with things that make them think and feel strongly. And maybe event-based is fine for say, your lazy watch Hallmark movie, but people often get bored of such a thing, and are demanding they FEEL something more than just the excitement of an action scene. It’s a thought I’ve wondered about too... resonance. How do you achieve it in more of a universal way? Is a universal way possible?

But I think this examination might help people to think more about their event structures as more than just serving character development, but also trying to serve a larger purpose and hit people in the feels more. Personally, I think the pushback on the other types (even if it might make your writing stronger to play with this type of event selection) is because of the individualism that came out of late state capitalism and industrialization. The push towards individualism became a lot heavier in the 20th century, so the idea that through a series of events a character could improve individually and rise to the top (Mary Sue/Gary Stu it) became more seductive than thinking about morality, as a theme, especially for those who held the most societal power. And also after all those wars, etc, thinking of man as an emotional being became less appealing, and if you delete examine the majority of story drivers, they directly lend themselves to tone/theme type of plotting. So pushing back on that and making it less accessible (i.e. pushing it to universities where the general public can’t access it), helps mitigate the damage from asking those hard questions, I would think.

I don’t begrudge conflict-event-based plotting and narratives, but I do dislike how many of the scholars did it at the cost of others and the diversity by calling theirs more commercially viable and accessible. I think the other types from around the world, and from the European and European diaspora backyard should also get a chance to have their piece spoken.

[mirror-to-the-past]

Oh, hey! A post that also thinks what I was thinking about... awesome!

There's absolutely something to be said about the distinction between charisma versus those who view people as an almost compulsive puzzle to be solved. Kabru is clearly charismatic, but that charisma is evidently a result of an awkward medley of analyzing sorting people into traits and backgrounds.

The way he boils Mithrun's real-life backstory down to a streamlined version as to make it more understandable 'to others' is very telling to me. There are no 'others,' really, when it comes to the very sensitive situation of literally pouring out your sad backstory to someone... that's just evident of how Kabru has learned to handle other people's personalities and their emotions. He doesn't simply nod his head and go "wow, that's tough, I understand/I'm sorry that happened to you," he goes "okay, so this is clearly a relevant childhood event that shaped [A] aspect of your personality, so I'll mentally lock that in as a trait of yours to focus on." Every person is a sort of narrative to him- falling into archetypes that both give them their individualism and purpose in Kabru's eyes, and Kabru views them through his 'hero's journey' distinctions by which to further understand them. People joke about his "main character energy," but I truly think it a deliberate self-modelling of his personality. He *wants* to be the main character in his hero's journey, able to best emulate what he thinks are good morals and behaviors that allow him to achieve his lofty goals. So, he appeals to others based off of that, trying to be a mirror to what best bounces off of them- his fellow characters in their collective stories.

As a semi-side note, this way of processing the feelings and stories around him is why I tentatively disagree, at least in my own personal reading (everyone is entitled to their own understanding of these characters), that Kabru is necessarily an empathetic individual. I think that he is indeed someone who cares about others, and has goals that are very humanitarian and advocate for the well-being of as many people as possible. He actively aids others in personalized ways to help them better themselves, as seen through your example with Kuro and the common language lessons. Does that mean that Kabru necessarily internalizes the emotions of others in a personalized sense- as in allowing their reactions and feelings to bleed into his own? No, I don't think so. He considers other people's reactions and emotions like something to be anticipated- an aspect of an equation- and he reacts accordingly. You can absolutely care about others without having to personally understand where they're coming from. You can also understand how a machine works without feeling the cogs whirring and pistons pumping. Similarly, someone who dedicates themselves immensely to how people tick can see the cause-and-effect relationship between someone's external stimuli, their personality, their background, etc. and why they might feel or react a certain way about something. It's a certain flavor of understanding that certainly gets the job done, often even to an extent that others truly feel like they are being considered and understood, but is largely a deliberate concoction of mirroring.

I believe this is why I've seen people saying that Kabru is manipulative, and I won't even say that they're wrong, but rather, I'd ask them to reconsider the often-demonized idea of "manipulation" when looking at context. I truly do think that this kind of "manipulation," especially when used by neurodivergent people who may be very low-empathy, allows them to better help the people they care for in their lives. By acting in a way that allows them to feel like they have a safe space or are understood when others talk to them, individuals like Kabru are able to utilize their internal dismantling of other's personalities to best meld their own responses to their unique troubles in a way that suits the people in their lives to their benefit. It's an altruistic masking, is how I've always seen it. Is is disconcerting to many neurotypical people when neurodivergent people explain this way of thinking to them? Yes! I've personally encountered it, and have had people tell me that I'm off-kilter or a bit robotic. Is it uncaring/cruel, or trying to take advantage of others? No, not really. Think about it this way: when we tell a joke in a tense room, are we not knowingly manipulating people to feel happier? Anywho, I'll cease the philosophizing and return to the character analysis...

So, revisiting the 'hero's journey' outlook he tries to apply to other's (and his own) personalities, I also find it funny how Kabru's clearly developed a general social script for himself he considers successful enough to follow. He doesn't "read the room" to try to instinctually realize if he can charm someone or not with his signature "Kabru smile," he just does it anyway, because that's what he's devised as a habit for himself, and then immediately tries to adjust and furiously figure out what went wrong when he sees it isn't successful (see Laios and Mithrun).

In line with his storybook-like thinking, Kabru can be very black-and-white, as seen through his internal judgment of characters like Laios who are on the "bad side" in his agenda, his difficulties with the elves' behavior, and situations such as when he fully vouches for the man who controlled the underbelly of the Dungeon (because y'know, he's on *their* side, the side of the common man! he couldn't fall to corruption!). He often refrains from expressing this outwardly, although he becomes notably more vocal about his honest qualms and thoughts near the end of the series, and instead acts as a passive wallflower when interacting with those he is displeased with, giving the impression he's more accepting than he really is with those he hasn't yet fit into his social schemata.

It's so true that the "people special interest" gets passed off as nonexistent due to its acceptability as opposed to other special interests, and that's because it can manifest exactly like how Kabru comes across to multiple characters throughout the manga (played off as a joke, often, but still poignant nevertheless): a social chameleon, accepting, unremarkable and unmemorable. A perfect mirror to whoever happens to be looking at him- they are seeing and hearing someone echoing their traits back to them in such an everyman way, that they don't really realize that this person is inwardly taking note of each and every one of their otherwise insignificant and overlooked moves as though it's the key to an ancient riddle. And people like to have attention; people like to feel understood and have others echo their sentiments and the things they like- that's why these kinds of neurodivergent people may be spared in many ways (at first glance) from the social ostracization many other autistic people would otherwise receive.

So yeah, Kabru cool. TL;DR, I pretty much agree. Pretty spiffy, OP.

I firmly believe that Kabru is autistic but masks so hard that he’s convinced himself and (almost) everyone around him that he’s neurotypical.

That man’s special interest is people and how they work, but he just thinks it’s him Being So Good At Socializing — like he doesn’t spend 95% of his time people watching and adjusting his personality in response to the traits he witnesses and obsessing over the intricacies of human interaction while mapping an ever growing relationship chart in his head. For fun. He even admits it in the manga!

Like, look at him!!!

It’s such a shame that — because he’s the narrative foil to Laios and his interest is generally considered more “socially acceptable” in both their world and our own — more people don’t realize this about him. He’s constantly misinterpreted as a horribly manipulative person who only acts the way he does to use the people around him, when that’s explicitly shown to not be the case at all. Kabru is naturally empathetic and is almost always thinking about other people, regardless of whether or not they’re right there with him or a thousand miles away.

I mean, his most defining motivation is his desire to do everything he can to avoid another tragedy like the one at Utaya. Someone who doesn’t care wouldn’t have a goal like that, and they most certainly wouldn’t go about it the way he does. He’s constantly working to help people who can help everyone else and tries so hard to make sure that anyone who seems like a threat is actually someone he needs to worry about before doing anything about it. His supposed aversion to Laios is only because of the ridiculous trolley problem he’s set up in his own head.

Outside of that, he (rather justifiably) hates monsters but is desperate to understand Laios’ love for them and his apparently most selfish goal in getting close to the guy was literally just to become friends with him.

When he’s interacting with the canaries and they imply that they’re going to take him and all of his friends to the West, his first thought is of Rin and how much she’d hate to be stuck in the place that gave her so many bad memories.

He helps Kuro learn Common when Mickbell is asleep and firmly looks forward to the day that the half-foot and Kuro can communicate properly so that their relationship can get properly started without any miscommunication.

And he understands Mithrun with only a handful of weeks AT BEST interacting with him, getting enraged when the elf seems to give up and immediately trying to help him find a new motivation for life.

I’m excited just thinking about the day that Kabru starts unmasking more and more around his friends — both new and old — because if being with my current friend group has taught me anything, it’s that hanging out with anyone so unabashedly themselves is bound to make you more comfortable with yourself too. It’s part of the reason why I like Labru so much! There’s something nice about imagining them hanging out in the throne room or laying in the grass outside and talking for hours on end about their special interests. They might not strictly understand what the other finds so fascinating about monsters or people, but they can grasp that shared feeling of love.

They probably influence each other in really good ways too, with Kabru helping Laios figure out what people are thinking even when it doesn’t make sense or Laios helping Kabru understand that not everyone and everything needs to be analyzed a thousand times over. They both get to learn that there are people like them and people who will love them without them ever having to change a thing about themselves. They deserve to know that they’re fine the way they are.

[kuro-morale-events]

Remember, we all like the same source material which contains dark and mature subjects! Ship and let ship and be kind to the real people voting!

What's this?

[sebadztian]

KME Kinkmas 2023

Tickled Pink

Prompt: D&s

Rating: Explicit

Pairing: Sebastian Michaelis/Ciel Phantomhive

Tags: Light BDSM, bondage, tickling, teasing.

Summary: Ciel ties Sebastian to a chair and has his way with him, using his own feather.

@kuro-morale-events

[teecupangel]

From @jayswing96

what is it

I was planning to just reply to you but, well, it got long. I will try to make this brief though.

In a nutshell, Punishing Gray Raven is an action gacha game developed by Kuro Games (developers of Wuthering Waves). It's not an open world and is obviously inspired by Devil May Cry (combat and basic stage setup) and Nier Automata (combat and tone).

Story

Humanity was forced to escape into a Space Station called Babylonia after a virus known as Punishing Virus spread across earth. The virus kills human quickly and corrupts machines, reprogramming them to kill humans. In an effort to regain earth, humanity created Constructs, humans whose mind are taken from their mortal body and placed into a body called Frame made of synthetic and metallic material. These bodies make them resistant to the Punishing Virus (but not immune to it) and they serve as the main force in humanity's effort to regain grounds. Some humans volunteered to be Constructs, others are forced into it using morally ambiguous ways (like telling them the only way to save their life is to be a Construct).

They are led by a human given the title of Commandant, able to connect to their mind to help them combat the virus if necessary.

You play as the Commandant of the team Gray Raven, part of the front lines in charge of operating on Earth to get it back from the Punishing Virus.

The story is quite slow at the start and might seem cliche but it picks up later on. Quite dark at times and there's a whole 'Constructs are less than human' subplot sprinkled everywhere and how the humans and Constructs who were infected of the Punishing Virus but managed to evolve with it are against humanity because they believe they're the future of mankind. Each character are also given their own backstory and has chapters focused on them (whether through the main story or through interludes and side chapters) so if you find your favorite, they will have their time in the limelight.

Characters

The team you use for combat are composed of Constructs and they're the ones you mainly pull from gacha or get from events. Some characters have different Frames that is part of their storyline (either an alternate Frame they use or an upgrade) and they are considered as different 'characters', sometimes with different element and type.

Ex:

These are the same character but different Frames and gameplay (leftmost is Physical Attacker, middle is Dark Attacker and rightmost is Fire Tank)

Obligatory bark-bark (Left is Dark Support, Right is Lightning Tank) - She can switch between these two Frames as the need arises (there's even a story where her Lightning Tank Frame was left 'unused' in a... 'not safe' place until she transferred to it)

Combat Gameplay

Each character has their own gameplay (some enter enhanced state after building a gauge, others take their own HP to deal massive damage, etc) and you're meant to build a team of three to use in combat. There's swapping, dodging and combos but one of the most unique thing about Punishing Gray Raven is that to use skills, you have to use skill orbs and, to do max damage or perform a specific mechanic of the character, you have to use 3 skill orbs of the same color which will automatically be used if they're right next to each other. Yeah, that's right. It's a fast paced action game with match three system XD

Here's a video showcasing it using the current Fire Meta team:

(I picked this one because it has swapping characters tbh)

Story Gameplay

Lots of reading. Absolutely lots of reading. It's a visual novel style of story telling with no voices. The voices are only in the most important cutscenes and combat portion. This is a story heavy game but the skip button is there if you just want to play XD

Gacha System

This is my favorite gacha system tbh. There are more gacha banners than normal so I'll keep this brief:

The new limited characters will have a 100% pull rate and a maximum of 60 pulls to get them (aka: if you haven't gotten them by your 60th pull, you'll get them). There's another system that makes them have a higher chance rate but the maximum pull you need to get them is randomized from 80 to 100 pulls)

There's a pool where you choose your target past S rank character from a short list and it has a 70% pull rate with the same 60 pull max (or 80~100 pull max for higher chance rate)

New A rank characters will have a 100% pull rate on the patch they're introduced and it takes 10 pulls to get them. Old A rank characters can be targeted for an 80% pull rate.

You can target a specific weapon in their own banner and it has an 80% pull rate for a maximum of 30 pulls.

So given enough planning and doing dailies and weeklies, you can get every the S rank character of each patch. (Where do their profit come from then? ... Alternate skins which are mostly awesome and cool and change not only the outfit but their attack animation at times. Also... people whale to max out their characters' rank and weapon)

Sooooo... just wanted to know...

[seekers-who-are-lovers]

“Why not? It is just flesh. Nothing more.”

@kuro-morale-events KME Tarot Bingo: Two of Swords (Impasse, decisions, avoidance)

Undertaker couldn’t believe his ears. After goading the young Earl so many times to give him the “first-rate laughter,” he said yes for the first time. The demon was alarmed, then appalled. He didn’t want to take it seriously until his little lord ordered him to leave and not to peek inside. Was it Prince Soma’s taunting that brought him to this? The young Indian nobleman teased him during breakfast saying he was too small, too short, to act like a proper adult, and that he relied too much on his butler.

“I command you, Sebastian! Don’t peep nor enter until I say so!”

Like a dog with his tail lowered, the butler closed the heavy iron door annoyed and defeated. The boy began to take off his coat without wasting time. He unbuttoned his waist coat, untucked his shirt, and uncuffed his sleeves.

Undertaker looked at him surprised.

“I saw you once,” the knave untied the cerise ribbon around the collar and opened the first five buttons of his ruffled shirt, “with my predecessor, doing something behind my mother’s back. One night you came to his study after Diedrich left angry. They were arguing about you. He was jealous of you. I was there, Undertaker, I was hiding under the table. I thought Diedrich would kill my father. And the three of you didn’t notice me. Later my brother asked me where I was the whole time. I couldn’t tell him what I saw because I couldn’t explain it at first. I didn’t understand it at all. Now, I know. I realize.”

Of course, that explained why the boy was afraid of him compared to his older twin brother.

“Hold up, boy, do you think you could pay your way out stripteasing?!” The mortician snatched the young nobleman’s hand.

“Why not? It is just flesh. Nothing more. Don’t you desire me too? I can see it in your eyes. You gaze at us, at me as if I were your lost—“

“Stop! What happened between your father and I is none of your business, Earl. But you can do one thing.”

“Tell me and I’ll do it.” The boy’s look was daring, anticipating, yet his heart was beating fast and loud that the mortician could hear it.

Read the rest on AO3. (Teen up to Mature, established Sebastian Michaelis/Ciel Phantomhive, other pairings). Once again, indebted to Andy @clouds-of-peach for her patience and owlish eyes.