#lucky atelier talk

[teka-chat]

Update : No longer up to date as of 2025, I don't think i have the time this year to update this, I'm sorry :(

This is for me, but I thought it might be useful to others so here it is : basically an over-20-page-long catalogue of some major Disney toons that are in the Public Domain, their associated copyright-free media, and lists of associated Disney trademarks, when applicable. List of characters under the cut !

Toons included :

Mickey Mouse

Minnie Mouse

Pete

Oswald the Lucky Rabbit

Fanny Cottontail

Ortensia the Cat

Clarabelle Cow

Horace Horsecollar

Julius the Cat

and as a bonus :

Mad Doctor

Alice ( from the Alice Comedies )

If you noticed i went missing on January 1st, this is why ! I've been hard at work day and night on this beast of a 27-page document ( with an additional 7 sub-documents for the trademark information, if you care about that ).

This is mostly just to have everything in one place. You decide what you do with it ! ( I know what I'm doing with it hehe. )

[teka-chat]

i used to do it because it was easier for me to draw

we're not born with all the drawing skill we'll ever have, there's things some of us just aren't able to draw ( yet ) ! i was used to drawing humans and anthros more than, say, cartoon characters, and they were hard for me ! so until the day i was comfortable drawing them, i settled on what i COULD do, to still enjoy the characters, but not feel like every drawing i did of them was a failure

but also, it's true that anthropomorphizing things and characters... is just fun ! it's like you said, a fun design exercise.

i personally love to turn random things into humanoid characters, like that one rat in the first trailer of Zelda Tears of the Kingdom !

it's harmless fun, to me

Can I ask an honest question?

Why do people create or see in humanized versions of non human characters?

Because a big reason why I end up liking some characters is that they got neat designs. Why would you turn them into normal humans? I mean, sometimes I even get into fandoms just because they got this silly-looking guy, lol.

Is it just some character design exercise thing or do some people like the human versions more?

[ofoceansandtombsanew]

this might be weird to ask on a writing blog but do you have any manga recs?

yeah i got some recs! i'm gonna assume you mean less talked about titles rather than more well-known but quickfire popular recs i have are: chainsaw man, fullmetal alchemist, jjba, fruits basket, jjk and hell's paradise. but onto my other recs:

seinen

children of the sea**: a troubled teen named ruka embarks on the summer adventure of a lifetime after meeting two boys raised by dugongs at her dad's aquarium in the middle of a mysterious event taking place in the ocean.

the summer hikaru died: it's been months since yoshiki's childhood friend and secret crush, hikaru, went missing in the mountains for a week. hikaru's the same as usual, with his jokes and silly rambles and yet, yoshiki can't shake the feeling that whoever came back from that mountain, it wasn't hikaru. much to his horror, it wasn't. but rather than face reality and grief, yoshiki decides to play along with "hikaru's" act (body horror)

dorohedoro**: in a world where there are humans and magic users, humans have it rough being virtually treated as second class citizens. day after day, year after year, magic users come to the human realm to experiment on them with their magic. and after having his head turn into a caiman, kaiman, wants to get it back in blood and have his true form restored (body horror)

witch hat atelier*: in a world full of magic and witches, it's always been normal human girl coco's dream to be one. but after accidentally discovering a truth of this world and her mom getting caught up in the spell, coco becomes an apprentice of witch qifrey. (it was recently announced there's an anime in the works!)

skip & loafer**: desiring to become a government official to revitalize her hometown in the japanese countryside, iwakura mitsumi's first step to accomplish this goal is by going to a uni prep high school in tokyo. she's got a foolproof 10-step plan to boot! but of course, life hardly ever goes as plan, not even for a prodigy (mc's aunt has great trans rep)

jousei

sign of affection*: as someone deaf all her life, yuki has dealt with discrimination in both small and broad strokes. nor has she ever experienced romance. this all changes when she meets backpacker itsumi, a guy who goes to the same uni. just as he opens her world, she opens his

debu to love to ayamachi to***: after waking up in a hospital with no memories to her name, plus sized yumeko is told she is there after surviving a suicide attempt. the thing is, yumeko isn't sure why when she's just so beautiful! with a strong desire to live life to the fullest, yumeko decides to do everything the past her was to afraid to do. all the while it is revealed that her suicide attempt was more of an attempted murder... but who could have wanted to kill her?

my love story with yamada-kun at lv999**: nothing is worse than getting cheated on especially after akane invested a lot of time and energy into her shitty ex's gaming hobbies. but through gaming, not only does akane find herself healing, she managed to get herself a pretty cool boyfriend too

NANA**: 2 women, 2 different lives, 1 name shared. komatsu nana is quick to fall in love and after a series of less-than-lucky relationships, she finally has someone she thinks is the one. abandoned by her mother and her ex leaving her band, osaki nana hasn't had the easiest life. but on the same night, on the same train, these two women meet and their lives become deeply intertwined

shoujo

a condition called love*: when it comes to romance, hotaru's never experienced it besides stories of her friends relationships. but she soon finds herself about to experience the whirlwind of a lifetime when hananoi, the most popular boy in school, asks her to be his girlfriend

a bouquet for an ugly girl***: as her class' resident big girl, hana isn't expecting a blossoming spring in her high school career. and she's okay with that. she has everything she needsー otome games and gardening. but after her class' pretty boy catches her in the midst of changing the class flowers, their lives become a bit more intertwined

uruwashi no yoi no tsuki: yoi is quite popular at her school because of her neat short hair, beautiful face and overall princely appearance. in fact, it's gotten her dubbed 'prince' many times. but when the other prince of the school finally meets her, cupid's arrow quickly knocks him on his ass

shounen

frieren**: a manga that picks up after the journey has ended. the demon king has been defeated and the heroes have saved the day after 10 years of traveling together. 10 years? that's not even a 10th of elf mage frieren's life. but as her companions begin dying one by one of old age, she finds herself desiring to learn more about humans and the short yet impactful lives they still manage to have

dungeon meshi*: when a dungeon raid goes terribly wrong and laios' sister gets swallowed by a dragon, those that remain in his party decide to get it back in blood by saving laios' sister before she gets digested. in the mean time, there's nothing wrong with gordon ramsay-ing miscellaneous ingredients found in the dungeon along the way, right?

and if you like manhwa or would be down for some manhwa recs these are titles i don't see getting recommended enough

concubine walkthrough: a scifi & philosophical spin on the otome isekai genre that asks 'what is reality truly?', 'is your life any less real if you found out all your experiences were a simulation?' and 'what is reality to you?' where protagonist lee yona finds herself stuck in a VR edition of a game she only played once

a wicked tale of cinderella's stepmother: usually when someone wakes up in the body of a villainess, she's the same age as the protagonists. mildred, on the other hand, is stuck in the body of this story's cinderella's stepmother. with no husband and three daughters to take care of, there's only one thing she can really doー build up her daughters' sisterly bonds with one another and make sure they marry into good families (or that they can at least live lives they're happy with)

tricked into becoming the heroine's stepmother: at least mildred got the body of an important character, daisy on the other hand? she's in the body of an NPC you never even see in the story. bright side? this is a story she helped write and after meeting the presently six year old protagonist's father, she and father of the year decide to team up for the ultimate mission: making sure his daughter never meets any of the love interests

inso's law: ham dan-i is in a bit of a pickle when she wakes up and her new school uniform is completely different than the one her mom bought weeks ago. there's a drop dead gorgeous girl next door who claims to be her childhood best friend. even worse, like something straight out of a drama, there are four heavenly kings that rule her school. by the end of the day, dan-i has no other choice but to accept the fact........ her real life has somehow turned into a web novel. even worse, she's a side characterー the main character's best friend

webtoons

plum: in a world where fruit stacking is a major sport, little plum decides to be the very best like no one ever was and moves to the big city to compete in the fruit stacking games along with making some friends and rivals along the way

webtoons that are probably popular enough if they have hardcover copies at my local bookstore but i wanna talk about it anyway

cursed princess club: as the youngest princess of the pastel kingdom, gwendolyn loves her family. her protective papa, her oldest sister maria who often awakes to woodland creatures doing her hair. her older sister lorena who makes flowers bloom with her every step. and her younger brother jamie who's so pretty, he sparkles. and they adore her just as much. but things come to a very reality shattering halt when their father introduces maria, lorena and gwen to blaine, lance and frederick, the princes of the plaid kingdom and gwen overhears frederick call her ugly, something she's never heard in her entire life. somehow, gwen finds comfort in a club full of cursed princesses (and one prince) who teach her how to start loving herself again

key

*) receiving an anime adaptation

**) has an an anime series or movie

***) receiving an anime adaptation & contains a story with a plus-sized protagonist that doesn't involve weight loss

[acediathemelancholy]

I've realized that this blog is a disorganized mess. So this is an attempt at a masterpost. I've only gone through my servamp posts so far and put together the interesting ones by topic. Edit: added link to Witch Hat Atelier Masterpost

Witch Hat Atelier

Servamp

The Alicein Family Drama

On Love and Fear

Chapter 130 Cover Analysis: Mikuni as the King

Alicein Mikuni: Sower of Scandal

Mikuni (and Lily): Sowers of Scandal Part 2

Servamp's Pandoras: Kiriko and Akira

Hokaze's Illusion of Control

Lily and Enlightened Despot Theory

Lily's Second Betrayal

Mikuni, Lily and the Alleged Lack of Resentment

Dunking on Mikado's Pathetic Everything

Kiriko's Music Box

Clergy Jeje

Mirror Mikuni and Hokaze

Mikuni Doesn't Respect Anyone's Will

The Shirota Family Drama

Touma and Projection

Tooru as the Stagnant Shounen Protagonist

Imposters and Second Generations

Mikuni and Touma

Where does the Alicein Family Drama Meet the Shirota Family Drama

Tsubaki Accidentally Kickstarting the Shirota Family Drama

Touma and Sakuya

Saint Germain

On Saint Germain

On the Myth of Saint Germain

Theosophy Myths and Saint Germain

Saint Germain and the Jesus References

It Was More Than Eight Times

Who Will be Killed by Vainglory

Vainglory and the Traitor Servamps

The Ritual and the Lunar Eclipse

Sloth Pair

Mahiru: The Rook

Mahiru and Kuro: Saint Alban and Amphibalus

Kuro's Self-Acceptance and the Culmination of his Arc

When the Protagonist Isn't Always the Center of the Universe

Mahiru Reaching Out His Hand Like Tooru

Mahiru and C3

The one I strongly believed in, and the one who strongly believes in me

Team Melancholy

On Tsubaki's Creation

Early C3 and Tsubaki

Tsubaki's View of the Aliceins' Plot

Tsubaki (and Kuro) and Acedia

Tsubaki as The Method

Tsubaki and Mikuni's Fragile Alliance

Tsubaki Didn't Foresee Hugh's Plot

Sakuya Is So Lucky

Mikuni and Sakuya: Who is the liar?

Mikuni Never Understood Sakuya

Misono does understand Sakuya

Sakumahi Angst

Team Melancholy Gets an F in Espionage

Otogiri and Margaret of Cortona

Higan and Tsubaki

Pride Pair

Hugh and Mikuni

Hugh and Mikuni the Prequel

Tetsu as Prometheus

Hugh Becoming What He Sought to Destroy Part 1

Hugh Becoming What He Sought to Destroy Part 2

Let's Talk Names: Hugh The Dark Algernon III

The Servamp Traitor Plotline

C3/Misc.

Servamp Creation Timeline

Mage Society Part 1: C3's Purpose

Mage Society Part 2: Class

Mage Society Part 3: The Origin

Tsurugi and Higan

Yumi's Character Development

Thoughts on Why C3's Ritual Failed

Iori

Subclass Logistics

The Moral of the Story

Wrath Pair

Lily's View of Freya

Freya and the Witch Trials

Greed Pair

Licht's Choice

Lawless and Reaching Out His Hand

Gluttony Pair

Ildio's One-sided Rivalry

Nicco's No Good Very Bad Day

Nicco and Questions Raised by His Shareable Lead

[mothprincess]

i ordered the perfume samples that i've been talking about for months but from twisted lily bc lucky scent didn't have delina lately, i'm getting into houses and seeing which i like. eldo has been super promising bc i love ghost in the shell and the whole future/tech concept samples: 3x BDK (creme de cuir, gris charnel, and rouge smoking) 2x zoologist (penguin and cow) 2x ELDO (fat electrician and i am trash) 1x parfums de marly (delina) 1x atelier des ors (lune féline) 🌹

[teka-chat]

ah while i'm at it i should change the name of this blog too

nothing too drastic. just thought i should adhere to my "lucky" aesthetic a bit more.

probably just gonna lucky- something. I like the name hana better than ekana, but ekana is the front twin... hmmm. maybe i should make Piano the mascot ? just kidding, sorry boy.

y'know what yeah i'm making a new sideblog for my other fandoms, it'll be less annoying for a few people

... what should i name it tho.

the-legend-of-teka ?

tekablade-chronicles-3 ?

tekamon-journeys ?

teka-art-online ? ( huh, i should've called my personal blog that. or maybe i should have a separate personal art blog... no no focus )

teka-not-sonic ?

disaster-tekaster ? ( that was a really old idea )

also what do i call THIS blog now ? i always thought something akin to "tekatonic-tekasonic" but that feels like it would be confusing... it was a joke on tectonic btw

other teka joke names include :

tekastronomic

tekatastrophic

tekastrophysics

tekanatomicophysiological

feel free to suggest more

[dashiekitty]

Introduction!!

Hiya everypony!! I wanted to post a little something to introduce myself ^^ This blog will be a lot of agere/hyperfixation posting, so hopefully you're ok with that! I am here to meet new friends that I can relate to and are understanding of my regression/dreaming

- I'm not comfortable having my name out there, so you can just call me Cat (she/her) !

- I'm 25+ (regress/dream at 3-6) and am not comfy with communicating with minors, but this blog is 100% sfw

- I'm neurodivergent (undiagnosed atm but told so by medical professionals and on medication) and have issues with executive functioning, oversharing, difficulty with social cues, and auditory processing problems. I also have moderate-severe OCD, which can hinder other parts of my life. I say this only to ask for patience as things can be hard and responding can be difficult if I get overwhelmed with stuff, but it does not mean I don't wanna talk :3

- This blog/acc is for my own agere/inner child healing journey, and I do not want to interact with any NSFW elements. I do not see my regression/dreaming as sexual in any way (I am also not looking for a cg).

- My interests include MLP (all gens but especially G4), Bluey, Hazbin/Helluva Boss, anime/manga (shoujo and magical girls mainly), drawing, coloring, listening to music, making music, Sylvania Families/Calico Critters, Pokemon, IdolM@ster Cinderella Girls, Vocaloid, Pretty Cure, analog media, y2k aesthetics, shopping, playing with my stuffies, wearing cute clothes, going on cute dates, stationary, animation in general, the Sims (only have 4 T-T), WoW, CoD, Sanrio, Strawberry Shortcake, Animal Crossing of all types, Nintendo games, Witch Hat Atelier, Cardcaptor Sakura (my fav anime!!), Shugo Chara, Tokyo Mew Mew, Di Gi Charat, Lucky Star, and anything cute! <3.

Feel free to message away, as I'm an open book and love to talk way too much honestly, but that's all the stuff I could think of to say atm. If you are into any of my special interest stuff above I will be able to talk to you easily ^^

[shadowqueenjude]

Lucien finally loses it and does something bat-shit crazy

@theewicked @ramim @sonics-atelier @duskcourthighlady This is for you babes😘 After Feyre shit-talks him and the BOE at ACOFAS, Lucien reaches his breaking point, and he resolves to do something crazy. Part 2 coming soon!

Lucien was absolutely fed up with everyone’s bullshit.

It was coming from every side. Feyre, Rhysand, Azriel, Cassian, Tamlin, Beron, Elain, Nesta, and all of their relatives were giving him hell every day. He had just about had enough.

How long was he supposed to just sit there and pretend like everything is fine? Even the finest outfits couldn’t pull him out of his misery.

This was all Rhysand’s fault. He had ruined everything for him. His relationship with Tamlin and Feyre. His home, his life. Hell, he was even the reason his mate had gone through hell. He had failed to protect Feyre’s sisters. He couldn’t understand how Feyre could stomach him after everything he did under the mountain. God knew Lucien barely could most days. Every time he saw his smug ass face, it reminded him of Ianthe.

And after all this time, they still treated him like an outsider. When he had come to the Night Court for the first time, they had treated him like an enemy. Pulled out all the stops to make sure he knew his life was thoroughly threatened. Despite everything he had done for Feyre. If there was anyone who shouldn’t be trusted, it was her.

She had completely used him. He wondered sometimes if she ever thought of him as a friend, or if he had just been a means to an end, and later an enemy. Well, they should know Lucien didn’t respond well to threats. He had been exceptionally tempted to pull an Amarantha on Rhysand and tell him to return to the shit-hole he had crawled out of, but he had a sinking feeling that he wouldn’t have been so lucky as to escape with his life this time.

They had actually made him thoroughly sympathize with Nesta. Hell, his asshole of a brother Eris was better company than those two. He now spent most of his time in the company of two humans. And Feyre, a formally human girl, had become the epitome of all she claimed to hate about the Fae in the first place. “They peddle tales of defending our land and peace. And yet she came to my lands and laid them bare for Hybern. She took my High Priestess and warped her mind—after she shattered her bones for spite. And if you are asking yourself what happened to that human girl who went Under the Mountain to save us … Look to the male sitting beside her. Ask what he stands to gain—what they stand to gain from this war, or lack of it. Would we fight Hybern, only to find ourselves with a Queen and King of Prythian? She’s proved her ambition—and you saw how he was more than happy to serve Amarantha to remain unscathed.” Lucien hadn’t been there for the High Lord meeting, but he had heard the recounting of it afterwards. He somehow thought his former friend was right. He highly doubted Rhysand’s ambition ended at High Lord. And with the power he possessed…all of Prythian would be in danger should he become High King. He'd seen the state of the lands Rhysand thought beneath his notice. Velaris was beautiful yes; more beautiful than he cared to admit. But what of the rest of his nation? Lucien could only imagine how little attention Tamlin’s former territory would get should it fall into Rhysand’s hands. But how would he ever keep Rhysand from gaining such power? He had power of his own, sure, but compared to the might of the entire Inner Circle… Although, he did have one advantage: the Inner Circle had no idea how deep his power ran. Even Lucien didn’t know. He could do things that nobody else could. With the magic eye and the spell-cleaving powers he inherited from his biological father…

Could he do the impossible? The cauldron itself had failed. Then again, that could possibly be attributed to the fact that Feyre and Rhysand had been held together by not one, but two bonds. Now that one of them had been broken…

Lucien chuckled to himself. Such wicked thoughts were unbecoming of him. But especially after today…

“And what, exactly, does this Band of Exiles plan to do? Host events? Organize party-planning committees?”

What a bitch. They had always had banter between them, but it wasn’t like this. Feyre hadn’t been saying it playfully, but just being exceptionally rude. As if she wasn’t the reason the BOE was all he had.

Sometimes he wondered if Rhysand DID have her under mind thrall. Or perhaps the mating bond was what was manipulating her. God knew it affected him.

Elain. A twinge of pain went through him. Why did it have to be her? She wants nothing do with him- and long ago, he had known a girl who had approached him, seduced him, wanted no one but him. Who didn’t see a High Lord’s son, but a male. Who he had loved with every inch of his being.

Elain was beautiful- the most beautiful female he had ever seen, though it still felt like a betrayal to Jesminda to admit that to himself. He had tried to learn about Elain however he could; he’d asked Feyre about her, had observed her, had observed others speaking of her. But it was hard- damn near impossible, really- to get a read on her. He didn’t want to force himself on her. God knew it was hard what she had been through. She was to be married. Then, she’d lost everything.

Well, Lucien knew what that felt like.

He could feel her through the bond. He still remembered that day he had explored deep into the bond and had found thoughts so unbecoming of a lady like Elain he had blushed.

Yet she shrunk away from him.

That wasn’t new to Lucien. It seemed like the only two people who enjoyed his company nowadays were Jurian and Vassa. And of course, they were into each other. Lucien was so sick of being the third wheel, he came on holidays to the Night Court not because he felt particularly welcome, but to give those two human idiots time to sort out their problems sexually before he had to deal with them again.

His self-control was exceptionally high owing to a childhood growing up under the parentage of Beron, but even he was reaching his breaking point.

The next time somebody tried him a little too much, he was going to do something absolutely bat-shit crazy. Haha. Bat-shit. Like the Inner Circle’s bat wings. Lucien cringed at his inner monologue and tried to focus on the present, but the thoughts lingered in the back of his mind.

[kfkr1ze]

[002-A20] Antoine on the Seaside

Summary — ✈︎ Although the fight managed to be stopped, Ushio and Muneuji still haven’t made up yet. And to make matters worse, the weather forecast for the day of the summer festival is making the students depressed…

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

Location: Tomioka Hachiman Shrine in Shodoshima

Kaede: Aand… there… Phew.

Gannosuke-san, I finished moving the equipment.

Gannosuke: Alright, then let us install it as it is.

Kaede: Right……

Gannosuke: You seemed to be anxious about the weather.

Kaede: Yeah, the chance of rain is around 80% so… I feel like I’m just praying for that 20% miracle to happen.

Gannosuke: Let’s believe in that then. The Gods of the weather are prone to change it, after all.

Kaede: Yes!

Gannosuke: This is changing the subject a bit, butーー

This morning, Kinugawa-kun didn’t appear at the Atelier.

The lanterns were still in the process of being completed, so I was a bit concerned since he seemed to be rooted to the same spot when trying to complete it.

Did something happen?

Kaede: Well, the truth isーー

Sakujiro: I do not believe the act of fighting each other is bad itself.

Sometimes, this is an important act in order to have a heart to heart in times of conflict.

Muneuji: ………

Sakujiro: Even if that is the case, that does NOT mean you should throw him 30 times…! What would have happened if he acquired a traumatic brain injury!?

Ushio: … It’s fine, I was on the defensive.

Kaede: (He’s used to being thrown around huh…)

Sakujiro: That prideful attitude will bring you ruin if you are not careful. In any case, the both of you need to reflect on your actions. Afterwards, shake each other’s hands and reconcile.

Muneuji: ………

Ushio: ………

Kaede: (They’re turning away from each other… It doesn’t look like they’d be shaking hands any time soon…)

Hey you two, I’d appreciate it if you could tell me what even caused you two to fight in the first place?

Akuta: Hey, so is it really gonna rain on the day of the festival?

Kaede: Mm… According to the weather forecast… Yeah, it seems so.

Nanaki: So it really is true?

Kiroku: …………

Muneuji: Is there anything we could do about it?

Kaede: As of right now, we just have to leave it up to luck… I guess.

Akuta: … Then, in that case…

Kaede: Akuta-kunーー

Akuta: That means, all the food stalls will have a BUNCHA food left over! It’s basically an all-you-can-eat buffet! YAAY! Takoyaki, Okonomiyaki, Yakisoba, AND Baby Castella!

Kaede: …………

Akuta: I don’t wanna eat tomorrow ‘cuz I need to keep my stomach empty! On the festival day, I’m gonna fill up on all the street food I can eat!

Ushio: Hah?

Nanaki: You’re seriously… Now’s not the time to be yapping about stupid stuff like that!

Ushio: … This guy wouldn’t know how to be negative if it could save his life. Great that someone could be happy about this I guess.

Muneuji: Of course it’s good to be positive, but it’s a bit tactless in certain cases.

The food at the stalls should be served to guests. Why would you be happy that you can eat it all yourself?

Akuta: I mean, I’d be happy if it’s sunny for the summer festival and everyone’d get to eat stuff, but I’d also be happy if it’s rainy since I’d be lucky to get a lotta food to myself. So? Is it fine now?

If you put it like that isn’t it reasonable? That way, no matter what weather it is, it’d be a win-win! Right?

Ushio: Reasonable, unreasonable, whatever I don’t care. Such a pain. Dull.

Nanaki: This is what I was talking about. If you think something is troublesome and refuse to continue the conversation, nothing will change. Don’t give up before the conversation is even over.

Ushio: How about you go and tell that to Buddha Statue over there? He’s always keeping quiet and it’s been pissing me off.

Kiroku: ……Ah…… I……

Kaede: Okay that’s it everyone, no more fighting! Be quiet!

Sakujiro: ………

Kaede: Oh no everyone, it looks like Sakujiro-sensei has a troubled look on his face! If you keep this up, the lecture might drag on for a looong time…

Muneuji: …………

Ushio: Tch…

Nanaki: ………

Sakujiro: ………

… Alright, it took 50.6 seconds for everyone to finally settle down.

Akuta: Wow, that was a cool ass line just now! It’s such a teacher-esque line, I’m gonna steal it for my next movie～♪ 

Nanaki: We literally just got told to shut up… Sigh, whatever, I’m done.

I get why we were wrong. So sorry. We’ll be careful not to fight in the future.

Is that what you wanted to hear? I’m getting tired now so I’m gonna go to bed. Let’s go, Kinugawa-kun.                                                   

Kiroku: …… Mhm.

Ushio: ‘Kay, then I will too.

Since I got thrown around so many times, my back hurts.

Muneuji: ………

Ushio: Are you gonna sleep in the living room, Muu-chan? You probably don’t wanna see my face, andーー

Ushio: I don’t want to see your face right now, either.

Muneuji: Fine.

Kaede: … That’s what happened.

Gannosuke: I see, I believe I understand the full picture now.

As for the quarrel, it will resolve itself in due time. Butーー

There’s no point in lying around and rotting just because it is going to rain.

Whether you are talking about a trip or an event like this, it’s not uncommon for it to start raining once you look forward to it.

Kaede: (Sakujiro-san also said something like this earlier…)

(Hm… If I were a Ward Mayor, what would I do in this situation?) 

(It’s almost like I’m being testedーー …… Ha!)

No way… don’t tell me I’m being tested…!?

Gannosuke: About?

Kaede: Nothing! I’m just gonna check on everyone, so I’m going back to the inn for a bit…!

Location: Otomari Chuuzaemon Inn in Shodoshima

Kaede: Nanaki-kun… Nanaki-kun…!

………

He hasn’t come out… Is he not in his room?

(I guess I don’t have any other choice… I should just go back to the living room.)

Kiroku: ………

Kaede: Kiroku-kun! Is Nanaki-kun not in his room?

Kiroku: ……He’s there, but…… Ever since last night… He’s been in “Sulking in bed” mode.

Kaede: I see…

Kiroku: ………

Kaede: (Kiroku-kun also has a gloomy expression on his face…

He’s been working hard to make something… I wonder if it’s a teru teru bouzu?)

Gannosuke-san was pretty worried, y'know. He said that you didn’t come to the Atelier this morning.

Kiroku: ………

Kaede: All that’s left is the finishing touches, right?

I get that the teru teru bouzu is important, but I think you should finish the lanterns firstーー

Kiroku: …… I felt… relieved.

That people won’t… see the lanterns… I can just… get them done.

Kaede: Kiroku-kun…

Kaede: (The one in this room isーー）

Ushio: ………

Kaede: Ushio-kun!

Do you know where Akuta-kun and Muneuji-kun are?

Ushio: They went out.

Kaede: Okay. Thank you.

Ushio: ………

Kaede: (He has his back turned to me like he’s trying to reject any sort of human interaction… Maybe it’s best for me to leave him alone right now…)

Location: Beach in Shodoshima

Akuta: ………

Kaede: There you are! Akuta-kun!

Akuta: Hah? Ohh it’s Sensei. Yo.

Kaede: Yo. …What were you doing, just staring out into the sea like that?

Akuta: Weell, I haven’t eaten anything since this morning right? So I was getting hungry. And I was just wondering to myself if I could eat some seaweed that got washed up on shore y’know?

Kaede: Raw…? Absolutely not.

Akuta: Yeah I thought so. Ughh… I’m so hungry though……

If seaweed’s a no go, theeen can I eat some kelp?

Kaede: Absolutely not.

Y’know, everyone is all depressed over the weather for tomorrow but… For some reason, you stay the same as always huh Akuta-kun.

It’s a little relieving.

Akuta: There’s no use in thinking about dark stuff like that. At least for me. It’s more like I can’t think about it. I get nosebleeds when I think too much.

But everyone will probably cheer up sooner or later, won’t they? I mean, they’ll probably realize there’s no point in worrying about it if they can’t change anything.

But, when it’s about rain… We gotta do something about it, yeah?

Kaede: That’s…

(Saying something like “I can’t do anything about it”right now is … I just can’t tell that to Akuta-kun and the others…)

(But, if I could try to at least cheer them up…)

Akuta: But, uguhhhh… I’m tryna think of something soo hard…! If kelp isn’t good then maybe something like noriーー

Kaede: Akuta-kun!

Akuta: Yes!

Kaede: When tomorrow comes, and it does end up raining… What we’ve done and are doing in preparation for the festival on this study tourーー

Even if we don’t get to show hospitality to the customers… Our efforts won’t go to waste.

I know that it might feel disappointing this time because of the weather, but I’ll make sure that everyone’s efforts are rewarded.

I’ll even negotiate with Shodoshima’s community center to have everyone’s work displayed there as well. I’ll make sure they see the light of day.

So I don’t want you to worry about the weather. You should just continue the preparations like normal.

Akuta: Mm… Nn……? Um?

Kaede: No matter what happens, the experience you have of working hard with your friends will be an experience that will stick with you for all of your life.

It’ll be a good memory that you and your friends can look back at in the future.

Akuta: …………

Kaede: A lot of things don’t end up going our way no matter how hard we try, but we can use that disappointment as momentum for the nextーー

Akuta: …………

Kaede: Um…

… What’s wrong? Your expression looks kinda displeased.

Akuta: Nothing really. Nothing’s wrong. I’m gonna go to the toilet! 

Kaede: Ah, Akuta-kun…!

He left…

Previous — ✈︎ Masterlist — ✈︎ Next

Notes — ✈︎

This time, I had a harder time finding the reference to the title. The only thing that comes up when I search for that exact phrase in Japanese is a movie called The Hairdresser’s Husband? But I can’t see the reason why they picked it plot wise LMFAO. If I squint and tilt my head, I can kinda see why it’d be an Akuta reference? Which is probably why he voices the title in the game, and why he’s at the seaside in the end. But I have seen art stuff! And all the comments (One singular comment) I see about the seaside in the movie just say that it's a pretty scene visual… so maybe it was just supposed to be a visual reference I’m not getting since I never watched it. If you tried to search it in English all that shows up is a restaurant in New Orleans (WAOW NOLA REFERENCE)

[timeprincessdreamtopiaismyhome]

A LITTLE BIT ABOUT TIME PRINCESS DREAMTOPIA...

This game has had a special place in my psyche for a while now. It's rated 4.6 stars on playstore, but honestly, I'd rate it a 5. The only drawback I'd say is the storage space this game takes, but honestly, it's worth it for the amazing graphics, tons of art, storylines, outfits, companions, mini games, events and more.

But what is it about? You play your character who has the ability to travel through different stories in order to save the story kingdom. You make friends, companions and you can romance characters from each story too. There are so many routes to choose from with compelling storyline. From Classics like Swan Lake to original stories like Twilight the Underground City.

You do need to be connected to the internet to play, but it is also free to play. You can most definitely play without money and get lots of cool stuff.

You get your room which is your home screen and also where your story starts. Its also decorated seasonally and you can sometimes see things in the window. There are tons of places to go and things to do. I'll be talking about each of these a bit more in depth in my next few posts. There's a lot.

Things available from your home screen:

•Minigames

•Kitty Bed

•Time Academy

•Recollections

•Playroom

•Change Room

•Dresser

•Lantern

•Story Kingdom

•Ilusio Island

•Mirage Forrest

•Story Desk

•Boutique

•Time Atelier

•Lucky Jerry

•Achievements

•Friends

•Mail

•Event Centre

•Parven's Shop

•Character Icon

•Bag

•Society

[villain-in-love]

So basically... A Date With Death MC/Self-insert

Music:

Оно Выделяло Тепло by АИГЕЛ

Death Is A Teacher by Eden Iris

BRAT by Chris Marcell

...also Mixed Messages by Tom Cardy

Facts:

⬩ I have yet to come up with a separate name for her... So for now she's just Katarina.

⬩ Aspiring fashion designer of 25 years of age.

⬩ Currently works as an assistant in an atelier in the centre of the city.

⬩ Lives alone in a studio-type of apartments with her pet cat Seras.

⬩ She’s been getting into all kinds of disasters and life-threatening incidents throughout her life, miraculously surviving every time. Unfortunately, the people around her are usually not so lucky, so she had to witness many deaths.

⬩ At least a half of her family is dead by now, and she keeps her distance with the remaining relatives. Well, it's not that she was ever the type of person who would care about family, so she doesn't dwell on that.

⬩ She has two moods: an insufferable clown and an absolute bitch.

⬩ Most people consider Katarina to be intimidating and unapproachable, mostly because she’s not too fond of social interactions, along with having a sharp tongue and a domineering attitude. And since she doesn't really understand social rules, she comes across as mean and arrogant even when she doesn’t intend to.

⬩ Being conventionally attractive and dressing up in very classy, “formal” fashion doesn’t help her case.

⬩ However, if you get involved in an actual conversation with her, you’ll find that she can be very playful and humorous, she just supresses that side of her. And for a good reason, I must say, because she often goes overboard with her teasing, and her humour indeed can be rather mean.

⬩ Conversations with her also tend to easily slip into something that is either sexual or macabre (she might have some issues).

⬩ Katarina is a romantic at heart, but she never had a chance to date anyone, mostly because she has very specific tastes. But then a certain reaper came along, and it turned out that she's actually really flirty. Too flirty even.

⬩ By the start of the canon timeline she was going crazy from boredom and loneliness. Perhaps that’s why she decided to reply to a "Grim Reaper" weirdo who was spamming her with messages from an unknown app she doesn't even remember installing.

⬩ Anyways, since she was so pent-up, and Casper seemed like such an easy target… Yeah, she just went all out on him. Years of untold jokes and atrocious pick-up lines finally found their way out. She surely had a blast making fun of him.

⬩ It’s not like she completely refuses to believe in supernatural, you know. She’s an agnostic, all she needs is some substantial evidence. But instead of providing that evidence, Casper just kept making a fool of himself for the first few days.

⬩ He’s lucky that he’s so pretty and that Katarina has a thing for idiots with an attitude. This guy is exactly her type (and she’s going to make it his problem).

⬩ Unlike canon MC, Katarina wasn’t that surprised to find out that he’s an actual Grim Reaper. She just needed some time to process the implications (and maybe some vodka).

⬩ That is to say, after learning from Casper that the reason she was constantly getting into accidents was her inability to die, she went through the crisis of realising that she really is the reason that so many people that were close to her are now dead.

⬩ She’s also more chill than canon MC. Casper can actually talk to her seriously… Before she inevitably starts trolling him again because she can’t resist the temptation.

⬩ She graduated high school of art and design but didn’t get to the higher education because her parents died, and she was not ready to work and study at the same time. She managed to find a decent job anyways, but she still wants to get a degree in the future when she’s more stable.

⬩ She only has one friend who is just as bad as she is. Said friend lives in another city, but they talk on the phone constantly.

⬩ She adopted her cat about two years ago after stumbling upon her on the streets. Katarina is very protective of Seras and always tries to ensure her safety above everything else.

⬩ Unlike the way it looks in the game, her actual apartments are a mess, with paper, fabric and tools lying everywhere. Though honestly, this mess is nothing compared to how her working space in an atelier looks.

[wiredaughter]

×××

@fluffyfebruary 8: trust

Backstitch

no murkoff au ♡ mother gooseberry/dessmaker ofc ♡ 1950s ♡ 2nd person pov

It's been a good week. A frustrating, elating, wondrous week at work. Your numbers go nowhere but up, and it's a challenge you welcome. What you don't entirely welcome is having to dress up for a studio party. As you see it, you're here to make stylish clothes, not wear them. Still, you haven't ventured out at night since you ran into Phyllis, so this should be fun. In a way. You let yourself soak in your image in the full-length mirror that's probably the most expensive thing in your flat and, once you're satisfied, go outside to hail a cab.

It's all going great, you're shaking hands and explaining your role in the atelier like you were born for this, meeting actresses and executives and her. A starlet that's preening as she talks about a role she's got in an upcoming film starring Grace Kelly, and has an interest in your work. And, if you're very very lucky, not your work alone. You don't give it away though, aware as you are of the dangers, but allow yourself to have fun chatting away.

You go to the bar for another drink as she's pulled away by a screenwriter or other, and turn to catch Phyllis’ eyes on you from the other side of the room. it's a heavy presence but you shake it off, there's nothing in your contract about taking other work, and even less about having a laugh at a party. Her eyes don't linger but find their way back to you at times throughout, and maybe it makes you go heavy on the martinis, but you're still good to walk as you say your goodbyes and exit.

Only to find she's followed you out, as you pace up and down the block wishing a cab into existence that's not keen to come through. She's absently going through her keys as she follows you with her stare, and curse her for looking that good in violet satin, but you give her a courteous nod all the same when it meets yours.

‘I’ll give you a ride.’

‘I’m good.’

‘You're smashed’

You nod. ‘And good.’

You hold her stare until a loud group of producers come out and, instead of getting into their cars and back to their bloody homes, loiter. You can feel their eyes on you, uncomfortable in a way miles different than Phyllis’ felt and, what the hell, you nod and walk to her car almost leading her in the motion. Petty as she can be, she doesn't seem put off by this and gets your door like a chauffeur. You hop in and, as the car starts moving, realise you’re actually drunk. You whine as your hands toy with the seatbelt bunching your dress in a way you would not call flattering and let your head fall back so you don’t have to see.

‘You’re swacked.’

Her voice reaches you like she’s underwater. Or maybe like you are. ‘It’s Saturday tomorrow.’

Your own voice sounds distant and isn’t that a relief. You feel around for her hand on the steering wheel and pull it close to your face to squint until you can see the numbers on her wristwatch, and laugh tiredly. ‘No, it’s Saturday today.’

She snatches her hand back. ‘And that’s a good reason to be a blunderbuss at the studio party.’

‘A blunderbuss?’ You gawk at her, but her eyes are on the road. Responsible. ‘Blunderbuss, what do you mean? Everybody liked me, and if you cannot see that maybe it’s you who's had too much to drink.’

She sighs, but says nothing. Feeling rebellious but not wanting to push the matter, you undo your seatbelt and stretch loudly. You’re sure to be hungover tomorrow, and had wanted to go out early too. Annoyed at the thought, you roll down your window.

‘I didn’t even want to go to the stupid thing.’

‘Don’t think about it then, but about what it means.’

‘And what does it mean?’

‘That we’re doing a good job.’

‘I already knew that.’

You shrug, leaning out the window and pulling the combs from your hair so you don’t have to feel anything but it flying into your face or hear anything but the wind. Then, Phyllis is pulling up and pulling you in by the shoulder. You huff as you fall back into your seat.

‘Don’t be cross with me.’ You say, to the roof.

‘I’m not… as cross as I should be.’

‘I made your dress. Everyone loved your dress, even if they didn’t like me.’

‘They did like you.’ She starts the car again. ‘You just have to keep in mind, they can only like you enough to still be comfortable with you working on a show geared towards their children.’

You shake your head. ‘You’re even worse than me, how do you keep it together?’

‘I know my limits.’ She sounds serious. ‘And I’ve got practice.’

Practice. You want to ask about that, about everything. You want to know how she managed to get to own both a studio and the confidence to run it with, how does she do anything really, and how could you replicate it for your own benefit. You say nothing, but after a while fasten the seatbelt around yourself again.

‘You’ll figure it out. Trust me.’

You look at her, in the clothes you’ve made, and looking as put together as she did when the night started. You figure you must, after all, trust her. And whilst it doesn’t feel like you’ve got many other options, being as she is your boss and the person you’ve known the longest in the US, and your only model at the moment, it still feels like a choice you make.

‘Okay. Then I trust you to get me to my flat since I am, as you've said, swanked.’

It sounds like she’s slowing the car to correct you, but you’ve in all honesty forgotten the word she used and don’t feel like being wrong again. As much as you want to, it feels automatic when you let the vermouth take you.

[littlefantasinia]

victory lap

Fandom: Disgaea Characters: Fuji, Pirilika Words: 1000+ Summary: Pirilika's not quite done yet. Fuji should have known, really.

A place where you can be yourself, a place where you can cry I’ll become that for you

“I was talking with Flonne about your curse,” Pirilika says, not looking up as she very carefully cuts the patterned fabric she bought the previous week. Another outfit for Ao, apparently. “I hope you don’t mind. But two sleds are faster than none, so I thought it wouldn’t hurt.”

“Two heads are better than one,” Fuji says, almost automatically. Sitting across her with one of her many sketchbooks in hand, he raises an eyebrow. He’s been expecting a quiet afternoon, especially after they’ve just gotten back from helping out another Netherworld the day prior. The echoes of the curse have settled onto his limbs, and downtime is usually enough to help deal with it.

He does usually get that quiet whenever he catches Pirilika personally working on an outfit in her atelier, as she could very rarely be distracted from her newest vision. And even if he could succeed in turning her attention away, her bringing up the curse has been at the bottom of his expectations.

Shifting in his seat to a more comfortable position, Fuji asks, “What, you think she can help?”

Pirilika finishes cutting around the pattern she pinned against the fabric before finally looking up. Her smile is so bright that it’s almost blinding. “She did help Ao. And she knows of a lot of Netherworlds. So I thought, maybe she can help you too? Or at least find someone who can maybe give us a clue.”

“I’m not that excited to owe anyone, let alone an angel, another favor, Piriko,” Fuji says dryly, ignoring the tightness in his chest and the hint of blood on his tongue. “Besides, I can live with it.”

“I know, but it would be nice to know your options, right?” Pirilika says, frowning as she sets aside her scissors. “And you haven’t been holding back with doting on Ao–which she deserves! But it still hurts you every time.”

Fuji shrugs as he trains his eye on the many designs Pirilika has drawn for his daughter. She’s been trying to get all of them to wear her designs, Fuji included, but Ao is definitely her favorite to make outfits for. “Yeah, well, you always heal me anyway. It’s fine,” he says. “Besides, I don’t trust some random higher-up in Celestia.”

“She’s not just a random higher-up,” Pirilika says. “She’s a friend! And Ceefore trusts her too.”

“Weapon Otaku’s not always the best judge of character. Neither are you, Piriko.” Grinning, he adds, “If anything, you’re probably the worst.”

“I was right about you though!”

“Eh, you got lucky.”

“I did,” she says, voice so soft that he can’t help looking up. She isn’t even looking at him as she pins another part of her paper pattern on the remaining fabric. As if this is just a plain old thought that doesn’t bear any further introspection. “I got very, very lucky. I can’t thank you enough, Fuji.”

He should have been able to predict it, but he isn’t able to push down the cough in time. He remembers to hold her sketchbook away at least. For the sake of Ao and her future dresses, of course. “Damn it, Piriko. Stop saying embarrassing things. I thought you were trying to help.”

“I am!” she says as she places the fabric down gently on the table in front of her. She holds out her hands and Fuji immediately feels the relief her magic provides. “And,” she continues, after his coughing subsides, “if Flonne does get back to me, I’ll look into any of her leads. You don’t have to owe her or even me anything. We can just say I’m doing this for my own sake.”

“What, you tired of healing me all the time already?”

“Of course not, silly. But…well, I did say I’d make it so you can have a place to be yourself. And I’ve been thinking–”

“Well, that’s dangerous.”

She scrunches her nose at him briefly but continues. “I’ve been thinking, that hoping to do that while doing nothing about your curse is kind of selfish, right? I mean, that’s like saying I want you to push through the pain. And I’m sure you already do that every day for us.”

The sentiment is not surprising, certainly not from her, but he can’t help watching her face quietly anyway. It’s not exactly the same, but he’s still reminded of the times when they’d hear someone criticize Opener for the fall of Hinomoto. A hint of guilt, and maybe some helplessness in the way her lips try to force a sympathetic smile that doesn’t quite reach her eyes.

She’s probably thinking something stupid like her not having the right to be upset about him hurting.

“You really are a dumbass,” he says, with no real bite to his tone. “Look, I can handle it, all right? But if you want to look into it so badly, I’m not stopping you.”

That brings back the genuine smile on her face. The sight stabs through him, but he carries on. “Just don’t get yourself killed while playing detective or whatever. Otherwise, I’d be forced to find another gullible customer who can pay as well as you. And with my luck and in this economy? Hah.”

The insult hardly dulls the brightness of her voice. “You can always come with me. I’ll pay for your time, of course.” It’s an excuse they both use and will probably continue to use until, well, until something changes. He’s not holding his breath on anything.

“You know,” he says instead, before his thoughts lead him further, “I’ve been thinking of upping my rates recently.”

“Is that a no?” She pouts, a little more exaggerated than usual.

“Only if you can’t pay,” he says, grinning.

It’s hardly an obstacle. Nothing ever really is with Pirilika.

As Fuji watches her go back to making another dress for his little girl, he allows himself to let go of what little doubt he has left.

Maybe she can do this one too.

---

A/N: This is more of a practice piece, since I haven’t written anything in sooo longgg, let alone for Disgaea, oops. Please forgive (´；ω；`)ｳｩｩ

I see FujiPiri in…a lot of aspects to the point that I’d prefer to call them soulmates…? Not necessarily in a romantic sense. But more of in a, “they would have inevitably been in each other’s lives one way or another” or “they come in a set; do not separate them” kind of way. Shrug emojis at the universe. It’s not my fault the ending song is like that ww.

Anyway, Fuji literally calls her Baal’s archnemesis. Of course, she can kick a curse in the ass too. The only thing stopping her in canon is definitely just the status quo.

Also, I had this in mind for Ao’s outfit! She’d be so cute. (*´▽｀*) I love you, Ao-chan!!! https://www.tumblr.com/lolita-wardrobe/727907991892967424/yupbro-the-spring-of-high-mountains-wa-lolita

[midnight-in-town]

Out of all the mangas that u read , analyse and post for, whice one is your favorite?

Hey Anon! Aww, I love so many of them for so many reasons, I am not sure how to answer you... The thing is, I don't necessarily post about series for the same reasons!

Of course #theories is my absolute love in life (like, when doing a secret santa at work, I'll additionnally try to discover who is supposed to give a gift to whom, by collecting clues from what they say and do. If I find out the truth, the person whose secret I discovered is supposed to buy my coffee or breakfast xD And trust me it's ten times funnier when everyone starts doing the same thing because it creates absolute chaos in which everyone tries to send the others on the wrong trail by giving wrong hints, so when the day of the gifts comes everyone at work's like "aahhhhhhh it was youuuu". Very funny, I always have a blast), but fandom's size can factor into how much I'll write about a series.

For example, Majo to Yajuu and Witch Hat Atelier are both great stories with small fandoms here (less than 10 people in it for MTJ), so I like writing regularly about these series to create more content for the fandom!

For the opposite reason, and because the pace slowed down a bit, I don't write a lot about Akatsuki no Yona, despite following the chapters' release every 2 weeks or so. Another example is Berserk, my favorite series ever, but which has a very intense, well informed fanbase on a dedicated forum with a lot of interesting content: so I don't mind answering questions, but I don't necessarily have a lot to write about Berserk despite loving it so much, because almost everything has been said already!

I loved talking about Gangsta. but it's on hiatus; same for Tokyo Ghoul but it's over. I enjoy writing about Spy x Family because I think a good part of the fandom is confusing the currently happy-go-lucky vibes of the series with the real, more subtle and darker tone of the themes and plot and it's nice to see hints of this every now and then.

Finally, I absolutely love discussing about Ao no Exorcist and Kuroshitsuji, which I have been following about 12 years now in both cases, because:

Ao no Exorcist is currently the best on-going typical shonen series for me (tho' I might change my mind a bit once I finally catch up with One Piece, I'm on the beginning of the Dressrosa saga) and I can't wait to see how it all unfolds. It's really one of the few series in which I have absolute trust into Kato-sensei and she can prove me right or wrong any time she wants.

For Kuroshitsuji, I think that, aside from new chapters, I've addressed over 98% of anything ever happening in the series, related or not to the main plot and to the circumstances of the Phantomhive family and I now am waiting patiently (very patiently) for all the answers, updating my very old theories with more hints when I can.

To tell the truth, on the matter of Kuroshitsuji, no offense to anyone, but I feel similarly to the admins from the Skullknight forum for Berserk: I've read each chapter maybe a hundred times at least over the years so I think that, today, I have one of the most objective and informed eye about the series across all of the internet. That doesn't mean that my theories are right, just that I know the canon series better than most of the fandom.

To conclude, I do not have one fave series that I post theories about, I have many, but I'd say that blogging about Kuroshitsuji is one of the most enjoyable experience I have on this site because, over the years, my blog has accumulated a lot of analyses (written by me for a good chunk of it or that I reblogged from other dedicated fans) that cover probably every aspect of the series and can be used to understand the themes, plot and characters of this series, as well as to try guessing what will happen next. It’s like a massive database of theories, very useful for the current arc and for the answers to come. :)

I hope that answers your question! Have a good weekend :))

[dubiousduskwight]

Day 21: Shade

“Look, I don’t know what you’re talking about,” Rorogino lied, leaning back in his chair in his new studio and hoping the Blades wouldn’t feel a need to check his back room. “Caravan ambushed on the road to Gridania. I get that. Wagon destroyed in a pit trap, lots of cargo lost, I get that. But a painting of a pit trap made it appear?” He folded his arms, rolled his eyes, and did everything he could to look disinterested while picturing what it would look like if an anvil fell on the guard’s head.

Wishing it to be so didn’t cause it to manifest, and the Blade remained resolute. “That is what the leader said when they tried to hawk the wares to one of our fences, yes,” she continued, looking about what Gino refused to call his atelier with the disinterested curiosity of the suspicious. “It does seem far-fetched.”

After having to leave his previous residence in a great hurry due to unforeseen circumstances involving his clientele, he hadn’t had time to unpack and really make the space his own, so it had the appearance of the residence of every young Sharlayan man living alone in the Studium dormitories for the first time: Bed and candles on the floor, crates to be unpacked later put haphazardly in corners, and care and attention in placement given only to his easel, worktable, and chair, which caught the light of the Horizon aetheryte through the window and cast a brilliant sparkle against his canvas at the start of the day. It helped motivate him when he needed to escape the consequences of his actions in haste.

“Well there you go,” he said, doing his best to repay disinterest in kind and putter about with his paints. He figured he could at least get his pallette and brush in hand if things went south. Pity if it did, the rent was cheaper out in Horizon even if it happened to be the one town in Thanalan with an honest contingent of Brass Blades. “Rubbish. I paint landscapes and portraiture for hire. You want somebody painted, come see me, but I don’t know about pits.”

“I did come see you, actually,” said the Blade, taking off her helmet and shaking out short, choppily-cut red hair. Gino didn’t recognize her, but he gathered this was supposed to make a point somehow. “At your old address. Surprised to find it had partially burnt, though. It was lucky that the landlord knew where your post was being forwarded.”

“Oh, yeah, yeah, that guy, I mean, he was good with the mail but he was bad at, you know, not starting fires in public and private places where he really shouldn’t just to watch them burn. No idea why he broke into my place to do it, just glad nobody was hurt.” The number of anvils he wanted to drop expanded. Curse Ma for demanding a forwarding address for her posts.

“Except for the three bodies found in the apartment, you mean.” She added this with a light tone, as if to be helpful.

“That could mean anything, for all we know those bodies were dead when they walked in, but I always knew the landlord started fires using weird ingredients. Guess thaumaturges have the right idea with all those fire spells, people burn well, you - “ There was a cough from the back room. Gino promptly doubled over in a longer, louder coughing fit. “Sorry, sorry, I’m just really broken up about it, lost a lot of supplies because of that whole thing. Put me way behind on my schedule.” “Well, we did at least identify one of the bodies,” said the Blade, ambulating in a menacing way around the crates in the corners. She hovered her hand over one of them, but never touched it. “Belonged to somebody in a cactuar fighting ring. Checked up on the kin, and they said he had also gone to you about a painting. Something to do with portraying, what was the word - “ She paused, as if to recall. “Septillion Needles? Something about prepping for an upcoming match and wanting an edge.”

Gino’s laughter was forced and shrill as he shrugged in exaggerated confusion. “What even is septillion? I can’t count that high.” He really couldn’t, and how he was supposed to fit that many tiny lines onto one cactuar drawing? It wasn’t his fault the guy didn’t like the no refunds policy. “Okay, listen, Officer, ah - “ “Sergeant Greaves,” she said, looking behind Rorogino to the door behind him. “What’s back there, anyway?” “The shitebucket, obviously. Sergeant Greaves. These are all weird coincidences, and look, yes, I can paint real well, if I say so myself. Yeah, some might call it ‘magic’.” He threw up quotes with his fingers and rolled his eyes again. “But I’m just providing a normal service, the kind of work the folks in Ul’dah deserve. I think if you checked my paintings, you’d see that.” He grabbed a cloth from his worktable and dabbed sweat from his forehead. “Hot as the hells out here. Thought it was cooler in the city, somehow. You familiar with that?”

“No, it’s just Thanalan. Hotter day than usual. You get used to it.” She gave Gino a level expression, her light blue eyes piercing. He would have painted that part of her, but not the rest. Probably composite it onto another model. “Well, I just had to follow up this lead,” she said, putting her helmet back on. “But if you do get anybody asking you to, I don’t know, use some strange iteration of a re-emerging magical art to commit some crimes against the Syndicate, just let us know.”

Keep it petty, don’t swive with the big money. The message was received. “You got it, Sergeant. Keep up the good work, love the eyes by the way, you seeing anyone?” He gave her no chance to answer as he hustled her to the door to his flat. He kept his eyes closed and ears open, waiting until he could no longer hear footsteps going down the stairs. Then he waited a ten count. He waited another ten.

Once he was sure she was actually gone, he stomped over to his bathroom door, forced it open, and started striking the occupant with the tip of his brush. “What was that? What was that cough?! You want to get us both busted? Worst godsdamn timing for a handoff, I swear if Thaliak ever lets me know you led her here then you’re going in the sketchbook, you hear me?!”

[hesitationss]

feels so lucky that we've been getting so many good shojo & non male-power-fantasy seinen. idk abt calling it josei since that's only used for *some* mags and mostly a western category because everyone needs to categorize things by "for girls" and "for boys" for some reason... when even shojo is not nearly as tropey as shonen... i remember reading a translated interview from a blog on here, where a lot of the early shojo mangakas were talking abt how shojo isn't a category/demographic per se, but an authentic/genuine/earnest exploration of the wild landscape of a young woman's experiences... and that was such a beautiful definition to me 🤧 not even shonen is for young men as earnestly except for certain lgbtq+ manga since it's just "standard". there really is such a huge difference between how cartoonists describe their work and how the "markets" do... anyways we are so lucky, i feel like there's been a resurgence of ppl w interesting stories and unique art styles getting published in the mainstream. it's nice, i hope things like skip & loafer, WHA atelier, dungeon meshi, girl's last tour, our dreams at dusk, etc. can get ppl to expand their ideas of demographic and genre rather than see a magazine is under 'seinen' marketing demographic and be like "gotcha this was made for adult men", and be open to more types of storytelling.