#or you form a negative bond with another character

[wormtoxin]

ohhh wait ok wouldn’t it be really funny if i added difficulty modes to arcana girls

[gicosmo]

Random OP Character Headcanons

Random hcs I’ve been thinking about for like the past two months lol

Luffy: Play fights will turn dangerous real quick. Out of all of the Strawhats, he’s the one you shouldn’t ever think about play fighting with.

Zoro: So bad with directions he has to hold his hands out in an L shape to see which is left and right.

Franky: Has tried to do his hair to make it look like the word “SUPER”. Ended up hating how much gel he was using tho.

Nami: Her and Ussop have self care days. She goes ALL out every time! Face masks, pedicures, full blown hair care. She’ll make sure they have a relaxing day.

Usopp: When the crew reunited, him and Nami bonded over their hair. Will talk about different styles they want to try out, different hair products, even going as far as teaching themselves different hair styles to practice on one another.

Kaido: We all know he’s an emotional drunk. Has cried in front of Yamato about how he thinks he doesn’t love him. (Yamato didn’t gaf.)

Yamato: He’s only sticking to one hairstyle and that’s his ponytail. He cannot for the life of him bring himself to do anything else with his hair. It’s him and his ponytail against the world!

Lucci: Lowkey loves gossip to the point where he uses Hattori. Hattori knows allll the tea. Watch out for the adorable bird, he’s getting insight for Lucci.

Kaku: Loves giraffes so much to the point where he despises the predators of them. Lowkey disliked Lucci for a bit because of his leopard devil fruit.

Mihawk: Hates being called “Dracule”. Mihawk, his full name, or Hawkeyes, or even Mr. Creepy Swordsman will do just fine. But please do NOT call him Dracule.

Crocodile: Made mini sandcastles out of boredom one time in his office when trying to figure out the budget for Cross Guild. Didn’t try it again because Daz almost walked in on him doing it.

Daz Bonez: Turned his finger into a knife so he could cut fruits for himself. Why go out of your way to grab a knife when you can become the knife?

Buggy: We all know he has beautiful long hair. Downside to that lucious hair is that he’s tender headed, especially if someone else is brushing his hair. Will hold his head, flinch away, probably even start crying. His scalp is very sensitive!

Doflamingo: As manipulative as this man is, he CANNOT flirt. He can’t even do it as a form of manipulation. He’s better off dancing like an actual bird to attract a potential relationship(that won’t work either)

Corazon/Rosinante: Unlike his brother, this man can actually flirt! Is a natural at it actually. Only downside is that he’ll get flustered if someone flirts back and end up falling to the ground. (Also headcanon that he definitely slipped on a random banana peel on the floor. Baby 5 put the banana peel there.)

Perona: She actually attempted to try her negative hollow move on Mihawk once. Didn’t get the chance to because a simple glare from him made her rethink her life choices.

Barto: Most definitely has written cute fanfics about the Strawhats. Probably has drawn fanart too.

Ace: Most definitely held a “loudest fart/burp” challenge on the Moby Dick. Whitebeard won

Sabo: Tried swinging his staff around as a party trick. Ended up wacking himself on the head with it. Never did it again.

Marco: If he lived in the modern world he would most definitely binge watch those paternity court videos. Or Jerry Springer and Maury vids.(This is all thanks to Stussy and Weevil. Bro does NOT think that’s Whitebeard’s biological son.)

Shanks: Can handle getting drunk off his ass. Cannot handle getting high, not even in the slightest.

Law: After he got his tattoo, he admired them and wondered if Cora would be happy about him getting them in his honor.

Kidd: Loves eyeliner, HATES mascara. He cannot stand anything on his lashes. Also has a horrible habit of plucking his lashes a bit.

Killer: Has bought those straws that are made into designs. Most definitely has a straw that looks like glasses.

Hawkins: He likes crystals! One of those astrology people. “What’s your zodiac sign? Oh? Gemini? Damn… You’re gonna die.” (Most definitely yelled at Kid for calling Aquarius “Asparagus”)

[pupp0ccino]

My Dust variant facts !

That no one asked for yay! ⟢

If I ever get to coloring these refs the current image will be replaced with the finished product.. also disclaimer, im aware these aren't canon , I just like having fun with characters and making my own versions of them

Dust

- he's a shapeshifter, having three forms. His normal form, Dustbunny, and Ghost. I hc him to have some form of identity/personality disorder (it's unspecified which one, that's up to y'all what you want him to have) so multiple forms with different personalities.

- his normal form, is simply just Dust. Hes the closest to looking like classic sans appearance wise compared to horror and killer.

- Dustbunny was mainly made as a kinsona, and for funzies, but Dust only morphs into this slightly smaller form as a defense mechanism, for he feels 'weak and pathetic' like prey. It's basically just him, but taking more on a bunny-like appearance and behavior. Like dust he's very closed off and quiet, but will rather flee than fight.

- Ghost is the complete opposite. Tall, sadistic and cruel with a sick smile plastered on his face. He comes in when Dust's getting a power trip, or needs to get big and protect himself. It kind of puts him in sort of a state of mania, where he has little sympathy for the people around him and how his actions affect others. He's a meanie, and loves to tease at people when ever he sees an opening

- Dust does not like to look in mirrors, or really have his hood off for long periods of time, nor being looked at. Makes him freak out

- he partakes in rabbit like behaviors, his nose twitches when his curious or irritated, he stomps his foot against the ground when he's upset, and he burrows. Accompanied by his tail being a rabbits tail !

- he's also a vampire, like nightmare, but instead of sucking the negativity out of souls, he just has cravings to bite and drink blood, has large sharp fangs, plus being a total night owl.

- he has really bad avoidant attachment when it comes to relationships, he's in fact fearful of gaining close bonds due to the fact he's lost people he's loved over and over and over and over again, before literally killing them off himself. So he purposely pushed himself away from people to not get too close.

- as in the picture above, he has markings speckled all across his face, it's also the same for his body down his arms and shoulders. He's kind of embarrassed about it, and hates it being pointed out

- he goes through psychosis, and psychotic episodes

- he's a stoner lolz (despite maryjane usage very much not being recommended to people who deal with psychosis...)

- his room is a depression room most of the time, he has a little mattress on the floor that looks like a nest

- he's a monster energy drinker because yes

- he's selectively mute, and has a very low social battery. He doesn't like crowded spaces and only has a select few people he talks to (killer, horror, fell)

- he has a hard time remembering to eat and will accidentally and sometimes purposely go days without eating. When he does eat, it's in very small portions, he doesn't like food like he used to.

- he doesn't like touch, don't touch him he will stab you

- Phantom, the papyrus voice in his head. What he says to dust is based on his state of mind. When he's in a normal state of mind, Phantom is a lot more like how papyrus usually acts , getting on Dust for little things like telling him to clean his room or that he has to take care of himself. The voice worsens as his state of mind worsens turning from silly banter to tormenting him about what he's done, and sometimes papyrus can also be like a Jiminy cricket to dust, a judge to his morals, and trying to set him on the right path. Dust hates this , and rarely ever listens.

- one of the things he does in his free time is play video games, he's your basic gamer boy. He likes to play cod mainly

- another hobby of his is that he likes to sew, and patch work his clothing and fabric items, along with making little plushies.

- bad sans poly bad sans poly toxic yaoi ..

That's it for now , I'll probably add more on later !!

Dust belongs to ask-dusttale

[sainteclectic]

+ since it's aro awareness week, I'll finally unleash that rant on why the state of shipping discourse in this fandom bothers me

disclaimer that i am not saying you can't be uncomfortable with jashshipping!! I don't really like romantic shipping in this fandom either. this is just a commentary on the culture surrounding this discourse and fandom shipping in general. OK LET'S GO.

I've noticed this weird distinction people make between platonic and romantic art in regards to what gets the "jashshipping" tag added. it's also incredibly arbitrary what kinds of posts are considered "jashshipping" - is a qpr jashshipping? why not? they're in a relationship. why does it matter if it's romantic or not? why is romance the only kind of shipping seen as valid, either positively or negatively?

on a personal level, I feel this pressure to always clarify that I'm not talking about romantic pairings. qprs, close friendships and relationship anarchy in general aren't seen as jashshipping, and it feels like I need to preemptively devalue my queerplatonic ships by saying they "don't really count." I need to be careful about my work not being "too romantic" or people assume I'm "jashshipping." i just find it demeaning as a partnering aromantic person.

and this culture is why people who enjoy non-romantic pairings don't want them to be tagged as ship - because there's this implication that a ship HAS to mean romance. it shouldn't, but it still does. it would be great if we lived in a world where shipping meant any kind of relationship between two characters instead of just referring to romance, but we don't.

this is why I tag ship names without tagging it as jashshipping. because the nature of "shipping" in this fandom is always implied to be romantic in nature, which is what makes it the most taboo to discuss. so I don't tag it as jashship because that's only used for romance {or for what the fandom perceives as inherently romantic actions, which is another can of worms entirely}. but elevating a romantic ship to a higher negative standard is still placing romance above any other form of relationship. there's still a hierarchy in place.

I don't think ships as a whole {hah} need to be defined by romantic attraction. it's short for relationship, after all. to designate ships as ONLY romantic implies that romance is the only valid type of relationship. and to designate romantic ships as uniquely bad still implies romance is a unique type of bond.

{I also have an issue with the implication that dating what is essentially your headmate is selfcest by default, but that's another discussion}

TL;DR - I think the culture around what designates something as "jashshipping" should be viewed with more scrutiny. it's very amatonormative to assume pairings with any level of closeness is "jashshipping," and it implies a hierarchy of relationships even if that hierarchy is negative. jashship works as a content tag for anyone uncomfortable with romantic pairings, but to imply it's an objective judgment on what's considered romance is reductive.

[pixelchills]

Chill's ramblings about the DCA fandom and personal feelings and issues towards TSAMS (both positive an negative):

(I'm writing this like an essay but treating it like a diary, so if I jump from subject to another, it is because I am just typing as the thoughts hit my head. Sorry for being so wordy.)

I simply feel like I need to write my thoughts down, so why not share them with you. Maybe you can validate my feelings or something, I don't know.

Intro:

So, oof, I got a fic rec from @thedenofravenpuff and I'm loving it so much I really wanna draw fan art for it...

But the problem is that it's a TSAMS fanfic and I've sworn to my name I'll never draw anything related to the show because that will make me engage with a part of the fandom I'm not comfortable with.

My biggest issue with TSAMS:

I have such complicated feelings towards the show and its fanbase and I do not wish to make my life and work more difficult because of it as it already is.

My own work and characters are already constantly being compared to TSAMS. When I first introduced Solar to my fic, he was constantly being referred to Eclipse from TSAMS. Now that the show had a character with THE SAME NAME, it has been even worse.

Dolldrop Moon has been compared to Lunar. Even though the dolldrops existed before the youtube channel was even created (and Lunar made his debut much later).

The biggest issue I've had has always been the fanbase, that takes the show as the canon for Sun and Moon from FNAF and uses it as an excuse to harass shippers like me because they think Sun and Moon are brothers.

I've first handedly seen the damage the fanbase has done to some of my friends who draw, or have previously drawn art for the show besides their own AUs and personal headcanons of Sun and Moon as lovers. I'm sorry to tag you, but @kriimhild and @fablekitty : I've seen how the immature side of the show's fans have treated you, I am so terribly sorry you've had to defend yourselves over and over again for things that were not meant to be mixed up.

I have posted some ideas of a possible Animutant Moon and Sun forming a polyamorous relationship with Solar in the future of "My Dear Daffodil" on my personal/adult Twitter account. Someone kept commenting on my posts that I was glorifying incest, because Sun and Moon were brothers and Solar was their cousin.

The post had "Animutant" in it. Not "TSAMS". These comments came from a person saying they were 19 in their profile. So it's not just kids who can't tell not every fanwork is about TSAMS. It's starting to be some adults too.

Vice versa I've had another person comment on my very clearly SFW Twitter how they're following me because I am an adult artist who draws TSAMS incest. I have never drawn TSAMS art. I ship Sun and Moon, but they're never related with family bond, because I love presenting them as lovers.

Why I ship Sun and Moon:

Because I am a hopeless romantic. I love romantic love. Every single story I write is always about love.

The only exception to this is the Poppy Playtime comic I am doing. But even then, I was originally planning for a romantic love between Dogday and the Player. Yet, I decided to leave it, and keep the relationship open for any type of representation the reader themselves will prefer.

I used to watch The Sun and Moon Show when it first started airing. I loved their playthroughs. I had a big distaste for them calling each other brothers, as well as some of the first "lore" videos they had. My biggest issue at the time was how Moon treated Sun, though. As someone who grew up with an abusive sibling, it sometimes just hit a bit too hard at home.

But it got better after Eclipse and Lunar appeared. Moon was more caring, and I started to really like his character development. There was one episode where Sun explained to Lunar that he and Moon had simply just "decided" to be brothers, despite not having a canonical relationship.

This actually made me really happy. Because the Old Moon was aroace, the love he felt was simply never meant to be romantic, but platonic. And by making Sun his brother by choice clearly indicated that Sun was always the one he loved the most - in a way that was suitable for aromantic person like him.

And it really made me enjoy the show for a while. Sun is my favourite character, and despite not always liking the way the show presents him, I always feel so much love for him, no matter the AU he is in. So I loved that Moon loved him more than anything, even if it was just platonic. Because I've always been under the impression that the canon Moon loves Sun, and is only under a virus to protect him. For me, the best part of any Sun and Moon AU is to know that Sun is the most important thing to Moon.

Why I stopped watching TSAMS:

And then that Moon I had really started to like, who loved Sun more than anyone else but just platonically, died.

It hurt so much I simply stopped watching the show. I've watched a few episodes here and there after that, but I am having a hard time liking the show the same as I did before.

Partially it's because of the fanbase. Partially it's because I don't find the lore very interesting and some of the stuff a bit repetitive. Partially it's because I am scared to see Sun eventually crumble up into madness, because he has been through so much.

I like the New Moon. He is funny and nice, what I've seen. His relationship with Solar has been interesting, and I genuinely hoped they would've been able to take the romantic route after Moon said he wasn't sure if he was aroace anymore. But as I said, I've only watched a few episodes after the old Moon died, so I don't know either of their characters that much to form any strong opinions about them. I just listen to the Monty and Puppet podcast once in a while and get a little inside to some of the lore that has been happening.

But hey, at least there's fanfics. Which is why I am rambling here today.

Fanfics:

It is a rare treat to find Sun x Moon fanfics that aren't simply just porn, or do not include reader inserts. So since my romance-filled brain needed something to fill the void, I've started reading some TSAMS fics with romance (that wasn't between Sun & Moon) and plot in them.

I know Solar was settled to be a "cousin" to the weird family tree of TSAMS. But I simply crave for Solar and New Moon to be at least queerplatonic. Solar is not from their dimension, no matter how much they decide they're 'cousins' it doesn't make him their real cousin or relative because they're not from the same world.

Sun and Moon are brothers but they technically gave birth to Eclipse, who then created Lunar so Eclipse is technically Lunar's parent and then brother and Lunar is Sun and Moon's brother and... do you see what I'm trying to say?

The family tree is so complicated that I don't think I'm a horrible person for shipping Moon and Solar and reading fics about them. Tell me if I am wrong though.

The FIC that is making me question everything:

So Puffy recommended this fic by @theinfamousdoctorf , "Eclipse Meets His Match".

I'm currently on chapter 40, and I am genuinely surprised how much I am liking this fic so far. It got everything; redemption and character growth, the representation of Sun as the good, glowing angel he is in my mind (for canon, and every AU. He is always perfect in my eyes I love him can you tell lol), slow-burn romance, drama, excitment, plot, jokes and funny moments... even if there are a lot of mentions of sex and sexual pleasure, it doesn't feel out of the place as there is so much more to it too.

Eclipse's redemption to become better and realising he is in love with Sun has been so interesting to follow. Sun deserves the love. I love when Sun is getting loved. I literally ship him with every other animatronic in the games and love it when people ship him with their self-inserts and OCs. Because I love him so much I want him to be loved in every possible universe he is in.

Even bigger bonus to this fic is the second pairing, Solar and Moon, which I already opened up about above. I don't know how much the fic is truthful to the canon lore of the show, but I wish to pretend this fic is the canon now /hj.

I love the characters and how they're written. I love the descriptions of their flaws and hopes and dreams. How vulnerable they can get. How closely they stick together. And as an appreciation for making me tearful and excited about fanfiction in such a long time, I would hope to be able to gift the author some fan art for their fic.

But I've sworn to not draw anything for the show. For my own good. I've got too many awful comments already from the fans of the show despite never doing any art for it. I am just scared it will turn things worse.

End words:

I don't know if creating a new alias would be the right choice. So my main name/account would be spared from the confusion that the show's fans seem to stirr into, where one tsams artwork turns all of the artist' work into tsams.

I don't care if the art style would be recognisible. The artist would be me, but not PixelChills. Just so I could gift something to the author of this fic that is currently saving me from the boredom of being unable to write my own.

Thank you.

(This text has been typed on my phone, so pardon for any typos).

-Chill

[zetsubobu]

Tag game!

I made a twst oc alphabet for fun that you can do with your ocs and tag others in!

Feel free to either answer all of these at once or let your followers ask you a letter!

A- alchemy: how skilled are they in alchemy lessons? Does crewel like them?

B- bonds: who do they get along with the best? Is there someone they can't stand? What are their relationship with their family?

C- clubs: what clubs are they in? Did they perhaps form their own club?

D- dream: what does their happy dream from book 7 look like? Do they need help in order to wake up or realise that something is off by themselves?

E- end of school: what are their plans after graduation? Do they want to get a job or continue their education?

F- flying lessons: how well can they fly with a broom? Do they play in a spelldrive team?

G- glory: what is their biggest achievement? If they don't really have one, is there something they praise themselves for?

H- history of magic: how well do they know history? Do they pay attention in trein's class or fall asleep?

I- idolising: who of the seven (or other canonical disney character) do they look up to and respect the most?

J- jealousy: is there someone they envy? Why do they envy them?

K- kindness: how do they treat the others around them? Do others like them or perhaps have a negative perception of them?

L- love: is there someone they have their eye on? Is it a full blown crush or simply someone they occasionally eye? Does their love interest reciprocate their feelings?

M- mental stability: how well are they doing mentally and emotionally? Do they have any mental illnesses or other troubles that bother them?

N- night owl: do they go to bed early or stay up late? If so why do they stay up late (work or insomnia)?

O- overblot: would or have they ever overblotted? What resulted in that and how did they handle it afterwards? Did someone they are close to overblot?

P- pacifist: do they handle their problems with brute force or do they try to handle things by talking? Do they make up their mind quickly or consider other people's opinions in how to approach something?

Q- questions: what is something the others around them often wonder about regarding your oc? Are they mysterious to others?

R- right: what is something they absolutely believe in? Can that belief be shaken or disproved?

S- species: are they human or are they another species like fae, merman or beastman?

T- tutoring: do they tutor someone or do they need tutoring? What subjects do they tutor/need tutoring in?

U- unique magic: what is their unique magic? Do they have discovered it already or not like ace?

V- venture into darkness: are they couragous? Do they flight or fight when faced with danger?

W- wildcard: a random fun fact about your oc!

X- xenium: what would they gift strangers or friends?

Y- youth: what did their childhood look like? Were they happy growing up? Are they still in contact with people from their childhood?

Z- zest: what excites them? Do they easily get excited or does it happen once in a blue moon?

I will do it later with marvolo!

For this tag game I tag: @oyatochie @oya-oya-okay @sleepy-meep @esmerulia-chantelle @cheerleaderman @deerla-charming and anyone that wants to do it!!

[slowburningechoes]

Controversial!!📌📰 ‼️🚨Bobby does not have great chemistry with a lot of stage actresses for some reason! (They still do amazing and touching art of course.)

I saw more than couple of opinions and reviews around about Him&Helen having zero chemistry?It was big critique for a Zoo story too.I think his most intense “romantic” stage bond was Violet Hour.Maybe it’s young passion idk.Camelot was definitely warm in feeling but it’s hard to judge because it’s different genre and lighter.We were robbed of a reading of “All the frozen ones” so we will never know but pics were sweet!

Very interested in your opinion!Do you see it differently? Especially interesting because you are psych!

that is certainly a hot take! here is my (excessively long) opinion…

i think there is more criticism for this lack of romantic chemistry the older he gets — many reviews from the 90s-00s do not express this concern often (even when he played opposite his Zoo cast-mate, Katie Finneran, 20 years earlier in You Never Can Tell) and especially not as often as they have in recently years. this is extremely frustrating imo and has prompted a lot of reflection…

ageism is something I’ve been thinking about since engaging more actively with the RSL community - especially as much of the fandom rn are minors. though they are often jokes in good humor (and I do, too, at times), I think there’s this huge focus on the fact that he isn’t 20-30-something anymore, calling him “peepaw” or making fun of his older physical qualities. it can be funny once or twice (mostly when it’s silly gen z humor), but it is important to acknowledge that society desexualizes people as they age because they lose many socially expected characteristics of beauty. Robert is no exception to that to many people (even some people who are “fans”), as he shows natural signs of aging… which society automatically finds deterring.

even just reading reviews about their age being a barrier to the believability of Betrayal brought this up. as if people who are in their 50-60s cannot have love affairs or have young children (which RSL does himself), or that their decisions would be that much different than if they were younger. I am SO glad that he was asked about this in his recent interview. Bobby’s response was wonderful and one that I agree with very much — age does not impact the relationships, script, and outcome of this particular show much.

additionally, it is difficult not to let reviews (even professional ones) sway our opinions of a production and cast performance. it is hard to say the quality of Bobby’s performances if we have not seen each of them ourselves. for example, many reviews of Betrayal were negative regarding his and Helen’s chemistry — but that did not consider how their roles were written or how every audience member would interpret it. when I went, though, I could not disagree more (at least on Robert’s end)! for other shows, we are only able to comment on clips or on those reviews we do have available, which isn’t necessarily an accurate depiction of his performance or how any one person may feel about it!

another point: plays are also very different than tv and film. I think in recent decades, we’ve really gotten accustomed to seeing this raw, hot, “I want to f*** you right now” energy between characters and calling that chemistry. but that’s not really true chemistry. while many tv and films do dive into the deep intimacy and true connection of both lust and love, theatre is able to show it on an entirely different level since it is live and in person. there are also many directorial choices which can impact performances across all forms!

personally — any time I have seen clips of Bobby as a romantic lead in a play (in person during Betrayal) or another form of media, I never doubt his romantic chemistry with his partner. he always seems to look at them with such genuine affection, speaking to them like he’d love to hear them talk forever, touching and kissing them like he truly means it. but I also adore him, which could also impact my own perspective in all of this.

overall, we must keep in context the play and the character he is playing, the potential for directorial choices, and our own biases (even if we don’t realize we have them - we all do, whether it’s ageism or loving Bobby or thinking he can do no wrong).

+ p.s. YES!!! we were so robbed with All the Frozen Ones not being recorded. :(

[noinoi10101010]

how rusted dieing in ruin's arms is a great way for ruin to face consequences for destroying dimensions

ruin destroyed 5,000 dimensions it's one of the most known part to his character. So naturally you would obviously have to give him some form of consequences for doing that and well they did so in the most cruel and mercyless way possible. Having rusted the one he is in love with, the one who still loved him dispute him leveing him in his dimension, the one ruin was so in love he wanted to start a family with him die in his arms. Exactly like what he made nexus and sun go the watching someone they care about solar die in his arms and not just that the solar stand put of each dimension being destroyed as the ones that were close to him died in his arms. And another thing that helps him get consequences for what he has done is something @llamaisllama777 pointed out. Ruin in the virus arc having to choose to save one guy only to doom another dimension is exactly what he did when he destroyed 5,000 dimension choosing to kill 5,000 dimensions to get rid of the creator counsel and while on paper that might sound good he is perfect fine and even says he would do it again if it meant he could kill the conunsel. And quite literally everyone in the celestial family hates him sun and moon hate him, Cosmo literally yelled at him for this, he was forced to work for nexus and be tortured by him, terra is mixed on him, and even solar someone he formed a bond with while he was in the dimension hates him now. And now in the eaps dimension he shattered the trust the others had in him and he knows this. Even though people like ballroa and Charlie still care about him as there friend everyone still views him differently cause of this like in a negative light. Sams is rightfully so ruthless when giving him any form of consequences like this. Is he good person hell no but the dimension thing is still one of the most known things about him and Grey area it was surrounding it and huge consequences ruin gets for it is but making him experience what he made the dimension he killed experience.

[leenathegreengirl]

At a glance... (1/3)

Hi friends! I thought I’d follow @legacygirlingreen's lead and continue on with showcasing my friends as aesthetics. You can find hers HERE! Below you will find one for each of them, as well as a little glance at how I see each couple as a unit visually speaking.

Hunter & Nez | Crosshair & Kayden | Echo & Aiko

Animal

German Sheppard: Loyal. Fiercely protective. Good at tracking. The kind of chap that would rip someone's face off for touching you, but then have the heart to snuggle up in bed afterwards. Hunter exemplifies all these traits and more.

Black cat: sophisticated and clever, cats are known for always managing to figure out a way to slip through to safety. Associated with superstition, but often misunderstood, Nez both plays into the cleverness of cats, but also the divine feminine energy they radiate.

Location

Mountains: Hunter seemingly radiates that sturdy, comforting presence of a mountain on a foggy morning. Slightly mysterious, but ever so strong.

London: One of the most bustling cities in the world, known for its popular iconography, but also a long running history of class and culture. Nez couldn't be anywhere else with her tea loving, rainy day aesthetic.

Plant

Indoor Fern: The kind of plant that gives back as much as they allude. Hunter is very versitle while also maintaining a sense of "home"

Red Roses: Nothing is more classy or romantic than red roses. Nez is as bold as the red lips she often wears, similar to that of the romance associated with a red rose.

Character

Joel: Initially resourceful and tough, he develops a softer side with protecting a child... sounds a bit... familiar to a particular Sarge I know...

Miss Moneypenny: Discrete. Efficient. Flirty. And ever so classy... furthermore, her role as liaison is eerily similar to Nez's job being a handler for the GAR

Season

Autumn: Brisk but still homie. Hunter has the kind of balance of warm and cool that comes with the changing of the leaves.

Winter: Bright fallen snow. Clean and pristine. Bold red coats against a white backdrop. An edge with a hidden cozy feel. Nez survives best in the winter.

Hobby

Wood Working: Hunter, while on Pabu, takes up carpentry. Not from purely a practical sense, but also artistic. He enjoys the tactile approach of building with his hands.

Whiskey tasting: Nez has a very refined palette. She grew up rich on her planet. She loves nothing more than cozying up with a nice whiskey, possibly a cigar and a good book for some quiet.

Color

Maroon: Dark, burnt red, that houses all the passion but with a darker tone. Bright red: similar to maroon, in that red itself has passion, fire and romance, but the lighter form of it. Hunter and Nez compliment each other in this regard.

Crystal/Stone/Gem

Black Tourmaline: A cyrstal known as a bodyguard of sorts against negative energy, it is carried for protection. There is not a more protective member of the squad (sans Crosshair) than Hunter.

Garnet: Dating back to the bronze age, this stone has always been one of high value. Often associated with family heirloom pieces, garnet has the timeless sort of beauty you associate with Nez. Not flashy like a diamond, but just rich red like garnet.

Food

Steak Dinner: Nothing is more satisfying than a full steak dinner! All the sides, filling in every way and savory. I just imagine hunter coming home to a staple dinner and then collapsing on the sofa after to nap it off.

Lasagna: Layered. Traditional. Delicious.

Classy and bold collide with strength and masculinity in a passionate, undeniable connection! Hunter and Nez first crossed paths during the war, carefully circling one another, each wary of compromising their duties. But once Order 66 was issued, the tension between them shattered, and their bond could no longer be denied. What follows is a deep, protective connection built on mutual respect and understanding—an unspoken loyalty that only grows with time. As their relationship deepens, it’s clear: their love is undeniable. Even Omega has come to adore Nez, a testament to the warmth and strength she brings into their lives.

Read their stories here...

Tunesgiving: Friendly Favor Life Day: Life Day Luck (ft. Gungi)

Animal

Doberman: Protective, Intelligent, loyal. Dobermans are one of the most skilled breeds of dog for a reason. Nimble in frame but incredibly powerful, Crosshair exemplifies these traits as much as Dobermans themselves.

Lamb: Playful and curious, lambs are often a symbol for innocence and gentleness. Crosshair learns to grow, largely in part due to the gentle nature Kayden shows him.

Location

Mountains: Strong, firm, but also deadly. So much of his redemption started on Barton V, and a large part of himself still resides there.

Paris: A city known for intense culture and refined beauty

Plant

Cactus: Resilient and unyielding to the harsh climate around them.

Lilly of the Valley: Often symbolic for a return to happiness, this flower is regarded in poetry for its beauty, but its unexpected edge of poison underneath its fair appearance. In a similar way, Kayden has an unexpected firmness not often seen by others.

Character

Zukko: The redemption arc of the century. Need I say more.

Honeylemon: Intelligent and girlie. Friendly and supportive.

Season

Winter: The winter can be isolating, but it can also be warm in unexpected ways. Crosshair may seem distant to those when he first meets them but upon a building of trust becomes a warm fireplace in the dead of winter

Spring: Keeping with the theme of rebirth, Kayden magnifies all the qualities of spring with its soft, change and adaptivity over time.

Hobby

Drawing: Something initally kept hidden, Crosshair eventually puts his attention to detail to good use with sketching opposed to looking down a scope.

Botany: What she studied at school, Kayden truly enjoys working with plants!

Color

Dark Green: Although much of his life was defined by the maroon of the batch, Crosshair secretly enjoys dark shades of green. Kamino lacked foliage and something about plants like Kashyyyk speak to him... Pink: Complimentary to her pastel blue skin, a soft pink has always been Kayden's favorite color since we were kids

Crystal/Stone/Gem

Shark tooth: A gift from a special someone...

Opal: Soft stone known for its refractive element, kayden has a similar vibe to that of opal

Food

Soup: comforting, warm and something he never seems to be able to finish without interruption...

Yogurt and Fruit: Simple but healthy, Kayden loves a clean eat!

Imagine my surprise when Crosshair unexpectedly took a special interest in my twin, Kayden! His trust and loyalty are hard to earn, so seeing him connect with her has been such a heartwarming surprise, especially in the wake of his split with Kahrin... It brings me so much joy to watch my sister and brother-in-law so happy together. They’re both a little bashful, and Crosshair is nothing but gentle with her. Below, you'll find a glimpse into their unique journeys—both as individuals and as a couple!

Read their stories here...

Tunesgiving 2024: Greenhouse Melody

Life Day 2024: I'm Not Wearing That

Animal

Honey Badger: Loyal and fierce, honey badgers in history were known for being forced to fight...

Octopus: Very inquisitive aquatic creatures, octopus are regarded as one of the most intelligent creatures on the planet

Location

Canyons: Formed by millions of years of eroding water, Echo has largely been shaped by his experiences

Stormy Beach: Coming from a water based species herself, Aiko is no stranger to the seas, but to see the ocean during a storm showcases the sometimes chaotic nature her empathic side leaves on her while landside

Plant

Lily Pads: Known for their proximity to water, lily pads are a symbiotic plant in the environments they inhabit. They provide shade and algae to many species, giving back as much as they can

Fly Trap: Unexpectedly strong, these plants are unique as they are able to survive

Character

Geordi La forge: Highly skilled individual who does not allow his disability inhibit his ability to succeed. Conscious of his surroundings in a way many of his colleagues are not, Geordi is a valued member of his team

Deanna Troi: Soothing, calming empath... sounds like someone I know...

Season

Winter: Both Echo and Aiko seem to have a similar energy to that of winter

Hobby

Bread making: Meticulous with wonderful rewards, Echo spends his downtime doing something with his hands to benefit others

Biomedical Engineering: Largely an interest due to her own issues hearing out of water, Aiko loves biomedical engineering, bringing assistance to the island of Pabu

Color

Gold: Dependable. There's not quite a clone as reliable as Echo Orange: Optimism and warmth

Crystal/Stone/Gem

Tiger's Eye: Power, confidence, stability

Clear Quartz: healing and balance

Food

Full Breakfast: Seems simple enough, there are few meals as satisfying and comforting as a full breakfast! A bit unorthodox, but can be enjoyed any time of the day (which Echo encourages!)

Vodka Pasta: Rich and filling, this dish is known to have a decadence that is appreciated by many

Echo has certainly been through so much, and through that he has become such a steady, encouraging voice for those around him. He has always gone where he felt needed. As time has gone on, that 'somewhere' became the arms of the woman he loved: Aiko. Strong in her own regards, and incredibly talented with bioengineering, these two make quite the pair. They are gentle, caring, and calm. I can't think of a more perfect attuned couple to their lover's needs.

Read their stories here...

Tunesgiving: Binary Comfort

Life Day: Priceless

💕💜Tag List💜💕

@legacygirlingreen @thora-sniper @thecoffeelorian @neyswxrld @somewhere-on-kamino @clonethirstingisreal @royallykt @morerandombullshit @burningfieldof-clover @tbnrpotato @keantha @returnofthepineapple @antisocial-mariposa @techs-stitches @resistantecho @kimiheartblade @dezgate @sunshinesdaydream @fiveofirstmuse @freesia-writes @heidnspeak @queenjiru @commanderfury @kyda-atshushi @deezlees @thebadbatchfan @aknightreaderr

Thank you to @legacygirlingreen for ALL of this together for me!

[starlostlix]

BSD 121.5 SPOILERS BELOW!!

So I want to talk about the new chapter because what the actual fuck.

So first of all.... THIS

Atsushi doing this callback with that gaze is insane, and akutagawa's reaction shows he's losing the idgaf war. They're finally realising how much they mean to one another and it's so important, but MORE IMPORTANTLY...

AKUTAGAWA'S EYES ARE FULL OF LIGHT

HIS. EYES. ARE. ALIGHT.

It's not just a bit of light. ITS FULLY LIGHT!!!

This is so important for Akutagawa ong. I don't want to take up too much time with this though because there's a LOT to talk about.

First, the design of ameno-gozen's realm, the fourth dimension. I LOVE IT! It's so mysterious and looks kind of glitchy which is perfect for this vibe. Dazai explains that most people can't see anything here so Atsushi's limited visibility with this art style works well.

So basically this dimension is where the past present and future intersect 'orthogonally' (I had to search this up, it means 'at right angles') and all of time is 'folded upon itself'. Atsushi now, as the only one who can see anything in this dimension, is now able to technically access parts of the past and future at once (my theory is that Byakko has some relation to the fourth dimension, perhaps being created within or being something similar to Gozen). Also note that in the 3rd image 'Dazai' is able to hear Atsushi's thoughts (strengthening the idea id seen of this being Byakko speaking through a visual hallucination of Dazai, especially when this dazai insinuates that it is not him that knows these things but Atsushi himself). Interesting what 'dazai' says about the speed of sound in this dimension basically means it's a lot slower here. Also apparently the mission is to find the 'core' of the divine being here and (i assume) destroy it? No clue how that SSKK fight from the end of the anime is supposed to play out like that but I will see how this goes.

So interestingly everyone else who has been struck by the Amenogozen sword has become stuck in this dimension unaware of what/where they are, and don't have the awareness that Atsushi has (main character moment). Essentially the infinite past and future versions of themselves are 'folding' onto one another (I don't quite know what this specifically means, but I imagine it like Jayce, Ekko and Heimerdinger in the hexcore room in Arcane s2 ep3). But now, since Atsushi is conscious, Atsushi has access to the past and future in this space (leading to the possibility of a lore dump to end all lore dumps next chapter, hopefully about Fyodor's backstory/plan) and he has to choose which way to go to find the information he needs. 'Dazai' tells him to 'feel strongly' as 'that's what you do when you want to experience the past' - and I feel that is such an interesting way of thinking about it in this series. Atsushi himself has suffered from PTSD (as have many characters) and often strong feelings can link to the traumas they possess, but it's not just negative feelings. A lot of characters also have positive memories from strong feelings, including their strong feelings about protecting others as Yokohama's defenders of sorts, and forming bonds with others in that process created the ADA as we know it. I don't really know how else to talk about it but I think it's a really interesting thematic line. Asagiri has some really cool writing.

Honestly this chapter is so cool and I can't wait to see where the series goes with this! My personal theory for next chapter is Atsushi finding the way to the past and we get essentially a lore dump. I think it will be Fyodor's backstory wherein Atsushi's view is spliced with comatose Sigma going through the information he got from his ability and stumbling upon the same information/memories as Atsushi is (also perhaps to cement the parallels between the two like Dazai talked about!).

[helluvapurf]

*sips tea seeing HB "Mastermind" making its rounds*

...Sooooo, this latest episode's content definitely was... alot, in more ways than one lol .w. Don't really have the energy atm to do a full "Pros & Cons" list like my prior reviews, soooo... have some jumbled first impressions below lmao:

NOTE: Obv there'll be some spoilers ahead so do keep note of that... aaaaand like usual these ARE just my own personal thoughts at the end of the day, so *please* try to keep things civil if you disagree with anything below. Thank you. 🙏

WOO, nice to see some more Sins introduced on-screen! 🤩Satan is pretty rad with his cowboy dragon aesthetic, the sleepy sheep lady (Belphegor, I think?) looks cute, and I do like the idea of Leviathan being a two-head split creature (tho ngl, I kiiiinda wish her "pretty" half wasn't just a taller version of the Glam twins 😭 might just be the Bi in me talking hlhjk but... Viv y u so allergic to giving us pretty monster ladiessss-)

Great to see Asmodeus, Beezlebub & Mammon back all at once, and their courtroom getups were pretty cool~ 👀Loved Ozzie & Bee's lil friendship, along with Mammon being the most annoying brother-like figure to both Bee & Ozzie lmao

BLITZ'S (almost) FINAL SPEECH TO HIS WHOLE CREW PRE-EXECUTION (+requesting M&M to take care of Loona if he died), MY HEART- 😭😭❤️For all this man's flaws/past mistakes, there's NO denying how much he loves his employees & loved ones at the end of the day (& vice-versa on their ends)... hhhhh q-q

The inner-most squee I had at the Fizz cameo & his frantic worry for Blitz (+texting Ozzie to protect his best friend), aaaaaa~ TwT 💕💕 (*also semi-related side note; but YAY a lil Verosika cameo too (loving her twin-tail hairdo~), even showing fearful concern for Blitz's fate? Aww~ 🥺🩷Plsss let this be a sign her character's not completely done in terms of screentime, I'd SO love for more Blitz/Verosika bonding moments (to maybe a potential brotp forming) as he got with Fizz! 🙏🙏*)

Striker returns, yaaaay!~ 😍 ...aaaand he's mainly just there to act like a dumb grunt to Andre's plotting, oh... 😐'least his court getup's pretty snazzy though, loving the jacket~👌

Blitz + IMP finally getting to receive some hero treatments in the public (Impkind's) eye, fireworks, street celebrations, and potential new clients-included? Sweeeeet~ 👏👏

...well I'll be, Stolas actually getting some narrative consequences here?? 😲😲Standing up for Blitz's life, taking the blame for the Grimoire's misuse, accepting his punishment of the 100 year ban from his status, wealth & powers that were part of his life since forever... daaaaang, now this is some good character building here!~ 👀 Now, with such an honorable & grand gesture Stolas did for the sake of Blitz, their brief duet, and the end shot of them basically becoming roommates now that Stolas has nothing left... does this make me an official Stol*itz shipper now?? 🤩 ...Hmmmmmmmmm, nah lol 🤷‍♀️Now, okay I don't mean to sound like some negative nancy bitch or however, cause I AM proud of Stolas taking the lengths he did to protect Blitz & IMP (and now with him not having a fancy prince title anymore, this could potentially give him the chance to challenge his past privileged/classist mindset, living in the same social class as the same Imps his fellow Goetia society have long-oppressed). However, if there's anything I've learned from shows like Bojack Horseman... big grand gestures are NOT the be-all/end-all answer to proving romantic compatibility 👏👏

When it comes to any sort of relationship, romantic or otherwise... what should matter most is consistent, genuine care & support from one partner to another. And as far as we've seen from Stolas & Blitz's dynamic up til this point... imo, they really haven't had enough positive (non-sexual) bonding moments (save for stuff like their attempts at small talk at "Ozzie's", Stolas laughing at Blitz's sitcom jokes in "Seeing Stars", one photo of Blitz smiling while they slept), to justify them being some "destined-for-one-another" couple? 🤷‍♀️ Not helped by how both men were constantly avoiding & bickering at one another for most of S2 up til now... Iiiii can't be the only one who found it just a tad rushed Blitz was suddenly all "loving/domestic hubby mode🥺🥺" towards Stolas at the end... right? .w.;; Esp. in light of Stolas going through so much as he had to in one trial (+the realization of what'll become of his daughter, following said-punishment) ...he really, really shouldn't be in the mindset for tackling romance rn (at least til he continues to grow & heal better, down the line)... with OR without Blitz😔

....buuut yeah, thats just my own take on the matter; so ofc NO shade at all to those who are genuine Stolas/Stol*itz fans btw (thanks to this ep and/or previous ones), you're valid!👍👍For me, I'll still be vibing onwards with my own personal HCs/ships, so feel free to stay tuned for that if you're curious! :>

Now that we've finally got to meet Vassago upfront, Iiiii'm honestly a lil disappointed he was just... "there" in terms of plot-relevancy (even with all his previous trailer/merch hype)? .w.;; Don't get me wrong, I DO find it refreshing that Vassago's actually a nice guy, and that Stolas did have some genuine support in the Goetia society after all. But other than Vassago wholesomely cheering on Stolas by the sidelines... hmmm, I can't help feeling like not much would've changed had Vassago not been here at all, ngl 🤷‍♀️ Maaaaybe S3 might change things if he gets more spotlight there instead (esp with what I remember everyone theorizing of Vassago (possibly) becoming a 2nd love interest for Stolas .3. idk, part of me's kinda curious how that'd play out with Blitz in the picture- 🤔)?

Andrealphus's antagonist spotlight here... was fine, I guess? Idk, I can't say I've ever been too big a fan of Andre beforehand (mainly from his late-inclusion in the Stolas plot feeling a lil forced + him stealing the spotlight of what could've been interesting villain potential for Stella imo). Not to say I didn't find some of his hammy dialogue funny, along with enjoying the visuals of his ice magic... buuuut yeah, still pretty lukewarm towards him either way 🤷‍♀️could've also done without those creepy af comments about his sister as well... like bruh that in*cest shit wasn't funny the first time, whyyy keep bringing that back- 🤢

Speaking of Stella... ehhhhh, still a pretty flat character as she was in previous episodes (which I guess shouldn't be too surprising with this show's track record with female characters ngl 🤷‍♀️). Interesting to finally see an on-screen interaction with her & Octavia though (granted, not exactly on a good note given her evil smirk at the end... but I guess it does answer some HC questions I had previously of what their mother/daughter dynamic is like, hmmm... 🤔).

As for Octavia in-question... hhHHHH MY POOR BIRD CHILD T-T 💔💔Girl practically watched her greatest fears coming true (aka: Stolas abandoning her for the sake of Blitz), seeing what became of her dad on live-TV. Even if she obviously doesn't know the full story (esp with her mom & uncle pulling strings), its still SO heartbreaking when you consider her trailer sneak-peek ("You never loved Mother, you don't love me, you love him-"). And with only one episode left before S2 wraps up... ooooof, this ain't gonna be pretty ;-;

---------

-Hoooo yeah, that was alot of rambling my bad... but yeah, thats about as clear of thoughts as I have rn regarding "Mastermind". Even with some of the (admittedly) bloated cast, and some other narrative nitpicks I have with it... I'm honestly hyped to see how the upcoming finale will tie all these big plot points together! 👀🤞🤞

[wouldasprenhelp]

Welcome to Would A Spren Help!

The ancient oaths must be spoken again, but it's not just inhabitants of the Cosmere that can bond with a Spren this time! No, in this timeline, the floodgates have been opened! Anyone and everyone is eligible. Tony Stark/Iron Man, Mario "Jumpman" Mario, Izuku Midoriya, Frodo Baggins, even Darth Vader, any character from any piece of media has the opportunity to become a member of the Knights Radiant!

However, the Spren aren't entirely sure about some of these. After all, they barely know these people. So they've come to you all, the fair people of Tumblr, to give them advice on who should be allowed to join!

On this blog, you will see a series of polls! Each will have a character's name and franchise. The four options that you will have available will be as follows!

The Nahel Bond Would Help Them

These are the people whose lives would be genuinely improved by bonding with a Spren of some Order. Your reasons for saying this can be as varied as you want. Would the person be able to work through things they have a hard or impossible time working through in canon? Great! Would they just like the company? Awesome! Do you just want to see them fly? Heck yeah! If the character ends with this, the Spren Will Bond with the character! More on that in a moment!

The Nahel Bond Wouldn't Affect Them

These characters would be fundamentally unchanged if they had a Spren. Whether this is because they don't really have a need for a therapy fairy, or they're able to work through their issues just fine without them, you're the judge. If the character ends with this, the Spren Will Not Bond With The Character. No need to bond with someone who doesn't need you.

The Nahel Bond Would Make Them Worse (Positive)

These characters are the ones that, for some reason or another, you think would be chaos incarnate as a Radiant, but it would be funny. Maybe they'd be an absolute menace with Surges, maybe they'd corrupt their Spren irreversibly by being an absolute gremlin, who knows? This one was very divisive among the Spren, the Highspren, Honorspren, and Peakspren were very against accepting these people, but the Cryptics managed to convince the entire council that they should accept these. The Spren Will Bond With These Characters! Even if it's reluctantly on some of them!

The Nahel Bond Would Make Them Worse (Negative)

These characters should not be given a Spren under any circumstances. Whether this is because they would use the power for malevolent means, would only be broken by any attempt to help them through their traumas, or some other reason, The Spren Will Not Bond With These Characters.

For the sake of this poll, we are assuming that every character would be able to speak the Words and at least become a Radiant of roughly 2nd or 3rd Ideal. If they're the kind who would excel as that Order, that's up to you to decide in whatever means you have (No but seriously if you do fanart or write a fic about the resulting character as a Radiant you have my full permission to @ this blog and I'll reblog it).

If A Character Manages To Be Accepted

If a character is accepted, a follow up poll will be held for the same amount of time as the original poll. This will have all orders available, listed in order of Stormlight Archive book. That means the order will be as follows. If you're new to the Cosmere, these have their main Ideals listed as well.

Windrunner - I Will Protect Lightweaver - I Will Speak My Truth Bondsmith - I Will Unite Willshaper - I Will Seek Freedom Skybreaker - I Will Seek Justice Edgedancer - I Will Remember Truthwatcher - I Will Seek Truth Dustbringer - I Will Seek Self-Mastery Stoneward - I Will Be There When I'm Needed Elsecaller - I Will Reach My Potential

This will be recorded on the spreadsheet for this blog, if you want to search for a specific character later.

SUBMISSIONS

Submissions will be entered through THIS GOOGLE FORM

There are a few rules, though!

NO RADIANTS These guys already have a Spren. They aren't getting another. Submissions for characters with Spren will be discarded.

NO REAL LIFE PEOPLE We are not here to analyze the mental state of Benedict Cumberbatch. If you want to submit BBC Sherlock, that's fine, but real people are off the table.

ONE SUBMISSION PER RESPONSE You're allowed to make multiple responses, but if your response has more than one character, even if they're characters from a group, it will be deleted. If you want to find out if the Wiggles could be Radiants, you need to submit each individual Wiggle.

BE CIVIL Or at the very least be rowdy in a positive way. I don't want to see anyone yelling at other people for voting a certain way.

Outside of that, it's fair game! This blog will post two polls a week, one on Mondays and one on Thursdays, both at Noon EST (5 PM GMT)! Life Before Death, people of Tumblr!

[girl4music]

Okay. So I have a lot to say about the CaitVi relationship because - as expected - it was what pulled me into the main story of the show even further in understanding the narratives and themes better. Which… that alone is a remarkable achievement for WLW representation in TV art/entertainment. I haven’t seen that in a long time.

I love Love LOVE that Vi and Caitlyn are opposites. Vi handles everything directly. Usually with her fists first. Caitlyn is more cautious. She likes to understand the situation of something before attempting to confront it. That immediately stood out. But then what really worked for me besides the different approaches is how they want the same things but try to attain them through those different approaches. This meant they had a common goal but had contradictory ways of achieving it. Which is peace and prosperity for their respective cities, right? Only, they don’t always feel at home in those respective cities. In all understanding of who they are as people - they really should clash a lot as a couple. But they don’t because their motivations are the same. Vi only ever feels animosity for the Topside but Caitlyn is very curious about the Undercity. Again, there is a contradiction - an opposition - but because of what they can’t understand about each other, they can relate to each other and show one another that there’s more to the divided cities. It’s actually very clever how they use theme and nuance and tone to constantly quietly build on the progression of their relationship into companionship trust and eventually romantic love.

They use the two divided entirely different cities: the contrasting environments and oppositional experiences to make them form a bond which grows into romance.

That’s not the way it’s usually done so it stands out a lot. They’re such a contradiction as a ship that their misunderstandings help them to actually fall in love.

I think it’s fantastically written because the romance is not purposefully in your face. It’s not made a spectacle.

What is is the contrasting worldviews the other has. But that’s the point. That’s what cultivates the romance. Because the only real thing that’s similar is that of their goals. Protecting their people until they become each other’s person. The only real thing they’ve got to lose because they’ve already lost everyone and everything. This should make them enemies but it doesn’t. Instead it makes them friends and then lovers and life partners.

Vi goes against everything Vander says. Caitlyn is often silenced into submission by Cassandra. They contrast so much in their individual identities and environments that they’d absolutely fit in with each other and work well together. So when they finally interact, it all comes out in colours. And it just makes them so much more multi-dimensional and worldly both as individuals and as a ship. It’s fantastic. It really is great representation precisely because it’s not written and portrayed to be.

That in itself is one huge contradiction and yet look what was achieved through adhering to contradiction.

Honestly I think it’s because ARCANE itself is full of contradiction. I think it may even be its main theme.

I mean look at Jinx. Look at her. Would you think a character that looks like that would be so complex? Would anyone? No. They really flipped the switch with her to the point where her appearance actually helps broaden the complexity of her characterization. 👏👌

I am so very hopeful for the future because of Arcane because the creators have proved that you can take heavily negative tropes and subvert them into positive and deliver exceptional storytelling and representation. Yeah, I believe they faulted a bit in the final Act but that doesn’t take away from the fact they knew what they were doing and people should follow in their example.

[bloodraynebeast]

We’re back to talk about Yashiki / Mashita as a pairing once again. Quick note, I’ve heard the less than positive feedback on the translation from players who played the Japanese version and I’ve tried searching for any translations that can help add to the context. Unfortunately the only context we’re using in this analysis is the official English version and fan translation for one of the DLCs. Thank you all so much for the interest and support on the first part! I knew I wanted to make another as it serves to archive their moments as well as analyse each scene. I’ll be going chronologically through the chapters so it's easier to follow. This is a long one! As always MAJOR SPOILERS for Death Mark 2 (And DM1) below.

All Links: Part 1 / Part 2 / Part 3 <-

Updated AO3 Version <-

Starting out with a small tangent, the theme of Death Mark 2 or Shibito Magire (死噛) with The Departed brings up a subject that seems to be a pattern within this series, no matter the universe.

Something that reoccurs in the games and extra content is Yashiki’s negative experiences with women and being forced into some form of marriage. I’m wondering if it's an address on the pressures Yashiki must have felt as Masamune or still feels being the heir and sole survivor of the Kujou bloodline. You notice in Death Mark that Yashiki wasn’t particularly on the best terms with women, namely Christie and Hiroo, but they both did warm up to him and seemed good friends during Death Mark 2.

In the Red Riding Hood DLC, Hiroo is a target and becomes possessed in an attempt to seduce Yashiki, where the bad choices are a result of not trying to pull her out of it. Death Mark 2 has The Departed declaring Yashiki as their future husband, displaying intense possessiveness and jealousy over his close relationships with the Mark Bearers, while also repeating that they will exchange vows and be bound.

In Chapter 3 with Kashima, Yashiki has to pretend to be the beloved teacher of a besotted student - again - and reciprocate their feelings with the flower sketches in order to save them. The two girls Douryou and Kinukawa, cursed and possessed by The Departed make him increasingly uncomfortable with their advances and forcefulness in the game, also trying to entice him. Yashiki has to constantly reassure everyone around him that there is nothing going on and harbours no feelings other than that of a teacher and an adult watching out for the safety of the young students. Because of that, the teacher and head of Academic affairs, Sakamoto, is begrudged to help him in the investigations and holds hostility towards him. Enough to withhold information that would help the case and save the student body. Yashiki also has to inhabit the role of the groom in the final fight against The Departed and apply the ink to complete the ceremony.

Even in the “Blue End” CD Drama, Yashiki becomes possessed by the entity known as the “Master Of The Mark”, who aims to make Mary and later Rose when she tries to intervene, as their consorts, exclaiming that they must exchange vows.

All this in mind, it’s no surprise why many question Yashiki’s preferences (he’s also just a morally good man) and gravitate towards Yashiki and Mashita’s relationship. Their bond is natural and grounded, it’s not aggressively forced upon Yashiki or us as the player. He tends to have more chemistry with the male characters in general, to what feels to us as his closest relationships, specifically Mashita and Daimon. Now onto the game itself.

Death Mark 2 begins with Chapter 1 and Chapter 2 revolving around Hanako Of The Toilet and the relationship between her and her best friend Horikoshi when she was still alive. Although they are ultimately killed off, the introduction of Akai and Horikoshi’s romantic love feels like an important detail. Namely, a love that grew between two best friends. Where one was more confident, rough and unapologetically blunt, the other was more gentle, kind and reserved. That sounds familiar. It also introduces how with Izumi blackmailing Horikoshi, that it likely wouldn't have been accepted at the school due to the prestigiousness and more likely because of the time period. Still, with the first appearance of a queer couple in the series, could this potentially be a stepping stone towards exploring Yashiki and Mashita’s relationship in a similar direction? Foreshadowing of another love forming between two best friends? The chance of this happening definitely seems more possible now.

However, Yashiki still wondering about the nature of their feelings between the two girls despite uncovering their diary entries and sensing it while singing the song lyrics, gives an impression that he would be oblivious to any developed feelings from Mashita if it happened. Also if a relationship did happen, it would likely be kept a secret, at least for as long as possible.

In Chapter 3 Yashiki reunites with Shou, who asks where Mashita is since this investigation involves spirits, practically calling them inseparable. Unlike other Mark Bearers, Mashita receives his own introductory CG. While this could just be something for the fans as Mashita is the most popular character and he was not present in the scene, it’s something to see Shou describing them as a package deal right before Mashita is singled out in the character introductions with his own dramatic CG, looking wistful in the rain. You’d be forgiven for thinking Yashiki is daydreaming about this man, here. Though I’m wondering if this is meant to be Yashiki’s perspective from a memory. Then Yashiki informs us that they were on a phone call the night before, but surprisingly we don’t get to see nor hear that conversation, besides that Mashita is currently indisposed and unable to join the others just yet.

There’s also a tiny detail in the character file that you unlock as more characters join the investigations. The other Mark Bearers are described as becoming friends with the protagonist after he saved their life during the Mary incident, then you read Mashita’s to find he’s formed a “deep bond” with the protagonist due to the number of cases they’ve worked on together. In the previous game there were dropped hints of how their specific relationship stood out among the rest and it applies even more so in the sequel. Although, I’ve heard in the Japanese release they were referred to as “nakama=friends” in the file, which is curious how and why it was translated to “deep bond' in the English version. 

Mashita makes his first appearance in Chapter 5, asked to aid Yashiki by Yasuoka like in Red Riding Hood and tries to treat it as just a job. Yashiki is surprised but relieved by his arrival, placing a lot of trust and confidence in his capabilities and methods that he’s quick to jump on his help. At this point Yashiki was isolating himself from the Mark Bearers over fear of losing them after what happened with Ai, Shou, Daimon and now potentially Hiroo, and while displaying the same worry, he knows he can’t afford to turn away Mashita. He does however plead with Mashita to not draw attention while investigating, where the detective responds with a mischievous grin and no promises. In their first interactions, Mashita is shown to be comfortable with teasing Yashiki, even proceeding to call him Mr.Yashiki or “Yashiki-sensei”, much to the man's displeasure. He is not enjoying his time as a temporary teacher. 

This can be taken with a grain of salt due to translation, but certain dialogues and dialogue options showed some influence from the other. For example, Yashiki’s dialogue options can sometimes grow very blunt and curt. The one for Suzu in the hospital made me laugh due to hearing Mashita’s voice so clearly. Another is at the conclusion of Kokkuri where if you partner up with Mashita and head to Fox Forest to return the laccata, Mashita comments on Yashiki empathising with the spirits again, but then addresses the late teacher as well, stating he’ll report everything to the police, make sure the investigation reopens and to wait until then. A similar reassurance that Yashiki is known for, hoping to give closure. Whereas if you bring Hiroo, Yashiki takes the role and reassures the spirit instead. It feels as though the purpose of that dialogue was to show Yashiki has rubbed off on him somewhat through working together. Mashita also reminds him there won’t always be someone around to save him when he gets too wrapped up in a spirit’s suffering, heavily implying Mashita’s referring to saving Yashiki’s life in the finale of Red Riding Hood.

Once again, Mashita half surprises us all by sneaking another gun to Yashiki, no longer his own, but instead pulls something behind the scenes to get his hands on another just so he has protection. The man is risking a lot of potential jail time again and being very hypocritical for someone still straight-edge with the law, only to keep tossing it out the window to ensure Yashiki’s safety. Particularly when in the same chapter, he chastises Hiroo for trying to obtain the petri dish for research purposes and plans to confiscate it from her. This seems to be the most effective method he thinks to protect Yashiki, only it’s more reckless this second time as the safety has been removed! Just another display of Mashita’s unhinged actions when focused on Yashiki. Also while this could be a simple gag and more on the type of person Mashita is, literature studies I’ve written in the past have made it difficult for me to not see the topic of guns in their scenes as euphemisms and symbolism.

For example, Mashita is always the one to supply the gun - Someone who feels more comfortable or enlightened to their sexuality, a popular fanon theory in the fandom. Meanwhile Yashiki always takes the gun with hesitance, then returns it - Someone still discovering that part of themselves after having everything about them essentially wiped. Additionally in Death Mark, Yashiki doesn’t use the gun but instead entrusts Mashita with it, whereas he uses a gun alongside Mashita in Death Mark 2 on three occasions. 

Further with the guns as symbolism is during the confrontation in The Departed’s Wedding. As the spirit focuses their attacks on Mashita, in order to survive the scene Yashiki must use the gun given by Mashita and shoot The Departed, framed in a way to show rejection as the spirit becomes upset and repeats the word “liar”. After wrapping up the story of Kokkuri, Mashita demands the gun back, although jokes that Yashiki can keep it if he so wishes. You’re given the option to be cheeky with him by attempting to keep it, but Mashita doesn’t allow it, saying you have seconds to hand it over.

In the opening of Chapter 6 while in the infirmary, you can access a voicemail left by Shou. He expresses frustration that Mashita was adamant in keeping him away for his own safety, unless the worst should happen to the two of them. However he believes he won’t have to get involved and views Yashiki and Mashita in such high regards that he practically calls them unstoppable as a team, something I’m sure Yashiki needed to hear. Shou’s comment brings up a point that really highlights itself in Death Mark 2.

Yashiki and Mashita cover each other’s flaws and weaknesses. Yashiki is not as objective and too trusting so there were signs he would miss, like the amount of coincidences surrounding Douryou and Kinukawa and how they misled him. He’s also not confrontational. Yashiki’s issue was that he was very tunnel visioned on the victim in each notice and the spirit tied to it, hardly given the time to investigate The Departed between everything that was happening. He is the compassionate and emotional half that focuses on uncovering the dead’s grudge, their regrets and desires in order to appease them, which in turn saves the lives of those affected, whereas Mashita is the more direct, tactical and logical half. Mashita from years in the profession is tenacious and prioritises getting information and results, allowing for less emotion to get in the way. Not just for a lack of spiritual power, but he would not be as attune to clearing a spirits resentment, nor possibly the patience. But he immediately noticed that Yashiki was being led around to get distracted, rather than focusing on the source and even figured out The Departed’s identity. This brings us back to what happened in Death Mark with the Mary reveal, but the stakes were higher as Yashiki was directly affected and on borrowed time.

The Departed case would have come to a close much sooner if Yashiki and Mashita had teamed up from the beginning, which is possibly why Mashita was absent for most of the story. While I don’t believe Yashiki lacks the skills and intelligence on his own, though he can sometimes be endearingly dense, he does get stuck in conflict with his head and his heart often. It makes me curious about all the various cases they’ve worked on together. In short, if it weren’t for Mashita arriving and voicing his suspicions of the two girls and directing Yashiki to investigate Kinukawa’s room to paint a clearer picture, Yashiki would still have been manipulated down the wrong path.

It seems Mashita’s role in Death Mark 2 is putting pieces together where Yashiki fell flat, steering him in the right direction and confirming what the player has already deduced. It takes Mashita’s appearance in the two chapters to get Yashiki to start suspecting the two students especially. Mashita's shown as protective over Yashiki and is a very reliable character at a crucial point in his state of mind, despite the latter’s perception that Douryou and Kinukawa are deemed trustworthy.

He states he could care less if Yashiki gets closer to the girls for the sake of gathering information, but tells him to watch his step from doing anything else, implicates Kinukawa as the culprit immediately after the man confesses to a very serious crime, then mildly threatens Douryou on her equally suspicious behaviour towards Yashiki. Volunteering himself instead of Yashiki to investigate inside the remains of a shrine on the verge of collapsing - with Yashiki immediately worrying when Mashita cries out when he merely smacked his hand. Mashita being the one to suggest the two separate while fleeing The Departed as he is the target, so Yashiki has a chance of escaping. He constantly reminds Yashiki to stay on track of his original goal, drags him back when he gets too deep in his thoughts, tells him to stop blaming himself for the incidents that were out of his control and even comforts him in his own way. At this stage, perceived as romantic or not, Mashita has made it very apparent that he is ride or die with Yashiki.

Also it’s not often we see Mashita address Yashiki by his full name -

In Chapter 7, Mashita is the partner that is taken to the wedding grounds of where the wedding ceremony took place and where The Departed’s resentment began. Seeing the unfortunate fate of Sakamoto in the Good Ending, Yashiki  begins despairing, blaming himself for her death, to which Mashita steps in to shut down quickly. He then pauses to console him that he did save her at the end, as she regained a sense of self and shared one final clue for them. 

Learning about the origin of The Departed’s grudge, the spirit suddenly appears. Yashiki desperately tries to get answers but Mashita snaps his attention back before he can get sucked in. This is where Mashita sees The Departed for the first time in their grotesque, final transformation with the appearance of a spider - which we’ve seen previously in Death Mark’s DLC. An infamous symbol of sex and fertility. And he wastes no time hurling insults at it for trying to appear attractive to Yashiki. While The Departed has displayed a pattern of abducting the Mark Bearers to feast upon, still giving Yashiki an opportunity to save them and announcing so, there is instead murderous intent with Mashita immediately and begins attacking. Potentially due to the spirit gradually becoming more unstable through its transformation as the game progresses and the location, but to suddenly become enraged at Mashita standing beside Yashiki while they’ve had less issue with characters like Ai or Hiroo standing too close, it’s interesting. A literal or symbolic sense. Standing next to each other as partners? As equals? As lovers? The Departed is thought to observe and learn Yashiki’s closest connections, so it’s left a guess how their relationship might have been interpreted.

When the two part with Mashita luring away The Departed, Yashiki assumes the worst and feels hopelessness and loss, lingering on Mashita while escaping Fox Forest. Returning to the infirmary, Yasuoka comforts him that Mashita always lived life to his own rules and recklessness and to not hold himself responsible. There’s even a moment where Yashiki steers himself and vows to do what he can to finish the case, for Mashita’s sake. It’s a touching, little moment.

I think it’s also worth pointing out that Yashiki’s presumably closest relationships at this moment are “removed” all the way up to the final confrontation. Even if previous Mark Bearers have survived or died, it doesn’t change the outcome of Daimon collapsing into a coma from a curse and Mashita being attacked and chased down by The Departed themselves. There’s no mercy for these particular men. After escaping The Departed, the first person Mashita thinks to contact is Yashiki because he knows he’s in a fragile state. The self-sacrificial man’s resolve has been tested throughout the entire game and he must not give in at the final hurdle. 

In the Good Ending, breaking the news that he’s alive while passing a comment at Yashiki not sounding as relieved as he should be is laughable when Mashita didn’t even say a word and is currently using a public phone. He attempts to cheer him up, saying he should be proud of himself for saving The Departed, and assuring that no one thinks differently of him for what he must’ve had to do. Mashita may never approve of Yashiki’s methods but he understands the physical and mental toll it takes on him.

At the end of it all in the True Ending, Yashiki and Mashita are destined to go for drinks with Hiroo and Daimon, thanks to the latter giving an invitation, which is a fun disaster of a scene I’d very much like to see. Undoubtedly a lot more snark compared to the outing with Ai, Shou and Hiroo. Though I’m sure Mashita will not be pleased to hear Douryou and Kinukawa barged into the mansion and regained their memories, being not the best at dealing with “brats”.

In one of the games DLC “Mary’s Makeover / New Colour” only available in Japan, but fan-translated by Generic Weeb Content, Moe, Eita and Suzu aid Yashiki in searching the mansion for a number combination, where one of the rooms available is the investigation room. Yashiki comments that this is where the Mark Bearers usually meet for spiritual investigations, so a few of their belongings are scattered around. Only two of them are of note. One is the small shrine Moe brought for protection and the other is the large green coat belonging to Mashita hanging on a coat rack. That’s been there the entire game and now we know. According to Yashiki, Mashita had forgotten it one time and it’s remained ever since. He speculates he must keep multiple, similar coats.

This immediately raises questions and shows a lot without telling. One important implication being how frequently Mashita visits the mansion, which we get an idea of from a certain coffee making Voice Drama - and yet according to the game in those four months prior, Yashiki has never once set foot in Mashita’s office. I’m very sceptical that someone observant like Mashita can forget they’re not wearing an oversized coat weighing on their shoulders. Furthermore, it’s a very plausible theory that the coat belonged to Mashita’s late senior as it is oversized and hangs loosely on every art sprite. Then there’s the inclusion of it on a singular panel from the manga where Mashita talks about him. Given he still carries the old lighter, he is at least somewhat of a sentimental person, so it's entirely possible he would keep it also as a memento. In other words, something treasured that he wouldn’t misplace. And why is it still there? Yashiki must have contacted him about it, so perhaps Mashita shrugged it off and never bothered to collect it. If we want to dive deeper, it sounds vaguely like the behaviour of leaving more and more belongings behind one does with a partner until they’ve practically moved in, leaving his mark on the mansion so to speak. Or it’s because Mashita views the Kujou mansion as another place to call home. Either way, Mashita is very casual about it and Yashiki allows it.

The DLC ends on a final scene with Yashiki and Mashita on the phone discussing Mary and the Death Parade. Parallel to the first game’s DLC, Mashita parts with some advice, warning him to be cautious around Mary and to watch out for himself. Yashiki reassures and thanks him, to which Mashita responds in the way one expects. After the call however, Yashiki addresses that while Mary is obsessed with him, he feels obsessed with her in return. In both instances in the DLCs, Mashita expresses open concern for Yashiki’s wellbeing and has the last word, setting up to be the voice of reason to pull Yashiki back from the brink. Knowing him too well that he needs to make him realise how dangerously empathetic he is and will be if Mary awakens or pulls some strings. Not to diminish the other friendships Yashiki has, as they are also important, but the devs specifically show in moments like these how much of an important piece Mashita is in Yashiki’s life. The balance that he needs. This ominous ending could be hinting at a build up to where Mashita saves Yashiki similar to Red Riding Hood or Yashiki’s mental state deteriorating, that everyone bands together to pull him out of that darkness.

Overall, I think this game perfectly demonstrates why they would work well as a couple. Canonical wise, it’s clear the two men have grown closer between the events of the games and keep in regular contact. They continue to have chemistry, address each other more casually, openly joke with one another, have wacky moments like hissing at a rock and shooting guns in the forest whilst on a mushroom trip, and are even called inseparable and unbeatable as a duo. Which leads into a moment in the Kokkuri case, where Mashita mentions again that Yashiki would make a good detective. Whether a praise or a jab, it’s another nod at his business proposal as partners from the previous game. They’ve already crossed the line of being partners in these cases, and even more so in NG, so that might end up being inevitable. Especially from Death Mark 2’s ending where Yashiki discovers what his role will be from now on and his motivations behind pursuing further spiritual cases.

It bears repeating that this isn’t meant to take away from their friendship, but the subtle (or less than subtle) implications of something romantic are all there in a lot of ways in Death Mark 2 - despite the overarching theme of thrusting Yashiki into a teacher-student romance scenario. There’s even more of an influx of art and fanfictions of the two men from old and new fans introduced to the series, as a result. And with the addition of LGBT+ characters - minus the doomed, buried trope - it could be seen as something positive for where their relationship could go. It certainly opens up the possibility.

If a sequel is in the works or if they are testing interest with the latest DLC, it’ll be interesting to see where they take these two in the next installment. One thing is for certain, if there was ever a decision to plan a Yashiki and Mashita spin off series or something that centered on them as protagonists, it is guaranteed a large audience. Next part we’ll be looking at CD Voice Dramas currently available and fan translated by amazing people in the fandom, including “Blue End” and more. If I’ve missed anything from the game, please do feel free to add! Thank you so much for reading!

[krewekreep]

How He Would Really Be (or) Baby Daddy Red Flags

I might also name this Baby Daddy Red Flags 😂😭 I don’t know

Actually this is gonna be a lil fun text post series that’s slightly fan fic but moreso a Drabble that’s acknowledges our collective delusion. It comes from a tumblr experience I had I’ll elaborate on and link later:

First Off: Alucard (Hellsing / Hellsing Ultimate)

He’s an OG baby daddy tbh (I’m black I know I’m using og wrong, it’s been butchered beyond redemption. Oh well. 😭) he’s truly part of my “damn this type is not good for me in real life.” (LMAOAOAO)

I love yall but alucard (hellsing) is so overtly and dangerously yandare (one of my main men so im not judging) but I am amused by coding to him to be “mean to everyone but me” if he in character grew that true of a bond with you. 1. You’re never going outside or out of his site like actually 2. You could do whatever you want INSIDE but like don’t try to leave 😭 3. You’re literally never gonna be independent again like fuck him just eavesdropping all the time he’s gonna be lurching over you so bad your back is to his chest every other step 😭

I can absolutely see him getting “mad” at you when his affection INEVITABLY gets overwhelming. I could see Alucard wanting to dress you, bathe you, and while it can seem hot that’s pretty…👀 he also would absolutely put you in a situation you think he won’t save you from but does. Likewise any public outing requires hand holding the entire time. Don’t worry he’s strong enough to maneuver you as he needs but I get annoyed when men just use their strength randomly with me 😭 not negative but like okay big boy wtf 😂

He’d throw you to the wolves and have you likely in some real ass traumatizing fake dangerous scenarios to save you and make you that much more dependent on him. This is literally Vlad the Impaler (for those who watched Ultimate, plus that form is genuinely so fucking hot omfg.) he lowkey did this to Sera mind you 😭 he literally will let Anderson scare the fuck out of you cause they’ll both have the hidden agenda of mutual amusement (like their literally bros if they stopped being intolerant of each other LMAOAOA)

That is a man of overreaction, self indulgence, self righteousness, and performance…have fun. 😀

Again…you think he gonna let you have any freedom? Your choices will be faux independent my loves. You’re his and I imagine (me @ 12 Jesus I needed another baptism) you likely wanna be his 😭 but yeah girl all men are burdens he’ll just be a really parental, controlling one. Plus he old as hell and will likely wanna lecture your young mortal ways like ew shut up grandpa. Only way out is linking up with Sera and Integra. Sera will sneak you out and have safe fun with and Integra will be sure to demand Alucard leave you both alone. You’ll be supported and protected but def link up with the girlies to keep him in check.

(This actually literally amuses me so much and feels very sex in the city for no reason lmaoo) + who else is actually gonna be the worst to be with? (Gojo, all tea all shade)

[pandaofsecrets]

Reworking ML's Power System

Now that I've ranted about all the ways I think the Miraculous don't make sense, it's only fair I tell you what I would've done instead.

My goal here is for each Miraculous to have its own distinct identity and a broad range of powers all built around the same theme, and to have as little overlap with the others as possible. That way we don't have to bring in a new character for every single power under the sun. Each Miraculous would also then have a lot of ways to interact with its user's character development, something I feel was sorely lacking from the actual show.

The Forces of Magic

I know what I said in the last one about how I like the idea of the Miraculous being based on abstract concepts, but the kwami actually being embodiments of said abstract concepts in universe doesn't really make a lot of sense from a worldbuilding perspective. I mean, the kwami don't really make sense from a worldbuilding perspective in a lot of ways, but that's a story for another time.

So, instead, the kwami are conduits of the primordial magic that holds the universe in balance; think the Cosmic Forces from World of Warcraft and you're basically on the right track. In this world, there's eight Fundamental Forces of magic, organized into four equal and opposite pairs: Reality (Creation/Destruction), Structure (Subjection/Transmission), Information (Illusion/Vision), and Substance (Protection/Evolution).

Ladybug

The Ladybug is the Miraculous of Creation, and is basically a combination of the canon Ladybug, Goat, Peacock, and Dragon. Kiiiinda.

The Ladybug's most basic power is to create an inanimate object. The user can either call for their power and get something random (actually random, not "seems random but turns out to be the exact object needed to win"), or they can create something specific, like Adrien did with his Lucky Charm in Reflekdoll. From there, the user learns to create things that are a little more abstract, like flames, bursts of lightning, or gales of wind, and finally living beings—usually barely sentient minions with a single, simple goal. Unlike with the canon Peacock Miraculous though, the creature's life isn't tied to an object, and there's no convenient way for the user to control or dispel their creation. They have to rely on the Miraculous that actually have the power to do that, the Bee and Black Cat respectively. The most talented Ladybug wielders can create beings so complex as to be indistinguishable from humans, but only a scarce few of those are born in any generation. Marinette is one of them, unsurprisingly.

The Ladybug works most effectively in the hands of someone who is brave and has a lot of trust in themselves, and will backfire if the user second-guesses what they're doing. The logic here is that perfect is the enemy of done.

Cat

The Cat grants the power of Destruction, and is used to well, destroy stuff. Very straightforward, I know. Jokes aside, the Black Cat can destroy literally anything, both concrete and abstract. It can bring solid objects to rubble, disrupt and cancel magical abilities, break magical bonds, and even do things like erasing memories from the minds of others. (Thanks for canonizing that last one, S6!) This makes it a very powerful tool and, together with the Turtle, a check against the power of all the other Miraculous.

The Cat's powers are fueled by negative emotion, especially hatred. For the user to destroy something, they must well and truly want it gone.

Alongside the Ladybug, the Cat forms the Reality pair, which when used in tandem can reshape the universe.

Bee

With this one I'm using the more conventional meaning of the word "subjection". To put it simply, the Bee gives its user the power to control anything. This manifests in telekinesis, in bestowing matter with instruction such that for example a weapon can only be wielded by a chosen master, and finally in controlling the minds of animals and other people.

This Miraculous works most readily in the hands of those who value order and act for the good of others, and will go haywire if the user acts selfishly and tries to upset the balance of the world for personal gain. If the other forces of magic don't particularly care about moral alignment, Subjection has to: rules must apply equally to everyone if they are to mean anything. On the flipside, the Bee Miraculous can end up empowering extreme zealotry, and the user must never fall into the trap of becoming a pitiless crusader who viciously hunts down the nonbelievers.

Butterfly

This one would see one of the most radical changes, incorporating the abilities of the canon Butterfly, Horse, Rabbit, and Dog.

The equal and opposite of the Bee, the Butterfly is the Miraculous of Transmission, and governs change and movement in all its forms: of matter, of ideas, of emotions, of state, of magic, and of time.

The most straightforward of these is the movement of matter. The user can open portals to teleport themselves or other people, and can also teleport objects away from someone else.

Next up there's the movement of ideas and emotions. Butterfly users can feel and influence the emotional state of others, read their thoughts, and communicate telepathically.

Then there's the change of state and of magic, which is only available to advanced users. This manifests in transmutation of objects and shapeshifting, and in turning the emotions and internal motivations of other people into magical power (akumatization). Unlike the Miraculous, akumatization can only give one power at a time, and the user has little control over what the power is going to be, so they have to choose who to transform very carefully.

Finally we have movement in time, but like with the Ladybug's ability to create life, only a scarce few who can actually use it are born in any generation. I like to think this is because while time travel sounds straightforward, few people can actually conceptualize it and just end up moving in space instead.

The Butterfly works best when the user frees themselves of mental barriers. Unfortunately, this makes it prone to falling into the hands of people who have no scruples and for whom the rules are just suggestions.

Fox

The Miraculous of Illusion, this is another straightforward one, giving the user the ability to fool the minds and senses of others. Aside from vanilla illusions, it also has the power to make someone else believe anything the Fox user says is true, as well as induce hallucinations of all kinds. It can also conceal things, such as allowing the user to become invisible.

For this power to work, the user needs to trust it completely, and get into a mindset where they truly believe their own lie. If they acknowledge at any point that it's not real, the illusion breaks down.

Peacock

With its canon concept going to the Butterfly and its abilities to the Ladybug, this is essentially a new one altogether, and I'm going with the power I initially thought it was going to have.

The equal and opposite of the Fox, the Peacock has the power of Observation. Whoever uses it can see into both the future and the past, find the answer to any question, remotely observe and track other people, be a living lie detector, and see through any illusion, including the glamour that conceals Miraculous users' identities.

The Peacock works best if the user keeps an open mind. If they go in thinking they already know the answer or expecting to see something, their powers will fail.

Together with the Fox, the Peacock forms the Information pair. Whoever has access to both is a one-person Ministry of Truth—while this pair can't actually change reality like the Ladybug and Cat can, it can change how reality is perceived.

Turtle

The Turtle is the Miraculous of Protection, and is the immovable object to everyone else's unstoppable force. In its most basic form, the Turtle's power creates a shield that protects someone from a physical threat. With time and experience, a Turtle user can make themselves and others invulnerable, imbue objects with durability, deplete objects of their momentum, and prevent others from entering a space or taking a certain action.

The Turtle's powers are fueled by the user's will. The logic is that the ability to protect something comes from how much the user wants to cling on to that thing.

Crane

I considered two animals for this one, the crane and the rabbit, but I eventually chose the crane, for two reasons. One, in Asian cultures the crane and the turtle are both associated with longevity; there's a saying in Japanese that goes something like "the crane lives for a hundred years, and the turtle for a thousand". This makes the crane a great choice for a counterpart to the Turtle. Two, Kagami's last name contains the Japanese word for crane, "tsuru". Okay, the second one is not that important, I just thought it was a fun Easter egg.

Anyway, this is the Miraculous of Evolution, and it has the power I feel should've gone to the canon Rooster: upgrading the user's already existing abilities and that of other people, including other Miraculous users. This also manifests into minor healing and restoration abilities, but this is far from the reset button the Ladybug and Cat would provide. For one, the Crane's ability is much more localized. For another thing, the Miracle Cure brings something back exactly the way it was, while the Crane brings something to its optimal state.

The Crane's abilities are fueled by the power of love. Aww.

Unifications

When used together, two Miraculous (or three, or four, or five...) can unlock a new range of powers that is a combination of their existing domains. This can be done by wearing both Miraculous like in canon, or more simply by combining one's power with that of another wielder. The second option is considered the preferable way to unify—for one person to wear multiple Miraculous would require a good spiritual balance that most people don't have. Those who unify still have to be in sync with each other, though, otherwise the unification might either not work, backfire, harm the wielder, or damage one or both Miraculous. I like to think this is how the Peacock would come to be broken.

Some common unifications include:

the Ladybug and the Cat, which re-shape reality;

the Ladybug and the Turtle, which creates an object that has the power to protect whoever wears it from certain types of magic (basically, the canon anti-akuma charms);

the Ladybug and the Butterfly, which creates a physical manifestation, usually an object, of the emotions of whoever it's used on (the canon Pig Miraculous, kinda);

the Ladybug and the Bee, which creates a non-sentient minion that the users can command (the canon sentimonsters, kinda);

the Ladybug and the Crane, which creates an object guaranteed to solve whatever problem the wielders are currently having (the canon Lucky Charm);

the Butterfly and the Turtle, which creates a time loop (the canon Second Chance);

the Butterfly and the Peacock, which gives the user(s) the ability of astral projection;

the Cat and the Butterfly, which opens a portal that disintegrates everything falling into it;

The Miracle Box

Unlike in canon, the Miracle Box is a magical object in and of itself. It's bound to the Guardian, who essentially has admin powers over the box and all the Miraculous inside, and can: locate Miraculous (Observation), summon Miraculous and the Miracle Box to their location (Transmission), prevent certain people from using the Miraculous or opening the Miracle Box (Protection), assign Miraculous to specific people so that only they can activate it, and making sure that the Miracle Box can only open by their or their chosen successor's hand (Subjection), repair damaged Miraculous (Evolution), and even sever the bond between a rogue wielder and their Miraculous (Destruction).

Alas, Fu never had access to these powers. For security reasons, the ceremony that binds the Box to a new Guardian can only be performed by the current Guardian or, in the absence of one, by all off the eight kwami. With the previous Guardian dead and Nooroo lost, there was simply no way to give Fu the Guardianship. As Guardian-in-training he was allowed to open the box and give out Miraculous, but nothing more than that.