#oh dante we're really in it now :(((

[enei3]

Hello? Yeah no he can't talk right now. Yeah no sorry he's watching your lips turn blue. What? No he's burning the world to bring some heat to you. Haha yeah he's walking through hell on living feet for you sorry

[apollon-emos]

love, which absolves none who are loved from loving...

[crienselt]

So a few days ago I saw someone (elsewhere) questioning Zutara fans’ excitement about the scarf scene. It wasn't a mean comment, more general curiosity. And well, I didn't have time to get my thoughts out then. But they haven't gone away, so I'm getting them out here:

Here’s what everyone need to understand about Zutara shippers. We were baited baaaad during the initial run of the show–from the magazines to the shorts to the trailers and how they were cut. And Zuko and Katara’s relationship on the show certainly underwent a lot of development and featured objectively emotional–if not overtly romantic–moments between the two. We were well fed, and we had reason to hope. Right up to the end, we had reason to hope.

The shipping wars were the shipping wars, of course, with all the usual tensions; there are always going to be overzealous fans of each (and any) pairing willing to get toxic. Generally, I think Kataang fans were always jealous of Zutara’s popularity and Zutara fans, post finale, were jealous of Kataang’s, well, canon status. But really it operated much the same as any other large fandom’s shipping wars.

And then came Bryke and the panel where they showed and mocked Zutara fan art, some of which had been created by teens if not straight up children. Then came their, “Come on, kids! It was never going to work. Zutara is just dark and intriguing.”* And the pièce de résistance, their telling Zutara shippers (specifically girls/women) that they were doomed to have failed romantic relationships. Like, what? The thing with the art was arguably cruel, and the rest of it was oh, so condescending. Just all around not well done. 

The after effect was that Zutara went from being simply a fanon pairing to a wrong pairing. The ATLA fandom at large became a far more hostile place for Zutara fans, who were now more commonly deemed delusional and viewed as lesser fans. The vitriol only got worse when the show came to Netfilx and the next wave of antis rolled up with their co-opting of legitimate socio-political terms to paint Zutara not just as wrong but morally corrupt if not evil. It’s all very puritanical.**

So Zutara fans need to be reminded that we weren’t delusional, and we aren’t alone. It’s why it means so much to know that Dante Basco and Mae Whitman shipped their characters. And that so many other VAs came out as Zutara supporters too: Jack De Sena, Michaela Jill Murphy, Grey DeLisle, Janet Varney--even the cabbage man. For it to be revealed that it was discussed in the writers room; that the writers fought over it; that it WAS a canon possibility. (And that writers Joshua Hamilton and John O’Bryan are perfectly comfortable admitting their preference for Zutara.) To know that the Elizabeth Welch Ehasz described Zuko and Katara as an “Avatar-style Mr. and Mrs. Smith,” in the script for The Southern Raiders, and used the phrase “Zutara-feuling synchronicity and cooperation” to describe their action sequences. To see Giancarlo Volpe, a Kataanger, admit Zutara might been the better pairing in retrospect and choose a quiet scene between them (to see their “chemistry”) as what he’d most look forward to in the live action adaptation. It’s why we cling to the artwork done by Korean animation director. We aren’t delusional. We aren’t alone.

But try telling that to the general fandom, right? Most are ignorant of a lot of this, particularly Hamilton and O’Bryan’s revelations re: the writers room. A lot of Zutara fans don't even seem to know. But being baited by Netflix on their official accounts? Oh, people see that. And we are reminded in a big way that we aren't delusional and we aren't alone. And everyone else has to remember it too.

So, of course, we're having fun clowning over the scarf scene. And I think most Zutara fans know we are clowning. I don't think most expect to get canon Zutara in live action because of one little scene or the fact that their Netflix icons are facing each other. (I headcanon that that was totally the doing of Zutara shipper on staff, though, lol. Because there are a lot of us, and we are everywhere.)

And this is okay. Zutara has been doing just fine as a fanon ship. Meanwhile, NATLA might actually do Kataang justice. It always worked better as a future ship. (Really all the pairings do. But I especially don't ever need to see another 12 year old kissing let alone making out, in animation or live action, ever again.) There's a reason Padme and Anakin don't get together in Phantom Menace, after all. Also, there's always the chance they could give us Dante's or Mae's headcanon of them basically suppressing their feelings and choosing duty over love/right person-wrong time. And the odds of getting some more moments to clown over are high enough. 

Anyway, TLDR: Zutara has been made to feel like an out-of-nowhere crack ship and the live action crumbs remind us that it is not. And this is at least partially why we are enjoying it. (Because, also, it's just fun!)

*Side tangent: I’ve never gotten this dark and intriguing comment. Even during Season 1, the height of the capture fic era, Zutara was always a ship fundamentally about hope, predicated on Zuko's redemption. (Back in the day, there were also plenty of antis arguing that there was no way Zuko would ever be one of the gaang.) And they say “intriguing” like it’s a bad thing? Are we not supposed to be interested in the relationships of their characters???

**There have been some very good think pieces written lately on late stage capitalism and consumption as morality. Worth googling.

[misc-obeyme]

Lesson 37 spoilers below - it's screenshot heavy again because OH BOY we had a lot going on this time too. I took almost 100 screenshots lol. But don't worry, I narrowed it down... uh but there are still a lot so I apologize for that.

I do believe I said in my last post that if they were going to go full Dante, they would bury Lucifer in ice.

I only said that because I WAS NOT EXPECTING THEM TO GO FULL DANTE.

Now listen, it's been a long time since I've read the Divine Comedy, so there may be a lot more references that I am missing. I can tell you that the four circles or sections or whatever that Simeon named for us are from Dante. That right there is straight from Dante's Inferno, along with their names and who they're supposed to punish. I don't really feel like any of this has much relevance except that they used it as a backdrop and to create reasons for us to lose most of the people who came to help us as we went.

And truly the lore was fascinating in general, but there are a couple of specific pieces about this that made me go EXCUSE YOU.

It's the Celestial Realm again, guys. Cocytus is part of their domain. And the last area is for those who betrayed "him" as they so eloquently put it lol. Both Mammon and Lucifer are considered traitors in this regard, but I kind of suspect that if the rest of the bros made it to that level, they would've had a similar experience.

Anyway, I was pissed. I was like Diavolo in the hard lesson.

Right, so let's talk Mephistopheles. I'm not familiar enough with the legend of Faust or its variations to know if the way they described his special power is based on that. However, I highly suspect it is at least somewhat inspired by it. Considering making a deal with the devil is what that story is all about.

But aside from all that - I LOVE HIM OH NO.

WHAT. This guy... all this time I thought he was really stuck up. And like I kinda get it, considering how he was supposed to be Diavolo's right hand man and everything. But he's straight up saying that he underestimated them. He seems to have no problem saying yeah, turns out I was wrong and you guys impressed me. So don't go around giving up now. AND he says they learned it from Lucifer? Like... he gets them. He understands them. And I was not expecting that at all. He keeps surprising me and I'm loving it.

Welcome to my life, Mephi.

It's pointless to resist.

I'm telling you, this is just how it always goes.

BUT OH! I'm not gonna lie, this made me feel something. All the brothers usually say such nice things to me, but this guy is basically like ARE YOU STUPID? And I love it?!?!? Augh I'm sorry I didn't give you a chance before, sir.

Okay, now let's talk Solomon being the hot old grandpa that he is. I SWEAR every time he shows up lately it's been making me more insane about him.

WE SUMMONED HIM. We needed him in Cocytus and he wasn't there, so we straight up SUMMONED HIM. We couldn't do it without Mammon giving us his power 'cause our magic is weak, but STILL!?!?

I think Simeon referred to it as teleporting, but really it was the same as summoning him. I think the words were even the summoning spell words.

If this was actually me we were talking about, I would start doing it ALL THE TIME. Consider yourself on call, old man.

And then we got this excellent exchange:

Not only am I always here for big bro Mammon getting protective, but Solomon bringing it right back was also great.

Okay, now let's talk about Raphael and Simeon.

Do you think we're dealing with Michael disguised as Raphael again? For some reason I don't think so, but... at this point, it's like how do you tell? I'm going to talk about it with the assumption that it's actually Raphael and not Michael.

Simeon during this part gave me chills. Because when Raphael showed up and spoke the punishment or whatever and Luke was about to protest, Simeon silenced him. Simeon wouldn't let Luke protest because he knew that wouldn't be good for our baby boy. Simeon was prepared to take the fall instead. And he wasn't about to just let things stand.

I can't accept it. I swear, Simeon's character is far more complex than anyone gives him credit for. He doesn't get anywhere near the amount of appreciation he deserves. I HAVE FEELINGS ABOUT IT.

Right, but back to Raphael.

Baby. He's crying. He was just delivering the ultimatum, the decision about the brothers' punishment, and he was crying. I was so surprised, it was so soft and sad and I wanted to hug him. And look at Simeon's frown. AND THEN

EVEN LUCIFER. This man is chained up in some ice and he still sees how Raphael is struggling and feels sorry for him. (Like maybe he's been there before himself...)

This is why I think it really is Raphael. Because this feels like such a significant revelation of his character, I think it'd be a disservice to him if we found out later it wasn't him at all. So I'm hoping it's still him.

Now. Let's talk about Diavolo. I'm pretty sure this was in the hard lesson, so be aware of that!

He is so pissed. I don't think I've ever seen Diavolo quite like this. Worried, sometimes serious, but angry? Like to the point where he thinks he might lose control? I don't think that's happened, has it?

AND BARB. His reaction is so interesting! At first he has this look of surprise, but then LOOK AT THAT SMILE. Here's Dia being like, I need you to stop me, but you can't tell me that smile on Barb's face belongs to anyone who's going to stop anyone. He looks like he's looking forward to it. I love him so much it's stupid. (Also I think Barbatos is just as much of a menace as Solomon is, he's just better at hiding it. Where do you think Sol gets it from??)

And of course the lesson ended with Lucifer BREAKING THROUGH HIS CHAINS. Ugh another cliffhanger.

In general, I really loved the brotherly affection that was running amok in this chapter. They were annoying each other and protecting each other and sacrificing for each other and it was all amazing. They banded together because they care so much about Lucifer, there's no way they would leave him to his fate.

And once again, the Celestial Realm is to blame. I think it makes sense that they're doing this. Before, they said that the seven brothers assuming positions of power in the Devildom meant that the power balance between the Devildom and the Celestial Realm was out of whack. That's why they wanted the brothers back. But the brothers wouldn't come back.

And while the Celestial Realm threatened war, they didn't do that, either.

Do you think perhaps the Celestial Realm collaborated with the House of Lords to get Lucifer trapped in Cocytus? The House of Lords controlled the train where everything went down. The Celestial Realm controls Cocytus. They probably knew that Lucifer's brothers would try to rescue him and counted on them getting trapped in the ice, too.

But perhaps they weren't expecting any interference from Mephisto or Simeon. They had to be expecting MC, I would think. Maybe they underestimated MC because they're human? And maybe they thought Diavolo would just accept it? (If so they are duuuuumb lol.)

Okay just a couple more screenshots because they made me laugh.

PLEASE. I love their dynamic SO MUCH.

Hmm. Is that a threat, Barb? 'Cause uh... you can casually threaten me with that slight smile any time I MEAN yeah, you tell 'em.

I cackled about what do you mean "ahaha" like I can't believe Levi actually said that out loud lol.

Cheer up, Belphie. Let Asmo live the otome dream, won't you?

Okay, okay, I'm done. Overall, I quite enjoyed this chapter, but I'm still sensing more drama, probably until the end of the season, honestly.

You think Nightbringer will make an appearance before it's over? It's almost like I forgot this whole new app was made to tell a story about him. He's just been mostly MIA. UNLESS someone else has been him in disguise all along...

Nope. No. I refuse to get into theorizing, this post is already too long.

[icycoldninja]

As a fellow writer, can I request something?

I enjoy how many plethora of Dante content is here. If yes, then can I ask for a very shy reader with Dante. Who is too shy to be intimate with Dante....and even if she does... she is way too clueless. How it turns out and all.

Aw sweet, you're a writer too? Gratz, nice to meet you! Enjooooy!

Too shy (Dante x Shy!Fem!Reader)

For a while now, Dante had been attempting to "advance" your relationship, either through suggestive little jokes or by playfully grabbing you in areas, trying to initiate a tickle fight or something of that sort. Each time, you played along quite eagerly, but when things got too serious, you quickly grew red in the face and bolted out of there.

You didn't do this because you weren't interested in him or anything like that--you found Dante very attractive and would have gladly followed through with what he was insinuating, had you not been so shy. Even you didn't know why you were so embarrassed by the mere thought of intimacy, you just were, especially if your partner was the man you loved most.

Maybe it was because you had several insecurities, maybe it was because of bad past experiences, you weren't really sure yourself. All you knew was that you simply weren't ready to go through with such an act yet, and every night, you prayed Dante would notice, hoping he'd understand. But so far, he hadn't.

As you sat together on the couch, your head on his chest, watching a movie, you felt him snake his arms around you, his hands roaming your body, going lower, and lower, and lower, until they were right above your hips. You squirmed a little in his grip, feeling your cheeks light up, hoping he would get the message.

"Y/N..." He chuckled, kissing your cheek and shifting his weight to push you on your side.

"Dante, wait, I-"

"Aw, you blushing?" He chuckled, pinning you down completely. "Cute! Don't worry, we're gonna get to the good stuff real soon."

"No, wait, don't--I'm not ready!" After hearing this, Dante froze.

"You're not...ready?" He repeated, confused.

"No," You whimpered. "I...I'm just...oh..." Defeated, you buried your face in your hands, trying hard not to cry from frustration.

"Aw, shit, I made her cry," You heard Dante mumble, as he leaped off of you, returning to his seat. "I'm sorry, baby." He apologized, pulling you up and kissing you.

"No...it's fine. I'm fine," You sniffled, eagerly climbing into his embrace. "Just...too...uhh...shy...to go through with that."

"Hey, no problem, baby," Dante replied, comfortingly rubbing your back. "We can wait, no big deal. You just let me know whenever you're ready, alright? No pressure."

Feeling your face brighten like a stoplight, you further curled yourself up into a ball and pressed yourself against Dante's chest as firmly as you could.

"Thanks, Dante," You mumbled, awkwardly. "Thanks for understanding."

[jollyjotter]

Vanitas No Carte

incorrect quotes

1) Vanitas: Dante has no survival skills, his need to win has replaced them.

Johann: That cant be true!

Vanitas: Watch this.

Vanitas: Hey Dante, race you to the bottom of the stairs!

Dante: *Throws himself out a window*

•

2) Johann: I have issues.

Dante: Finally, you admit it! The fırst step to redemption is accept

Johann: With you.

•

3) Johann: Are you guys bringing anything to the party?

Jeanne: Yeah, an empty stomach!

Vanitas: My sparkling personality.

Dante: A flagrant disregard for common decency?

Noé: ...

Noé: Chips.

•

4) Vanitas: Yeah, I'm a false prophet, but you believed me, so whose fault is it really that we're in this mess?

•

5) Noé: You use emojis like a straight person.

Johann: That's literally the worst thing anyone has ever said about me.

•

6) Dominique: Who else is hiding in the laundry room trying to listen to Vanitas and Jeanne's convo?

Johann: Me. I'm in the laundry basket.

Dante: I'm in the washing machine.

Noé: Im in the closet.

Johann: We accept you Noé. <3

Noé: No I'm literally in the closet.

Johann: Love is love. <3

Noé: ...

•

7) Vanitas: I never understood why people cared so much about their dumb friends until | got a dumb friend myself.

Vanitas: *Turns to look at Noé*

Vanitas: I've only befriended Noé for a day and a half, but if anything happened to him | would kill everyone in this room and then myself.

•

8) Dominique: Is this gaslighting? Am | being gaslit?

Veronica: Domi, if | were gaslighting you, you'd never know it.

Dominique: Is THAT gaslighting?

Veronica: Shut up.

•

9) Vanitas: You're giving me a sticker?

Luna: Not just a sticker. That is a sticker of a kitty saying "me-wow!"

Vanitas: I'm not a stupid kid.

Luna: Fine, I’ll take it back..

Vanitas: No, I earned this, back off!

•

10) Noé: So, I've organized your messages into three categories..

Noé: "From Vanitas".

Noé: "Death Threats".

Noé: and "Death Threats From Vanitas".

•

11) Vanitas: What are you in the mood for?

Jeanne: World domination.

Vanitas: That's a bit ambitious.

Jeanne: You are my world.

Vanitas: Oh.

Jeanne:

Vanitas:

Jeanne:

Vanitas: OH.

•

12) Dominique: My future partner must be brave, strong, intelligent, successful and organized.

Noé: *steps on a caterpillar and proceeds to drop to his knees and sob while apologizing profusely*

Dominique: That one. | want that one.

•

13) Vanitas: Here are two pictures. One of them is your bedroom, and the other is a garbage dumpster. Can you tell which is which?

Noé:

Noé: This one is the dumpster.

Vanitas: They’re both your bedroom.

•

14) Vanitas: Jeanne is playing hard to get.

Vanitas: Little does she know, I'm a master at playing hard to get rid of.

•

15) Noé: Hey.

Vanitas: Hey?

Noé: I cant sleep. :/

Vanitas: I can. Goodnight :D

•

16) Dominique: Crushes are the worst... Whenever I'm near mine, | start acting stupid.

Noé: But you always act stupid.

Noé:

Noé: Wait a minute...

•

17) Vanitas: You got a date yet Jeanne?

Jeanne: No...

Vanitas: Well you do now! Get your ass up and hold my hand!

•

18) Johann: Ugh, there's always that one weak bitch in the group who isn't down with murder.

Johann: *side-eyes Noé*

Noé: Well, sorry I have morals!

•

19) Noé: You use humor to deflect your trauma.

Dominique: Awww, thanks!

Noé: That's not a good thing...

Dominique: All I'm hearing is that you think I'm funny.

•

20) Jeanne: I still have no idea how I'm attracted to you...

Vanitas: Yeah, well, you're stuck with me, and no take backs, darling.

•

21) Vanitas: There is no future. There is no past. Dont you see? Time is simultaneous, an intricately structured jewel that humans insist on viewing one edge at a time, when the whole design is visible in every fact.

Noé: ...All I asked was if you wanted to cut your birthday cake fırst.

Vanitas: ....

•

22) Vanitas: I want to kiss you.

Jeanne, not paying attention: What?

Vanitas: I said if you die, I wont miss you.

•

23) Vanitas: You disgust me.

Dante: *eats a kitkat sideways*

Vanitas:

Dante:

Vanitas:

Dante: I realize this and don't care.

•

24) Luna: You know, there's something weird going on with your face?

Vanitas: What?

Luna, super happy: You're smiling! I didn't know you could do that?

•

•

•

25) Vanitas: Here’s a fun Christmas idea. We hang mistletoe, but instead of kissing, you have to FIGHT whoever else is under it.

Noé: Vanitas no.

Jeanne: Mistlefoe.

Noé: Please stop encouraging him.

•

26) Vanitas: I was arrested for being too cool.

Jeanne: The charges were dropped due to a lack of supporting evidence.

•

27) Vanitas: *Gets down on one knee*

Jeanne: Oh my god, it’s finally happening.

Vanitas: *Falls over*

Jeanne: The poison is kicking in.

•

28) Vanitas: Am I going too far?

Dante: No, no, no. You went too far about seven hours ago. Now you're going to prison.

[strobbylemonade]

completely unorganised iconic canto vii moments and thoughts

Wow. Chat, is this for real? (meursault getting this id is super funny)

Oh...!

sinclair got a lot of fun moments with ryoshu + heathcliff & ishmael. it was really nice to see all four of them getting along!! he's really becoming a part of the gang rather than just a punching bag/translator

dante's being really chill with killing people now. hooray!

MY COMPASS WAS SWALLOWED BY THE SEA- (ishmael makes a comment that donqui pesters her with questions about her "adventures" as she's the only other fixer on the bus which is really cute)

...now if i said she was kind of hot in this outfit. um. with. the cane. outis.... outis give me a chance...

i might just be gay but i gasped when rodya came on screen. and also i'm so glad we got don's full ego outfit in the regular style especially bc she's lying down in her ego and we cant see shit.

also the casting in the play was... interesting. i think while yi sang's play spoke a lot more to the internal factors of the sinners, sanson's play was like. WAAYYY more surface level to the point of being a little... offputting? like: rodya is poor. outis is old. gregor is an animal. heathcliff is a beast. sinclair is. a guy. like it’s so surface level it’s almost obnoxious. which is interesting, to say that what we're seeing is only the surface level don quixote and nothing deeper like when we actually go into the fathoms through other means.

and some more stuff:

dante talking to faust and charon during charon's "checkup" is really cute. they keep on thinking about life after working at lcb where they're still with everyone 😭😭😭 also so glad we're getting more charon content

"I always have so many questions floating around in my head, but whenever I stand in front of this man, my brain seems to forget them all" can they kiss already

vergilius not stopping don from declaring a duel against the cinq director because she acted like garnet 😭😭😭 really hoping for those two to have a genuinely good interaction this chapter

really liking the variety in emotions in don's voice... excitement, rage, determination, mix of range as well, high when she gets excited and low when she gets pissed. i really like how her flashback voice is just... softer than her regular voice, not particularly "lower" like warp express implied

speaking of voice acting, ishmael??? gregor?? they sound so tired... not sure how i feel about it, but it is a bit like ishmael being more relaxed around the sinners and then speaking more professionally when the p corp director steps in.

i really like how ishmael is more confident to banter back with vergilius, and vergilius is... "warmer" with the sinners

OH RIGHT MOSES AND EZRA! moses has some sort of connection with outis..? what's that about.

one more thing is that very very very few people in the pmooniverse have last names, but we do know that earnshaw/edgar are last names, and jia is definitively hong lu's family's last name. so a: i'm assuming last names are only for REALLY RICH people, and b: why is hong lu's name... not jia baoyu? it doesn't sound like he was disowned in the story, as his brother and cousin still hold jia as their family name... so... what's up with that

so theory time:

so don quixote created la mancha land, right? like. that's where this thing's going? someone who wanted humans and bloodfiends to live in peace? someone who wanted to protect humans and sustain bloodfiend lives in a non-violent way?

would be fun to have her parallel yi sang as in she still wants to destroy the person who created la mancha land (i.e. kill herself) but is unable to because of her contract with dante. i love angst

i first thought the man with the red text in the flashbacks was the real don quixote, and our donqui is actually sancho, but the Barber referred to sancho by name/in the present tense so. not sure.

we do hear vergilius a lot in the flashbacks, and we don't know the time between leviathan and don's recruitment. would it be possible he was trapped in la manchaland between its appearances, fighting bloodfiends for a year with his blood manipulation ego before he and donqui struck a deal with each other. hm. we'll find out

also (based off of canto v and vi) i can't wait to see either whatever gay ass parallel dante has with donqui's ex, OR what narrative parallels they have with each other... and they have a LOT in common (amnesiacs, relationships/emotions being their driving force, extremely powerful to their own self-detriment, strong moral code that goes against the laws of the city...)

welp. see you guys next week!

[moonlit-escape]

˓˚ ｡⋆ 💗˚ Dante Mystreet headcanons !!

i love this lil stinker we're blue-haired buddies <3

5'8.5 (174cm)

hispanic

bisexual (woman leaning, for the most part of his life, but nowadays is finding himself more attracted to men than he was)

sagittarius ♐️

knows spanish, but only speaks it when he needs to (shopping, mostly)

he has curly hair idc idc

can't grow facial hair it looks ugly as hell when it's first coming in, so every time he tries he ends up immediately shaving it off

along with his peanut allergy, he also has a bunch of others, but he just ignores them all (he's like 'whatever, i have meds' and inhales half a jar of nutella before he throws up)

has adhd for Sure

baby brother friend of the group for sure (even with travis around. he's just the older twin, then)

genuinely wasn't even actually into Aphmau, he just has the younger brother instinct and wanted to annoy the shit outta Garroth and Laurance, bc that's one of the ways he shows affection and bonds

in the Mystreet universe, he is the inventor of the "oh Miku, we're really in it now" meme variant

which also means, yes, he liked The Good Place

i feel like he would like Kero Kero Bonito and Shawn Wasabi

LOVES giant fuckin lizards (Godzilla is one of his favourite movie series)

i cant decide whether he was a Naruto or a Dragon Ball Z kid...

likes pineapple on pizza (the entire household hates him.)

also likes mango in his tacos

he just really likes tropical fruits honestly

bananas can go to hell, though

peace tea drinker

gets concha bread and melon pan confused all the time and is always momentarily disappointed whenever Nana bakes bread bc he was hoping for concha

THE number one Gene defender.

Gene was always really sweet and caring toward him, apart from the typical petty sibling arguments, and practically had to raise him, too; considering they didn't have a father or any other adult around besides their mom (and, on occasion, their uncle). so, it's no surprise he didn't know how Gene was in highschool

Gene took him to his first concert: a P!ATD concert. it was absolutely incredible and, although neither of them listen to them now, Dante still has the t-shirt and cd Gene bought for him. he sometimes uses the shirt as an extra pillow case

he's 100% the typa guy to buy his partner a bajillion things for valentine's day or just any type of holiday or anniversary. it's honestly lucky for all the girls he's dated that they haven't lasted that long.

he has a very, very cute and round, adoring face. he was a super cute baby, and he still is one now

[nyaagolor]

Howdy again, if it's the meta world VS "real world" thing in Umineko that's got you stumbling, don't worry. The assumption Ryukishi and co. seem to be going with is that the meta world IS real, and everyone's just chilling in a happy magic afterlife post-series (hence how episodes 7, 8, and 9 can even happen). The "07th Expansion All Characters Settings Collection" guidebook even has little epilogue blurbs for the cast, I can link you the translation hosted on the wiki if you want. It's still bleak in the sense that, yknow, everyone was dead from the start and the whole journey was more of a "coming to terms with what happened" kind of deal, but I think it works given stuff like the Divine Comedy references going on (if you read Battler as Dante and Beatrice as uh, Beatrice, a lot of Umineko'll start to make sense). The way I see the split is kind of an "as above, so below" type deal - while Tohya is down in the land of the living trying to write and solve things, Battler and friends really are up there fighting for their lives in purgatory, and the two reflect each other. Of course if that's not the problem you have, I'd love to hear what you're thinking!

hiii thank u for the ask!! (sorry this will be a Long One). I'll admit the meta world / real world stuff tripped me up at first, because looking at episodes 4 and 8 it really seemed to be implying that the metanarrative was the coping mechanism of Ange+Tohya and their way of pretending like their loved ones got the happy endings they didn't get in life rather than something we can actually assume happened. However extra content implies this is not the case, Ryukishi doesn't feel like the author who would do that especially after the thesis of Higurashi, and tbh even if he did there was enough plausible deniability that I would just imagine the Golden Land as real because You Gotta Cope Somehow. I love the "as above so below" vibes too, that's a fun new aspect to incorporate

My biggest hangup with the ending was basically in the idea that Sayo's narrative is fundamentally doomed. I was under the impression that the boat scene was implying that Sayo couldn't be happy even if she did escape due to the burden of the truth / her trauma. The positive framing of the catbox remaining at the bottom of the ocean initially struck me as a "her death is the happiest ending you can hope for because of how fucked up this all is" which is already a nihilistic narrative but downright unbearable when given to an intersex trans woman. I just don't vibe with hopeless trans narratives at all, and felt like I had misinterpreted smth bc Ryukishi isn't really a nihilistic guy. I'll admit I got a little soured to the narrative as a whole when I looked around online and saw people talking about how Sayo getting a happy ending was "missing the point".

After talking to @heartgold I realized that I had reversed the causality a bit. I was under the impression while playing that Ryukishi's insistence that "things had to happen this way" was him not just saying "oh everyone is already dead, the end result is already the same bc we're looking back at past events" but also "it doesn't matter what individual actions people took, it was always going to end in tragedy". I realize now it's more of a "this was totally preventable in so many ways but it already happened and now we have to grieve and cope in whatever way we can manage" kinda thing rather than a "this is fate and Sayo was screwed regardless", so I'm cool with that aspect. (Also I won't lie I prefer to imagine the boat scene as almost entirely metaphorical and more of a representation of the fragmentation of Battler's consciousness due to trauma in a similar way as what happened to Sayo, but that's neither here nor there)

The other part of it, and the thing I'm still really hung up on, is the question of whether or not the Golden Land is actually a happy ending and, if it is real, whether we're supposed to view it as a sorta perverse tragedy. On one hand, the alters are all implied to be separate people and they get their happy endings (yay), but on the other hand that doesn't really fix nor address Sayo feeling like she needs romantic love to be fulfilled (also The Incest(?) I'm genuinely unsure if the whole "alters becoming separate entities" negates the incest or not). The idea that Sayo was so far gone that even the fantasy created from her best memories does not allow her to truly be happy is just so insanely depressing to me, so I find myself stuck with that friction of wanting Sayo to have her prince and her white horse and her fantasy happy ending while also not wanting to downplay the truth. Having this little moral dilemma feels like the point of Episode 8 and really gets us into Tohya's head, which is awesome, but also gives me a lot of mixed feelings. Knowing that Sayo's truth literally has Beatrice married to Battler makes it even tougher bc I can't just use plausible deniability and say they're platonic bc they are uh. very much not as far as Ryukishi is concerned. I'm still working out my feelings on it, mostly because I desperately want Sayo to have everything she's ever wanted but also having to contend with the little part of me that's whispering "it can't and shouldn't happen and you know it". Alas. Umineko.

PS: thank you for telling me about the character booklet, that's SO cute!!! I love the little details about everyone and the cat-ear Bern is everything I've ever wanted

[amoransia]

Chapter 72 spoilers and also insane screaming from me. You have been warned.

Oh LORD we're REALLY in it NOW! Hold me -- literally anybody, hold me!! I don't know if I will survive this arc! (or this manga at all, for that matter!)

Hell yeah, bro, fist bump!

What is in the water over there in the Ekuoto world? Like, genuinely? What are they drinking for them to come out like this? These homosexuals will be the death of me (lovingly).

Interesting how even Barbara and Leah get nicknamed "powerhouses" by Daniel. He uses 主戦力 in the raws which could mean "main military power" but also "main valuable assets"... once again seeing them not by their character but by their value? To be honest, I guess it doesn't mean much when he calls them this once, but I thought it was worth pointing out.

Anyway.

DO YOU HEAR YOURSELF?

Actual insanity lines this chapter. "Of course I'm cute." Hello? I guess being a witch deletes the very concept of shame off your brain? I kind of gaped like an idiot at this one.

30 something year old man to the teenage influencer: I'm cute, duh.

GET A GRIP

Oh boy. "I'll handle Vergilius." This is going to turn into the most doomed yaoi scene in the incoming chapters. And Charlotte is probably getting involved in one way or another. I don't know. I wish her luck, though.

"I wouldn't mind dying for you" oh yeah baybe I am about to do something drastic.

Man What The Fuck

Vergilius heard Dante's suicidal ideation and said, NOT ON MY WATCH!!!

It seems to me that the only thing keeping Dante alive is Vergilius. Because if he has no plans after finally killing him, what else is there for him? Just dying trying to repent for his mistakes? Finally let go? So I guess Vergilius recognizes this and decides he can't die. Because if he dies, then the man he (presumably) loves dies, too.

I saw someone mention this on Twitter: Dante can't live in a world where Vergilius doesn't exist (so he gives up on life when Vergilius is gone) while Vergilius won't accept a world where he and Dante can't live together (and therefore wants to change the world).

Weaow......

I think there's also something to say about Vergilius' childish appearance reflecting some sort of... inner workings of his? Does that make sense? I feel like the constant mention of it is trying to point to something. Like here:

Chapter 20 and 72 respectively.

But I'm not eloquent enough to put this into words. So I'll throw the idea out there instead!

Onto Imuri!

Lol the english translation didn't keep the heart Imuri added in her thoughts. Basically it's the same words but with a heart like "Oh, I've been here with Mr. Priest before ♡" Normally I wouldn't care, but I think this adds to her... character? Maybe? Well, whatever. Not particularly important, but The More You Know!

Imuri encounters Mystery Child!

I will begin by saying that I don't think it's Priest? Imuri herself doesn't think so either, so it's most likely someone else. They're muttering the name Rodrigo, which is curiously the name Belphegor uses when going to Earth in order to investigate marriage. Hm!!!! Inch resting indeed...

Oh, God! These expressions were genuinely heartrending. She really was looking for that sliver of hope -- that her hunch was wrong. That she and Imuri could stay friends. I am heartbroken for Leah. :( (and Barbara, for that matter).

They even try to find a middle ground, too! Barbara tries to find a common goal! They really don't want to exorcize her right now! But Imuri also raises valid points: why wake him to just put him to work again?

But then she says, soo confident in herself: what Priest needs right now is me. I guess she has actual proof of that? But by God it is so egoistical. (A word that describes Imuri quite well...)

KYAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA

MY GIRL! MY GIRL! NEVERMIND WHAT I JUST WROTE, YOU ARE IMMEDIATELY FORGIVEN! (Fallen Priest voice)

She looks 1000x better with her fangs and her demon eyes, damn.

I'm not sure what she wins by revealing herself. She's still powerless, as far as I know. I guess she thinks she can run away with Priest using her come-to-life drawings?

Also FINALLY CONFIRMATION THAT SHE'S RELATED TO SATAN AND LILITH... THANK YOU, GOD. (Odd person to thank. Anyway,) I am well aware this doesn't mean she's like, their daughter or anything (merely related to them), but I really hope she is. It would be hilarious. Please grant me this wish, it would be so funny. (GIVE ME SATAN FATHER-IN-LAW SHENANIGANS!!!!!!!!!)

My friend mentioned that she might be revealing her connections to them in order to scare Leah and Barbara out of trying to exorcize her. After all, they don't know that she's magicless yet, right? So that might make them hesitate.

But in a way, this feels like Imuri is saying "don't you know who my parents are?! Don't mess with me!" LOL. Does this count as some sort of nepotism???

"He'll forgive me with a simple apology!"

Actually insane thinking. Priest-kun will LOSE it when he finds out everything was a lie (and this is probably where BL Satan comes in to tempt him into Wrath).

But yeah this is selfish thinking, typical of her.

I think it's really funny that in the raws "simple apology" is just a "ごめんね", which is kinda like "sorry!"

Girl, you are not getting forgiven with that. It's just not happening. You are not teehee'ing your way out of this one.

Finally..... I am kinda sad it seems we're nearing the end arcs of Ekuoto?(?) I've been following since the very first chapter released in Japanese, so I'll miss it dearly.... Cope: maybe this is the first part, á la Dante's Inferno. Purgatory next! (Zero chance of this happening)

Anyway, good chapter. It hurt me so good. Good chapter. (going insane)

[cerezzzita]

Howdy howdy.

A little birdie told me requests were open and I had to ask: Can I request Dante with a s/o who’s a cowboy-themed devil hunter?

Love,

Rodeo

notes: and howdy back at you, Rodeo! my, can you guys believe that Rodeo, one of my favorite DMC writers of Tumblr, is here on my humble blog? geez, I got so so happy once I saw you here, please feel very welcome on my lil silly saloon!

this was very fun to make, not gonna lie, took most of the inspiration at my full-time Overwatch's Cowboy (a.k.a Cole Cassidy) lover period, and yeah, Dante with a Cowboy Devil Hunter s/o would be very funny to see hehehehe

i hope you enjoy the ride, Rodeo! <3

♡ tags: gender-neutral reader, no use of pronouns, no description of reader's appearance, Cowboy word is gender-neutral as well because yes everybody can be a Cowboy, some fluff I guess, Dante loves you so much and the end have a itty bitty angsty moment.

ⓘ gif's not mine!!

This man is over the moon, that's for sure.

We all know Dante had/have a thing for western-themed things (we're all looking at his chaps and cowboy boots in DMC4 at the moment), now imagine him having a S/O who's literally a Cowboy?

He's definitely lovestruck. 

Thinks you're badass, you are badass and no one's changing his mind.

Always mouth wide open of how impressed he is seeing you in action.

Now cut for him showing off as usual so he can impress you too. Don't we all love this man? 

He will wear Dr. Faust most 100% of the time you two go out on missions together. 

"Look, sugar! We match!"

Also had a blast of glee when you wore Dr. Faust once. 

Oh, and he'll wear — not to say steal — your hat too. Loving is sharing. 

Silly goofy cowboy-themed nicknames for you, but most are just romantic and/or cute. 

"I'm your huckleberry, honeypie~" "Indeed, you are, Dante." 

If you ever have a Southern accent, you'll see Dante blushing from pink to cherry-red when you're speaking. He thinks you're voice is so sensual.

Also, yes, please sweet-talk to him — whether in public or not, much for Vergil's dismay —, he'll be a happy demon purring puddle. 

"Who's my lil, sweet daredevil?" (Cut for Dante purring on the background)

Tell me you have a Devil Arm that's a lasso, by the love of Sparda. He'll be astonished and even more over the moon. 

And sure, he'll convince you — a.k.a make his infamous puppy dog eyes — to let him use it.

Yet he also planned to got stuck by it so he can flirt with you. 

"Looks like you got your price, honeysuckle?" "Dante, please, we're in the middle of a mission—"

It doesn't really matter how many Devil Arms you have on store, Dante will convince you to let him use, even if it's just for a bit. He'll let you use his, too, and yes he's mesmerized as heck seeing your proficiency with them. 

I dare to say, he's even more in love with you. 

Let's enter the angst field for a bit, with the classic "Dante knows you're badass yet he's afraid to lose you". He knows you're capable and strong, hell, that's one of the reasons he fell for you; but goddamn, what if you got hurt and he's not there to give you cover as he always does? Fuck, he doesn't even wanna think of the day you decide you're better off without him. 

"My ridin' will always have you there, Dante. Y'know I love you with my heart and soul of coal, honeybun."

He's crying and he's hugging you like it was the last time, that's for sure. He loves you like a country love song. 

Overall, Dante's your huckleberry, you're his honeypie, the love of his life, the step on his groove because you're so smooth. Have a very fun ride with this devilish cowboy! 

cerezzzita©, 2023 · all rights reserved ⓘ do not copy, edit, steal or claim as yours | reblogs and comments are appreciated!

[skiptomyylu]

The Time Has Come Again! HAPPY FEMME AZIRAPHALE FRIDAYYY

Peeks Head In...

HIIIIII!! HAPPY FEMME AZIRAPHALE FRIDAY!!!

WELCOME TO THE 9TH FEMME AZIRAPHALE FRIDAY RAAAHHHHHHHHHH

I've been SLACKING but I'm here- IM HERE!! Here to share some amazing works that have populated the [#Femme Aziraphale Friday] tag!

Really quickly though, if you aren't aware of what Femme Aziraphale Friday is, please click HERE for a little more information!!

And if you'd like to share art/participate, please do use the [#Femme Aziraphale Friday] tag! We'd LOVE to see your work :> I hope you're ready to read a LOT of caps locked text and keyboard smashing!! Now...LET'S GET ONTO IT!!! *:･ﾟ✧*:･ﾟ*:･ﾟ✧*:･ﾟ*:･ﾟ✧*:･ﾟ*:･ﾟ✧*:･ﾟ*:･ﾟ✧*:･ﾟ*:･ﾟ✧*:･ﾟ*:･ﾟ✧*:･ﾟ*:･ﾟ

@fawnim

I made a little sobbing sound opening this post again to grab the link /VPOS/AFF SHE IS SO BEAUTIFUL AREIBJAHEHBRRRRRR I'M SO SO SO AUUGHGERHIREHRHJ Those curls, that dress, those eyes, that expression... This is true happiness Nim, how do you do it... Thank you my dear <3 AAHHEHBREJH WE'RE SO LOCKED IN FOREVER!! MY TWIN!!

Do Check Out Nims Page, Nims Comm Sheet, and Nims Ko-Fi!

*:��ﾟ✧*:･ﾟ*:･ﾟ✧*:･ﾟ*:･ﾟ✧*:･ﾟ*:･ﾟ✧*:･ﾟ*:･ﾟ✧*:･ﾟ*:･ﾟ✧*:･ﾟ*:･ﾟ✧*:･ﾟ*:･ﾟ

@fangirlsjustwannahavefun

JUST LOOK AT THAT LOOOVELY LADY!! Sporting a green dress and a smile!! We've got a looovellyy depiction of Femme Aziraphale right here folks! I just wanna give her smooches on the cheeks MWAH MWAH MWAAAAHHH!! RRAAAAAHHHGAREHLIBGAERJHGBJHGABELJGHABERLERLJHBRGJEHBHLHJBERLHB WHAT A CUTIEPIEE RRRRRRRILJGREH

Go take a peek at Becks page!

*:･ﾟ✧*:･ﾟ*:･ﾟ✧*:･ﾟ*:･ﾟ✧*:･ﾟ*:･ﾟ✧*:･ﾟ*:･ﾟ✧*:･ﾟ*:･ﾟ✧*:･ﾟ*:･ﾟ✧*:･ﾟ*:･ﾟ

@tartan-tart

OH GOD!! WHATS HAPPENING TO ME!!

🧍🏾🧎🏾🐕

IM BARKINGG!! FOR THE LOVE OF GOODDDDDD!! LET ME ZIP HER UP!! ME ME ME!! WHAT DO I EVEN DO BESIDES YELL I am going to come to your home and extract some of your skill- you've got too much of it (/silly)

Take a gander at Tart/Dantes Page, Pinned Post, and Link Tree!

*:･ﾟ✧*:･ﾟ*:･ﾟ✧*:･ﾟ*:･ﾟ✧*:･ﾟ*:･ﾟ✧*:･ﾟ*:･ﾟ✧*:･ﾟ*:･ﾟ✧*:･ﾟ*:･ﾟ✧*:･ﾟ*:･ﾟ

@freerangewhales

I NEED HER FOR CHRISTMAS THIS YEAR RRRRGJRRJEHEJRBG She's SO CUTESY (so demure) RRRRHIBGAREHLEHJHRAEJLGEHRJGHER I wanna take her out out to a nice lunch, and treat her to the works, and then take her out on a boat ride on my super huge shiny yacht that I totally have, and drive her around in my super expensive imported sports car that I totally totally have!!

Skidaddle Over to Monas Page and Link Tree!

*:･ﾟ✧*:･ﾟ*:･ﾟ✧*:･ﾟ*:･ﾟ✧*:･ﾟ*:･ﾟ✧*:･ﾟ*:･ﾟ✧*:･ﾟ*:･ﾟ✧*:･ﾟ*:･ﾟ✧*:･ﾟ*:･ﾟ

@rogueartgallery

CHOMPCHOMPCHOMPCHOMPCHOMPCHOMPCHOMP GGUYYSS LOOK AT HERRRRGRELHABGLREHBGHBEGHJRELAJB I love love LOOOOVEEEE this artstyle (inspired by Burn Pygmalion if I remember correctly!) ITS SO GORGEOUS RRRIHBREHBEHRRRRRR She's so beautiful please tell her I wish for her hand in marriage!! Put on your skates and roll over to Rens Page and Pinned Post!!

*:･ﾟ✧*:･ﾟ*:･ﾟ✧*:･ﾟ*:･ﾟ✧*:･ﾟ*:･ﾟ✧*:･ﾟ*:･ﾟ✧*:･ﾟ*:･ﾟ✧*:･ﾟ*:･ﾟ✧*:･ﾟ*:･ﾟ

@ramennoodleghost

THIS ARTWORK HAS ME AEGRIJLAGREHGHBJREHJBSGREBHJREGBHJGSREHBJJBHKRBHJEBJH TAKE ME NOW AZIRA IM READY!! IM REAADDYYYYYYY!!!! OH LORD IN HEAVEN ABOVE PLEASE!! PLEEEASSEEE!! I have no calm, cool, nor collected words to say guys I wish I did, but I truly dont LMAAOO Get a wiggle on to RamenNoodleGhosts' page!! (Now I want noodles) *:･ﾟ✧*:･ﾟ*:･ﾟ✧*:･ﾟ*:･ﾟ✧*:･ﾟ*:･ﾟ✧*:･ﾟ*:･ﾟ✧*:･ﾟ*:･ﾟ✧*:･ﾟ*:･ﾟ✧*:･ﾟ*:･ﾟ

@skiptomyylu (The Art is for 18+ Audiences, Thank You!!)

The Dragon Warrior- IT'S ME!! (/ref)

As some may know, I doooo have a goddess Aziraphale AU in the works! Andddd I just wanted to draw more of them and it got quite sauuccyy HUEHUEHEEHUEHUEHEUHE!! Throw your eyeballs to my page out if you'd like!!

*:･ﾟ✧*:･ﾟ*:･ﾟ✧*:･ﾟ*:･ﾟ✧*:･ﾟ*:･ﾟ✧*:･ﾟ*:･ﾟ✧*:･ﾟ*:･ﾟ✧*:･ﾟ*:･ﾟ✧*:･ﾟ*:･ﾟ

And that's all folks! Thank you so much for stopping by for another FAF!! There's more art (and fics) under #Femme Aziraphale Friday!! Take a look-see at those too!

I can't wait to see what else is made in future!! Hugs and Kisses to you all, and have a wonnnderrfulll Femme Aziraphale Friday!! Toodleoo!!

[texasthoughtsaboutnothing]

The Stranger and my thoughts on where each LCB Sinner is at (Long)

Hey, I actually sat down and read L'etranger, Meursault's source novel. I've got some fucking feelings about it, especially relating it to Limbus Company and what it might mean for his Canto in like 2 years.

Firstly, you should read or listen to this book. It's short, surprisingly punchy, and easy to follow. I (probably) don't have autism but I can absolutely see a read of this where the character does or is neurodivergent in some other way; beyond his relationship and evaluation of social queues and norms he also seems to deal with sensory issues. There are better people than me who should talk about this and I'm probably not adding a lot to the conversation but keeping this reading in my head for the climax added an extra layer of discomfort (intentional discomfort for the benefit of the story's message, I should say) to the whole book. But It's worth experiencing even if you disagree with that reading or have a different one.

Limbus Brainrot/Spoiler stuff from here on in.

There's always the question of where exactly each Sinner is in their story as they're on the bus. Their stories have been reinterpreted and/or jumbled in ways that make it fun to guess, so to go over each Sinner and where they are based on what we know or my theories:

Yi Sang - I'm not gonna front, I don't really get The WIngs, but this seems like a Good End AU for him. He already escaped his "Wife's" control and the sunless room and is now flying again (metaphorically, or maybe literally? i dont know help me).

Faust - Likely in the middle of the part where she's using Mephistopheles' power to do good in the world and prior to her being damned to hell. Side note, she's last to get a Canto and I bet it's not a coincidence that (afaik) she and Dante are the only two with Hell in their stories directly. My long shot call is that Faust is also Beatrice and there will be so much DantexFaust ship art in 2026.

Don Quixote - The biggest enigma. La Sangre de Sancho has gripped the imagination of the fandom and I am no exception. She's next after Heathcliff so we'll get her some time in August at the latest and I can't wait. My best guess is she's currently gallivanting and will be forced home in her Canto, assuming Don is Sancho theory isn't true. Praying her Canto is called The Impossible.

Ryoshu - In Hell Screen, the reason the painter is obsessed with torture is that he can only paint what he has seen and is trying to paint the Buddhist Hell. In his quest for his art he destroys his life and those around him, and ends up committing suicide over it. But there is a villain in the form of the Lord who beyond driving the story by requesting the screen in the first place is guilty of SA and murder. I'm expecting we're post story; the Lord is related to the five fingers, the daughter might be recast as a friend or something, and the sword Ryoshu carries is likely the screen. Nothing revolutionary in my guesses here, but it's either going to be that straight-forward or insanely abstract, where she's the lord and the painter and the daughter and the screen and the sword is the monkey or some shit.

Hong Lu - I have not yet read Dream of a Red Chamber, it's next on the list. Forgive me!

Heathcliff - Oh boy. Like many, I expect he is post-spurning by Catherine and is on his journey for his fortune on the LCB. So, his Canto will be about coming home to a beloved who is with someone else. Yes, the beloved blorbo will suffer for my amusement. Let's go 3 hours Heathmael sex scene!

Ishmael - We now know her story already kinda happened, as many expected, making this a bizarre sequel to Moby Dick. I think it gave PM a lot of room to do whatever they wanted to while still sticking to the themes of the story. Already wrote about what I loved about this and the recontextualizing of Ahab as a whale unto herself (which I don't actually know if it's in the original novel, but it wouldn't surprise me).

Rodion - A weird one. Her inciting incident happened, the murdering of the landlord/pawnbroker, but the unintentional death of the innocent sister was shifted to the entire damn block. So if I had to guess she's in the period after her crime trying to avoid being caught, but no police officer allegory has really been introduced yet. I read Crime and Punishment years ago so I can't say for certain but it feels the most loosely adapted and suffers a tad for being part of the intro. Rodya's story is in no way finished so it's up in the air. Praying for a Petrovich just so people can meet the OG Columbo.

Sinclair - Still need to read Demian, but I have a rough understanding of the plot. Also unfinished in his story, Sinclair has a long way to go to his self-realization. This feels more intentional however, I remember someone made an observation of Cinqlair as representative of his drunken college years where he's popular but unfulfilled, and I think we can extend that to all of his IDs. He seems to have the most potential of all the Sinners, so much so that I wouldn't be surprised if there's a mirror world where he's a Color unto himself. I digress, the point is he's pre Frau Eva (who if she turn's out to be the Purple Tear I will lose my mind) who is also called Beatrice at some point so what's up with that PM?

Outis - Another big mystery, especially as she isn't Odysseus but Outis, a name referencing a particular part of the Odyssey with the Cyclops. I have to imagine she's on the Odyssey, journeying home after the Smoke War (which might have some parallels with the Trojan War beyond the obvious). It's interesting all the Greek myth named Abnormalities are Hospital themed, might be something there but nothing I can parse from my limited knowledge of Greek society and folklore. While she' might be a traitor, I'm thinking she's joined Limbus Company to hide while on her journey; she might be wanted dead by something and is concealing her identity after what happened in the war.

Greg - Again, a character post-story. He was locked in a room, he metamorphized, and... well he's alive? So we've diverged from the source novel, as it's taken the allegorical meanings and made them more literal, but Hermann is still around and a major player so who knows where this will go?

Meursault - I have so many thoughts. Meursault could be anywhere in his story, but I'm going to guess it's one of two places. First guess, we're completely pre story. His Canto opens with him getting a message that Maman died today, or maybe yesterday, he doesn't know. So the whole story plays out over the course of the Canto. But more likely, and my prediction, is that he's currently in "jail" awaiting his execution or acquittal. He has already murdered a man (or done some other crime) and instead of being tried for that, he has been tried and sentenced for his peculiarities of character. Bound in the chains of others, the multitudes have tightened their hold (I'm very clever and not cringe at all).

So I have to wonder what light blinded him, overwhelmed him so much that it led to his crime? The Bright Nights and Dark Days are an obvious choice, and I'm not the first to suggest it. Perhaps he distorted? Anyway, his story ends with him having given up on acquittal and instead hoping for a crowd of people hating him as he approaches the guillotine. I'm super interested in how this will play out in Limbus, especially as he must survive for gameplay purposes.

Also, Meursault is so horny. Like, oh my god. Half of his thoughts are of Marie, specifically of wanting her and all the connotations that contains. He spurns God in the face of a Chaplain, saying that He is worth nothing compared to a single hair on a woman's head. Meursault is not a romantic but not just some horndog either, his desire for sex and women and their bodies feels like an extension of his worldview centered on the immediacy of life and not just debauchery or hedonism. It's a part of the idea life is lived as today, yesterday, and tomorrow, and there is joy and happiness in that simplicity. I feel like this will get cut for Limbus but I hope it isn't, I want Meursault to casually admit he desires every Sinner on the bus carnally (yes the men and NB too, probably just a HC but I do believe that the City is a binormative society based on its already loose relationship to gender identity).

So uh, that's the thoughts so far. Merry Christmas, I guess.

[lighthousepigeons]

[Dante's office]

Alpha, entering: We're about to leave now.

Dante, looking at his wrist: Glad to see you like the watch I gifted you. Best gift I ever got you, right?

Alpha: Eh, second best.

Dante, laughing: Oh really? What's first?

Alpha: Gaining you as a brother. As annoying as you are, I'm grateful to have you in my life.

Dante, chuckling: Don't make me cry.

Alpha: I'm serious.

Dante, eyes burning: Me too. You're the brother I never knew I needed until you showed up.

Dante, hugging him: I love you.

Alpha: Love you too.

Dante, getting his recorder: Now if you could just repeat that.

Alpha: Fuck off.

[cainluvr69]

"Willfully Playful" Owen SSR Card Story - The Flowerfall Game Hall, With You ~ Invitation for Owen

the recordings for this were provided by known owen yume dante!

✦✧☾✧✦

Cain: Oh, here you are.

Akira: Owen!

Owen: Munch munch…

Mithra: Owen, those people have something they need from you.

Owen: What do you want…? In case you can't tell, I'm in the middle of something right now.

Cain: Are you two eating dinner together? It's definitely that time of night when you start getting hungry.

Owen: This is my tart. I'm not giving you any.

Mithra: I don't want anything but meat, anyway.

Akira: No, we're not here to eat… Owen, it's going to be your birthday soon, so I wanted to invite you to the Flowerfall Game Hall.

Owen: The Flowerfall Game Hall… Oh, that mini playground thing. An old friend of Shylock's made it a fancy place to play around in. I think.

Cain: If you already know about it, that'll make this faster. Akira wants to escort you there to celebrate your birthday. You can get there through this miniature of a door.

Akira: Will you accept my invitation, Owen? I'll escort you properly, so you can have a fun time and stuff…!

Owen: Hmmm. If I get to have fun there, does that mean I can mess it up as much as I want?

Akira: Huh?! Um, it's not mine, so I'd prefer if you didn't go wild in it…

Mithra: Munch. You might as well go.

Owen: Hey. You just took some of my fruit.

Mithra: There's not enough meat and I'm hungry. That little playground wasn't too bad of a place, you know. There was a place that I thought you might enjoy too, maybe. I only saw it while I was riding on horseback through the sky, though…

✦✧☾✧✦

According to Mithra, he'd seen what sounded like a European-style house standing in a dark corner of the grounds. It sounded a whole lot like some kind of scary haunted house-like attraction.

Cain: Now that you mention it, I think I saw a place like that too when we were high enough up. I remember thinking that just that one part of the park looked creepy and weird…

Owen: Oh? And here I was thinking it'd be nothing but kid's toys all lined up together.

Akira: (That's the kind of thing Owen's interested in…?!) Um… If you want to go there, I'd be happy to take you there! I'm a little scared of things like that, but I can ask Shylock about it and get ready for it…

Owen: You don't need to do that. Hey, how do we go to this Game Hall?

Akira: Oh, um, write your name on the invitation and then recite your spell, and the door will open. I do have an invitation already prepared…

I presented the invitation, and with a flourish of magic, Owen pulled a pen out from thin air and smoothly wrote his name down on it.

Akira: Huh?

Cain: What, you want to go there right now?

Owen: Might as well.

Owen grinned broadly at me and Cain, both of us wide-eyed.

Owen: There's nothing I love more than people's faces twisted in fear, screams ripped from their throats. <Cure Memini>

The invitation began to flicker with light, and the door to the Game Hall began to open. The entire area was draped in mist.

✦✧☾✧✦

When the mist cleared up, we were standing in a place that looked a lot like an amusement park, with rides all around us.

Akira: We're really just here now… But I'm glad you accepted my invitation, Owen. Thank you so much. That outfit suits you wonderfully.

Owen: I guess this outfit isn't horrible or anything. Even if it did put itself on me without permission.

One aspect of the Flowerfall Game Hall's hospitality was giving the person invited into it an outit that suited them perfectly.

Owen: More importantly. We don't need anything from the fluffy, frilly place. Where's that haunted house?

Akira: Ah, hold on…!

Owen was on his broom before I knew it, and I was left chasing after him. Before long, however, we arrived at the house we'd been told about.

Owen: So this is it.

Just as we'd heard, this was the only part of the park that the sun didn't reach, shrouding it in a sinister, unearthly air. There were even strange animal cries from something just out of sight.

Akira: This feels really…real… This is the only part of all the fancy scenery that feels out of place…

Owen: Why are you just standing there? Didn't you say you were going to escort me? I'm looking forward it. Come on, let's go in already.

Akira: O-okay…!

Owen pushed me forward, a faint smile dancing on his lips, and I tamped down all my fears and opened the door. The inside of the manor was even darker than it was outside, and there was an unpleasant chill in the air. My eyes darted back and forth over things I couldn't quite see as I took a single, fearful step forward.

Akira: It's pretty dark… Owen, be sure to watch your feet… …Huh? I feel like I just stepped on something soft…

Owen: It's just a bunch of fabric. Maybe someone's scattered clothing?

Akira: Oh, you're right. But whose clothes are these…?

As those words were coming out of my mouth, something wrapped around my ankle.

Akira: ?!

✦✧☾✧✦

I started to panic and looked down--and immediately met the eyes of a face staring at me from within the fabric confines of the fallen clothing. Its eye sockets were sunken and hollow, and its bones rasped hollowly against one another as it opened it mouth.

Skull: Wel…come…

Akira: Waugh!!

Owen: Ahaha. Aren't you so happy? It's welcoming you. Come on, we're still standing in the door. Don't just stand there looking stupid, get yourself in already.

Akira: D-don't push on me like that…wahh, those paintings are laughing!

I was surrounded on all sides by frightening phenomena, but I still pressed forward, timidly though it was. There was a blood-red door laying in wait for us at the end of this dark and decrepit hallway. Even its very form, the curves of its handle, the carvings in the wood, was ominous. I was on edge. More on edge than I'd ever been before.

Akira: Ahh… There's definitely something lurking behind this…

Owen: Are you scared?

Owen tilted his head, watching me carefully. His mismatched eyes gleamed with a dark light, one that threatened to swallow me up.

Owen: I'm having a lot of fun right now, you know. If you say you hate it here, are we going to turn back?

Akira: …N-no…it's fine…

And then I heard a sound from above us--and when I looked up, something was falling from the ceiling.

Akira: …Watch out!

Owen: !

The second after I grabbed Owen's hand and pulled him out of the way, several skeletons swung down from above us, hanging suspended in the air.

Akira: …Huh? I thought they were going to hit us…

Owen: …Ahaha! You were the one who told me to watch out. Should someone as cowardly as you be saying the one saying that here? …But that's a lovely expression on you. Pale, desperate, and completely pathetic.

Owen's face drew close to mine, like a snake scenting its prey. His voice was as sweet and heavy as honey as he slowly, slowly reached his hand towards me.

Owen: Let me see that face as much as I want today, okay?

With a smile as seductive as an anglerfish's lure, Owen pushed the bloody door at my back open.

✦✧☾✧✦

Akira: Haah… Haah… We're finally out…

Owen: Oh, that was odd. What was that last scream? I haven't even heard anything like that from a crazed hen.

Akira: But, but, a severed head rolled down the stairs, and it startled me…!

Owen: You're such a wimp. If you get so scared by everything that comes at you like that, you'll need an extra heart for when your first one gives out. Oh, what a laugh. Just remembering it is getting to me.

I could see tears in the corners of his eyes. It felt like his laughter was more…open and genuine than it usually was. All his defenses were down.

Akira: (I don't think I've ever seen Owen laughing like this before.) (It was a heck of an adrenaline rush, but I'm glad I committed to doing this…)

It was pretty scary, but I was still happy to see Owen enjoying himself from the bottom of his heart. It made me want to say it to him one more time.

Akira: …Happy birthday, Owen. I hope this year is a wonderful one for you.

Owen: …

When Owen turned his gaze to me, something white started falling from the sky.

Akira: Ah…

Owen: What is this. Flower petals?

When the Flowerfall Game Hall had satisfied the heart of the person who'd been invited into it, the exit door would open, and this rain of flower petals was the cue. We were wrapped in a pale mist, our vision fading to white.

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Mithra: Oh, they're back.

Cain: Woah, they are! Welcome home, you two.

It took hearing Mithra's voice for me to realize we were back in the dining hall. Cain rushed over to us, looking worried.

Cain: I was starting to get worried you'd never come back. Um…did everything go okay?

Akira: Ahaha. It did, somehow…

Owen: Hm?

Owen tilted his head to one side and looked me over.

Owen: They didn't come back with us. And they suited you so well.

Akira: What do you mean by "them"…?

Owen: You had so many hands gripping onto you. On your shoulders and your arms. Hands of bone, and hands of flesh and blood.

Akira: …What?! Y-you're kidding, right…?!

I felt the blood drain from my face as I swatted at my arms and shoulders to make sure nothing was there, but Owen just grinned at me, looking as satisfied as he would stuffing an extra helping of dessert into his mouth.

Owen: Well now. Who knows?

Sub Story: The Whereabouts of the Stolen Meat

Akira: Oh, good evening, Owen. I see you're eating alone tonight.

Owen: What do you mean, "tonight".

Akira: When I came to give you the invitation to the Flowerfall Game Hall a while ago, you were eating with Mithra… I feel like I see the two of you together a lot.

Owen: That's just coincidence. That time he was only there because he was trying to steal the fruits off my fruit tart. So the next day I stole the meat he was going to have for dinner as payback and we almost killed each other about it. It's not like I'm ever around him because I want to be.

Akira: You two do tend to try to kill each other if you're around each other for too long…

Owen: Well, you know how it is. But about when we tore a hole in the roof, the twins suddenly popped out. They said whoever started it was the one in the wrong, so Mithra was the only one who got lectured about it. And he made that face he always does when he's like, "Hahh?" It was so funny.

Akira: Ahaha… That sounds like a very lively dinner. By the way, did you eat the meat that you stole, Owen? Although I honestly can't really picture you eating that kind of thing…

Owen: I would have, but the idea of eating something Mithra had been rubbing his grubby hands all over is disgusting. Who knows where he's been and what he's been touching. So I gave it to Sir Knight.

Akira: You gave it to Cain?

Owen: Yep. It's more like I forced it on him, actually. Like how you throw stuff into the trash? Like that. It's what he's there for. He gave me some sweets from a new shop in the capital as thanks. He acts all upright and proper about the weirdest things.

Akira: (He says that, but he looks pretty happy about it…) (Knowing he enjoyed himself at the Game Hall and that he had another good day right after makes me happy too, though.)

[halfetirosie]

����🌅🐚 Bitter, then Sweet 🐚🌅🌊

(Exercise 25 - 26 React-os!)

1) Damn.

So I was kinda right about the "odd-one-out feelings," just not in the way I expected...

(⸝⸝o̴̶̷᷄ - o̴̶̷̥᷅⸝⸝)

Fuck, dude. This is so relatable in the worst way.

For one thing, I can hardcore-relate to being super happy and energetic one moment, and then BOOM! Out of nowhere, I start feeling horrifically sad. (Espresso Depresso, amirght gang?)

For another, I definitely relate to getting sudden/rude reminders of childhood trauma---which, I feel like most people don't acknowledge, can be very "mundane." Not all traumatic memories are action-filled or dramatic. Sometimes, it's as simple as being the last person left at school; and the feeling of loneliness while you watch everyone else go home....

This is just another testament to how well-written Eiden is.

He feels way more real than other game-protagonists.

2) Oh, thank GOD! I was afraid Eiden would be left alone with the Dark Thoughts!!! 😅😅😅

Look at these goobers!

Look at this fabulous found-family!!

Look at how much LOVE our boi Eiden is surrounded with now!!!

3) *Obnoxious-Fangirl-Squealing* ( ≧ᗜ≦ )

He's so fuckin cute when he gets all boastful and dumb!!!!

I'll say it again: Dante really did have a great time this event, and I'm SO happy for him!!!!

My mans has had it rough, and continues to have it rough---he's been working nearly nonstop since he was a tween---so he absolutely deserved this mini-vacation!!!

/ / / Flustered Dante!!! / / /

Dante, my Beloved!!!! My beautiful dork of a dude!!!!

⸜(｡˃ ᵕ ˂ )⸝♡♡♡♡♡♡

4) Awwww!!! (⸝⸝o̴̶̷᷄ ◡ o̴̶̷̥᷅⸝⸝)

ᕙ Introvert Dad Quincy ᕗ once again warming up my heart!!!!

This dude really is out here letting his Protective Instincts go ham, huh?---Patrolling at night, keeping the family safe, like a responsible dad does! ♡♡♡

5) Garu, sweetie!!!! We're so proud of you!

He do got that excitable-doge-energy to him! (≧∇≦)♡

Oh snap, did...did Garu just flirt back to Eiden? 😮😮😮

I do have a cursory knowledge of recent Garu intimacy rooms, and I vaguely remember Garu wanting to impress Eiden? But this interaction seems like a more overt seduction-attempt?

AND KARU IS ON THE SAME PAGE AS GARU WITH THIS??

MEANING THAT KARU IS MORE HONEST WITH HIMSELF ABOUT HIS FEELINGS FOR EIDEN?!?!?!?! AND TRUSTING EIDEN?!?!?!?!

Can a Garu/Karu main possibly pitch in their 2-cents on this revelation? If I'm right, then it seems quite important to Karu's character development!

End of report!