#of course he can still be the hero! literally nothing in the world has ever proven otherwise!!!

[windyremedy]

000 — falling for you, literally | on the run 📖💥

°❀ 𓏲 pairing: bakugou katsuki x reader | genre: soulmate au

.ೃ࿔* synopsis: soulmates have been around as long as quirks have even existed, there were many kinds of ways a person could find their other half too! be it through similar tattoos or first words. but you didn’t have either of that— no, you had a book. where whenever someone would describe your soulmate it would appear on the pages. however after learning what their like you start to hope you’d never meet them. but of course nothing ever goes your way.

᠃ ⚘. notes: swearing, fluff, rich reader, I like to think I’m funny, mentions of being surprised adopted, etc

𑁍ࠬܓ status: ongoing | length: 651 words | taglist: open

FFYL MASTERLIST

Growing up you'd always been excited to find out who your soulmate was.

No matter who you were there was someone out there destined for you. Platonic or not, it was a special relationship that connected people together, whatever circumstances it may be. It gave you a lot of comfort to know that at least someone would end up caring for you on that high of a degree. At least that's what you initially hoped.

At around six years old you could faintly remember the sentences but you were confident that ‘Brat’ was brought up many times. Words like disrespectful, arrogant, too self centered and a bunch of other synonyms for cocky was amidst. Though it shifted to some other words eventually, often you'd see during your time in middle school that he was very strong, determined and particularly a sentence that stuck out to you.

'It can't be helped, his pride is most important. I need to be strong like him.’

It seems like this person has a sense of understanding of this soulmate of yours. From the dots you connected he looks to be very goal oriented to the point of not caring if he's brash or not. But honestly that didn't matter to you because his temper and 'meanness' was prevalent above else and you don't think you have the balls because first of all you don't have balls yourself, second of all the expression no balls stay true to your character.

As the youngest daughter of a trillion dollar company you'd think there would be nothing to be scared of. However after being kidnapped for ransom more times than you'd prefer and treated as lesser than your siblings. It's not weird that you became not so confident and fearful unlike your so-called other half who seems to be the opposite.

That's why you were actually sent to a school which required top facilities with heroes and heroes in training to ensure a safer environment for your education. What better place than U.A itself? It was a good balance of peace, by not being kidnapped, and still seeing the outside world, by not being locked to an area with higher security than the world leader itself. All was good, you were gonna coast through school in business class with your small friend group.

Not looking to expand since all your other classmates cared more about your status and what a relationship with you can bring. It was going extremely well…. until it wasn't.

Rewinding about five minutes ago, after class the teacher informed the students that they could decide who to do the project with on 'expenditures. Slowly everyone turned to you some subtle others not so much and yeah that's how you ended up in your current predicament. Being the first to pack your bags and exit like you were the flash to hurrying down the stairs you swiftly turned around the next set of steps to avoid the crowd following you to team up.

It was embarrassing enough to be falling in the first place, it was even more so when there were two other students walking up on the other side. Staring at you as you fell, it was like everything was moving in slow motion. Their look of confusion to surprised looks as you hit the ground.

BAM!

"Ow." you voiced in major pain.

"OH MY GOD! ARE YOU OKAY??" the red head would scream veering in your direction until.

"FUCK!!!"

The blonde yelled out as he fell on the stairs itself, holding onto the exact place where you were hurt the most.

"Bakugou! What happened man— wait."

Turning to look at you then to his friend he seemed to be in thought. The ruby eyed one on the other hand looked like he wanted to kill you. Like it was your fault that…..that…oh.

As he eloquently said so himself,

fuck.

©windyremedy

[crownedwithstars]

I was thinking of Beren and Lúthien and how their story is so much more interesting than they get credit for. I mean, on the surface it reads like a fairy tale but it also elevates the rest of the story, it uses common fairy tale tropes but turns them upside down, and the way we see the heroine asserting her agency in this story is so fascinating. I think the story of Beren and Lúthien provides much needed contrast for the rest of the Silm, and both become more poignant because of this contrast. 

The familiar fairy tale goes like this: there's a a poor but resourceful peasant, set with a difficult task (which is in fact designed to be impossible to complete), but thanks to some magical help he is successful, retrieves treasure, and as a reward he wins the king's daughter and lives happily ever after as a prince, gaining all the earthly glory one can have in this life. But in the Tale of Beren and Lúthien, the hero is a traumatised outlaw, the king's daughter IS the magical help, she is an active and equal participant in the quest for her own hand in marriage, the treasure may actually be cursed, the hero and heroine die, and the ultimate reward is not a social rise from rags to riches. Beren does not become a member of the power-wielding elite of Doriath and he and Lúthien are not promised that their second life will be happy or long. But just that chance is worth it, and by choosing it they actually change the course of history. Lúthien is offered all the bliss that is possible to have in Arda, if she will give up Beren, but she decides that the love she has for him is still more valuable. And that idea, of loving someone so much that your love shifts the world, is so compelling to me. 

And I love that the story of Beren and Lúthien is also a rendition of Orpheus and Eurydice, and that just as the world was created in the Music of the Ainur, so is Lúthien's song powerful enough to change what those original notes dictated. She changes it with hope and a song. That is so simple and yet so beautiful, in the way some of the best myths are. (Insane that this is essentially a love-letter to Edith Tolkien.)

There is this fascinating contrast between Beren and Lúthien: at the time of their first meeting, Beren has lost literally everything and his family is either dead or lost beyond retrieval. Stumbling across Lúthien, he is fresh from terrible ordeals and suffering. But Lúthien's life has been full of happiness and without care, and she has lived in a literal fairy kingdom as the most beautiful of all the Children of Ilúvatar. She could have her pick of any prince of Eldar. But here she comes across this mortal, who has nothing to give except for his love and even that only for a brief time, and she is willing to risk all she has for it. The gall and courage it takes to take such a chance! She chooses this man and her choice changes everything. 

And that is brilliant! Because Lúthien starts with so little power and agency, and she is constantly belittled or even abused by those with more power around her. She is treated as a pawn, her will is undermined and she is coerced and imprisoned to make her compliant. But Lúthien shows her determination and courage in holding fast to her choice even when it's just her and Beren against the world. In the end, she wins agency and freedom to determine her own tale. In her beginning Lúthien is a maid dancing in the woods; by the end she will have faced Satan and death itself, and changed the world forever. Truly, to call her story "Release from Bondage" is more than appropriate. How insane is this all from Beren's point of view? He has lost everything, he is an outlaw, and has nowhere to go. What is left of his family is scattered who knows where. He has nothing but the clothes on his back and nothing to give. But here is this immortal princess, and she will go to hell and back with him! She will cross the Sundering Sea to bid him farewell! She pleads with inexorable death and for her, an exception is made!  It's so on brand for Tolkien that these two achieve with their love, and precisely because they act out of love, something that others with armies behind their backs can't even imagine doing.

Yeah. It's such a good, hopeful, bittersweet tale.

[datesinredink]

Ranking the yandere rottmnt boys by how likely they are to kidnap their darling

Just a little crumb to keep myself from losing my mind while staring at google docs this late at night. Sorry if this is super bad, it's way later at night than I'm used to staying up and election night stressed me the hell out.

Donnie.

I have absolutely no doubts that he's going to at least try very very hard to kidnap you. And honestly, I doubt it would be too hard. He's a highly trained, mystic wielding, tech inventing, mutant ninja turtle. And on top of that, he's very fond of planning absolutely everything. And to finish it all off, I think it would be once in a blue moon that he actually treats his darling as an equal. He already thinks he's better than almost everyone, and when he gets obsessed, he has to make himself feel better about it somehow, so he decides to cope by thinking you need him instead of it being the other way around. As a result, he treats you a bit like a very glorified songbird, and songbirds.. well, aren't they usually put in cages anyway? You won't even care after a week or two of adjustment! (He will get upset if you aren't content with being kidnapped by then, by the way.)

2. Raph

The only reason Raph is behind Donnie on this list is because I think he would take longer to justify it to himself. He thinks you're fragile, that you need to be protected from the harsh world! I mean, he barely trusts his youngest brother, who is also a highly trained ninja, to do a simple mission on his own. How do you think he'll treat you after the obsession sets in properly? Not really as an equal, I'll tell you that. He's much nicer to you than Donnie would be, but he still doesn't respect you enough to let you handle yourself, even if that's not how he sees his behavior. At the same time though... isn't he supposed to be a hero? Do heroes kidnap their darlings? Or would this make him the dragon... In the end though, he'll decide that he's fine with being the dragon so long as he knows that the rest of the world won't be able to run their metaphorical (or maybe literal, depending on how unpopular you are in the area) pitchforks right through your heart.

3. Mikey

Mikey wouldn't just.. outright kidnap his darling, I think. I think it would start with a fun sleepover at the lair! Then he insists you stay just one more day! You're having so much fun, after all! Don't you wanna hang out with your best friend for a while longer? You agree, of course- him and his brothers have been nothing but nice to you ever since you met them, and their company is always a delight, so it's worth a shot, isn't it? Then suddenly, the weekend is over, and school's ready to chew you up again, so you do leave. Then it's finally the weekend again! You've heard of a fun game from your school friends, so you plan on trying it when you get home this afternoon- it's friday, after all- when you get a text from Mikey in the group chat with his brothers. He wants you to come over again- and, of course, you say "sure". Not like you can't just play the game on sunday, or when you go home saturday. The sleepover flies by, but you're a bit weary by the time you're pretty sure you're supposed to go home- but here's Mikey, and he's so sure that you promised you'd stay at the lair until sunday again! So, you give in. There's always next weekend, right...? I think you get the pattern, but eventually, he'll be keeping you at the lair 24/7, and you'll be rubbing at your weary eyes wondering how you got into this mess. Sometimes you can even see his brothers shoot you worried looks.

4. Leo

Leo would only kidnap his darling as a last resort, and I think it's because of two reasons. One, he's the brother who sees you closest to being an equal (Donnie and Raph constantly go against your personal autonomy and Mikey puts you on an extremely restricting pedestal), though to be fair, that's not a high bar to pass- and two he much prefers to have some sort of interesting conflict to be present because he finds it entertaining. His life is a weird, morally incorrect soap opera at this point, and he's the number one viewer. Kidnapping would only really happen with him if he thought you were either seriously leaving him (moving or getting into a serious relationship with someone else) or if the circumstances around him got too stressful and he needed something to cling to for any semblance of support outside his brothers (who, at that point, would probably also be super stressed). Think post movie, when the city is still recovering. Man, he was probably freaking out thinking that you might've died to the kraang.

[jamiesfootball]

Intrigued by figure skater girl Jamie as a concept and would love to know more

Funny you should ask, I was literally just talking someone's ear off about this the other day. It's a fic I've had outlined for a while but haven't written much, if anything, for yet

cw for sexual abuse of a minor

The short of it is that Jamie Tartt, young female figure skater, and Roy Kent, footballer, despite being 15 years apart in age have come to essential The End of their Careers at the same damn time (figure skating is brutal) 

Then while she’s at the Olympics she’s nattering on about role models and oh yeah hers is Roy Kent because before she was a figure skater (and pushed into it) she wanted to be a footballer so he's sort of her hero nbd 

To which Roy is teased mercilessly by both teammates and the media for having this little starling talking him up when he is literally a washed up footballer at the tail end of his career. Suddenly every is interested in his thoughts about it and she seems sweet (well not really, she actually seems like a bit of a dick but she’s also what, 18? Who cares) so he does some interview where he’s like yeah she seems great and skilled best of luck to you 

So starts a long distance media relationship of each of them being asked to comment on the other's latest accomplishments, which grows into them honestly cheering each other on as they get to know each other via quotes about what the other one said Of course sometimes Jamie posts that "Richmond's match against Crystal Palace was such a crime I'm worried they're going to take away my medals" and Roy wonders who the fuck let a literal child hold a phone) (He agrees with her but that's not the point)

She also posts after the Everton away match "PUT SOME FUCKING RESPECT ON THAT 6, LADS. THE BIG MAN CAME OUT TO PLAY" and Roy smiles so hard his face threatens to crack in half

Keeley, for the record, loves watching figure skating at the olympics. She knows nothing about figure skating as a sport, but she loves the outfits and she definitely knows who Jamie Tartt is (she wears THE LOUDEST outfits) and she finds the whole situation hilarious and constantly @s Jamie about how much the whole being hounded by the media thing irritates Roy which just pours more fuel on the fire which brings more media attention and before anyone knows it they're an actual trending topic and Roy didn't ask for this

Everyone at Richmond has a fun time teasing him about his number one fan. It's cute, and it makes Roy flustered and mad when someone brings it up - but it's a humanizing thing as well. They can see his quickly approaching retirement has been hard on him. Ever since this little figure skater has been hyping the world up about him…it just paints him in this light of respect that’s been missing lately. It’s good, that people are seeing Roy the way that they see Roy, so they’d like this girl regardless just for that  

Except then at some point Roy, who's got all this responsibility sitting heavy in his chest, mutters in an interview something to about responsibility and doing the right thing and setting an example for others and he doesn't even know what else he's just talking but Jamie hears this and she’s like. 

Ok. Bet.

She was going to quietly retire But Now That Roy Kent Says I’m Fantastic and Great (That’s not what he said but that’s not not what he said). She's gonna do it. 

So one day Roy wakes up and goes into work, and when he walks in for training the silence in the dressing room is like someone’s died. They can’t believe he showed up  

“Why wouldn’t I show up?”  

The entire room sinks as they realize he doesn’t know what happened to his little star

That's when Roy finds out that during the night Jamie fucking Tartt, the little starlet in his phone, went on a long, public rant exposing the sexual abuse that her and her teammates have been enduring for years. Because Roy Kent encouraged her too 

And she's still in the middle of the fucking Olympics. And Roy is thousands of miles away and he's never even actually met her and now he's somehow responsible for all of this

Fuck

[chaoticgoodthief]

Slay The Princess Ramble

Ok I have been having Thoughts about the Voice of the Contrarian and am not afraid to share them. Will start under read more link because this might get a little long.

Ok, one of the Main Things about the Contrarian is that he doesn't follow the narrative, and I accept this, but I cannot emphasize enough just how Different he is from the other voices.

Ok, let's start at the tip of the iceberg here. Change. Born as counterparts to the Shifting Mound's Princesses, it makes sense that the Voices remain static in their personalities. Broken is submissive. Cold is apathetic. Hunted is animalistic. Etcetera, etcetera, etcetera. But Contrarian actually changes over the course of The Stranger path. He sees what he's done to the Princess, recognises that it has hurt her, and just ... drops the jester act immediately. The only other Voice that really changes at all is Hero, and that's because he's literally always by your side. And that's not even getting to how you find him Strange Beginnings.

Strange Beginnings. Oh, do I have Feelings about this ending, but I'll focus on just the Contrarian (for now). Out of all the Voices, all the cabins, the Contrarian is the only Voice other than the Hero himself that can join you in the finale. Maybe it's because his change has made him closer to the Shifting Mound than any of the other potential voices. Maybe it's because inside of The Stranger's cabin was the first you saw, rather than the Princess'. Maybe it's something else altogether, I don't know. However, what I do know is that once again, he's changed. He's ... honestly more downtrodden than even the Moment of Clarity version of himself. Only making jokes when he notices Hero's concern, accepting the knife without a second thought, (even calling himself the worst part of the Long Quiet in the most recent update, I've heard). But that's still not the end of things.

I think what interests me the most about Contrarian, though, is his relationship with the princess. He. Does. Not. Have. One. She is a literal stranger to him. He is not the Stranger's true counterpart, not really. Nothing about him contradicts her, unlike how all the other Voices have been named after their actions relative to their Part I Princesses. Instead, he is the Contrarian because he contradicts the Narrator. I can not emphasise enough how wild that makes my brain go. Because it explains SO MUCH about why he's Different from the others. Long Quiet is a foil for the Shifting Mound, his Voices are foils for her Princesses. Everything about them is static, unchanging. Because they are a single being, spiralling further into itself with every decision you make, only ever changing if you refuse to follow the path set out for you. And then there's him, the reflection of an echo of a mortal. (If he was there in the Spectre route, would she see him as something Other as well, something that once belonged but has been fragmented off of its given path).

Gah I'm obsessed with him. I want to dissect him for science. I want to tear and rip and pull him apart until I can understand what mysteries still hide behind the facade he shows the world. What are you hiding, you smiling little freak of nature?

[microknifeyuri]

something something about self sacrifice and boundless love but i really would like to talk about how golden cheese cookie is so SO devoted to her people and how her GREED is for THEM.

i'm sorry but i don't think i've ever seen one of the ancients so miserable over their people until her story arc dropped. sure, pure vanilla suffered, but his people STILL EXISTED, and his kingdom as well, even if it was on certain conditions it flourished and the main focus was DE alongside Black Raisin's story. Hollyberry's worries were most focused on her family (though you can see her love for her kingdom and Dark Cacao was an idiot of sorts (who was still manipulated but even then cared for his kingdom), but nothing like Golden Cheese.

Which makes SENSE. And it kind of gets worse when Dark Cacao confirms that he heard the news of her precious kingdom being turned to dust, and how they haven't seen her in SO MUCH TIME, it's obvious that Golden Cheese Cookie isolated herself the moment she got back to what remained from her home.

Something I would like to mention is how people were treating her as a cretin with the little details we found on the art book since she was described as "greedy" and like an... dictator of sorts? (however i don't think this part has been translated correctly). But in reality she turned out to be one of the most heartbreakingand caring characters in CRK ever, and her conversation with Gingerbrave made it so much worse for her.

Something I would like to point out is how yes, Golden Cheese is greedy. But the execution of how she was greedy was PERFECT. Of course a tirant wouldn't be an legendary hero, unlike what others might have thought.

Golden Cheese's greed is focused on her people, her so beloved treasures.

She always wants more and more, she always fights for them, for everyone who she thinks of as dear. Because they're HER people and she wants her treasures to be shinning and safe. Her greed is translated to her infinite love for them. She isn'tone give up just yet. So that's why she FOUGHT for SO MANY YEARS to KEEP THAT DIGITAL WORLD OF HERS SAFE. So of course it hurts to let go. You ever think of it. She PUT THEM ALL ON A DIGITAL WORLD, ALL OF THEM ON A SARCOPHAGUS, JUST TO MAKE SURE THEY WERE THERE, AND DISCONNECTED HER SOUL FROM HER BODY JUST FOR THEM. BECAUSE THAT WAS HER LAST OPTION.

AND EVEN THEN SHE WAS WILLING TO LITERALLY COMMIT SUICIDE TO MAKE SURE THEIR MEMORIES WERE INTACT.

And so that's why her parallels with Gingerbrave hurt me SO SO much. Think about it.

Both Gingerbrave and Golden Cheese think highly of their people- about their worlds themselves. They're both greedy on that topic. However Gingerbrave's greed was bigger than GC's at one point- just before she finally got back with her soul jam that is. Because Gingerbrave wanted to protect the whole Earthbread. Because HIS FRIENDS and THE FRIENDS OF HIS FRIENDS were there.

And this is no surprise since the very start Gingerbrave seems to put some reason to the ancients. No matter how deep in theor own thoughts they are, he always says something that breaks them in one way or another.

They both lost their people and couldn't do anything about it. However, GC finally got to understand that getting help wasn't bad and that she had to let go from that reality. Just the same way GB did when he escaped the oven. They both have endured so much pain.

So when GC's self sacrifice tendency clashes with GB's [greedy desire to help]... it hurts for her.

They both want a happy kingdom.

But for that they're going to still keep on trying.

I love you, Golden Cheese Cookie. I'll pay you the cost of therapy.

[ramblingautisticman]

Why Is This Song In My Poolverine Playlist, A Series.

(I am extremely insane and make playlists for every ship/character/show I like, and yes, there is a reason each one is in there. I think of lil scenarios, situations, or straight up story ideas because of a song- so enjoy this series where I write them all down!)

(Part 1, Part 2)

Monster from Adventure Time

So, I honestly hadn't thought about this song in relation to Wade and Logan until @ohitsthemindstuffagain said about it, and now it's all I can picture when I hear it.

This is such a Wade and Logan coded song and it's insane.

"I know we'll never grow old together, cause you'll never grow old to me."

Wade knows Logan is slowly ageing, something he doesn't do, and one day, he will be alone again. One day, he will watch Logan get grey hair, his face gaining wrinkles, his muscles getting softer. He's okay with that. He's made his peace, but it still hurts. Still makes his heart ache to know that one day Logan will die of old age and he will still be here. Wade will still have the same young body he does now. His body will always be 40 years old- and Logan's will always be ageing.

"You're the pink in my cheeks, and I'm scared cause that means I'm a little bit soft."

Logan has softened since knowing Wade. He's become less gruff and angry over time. Wade jokes that he managed to domesticated The Wolverine, and what's funny about that is the fact it's true. Where Logan used to be rough and jaded, he was soft and caring. It scared him. Alot. He was so used to the anger and violence coursing through his body that now- with this love and affection slowly replacing it- he wasn't sure what to do. Wasn't sure how to function.

"We were messed up kids who taught ourselves how to live, and I'm still scared that I'm not good enough."

Wade had always survived- never just lived. Ever since he was a kid. His dad had been an abusive asshole- his mother a cold-hearted bitch- and so he had grown up teaching himself how to survive. How to hide bruises from school, how to make food without getting noticed, how to avoid getting screamed at if he didn't do well on a test. It was ingrained into him as a kid- that he wasn't good. He would never be good. He was a broken fuck up that would never amount to anything. It was something he had taken with him through the rest of his life- and it was something he couldn't help but reflect back on when him and Logan had begun dating. Logan was a hero- he had saved the world more times that Wade could count- and here he was, dating Wade. Dating the one guy he shouldn't. Logan deserved better. Alot better. Deserved literally anyone that wasn't Wade. Logan was so genuine with him though- sounded like he meant every word he said- that slowly, he was helping to break that childhood trauma. He was showing Wade that he was worth something, no matter what some asshole father had said. It was ironic, because Logan had gone through a similar experience as a child, but here he was- helping Wade like it was nothing. He supposed that after 200 years, you resolve some of your issues.

"I've always felt like a monster, long before I was big, but only seen as a monster, let's just say I'm used to it."

Logan had always been told he was a freak, an animal, a killer. Ever since he was young. It hurt- until he had heard it enough times that it was second nature. He started to believe what they said about him. Think about the fact he really was a killer and an animal, the way he slashed through people like it was nothing or the way he growled when he was angry, it was true- wasn't it? And then he met Wade, and Wade showed him praise for all of those things. He never once seemed scared of Logan- infact he seemed to like all of the things he hated about himself. Wade would gush over the claws, joke about him being a cat, shout him on as he took out the bad guys on a mission. It felt strange, being show affection for the things people showed him hatred for for so long, but here it was. The praise he had always wanted.

"Yeah, I'm used to that, but I could get used to this."

His time with Vanessa had been amazing. Wade really had loved her with all of his heart- and he really did think they would be together until the end of time- but life got in the way as it often did. He had accepted she moved on, and while it hurt, he was happy she was happy. That she was finally with someone who could treat her right and keep her safe. It had felt strange to feel that similar fluttery feeling towards someone else- but Logan had managed to slip into that gap in his life with such ease that Wade never even noticed until he found himself not thinking of Vanessa anymore- instead he thought of Logan. It took him awhile to get used to that- to realise he could feel these things for someone else- and he liked it. Love it infact. The way Logan made him feel was so much more different than Vanessa, and he liked that. Logan complelty understood him. Never judged him for his looks or about the way he acted- loved every part of him like it was the easiest thing ever- and Wade couldn't help but find that so much better than what he had with Vanessa.

And the rest of the song? I could make up SEVERAL scenarios or ideas about each lyric for both of them. It fits so well it hurts.

[enchantingfirenightearthquake]

Learning to be kind (8)

Chapter III

The Siren

“You’re on a-.”

The Narrator was cut off by Smitten’s wailing. Hero is trying to calm him down as Skeptic is investigating the new area. Happy looks around too. They’re on a lakeshore. A dock with a little wooden canoe is sitting nearby. In the far distance, Happy can just make out the Cabin.

“She killed us!” Smitten shouts in despair. “Why would she do that?!” Memories of their previous life rush Happy.

They had gotten the Damsel again. They talked a bit, and the Long Quiet decided to kill her. Smitten had been devastated. Happy had already seen both routes you could get from the Damsel. They expected to see the Grey again. And that’s when something changed.

Happy doesn’t remember exactly what Smitten had said. Something about their heart being ripped from their chest. And then it happened. As if Smitten’s words were a command, the Princess came back to life so her hand shot through their chest, ripping their heart out. Her last words to them “Did I make you happy?” we’re still sugary sweet. Clearly this was taking an emotional toll on the boisterous voice.

Why though? Smitten never cared if she killed them before. What was different now?

“That’s not important now. It doesn’t matter what she did, or we didn’t do. Can’t you feel it? Don’t you hear her? She’s calling us. We have to go to her.” Skeptic was right. In the back of Happy’s mind, they can hear someone singing.

“Is that a good idea?” Hero asked hesitantly. “You were the one pushing us last time not to trust her. We killed her because of you. And now you want us to just blindly trust her?”

“She has answers. She’s the only thing that matters.”

“The only thing that matters?!” rage filled Smitten’s voice. “We stabbed her through the chest! She literally ripped our heart out! Who does that to a person you love?!”

“You’ve already been here before. Of course you have. Heaven forbid you slay the Princess and save the world in one go,” the Narrator grumbled. “You do realize every time you fail, and she escapes, it dooms another world to ruin, right?”

“Who care about the world?” Skeptic complains. “What has this world ever done for us? She’s more important.”

“Oh, sure she’s important. She’s our murderer!” Smitten screamed back in tears.

“What’s happening with you two?” Happy asked. The singing was getting louder. They pointed at Smitten. “You’ve been Team Princess since all this started. Now, you want nothing to do with her?” Looking at Skeptic, they said, “And you’re skeptical of everything. It’s literally your name. But you want to blindly trust a woman whose killed us twice now?”

“Twice?!” the Narrator screeched.

They all ignored him. “You two even look different!”

Both voices looked down at themselves at Happy’s words. Smitten’s clothing looked more like funeral attire. Typically, the peacock looking voice would wear bright, warm colors, his dress looking like flames when he moved. A veil hung from his mix of tiara and face plate. Even Smitten’s hair that normally looked like fire had deflated.

Meanwhile, Skeptic was typically what one would describe as a living shadow. Typically, Skeptic would copy the form of the other voices. He looked very different now. His feathers were still dark as shadows though coming from the top of his head was long flowing locks of water in a place of hair as were his wings. He was dressed like a stereotypical nobleman right now.

Both voices looked deeply confused. The singing got louder. It was deafening now.

“It doesn’t matter what you all look like,” the Narrator commented. “What matters is getting on that boat, taking the pristine blade, and slaying her. Is that understood?”

The only response he got was a bunch of grumbling from the voices. Still, the Long Quiet moved towards the little boat. The boat towards the Cabin was silent. All but the singing in their mind. It was getting softer the closer they got.

Suddenly a dark shadow moved below the water. Only Happy and Smitten reacted. “What was that?!” the normally cheery voice half asked, half shouted. Happy didn’t get a chance to respond as a voice called. “Hello.”

The…Damsel? …was sitting out on a rock in the middle of the lake. Her voice had an unusual tone to it.

“That wasn’t always there, right?” Hero asked nervously.

“No, we would have seen it from the shoreline,” Happy answered back.

“You must have missed it,” Skeptic argued.

“It’s a big ass rock, Skeptic.”

“Well, maybe you need to get your eyes checked.”

The ensuing argument was cut off by the Princess’ melodious voice. “Did you miss me, sailor? Why, don’t you jump in the water.”

“Don’t you dare,” the Narrator growled.

“It’s fine,” Skeptic reasoned. “She only attacked us this time because this one,” he pointed a finger at Smitten, “wanted her to.”

Smitten growled. “I. Didn’t. Want. That!”

“So, is it safe to go in?” Hero asked.

“No!” “Yes!” As if the Princess could hear the voices arguing, she said, “I'll make sure you’re safe and sound.”

From the corner of their vision, Happy noticed something move behind her. They couldn’t quite make out what it was, but it almost looked like a-.

“Did you see that too?” Smitten questioned.

“I did.”

“It’s open water,” Skeptic kept arguing. “You two are imaging things.”

Happy could actually punch Skeptic in the face right now.

“Let’s cut the charade,” the Princess commented. Her voice went back to a normal tone. “We both want to leave. We both want answers. You’re the only one who can leave. You take me on that little boat of yours, and we’ll both be free.”

When no one moved, she added with the sing song voice again, “Come onnnn…You owe me. After all, you attacked me first.”

“That’s fair,” Skeptic and Hero agreed, though the latter was more nervous than the former.

“Are you serious?!” Smitten and the Narrator screeched as the Long Quiet started to move the boat forward again.

“Oh. My. God. I can’t believe I’m saying this, but Smitten will you help me slay the Princess?”

The peacock hesitated as he looked at the Princess. Happy’s gaze followed over to her too. For a brief moment, the Princess’s hands turned to claws and her smile turned deadly. That was the push Smitten needed.

“Ok,” Smitten agreed as he squeezed Happy’s hands. “I want to trust her, but I want to trust you more.” With the two voices in agreement, Happy and Smitten yanked control away from the Long Quiet.

“What are you doing?!” “Are you trying to ruin this for us?!” Skeptic and the Princess snarled respectively. With that as the only warning, the two enraged beings lunged forward. Hero was able to catch Skeptic in time, but the Princess…

“Claws dig into your chest as the once beautiful visage of the Princess transforms into a scaly monster,” the Narrator describes. “Fins protrude from the sides of her head. Despite the seaweed like hair blocking her face, you can still make out sharp teeth and black pupilless eyes. She pulls you into the water.”

They can’t swim, Happy thinks as they’re pulled under. Panic starts to take over as the Princess drags them further down with a strength they didn’t know she had. Happy was about to give up when they felt their arm move.

The Princess screeches in rage as Smitten slashes the blade across her face. She let’s go of them! With the little strength they have left, the Long Quiet push up towards the surface. Happy is so glad when they’re able to suck in sweet, delicious air. Happy makes good on his promise to punch Skeptic. So does Smitten.

“What the hell was that for?!”

“Don’t ever do something that fucking stupid again, moron!” Smitten snarls back as he pulls Skeptic into a hug. Happy blinks. So does Hero. So does Skeptic.

“What…What are you hugging me for?”

“Because you’re important to me, dummy. And scared the crap at me when you started acting, like, well me.”

“We’ve been fighting all day.”

“I know. But that doesn’t change that it’s true. It’s like…you’re the other half of my soul.” Something about that must have touched Skeptic because all the fight in him drains as he returns Smitten’s hug.

Honestly, something about that speaks to Happy too. They think of Strangling and Cheated. Strangling was their Princess. There would always be a connection, the two understanding each other on a fundamental level that Happy didn’t think even the other voices understood about them. For a while, Happy had thought perhaps these feelings were romantic but the way they felt about Strangling was different from what they felt about Hero and Para. Strangling was as Smitten had put it the other half of their soul.

And then there was Cheated. Happy and Cheated had gotten off on the wrong foot. Obviously. But something about the other voice drew them to him. Happy lived for making Cheated laugh when they ran into each other. His smile when they beat the Razor is something seared into Happy’s brain. They weren’t just doing all this anymore to make Strangling proud of them or for them to be a better person. They wanted Cheated to be free of the torment and bullshit the world threw at him.

Happy’s musings were interrupted as something knocked into the boat. Everyone went still before Hero asked what they were all thinking. “We did kill her, right?” And that was when the boat and its occupants when flying. Happy looked over their shoulder in time to see what they could only describe as a leviathan opening its jaws to swallow them whole.

***

“-and then the hands came for her!” a wet Happy was explaining (complaining) to Oppy, Hunted, and Strangling. Looking up at their friend, Happy said, “This was new. I don’t know how I know that, I haven’t seen all the other routes, but I know we’ve never been there before.”

“So, what does that mean?” Hunted asked. Hunted and Oppy were really coming along while being here. In the Construct, Hunted would only speak when necessary and never too loudly. And Oppy was always trying to keep an upper hand on the situation, no one ever really knowing what his play was. But here with Strangling, both were learning to just be whoever they wanted to be. Happy couldn’t be prouder of them.

“I don’t know. But I feel like it was trying to show me something. I just can’t figure out what.”

“Well…I’m sure you’ll figure it out eventually,” Strangling said happily. “You’re a lot cleverer than anyone gives you credit for.”

“More annoying too,” Oppy teased.

“Oh, that’s rich coming from you.”

“Be nice,” Hunted ordered as he snuggled into Happy and pulled Oppy closer to the other voices.

“You three are such freaks,” Witch sneered.

“Wait till the others get here. Then you’ll be sorry.”

“Happy-.”

“I know, I know. Be nice.”

***

Chapter III

The Child

“You’re on a path in the woods-.”

“I told you! I told you not to give her the blade! I told you it would come around to bite us in the ass! I. Voted. Against it.”

“What’s done is done,” Hunted responded to a very annoyed Oppy. “And you can’t be that mad. You got her pretty good too.”

That was right. The Long Quiet had given her the blade. Happy thought they were finally going to meet Thorn. But after the Witch stabbed them, Oppy had stolen the blade, cornered her, and stabbed her back. And now they were stuck with the-.

“Wait,” Hero interrupted. “What did the title card say? Are we actually supposed to kill a child?”

That silenced everyone.

“I…am uncomfortable doing that.”

“Second that.”

“Third it.”

“Then it’s decided. We won’t slay her.”

“She is going to end the world.”

“She’s a child.”

“Millions of lives are on the line.”

“She’s a child.”

“You have the ability to save everyone who exists and everyone who will ever exist-.”

“Ok, what part of the phrase ‘She’s a child!’ are you not understanding?” Happy interrupted.

“We can worry about that later,” Hunted said. “We’re not in the woods. I’m not even sure we’re in the Cabin.”

The other voices start looking around at Hunted’s comment. The Cabin looked…weird. Everything looked plastic. The floor is a checkered pattern tile. The walls are a hideous yellow with daisies on it. The table that should hold the pristine blade is circular with fake flowers in the middle.

“So, what is our plan. The blade’s not here, and even if it was, we’re not using it.”

“I say we leave,” Oppy suggested.

“I agree,” Hunted seconded.

“You can’t leave-!”

“Because the world will end. Yes, we know,” Hero says snippily. Happy loves a snippy Hero. He continues. “We can’t just leave a child in a place like this.”

“Sure, we can. Look at me now. I’m leaving the Cabin,” Oppy says as he moves towards the door, Hunted close behind him. When Hunted meets Happy’s confused look, he shrugs. “We don’t know the first thing about children.”

Happy looks towards the basement door. “Sure. But she’s alone and probably scared and might not know what’s going on.”

“She knew what was going on last time,” Oppy tries to reason. But Happy sees the metaphorically cracks. Both Oppy and Hunted value their own survival above all else, but neither of them are heartless. A small smile pulls at the corners of Happy’s mouth.

“What’s that look for?”

“Oh, nothing.”

Both voices look suspicious. “Look at this way. Would either of you want to be in her place if the roles were reverse?”

Oppy groans and Hunted sighs. But both of them move closer to Happy and Hero despite their reservations. As the Long Quiet makes his way down to the basement, Happy starts to think. Oppy was obviously here because he was there for the Witch. But why was Hunted here? Because Hunted is probably the voice with the most knowledge on taking care of someone? A darker thought made them think that the two were here because if was the only way they’d all survive.

As they step into the basement, all their eyes are assaulted with every color imaginable. Toys of every shape and size are thrown around the room. In the center, sits a childish version of the Princess with a toy tiara and clutching a stuffed version of the Long Quiet in one hand and the pristine blade in the other. She sits at a tiny table adorned with tea set and treats of all kinds.

“You’re here!” her squeaky voice shouts. She gets up from the table, rushing over to them. “You have to come play with me! I’m a Princess. That’s an order,” she says as she starts pulling them along.

“This is a perfect opportunity,” the Narrator says. “Just take the blade and slay her.”

“Mate, we already decided we are all deeply uncomfortable with that decision,” Oppy commented. “And besides, she’s just a little kid. What’s the worst she can do?”

Happy gets the feeling there going to find out very quickly. As they reach the table, Happy takes notice of a weird smell. So does Hunted. “Don’t eat anything,” he instructs.

“Why not? Do you see this spread? Not to mention we don’t know what she’ll try to do if we say no,” Oppy attempts to reason as the Princess pours tea for them.

“No, but I know we’ll definitely die if we ingest anything. It’s poison.”

“Here!” the Princess says cheerily. She’s holding out a cup and plate full of treats. They take it but hesitate due to Hunted’s words. “Well go on. I worked really hard to make all of this. Just for you.” She clutched the doll a little tighter to her. Happy felt a slight pressure that wasn’t there before.

“What do we do?” Hero asks. “We don’t want to upset her.”

“I’m more concerned about us dying via poisoning than upsetting her, Hero.”

“It all looks and smells delicious, my dear,” they hear Oppy’s voice leave the Long Quiet’s mouth. “But I’m afraid the tea is a little too hot for my taste. And one really shouldn��t eat these delicious cookies and biscuits dry.”

The Princess goes quiet as she thinks, tapping the blade against her lip. The voices all wait with bated breath.

“Ok!” she finally decides. The voices relax. “Let’s play a game while we wait!” Never mind. Oppy and Hunted are back on high alert.

As the Princess drags them off again, Oppy starts talking again. “Here’s the plan. I’m going to talk our way out of this as much as possible. If I can’t, Hunted steps in and keeps us from dying.”

Hunted nodded while Happy and Hero looked on with confusion. “You’d willingly hand over that kind of power to one of us?

“Hunted values survival all else. I respect that.” Happy didn’t buy that. Not fully at least. The last time with Smitten and Skeptic kept playing through their head.

Their attention went back to the Princess who set up what looked like hopscotch. “You know how to play right?” They nodded. The first couple of rounds went fine, but the Long Quiet kept winning, much to the little girl’s annoyance. That’s when things started getting fucky.

It started with the tile placements. No matter how hard they threw or where the stone landed, every time they looked down they found themself at the first tile. And Opportunist was getting pissed. Until he snapped.

“That’s it!” Opportunist ripped control away from Quiet, flying them over to the final tile. The delight at ‘winning’ was short lived.

“You cheated.” It was said quietly. The Princess gripped the arm of the plushie and twisted it. Pain erupted through the Long Quiet’s body as their arm bone snapped. Happy could just barely hear Hunted’s whines and Oppy’s curses over the roaring in their ears.

“Naughty birdie,” the Princess taunted. “Don’t do that again.” She perked up again. “Now let’s go eat.” She grabbed their injured arm and pulled. Tears sprung to Quiet’s eyes at the continued agony.

The voices started panicking. They needed to keep her away from that table. Happy got an idea as they spun the tiny Princess around. Their arm throbbed. “Can any of you dance?”

“Dance?”

“Yeah. We need to distract her. If we keep her busy, maybe she’ll forget about the poison.”

“I can try,” Hunted offered. He looked at Oppy. “Talk your way out of it.”

“I’m sorry, dearest, but I’m not hungry right now. What’s say we work up an appetite?”

The Princess smiles wide as she agrees. Watching Hunted and Oppy work together was actually fascinating. The worked in tandem. The two back up the other’s strengths. And when one faltered the other covered his weakness.

It was also the way they just interacted with each other. They listened to each other. They sought out the other’s opinion and trusted that they knew what they were talking about. That was a tall order for the survival duo.

“It’s like…you’re the other half of my soul.”

Happy’s eyes widen. They knew what they had to do. But first they have to get out this.

“You spin one more time, before dipping the child. She giggles and claps her hands in delight,” the Narrator says. There’s an odd tone to his voice. Like he’s mentally somewhere else.

“That was so much fun!” the Princess cheers. “What do you want to do now?” Her eyes were full of wonder.

“Any ideas gents?” Oppy asked. Happy looked around the room as did the others. They took notice of an old dresser in the corner of the room.

“Well…” they hear their voice coming from Quiet’s mouth. So weird. “I’m going to be honest with you, sweetie. I’m not just a birdie.” Lowering their voice they said, “I’m actually a secret knight.”

The other voices all looked at Happy with confusion, but the Princess gasped in delight. “Really?” she shouted.

“Oh, yes. And I’m on a secret knight mission. You see, there’s an evil wizard, and he wants to keep us locked away forever.”

“Is he talking about you?” Hero asked the Narrator.

“Oh, no! How do we stop him.”

“Well, first I think I need to dress the part.” At those words, the Princess rushed off to the dresser. When she couldn’t get the door open with her hands full, she rushed back off to Quiet, shoving the stuffie and blade into his hands.

Quiet and all the voices freeze. “Don’t.” That was Hunted. His eyes are looking at Oppy. “It’s a trick.”

“But…it might be the only chance we get,” Oppy argued back. It sounded like he was trying to convince himself.

“She’s still a kid,” Hero reminded as if they forgot.

“Yes, a kid who broke your arm,” the Narrator butted in. “An arm that is still broken and in pain.”

The Princess spun back around. “Here!” she called as she held up a fancy hat with a feather coming out of it. As the other voices argued, Happy noticed the tremble in the Princess’s hand. Oh.

“Hey,” Happy spoke again. “Are you ok?”

The Princess fidgeted as Happy made the body bend down to eye level. “I…I’m sorry. For stabbing you last time.” So she did remember. “And for your arm.” She looked down at the blade in their hand. “Are you going to hurt me?”

Happy’s heart broke. “No, sweetie. We just want to leave.” They look over at the steps. “Do you want to leave too?”

She nodded as the Narrator screeched, “No, you can’t! She’s going to-!”

“Let it go, mate,” Happy interrupted. “We decided at the beginning we weren’t going to hurt her. You lost.” Happy put the hat on the Long Quiet’s head before cradling the tiny Princess in their one good arm. Bit of a difficult task.

“Oh! Does your arm still hurt?” she asked. She made a grabbing motion towards the plushie. When Quiet handed it over, the Princess gave the arm a kiss. “There! Kisses make everything better.” The Long Quiet wiggled his fingers on his now healed on. What do you know.

The walk back up the stairs was filled with chatter from the little Princess. Her eyes lite up when they made it outside. “So pretty!” She shivered.

“Are you alright?”

“Yeah, just a little cold.”

Happy’s heart ached as the Shifting Mound took her away.

                                                                                          ***

“I KNOW HOW TO SAVE SMITTEN!”

[anxiouslyfred]

The Cinderella Hoax

Summary: Virgil finds Roman on his kitchen floor the day after a party bemoaning losing his true love. He is very much against any of Roman ways to find whomever he'd met the night before, especially since Roman insists time travel is the solution.

~

Virgil hadn’t been thrilled when his small party for a few of his friends together had been turned into a house party a bunch of strangers turned up to. He still wasn’t happy about it the next morning, trying to start on cleaning up and finding Roman weeping on the floor of his kitchen.

Just to get acknowledged he nudged his friend with his toe as he passed to sweep the cans on the side into a recycling bag.

“It could have been true love! They were perfect.” Roman moaned.

“You knew them for a night Princey. It wasn’t true love.”

“True Love!” He insisted, “I must have got his number, or – or someone must.”

“Not even a night, barely a couple hours from what I saw and he left after you holed up in my kitchen.”

“It was your party, Virgil!” Roman cried as if it was a revelation and they weren’t literally in Virgil’s kitchen as he spoke. “You must know him. You hate strangers here.”

“And yet they turned up at the party. Janus and Remus love breaking rules. I knew I shouldn’t have invited them.” Virgil complained, wondering if he should just leave his friend there to carry on cleaning.

Roman looked aghast at the names said, “Them? No, no, no. I’m not asking them who he was. I’ll – I’ll figure out time travel, go back to last night and fix this. You’ve got magic books, right?”

“No!”

“No? Virge, you’re studying magic, what do you mean no?”

“I mean, Roman, you are not being imbecilic enough to fuck around with time over a guy who didn’t give you his number.”

“But it was true love! I need to fix this!”

“You need to have breakfast and find a non-magical solution; like calling your brother.”

“It won’t mess anything up if I time travel, Virgil. I’ll take him for coffee even, so you won’t panic over two of me being at your party. Do you think that’s what I should’ve done actually? Coffee is more intimate and private than a busy party.”

“You’re not time travelling at all. It will mess up because you barely know magic and even the most skilled people struggle with it.”

“I have to though!”

“Listen Roman! You are not time travelling, ‘cause of a guy! Why risk that much for a date. It’s the dullest, most self-serving bullshit you’ve suggested ever. It does nothing to help your life at all beyond risking destroying the world.”

“Shouldn’t I take risks for true love?”

“Not that one!” Virgil snapped, hands covering his face as he groaned and thought, “How do I explain this for you? You’re acting like a delusional romantic. Okay, so you’ve read the stories about time travel, right?”

Roman stared at him for a moment before realising he needed to reply. “Indeed, grand adventures to save the universe.”

“And in all of those, has the hero ever been the person time travelling for a date or their lost love?”

“Of course not!” His hand shot to his chest as if offended by the idea, “They’re pushed to time trave to prevent disasters or combat the villains who have done.”

“Do the villains time travel for a date?”

Roman chuckled, realising what Virgil was trying to say and disbelieving it. “Occasionally, but Virgil, I’m not them. I’ll just take him out for coffee, a simple, non-disruptive event.”

“All time travel is disruptive and I’ve not started on how murky consent would get if you do this.”

He rolled his eyes, “I’m not going to ignore a refusal if I travel in time.”

“Isn’t that what you’re already doing just thinking about going back in time to try and date him again?”

“No!” Roman fell back against the wall stunned at the accusation, “I’m – I’m just asking for a second chance.”

“Then find him a normal way.” Virgil flung his hands in the air, turning away and looking to see if his phone was on the side or in his pockets. “Ask other people who came to the party, look his name up online and ask if he’d give you a chance.”

“I – um, don’t actually remember his name.” Roman admitted sheepishly.

He turned to stare flatly at the man on his floor, clapping slowly, “Wow, you’re describing a Cinderella set up to a T and expect time travel to help you? You know that’s a common scam, right?”

“Virgil, I’m not naive enough to fall for that hoax. I merely want to live last night again to find my true love.”

“You want to be the villain in a story and go too far over what’s likely a scam. I’m calling Remus.” He carried on staring at Roman as he tugged his phone out of his pocket and dialled.

Roman tilted his head, his earlier arguments against contacting his brother silent when he pointed out, “You know he’ll help me time travel, right?”

“Why doesn’t that make you realise it’s a terrible idea?” He groaned, just as the call was answered.

“Virgil! Are we on the hunt for missing shoes?” Remus delightedly cried.

It didn’t take a glance then to flip the call onto speaker, “You know who Roman was talking to last night, then?”

Roman predictably shot up at that, reaching for the phone, “He knows? Give me the phone! I have to find him.”

“It was a scammer, wasn’t it? That’s why you asked about shoes.” Virgil asked, managing to keep the phone in his hand.

Thankfully the question stopped Roman’s struggle, as he quietly gasped, “What?”

“Yep!” Remus agreed, sounding delighted, “Left looking angry though so I don’t think he took anything. I was gonna fight him if he stayed longer.”

With a satisfied smirk, Virgil nodded at Roman, “Thanks. Are you giving up on time travel now?”

“Yes, now I will have retribution. What’s the fiends name, Remus?” Roman grimly resolved.

“Don’t know.” Remus cackled, more words coming through but none sounding as if they were meant to be heard on the phone, occasionally sounding like theories over why time travel was mentioned.

Virgil groaned, between Remus on the phone and the sharp gleam shining in Roman’s eyes he wished he hadn’t tried comforting his friend when he’d found him weeping.

“What?” Remus was back talking to them again from his voice being louder. “He tried scamming Janus and Patton before. Double D called him on it but didn’t get a name as he stormed away and Lo-bore stopped it with Pot before I could fight him; claimed there was no point in asking for a name as it’d be a joke or lie.”

“I have pictures and will shame him everywhere!” Roman declared, getting a disappointed noise from Remus and a considering look from Virgil. “Unless you’ll let me time travel for vengeance.”

Remus cackled again, “I’m hanging up so you can have that lecture on your own.” He called loudly, as Virgil’s expression turned to a glare.

“On Patton’s behalf?” Roman cringed from the glare but still tried adding that to excuse it.

Virgil crossed his arms, expression thunderous now, almost growling and saying nothing.

Roman faked a bright smiling nodding at him, “Third thoughts, you’re right, social media shaming it is. Want a hand tidying up so I don’t do it all at once.”

“The first sensible thing you’ve said all morning.” Virgil thrust the rubbish bag he’d been filling at Roman and turned to get a fresh one for himself.

[thanatologie]

even if it doesn't like...shake my overall thoughts on the whole thing (like bruh do you realize how fucking unhinged it is to begin with), playing through the lich path has me reframing a lot with like...firsthand experience (amanda's crusade for playing/watching/reading a thing yourself because it is different continues), not least of which is the argument before tearstone island.

like, yeah, okay, this is bog standard for either version, right. in the mortal path he's working himself up to give rook an out, but in the lich path...

and you know a lot of the...actual gut punch here is strictly in his voice because he doesn't have a face, how it frames things - you can read it all day long and still not know that he's clearly meandering to a topic that's gonna go over like the hindenburg, because that's not a statement, that turns up at the end when he says stay back a ways, there's a lot of hesitance in it.

like rook's already squaring up for it.

buddy you're in the wrong genre to have that work and with the wrong kind of hero, and your logic is actually pretty shitty, but honestly it's not like emmrich runs on logic to begin with, he feels things real big, overthinks everything, makes assumptions.

also let's take a moment to appreciate the i'll be far more difficult to kill bit. oh, so you're saying lichdom wasn't the complete cure all for that whole dying thing. (i mean, we knew that in the beginning, right, we all knew that.) but i just think it's interesting that he upsold it as the fix-all when i'm pretty sure lichdom has some heavy limitations on it.

sidebar: the ethereal reverb his voice takes on gives me the shivers for some reason. like if nothing else you'd hope his voice would at least stay the same, and it doesn't. nothing does.

gee, idk, rook, maybe it's because emmrich's fear of death was never addressed in actuality and now you get to be the lucky winner of emmrich trying to wrap you in bubble wrap because he's terrified you'll die.

should have brought back manfred.

like, you know, maybe you should have entered that into your lichdom spreadsheet, i guess, but like. honestly what did he think would happen??? like of course he is, and as big as he feels things, of course he'd carry it forever, whether he went a wayward path or not, like. sincerely, what did he think was going to happen? they'd live happily ever after forever and ever?

i think it's interesting that this is the choice for:

like this is where i once again wonder wtf rook was even thinking because like again: when has this man ever not been Like That about anything. ever. in the entire time you've known him.

this in particular kills me, part of me thinks he'd expected some detachment on his part, on things like all those things he's feels so deeply to be dulled. well, he chose poorly if that's the case, because he has an absolute bear of a time even making eye contact during this whole conversation, he keeps looking at the floor.

i mean i don't know what else to say about this that i haven't already said, but it's true. emmrich would explode if he tried to hold things in, up to and including his well ackshuallys.

also, this guy's still not over his parents, he'll probably never get over manfred completely (i mean he and manfred spent twenty years together, you don't just get over that), so uh. i sincerely doubt he's going to be able to honor that one. just saying.

and see, we almost ended this on a good note. we almost did it. this is a fairly reasonable request, i think, on emmrich's part. it's a world away from maybe hang back because i'm invincible or some shit, it's a reasonable thing to ask someone you love to be careful.

aaaand rook ruins it.

i mean...he has a point? like, hey, we're gonna go try to kill literal gods tomorrow, could you please at least try to be careful a little? is not something you get your dander up over.

rook, buddy. pal. friendo. he was like this when you signed on to this two man rowing team, what makes you think he's going to change now? expecting him to, when - again - you're going up against literal gods is maybe being kind of...i don't know. insensitive? jerkish? when you knew he was like this?

should have resurrected manfred.

honestly in this version of the whole fight thing i'm actually glad to see emmrich get a little annoyed about it here tbh, because he's been showing his belly since rook walked in. like the first part, yeah, you can't ask someone to hang back like that in something like this, but tempering it to a reasonable request and still getting shit for it?

nah, mans is correct in his exasperation. i, too, am exasperated with rook right now because emmrich is not being the unreasonable one.

sure, rook's correct here. absolutely, emmrich has transferred that fear of death to them 100%. but you know what? is not helpful or productive? being like this. it's basically the equivalent of stomping your foot because you got told no. but i appreciate that you can tell rook immediately absolutely regrets saying it.

thiskillstheskeleton.jpg

if this man could still burst into tears he'd absolutely be bursting into tears at this point like!!!! that hurt him.

the ending, the we should get ready thing, is still bog standard i think for all versions of this fight except you know!!! at this point there's no manfred to ask him what's going on and for him to be tetchy with, johanna's keeping her mouth shut, and it's just emmrich. in an otherwise empty room, left to sit with it and stew.

it's funny because the mortal argument puts me mostly squarely on rook's side, he's being ridiculous. like he's literally trying to break up with them because he's scared they maybe don't see it as forever after the way he does instead of using his fucking words.

but this one...man, i feel sorry for him. like, yeah, he came out the gate wrong, knew it was gonna be the wrong thing to say but said it anyway, and then tempered it and got his head bitten off for it.

[hello-universe-lovers]

hey

if this doesn't bother you, can you please loredump about your stp voices

like, noooo I'm not here to steal ideas, why in the world would I ever do that

still, I am curious

bonus if you can talk about your ships

Honey, nothing is original anymore/hj

But I plan to have a whole ass au for my version of stp, which changes the voices and princesses. If you want to wait for that, you can stay tuned.

If not. I guess I can go more into my voice ships.

- Stubtunist: this started As a joke, but as I learned about myself: once a joke happens, it sticks. My version of Stubborn lives by KISS (Keep it Simple, Stupid), is Aussie-coded and INCREDIBLY strong. A guy like him would make for easy target for Oppy to weasel into for that extra protection. But overtime, Oppy's attitude changed significantly. Think of it like your Smittunist, except Stubborn is aware he wasn't being genuine, at first. Once Oppy makes an effort to do better, he was one of the first to accept his apology and ended up being his hype man/trainer. My version of Oppy tends to let analytics take over his brain (so he can think who to side with on the fly), to which Stubborn will literally knock him out of it, and keep him on the "not-so-straight-but-good-enough" road. Hell, Stubborn being so open and readable reassured Oppy since he doesn't need to pretend or be afraid of him. If he's upset, he'd let him know.

- CheatBroken: My version of these 2 are different. For one, both are disabled due to the princesses (Fury and Wild, respectively), and they are also girls, so this is Sapphic as shit. Just 2 people with varying degree of "I'm done with the world" getting together to bitch and moan, until something akin to mutual affection forms. They can understand each other physically and mentally, and that makes it so they are the comfort pillow and wake up call both needed. Neither want their attitude to drag the other down, and can recognize the signs of a mental spiral to wake em out of it. There really isn't anything too deep with em, they just happened as a joke (this is a problem/j)

- HeroCold (and basically everyone tbh): oh...them. I don't hate them, mind you. But this is pure crack, from the outside perspective. My Cold shows signs of depression and does the bare minimum to keep himself alive (not that he needs to, but it's a pain to listen to Hero rant about his "health" so he keeps it up). His care for the others are as muted as canon Cold. The only difference is that he has slightly more sympathy. When Hero is stressed from making sure everyone is OK, he is there to offer coffee that he always has. He talks Paranoid out of his own fears, he gets Smitten to tone back on the love poems, he gets Stubborn to stop punching the Wall, and so on. The reason HeroCold is the main ship is bc they somehow became the "parents" of this dysfunctional family. But that's not saying a lot, as they themselves are complicated.

- Smittunist: you must be familiar with this one ;). But mine is slightly different. Mainly, the dynamic is reverse. Instead of Oppy being jealous of the Princess, it's Smitten that's jealous. His main princess of devotion is the Tower, someone who, while appreciative of his company, is incapable of reciprocating his romantic feelings. She sees him as a disciple or priest or whatever, not a "lover". Meanwhile, Oppy has a girlfriend in the Thorn (the princesses are all poly too, your honor), who they treat with tenderness, even if their personalities clash. Sometimes they fight, make out, or just casually exist around each other. But it's REAL, it's DOMESTIC, and by GOD, if Smitten's heart craved it. He of course, never admits it out loud. To be loved by his Goddess is more than enough, why should he be greedy and think about another woman's man's man woman?! Meanwhile, Oppy picked up thst Smitten is faking his emotions (takes one to know one, and all) and since he still has to rebuild bridges, he and Thorn are on their own in deciphering what's wrong with their resident love bird.

And that's all for now!! I have more dynamics in between voices, but these are the ones I thought the most about. If you are OK with more dispersed thoughts on other ships, I am willing to put em here. ContraHero for one is smth I would want an excuse to think more about ;)

[mania-sama]

If you don't mind me asking, who are your top 5 (or top 7) favorite (fictional) characters ever from any media? Why love them?

thanks so much for the ask!! i always love your questions <3

God, this is a hard one. Because I've consumed and fallen in love with so many pieces of media in my life, it's hard for me to tell who exactly my favorite characters are. The pool is just too big to choose from! But I'll try my best regardless!

Also an important note that as I grow older, this list could very well become out-dated very fast. Who knows what I will see or what medias I will consume that will alter my perception of reality?

In no particular order:

Bakugou Katsuki [My Hero Academia] -> THE OG. I REPEAT. THE OG ONLINE OBSESSION. My history with My Hero Academia goes way back on my online persona, when I was a wee lad and experiencing my first online hyperfixation (Warrior Cats not included). I had him as online nickname and profile picture on multiple accounts and instances. I look back and cringe on this era of my life, but I still will not stand for slander on this character. I obsessed over him because he is an incredibly well-written character, with faults, passions, interesting qualities, and an insane amount of character growth that, arguably, rivals Zuko. His character motivations still stand out to me to this day. I quit reading/watching BNHA around the war arc, like right when it finished and Midoriya fled the scene. No particular reason for quitting, I think; I just moved on from that part of my life. But, Bakugou will always stick with me just a little. AND YOU KNOW WHAT. I liked him when everyone else still hated him. I liked him before it was cool to like him. Shout out to 2020-2021 me for being an OG. I'm still a "Ground Zero" truther to this very day.

Percy Jackson [Percy Jackson and the Olympians] -> Anyone that has read the PJO and/or the following series will not be surprised to find him here. He's like Spiderman but better, which is saying a lot because I really, really like Spiderman. Percy Jackson is there for every kid who has ever felt out of place in this world; for every kid who has struggled in succeeding in any aspect of their life; for every kid who grew up in a household different from their peers; for every kid who behaves in ways that other people don't seem to understand. Spiderman was a character created to represent the reader of superhero comics: a teenage white boy. Of course, later iterations of Spiderman come to represent more individuals, but that is not who he was originally. Percy Jackson is a character that comes from a place of necessity. He is a character that represents the reader of PJO: a kid who doesn't quite fit in with the rest, for one reason or another. Percy is funny, ultra-overpowered, relatable, and still gets his happy ending. Nothing more to want in a character, really.

Robbie White | Axe Boy [Identity V] -> My hunter main for Identity V. I don't really know how to explain why I love him so much, and how he has become a character I get emotional over very fast. I seem to find one random character from a game and attach myself to them like a jellyfish. Not only is his backstory devastatingly heartbreaking, he is adorable in all of his animations, standby motions, emotes, etc.. He has carried me to many victories, and he will continue to carry me in every match I play. I literally forced myself to download IDV on my laptop and play a few matches just so I could get his Little Nightmares crossover skin. No matter how far he falls from meta, they can never make me hate you Robbie.

Kugisaki Nobara [Jujutsu Kaisen] -> I had a LOT of internal debate over this. I guess I can't confirm until I leave the fandom, but for right now, she's definitely one of my top favorite characters of all time. I'm considering writing an analysis on her because she is just so good. I have never seen a female character in a piece of media that isn't explicitly feminine embody femininity so well. It actually impresses me to a degree I cannot reasonably tell you. She's just perfect. Everything about her is everything that I want to be as a woman. She's comfortable in her own skin, confident not in a man-ish way, but in a distinctly feminine way. What gives that she wants to feel pretty and strong in a physical way? Who is saying that she can't have both? Not to mention that she's also extremely strategically smart. I love her. I really, really do. Sometimes, I imagine strangling Gege's avatar and it makes me very happy.

Oikawa Tooru [Haikyuu] -> I honest-to-God cannot believe he made it here. I tried so hard to find a character to replace him. I did not want him here out of SPITE. But here he is, somehow, and not replaced by Miles Morales (who, upon reflection, would only be here because I did not want Oikawa to be here. Miles didn't even make my honorable mentions. That is proof enough, I suppose, that Oikawa somehow deserves his spot). I've talked about it before, but I'll reiterate it here: Oikawa is a character that is very, very easy to toy around with. He is THE teenager, and THE adult. You can project pretty much any anxiety or worry onto him and it'll make sense because he's got so many self-worth issues it's laughable. I don't want to spend more time talking about him than he deserves. I am as disappointed as you are that he made this list.

Honorable Mentions:

Razor & Xiao [Genshin Impact] -> They would've made the list if I could've put one above the other for real. Silly whimsical attachment with immense appreciation for the character writing vs serious love for the writing and development of the character beyond words. Simply an impossible choice.

Akabane Karma [Assassination Classroom] -> He was my favorite character of all time at one point in history and is still the inspiration behind my Tiktok nickname (that I may change one day). Unfortunately, it's been a long time since I've watched the anime and I can't remember much of what drew me to Karma in the first place that isn't already achieved in other of my favorite characters. Still, I thought I'd honor him here.

[the-priestess-of-dawn]

Actually though now I AM getting the urge to essaypost about the sacrifice ending because... it occurs to me that perhaps "For once, I'm glad you and I are the same." might be a more significant line than I ever realized... If the Chrom ending represents Robin fundamentally changing as a person, then the sacrifice ending represents them NOT changing... but Chrom is insistent in both endings that Robin will always belong with him and the Shepherds. In the sacrifice ending, Robin comes back from death because of the strength of their bonds... but what does that mean?

You know, if you look at Medeus's death quotes in Shadow Dragon and New Mystery...

“Nngh… Defeated again… by humans! Know this, Altean prince… That light which surrounds you is only a temporary respite. So long as the darkness in your hearts continues to sustain me… I cannot be… destroyed…… Rrraaahhh!!!”

“GWAH…! WHY……? WHY… HAVE I… BEEN DEFEATED… SO EASILY…? IS THIS… THE POWER… …OF NAGA'S… Binding Shield…? KNOW THIS, HUMANS… THIS LIGHT IS ONLY A BRIEF RESPITE… SO LONG AS EVIL LURKS WITHIN THE HEARTS OF MAN… SHOULD THIS ACCURSED SHIELD BE LOST, WE SHALL RISE FROM THE DEPTHS OF HELL… DO NOT… EVER FORGET…”

It seems to me that Medeus is saying that human hearts have the power to bring him back. I mean, yes, it could very easily be a metaphor. In fact, I think it largely IS figurative, but... The point is that this shit keeps happening because humans want it to happen, right? Like, Medeus was resurrected by GHARNEF; he basically just seized the opportunity this human gave him. Why wouldn't he expect it to happen again someday?

And Grima, of course, was revived by the Grimleal. We've got no word on whether Grima wanted their followers to do this after their original defeat (in fact, technically we do not not even know whether Grima consented to giving any humans their blood. It COULD be that they bestowed it on their followers as a show of favor. I also absolutely would not put it past the Grimleal to have collected Grima's spilled blood after the final battle with the First Exalt and used it for their own purposes... Especially because I do think that's most likely what Forneus did with Naga's blood to create Grima in the first place.). Regardless, Grima answered their followers' call and did exactly what they were asked to do.

And then we have Robin coming back. I think most of us presume that there was no specific revival ritual, but... still, fundamentally, isn't the same principle at play? The Shepherds called and they were answered. And Robin came back as Robin, Brandless and free from the power of the fell dragon, because that is who their loved ones asked for, and that is who Robin wanted to be, and I think in a world where magic exists then it makes perfect sense that a strong enough wish could literally manifest as a spell. (Tharja says in her supports with Ricken that "Curses are a kind of magic that gives life to dreams." so I'm inclined to think that this is very much how magic is intended to work.)

So the sacrifice ending becomes a twist on the cycle. Because the thing is, Robin chose destruction. Robin chose to use their power as Grima to bring about a final end—only in this world their conclusion is not that the world is unable to change and therefore must be destroyed, but that THEY are what cannot change and must be destroyed. "For once, I'm glad you and I are the same." They are embracing it. They are the fell dragon and they can't change but they can do the one thing they always do and destroy. This OUGHT to be a tragic ending where we're all left with the bitter feeling that nothing the hero OR the villain did ever truly mattered at all.

But we're challenging fate, right?

And the thing that Robin has that their future self did not is, of course, all the Shepherds reaching out for them. The original timeline Shepherds thought that Robin betrayed Chrom and then... presumably ran off to serve Grima or whatever (since nobody knows that Robin BECAME Grima). And so there was no one to beg Grima to come back and be with them. No shared wish strong enough to create a miracle. The tragedy played out straightforwardly.

But it was never inevitable. The tragedy didn't happen because there is something inherently wrong with Grima's being. Of course it didn't. They were not alone because they were unlovable but because Validar and the Grimleal had everything set up to ensure that Grima could not do anything but turn to them. ("These followers of Naga will spurn you now that they've learned what you are. Kill me, and you incur the wrath of the Grimleal as well… Would you truly choose to be so utterly alone?" Validar knew exactly what he was doing.)

So with the sacrifice ending... perhaps we're really saying that Robin never needed to change. That even if they never give up this perspective of theirs—that they're a no-good and repulsive being, that they're powerless to change anything, that all they can do is destroy—they're loved anyway, and there is room for them in the world no matter what.

[rainbow-wolf120]

The RayClone Theory: Why It Could Be Possible

(Massive Spoilers for CLH below) Tw: Ab//se, Imprisonment, D3ath, Really Bad Pacing on My Part <3

With me thinking about this way too much, I’ve come up with a thought. Have you ever wondered why the CLH Rayman is so… different from his in-game persona?

No, it’s not because it's a remix. Think deeper. Examine them under a microscope.

It could be because… they’re not the same person.

Now, this may sound like another silly cartoon theory, but hear me out. I have… proof. Aka overanalyzing, but school taught me to do that.

So, what is the RayClone Theory? Well, to put it simple, the Rayman we see in the show isn't the ‘first’ Rayman. There’s been many in the past. Many, as in 5 or so. How? That’s what this post is for. So, let's go back to the beginning. Mushing both Rayman and CLH lore alike.

To make this simpler, we’re gonna establish a rule. Referring to all the Raymen in the show as ‘Rayman’ is very, very confusing. So I will make a list:

OG Rayman - Rayman CLH Rayman - Ramon Rayplacement - Fakeman

Get it? Got it? Good. Let’s start.

According to the Rayman lore, Rayman was created with one purpose in mind: To protect the Glade (or, in this case, Dimension X). He was created for one thing only. To protect. To be the ‘hero’.

In the games, he’s never failed before. He thrives and beats the bad guy. But remember, this isn’t the games. It’s a remix. A what-if. This leads into:

What if Rayman failed? What does he do then?

And not like, fails as in Rayman 2, fail as in royally fucked up. Fail as in, the closest one to him dies by ‘his hand’. No, not Globox, he was considered alive by Adi. But you know who he didn’t confirm?

Betilla the Fairy.

You could be thinking: “Duh, of course she wasn’t mentioned. He was being broad.”, but he mentioned Razorbeard. His ass wasn’t relevant since Rayman M. So why mention him, but not Rayman’s literal mom??

Because she's not alive. 

Eden (and America) has always been a resource hungry society. It’s human nature. In this timeline, society progresses much quicker than in the real world (flying cars in 1992). Progress needs resources. Have you ever noticed that Eden is barren of all plant life? It’s because Eden (or America) used it all for industrialization.

How does this relate to Rayman? You know how the Glade of Dreams is a lush forest? Resources from massive jungles to deep oceans to towering mountains? Imagine what a power-hungry company (or companies) would do if they discovered this.

*Insert How Bad Can I Be Here*

The creation of the Super-Scope must’ve been revolutionary. The ability to travel to other dimensions with one click of a trigger. Resources galore.

Sarah Fisher mentions in ep2 that the Golder Super-Scope was stolen from Eden’s labs. So, what’s stopping Eden from creating this material? Nothing. That’s what.

Eden, still a sorta underground company, creates this gun and finds Dimension X. Filled with lush resources ripe for the picking. The critters of the Glade don’t know their ‘bad guys’. They don’t look inherently bad. So they leave them be.

Rabbids. The little bunny fellas.

The Kaiju monsters in the show. How does that become a monster? It’s easy. Toxic chemicals. Not just any toxic chemicals, but Eden’s toxic chemicals from polluting the Glade.

I’m getting distracted, back to Rayman.

Kaiju Rabbids started popping around Dimension X. They started small and inefficient until they got bigger and bigger. Rayman took care of them, yes, but one day, he got absolutely bombarded by a hoard of Rabbids.

A massive war broke out between the citizens of the Dimension and the Rabbids. No one knows how it started because Eden left after it got all it needed.

Rayman, having ‘hero-ing’ literally coded into him, fights back. Others help, yes, but it’s mostly Rayman doing the fighting. 

This leads into Betilla, and how she died.

Rayman was getting jumped by Rabbids, so she came in to save him, risking her life as a result. Yes, her sacrifice did stun the Rabbids and cause them to flee into the depths of Dimension X, but Rayman feels like he’s one to blame.

No one really fully ‘died’ in the games. Sure, they got kidnapped, possessed, you name it. But no explicit deaths besides villains.

So, imagine what that does to a guy when his first, full on death witness was with his creator, his mother.

He doesn’t take it too well.

Yes. Rayman was a hero and drove out the Rabbids, but he didn’t save everybody. He couldn’t save his mom.

He failed.

Lost and confused, Rayman runs to find… something. He runs away, something he’s never done before. He never backed down from a fight. So why is he now?

Well, because he’s scared. Scared for his life and others.

Betilla saved him with her own life. She died because of him. Heroes are supposed to be giving the sacrifice. Not receiving it.

Rayman blames himself. If he’s out of the picture, then no one else would risk their life for his.

The art book says that they destroyed the dimension, but Globox, the Teensies, and even Razorbeard are alive, so the dimension can’t be unlivable. So what if this use of ‘dimension’ was less literal?

This may sound far-off, but Rayman’s “dimension” could be talking about Betilla. She created him, so she is his ‘dimension’.

This transition into Eden! Or, America currently.

Rayman goes into America looking for a fresh start. To find his purpose. He failed his original purpose (which was to be a hero and save everybody), so he blocked out everything that happened originally to start a fresh start.

Or, every immigration story ever. Leaving behind what you loved for a better start.

He needed a new purpose. And that purpose is to be an entertainer!

His origin in America is the same as the show. He goes to college, gets outcasted, and rises with Eden.

Things are different here than with Ramon. Rayman is… less constricted here.

Back when Eden was new (most likely had good intentions), they weren’t worried about Rayman finding the truth. There was no truth to find. So Rayman was allowed to explore, make friends, talk to people and hybrids below his social class.

One day, he met a hybrid journalist. One of the lower-income hybrids, but a very strong writer. Rayman admired their work, being a news reporter and all, and the two became really good friends, even with him getting them a job at Eden.

Then, the journalist goes snooping. Eden wasn’t as terrible as it is in the present day, but it still did bad things. The hybrid craves justice (like any other journalist) and stations a revolt. It affects Eden, but nothing major except getting the journalist put in jail.

Rayman finds out and goes to give his buddy a visit and to ask what happened. Rayman (still under the influence of Eden) explains that they shouldn’t have revolted and that Eden is great. The hybrid shows him the articles and photos (which were disapproved by Eden so they weren’t published) and explains their side of the story. Since the journalist was low-income, they experienced the biases and issues of Eden first hand.

Rayman obviously seeks the truth as well, promising that he could save the journalist. He goes to the Board of the Directors with the proof and articles, demanding an explanation. Not in a violent way like Ramon, but in a diplomatic manner.

(Keep in mind, Rayman has been questioning Eden in recent weeks from folks he’s talked with in his downtime)

Sound familiar? Of course it does. It happens in the show. Clones are still clones, y’know?

The Board, unsure on how to react with their poster boy finding their fucked up ways, tells Rayman that they’ll explain tomorrow.

Rayman, still trusting of the Board, agrees and waits it out. The next day, he awakens, chained in a dingy room.

Why? Well, the Board knew that Rayman’s act wouldn’t be as efficient if he knew what he was saying was bullshit. Think Disney’s Bolt. So what do they do?

Try out their latest technology, of course. And that was a cloning device.

Now, you can’t just clone Rayman. He’s an alien. Not an organic lifeform. So, how did Eden approach it?

Lums. Take bits of Rayman, combine it with various animals, and boom. Almost perfect Rayman clone.

Clones are never perfect. Each one has an imperfection, little or big. And the Lums is what gives Rayman his main form.

So, chain him to the basement so he’s always on hand. Duh.

Rayman stays in that basement for at least 10 years. Sad, alone, and going insane. He can’t die; he’s immortal. Eden goes through at least 4 or 5 different RayClones before landing on Ramon. I’ll go into Ramon in a bit.

When a RayClone is too imperfect or steps out of line, the Board sends one of the Niji 6 to eliminate them. This is shown by this line of dialogue:

“Taking care of”? What do they imply by that? Maybe it implies that they were sent to assassinate Rayman, or in this case, Ramon. 

So, RayClone bodies can’t exactly decompose. Yes, they can die and lose consciousness, but those Lums inside them don’t allow the body to rot. So what happened to those bodies? Leave them in the depths of Eden to rot.

Back to Rayman, one day, he manages to slip his hand loose from the chains and free him. This happens when Ramon is just made. The Board orders the Niji 6 to hunt and bring back Rayman. During his escape attempt, Rayman accidentally causes an explosion ‘killing him’.

We’re gonna pause his story and shift to Ramon.

Now, I wanna talk about his reaction to Red in ep3. Clones share the same memories as the original, but they don’t experience it the same. It’s like knowing something and actually being there.

The Rabbids attack, but Ramon isn’t really stressed about them attacking. Was he that faithful in the Niji 6? Or was it something else?

Was it because he doesn’t have that trauma about them?

When Red calls Ramon an “interdimensional alien scum," Ramon bursts? Why? Because he experienced it. He experienced being belittled and talked down by his colleagues at work. He knows how it feels, so he’s pissed.

If Rayman was in his place, Rayman would be fidgety and panicky about the Rabbids and brush over Red insulting him. If anything, Rayman would be thanking Red for stopping them. Yes, Rayman was talked down in college and his early days, but the Rabbids changed his life.

You could argue that it’s because he had his cry before the cameras were running, but he shows no sign of that. No voice cracks or eye twitches. And the fight just happened, which explains the presence of Red.

Going back in time for a moment-

Ramon was the latest RayClone and the last one with the ‘death’ of Rayman. This makes Eden super protective over him and his opinion on Eden. Other RayClones in the past were either too disfigured to seamlessly become Rayman, or found / was close to the truth. They need to keep Ramon pure.

How does one keep something pure and untouched? Isolated them, of course!

(Note the use of the word ‘illusory’ here)

This also explains the ‘Eden-generated’ scripts. Rayman wrote his own scripts. Rayman said his own opinion. Now, 10+ years later, Eden writes Ramon’s scripts. Ramon says Eden’s opinion.

If he was stripped of his freedom, then how would he be infected with the truth?

If he wasn’t needed anymore.

This is where Fakeman comes in. I think Fakeman is Raymesis, due to those yellow eye highlights you can see in a split second.

The Board wasn’t as faithful in Ramon as they were previously. He might’ve had some outbursts before ep3. They needed a backup. They can’t clone him, the clone would be to fucked up. They needed another Rayman.

Remember the Rabbid invasion in ep2 / 3? While the Niji 6 was dealing with the kaijus, guess who was snooping around the Glade for a Rayplacement?

Raymesis was kidnapped and forced to work for Eden if he liked it or not. They weren’t going to clone him yet, but to keep him in line, instead of acceptance (like they did with Rayman), they used threats.

This explains Fakeman’s uneasiness in ep6 with Retribution Day. That was his first big acting event, and the one Eden decided if he’s replacing Rayman on stage or in the basement.

Look at his face when it’s canceled. Bro looks scared shitless.

But Fakeman and his lore / personality is a whole ‘nother post.

Ramon follows the same path as Rayman. Seeing something unfair (Rayman’s friend getting arrested and Ramon losing his job), and doing something about it.

It’s that Ramon is filled with vengeance and anger because his whole life was a lie.

Rayman is filled with doubt and confusion because he just refound his purpose, and that was a lie.

Rayman’s whole journey throughout this is finding his purpose. His original purpose was to ‘save everybody’, and that failed. He went to America to find a purpose and did with Eden. In his character bio in the art book mentions this purpose line.

“Even happier that Eden gave him purpose”. Why? Because he lost his original purpose! He felt he was nothing before Eden gave him everything. He’s under the mindset that Eden gave him his meaning of life again.

They quite literally saved his life.

Anyway, what does Rayman do after his ‘death’? Have an identity crisis of course! He was locked up for over 10 years, his brain is scrambled eggs at this point!

He failed his purpose for Eden, so he resorts back to his original purpose: Be a Hero.

But, what about the Rayman on TV? Is he the real one?

Rayman’s mindset is that he was created to be a hero. Heroes are brave, speak the truth, and rise up against bad. What is the Rayman on TV doing?

He’s being brave, speaking the ‘truth’, and rising up against ‘bad’.

What’s the real Rayman doing?

He’s being a coward, secret about what he knows and saw, and hiding against the bad.

Heroes don’t do that. So Rayman must be a fake. He must be the RayClone. He’s the mistake. At least, that’s what he made himself think.

Now, I won’t get into my ideas for Season 2. If people want it, sure. I will. But for now, I’ll leave it at that. This is 2200+ words, and I’m grasping at the air at this point.

If you disagree? Great! If you don’t? Great! Tell me your own thoughts / theories then!

[karmavongrim]

Hero's Rise fanfic idea

Not much of an idea but an actual story about Danny's new life in the Pokémon world.

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

Chapter 1

All anybody needs is a second chance

Why is the world so unfair? It wasn’t fair! All it took was just one simple mistake. A mistake that any teenager could’ve made and yet when he does it, the entire world is put in peril. A mistake that his family had to pay the ultimate price for.

These are the thoughts of an injured teen kneeling in a crater of his latest fight with the most terrifying foe he has ever met. That day had started like any other, a teen worrying about an important exam that could effect his future. He’d thought of even just winging the whole test since he never got enough time to study thanks to his secret hero duties keeping him occupied even at nighttime, if not for the test answers he had picked up from the ground that was accidentally left behind by his English teacher. If only he would’ve known that his decision to cheat would cause for the literal apocalypse to happen then he would have never even considered doing such a thing.

No, that wasn’t true, he knew that this would be the outcome yet he still did it thanks to his stupid teen impulses. The master and lord of time himself had warned him personally of this but he still didn’t listen. And now he has nothing.

The scrawny fourteen year old stares blackly at the hellish inferno that had consumed all the ones he cared about along with a fast food restaurant they had been held captive in by his evil future self. His glazed eyes turn to a silver thermos that now housed said monster. He can’t bring himself to care that his baggy t-shirt and jeans are in shreds, and covered in blood and dirt. Nothing mattered to him anymore.

In a distance the blaring sound of multiple sirens can be heard even through the sound of roaring fire around him. So lost in thoughts he’s that he didn’t notice the world around him going deathly still and quit, nor the wisp of gold air escaping past his pale split lips. Not until a familiar, deep voice gently calls out to him.

“Danny.”

Danny blinks for what feels like the first time in a good while as he’s trying to process what was said to him and by whom. He didn’t move from his spot on the ground when a blue-skinned ghost moves in front of him, his purple cloak flowing along. His form ever shifting between that of a child, an adult and an old man, never staying as one for long. Seeing the ghost he can’t stop tears from rolling down his face as he demands.

“Why didn’t you stop this Clockwork?”

When the ever age shifting ghost says nothing he becomes angry.

“You are the master of time aren’t you? Can’t you just turn back time and let me fix my mistake?”

Clockwork regards the distraught boy silently for a moment.

“I won’t nor can do that Daniel, for multitude of reasons. You also seem to have misunderstood some things regarding me. I do not rule over time, I manage it. My duty is to take care of it, not to bend it to my will and do whatever I please with it. If I were to meddle more than I already have the consequences could be catastrophic. This was the most optimal outcome.” He calmly explains. The ageless being truly wishes that it wouldn’t have come to this, but he had no other choice. He had his limits and rules in place for a reason. This of course doesn’t sit well with the boy.

“O-Optimal outcome? Optimal outcome!” He screams with his hoarse voice. Danny was absolutely livid hearing that. He lets go of the thermos shaped capture device and wobbly lifts himself up.

“You are saying all this like it’s nothing! Like we are nothing more then pieces on a game board that can be thrown away!” He screams more as he unsteadily lunges himself at the ancient ghost who does nothing to stop the weak assault.

“Why did they have to pay the price for my stupid decision? Just take me instead!” He begs but Clockwork’s unmoved, so Danny continues to throw punches, ignoring how heavy and in pain his arms feel.

“You are the master of time! Just turn back time and let me fix this!” He begs again and still only silence greets him, so he doesn’t stop.

“Please! If they are taken away from me I’ll have nothing left worth living for. If you can’t bring them back then take me as well!” Third time he begs and bargains, and again nothing.

Danny collapses on to the elder who wraps his gloved arms to keep him from falling while being careful with his clock staff. With no more rage, all that is left was absolute sorrow and misery belonging to an orphaned child.

“P-Please bring them back. Please. I-I beg you, I’ll do anything.” He tries to beg feebly one last time as he lifts his head to look into Clockwork’s solid red eyes.

“I’m sorry.” Was the resolute answer he gets that shattering any illusions of this all being just a messed up dream or a sick joke.

That’s it then, he’s lost everything and there’s nothing he can do about it. Maybe his parents were right about Danny Phantom being a monster, they weren’t that far from truth looking at the destruction that Dan had caused… It would be better for everybody if he were to just-

“Don’t.” Clockwork’s stern voice rouses him from his spiraling dark thoughts, who’s looking at him with equally stern gaze.

“Do not think that taking your own life would atone anything. You must keep on living Daniel, for your family’s sake at least if not yours. Stay alive so that their memories may live on as well with you. They would want that and you know this too deep inside.”

Even though his speech ends in softer note it still stings a lot. He’s the cause of all of this so it would be only fair that he pays the price as well. But there seemes to be no way fighting the powerful ghost of time on this, no matter how hard he tries. Danny slumps further into Clockwork’s firm embrace as if it would help him somehow to escape the cruel reality.

Clockwork would let the boy get his bearings but this isn’t the place nor time for it. He shifts his free hand to soothe the messy black mop of hair as he continues.

“Unfortunately I can’t let you stay here. The future only holds terrible things for all if you do.”

Danny squeezes his eyes shut as he grits his teeth; even if Clockwork didn’t say it outright he knows what he means. What is he suppose to do then? There’s no going back and fixing this, nor is he apparently allowed to end his own misery. The only thing he can think of is to ask the one who knows everything.

“…What should I do?”

Clockwork lifts his staff as he suggests.

“Come with me and you’ll find out.”

Danny doesn’t think too long since he has nothing else to do or place to go. If he stays then he would be just put in foster care or adoption since he’s still a minor, and would end up with Vlad one way or another. Once felt connection to this town seemed to have shatter into pieces when his loved ones perished. He has nothing left to keep him there, so at a complete loss he agrees.

“A-Alright.” He mutters and takes the offered hand.

At his consent they are both along with the thermos transported away with a single wave of a staff, never to been seen by that world ever again.

Danny only opens his eyes when the feeling of momentary weightlessness ceases and he’s gently pried off by the older ghost. He is led to a purple bed of what seem to be a guest room from lack of personal touches in it. Once he’s made comfortable Clockwork doesn’t waste time in explaining.

“Like I said before, you can’t stay here. But there’s another way. I happen to have acquaintances who would be willing to foster you, the only catch being that they live very far, far away.” Danny’s getting a sinking feeling about where this is going so he has to ask.

“How far exactly?”

Clockwork stops, seemingly to give the boy a second to prepare himself before answering.

“In another world, in another reality.” He tells him truthfully. This gets a reaction out of the teen.

“What! W-Why so far away? What about my-” He stops himself from finishing that sentence. Tears once again start to gather and fall with earnest. What about his family. They are gone for good and he wouldn’t be able to live in Amity Park without constantly being reminded of his failures. Clockwork places a firm hand on the skinny shoulder to draw his attention away from his spiraling thoughts again. He hates the soft look directed at him. He doesn’t deserve it.

“This is why you can’t stay and why I’m offering you this opportunity, to heal and give you a second change at life, to move on.”

Danny shook his head violently. No, he doesn’t deserve any of this.

“H-how can I just move on from this!? From them! There’s no way- It’s just not right!”

He doesn’t deserve help. He doesn’t want it! He can’t continue on with his life when the others lost theirs. It wasn’t right. It wasn’t fair.

“I didn’t say that you should forget about them, but to accept that this is the unfortunate reality. The pain never goes away, it merely becomes easier to deal with in due time if you let yourself heal by at least attempting to forgive yourself. What do you think your loved ones would say to you right now? Samantha, Tucker and Jasmine? Your parents? Would they want to see you in this state?”

Danny winces and glares hard at the elder. He has no business to use his family against him like that! But now that the idea’s been planted, he wasn’t able to think anything else. What would they say?

He can definitely see Jazz and Sam scolding him for being an idiot, for ever thinking that they’d blame him, that they knew what they were getting themselves into. Tucker would reassure him that he wouldn’t forget them even if he found a new meaning to his life. Hell, he would even offer some ridiculous ideas to try out in the new world, like pick up some alien girls. He liked to think that his parents would wish the best of luck and happiness, to show the world what Fentons are made of.

He let his tears fall freely. The last thing he wants to do was to dishonor the ones he loved the most. He won’t do it, he’ll make sure their memories would live on, brighter than ever. He doesn’t want to disappoint them no matter what, even if it still left a sour taste on his tongue. Was he really allowed to move on with out them?

Clockwork decides it would be a good time to leave the boy to mourn in peace, yet he can’t help but lament quietly as he floats out of the bedroom.

“Oh Daniel, you think that you still have to pay for what had happened. Those who have passed have no need for tears, you’ll only end up drowning yourself in them. I truly hope that this will help you find peace of mind someday.”

The Observants have always told him that he cares to much for the young halfa, and every time he denies them even though he knows that they are correct much to his dismay. He’s cared for the boy even before he was born. He can see all of time: past, present, and future. All of it’s endless twists and turns. And out of all of them he enjoyed Danny’s the most. The person who said that time doesn’t have favorites was a liar.

Clockwork glides through the finding halls and corridors of his clock tower till he arrives at his destination. His viewing room, filled with screens, mirrors and cogs that hold within images of old and new, as well as those yet to come to pass or never will. He moves deeper and deeper till he came to a simple silver mirror, so unassuming and hidden away from any unwanted eyes.

Lifting his staff he gently taps it’s surface. It ripples like a calm lake disturbed and white figure manifestes in it.

A white equine like creature accented with gold, radiated majesty and power. Emerald crusted ring of gold attached to its abdomen outshines any crown a king could wear. It’s red and green eyes seem to glow when it notices the time master who has contacted it. And with a mighty voice they spoke.

“Clockwork, it has been ages since we hast last spoken. How hast thou been, those Eyeballs still causing trouble for thee?”

Clockwork lets himself chuckle, trust his friend to take a stab at his ‘coworkers’ just to make him laugh. Not that he’s any better.

“Well met Arceus, my old friend. As nice as it would’ve been for me to have only called you for pleasantries, we’re here to discuss some business.”

He leans on his staff as his friend could only sigh.

“We had a feeling this was so. Thou rarely contact us for any reason other.” Arceus laments and bores a tired glare at the cloaked man who in turn shrugs rather unapologetically.

“What is’t, now that thou summon us?” He asks in almost bored tone.

“I’m calling for the old dept.”

Clockwork states simply. Or it would have sounded simple to anyone else, but Arceus stills as their eyes blow wide open before they narrow in suspicion.

“What hast thou gotten into for thou to arriveth and claim due.” They demand and watch when with a wave of a staff, a hand mirror appears on the other’s unoccupied hand. They lean in for a closer look as a visage of an adolescent boy with midnight black hair becomes visable. This was not what they had expected.

“We fail to understand what thou crave us to try, other than it most like hath to try with thy human child.” They inquire in hesitant interest. This was Clockwork they were dealing with and should never be underestimated.

“He’s a child who’s been dealt an unnecessarily cruel hand in both life and death. He just a moment ago witnessed the loss of his friend and loved ones in the hands of his ultimate enemy.” He tells this as he looks at the image.

“E’en if that is the case, why hie so far for this one single being? There are many others whom suffer the like fate as him, if not worse. Time favors none, doth it not?” Arceus keeps questioning. It doesn’t make sense since they’ve seen countless beings succumb to many fates both good, bad and horrid. What is so different about this one?

“This world holds nothing but sadness and pain for him. In another timeline things would have gone so much more differently and he would have had his happy ending, but this timeline is unfortunately not it. He will never truly recover if he stays here were everything reminds him of his ‘failure’; he’ll keep dwelling deeper in his misery till it drives him over the edge. A change of scenery is what he desperately needs, so I’m finally asking for the favor that you own me. My request is that you take this child and allow him to build a new life for himself in your world.”

They hear and see the clear care their old friend holds for the child but they needs to remind him of the weight of what he’s asking of them.

“This is no bawbling crave Clockwork.” They press.

Clockwork fiddles idle with the clock that is embedded on top of his trusty staff as he conversationally mentions.

“Just like it wasn’t a small act I committed back then for you.”

He lifts his red eyes back at them, challenging the other to try and back down. Arceus knows a losing battle when they see one, besides they do own him big time. There’s nothing else for him to do than continue onward in valiant defeat.

“What is the name of this child?” They ask as they turn back to look at their future charge. The victorious smugness emanating from the other side of the mirror nearly causes them to roll their eyes.

“His name is Daniel Fenton but goes by his moniker Danny or Phantom depending on his current form. A bright young lad when given the chance, even if his grades might have taken a plunge due to his hero work.” Clockwork informs them.

Arceus watches in keen interest as they’re shown many of the boy’s ventures through the small looking-glass. They can’t help but laugh when he realizes how Clockwork sounds like when he talks about the boy, causing said ghost to raise his brown at him.

“And hither we thought thee were suppose to be impartial to all’s… Regarding the favor, all preparations shall be done ‘i no time.” They both discreetly snorted at the pun.

“We are content to receive him whenever seen meetest.”

Clockwork’s shoulders slump ever so slightly as he gives a grateful smile, which quickly turns to his usual smirk.

“Excellent, I won’t be holding you any longer then. Besides I need to prepare young Daniel for his departure, as well as some ‘guests’ to entertain when they finally decide to arrive.” He purrs but before the call was ends Arceus gives a final warning to their old friend.

“We hope that this doth not end poorly. If it doth, thy shall bear the consequence.”

At this threat the ghost only laughs.

“No need for worry. Knowing my Daniel he will do more good then harm. But then again, I know everything.” And with that final farewell the mirror returns back to its unassuming state. Clockwork creates a duplicate of himself and sends him away while making his way back to Danny.

Arriving at the bedroom door he knocks out of courtesy on it before entering to see the poor boy lying face down on the bed. Softly floating to the bedside he tentatively begins to pet his grimy hair. Danny stirs slightly but made no move to get away or to stop the hand on his head. Instead he starts to hiccup and tries to smother his sobs on the duvet.

“I’ll never see them again.” He cries.

Clockwork continues his petting as he lets the boy release his emotions.

“They’re never coming back.” He cries more and all the elder can do at the moment was to offer comfort.

“I’m sorry.” He says as sincerely as he can. He would’ve felt regret over the whole situation if he didn’t know that this needed to happen. It still doesn’t stop his core from breaking a little when he hears him say in such a small voice.

“I don’t want to be alone.”

Lifting his hand from the dirty hair he moves to shift it away from the boy’s face to reveal pair of red puffy eyes looking at him in complete loss.

“You won’t be for long. Here, lets get you cleaned up a bit and you can go back to rest a little while longer.”

Not having energy to argue he’s helped up from the soft bed and into a Victorian style bathroom. Clockwork helps him all through out the whole process of undressing and bathing since Danny doesn’t want to do much of anything in his current state. Being gentle with all the injuries, he’s placed into a tub and washed till water comes out clean. Helping Danny up once again he ignores the grimy rags that were the boy’s old clothes laying on the floor as he moves them both back to the bedroom where a set of new identical looking garments rest on the bed along with a black and white duffel back with Phantom’s logo on it. Danny, who’s bundled up in light purple towel, shows only slight interest in the assorted items before going back to being docile dead weight. He doesn’t react much either to being once again manhandled and laid back down to rest on the soft mattress. His eyes already closing shut when he was being tucked in.

Clockwork takes a second to look at the now peaceful form slumbering away, he deems him well enough to be left alone for the time being. After shutting the lights and closing the bedroom door behind him, he leaves to continue his many tasks still left unfinished.

It takes a good while for Danny to wake up and when he does, he’s feeling completely sore and tired. He looks around to see the familiar room and tears began to fall again.

It wasn’t just a nightmare then. They were really gone forever now. His talk with Clockwork plays around in his head, about how he should keep on living. But he doesn’t think he deserves a new chance, not that he had been given any other choice. He was going to be dragged towards a “new life” kicking and screaming anyway so what’s the point in even trying to fight back. What was there to fight back for?

Rolling his head to its side he was faced with the duffel bag he vaguely remembers seeing before going to sleep. And since it has his logo on it he could only assume that it was meant for him. He rolls to his other side and tries to ignores it to best of his ability. Few moments pass as he tosses around in frustration before he lets his curiosity win.

“Whatever.” He sighs and moves to sit and drags the full bag in closer to him.

Hesitating for a second, he grips the pull tightly and opens it. He only sees a glimpse of what’s inside but it’s enough for his world to come to a complete stop again. His hands start to shake uncontrollably as he carefully, oh so carefully pushed the opening wider to see if his mind was playing tricks on him. Only when his trembling fingers caress the items revealed inside does he believe them to be real and there with him.

Inside are meticulously placed items belonging to all his lost loved ones. He reverently takes them all out and spreads them neatly in front of him.

His mom’s red goggles glisten along with his dad’s favorite fudge spoon which sit right next to a giant pair of black gloves also belonging to his dad. To the right is his sister’s well loved teddy bear nicknamed Bearbert Einstein, which thankfully hasn’t gained anymore tears. Even his little lab coat was still on. Next is Sam’s much sought-after combat boots she swore to wear when she’d grown enough to wear them properly and beside them are Tucker’s trusted PDA and signature red beret which he owned multiple of. There are even two of his own favorite items from his room; a red toy model rocket from his childhood and vintage collector’s poster of Apollo 13. All the other irrelevant items such as the Fenton thermos, wrist ray, Fenton phones, Boo-merang and Fenton rod, some extra clothes and a memory stick he left inside the bag.

He places both of his hands to his mouth as he tried fruitlessly stifle a sob. Clockwork must have gathered all of them for him, and he would be forever grateful for it.

He takes his dad’s oversized gloves and fastened them on his much smaller hands. Mom’s goggles now hanged around his neck as he situates Tucker’s beret backwards on his head, and after putting on Sam’s boots he gently lifts Mr. Bearbert to look into his one remaining little eye. Hugging the bear tightly, he curls into a ball and he manages to catch a whiff of a painfully familiar sweet scent. It still smells like Jazz’s cheap candy perfume. He no longer hold back on his cries as he’s surrounded by the only things he still has left of his shattered life.

He didn’t know how long he had cried before he felt a hand landing on his shoulder. He only looked up at the new arrival when then hand squeezed in lieu of trying to get his attention. It’s Clockwork who’s gazing down softly at him.

“I thought you might appreciate to have some mementos of them to take with you.” He explains. Danny can only nod in utmost thanks, not trusting his voice to work at the moment.

He can feel his eyes starting to moisten up again but no more tears are left for him to cry. The hand on his shoulder continues to sooth him as he gathers himself up to sit, still clutching on to his sister’s bear for support. He’s offered a napkin to dry of his now wet face.

“I suggest that you pack your bag back up; it is time to leave.” The ghost encourages him and moves to stand by the bed’s side.

“Already?” He asks and winces at how his voice comes out. Clockwork nods.

“Unfortunately. Now come, I’ll help you if you need me to.” He says and gestures at the bag. Danny didn’t want to put away the items just yet and seeing how he’s hesitating the ghost continues to reason.

“The road to you destination is a turbulent one, it will be much safer to put them away for the time being and you can always take them out afterwards.”

He thinks about it only a second before caving in; he doesn’t want to loose any more things dear to him just because of his stubbornness. Carefully, one by one he takes the precious items and puts them away to safety of his duffel before zipping it up. Clockwork opens the door and gestures for him to follow which he dutifully does along with his bag.

Their walk is silent for the most part, not that he minds too much, it leaves him time to look at all the cogs, clocks and other glowing green metallic structures that litter the place. Makes sense considering who the owner is.

It’s probably because of Clockworks own influence or because their destination was that close by that they arrived to their stop faster than he thought it would take, and to his surprise and dread the room they enter was the viewing room he and his friends had broken into. The guilt that immediately starts to twist his guts make him look down at the ground and keeping his eyes only on the end of his guider’s cloak. He’s so focused on not seeing anything on the screens and mirrors that he pumps into Clockwork when he stops them at the very end of the cluttered room. Finally daring to look up he sees in front of them on it’s lonesome, is a person sized clouded mirror with ornate frame hanging on the wall, with stone steps leading up to it.

Clockwork turns to him and speaks as he gestures it.

“This gateway will take you to your the new world which hopefully you’ll learn to love and call home one day. There are things in that world that are similar to ours, but also things that you’ve never even imagined. Don’t worry, your new caretakers will share more information with you once there.”

He places his hand on his back and guides the hesitant teen up the stairs to his uncertain future. He pauses in front of the mirror and now that he stands so close to it, he can see that the glass isn’t exactly clouded but seems to have actual moving clouds trapped on the other side of it. He thoughtfully looks at it then at Clockwork.

“Will I ever see you again?” He asks after a moment of hesitation. The elder tilts his head to the side as if thinking before smiling enigmatically.

“Only time will tell young Daniel.” He simply states which almost makes Danny snort, but his slightly better mood is snuffed out when a promising grin takes over his aging face.

“Good luck.”

With this he pushes the fumbling teen into the mirror who embraces for collision but is shocked when he passes through the glass and keeps on falling. He screams.

Clockwork watches impassively as his short time charge leaves this world and into a new one. He glances at nearby mirror to see Fenton Works blow up to smithereens, leaving nothing to the unscrupulous vultures that would have used this tragedy to their advantage. Someone must’ve forgotten to change the Ecto-Filtrator, how unfortunate.

He silently counts down till the door to his work room slams open and three very loud creatures whom have once again barged into his domain uninvited, decide to make tier unhappiness known.

“You must have thought it really funny to leave us in a time loop at your front door!”

His lips twitch minutely as he regards them dully.

“Who knows, and did you really need to take out your frustration on my poor door.”

The trio float closer, all of them wearing identical white robes and black collard cloaks decorated with gold. Their heads were nothing more then a giant eyeball with no necks. Middle one closes in and points its sharp-nailed finger at him as it narrows its one eye.

“Were not here to play games, Time Keeper. Were here because of that hybrid you seem to favor.”

He raises an eyebrow and tightens his hold on the staff. The being notices this and wisely moves back to stand with his peers. Satisfied he turnes to look back at the many screens that kept switching from view to view.

“You won’t have to worry about him. He’s long gone.” He provides, which certainly caught their interest.

“He is? For good?” Third one askes, sounding a bit too exited.

“And he won’t be a problem in the future?” Second one askes more apprehensively.

“Yes. I trust you are satisfied now.” He near spits at the unwanted company standing behind him. Dressed in fine robes they look more like noblemen than officials, which irks Clockwork to no end. So high and mighty, it made him want to defenestrate a good few of them if it weren’t for the fact that they were needed in this anarchist paradise of a dimention.

“Where did you send him anyway Clockwork?” Pries one of them. He merely shrugs in response.

“That is none of your concern since he won’t be coming back. Now, care to observe the door. And don’t let it hit you on your way out.” He motions carelessly behind him at the exit.

As they turn to leave with indignant huffs, they do not notice the mysterious smile stretching on the time ghost’s face.

[neonscandal]

So, fanfic ideas.... If JJK and BNHA characters were in No Power world, what would their job be if not become Jujutsu Sorcerer or Hero (in your opinion)? Why? Please pick your top 5 fav characters from each...

Ooooh la la, another fun one. High key, I love this question. If you end up writing anything, I'd love for you to PM me so I can read it (you can also share anonymously, whatever's clever)! Thanks for the ask, let me know your thoughts below 👇🏾

This is literally me perking up any time I get a new ask. 🥰

JUJUTSU KAISEN AU

Quite literally, all of these characters would be alive and thriving anywhere else.

Nobara Kugisaki - IG Model, easy. After not getting scouted in Tokyo like she'd always imagined, she decides to do it her mf'ing self. Her results... are lackluster. At first. But as frustration wins, she inadvertently starts letting the real her shine through (complete with bouts of scathing badassery during a live complaining about her lack of fame). People begin to find her incredibly relatable and she becomes like the Jennifer Lawrence of influencers. Never once do her travels take her close to Shibuya station.

Why: That "I-Know-I'm-The-Shit-Even-If-You-Don't" attitude has nothing to do with jujutsu. Nobara has an unwavering confidence and is delulu enough to make it happen, whatever It is for her.

Yuji Itadori - As a card carrying member of the occult club in high school, Yuji starts considering his prospects for higher education (Sasaki and Iguchi will continue to need someone to hide behind as they investigate the "supernatural"). Subsequently, he finally gives into coach's insistence to join a sports team provided it doesn't take time away from his club commitments and, of course, goes All Star in whatever sport he decides to take on. Subsequently, he gets a full ride + stipends to attend university as a college baseball player after chasing his passing interest in going to the "Summer Koshien". He happens to follow Kugisaki on Insta.

Why: Yuji's need to be needed would, in part, guide his steps. I think he'd want to be something cinema related, like a reviewer! But he'd always want to coddle the cowering forms of his peers even if they weren't particularly close. Sports is a means to an end, maybe he'll study cinematography or film theory in uni! But ultimately, he's still a kid who wants to help people.

Megumi Fushiguro - Sweet baby Megs has always had a penchant with animals. They find their way to him at parties, otherwise well behaved dogs pull against their leash to flock to him... even wild animals tend to be way too comfortable getting close. This charm he has over animals amuses him though he'd never admit it aloud (he's still just as sullen as ever). Subsequently, while he doesn't need the money, he helps out as a veterinarian technician while in high school and volunteers to walk dogs at the local humane society. He doesn't have social media but he occasionally gets posted with the animals on their SM pages when they have adoption events (which tend to be really well attended afterwards). He's posted exactly one video to YouTube to an account with no profile picture that urges idiots to stop giving baseballs to dogs and leaving them unattended as aggressive chewers may end up ingesting the innards which cause obstructions in their intestines. Yuji was the idiot in question that prompted the post. He did see the video.

Why: Megumi is gentle but more specifically to life forms that deserve it. I still think he'd break the face of anyone who breaks the golden rule of "don't hurt me [or anyone I love] and I won't hurt you [or anyone you love]" but that soft spot for vulnerable beings is still there.

Nanami Kento - Nanami Kento is still a salaryman but, without the outlet that being a sorcerer allowed him when he felt dispirited, he's forced to white knuckle it like the rest of us. That is, until he finds a cause that he can dedicate some of his time to. It starts when Haibara joins a community outreach program wherein he encourages Nanami to be a volunteer mentor. It starts out rather stiffly but, eventually, things kind of click together for him. He realizes the kid he's mentoring isn't a total delinquent and the kid realizes he's not being infantilized when Nanami just cares for his wellbeing. With this understanding, Nanami really feels like his impact is meaningful and he commits to taking on more responsibilities within the program both in a leadership role and in taking on more mentees. Ino was his first mentee, Yuji was his second (mandatory after being caught underage in a pachinko casino). He couldn't get rid of either of them after the fact.

Why: Nanami isn't so bored with being an office worker that jujutsu is the only alternative. He just wants to feel like his incredibly valuable time makes a difference. He needs a cause and Papamin deserves someone to look after (quite to his dismay).

Satoru Gojo - Satoru Gojo wants for not in any universe. Subsequently, he is just an eccentric rich guy who, in a very intentionally Jay Gatsby manner, frequently throws extremely lavish parties that are the talk of the town. They are as garrish as he is outlandish but men and women flock to them for a chance at getting a peak at the Gojo clan heir. In his youth, he'd gone to a small, private religious high school and still sends individual invitations to each of his old schoolmates with the hope that one of them in particular will come. Shoko attends every party with Utahime begrudgingly at her side. Nanami curtly replies with a written "decline" to every single invitation though Haibara is sometimes able to drag him out. Geto attends occasionally but he is quite blissfully unaware that these opulent parties are solely meant to captivate his attention. He's under the impression that whatever they had in high school is long gone. Nobara has, on occasion, tried to crash these parties but security usually bounces her because she's underage.

Why: In every universe, in every life, Satoru Gojo is a simp. Especially for the lone person he considers to be his equal. For all his money, for all his power, he is always left wanting [Suguru Geto].

My Hero Academia AU

Honestly, this gave me more of a hard time. Like, the kids are the same age as JJK but, they just seem... like kids. I can't tell if it's the depth of JJK's character development or their semi-obvious cursed techniques as they relates to employment but here's what I came up with.

Katsuki Bakugo - Katsuki Bakugo is effortlessly good at a lot of things in and out of the MHA universe. While he has a keen intellect fit for many professions, I think his obsessive-bordering-on-psychopathic dedication to be the strongest, the best is reminiscent of a dude bro bullying you into buying whey protein and lifting more. He would for sure be a personal trainer who would, begrudgingly, have a social media presence where he commodifies his otherwise flippant attitude and "beats people into being a less shitty version of themselves". He would also have a private, no face cooking account on tik tok for his curated but delicious meal planning. Midoriya, unknowingly, follows both online personalities. This does not escape Bakugo’s attention.

Why: Don't get me wrong, kid is will one day be the CEO of whatever company he wants (a lot of CEO's are also psychopathic) but, considering his age and current hobbies, he was born to call his followers extras while condescending to them about a proper workout and nutrition plan.

Izuku Midoriya - Izuku and his penchant for hyper informed rants about his special interest would see surprising success as a tiktoker. Bullies would always find something to pick on him for whether that be his absent dad, his socioeconomic background, his pitiful disposition… but even they’d be clued into and following along for his long form verbal essays on pop culture (only thing I could think of in lieu of hero culture, maybe sports would be better?). He’d cultivate a community of adoring fans turned friends and collaborate with other similarly obsessed fanatics. Bakugo would be hyperaware of his channel but act really passive when any of their old middle school classmates bring it up to talk about it.

Why: I feel like tiktok is absolutely the perfect environment where people can connect over their interests and, as an aficionado in whatever seems apropos for the AU, Midoriya’s innate charm over others would shine through and garner a following. Especially because we know he knows what he’s talking about. I’d be tuned in.

Shoto Todoroki - if Enji is still in the mix, he’s likely still going to be waging war against his own weakness (in whatever capacity) and, subsequently will be both insanely successful by other peoples’ standards and still incredibly toxic toward his children in this mission. Shoto will still bear the brunt of it but will temper it with willful rebellion. Oh, you want Shoto to take over the family investment portfolio? It’ll cost you. He will be somewhat mindful of his actions so people aren’t losing their livelihoods but he will be sinking tons of Enji’s personal money into stocks or company’s with unfavorable odds. A family owned cement company that was about to go under, paying to keep a radio station operable 24/7 with semi-hourly disparaging blind items about Enji Todoroki.. these are just a few of his dalliances. Shoto is an undercover day trader using his fathers slush fund as capital. He was absolutely a big part of what saved GameStop’s stock inexplicably. Turned him a pretty profit but he refuses to give Enji the satisfaction of knowing that he may have been right in steering him to stocks in the first place. Midoriya absolutely talked at length about the phenomenon that rejuvenated his favorite game store from his youth he used to frequent with an unnamed childhood friend. Bakugo saw the segment and, while secretly giddy, did not reach out. Did thank whatever invisible hand drove the nerd to mention it though.

Why: His nepo baby status will get him in to places where he actually wants to be, career wise, but Enji is still stonewalling him into his idea of Shoto’s life. Further, he would never want his unique legacy to be tainted with whatever grace his father’s name gives him. He has time and the means to figure out what he wants to do though. And access to so much therapy.

Shouta Aizawa - I honestly cannot see Aizawa as anything not expressly kid related. The care he has when he gets on their eye level to talk to them is top tier. TBH he rounds out the trifecta of mentors who unilaterally put kids above themselves with Nanami and, arguably, Gojo. If not a teacher, I’d say a loose cannon social worker. Earnestly, this man is willing to be in the shit of it if only to spare children who lack guidance, resources, proper decision making skills, etc. as a UA teacher. He wouldn’t be of the “quick to expel and dash dreams” type of loose cannon that his teacher persona allows. He’d be more like a Benson from Law & Order SVU type loose cannon where he’s probably bending some protocols to be a bit more domineering than he needs to be so adults know that any vulnerable kids under his charge are cared for because he’s super invested in his work and their wellbeing. Plus, the man can be a little deranged so he’s not afraid to make his subtle point more clear ✨ for people who don’t appear to be getting the message when it comes to his young stewards.

Why: If there is a society that unjustly does not protect children, then Shouta Aizawa will. I think my hope is that Shirakumo Oboro isn't a lesson in every universe.

Toshinori Yagi - This man is a politician. He runs on idyllic principles which are infectious across every demographic. He appears earnest and forthright and truly got into it for all the right reasons but the reality of politics is very different from the idea of them. He still thrives but feels more and more like he's failing his constituents, losing out to other politicians who are more corrupt, who curry favor from less than savory organizations to sway policies in their favor. He's disheartened but still believes in a future with peace and looks to the youth, his biggest support base, to take steps toward progress together which includes bolstering social programs. Aizawa thinks he's a bit of a sham until money starts hitting the programs that matter. Midoriya talks about Yagi's bold commitment to partnering with the youth on his channel frequently.

Why: It was this or a Gilderoy Lockhart-esque facade for a self-help book author. I see both as equally plausible. Selling a dream while falling apart internally? Same.