#most dramatically different from canon and would be real interesting..

[cabeswaterdrowned]

think I need to leave this part of the convo here, it needs to be recorded

(for context this is an au where Gansey’s engaged to some heiress to please his family)

[alargehunkofdebris]

Why There’ll Never Be Another Good Omens 2 Experience

The strangest thing happened after a few days post my watching of S2. I got a wave of real, bittersweet sadness.

Not due to the obvious – I was dealing with that too, but with more excitement than anything – but because I realized something, as a writer and consumer of media. I realized that it’s unlikely I’ll ever get a media experience close to what I experienced at the end of Good Omens 2. Because really, its setup was absolutely unparalleled – in general, and for myself personally.

I am currently writing my third romance, and what I’ve learned primarily about the genre, the way for it to really work, is that there needs to be something keeping the couple apart initially. The more things keeping the couple apart, the stronger the romance hits. The more the couple clashes with each other, the better it is. Societal norms, class issues, initial dislike, literal danger—all these aspects are what make a romance a story. It’s that conflict that creates the compelling narrative. No romance was ever popular because things worked out well from the beginning – it’s that “look at what we were, and look at us now” aspect that gives readers/watchers that satisfaction. It’s the “I can’t believe this happened” effect. The “I would never have foreseen this” effect. The “they’ll never be together” effect. It’s why forbidden romances are so incredibly popular.

Another aspect that makes a romance story really work well is the amount of time it takes for the romance to develop. A couple that gets together after a few days? Eh, it’s tricky. You better make it really dramatic somehow. A great example is Titanic – class differences, betrothal, and a huge amount of danger threatens this couple, so them being in love after only a few days works. But what really sells this one is because we can see how this romance has survived beyond those few days. We see it 80 years in the future, still there, in the memory of Rose. That is why it hits so hard. Romances that span over long periods of time (especially ones that are bittersweet/tragic) hit so much more than ones spanning a short period.

But wait! There’s more!

You can up this effect by not only having the romance take time in story…but having it take time in real life, for the viewer/reader.

This is why romances in TV shows that take years to finally work out are so compelling. It’s that “Pam and Jim” effect, that will-they-won’t-they deal. We are waiting right along with them, and we’re feeling that same relief when all those things keeping them apart finally fall away. This is harder to pull off, because there’s never that guarantee that the story will make it that far. TV shows get cancelled, creators lose interest or die, etc. So it’s not just “Will They, Won’t They,” it’s “Will They, Won’t They, Can They Even Try?”

This is also compounded by that fear that it won’t happen in-story after all, and while in romances you’re pretty positive that things work out (they kinda have to, for it to be labeled a “romance”) in other media, there’s always that possibility. Look at Community – there’s a forbidden/conflict-ridden romance that didn’t end up working out, even though it was “Will They, Won’t They”d for six entire seasons. You also then have shows and ships where fans are almost sure it won’t happen, but still hold out hope. (See: Supernatural, Sherlock, etc.)

Now. Now look at Good Omens. Look at that absolutely unparalleled, unbelievable set up. It’s unbelievable because it takes almost every single thing that makes a romance compelling, and not only uses all of them, but dials them up to 11.

Why are they at odds? Why are they forbidden from being together?

Because they are literally the most opposing forces you can imagine in Western Canon. They are the Angel Guarding The Gate and The Serpent of Eden. The literal only way you could’ve made this a bigger deal would’ve been to make it God and Satan, and even that would’ve not hit as hard, because it’d be like two CEOs getting together – there’s no fear of a higher power adding that delicious conflict. And to add to all this, in real life, the couple is portrayed as two men, which adds that second meta level of conflict.

And what fear/danger is keeping this couple apart?

Not just familial disappointment—but disappointment from God and Heaven and Hell. Not just moral guilt, but the guilt of potentially dooming the entire Earth. And finally, on top of that, the very real danger of being killed. Not only that, but making it as though you never even existed.

And in real life, they face all those roadblocks that queer couples in media have been battling for years and years, but I'll talk about that more in a second.

Okay, then Time. How long have they been kept apart?

For…all of it.

All of the time that ever existed.

They, quite literally, could not have been kept apart longer.

And this leads into those final two points, the ones that actually really sell it. Because I can sit down right now and write a story about an angel and a demon falling for each other at the beginning of time against all odds…but what I can’t do is to have already written it thirty-three years ago.

That’s how long this story has existed. Thirty. Three. Years.

I’m not even counting how this is using characters that have existed as opposing forces for thousands of years. I’m not even saying that, even though that’s also a part of it. But besides that, this story, this exact story started thirty-three years ago, and is still being continued by the author to this day.

Do you know how uncommon that is?

Yes, we have canon that has lasted for many, many years. Hundreds. We get new versions of beloved older stories ever year. But it’s so very rare that they are by the same creator. We get new Sherlock Holmes content, but it is not written by Arthur Conan Doyle. This, on the other hand, is actual canon content, written by the author of the original. That is unbelievably rare.

That means we’ve got a fandom where some people have grown up with these characters. People who read it at twenty are fifty-three. People who read it at fifty are eighty-three. Kids who saw their parents reading the book now have children of their own. It is a cult classic that has been in the hearts of so many people for generations. Me, personally, I fell in love with it ten years ago, at age twenty, at the very beginning of my own writing journey. This story means so much to people, because it’s stood that test of time.

And yet, this story was never explicitly romantic. So many saw it that way, but it was never something confirmed. Because this was a book from the 90s, at a time where this kind of romance just wasn’t in popular media if it wasn’t played as a joke. It was, back then, the same kind of “forbidden” as a romance between angel and demon. So people imagined, but they never expected anything more. And they’ve continued not expecting more, because even in the 2019 first season, there was never any true confirmation of anything, and people accepted it. You have a 33-year-old story here – it’s possible that this major change/confirmation could happen, but all things considered, it was unlikely. You would never blame the creator for not making major developments to a story they wrote with their late friend a lifetime ago. And no one in production was saying a word to confirm or deny, but we’ve seen all this before. It was a Will-They-Won’t-They…Probably-Not situation.

And then you have the end of S2.

And that's where that bittersweet sadness comes in for me, personally. Not at a huge level, not to the point where I'd have it any other way, but it's there regardless. Because I realized that this was a unique situation that could never be replicated, for me, and likely for many, especially readers of the book pre-show. In all likelihood, I would never again experience a romantic payoff like this one. Because it was the most forbidden of forbidden romances, the couple of which have been kept apart by the worst of all dangers and highest level of guilt for the longest amount of time literally possible, written over a real-life span of time where this kind of romance went from “completely taboo even in real life” to “finally acceptable in popular media,” written by the same creator, and not confirmed as canon until the story reached the age of Jesus Christ himself.

And the real kicker is, even after everything these two literally star-crossed lovers have gone through…they’re still being kept apart. They’ve still not taken down those final, seemingly insurmountable barriers between them. It wasn’t a “here you go 😊” move to make long-time fans happy – it’s being used as a perfect, painful plot point. After 33 years, we’re still having to wait longer.

Chef's kiss. Couldn’t have been a better set up if it was mathematically calculated. And yet, the best part is that it happened organically.

It just works.

[iamnmbr3]

Can we do multiples for this? If so, #8 and #12 for Drarry please 🥺👉🏻👈🏻

Sure!

8. Unpopular opinion about them

I am not a fan of drarry being depicted in canon universes as either 'cool masculine action hero harry'/'damsel in distress fragile draco' or 'sweet but kinda dumb and blundering harry'/'calm cool and collected ice prince draco' or 'enemies who still loathe and distrust each other postwar to very reluctant openly hostile allies to lovers.' All these dynamics are fine if you want to read/write them but the thing is...at least to me...they aren't drarry. And by reducing the characters to those dynamics you end up missing out on a lot of the nuance that makes the characters special and the ship interesting and you kinda flatten them into something pretty generic.

Contrary to popular fanon Harry is not dumb. He was supposed to be in Slytherin for a reason. He's very clever and observant and resourceful. And while he can be very kind and compassionate he also can be deadly when he needs to be and has a real temper that many people, even those close to him (though interestingly not Draco), can find intimidating at times. Draco also is a very good Occlumens and definitely matures a lot, but he's also not someone who is innately cold and dignified, much as he might wish to be. He's hot and firey and emotional too - just like Harry - but presents that in different ways. And yes in later books Draco often overcomes and masters his fears and emotions - because he has to - but it's not easy for him, and sometimes it all comes bursting out. And that makes him interesting and complex and human.

However Draco is also not a fragile damsel in distress. By the end of the series he is no longer the sheltered boy who once dramatically claimed to be "dying" because Buckbeak scratched him. He's been branded with the Dark Mark, been tortured by Voldemort himself, and used Unforgivables on others in turn - even if under duress. He's had to survive living with Voldemort and his followers in his house while he and his family were out of favor and virtually defenseless. He showed himself to be far more clever and resourceful than many would have given him credit for during book 6. In book 7 despite knowing intimately the terrible fate he was likely condemning himself and his family to if Harry & Co escaped, he didn't reveal the fact that he saw Ron & Harry had freed themselves from their bonds in the cell and didn't identify Harry and his friends, which bought them the time they needed to get away. He also held his own in a duel against Harry - who is extremely skilled - due to his quick reflexes, powerful magic, and strong ability to use nonverbal spells. Draco is tough and powerful in his own right, especially after the war and wouldn't just collapse into frightened hysterics at the slightest danger or find himself unable to fend off an angry group of younger students during 8th year.

He and Harry are equals and foils and parallels and opposites all at once. That's what makes their dynamic so interesting. They can stand up to each other and they never are afraid of each other - even when logic says they should be - and their skills and abilities and temperaments are extremely complimentary.

Also I love a good 'toxic dark bitterest of foes to lovers' fic but again, that doesn't feel like postwar drarry. They couldn't bring themselves to hate each other at the height of the war. Harry spent most of book 7 worrying about Draco. Draco risked everything for Harry at the Manor. They're not going to suddenly start a bitter feud after all the pressures pitting them against each other are gone. Postwar Draco would feel guilt and regret over his actions. And Harry, who lied for Draco after the Astronomy Tower Incident in book 6, is unlikely to suddenly decide he's angry Draco didn't end up in Azkaban. (Which is not to say he might not be suspicious of or curious about Draco's activities - but it wouldn't come from a place of hatred or openly vicious aggression.)

What's so fascinating and unique about this ship is that for all they are rivals and later enemies on the opposite sides of a war they don't hate and distrust each other the way you'd expect. Yes there's enmity and hostility. Yes they have to fight each other sometimes. But they also understand each other so deeply. And whenever one of them is actually in danger they always, always save each other.

It is this complex and contradictory relationship that makes them so interesting to me. And so unique compared to a lot of other ships and ship dynamics.

(I also wrote about an unpopular opinion for Draco here.)

12. Crack headcanon

There was a 7 year long 'will they or won't they' betting pool among an ever widening circle of students traumatized by having been subjected to their shenanigans.

Send me a character/ship from any fandom and a number.

[mari-lair]

Let's talk about Natsukane, my favorite rarepair. They barely have anything in canon, so this will be less of an analysis and more of me going disproportionately insane about a ship between two characters with no screen time together. Buckle up.

To start: They are opposite sides of the same coin.

During an official quiz to see what character best matches your personality (full quiz here) Akane and Natsuhiko's results are side by side, following the same path, so they have a lot in common.

Both are the extroverted and passionate kind of people who confess first, both like to exercise, and both have secrets, only differing on the question "Are you stubborn?" which makes sense, since Natsuhiko is usually pretty laidback while Akane is stubbornness incarnated.

Despite all these similarities, the results and 'advice' for each result are very different.

Akane is "Do your best to help your loved ones. Life can be unfair, but keep working hard." vs Natsuhiko's "People trust you. Make connections, they will help you in the future."

Give and take.

Akane is selfless to the point of concern for his loved ones, putting other needs above his own. Take Aoi for exemple: He wants a lot from Aoi, her attention, her love, her hand in marriage, but above it all, he wants her to be happy, always doing what he believes she will appreciate even when he personally doesn't enjoy it, cause if she is happy, so is he.

Aoi drives this impulsive and passionate boy crazy, but when Akane learns that she likes him back, and their kiss gets interupted, the only thing he demands of her is for Aoi to be in his life. His priority is for her to feel loved and safe, not to be her boyfriend.

Natsuhiko is also extremely down bad, but he is more selfish: Most of what he does has the goal to steal Sakura's heart, and he approaches her doing things that he likes (love songs, dramatic film-like dates, etc) not things that Sakura has personally ever shown any interest in. I don't think he even realizes he does that because Natsuhiko genuinely values Sakura and is in awe of her, we see him doing whatever she asks, we see him make tea for her, ask Mei to fix her elephant cup, be willing to 'become a woman' when Sakura gets a male body, and shows his devotion to her many times.

He genuinely pays attention to her. He is trying his best.

We don't have much to work with Natsu and Sakura, so this is more speculation, but it feels like he expects to be loved back, becoming more selfish when he is particularly desperate: Like trying to touch her whenever he can even after being consistently reprimanded for it, and going as far as to try to give Sakura a love potion that would force her to love him back for a day, prioritizing being loved.

Akane is old-fashioned when it comes to love, he'll date expecting it to end in marriage and push away all else, being open about his affection and lack of interest alike. A relationship is a lifelong commitment to Akane, no fooling around!

Natsuhiko also takes romance seriously, but he is no loverboy, he is a playboy.

We don't know if he ever dated or kissed a girl before Sakura, but we do know his love for Sakura doesn't stop him from flirting around. He was even down to kiss Nene for no real reason besides 'cute girl', claiming that being hit is a normal reaction, so he tried to kiss more people before (I'm assuming Sakura is the one rejecting his kisses, but there could be other cute girls he tried to kiss before, who knows?)

Akane doesn't like that.

One of the few times they are in the same panel shows Natsuhiko basking in the attention of many girls while Akane looks done with him.

I am pretty sure Akane has not seen Natsuhiko before this point, so Akane took one look at him and went 'the vibes are off, fuck this guy'. Meanwhile, I doubt Natsuhiko spared Akane any thought, he doesn't care about Akane as a person.

Natsuhiko is a friendly guy but he is detached from his peers, he can find charm in people easily and discards them just as easily: Wanting to kiss Nene, going 'oh well' about her lifespan. Doting on Mitsuba, hurting him when Mitsuba still had no Yorishiro. Not hanging out with anyone from his class, or mentioning a family. He is so detached from people, and supernaturals alike, that he is fine with destroying the world for Sakura.

Meanwhile, Akane judges people easily and grows attached to them just as easily. Reprimanding Nene for being too soft on Hanako, but consistently helping her out, and showing care for her. Forgiving Teru's consistent bullying after he is helped and even growing a reluctant fondness for the clock keepers that ruined his life.

Akane is described as a good person by his peers, and Natsuhiko is a self-proclaimed bad guy. Akane has a belief human lives are fragile and precious ever since he was 12 and nearly lost Aoi during his orientation day. Natsuhiko can't die, and he doesn't care when people die.

They are on opposite sides in every sense of the word but they have a lot in common.

Both are seem as easy to take advantage of: predictable fools who love their crush, but they are smart people who can read others well, and know how to weaponize what they have available.

They haven't interacted with each other all that much so they seem to have this 'predictable fool' view of each other too. Or at least, Natsuhiko does.

Both have brown/red hair.

Both have no self-preservation, and easily forgive or brush off when others physically hurt them. They don't fear death.

They are shields, the guards.

Both are pawns of someone else, Akane's boss is the clock keepers and Natsuhiko's is Sakura, their goals come second to their boss's orders most of the time. They have no interest in each other personally but they work for supernaturals whose main obstacle are each other.

I doubt they'll have more interactions, but what we have is enough to have fun.

The broadcasting club clearly considers Akane the weak link of the clock keepers, so imagine Natsuhiko was tasked to get Akane's trust, coach him into destroying the yorishiro, playing the long game, similar to how he and Sakura were chill waiting for Mitsuba to find a Yorishiro.

Akane is the most stubborn of the two, and he sees Natsuhiko as untrustworthy, so I can't see him falling for his 'reliable and kind senpai✨' charade, but I can see him being arrogant enough to fall for the 'this guy is a dumbass' vibe Natsuhiko emanates in waves. Akane has the disadvantage of caring too much too fast, people show him kindness and he is unconsciously inclined to reply in kind, people are insensitive to others and he gets angry, so he isn't that hard to approach or drag around if you learn to ignore his complaints. They can have a lot of 'bonding time' regardless if Akane actually vibes with him.

I think Natsuhiko would have a detached respect for Akane. Cause while Natsuhiko isn't a kind person, I do believe he appreciates kindness.

Take Mitsuba's surprise party for example: The party was clearly Sakura's idea. Natsuhiko is more interested in pleasing Sakura throught it than in cheering up Mitsuba, using the party planning as a way to bond and celebrate with Sakura.

But despite having no blush, no comment, no spark in his eyes when he looks at Mitsuba being happy, he does seem to feel a hint of something that makes him ask Tsukasa to chill.

So kindness is possible it simply doesn't come easy for him, is not something that has a big sway on his decision. He likes being a bastard way more, look at how happy he is to do Sakura's evil schemes!

So Akane would be a pain in the ass for him. Maybe even pluzzling but mostly an annoyance that's prone to getting violent when Natsuhiko says 'the wrong thing', be it verbal violence or a punch in the face.

And Natsuhiko would absolutely say the wrong thing.

He is a decent liar, very disarming, and hard to read. But he is also careless, he may be able to make someone like Kou lower his guard even when the young exorcist's instincts go "You are sooo suspicious" but Akane isn't dismissive of these things. (compare how Kou was able to dismiss Hanako's murder after seeing the ghost do a good deed in chapter 9 while Akane still eyes Hanako harshly to this day)

Will Natsuhiko put effort into looking like he is Akane's buddy? Will he take him on friendly hang-outs at the broadcasting club? Yes. Will he stop being dismissive about other people? Will he stop flirting with many girls? No. Even if Natsuhiko gets swept by Akane's passion and genuinely tries to help, like offering Akane a love potion so he can 'get' Aoi or taking him to have a 'glow up' in the mall, it wouldn't work, cause their approach is too different. Who he is and the 'kind and reliable senpai' image he wants to sell clash.

So we have a lack of trust that doesn't go away, for every nice thing Natsu shows, he has an equally bad trait. Either Akane doesn't drop the 'yo you suck' attitude or he finds himself relaxing, only to be slapped in the face the next day at the reminder Natsuhiko may be able to disarm him with idol songs, bad love advice, asking Akane for his assistance, but he is still not a good person.

Speaking of disarming, here is a tiny tangent: Natsuhiko is the only character who gets a comment on how he smells, not even Ao-chan and Teru, who are complemented in every way possible get comments on their smell. This means Natsuhiko must either wear supernatural perfume or have a natural smell that attracts supernaturals.

And I do think it's only supernaturals that he attracts since cats, who are heavily associated with yokai in Japan, love Natsuhiko, and Tsukasa says he smells 'yummy'.

Plus when he is walking with Nene, a delicious Kannagi, every monster has its eyes on Natsuhiko. They want to bite him, not Nene.

Assuming any supernatural finds his smell appealing, it would confuse Akane to think Natsuhiko smells real nice when no one else does, cause he hates the guy? What do you mean he is not wearing a strong fancy perfume and only Akane thinks he smells nice? What is going on? If he directly asks wtf is Natsuhiko's problem, he would not be helpful "Another victim, fallen for my irresistible wise senpai charm-"

They are a walking headache to each other.

The plan to get Akane's trust won't work in the end, no matter how much information on supernaturals Natsuhiko shares, or how many tea parties they attend to, so the inevitable betrayal would end in violence. Threaten Aoi, create a trap, make Akane be in serious danger so the other keepers are forced to show up and save him.

Perhaps, when Akane is dying and Natsuhiko looks down as he bleeds and resists and fights he realizes he does feel something more than apathy and frustration for Akane. But alas, it is not worth figuring out if is respect, admiration, care, or whatever, it's a bother regardless but still worthless since it would always end like this.

Now, let's slap a crush into this mess.

Natsuhiko's type is calm and quiet, harsh on the outside and kind on the inside. A beauty that feels unapproachable.

Which is both the complete opposite of Akane (Akane is loud and stressed 24/7) and spot on (Akane is harsh in his bluntness but kind at heart + he is a popular boy that others naturally orbit towards)

Natsuhiko getting a little crush on Akane would be a nightmare because he would not notice he has a crush. He has a strong belief boys can't like other boys, needing to 'become a girl' to excuse still having feelings for Sakura after she gets a male body.

So he wouldn't notice whatever positive feeling he got is a crush, but he would still be unbearable. Probably call him Akane-chan cause that's a feminine name. Cute.

Akane wants him dead and it has nothing to do with his bad guy vibes, it's mostly cause Natsuhiko flirts a lot. He insists it's nothing but he got that flirty vibe that is very punchable, like calling him 'kitten' and adding 'no homo' if Akane bluntly rejects him. Respecting his space when Akane is on edge but trying to test his luck and be touchy the second Akane shows any signs of lowering his guard, casual bro stuff like noggies. He will need a character arc cause Akane is sure he is either unbearable by nature or his ulterior motive is to go on a few dates with him and discard him after ike the playboy Natsuhiko is. He doesn't take his 'fondness' seriously at all but being harsh is pretty attractive to Natsuhiko, makes the rare signs that Akane cares appear all the more soft.

Imagine Akane saving Natsuhiko in a panic when he 'sacrifices' himself to a big beast (akane doesn't accept others pulling the 'I will die for you' card on him, not even other supernaturals), only to kick Natsuhiko back into danger the second this immortal and sturdy guy starts to swoon about how "Akane-chan is so kind, worried about me <3 " . That's the vibe.

Natsuhiko pays more attention and is more influenced by the people he like, so he would actually make an effort to figure out why Akane is so hardworking, and tries to be kind, to do little things to help him, which serves to confuse Akane but make him a bit more willing to accept his company. They are still a headache to each other but there is care, and way more confusion involved, since Natsuhiko may have to experience a lot of trial and error but his attempts to get closer to Akane and make him happy are genuine. Akane is way more indulgent than Sakura, so while he won't drink any suspicious love potion and things of sorts, he can be dragged to Karaoke and easily manipulated with a pathetic 'Akane-chan, I need your help pls :(' cause he has a helping complex. (Unless is after he catches Natsuhiko doing something morally reprehensible, in that case, Akane will not tolerate even breathing the same air as him and go full judgement more.)

Akane doesn't know how his life has been spiraling but he blames Natsuhiko.

Their difference in morals will always be cause for complications, but if it's in a canon universe it's worse, cause Natsuhiko will have to betray Akane, and hurt this strange new love that keeps him at arm's length but has shown signs of believing he can be 'less of an asshole' becomes an actual dilemma. Something he isn't used to.

Akane being the one to fall in love would be a completely different vibe, easier to imagine in a messier part of his life, when the clock keepers contract is still new and everything is more confusing, maybe he hasn't figured out that the accident with Aoi was staged to recruit him, so he isn't as wary and hateful of the supernatural world yet, relieved to see another fellow human familiar with supernaturals, since Teru is someone worthy of respect but still very violent and closed off.

Akane would also have a crisis and push aside the idea of being intrigued by this strange upperclassman, who smells nice and hides many secrets, cause the idea of falling for someone who isn't Aoi will destroy him. He is extremely stubborn and loyal. He will snuff the crush out by force, avoid him at all costs, be more susceptible to manipulation, althought not noticibly at first..

What if Aoi doesn't exist, what if is just Natsu?

Then he can be openly devoted, and the appeal is to ask the question "What would happen if Akane fell in love with a bad person?" How much is he willing to forgive, and change himself. What made him fall in love? What is a line he can't cross (ex murder) and how does he deal with Natsuhiko crossing it?

Akane is selfless and prioritizes making him happy, so Natsuhiko would feel kind of bad. He is so used to being ignored, that he says whatever, and being treated with respect or awe is so out of the norm?? He does have a conscience.

Natsuhiko admires love, and it is convenient that Akane will sacrifice his happiness for him and ask for nothing in return, but it leaves a heavy vibe you know? Like, it's cute that he'll blush if he casually puts his arm around Akane's shoulders and drags him close, as he does with his kouhais, but Natsuhiko is not a fan of the soft longing stares. He will make him do tasks though, if Akane is so happy to help, he can buy him sodas and sing his praises.

Let's light up a bit with simple mutual pining, no other crushes, no supernaturals.

They are both too bold and hopeless for pining, a confession happens one week during this scenario and any issue is solved with the power of love. Natsuhiko is having a crisis about liking a boy? No worries, Akane is more than comfortable with cross-dressing, I will never get over how he got offended they didn't let him crossdress if it would let him stay by Aoi's side in a volume cover, and Natsuhiko is easily swayed, this much devotion would make him accept Akane with or without a skirt. Is hopeless romantic to hopeless romantic communication.

As an established couple they are unbearable. They call each other "my boyfriend <3" and giggle about it like losers, and every daydream Natsuhiko has become true. Does Natsu want to be missed? Akane will mention how he wishes they lived together and how he longs for him in class and if asked he will write a song about how much he loves him. Does he like romantic dates? After taking Akane to three of those, Akane is already the one surprising him by preparing a candlelight dinner. Any gifts they give each other are well taken care of. There are hearts permanently floating by their head. Outsiders are horrified.

Natsuhiko wanted so bad to be the knight in shining armor, the reliable senpai, but Akane was built to be a worrier who doesn't vibe with asking for help, he is the one taking care of Natsu 90% of the time.

Imagine Natsuhiko daydreaming of having Akane run into his arms scared of an approaching storm, only to be startled by thunder and instinctively jump into Akane's already extended arms. That's the vibe.

Akane would find it cute too.

Marriage may scare Natsuhiko, or at the very least make him uncomfortable, a forever is a bit reckless right? Let's just enjoy the moment, haha. So Akane drops the proposals, but he still daydreams about it. His fear of marriage can make Akane possessive when Natsuhiko winks at any cute girl, but he knows Natsuhiko has fun with it, and that he loves Akane the most, so he is very forgiving.

Bonus: Their height difference is pretty nice. Natsu is a full stair step taller than Akane.

[mod-jazzy]

I was asked so! Here are my silly lil prompts for my personal month challenge thing!!!

NOTE: This is not a official thing or what have you, I was just asked to share the prompts for my lil self challenge, so I am! This is my own personal little challenge because I've had these prompts since 2019 and I want to use them

I'll put under a readmore because it is... like. 30 things lmao

Day 1: First Askblog OC The first blog OC you made! Day 2: Most recent askblog OC Can be a side or main character, just the most recent OC you've made for a blog! Day 3: The Modsona Draw your modsona! Self love n all that Day 4: Redraw a silly/funny askblog panel Find a old silly/funny or shitpost panel from one of your blogs and redraw it! Day 5: Evolution scene Draw your OC evolving! Can be past event, future event or something that already happened for a silly redraw! Day 6: Blog Swap Draw one of your blog OCs as a character on one of your other blogs! If don't have more than one blog, switch up their role with someone else on your current blog! Day 7: Favoritism wins Draw your absolute favorite OC from your blog! Indulge a little Day 8: "Nothing bad happens" What would your OC look like if their plot had nothing bad happen Day 9: Redraw a sad panel Redraw a old sad panel! Last prompt was too cheery, redraw that angst with your updated abilities! Day 10: Favorite Magic Anon Blast from the past, relive that glorious magic anon Day 11: Easiest OC to draw Draw that easy fellow, relax a little! Day 12: Difficult OC to draw Back on that grind, draw that one guy who is the absolute most difficult for you!! Day 13: Redraw your least favorite panel We all have that one panel that just, didn't come out right. Try again! Maybe it'll be nice to see your improvement.. or maybe you'll hate it again. Anyways, chop chop Day 14: Injury Draw that dramatic/important injury your character went through. Past, present or future! Day 15: Beach episode What it says on the tin, we love a filler episode. Can be plot relevant but hey, they deserve to relax too Day 16: Favorite blog Draw some fan art for your favorite blogger! Whether they are a friend, inspiration or what have you! Extra challenge: redraw some old fan art you did for them Day 17: Plot Changer That one moment... the thing that made everything twist. That really hit a hard turn in your storyline! Can be past, present or possible future! Day 18: Scrapped Idea What was that scrapped concept again? Or was it a character.. or even something as silly as a slight design change? Day 19: What's a God to a Blogger Most of us have that one god. That one important guy in the sky... or the ocean.. or under a truck... man pokemon is weird. Day 20: Canon Compliant Stylization is so interesting and unique!... but strip that away. Be close to pokemon canon. Day 21: Shiny Beam A easy one... make that little guy shiny!!... Oh they are already shiny?... well then undo that. Silly. Day 22: Dream interaction What's a interaction with your characters that you would really love to see or are excited for? Can be within your own storyline or a interaction with someone else Day 23: Real World Sighting Draw your OC(s) in a real life photo! Bonus points if its a photo you took. Take this chance to go for a nice walk and take some pretty pictures!.... touch grass. Day 24: A spoiler that.. wouldn't make sense to others That's right. Be vague. Spoil a little bit in the most vague manner. It's always fun to see others speculate. Day 25: In blog ship Draw your favorite ship within your own blog! Friendship/romantic ship/hate ship... Just whatever one makes you smile Day 26: Out of blog ship Same prompt as 25.. But with your OC and someone ELSE'S! again, friendship/romantic ship/etc etc! Day 27: Different Art Medium! That's right. Draw/sculpt/etc your OC in a different art medium than normal. This will either be fun or horrifying for you Day 28: The Inspiration VS the OC Draw your OC with their inspiration! Can be the storyline that inspired them... or the character that desired them! Etc etc Day 29: Song drawing Yeah that's right. Draw your OC/Blog with the song that you associate them with! As a treat Day 30: Redraw first blog post / Thank you Cliche ending alert!! Redraw your first ever askblog panel you have ever made. Not the first post on a more recent blog.. no. THE FIRST ONE. EVER. Or be corny and draw a heartfelt thank you to all of your friends and followers you made Or hell.. maybe even both

[thearcanawearcrocs]

As a poly person myself I find the potential dynamics of an mc who is dating two or more of the main 6 fascinating so I’ve decided to rank them. For simplicity’s sake I’ve decided to only do the dynamic of an mc dating two of the main 6 for now but I’m happy to make more later if people are interested

Asra and Nadia

Interesting but I see them more as friends

I think they would both be eager to provide mc with anything they could possibly want

Nadia clearly values Asra’s opinion and they have a mutual respect and friendship

I think they could pretty easily share mc

4/10

Asra and Julian

These two have a lot of history together

I think it would be fascinating to watch them rekindle their old relationship but this time with more healthy and open communication and under better circumstances

Julian and Asra bonding as two people who have given everything to keep you alive/bring you back

Overall I really enjoy this one

Lots of potential for angst

9/10

Asra and Muriel

Childhood besties who only have each other for so long and now they are both dating the same person? Absolutely

I love the idea of mc dating both of them

It makes a lot of sense for them to become a triad

I think it would be a very positive experience for everyone involved

10/10

Asra and Portia

This would be fun but I personally don’t see a lot of romance coming with it

Asra and Portia would be adventure buddies and drag mc across the earth to show them the world

I think Faust and Pepi would get along

3/10

Asra and Lucio

Now this is fascinating to me

These two do not like each other at all in canon and have had almost no positive interactions

However I find the idea of them strangely compelling

I think it a world where mc chose Lucio it would be neat to watch Asra struggle to put aside his own feelings about Lucio to keep his apprentice close

It would get messy but honestly that’s part of what makes it interesting

7/10

Nadia and Julian

Another one that I think would come fairly easily

Nadia and Julian have chemistry in canon and I don’t think either one of them would object to mc also being in the mix

As countess Nadia can afford to take care of two partners

5/10

Nadia and Muriel

This one’s cute

Nadia who lives to shower her loved ones in gifts and luxury vs Muriel who struggles to believe he deserves basic comfort

You can’t tell me Nadia wouldn’t love to slip away into the woods from time to time to get away from the stress of her work

Also Nadia proving herself to be nothing like Lucio as a leader and taking steps to correct the issues in the city that hurt Muriel most

9/10

Nadia and Portia

I mean yeah absolutely

The two of them already fall in love in routes where mc doesn’t choose either of them so why wouldn’t they also fall in love in a route where mc did?

The trust and affection they already have for one another would be a pretty solid foundation to add mc to

10/10

Nadia and Lucio

I mean they were once married

Nadia would hold Lucio to his word and encourage his efforts to make amends for what he’s done wrong

I think she is one of the main 6 who would be able to forgive him fully with enough time and if she saw him putting in real effort

I also love the idea of her knowing Lucio the way he was before dying and being able to truly see and appreciate the difference

Lucio seems to harbor no real ill will towards Nadia either and I think they could make peace with one another

7/10

Julian and Muriel

The loudest most dramatic man you know breaks down the door of the most introverted quiet guy in existence

This can only end well

I think that they honestly would end up getting along but it would take a while

They would balance each other out in some respects

I think they would also eventually bond over trauma. They both lost their families at a young age, were both hurt by Lucio and have permanent physical marks of that trauma, and both struggle to see themselves as worthy of good things

If they don’t kill each other in the first month I think they could be great together

8/10

Julian and Portia

I mean they’re siblings so

I guess mc could just be dating both separately but that still feels weird to me

0/10

Julian and Lucio

I love these two together a lot

Julian “I only consider others and never myself” devorak meets Lucio “I only consider myself and not others” morgasson

It would be so incredibly messy

They will absolutely hurt one another but I think they may also help one another grow a great deal

They are both very dramatic and passionate and would play off one another well

10/10

Muriel and Portia

This is cute

I think Portia would be incredibly understanding

Her constant optimism and belief in those around her would be very good for Muriel I think

Also they are both animal lovers which is important

7/10

Muriel and Lucio

Oh god no

I don’t think Muriel ever could (or really ever should) forgive Lucio for what he’s done to him

I love Lucio but what he did to Muriel is beyond fucked and I truly could not see the two of them ever being able to be so much a friends

Could be an interesting dynamic to play with in a dark fic though

1/10

Portia and Lucio

Lucio would be like her silly little guy

I think Portia would be fine with having him around

Lucio would think she was a lot of fun

Portia is the character who was hurt by lucio the least and so I believe she would be one of the first to be able to forgive him

6/10

[the-overanalyzer]

Got another one for you. Ok so you're very old and know you have to retire in a few years, five years tops. You've finally climbed up the ladder at DC and are offered to have complete authority over any one character for the rest of your career. What you say goes. You get to define how that character can be used in other books too. BUT you know that for any beloved other characters you bring in for teamups or as supporting cast, you won't be able to make any significant changes or improvements to their characterization, stories, etc without their writers or editors calling foul. You'll never get to switch to a different project. Which character do you choose to write for?

...you're going right for the throat, I see.

The easiest answer would be to pick someone obscure, who doesn't have much a of a supporting cast of their own. One of the alien Green Lanterns maybe. But that's really simple, and therefore no fun, is it? So...

In thirty years, Cassie Sandsmark has never had an ongoing solo title to call her own, and if I've got carte blanche to right one wrong in this unjust and uncaring world, it's goddamn gonna be this one.

She has so much potential to carry a series! She's a powerhouse, she's a leader, she's even a bit of a detective. Her relation to the gods offers any number of dramatic possibilities, and she's got well-established ties to almost every major Earth-based superhero family. She's got a juicy set of character flaws (overconfidence, short temper, just a touch self-centered, all the classic Greek Hero shortcomings). She can absolutely carry a title, and it drives me insane that the most she's ever gotten to headline is a Countdown tie-in miniseries of all things (god, it always comes back to Countdown in the end, doesn't it?)

First order of business: A new name. I'm fond of "Olympiad" myself. If DC gave half a crap about their third-gen legacy characters, she'd have stopped being Wonder Girl when Yara showed up and they insisted on calling her that. Wonder Woman writers have only very inconsistently wanted to use her in a sidekick role since Byrne left anyway, might as well formally graduate her out and free the slot up for the next poor underutilized soul.

Secondly: Establish a niche. Cassie can do the same superhero stuff Diana can, but Diana's role in the DCU is too much that of the outsider for born-and-raised American Cassie to really emulate, and she's not really a diplomat regardless. I'm not sure exactly what that would look like, but you could easily lean into that Greek Hero archetype and make her, more or less, a DnD-style Professional Adventurer.

Third: Love interest! By which I mean "CissieCassie is now canon, and oh boy is it a trainwreck". At this point in their lives, there's absolutely no way it would go well, and I fully intend to play that for all it's worth. There's a slight chance the Green Arrow office might be using Cissie at the time, but frankly, any Green Arrow creative team worth their salt would be down for some messy dyke drama, we'll work something out.

As far as secondary cast goes, Cassie's only real consistent supporting character is her mother. Her relationships with her closest friends (i.e. the rest of YJ) are all well defined, and it's not like they need development in her book. There are some more obscure Wonderfam characters you can use that are unlikely to cause conflicts with other writers. Ares has quite a few kids running around that could offer up some interesting dynamics. I'd love to bring back Lyta Milton, or maybe one of the creepy little crow boys from Gail Simone's run. She's got the Steph problem of not many villains specific to her, but there's a deep well of mythological monsters to draw from both directly and as inspiration (the Percy Jackson method, if you will).

So yeah. That's my dictatorial agenda. Justice for Cassie 2k-for-fucking-ever.

[obsidianpen]

Hiiii !

I’m attempting to start writing a fanfic for the first time and I was just wondering if you had any advice in actually finding a starting point to write from. And honestly anything other advice you think would help. I really love your writing style and fics so it would be extremely helpful.

hm interesting question! Where to start a fic. I like to sometimes write a prologue or first chapter from a different persons perspective (usually Snape’s for some reason hah) to set the scene, but not always. I suppose it depends what kind of fic you’re writing. A completely different AU that barely resembles the canon? I’d pick a real dramatic moment probably. Something crazy intense to suck people into your new world. Like, if it’s a uhhhhhh super hero AU (thinking about the Boys a lot lately sorry) write the opening scene where main character hero Harry royally fucks up and the person he’s trying to save dies horrifically for the first time in his career (he’s the youngest super hero in a century ya know and he can fly) because of mysterious, yet to be explained in future chapters things. If it’s a canon divergent fic, start at the exact moment you break from canon and go from there. These are probably super basic answers but it’s all I got!

other advice…. Mm… I’d say make a plan but I almost never make a plan, usually the plan and I find each other along the way, but it sure is helpful to have a destination in mind when you’re writing. Outlines are really helpful for most normal people. I should try that sometime.

Do things like take long walks while listening to music and daydreaming about your fic. That’s usually when I come up with the best plot twist ideas (is that the plan? Might be).

[sav-less]

🌀 OC - Ella Collins

✦ Full Name: Ella Persephone Collins (she/her/hers)

✦ House: Ravenclaw

✦ Birthday: March 13, 1874

✦ Personality: Curious, ambitious, stubborn, intelligent, competitive, empathetic, witty, sarcastic, reserved unless she’s close with you.

✦ Wand: Cherry wood, Dragon Heartstring core, thirteen inches, unyielding

✦ Blood Status: Muggle-Born Witch

✦ Special Powers: Ancient Magic (studying areas like pain desensitization and memory manipulation)

✦ Areas of Interest: Ancient Magic, Magical Theory, Defense Against the Dark Arts, Ancient Runes, History of Magic

✦ Dislikes: Potions (because why are they that serious)

✦ Patronus: King Cobra

✦ Friendships: Canon compliant friendships, though she’d consider her best friend to be Natty.

✦ Partner(s): It takes them literal years to get it right, because they’re too similar and therefore need to grow independently, but it’s Sebastian. Time and time again, it’s Sebastian.

✦ Family: She knows her mom, but was raised in an orphanage until Hogwarts took her in (more in Lore). Father is unknown.

✦ Favorite Professors: After Professor Fig passed, she grew close with Professor Hecat. She goes to see her at least once a day, even if she doesn’t have her class that day. She’s a huge mentor for her. Honorable mention is Professor Sharp, who teaches her least favorite subject but is unfortunately VERY funny to her.

✦ Overall features are dark brown hair, dark brown eyes, and neutral undertones. In the summertime, her hair grows hues of burgundy and her eyes turn light like caramel. Her skin appears more olive than fair, matching her mother’s.

✦ Her hair is straight most of the time, but it curls dramatically in the heat and humidity. She typically wears it down, or messily in a pony tail. She rarely does anything else, even as complicated as a braid, unless it’s a special event.

✦ She has a birthmark on the inside of her left arm, small, almost shaped like the wing of a butterfly. Across her body are small moles that mirror Ominis’s. She has a scar on the side of her right thigh from an Ashwinder fight.

✦ Ella’s mom was young, and struggled with different mental health disorders that weren’t treated properly given the time. As soon as Ella was born, she was taken to the nearest orphanage and her mother was admitted to a public mental institution. Her mother is a Muggle. She left Ella a letter to read for when she was older, explaining as much as she could about her condition and background. By the time Ella was old enough to read the letter and track down her mother, her mental state had completely deteriorated— she didn’t even remember she had a child.

✦ Her mother never told her anything about her biological father. And when she asked in person, all her mother could remember was that he was a ‘powerful man’. This leads her to believe he may have been a Wizard, but she’ll never be certain. Because she grew up a Muggle, unaware of the wizarding world, she’s always considered herself Muggle-born.

✦ She had always been able to feel her magic, but she didn’t know it was magic. She thought she was losing her mind, the way her mother did. So she never told anyone as she was afraid of getting sent away. And then she got her letter from Hogwarts. For days, she thought she was imagining it.

✦ Because she didn’t have many— or any, really— healthy relationships growing up, she was terrified of how quickly she grew attached to so many people. Natsai, Sebastian, Poppy, Ominis. Until the end of her 7th Year, she was positive she would lose it all if she so much as blinked.

✦ It didn’t help that she was growing attached while also fighting a Goblin Rebellion and the Ashwinders. Every day she left the castle knowing she may not come back. And then she lost Professor Fig, and her fears were cemented. She’d die for the people she loves, she’s fiercely protective of them, but in the end— she knows it’s always a real possibility that she’ll end up alone. No matter what she does.

✦ Falling in love was the worst. She never expected it, and so she couldn’t prepare for it. And Sebastian was all in immediately— never shying away from his feelings for her— he was passionate, intense, unconditional. She denied her feelings for a long time, and it was messy— knowing how they are— but it eventually came together when they realized how exhausting it was to simply be apart.

✦ Per that one website, characters closely similar to Ella are: Lena Luthor, Natasha Romanoff, Elizabeth Swann, Hermione Granger

✦ She is INFJ-T

✦ She was born at 3:03am. She’s a Pisces Sun, Capricorn Moon and Rising.

✦ She eventually goes on to research other forms of Ancient Magic across the globe, before returning to Hogwarts to teach Magical Theory and write papers on how archaic magic can improve society. (She thinks the Keepers are full of shit— and Isidora deserved better.)

[zizz-asdf-re-r-o-u]

blade's teeth + rei & blade

ok extremely weird thought time. why does blade have shark teeth?

real answer: the devs thought it looked cool and it was a way to distinguish him from Dramatical Murder's Clear.

LOOOOORE answer: he was created as an assassin automaton and every part of his body was utilized as a weapon. He doesn't need to eat food anyways and shark teeth probably aren't optimized for eating most human food. So a jaw full of triangle shaped fangs was probably for killing and/or threatening. Like c'mon, if Blade wasn't so cute, that'd be a slasher smile.

Bonus thoughts:

Does Blade have a hard time eating the human stuff he eats?

He can dislocate (and remove) his limbs- can he dislocate his jaw too? (We've gotten 2 mentions of Rei moving Blade's limbs in weird ways.... we need an in depth scene with Rei & Blade one day)

Would Blade pronounce things differently due to different teeth shape? His voice actor pronounces things normally (well as "normally" as Blade would), but like yknow in universe.

---

Bonus Rei & Blade analysis.

So has anyone noticed their dynamic is kind of interesting? Blade & Rei are very in sync with each other whenever they're onscreen- they bully Dante, Rei enables Blade's chaos, Blade listens to whatever Rei says, etc. They have a comfort with each other that seems to be chaotic BFF vibes.

Canon: Rei & Blade were both in Saia at some point in year 158. Rei's an inherited/2nd gen clan member and Blade was reset after failing to kill Huey. We can assume Rei joined in with Quincy & Kuya (and maaaybe Great Serpent? if GS was still alive by the time Rei was born?) for alter regulating. But Blade seemed to be on random sidequest missions with Huey (before getting abandoned).

After Rei joined Eiden's clan, at some point he disassembled Blade, and currently he still randomly experiments on Blade. During RN, they all shared each other's backstories with Saia.

Theeeeoories???

-Did Rei & Blade encounter each other while they were in Saia? (probably not)

-If Huey told the rest of the clan members he had an assassin bot side hoe from Saia chilling in the Dead Zone, Rei must've gotten interested and sought him out for ResearchTM, esp if he found out Blade was sent to take down Huey.

-Converted Blade is much more friendly and chaotic, so he must have been refreshing compared to the stuffier Huey clan members. I would not be surprised if Rei & Blade became friends during this time and then wound up becoming the chaotic duo they are today.

-At some point Rei joined the Council, most likely was on a team that experimented on Karu/Garu, eventually sabotaging it, mostly likely escaping with them. Is it possible Blade might have been their getaway car/support? Or was he too stuck in the Dead Zone at the time. Or perhaps

(Which btw, do Kuya & Quincy know that Blade was supposed to kill Huey? And had killed several Klein sorcerers when he arrived? Granted Kuya was just as ruthless back then so he probably didn't care. But Quincy probably cared back then).

[wuucchoo]

hi, completely innocent question.. why do u ship sukuna and megumi?

the only reason sukuna was ever interested in megumi was in taking over his body— and sukuna has done nothing good for megs other than save him during shibuya to use his body? ヾ(´･ ･｀｡)ノ

not to mention the age gap!! the literal illegalness!!!! im not tryna be rude, but sukuna is over 1000 and megs is 15-16?

pls dont js say "its not real people, so it doesnt matter!" because ive heard that hundreds of times, i would like a fully explained reply on why you ship them?

nothing rude, and if im taking the term "sukufushi" wrong (aka sukuna x toji) please tell me, but i do know it as sukuna x megumi（＃－.－）

Hello there!! dont worry its not a rude question! And I'll try to answer to the best of my ability.

When i first watched/read jujutsu kaisen, i did not ship a single person with anyone. Literally. The canon relationships are pretty well established in my opinion. And in my opinion the only ones implied to be in an actual romantic relationship is probably hakari and kirara? While every one else is busy focusing on jujutsuing some kaisen.

I do not ship canon Megumi with canon Sukuna, i would krill that foureyes myself with my bare hands if i could lmao.

But joining the fandom, I have seen people's different takes on the characters in different alternate universes - and i think thats where i started to like this ship. Not the canon, but the fanon version. If that makes sense?

It's a really entertaining activity, putting them in situations they'll never be in in the actual story - like one where sukuna is a student of jujutsu tech. Or where Megumi is a vet just trying to live his life and then the guy who owns the tattoo parlor (sukuna) at the other side of his clinic is trying to ruin his life ((in a slice of life kinda way, not the gege way)). All those different situations, ranging from comedic to dramatic to tragic to romantic etc.

It's because of that that i put a very very thick divide between canon and fanon. To this day i do not ship anyone in canon. But the people i interact with in the fandom all have unique ideas and stories and i love reading about it all! Especially those about Megumi and Sukuna because they're the characters i like the most (i know, unfortunate (•ᴖ•｡)).

Also, i believe that people should be free to put these characters in any unique situation that would never happen in canon - because its fun!

This might not be a good answer since i can very easily do these very same things with other characters, however the sukufushi people and their creativity resonated with me more.

I hope this answers your question! ✧ദ്ദി( ˶^ᗜ^˶ )

[a-mel-tomelts]

1, 5, 8, 28 for Joker and Crow

Ask game~

(wow this one took a while. Mostly cus of the last question and LiFe <- cringe I know)

1. Who is the most affectionate?

Okay, the obvious answer is Joker buuut.

Akechi has his own signs of affection that are tidbit different from normal people. So, Akechi CAN BE affectionate but only Joker figured out how he shows it.

5. Who is most likely to carry the other?

Joker would want - c'mon, it's the shounen hero dream to carry someone in their arms. It's especially perfect for his image!

But he has noodle arms (game model) and even when he can carry Akechi (Mementos Mission) Akechi won't let him. Lololo

So, Akechi. Just to prove he is better. (Joker is happy to be dramatic even if he is awkward at first)

8. Nicknames? & if so, how did they originate?

Akechi to Joker - (sentimental) fool, idiot, love, clown, Watson-kun <- i think self-explanatory

Joker to Akechi - (fondly) Rival, honey, Holmes

28. What do they do when they're away from each other?

I have a post-canon (AU) where Akechi becomes a thriller/mystery/detective writer. Considering his name, he easily comes up with a new pen name - he still tries to hide Goro somewhere. So I think he thinks of writing his novel basing on his real life experience

Before all that tho he gets scouted out by Shadow Operatives - Mitsuru and Aigis specifically. After some therapy and shadow work he gets funded by Kirijo Group because he does have a bright mind. But Akechi let's her know - he has no need for the money because he has everything he needs to fend for himself.

He quickly passes exams to finish school, goes into uni (i think social work? Orphanage and stuff, you know) and since starting therapy he decides to start writing as healing. After some editing he starts publishing them and gains money to be independent of Mitsuru as quickly as possible, get scholarship because he's smart (ofc ofc) gets a contract yada-yada. He also gets a chance to write a TV special for Featherman. Yukari helped with that but... Akechi is too much of a fanboy to decline. ( Futaba loses her mind over it)

AkiRen in this P-C AU studies Catering Major along with Minor in Psychology. I think it's greatly encapsulaaes Joker's interest.

PTs were all celebrating mostly with food (DestinyLand being an exception but even then they were STILL at the food table) and in Strikers it's literally a feature that he cooks recipes he learns during the trip

So I think he also learns different cuisines!! (And travels for some time before returning to Tokyo - and then ShuAke move to some other continent to live where gays are legal xd)

Why catering and not just something cooking related - catering usually implies cooking for events and not just at the restaurants. And events and parties usually mean intel. I don't think they will so easily give up on changing the world lol

He also still maintains his habit of working different jobs during uni but he has less leeway to ignore the jobs whenever he wants so he doesn't go too crazy with that

In addition, phantom thief created a social media account where they share useful info, places and charities for the people :)

Each of them usually have their own tag and preferences towards the types of posts they have (Ann fashion, Ryuji sport, Makoto libraries, Futaba websites etc.)

AkiRen and Akechi usually overlap with others so they rarely post and usually it's about the places others haven't visited of any category (for people who want to find rare gems) - they also don't have a lot of time to post so it's honestly better for them!

@himi-wiz - if you happen to be online! Hi!

Himi was one of the first people that heard about this AU :D (if she still remembers it pffft<3)

[zetto-protection-squad]

Fun conversation topic: What would be your peak SELF INDULGENT version of TOME?

I started thinking recently about how the RPG is a big outlier in the TOME franchise (is it accurate to call it a franchise?) because I feel to me personally that the "you die in the game you die in real life" elements were what really hooked me on to begin with. However, the RPG itself has some nice elements to it; the more in-depth game mechanics, RPG Flamegirl by herself, etc etc...

However, I'm never a "Fuck Canon" kind of fan; moreso a "I love this, but how would I make it better?" kind of fan.

Even so, I think it's important to understand the difference between if a piece of media does something poorly versus if a piece of media simply didn't do something you didn't enjoy. Such as, TTA Flamegirl is a poorly written female character, BUT me not enjoying RPG Alpha doesn't mean that he is inherently poorly written. Remember, there is inherently a huge difference between the creator's intention with their story, and what you as the audience PERSONALLY want from their story.

That being said, the questions stand:

What would be your peak SELF INDULGENT version of TOME? Which plotlines (TTA/2011/RPG) would you want to encapsulate the most? Which versions of each of the main 7 would you want to explore this plotline?

I've pitched this concept to my friends (Thank you for your support @d-buggers-org + @mechcity-skyline !), but some wanted to see this as a public prompt so here you go!

Remember, I'm writing all this from a place of love! I NEVER want to say "Fuck Canon"; I simply want to gush about my favorite elements from each TOME variant, and daydream about what will satiate my own self indulgence for a series that means a lot to me :]!

Under the cut would be my own personal "P.S.I." version of TOME (will refer to it as "my PSI-TOME for short throughout this essay); so get ready for TOME, [insert Mod Blue's real name] version!

Which plotlines (TTA/2011/RPG) would you want to encapsulate the most?

I'm going to immediately start out the gate with the controversies BUT...

TV TOME Adventures.

Like I said in my intro, it was TOME (2011 in particular)'s "you die in the game you die in real life" plotline that really hooked me onto the series!

However... something about the air of TTA alone is very different than 2011. I think it feels much darker, plotlines such as the forbidden season 4, Ericho's mind being trapped in the gang, Kirbopher1111's descent, Motherboard's corruption and the shadow clones??

Maybe it's because it's a longer series, or maybe, by my own account, "I am a dramatic bitch", I think I would love to see a lot of the TTA plotlines polished to be feasible for a more advanced series. They are the building blocks for the franchise, after all!

Overall I think it would be interesting to explore TTA by itself, and its full potential when working with its building blocks; cutting the fat where you could tell it was initially written by a random teenager and polishing the interesting concepts presented in TTA that aren't in 2011. I also think me wanting TTA's plotline in particular is an interesting conundrum when taking into account my other question...

Which versions of each of the main 7 would you want to explore this plotline?

Now, this one actually gets complicated!

I'm mostly going to yap about why I think they'd be a perfect pick for my PSI-TOME plotline, but @d-buggers-org actually brought up a great point about how you could choose between who you want for plotlines BUT steal another version's character design! So I'll mention whose design I'll steal in the midst of which plotline/character arc would be better as well.

So get ready for a ride...

ALPHA:

TTA Alpha.

While I do have a soft spot for 2011 for reasons I may get into later, I am and have always been ENAMOURED with TTA Alpha in particular. I'm not a huge fan of "shy character becomes more confident" plotlines (truthfully I don't even know if I can explain why), so TTA Alpha in particular sticks out better to me!

I think he comes across as a somewhat brash, almost arrogant person at the beginning of the series, but one who slowly gets worn down by the heaviness of the plot over time, until he presumably "gets his spark back" by season 4 (Chris mentioning one of season 4's final episodes being a fight between Alpha and the literal God Of The Internet to prove that Alpha is proof that the virtual world is protected by good hands). He comes across as cocky at certain moments, but in a fun way! He's also very captivating while angry, and even though Chris himself doesn't like the 3 hour infiltration mission... I rather enjoyed seeing Alpha in particular have to directly lead his friends into danger, him and Voltarius having a back and forth conflict of who has the upper hand over who.

I think overall, TTA Alpha feels like a real teenager to me. Maybe I feel like the shyer Alphas of 2011 and RPG come across as more trope-y to me than TTA? I may have even posted about how TTA Alpha reminds me of Sonic specifically in Sonic Frontiers, my favorite video game of all time... but either way, that's how I feel! TTA Alpha would be my pick for my PSI Alpha.

Also, I wouldn't be too mad at keeping TTA Alpha's designs as-is lol. Maybe just remove the lizard tail and also steal 2011 Alpha's season 1 outfit for him BUT keeping TTA Alpha's season 2 + 3 + 4 outfits :D

ALSO ALEJANDRO SAAB IN THE 20TH ANNIVERSARY EDITION OF TTA EPISODE 60 IS MY PERFECT VICTORY; I NEED ALEJANDRO SAAB IN MY PSI-TOME <3

FLAMEGIRL:

RPG Flamegirl. (SPOILERS FOR THE RPG INCOMING, FYI)

Now, I think I speak for a fair chunk of us will admit RPG Flamegirl is the best Flamegirl has been written. Heck, probably the first time Flamegirl didn't feel like "THE GIRL" of the group!

Now, I initially didn't like RPG Flamegirl in the demo; but with the context of her full character in the RPG? She singlehandedly fits SO PERFECTLY with the higher stakes I enjoy from each series... but I feel kind of bad she's stuck in the one TOME variant that doesn't have those sci-fi high stakes I fell in love with. She's one of those rare characters I see in media that I swear I'm gonna hate the entire time, only for their character arc to showcase the OPPOSITE. (FYI, those awards are also gifted to Ling Yao from FMA and Weiss Schnee from RWBY <3)

I love that she's still learning to be a leader of her guild. I love that she has blatant trust issues that make her friendships fall apart, and she learns to grow from it to make sure she's not in a constant cycle of platonic break-ups. I love her raw determination, and I love how she very much ISN'T perfect and struggles with that. (And also, she's Filipino and voiced by a Filipina actress! Filipino pride :D)

If I'm particularly stealing the elements of TTA, I think you can easily interweave RPG Flamegirl into that sort of plotline. Maybe her sister was impacted by the virus at some point? I think RPG Flamegirl in particular ABSOLUTELY has the will and strength to take down the hacker organizations; She obviously does the same even if the hackers aren't directly harming people physically through the game.

As for design?

...

To be honest, 2011 Flamegirl with RPG Flamey's personality would be god tier. I love the demon aesthetic she has, and it's a little less busy on the eyes than RPG Flamey's outfit.

NYLOCKE:

...

...I could go both ways! (Both 2011 and RPG Nylocke.)

Now, I would like to elaborate that I'm not the biggest Nylocke fan, so I'm very much not the person to ask when it comes to which Nylocke is better, or go onto rambles on each version of Nylockes' character arcs.

But I don't hate him! I've been in the fandom for 10 years at this point, and growing into adulthood I really appreciate who Nylocke is as a character. He is really the heart that holds the group together, and really makes everything feel okay when he's at his best. I'm not sure if you could argue he has this big massive character arc, but my point is that you don't NEED him to change so massively because he's everyone's rock in the face of adversary.

Truthfully, not being a Nylocke stan, I personally don't see much difference between 2011 and RPG Nylocke outside of the circumstances they're in; that's exactly why I could go with both of them in my PSI-TOME. I think, like I said, being a steady rock in the face of adversary would be EXACTLY what my PSI-TOME would need, being reminiscent of TTA's darker elements.

As for design however, RPG Nylocke 100%! I think his silhouette cements the "big support" character he needs to be, his palette is more pleasing to the eye, and his cape's back!

KIRB/ZETTO:

...I'd like to hope y'all remember what my blog is about because it is ABSOLUTELY going to be...

2011 Kirbopher/Zetto.

What else can I say? I love him. He's an integral part of my childhood, my adulthood, my writing, my personality, my interests??

I've mentioned before that TTA Zetto is sort of the "common ancestor" for what would evolve into two separate paths; 2011 Zetto, and RPG Zetto. I think where TTA Zetto falters is Chris attempting to have both cakes; the Vegeta redemption arc, and the ever-intimidating adversary. RPG Zetto is a perfected version of the latter; I'm scared of him, to be honest. He's an asshole with no redeeming qualities whatsoever. I would say I'd punch RPG Zetto if I saw him in the streets, but he'd probably doxx me on his Reddit account.

2011 Zetto is a perfected version of Vegeta. PERIOD.

His dual identity made TOME (2011) SO SO captivating. He alone raises the stakes, directly links the main group into the main conflict (but even spicier, AGAINST HIS WILL!). I'm in love with all of his issues and he's personally the most relatable person in the entire cast.

EVERYTHING ABOUT HIM IS SO CAPTIVATING! My favorite episode of TOME (2011) is Episode 10, because it's the first time we see Zetto's mask crack and he starts showing emotional vulnerability!

His dual identity with Kirbopher also helps "declutter" the main cast a bit more, and gives Kirbopher himself a lot more meat to his character! TTA Kirbopher15 is fine, but kind of works like the Joey Wheeler to Alpha's Yugi; but more people remember Kaiba and Yugi than Joey and Yugi. RPG Kirbopher works well without the higher stakes of TTA as just Alpha's friend.

However, with my PSI-TOME having TTA plotlines specifically BECAUSE I love drama and darker plots...

It'd be a crime to say 2011 Kirb/Zetto WOULDN'T be my pick for my own PSI-TOME!

2011 Kirb/Zetto is just SO STELLAR of a character that he just HAS to be there for my PSI-TOME.

(Heck, he was my awakening for loving the SHIT out of characters with dual identity issues.... lots of my dual-identity faves come from obscure webcomics BUT I literally just finished reading Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde because it's THE "dual identity conflict" novella of all time so uh... yeah 2011 Zetto flows through my veins at this point)

As for design...

No, yeah. I'm keeping 2011 Zetto as-is; obviously TTA Zetto just has a sleeveless version of Vegeta's armor, and RPG Zetto captures the "big douchebag" energy so well that I don't think I'd want him NEAR 2011 Zetto. I'd jokingly say perhaps I'd steal RPG Zetto's hair, though... I've always struggled with drawing 2011 Zetto's hair 😭😭

RPG Zetto's scarf and tattoo is kinda cute tho. Something to consider, maybe.

Kirbopher himself is funnily enough a different story. Personally, 2011 season 2 Kirb is my favorite of all the Kirbs! But I also like RPG Kirb's design over 2011 season 1 Kirbopher too... Also something to consider!

NOW...

GAMECRAZED:

Truthfully? All of them, in one big mega-Gamecrazed.

Much like Nylocke I don't think I have MEGA huge opinions on GC as a character, but in terms of plotline? All of them could work in my PSI-TOME; I think there's elements behind each one of them that could work/could be fun exploring as one giant mega-GC!

I'll just get this out of the way that I could also go for either 3 of their designs; I'm not too strong on one over the other, since I think it's fair to say their silhouettes are generally the same (well I used a pic of TTA's Redemption but still)

That being said, onto plotline:

1.) I love TTA Gamecrazed starting off as just a normal teen coping with his parents' divorce with his little brother, only to be sort of "awoken" by virus power and singlehandedly being able to talk down Motherboard from her own corruption.

2.) I love 2011 Gamecrazed secretly being an AI built to stop hackers by the game's main AI, only to learn about what love is through befriending the main cast.

3.) Gamesoft is just a cutie pie... I love that the RPG was willing to tackle her being trans, and I love that the concept of GC with a little brother was brought back! Truthfully out of all "shy" characters, I definitely prefer her as a more introverted/softspoken person over 2011/RPG Alpha's shyness.

So here's what I've been thinking:

Maybe PSI-TOME GC starts off as a normal teen, perhaps also coping with their parents' divorce but overall having a generally normal human life with a little brother outside of the game

At some point PSI-TOME GC gets involved with the development of a hot new video game, but virus stuff happens and they're now somehow interwoven into the game, maybe their mind is trapped or they are now "transformed" by something within the game that makes them technically no longer human

Motherboard uses GC, whether they be a shell left behind by some fatal accident within the game/Motherboard fusing with GC's mind after a traumatic accident, as a shadow, and learns about love through her experiences as GC + their little brother

Somehow this is a trans allegory

Like, it is 4am. But also imagine...

Food for thought once again. I'm just daydreaming, at the end of the day! But I truthfully believe there is something to be done by using elements from ALL versions of GC to make one big mega-GC to be within my own PSI-TOME.

That being said, I do prefer Motherboard by design instead of SOFDTI (or the RPG's 'Prisoner', especially because Prisoner in particular leads nowhere without the context of an RPG DLC or sequel)

I think "2011 Motherboard" concept art is just gorgeous; especially that top right doodle showing exactly how GC is her shadow. I do prefer humanoid designs hence my neutrality towards SOFDTI's squishy fairy design, but also I am also very much a women enjoyer ♥🧡💛💚💙💜

RURI/KIZUNA/TIGERLILY:

...

Kizuna over Ruri, but I could go both ways perhaps...

No shade to Tigerlily stans! But hear me out...

I think overall for my PSI-TOME, Kizuna is the better choice. Obviously she's made MUCH more important to the plot and conflict in 2011 than Ruri is in TTA; and she's such a girlboss as well. I think her Riza Hawkeye dynamic with Zetto is beautifully done, especially with the A2Z movies giving her a much more hopeful ending and wrapping up their relationship in a neat little bow. She's such a professional in her hacking, and she is a formidable antagonist within TOME (2011); she also has my favorite voice of the franchise! Imogen Fox if you're out there... your performance as Kizuna has been a gay awakening to a LOT of people.

But, after seeing @artlasllm's "Ruri is a Twitch Streamer AU"... I think Ruri also has something to her character to explore as well. I think she's an interesting addition to TTA that would've been quite compelling if explored more; is she the "things IRL I should be taking care of" that TTA Zetto talks about in episode 60? If they've been dating long before Zetto's redemption arc, why hasn't Ruri seen Zetto in a while when they meet back up in-GAME in season 3? Zetto himself rarely talks about her in comparison to Ruri talking about him, she's such a ride-or-die gf that I'm wondering how far Zetto has really pushed that mentality within her. Maybe perhaps she is directly abandoned by Zetto; Zetto fading into obscurity as a prodigous teenage game developer, and Ruri becoming popular only for being a let's player.

I think both are very valid catgirls to explore more within my PSI-TOME; I think I prefer Kizuna for direct plot reasons, but I think I wouldn't be mad at exploring what could be done with Ruri as a character.

That being said, on a funnier note: I've been told you can probably have both of them, since they're so different from one another LMAOO. Some highlights from a brief conversation with @d-buggers-org about including both or maybe ALL of the catgirls include:

Ruri/Zetto/Kizuna polycule at Netking Software's development team (Zetto and Ruri as both beta testers, Kizuna still as head bug checker)

Throwing Tigerlily in the mix with Ruri, Kizuna, and Tigerlily within the plot as a former clique of high school friends, perhaps maybe quite Heathers-esque XD (FYI Kizuna would be Chandler, Tigerlily would be Duke, Ruri would be McNamara)

Kizuna could and would doxx Ruri, from a professional hacker to a simple streamer 😭😭 on the reverse side, Tigerlily would look Kizuna dead in the eye and take selfies with whatever creep shows up at her house after getting doxxed by her

So yeah. Kizuna is a little complicated of a topic for my PSI-TOME, because you could argue that the differences between all of them mean that you could probably have multiple of them within anyone's PSI-TOME as different characters!

I think for simplicity's sake I would say that I do prefer Kizuna to Ruri in regards to who I would choose for my PSI-TOME, but if I were able to juggle both Kizuna AND Ruri in my PSI-TOME, especially with Kizuna as a professional hacker and Ruri as successful gaming streamer? I think I would love to explore both of them.

MISC:

So what else could I say about MY PSI-TOME?

Well, first off, a lightning round of Netking Opinions:

I would choose (MOSTLY) all of the 2011 Netkings over them all, with a few changes and exceptions; I think at the very least, Webmaster, Bitshrum, and Kindarspirit are the best in 2011 continuity, with Rubirules in 2011 being my favorite Rubyrulz/Rubirules/Rulerruby design

I'm not sure whether Rubirules or EXE would work as the true Hacker Boss in my own PSI-TOME, because I was fine with either of them when comparing TTA and TOME (2011)! So simply, I could go both ways!

However, I love Queen Rulerruby... regardless of if I'd pick Rubirules to be my PSI-TOME hacker boss, I absolutely want him genderbended to be the lovely Linda Young-voiced gemstone queen that Queen Rulerruby in the RPG is. God, that'd give off such wonderful Yzma vibes 8) <3

Regardless of EXE/Execk being my PSI-TOME hacker boss, I think I'd at least choose TTA/RPG designs over 2011. I think he looks a little plain and normal in 2011, so I'd def try to pick TTA or RPG's EXE/Execks for a liiiittle more oomph :D

NOW, MORE RANDOM PLOT LINES!

Seeing RPG Flamegirl having to deal with the fallout of 2011 Kirb/Zetto's reveal... I think she would NOT hold back in regards to holding him accountable for his actions. Honestly with the context of them being in the TTA plotline, maybe there's more time to explore the fallout of Zetto's dual identity within my PSI-TOME's Purple Flame Arc

Yoinking the 2011 Design for the D-Bug Dragon, but TTA Kajet for the yellow streaks in his design

Not particularly sure if D-Bug Dragon is a virus like in TTA, or an antivirus like in TOME; the general concept of the flame going haywire and making someone comatose would be the same, however. I do definitely think that in my PSI-TOME, perhaps it was built by the hackers, or at the very least Kizuna unfortunately roped into working on it with Darkeyes...

Obviously 2011 Zetto doesn't have the same genuine bloodlust that motivated TTA Zetto to start the hacker organization; I truthfully believe he does the things he does out of paranoia of him but more importantly other people getting hurt by the virus, which I think would motivate Zetto into starting the hacker organization with Kizuna

Oooh, when Archy/Ericho get trapped in the game... I think it'd be spicy to keep 2011 Rockoon as part of my PSI-TOME, a former hacker now desperate to avenge his innocent friend, alongside the horror of the main cast finding out that he's trapped as an AI within the game...

Elaborating more on the "Ruri/Zetto/Kizuna polycule" pitch... I imagine that Ruri and Kizuna act as shoulder angels on Zetto's shoulders; Ruri representing a normal carefree life, but Zetto abandoning it to run the hacker organization with Kizuna... where Kizuna herself has issues surrounding the morality of the hacker organization that she has to deal with (AND I WANT THEM TO END HAPPILY <3)

There is the potential question of asking if Kirbopher still "dies" within my PSI-TOME, since Kirbopher's "death" is a huge symbolic metaphor for Kirb/Zetto as a character... 🤔

This entire PSI-TOME concept is under the assumption that season 4 would be a thing.......... because my PSI-TOME absolutely has Xirra and Darkeyes 🥺🙏

Heck even outside of my PSI-TOME concept, Kizuna and Darkeyes feel like they have parallels in regards to their shared hatred towards technology, their involvement in building the D-Bug Dragon... perhaps in my PSI-TOME, Darkeyes would be a dark reflection of what Kizuna almost becomes...

Would it be easier to say that this entire post is probably just fanfic fuel and I've accidentally written a fanfic the entire time I've written this section of my post, and I only now realize that at the end of this entire essay at 4 in the morning? Maybe. But I don't write fanfic so ig these are the best crumbs I'm gonna get 😭😭

Legit, if you've read this far, thank you so very much for indulging me in my little daydream! This entire post is open to more conversations about what YOUR personal PSI-TOME would be, and I'm hoping that my little yap-athon here is inspiration for you all to play around with! I would love to hear what your personal PSI-TOMEs would be!

[hijinks-n-lowjinks]

for the choose violence ask game:

how about 1, 6, 7, 8, 10, 18, 21 annndddddd 22

that was a lot lmao so feel free to skip/ignore some of these if u want

Yes yes yes thank you for giving me so many!!!! I love giving my opinion!!!! And I saw your second ask about how you meant to add that this is for jjk, not to worry lol

1. The character everyone gets wrong

My first instinct is to always say Gojo, but I also think Megumi is pretty misunderstood. It’s pretty rare that I find a fic where I think the author gets his personality down without digging too deep into one stereotypical archetype. That’s why I don’t read but jjk fanfiction :////

6. Which ship fans are most annoying?

Oof that’s a tough one. I mostly stay out of shipping discourse and I tend to like the most popular ships so I don’t get irritated by a lot. But it’s the straight shippers who insist that a character isn’t gay because of convoluted reasons or because they said a girl was pretty one time. Like that doesn’t mean they aren’t queer lol. Just say you’re homophobic and move on.

7. What character did you begin to hate not because of canon but of how the fandom acts about them?

None. I’m pretty unaffected by fandom interpretations of character tbh. I know the true, real gospel of jjk so other interpretations are just false prophets spreading heretical nonsense. Like the fandom can get annoying af about Gojo but that doesn’t make me like him any less. I know his purpose and personality as a character so that’s all that matters to me.

Oh but it does annoy me how some people think Mai’s actions are excusable because of her backstory. Nah, she’s a bitch, but thats okay that she’s a bitch!!!! Her and Maki had the same background and yet she’s the worst!!!! I’m okay with her sucking, her backstory makes her more interesting, but like. Acknowledge that she’s also out of line a lot of the time (I don’t hate her though. I just don’t like her).

8. Common fandom opinion that everyone is wrong about

Idk if this is exactly common, but I’ll see a lot of skits on tiktok where someone like Gojo or Nobara will tease Megumi about his feelings for Yuuji and he just…. acts so weird and obvious about it. Or he overreacts and is super dramatic. That’s not my boy. He would act is ASS off to be perceived as unaffected by the teasing and to try and play off his feelings as not a big deal. He’s a tsundere but like a laid back casual tsundere.

10. Worst part of fanon

People having different opinions than me hahdjsnhajs I’m right all the time and anyone who disagrees with me is just not as enlightened as I am.

18. It’s absolutely criminal that the fandom has been sleeping on….

Yukiiiiiii. She’s my girlfriend and I love her. We need more content of her. Like everyone knows she’s hot (obviously) but we need more discussions and fics and fanlore about her past and her personality. Also more chosoyuki please.

21. Part of canon you think is overhyped

Junpei’s death. To be fair, I was spoiled for it so I knew he was going to die from the beginning, but I didn’t have much of an attachment to him other than that I liked Yuuji’s friendship with him. I felt really bad for him, but I was more upset with how Yuuji was going to take his death/transfiguration than the actual event itself.

22. Your favorite part of canon that everyone else ignores

That jjk is an enjoyable story lol.

[ribbonverse]

Chapter 1

Notes on chapter 1, as well as some ranting about Bleach.

I thought it would be pretty natural to start with Ichigo, though I'm not sure I actually wrote any of the stuff in this chapter first.

In hindsight, I feel like it might be a bit long-winded or info-dumpy, but I really can't be asked to change it now. I've always disliked the "recap" chapters at the beginning of books that are part of a series, but here I am writing one myself.

It's basically a bunch of thoughts of Ichigo's I wrote down and later expanded upon. I thought it was pretty interesting to see the events in Soul Society from Ichigo's perspective. It's not really something a reader/viewer gets a chance to do during the actual process of reading/watching Bleach, and there's especially no time for any of that in canon, which just launches into throwing more bad guys at him instantly without giving him or the viewer time to think.

In a very real way, Ichigo failed to save Rukia in the end. He did help with stopping the official execution, but when Aizen had extracted the One Ring from Rukia after Urahara used her as a magical Tupperware container and Gin was going to finish her off, it was Byakuya who saved Rukia in the end. A very impactful moment for the audience, but where was Ichigo while all this was going down? That's right, helplessly lying on the ground after Aizen almost cut him in half. feelsbadman.jpg

After all that, he wouldn't be feeling all that powerful, I think.

Looking at the whole Soul Society arc in hindsight, it was basically a suicide mission as far as Ichigo is concerned. He never really had much of a chance to save Rukia by himself or with the help of the small group of people who accompanied him. It took a combination of people from Soul Society independently working towards saving Rukia to actually make it a realistic possibility, and none of that was collectively planned or known about by Ichigo beforehand. He just had to go with it.

So in the end, Ichigo almost got killed multiple times, went through training hell, and corrupted his soul in order to save Rukia, and he didn't make as much of a difference as he'd probably hoped. Even in his fight with Byakuya, had Ichigo only relied on his own (and Zangetsu's) power, he would've died.

Not a great place to leave off for Ichigo. Even though Rukia still lives, he still lost her in a way. And for Plot Reasons, he's basically not a Shinigami anymore, giving him time to think. Probably too much time.

I basically began by writing down things Ichigo would be thinking after not seeing Rukia for a long time. They spent two months together, but neither of them were in a particularly good place for most of that time, and it's hard taking an interest when you're stressed and overworked. Not to mention the awkward living arrangements.

I thought the part about the Hollow was genius, but as per usual, right after writing it I realized I just stole the idea from Order of the Phoenix.

I did want Ichigo's Hollow problem to be solved though, or at least out of the way, and I thought this was a nice method of doing it that also encapsulated a lot of Ichigo's character as I would have wanted him to develop post-Soul Society.

The Hollow could've been an interesting part of canon in Bleach, but instead it was completely wasted. Remember how Ichigo defeats it in canonically? Instead of the power of love, it's literally about finding his instinct to fight people and to murder the fuck out of them using his power. A power he originally acquired in order to save someone very dear to him.

Ichigo's family runs a clinic btw. How very in-character of him to do a complete 180 from a deeply humane person who only fights to protect the people he cares about into someone who actively seeks out battle.

Thanks, inner hallucination of Kenpachi. Now we have a budget version of you running around as the main character.

This actually encapsulates the dramatic shift in tone post-Soul Society. You can almost see the author wagging his finger at the characters. "No thinky-thinky, no lovey-lovey. Only fighty-fighty."

I think that was ultimately the downfall of Bleach. It became a series purely about fighting. In such a universe, love can't be allowed to exist, it must be stamped out so that fighting can happen.

It's a sad inversion of what the series was prior to the end of the Soul Society arc, in which Ichigo sacrificing so much to save Rukia communicated his feelings much more effectively than words ever could.

I never liked the canon continuity where fear basically became Ichigo's permanent emotional state and everyone's running around with Halloween masks on and pulling powers out of their asses, thinking they're hot shit. It had this air of "the author thinks this is cool, so instead of convincing you by developing the world and the characters and actually building towards impactful moments, you must accept without question that this is cool."

You know what I see in my mind whenever I look at one of those supposedly cool Hollow masks on a Bleach character? A fat otaku/Redditor guy with a fedora and a katana. That's what post-Soul Society Bleach feels like for me.

teleports behind you "Nothing personnel, kid"

It became kinda like bad fanfiction, except that it's the actual canon. A very sad state of affairs, and a waste of so many interesting and beloved characters.

I mean for God's sake, Ichigo went to the literal afterlife and basically fought deities one-on-one in order to save someone very dear to him. Even the ancient Greeks knew you only something like that when it's about love. Ichigo is basically Orpheus saving Eurydice, even the part about the girl staying in the afterlife after the mission was over is the same. The parallells are significant.

Even though the mission wasn't strictly speaking a success (since Ichigo and the others were just inconveniences in someone's suspiciously well-laid plans), you'd think that would give a guy some self-confidence or allow him to grow as a person. But we can't have that happen in canon, because fighting must continue immediately no matter the cost. Get in the arena, you have people to entertain!

A lot of things were left by the wayside in canon, such as the fact that in the very first chapter/episode, Ichigo is trying to help spirits move on, even though he doesn't have the power or know-how to do it successfully. There's something very sad about bringing flowers to a dead girl being the only thing he can really do, when what's actually needed is a Shinigami.

That and his family running a clinic speaks of a deep humanism within Ichigo that was never really in focus after the first story arc. From this perspective, how Rukia changed his life would've been even more fundamental and meaningful to him than what was explicitly communicated in canon.

In terms of the timeline, of course the canon characters don't get to develop in any meaningful way. They never get a moment to think or live a somewhat normal life. This "war" with Aizen begins just two weeks after he got his hands on the One Ring the MacGuffin that's supposed to make him a literal god. That was convenient, wasn't it? Just in time to stop our characters from growing as people.

If the series had kept with the Ye Olde Japan theme of Soul Society, a proper mobilization of forces and fighting an entire war would've taken a long time, with a lot of planning required. This part was very consciously inspired by The Belgariad.

I don't really have an interest in trying to make that a central point or something that even needs to be resolved, but I think a slow preparation for a conflict makes for a much more interesting environment to set things in than trying to shoehorn stuff within the actual canon. And while Aizen's reveal as the villain was a bit much too mustache-twirling-villain-esque to me, his Shikai is extremely intimidating, both on a personal and societal level.

I originally intended to use Soul Society having to deal with the consequences of Aizen's power as a backdrop, but it never came to be. Soul Society systematically going through its history looking for anything suspicious, like drastically conflicting reports of the same event, and digging into it to see if Aizen had hypnotized someone would've been interesting.

Come to think of it, Aizen not even dying after all the shit he pulled was the ultimate cockblock. Just goes to show how things can never be resolved in Bleach, because The Fighting Must Continue and Aizen will get out prison eventually. Imagine if Harry Potter had ended with Voldermort being escorted to Wizard Jail after being sentenced to five million years of imprisonment. Just thinking about that makes me laugh out loud. But in Bleach it actually happened.

A word on the Spirit suppressors, or "Reiatsuppressors" as I dubbed them in my own notes. For a plot point that I decided not to go with in the end, I needed an excuse for the sensing of Spiritual power not be a thing in Karakura Town. The Suppressors ended up serving a somewhat similar purpose, and their in-universe justification ended up remaining the same.

For anyone curious, the plot point that never came to be was Rukia coming to visit Karakura Town but being too afraid to visit Ichigo. Having mastered the technique of visualizing Spiritual energy as Spirit Ribbons, she decides to make sure that at least his Spiritual power is there. The idea was that an advanced technique like Spirit Ribbons was able to bypass the interference from Reiatsuppressors.

The thing that was going to urge Rukia to go to Ichigo was her noticing that his Spirit Ribbon was a different color than a Shinigami's should be and not knowing why. The color of Spirit Ribbons was going to be significant in that the color of the Ribbon of someone who is Very Special to you was going to be the color you think is most beautiful. Your favorite color, basically. Probably subconsciously inspired by the scent of a love potion in Harry Potter, as I once again only realized after writing down the idea.

That ended up not being a thing, but maybe I can use that somewhere else. Or someone else can take the idea.

Something was also planted at the very beginning of the chapter. I've always wanted to "plant" something that comes up later, so here was my chance.

[thatswhatsushesaid]

exploring various different "what if...?" scenarios for jgy in mdzs remains, as always, both my favourite and least favourite activity in this fandom, because a few things invariably end up happening:

I learn new things both about jgy and about other characters, which is always my favourite part of being part of any fandom, this is an unambiguously good thing, no complaints; but,

jgy also ends up skewered again in the unending game of mdzs disc horse because "see, if he'd just done this one thing differently, everything would've been fine!!" even though the textual support for "everything" being "fine" is pretty shaky at best. like the extent of narrative reverse-engineering we'd have to engage in to actually prove that is grounds for another close reading of the whole novel (and my inner huaisang is just like ugh, bestie that is so much work), and/or,

the disc horse eventually circles back to the proposals just not jiving with the reality of what jgy is given to work with in the canon.

ftr I am obviously fine with taking canon and adjusting it just a bit to make engaging with it in fic/RP more fun and enjoyable for me as someone who loves playing in the canon-divergent mdzs trash can of our hearts. but that's a separate matter from taking some of the scenarios I see proposed in these discussions and applying them as potential solutions to the real problems encountered by jgy, or wwx, or jc, or nmj in the novel. because to make some of these 'what if' scenarios in canon work:

either the fundamental building blocks of the mdzs cultivation world have to shift dramatically (e.g., jgy is able to marry lxc, or nhs, or jc, without anyone addressing the issue of marital unions where there is no possibility of producing heirs in a society so fixated on dynasties built on family hierarchies and bloodlines; or, jgy doesn't go along with jgs's demands and faces zero consequences for his filial impiety/secular disloyalty), and/or,

the core priorities/values of individual characters would have to change and result in different actions and outcomes than what we see presented in the text or on screen (e.g., nmj decides to trust jgy enough to intercede in his fucked up engagement to qin su specifically to help jgy, which means jgy has to trust nmj enough to reveal this information to him in the first place; or, jin zixuan and/or jiang yanli decide to take enough of an interest in jgy's situation to step in between him and jin guangshan and madam jin and provide him with material or emotional support during his first year and a half as a legitimized member of the lanling jin sect, which presumes that either of these characters would pursue a deeper emotional attachment to jgy than exists in the source material)

and ultimately I feel most of the fandom-proposed solutions to jgy's legion of canon problems fall into at least one of those two categories. which sucks for jgy, obviously! our special little guy is as doomed by the narrative as you can get! /sad violin music goes here

at the same time I also think it's useful to subject all of these proposed solutions to the test of "does this break the world? does this break the character?" because for every "yes, it breaks the world/character" answer we encounter, we're forced as as readers to confront how limited jgy's options are in canon.