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quirkwizard · 2 years ago

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Vigilante Pursuit: Looking at the Villain Hunt Arc

So for anyone who has followed my blog for any period of time, you know that I dislike the Stars and Stripes arc. However, that isn't the only arc that I take issue with. When I was first reading this arc, I had my issues with it, but I did my best to try and move past them. Unfortunately, my opinion of it has only soured as time has gone on and I have had more time to reread and process everything that happened in it. That being the Villain Hunt Arc.

Yes, I know its official title is the Dark Hero Arc, but that name is dumb, so I'm sticking with the Villain Hunt Arc. To be pretty clear, I don't hate this arc, and I still think that there are some good qualities to it. The fight with Lady Nagant is a dramatic challenge to Izuku's perception of heroes, the confrontation between All Might and Stain was a strong beat for their characters, and the Uraraka's speech is one of the highlights of the later arcs of the series. It is not without its problems, and I do feel a lot of frustration with those problems. So, after reaching nine thousand posts, I thought I would reflect on them and try to figure out how to fix this arc.

Unlike the Star and Stripes Arc though, the problems aren't exactly fundamental to the arc itself, more that there are issues in execution. Even then, it's more of one consistent problem throughout the arc and a few other bits with how things play out. So a lot of this will be more of the rewrite than me simply complaining about it. For the sake of this, I'm going to try to stick to as much of the canon structure and this arc as possible with the rewrites. I may have a lot of issues with Izuku's power progression, which is probably the worst in this arc, but such a thing would require changing whole other arcs or making new ones. And when I am writing this, the most recent Chapter 387. So if anything happens to counter my points, know that it hasn't happened yet.

Just Watch Us

Whenever I think back on this arc, I always think about the lack of character moments that weren't for the usual ensemble. The ones that stand out most to me are Hawks and Endeavor. I can understand why the characters would want to brush past that given their personalities and their circumstances, but it feels unsatisfying to not see them react to what happened to them or have the world change as a result. Endeavor says that he will keep pushing forward and tells people to watch him. Even though he has nothing to show for except his words after one of the worst debacles in hero history. And what he did has no real effect or reaction on anyone outside of the family. There isn't any pushback or reflection on Hawks either. Hawks murdered someone on live television, and the most we get is during the press conference. There's no time to think about Twice or the regret he has for killing. He's an optimist, after all.

And don't think that they are the only ones. So many of the students are barely given any time to process or talk about what happened to them. Mina and Kirsihima saw the brutalized corpse of their teacher. And we barely get anything on that. They just got out of a war, and all of them seem a bit bummed out. This is the worst day for most, if not all, of the characters involved. Why can't we see that tragedy and turmoil in them? This isn't only a thing with the war, either. Uraraka and Iida find out their best friend has lied to them for the better part of a year and has left them behind, with the two having no idea where Izuku is or what's happening to him. There isn't any time to reflect on how they're dealing with any of this. We simply have to assume that all this happened off screen in the month-long time jump, if it happened at all.

Near Miss

So when I said that I didn't dislike the Lady Nagant fight, there were a few asterixis next to it. I know it's a minor point, but it has constantly bothered me: why is Kai here? Now I understand why Kai is around. It's to set up everything with Lady Nagant and Izuku trying to save and help the villains, pairing him up with the most hateable villain that isn't part of the League of Villains. However, that doesn't explain why Kai is here from an in universe perspective. Lady Nagant seemingly brings him out of Tatarus on a whim. She says she wants to use him, but what use is a gibbering ex-convict with no arms? And when they get out, she wants him around to identify Izuku. Why on Earth would she need that? Are you telling me All For One didn't even give her any information on Izuku? Nothing like a photo or a basic description of her target?

My biggest issue with it is the introduction of "Fa Jin". Aside from the pacing issues of introducing so many of his new Quirks in such a short time span, "Fa Jin" is easily the worst of all the "One For All" Quirks. As an actual Quirk, it's fine. Nothing special, but has a unique gimmick. My problems lie in making it a Quirk for Izuku because it doesn't really add anything to his power set. It isn't an interesting expansion on Izuku's arsenal, basically doing exactly what "One For All" was doing before. It's obviously only there as a crutch to get Izuku to One Hundred Percent as fast as possible in the shortest amount of time. What's more is that it ruins the fun cat-and-mouse dynamic the fight had before. It's not something we've seen in the series before and would have given us a chance to see Izuku as the intelligent planner he's supposed to be. Instead, Izuku didn't win through some clever strategy, he won by making his number bigger.

Then there is how the fight ends. Lady Nagant blows up as a part of a cruel tactic by All For One. I understand what the story is going for, having all of Izuku's efforts destroyed to mentally break him, but there are some questions raised. Like how exactly did All For One use a Quirk that wasn't his? Why make it a Quirk he snuck onto her then? Why not simply be the effect of a Quirk he already had? How did Lady Nagant handle three Quirks when even two Quirks are considered extreme and potentially life-threatening? How was Lady Nagant not aware of this? Then following up with Izuku going to the mansion, which only results in All For One reinforcing what we already know and another egregious explosion fake out, just feels like such a limp and pointless way to end this entire segment. It's another symptom of All For One worming his way into every single plot as the big villain. You can't have a moment between a hero and villain without All For One twirling his IV tubes in the background.

How it All Stops

I know I have played up in the past how much I liked this moment. I did feel catharsis when Bakugou finally owned up to how awful he was to Izuku and apologized. But looking back at it with a critical eye, I'm finding a major problem with it: it's all about Bakugou. Don't get me wrong, this is supposed to be a big moment for Bakugou and how he's grown. But the other half of the equation is simply missing. There isn't accountability of what he did to Izuku. It's all justification about why he treated Izuku so poorly, only to then turn it over to how he has been acting in the past. There isn't any kind of acknowledgement or punishment for what he's done to Izuku. It comes across that Bakugou effectively Houdinied his way out of the actual consequences of his actions.

What's more is that there's nothing about how Izuku is processing this. Izuku, the guy who was hurt most by Bakugou's constant bullying and actions, doesn't say or think anything about this. Which is such a massive problem throughout the whole of the arc. There is so little time to give Izuku any moments to himself or thoughts on how he's feeling about everything. This should be a huge surge of emotions and the culmination of everything that's been building up with Izuku. But everything is more focused on the other characters, either through Izuku's own thoughts or writing focusing on them more. All that happens is that he collapses and apologizes to everyone else for insulting them. And this ends Rogue Izuku portion of the story. Did you enjoy the handful of chapters you got? I hope you did, because that is the end of that part of his character. One we barely got to actually see.

After all of that, there's barely anything following up on it. All the building emotions he had about himself and the arc over the years? Gone. A serious talk between Izuku and All Might about everything that has happened? Nothing. Any sort of real connection or follow-up with Uraraka and Iida? Not really. The most we get is simply in service of Toga and Uraraka's plot dozens of chapters later. There isn't anything personal about this arc that carries forward. As far as developing the characters, it may as well not have even happened. Bakugou still acts like a tool to Izuku, making it seem like he didn't really learn anything from all of this. We don't even get any proper follow-up with All Might. He apologizes to Izuku and then they move onto more plot beats. Which is so off the mark that it's downright insulting to both characters' stories. Take a bath and a nap, Izuku. It's clearly what you needed.

I know I keep harping on this part of it, but you need there to be a proper middle ground and payoff in order for the conclusion to feel satisfying. It feels like I'm watching a DVD with scratches on it, constantly skipping between major scenes, and the characters acting like they came to a conclusion without us seeing it. It's what attributed to a lot of rushed feeling for the last few arcs. While I always believed that these rapid plot points began back during the MLA War Arc, they have become so prevalent here. All the characters are being moved to their conclusion faster than the manga can handle in the number of chapters they are given. So a lot of them either feel forgotten in the sweep or have their characters and stories shorthanded to reach the end. Now, how would I fix all this?

Heroes of the Past

To start things off, Gran Torino will die in the hospital, potentially while talking to Izuku. I'm not one for suddenly killing off characters, but he really shouldn't have survived such a massive attack from Tomura and I think this would be a good point for him to bite it. More could be added from his death than from his life, especially if he's just going to sit in the hospital for the rest of the series. It would actually have Tomura kill someone that we know and care about, adding some more stakes and threat to this arc, but it would also start Izuku's spiral during this entire situation. From there, I would change the vestiges role as well for this arc. I would have them put more pressure on Izuku. He is there last shot at stopping All For One and they would try to push him more and more. Having the manifestations act as the voices of overwhelming responsibility would be a really interesting way to represent Izuku's thought process and the doubts he has. It's literally Izuku's power and the ghosts of the previous user wearing down on him.

With Hawks and Endeavor, I would certainly have them both interact on their own as characters away from the plot. Maybe Hawks could see some parallels between himself and Shoto as two young kids who were weapons for the sake of others because of their strong Quirks. Maybe Endeavor could talk about how much he had similar thoughts to Hawks, yet was always able to hold back in the end. You could give some more depth to their histories, like Hawk's life in the Hero Commission or who Endeavor was outside of hero work. And if nothing else, we need Endeavor's reaction to "One For All". The cornerstone of Endeavor's entire character was wanting to surpass All Might. After everything that happened over the past year for him, from becoming the Number One to finding out about Dabi, there should be something to him finding out just how truly futile that goal was this entire time. How much of his life was destroyed for less than nothing.

After that, there should be some external pushback and problems for them. Endeavor could be confronted by civilians and heroes, saying that they don't want to look at him and constantly throwing what Dabi did in his face. You could even have former heroes attack him, believing that someone like him does not deserve to be a hero and is simply a villain corrupting their role. Hawks could come across a scene where he finds a group of minor, but recognizable villains, like the Reservoir Dogs, all strung up on the streets. This could either be done by civilians or rogue heroes, finding Hawk's actions justifiable in killing villains, only exasperated by the extreme circumstances. How could those two possibly confront those circumstances? It'd give us some actual weight and consequence to their actions while fitting with the idea of how the actions of major heroes can trickle down into the rest of society.

vs Lady Nagant

This time around, Lady Nagant will bring Kai out of a sense of empathy for him given his condition, though she will hide it from All For One with the same excuse of thinking he'd be useful, which is technically true. Once she gets her mission, she will bring him along out of a need for information about Izuku. Not he knows what Izuku looks like, but because he knows about Izuku and how he fights. It could help explain why Lady Nagant is doing so well, aside from her simply being that good and give Kai more of a purpose. Instead of using "Fa Jin", just have Izuku uses the benefits of his other Quirks. Let him use his other powers and show off the benefits that "Black Whip", "Float", "Danger Sense", and "Smokescreen" provide for him. This provides a unique chance to have Izuku fight smarter and not harder.

And when the fight is over, don't make Lady Nagant the bomb. Make Overhaul the bomb. All For One could have attempted to take "Overhaul", but failed to do so since Kai's Quirk Factor is gone, which well say works that way for this rewrite, only to then sneak the bomb on him. Then you could have Lady Nagant make a move to save Izuku at the cost of herself. That still has the same kind of tragedy to it. The person he'd tried to save is dead or dying, depending on what Hori wants to do with him, and reigniting those heroic values in someone puts her in critical condition. Plus, I think if Hori wants to do any kind of redemption for Overhaul, people are going to want to see him suffer a little bit more for all the stuff he did to everyone in the Overhaul Arc. And skip All For One taunting Izuku, that simply wasn't needed.

After this fight, we are going to cut away from that part of the story. In order to get some breathing room for the rest of the characters, we need to push Izuku away from the spotlight for a little while. What's more is that gives the audience some tension and concern over what's happening with Izuku. Ideally, we start with Izuku and cut away once the Lady Nagant fight is over. It helps put us into Izuku's headspace some, focusing so much on everything that all the other characters feel so distant, only to cut back to them and feel the worry with them since we know how bad of a place Izuku is in. And could you imagine the reveal when we see Izuku and his monstrous vigilante look? Then, when that happens, we flashback to what Izuku has been doing before all of this happened. Plus, with UA, we could get a look at some of the other civilian reactions to what's been happening.

Back at UA

As for what this would be filled with, the first thing to come to mind would be Kirishima, Mina, and Momo. Look, I don't like how they handled Midnight's death. I think it was an incredibly cheap death, throwing a named character to the wolves to give the deaths on the hero's side some artificial weight without giving her any depth or connections outside of a side manga. But if you are going to kill her, at least do something with the characters it's supposed to affect. Have Mina bring up how much Midnight's classes meant to her, or have Momo think about some advice Midnight taught her. Sure, it's a retroactive fill-in for what should have been actual moments in the story, but it's better than nothing. Maybe let Aizawa come in and talk about her as well. Show us that the death of his friend and colleague of over a decade actually affected him and break down his walls some. Show us he is emotionally invested in someone other than Oboro, the Friendly Dust Cloud. You could even have it tie back into Aizawa's own experiences with Momo and how much they believe in her as a leader.

Then there are Iida and Uraraka. I swear, these two have been pushed so far to the back of the manga for what should be major supporting characters that it's insane. You could have Iida running around UA, trying to help everyone he can, wherever he can. It's all that Iida knows to do when he's stressed. It's all that's keeping him from trying to go against the school and looking for his friend. He needs to be here as the person who bears the name Ingenium, one of the oldest families in heroics, and the successor to his brother. Uraraka is helping as well, but clearly isn't as present. She keeps going back to everything with Toga and what she said. You could then have them both talk to each other, realizing how difficult it is to cope with all this, especially when their best friend is gone. It could play off the traits we know about them and set up stuff for later.

Finally, there is Bakugou. There is a lot that could be covered with him, though I do think that it would help a lot if he had a character to bounce off of. And while there could be a lot of characters to do that, I think that All Might would be the best option. Give the two another scene together, paralleling the one after the first fight between Izuku and Bakugou. With them together, they talk about what was going on with Bakugou and why he did what he did. It could do a lot to help build the bridge between everything that happened during the war and his apology to Deku. This could be where the card scene comes into play during Bakugou's death as well, or at least the set-up for it, like Bakugou holding the card in his hand before cutting away or him stifling his words. Once it's all done, All Might could be the one to spill the beans that they actually lost contact with Deku, prompting the class to want to go after him.

Viglinate Izuku

So with the Final War Arc, there are a lot of issues with society broguht up. Some of which are not as fleshed out as they could have been. Want to know what would help with that? Seeing it in action. We get a few montages of this, but I believe that it needs more time to convey how bad things have gotten. While Izuku is running around as a vigilante, he could be dealing with crisis situations that relate to all of the problems brought up throughout the season. Heck, the whole thing with the giant fox/shark lady is some of the most development we got for the Mutant Plotline in the story. Why not shore up some of the other issues with more evidence of that coming forward? The country degrades as all the nasty sides of society come up as the chapters go on. Izuku's goal of trying to understand only brings him more stress and heartache. Have him deal with something like Wash and Yo Shindo did. Carry over some of the issues that Endeavor and Hawks are dealing with. Have him let someone slide when they are committing survival crimes for their family.

Then we cut back to Izuku after the Lady Nagant fight and meet up with All Might after beating another assassin. He sees the damage done to Toshinori's windshield, realizing that he was attacked and nearly killed by more of All For One's goons. Before he can explain, Deku brings up Sir Nighteye and Gran Torino and how much he's learned from them, but that he's learned the most from All Might. He says that he doesn't need him as his mentor any more, implying that he's doing this so All Might doesn't die as well. After that, it's going to be more of Izuku trying to solve people's problems, and it's only going to get worse from here. It's going to be more difficult situations with less obvious answers, stressing Izuku out more and more, made even worse by the lack of self-care he has been doing.

The final point of this will be at the Hero Commission Building. You know that recording where Lady Nagant talked about everything she did? Well, that got out to the public somehow, maybe by All For One to sow more chaos and distrust. Now people want blood for everything that happened with Lady Nagant. Izuku wants to stop the rioters because there are still innocent people in that building, but the rioters aren't villains. They're civilians who have been hurt by the Commissions attempts to keep the peace. Then we come to the big dilemma: Izuku is stuck between protecting the epicenter of all the corruption in hero work and the people who have been hurt by them. A major moral conflict to punctuate everything Izuku has been dealing with.

It all comes to a head when the Commission demands he help, and the crowd accuses Izuku of not being a real hero. Just another goon of the Hero Commission. Izuku breaks and unleashes "Black Whip" to make a massive webby wall between the rioters and the building, telling the rioters to go home. This is when we get the reveal of the monstrous hero costume in all its glory. And the rioters are terrified, looking on in utter fear and running away. Before the Hero Commission has a chance to thank him, we see the cold eyes of the broken Izuku we see later before he leaves as well. Not only could this show the other dangers of Izuku not taking care of himself and taking on the burden, but his appearance only inspires fear in the people he wants to help, but it also works to punctuate everything that has happened thus far with the various problems.

Izuku vs Class 1-A

Before this fight starts, we are given a bit in the world of "One For All". This is where I would flesh out the vestiges some more and how they view things, something that would have been hinted at through their brief appearances in the rest of the arc. Like we have the Second User saying that what Izuku is doing is fine, but why not have something like the Fourth User saying they should hide while Nana tries to act as the voice of reason? When it comes to the Despot fight, I would add a few more high profile villains to the scene. In the manga, this doesn't feel like a situation that Izuku needed help with, which is the whole point of this scenario. It feels like there should have been more ways for him to deal with this given the tools he had, but he gave up because that's what Hori needed to happen. So between the massive number of civilians and the other villains making it all at risk to do anything, I think that would cement more how screwed Izuku is without other people around him.

And when the students show up, I would give some more time to them to show off their abilities some more. Something that can show both Izuku and the audience that they have grown some over the skip. Maybe show off some new techniques without making a big deal out of it or changing their costumes around to give them a new edge. And with more villains, it gives us more chances to see that. Once the fight is over, the students will then try to ask Izuku to come back. The fight will play out mostly the same, but I would add the bit about how "Danger Sense" doesn't detect certain entities as threats since the students are doing this to help him. I think it explains how they are doing so well in spite of Izuku having a power like that and makes the bit with Toga later seem like less of a contrivance.

After the fight, I would pass off the speech Bakugou gave about returning home to Iida. I think it just works better for him. As for the apology, while you could easily rewrite it, I think it would be better to keep it as is and then build off of it. Just because he's a better person now doesn't mean that he can say sorry and have everything be okay. I think we need some catharsis on Izuku's side and some atonement on Bakugou's part. Regardless, when Bakugou finally apologizes, Izuku isn't going to take it, at least not at first. You could say that's out of character for him, but between Bakugou's self-focused apology and how much Izuku has gone through in the past few chapters, I think you could justify it. This would give Izuku some time to talk about his own problems and how much suffering Bakugou put him through. Heck, a lot of Izuku's self-sacrificing mindset is because of Bakugou and that's what's killing him now.

Izuku is going to lay into Bakugou, verbally and potentially physically, as he tries to let out all of his emotions, as shown by "Black Whip" striking out and wrapping up around Izuku. He tells Bakugou to take everyone and go, saying that they aren't strong enough to keep up and are only going to get in the way. It's basically here to play up everything that Izuku had in his mind as a result of his role and insecurities. But because of the development he's gone through, that doesn't matter to Bakugou. He only wants to help Izuku and reach out to him. Before he acted on instinct, now he's reaching out with the express purpose of trying to save Izuku breaking through the "Black Whips" in order to make it to Izuku and remove his cowl. It's meant to reverse their relationship at the start of the series, both in their positions in dynamic as Bakugou is saving Izuku from something threatening to envelop his whole body.

Returning to UA

Once Izuku gets back, it will mostly be the same, only now the ensemble will be made up of the people who Izuku has helped so far in the arc. I would want a moment between him and Inko as well. Just something sweet and nice, like her using her Quirk to pull the cowl off him to see his face. After this, we'll get some breather chapters and spend more time on Izuku mentally recovering and slowly becoming more and more accepting of himself. How many? As many as we can get, frankly. Seriously, this is such an important time for Izuku and the rest of the cast that they're going to need all the time they can get. Now, while the other characters will play a role, it will fall more to Izuku to evaluate and heal. Like staying on his own some more before slowly coming back into the fold after a period of time.

As for any character interactions, there should certainly be a moment between Izuku and Uraraka. Uraraka stuck her neck out and poured her heart out in order to get him into UA. There should be at least be a thank you from him to her. Then some time with Shoto and Iida as well, with possibly each of them reflecting on their own arcs, like Shoto telling him to take his time with this or Iida saying that he always wanted to go out looking for Izuku since that's what he would do. Maybe would could squeeze in something with Aizawa as well. Who, maybe after scolding from, Aizawa tries to connect his own feelings with Izuku's predicament. How Aizawa kept trying to push himself so hard after Oboro's death and how that affected his life. And while he always wants Izuku to push himself, he never wants Izuku to end up like him.

There will be attempts by Bakugou to make things better, and there will be a notable change in how he acts around Izuku, acting more like equals rather than Bakugou barely tolerating him. However, Izuku is still working through it and makes it clear he isn't ready to truly accept him as a friend. Not only would this be more realistic, but it would also add some more tragedy to Bakugou's "death", making it seem like he died without ever making proper amends to Izuku. And if we go with the idea that the "One For All" visages are less helpful and more confrontational, then maybe we could have a scene with him confronting the vestiges as well. You could have Izuku tearing off the black covering around his body and fully speaking his mind, making it clear that he is certain of how he wants to be a hero and how things have changed since they were around.

Then there is Mirio. Not only would this give us some time to catch up with Mirio, someone who we have barely gotten to see outside of a fight scene since he got his power back, but it would also finish up the comparisons between the two. Now that "One For All" is out in the open, we could settle Izuku's doubts on whether or not he was the right heir. Maybe Mirio could say something about how it was a blessing Izuku got it instead of him because now there are two great heroes, or that him taking it on would have been pointless since it would have only killed him before he had the real chance to be a hero. Maybe even throw something with Eri in here as well. Just something that confirms that, no, Izuku's being chosen was never a mistake and helps on his journey to self-worth.

Finally, I really want there to be a moment with Toshinori and Izuku. The two people who would be most affected by this situation and understand each other the most. This would be a follow-up to the confrontation Toshinori had with Stain. Toshinori simply being there and helping the students is more than enough. He needs to assure Izuku that he is proud of who he is and that he never once doubted his decision. It would be a genuine moment between the two. Not as the Eighth and Ninth Users of "One For All", not as the once or future Pillars of Society, but as Izuku Midoriya and Toshinori Yagi. A fine young man with a good heart, and an old man who did well in rebuilding his life. It would be a good punctuation to both Izuku's journey to rediscovering his own personal worth and Toshinori figuring out how to live a life outside of All Might.

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definitelynotshouting · 1 year ago

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Hello again! My ADHD has decided that the Hunger AU is to be my newest hyperfixation, and as such I have some more questions/interpretations I'd like to push forward, if that's alright. As always, no pressure in responding, and I hope this ask is fun to read :)

First off, I was going through some of your Listener posts for Reasons and I noticed a little tidbit in one of them: Watchers cannot feed off of the emotions of Listeners. If this is still the case, why were Martyn and BigB in the Life Games, if Grian can't feed on them, and were their mindsets still adversely affected? Could Grian (or theoretically, any Watcher) tell something was Off about them this way?

Another thing I noticed was that all Watchers are essentially clones of each other. Passing by the question of ecological diversity (I might think on that a different time), this implies that Grian, or at least, the Watcher-larvae that got implanted in him prior to all the code-copying, is a copy of another Watcher. Am I reading this right? Because if so that has implications and I love it.

And finally the biggest thing that's been on my mind: the Void (or the in-between, I've seen both). The space between servers. This thing has vexed and fascinated me since I read chapter one of your fic months ago. I think I've come to my own interpretations on the space, but I'd love to hear what you have plotted as well. For example, you mentioned that Developer Crystals are sort of hubs for servers - considering how you talked about it, the number of servers they can support must be pretty high. I've come to think of it kind of like a galaxy - and elliptical galaxy to be specific. Is this a correct way to think about it?

You've mentioned that being out in the in-between is dangerous for those not prepared - how much training does it take to be a Voidwalker? How does inter-server travel for regular players work? Are there extra steps that need to be taken when traveling from one Crystal's hub to another?

And on a personal interpretation note, I interpret the Void as looking kind of like space (as you often refer to in your work), but also... not. Specifically, when you talked about Developer Crystrals, I imagined them looking kind of like the Paths from Attack on Titan, just minus the ground (and being a lot bigger).

One final question, since it's been bothering me for ages: how does the ground work in the Void? It's been killing me since chapter 1.

Sorry for the massive ask, but it takes a particular sort of worldbuilding for me to come up with so many questions. I'm really having a fun time working with these rules - so thank you for making them!

Heyo!! I finally got a chance to answer this, which ive been trying to do since you sent it but unfortunately real life had other plans 😂😂😂 but i have the time and brain now, so here are hopefully some satisfying answers to your questions!!! :D

1.) BigB becoming a Listener was relatively recent; he was still a Player when he got pulled into the life games. As for Martyn, i think that because Listeners are so new, he was probably the first one Grian had ever encountered (at the time of 3rd Life at least). So he didn't realize he couldn't feed off of Martyn's emotions-- all he saw, in that half-frantic frenzy of "i need to eat right fucking now," was hey, i know that guy, and he's also in close proximity to BigB, so Grian sorta automatically pulled him in.

Afterwards, I'd say once Grian figured out he couldn't feed from him, he still ended up pulled in the next two times because of the familiarity (and because for as much as Grian can't feed off of him, Martyn still causes a lot of edible emotions in other people). But yeah, any Watcher would be able to tell if someone was a Listener!! And Listeners are able to tell if somebody is a Watcher, although their Player usually won't understand what that means beyond "hey theres something Weird going on with that guy."

2.) Yep!! All watchers are structural-code and utility-code copies of each other; their memory codes and surface codes are the only things that differentiate them from one another. This does indeed have some very fun implications to ruminate on fjsbdkdnd

3.) I'm not sure if i would describe dev crystals as a "hub," if only because that sorta implies that they're habitable-- but they are indeed the center of each server cluster, and i would honestly say the description of an elliptical galaxy is totally spot on :] they can indeed maintain a high amount of servers, but if the count grows too high then they can overload and stop processing the flow of unraveled code as efficiently, which can then cause backups, which then make them blow up, which is. obviously, pretty not good akdnwkdjek

Think of the void between servers as the bottom of the ocean. Absolutely crushing depths, the kind that will kill you in an instant if you don't have the right protective gear. Voidwalkers are basically people who are so good at coding that they can keep their code from getting pulverized and walk right through it like they're taking a casual morning stroll. It takes a ton of effort and energy to do, and is very dangerous-- i would say you have to be EXCEPTIONALLY quick-thinking, an efficient multitasker, and have a lot of practical foresight to achieve it without dissolving. Hence why there aren't many of them, and I'd honestly say Xisuma is probably one of, if not the, best. The fact that he was able to take five people including himself into the in-between, and keep them all alive, is INSANE. Brother outdid himself truly

As for interserver travel, thats something im currently working on lore-wise (and will hopefully be able to post about soon)!!! But the basic gist im working off of right now is that there are servers that act as server hubs, or waystations-- basically servers whose only purpose is to act as an in between point to access other servers. I'm toying with the idea of special portals called launchers, and the concept of zip files/share folders + creating folds in the fabric of the Greater Code to cross vast distances within a short distance. If you've read A Wrinkle In Time, thats the sorta thing im thinking of. But unfortunately right now its all spaghetti in my brain, so im still working on straightening that out until i can explain my thoughts coherently 💀💀💀💀

I can say rn that travel between dev crystals and their server clusters is not possible just yet. The universe is fucking HUGE, and there are countless devs and server clusters within it; the ability to travel between them isnt quite feasible right now, but it'll get there eventually :] not within the scope of the main story, though-- all of that fully takes place in this single corner of the universe

For dev crystals themselves, i picture them looking a lot like giant end crystals!!! the thought is that end crystals are basically like. a mini version of a dev, and that the beams you see healing the ender dragon are bursts of raw code pulled in from the rest of the server. so yeah, end crystals except massive on a scale we can barely comprehend and also ten million times more explosive (and more capable of handling the stability of an entire server cluster so it doesnt collapse in on itself)

4.) LAST BUT NOT LEAST. I. will fully admit when i wrote the walking on the void it was, at the time, a purely aesthetic choice. But i am legitimately thinking now about the implications of that, and toying with a few concepts that i wanna noodle on more before i fully commit to them. Sorry for leaving it a mystery for now!!!! 😂😂😂😂 it'll probably get answered in the post i'll eventually make about launchers and interserver travel

hope these were helpful and continue fueling your brainrot!!! thanks for being patient while i wrangled my brain enough to answer them :]❤️❤️❤️❤️

#shouting speaks #asks #hunger au #VERY FLATTERED THIS IS YOUR HYPERFIXATION :DDD #hope this provides some good answers!!!#long post #txt

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nnightskiess · 3 months ago

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You deserve my support and much more! Lacklustre updating schedule or not, everytime you leave is a very.. compelling and deeply emotional piece of art. I say deeply emotional because when I read it, I feel every emotion that’s written in a very raw and deep way, as if I was actually living it, and so, to be able to even read it and have access to more chapters, is a really big privilege for me.

I think by showing us the present first and then going back to how it all began and showing how y/n and Yen developed their deep bond is pretty amazing, it makes it hurt yes 😂 but also makes it feel real and more intimate bc now we know how truly intricate and deep their feelings are for each other and how much weight their past together has on the events that are occurring in the present and will happen in the future.

I can also tell you love writing for it, idk how to explain it really, but you can see it’s written with passion and love and that every little detail matters. So actually, thank you for creating such an amazing story and I will always look forward to any chapters you put out! 🖤💛 I’m glad my little ask made you feel happy also 😊

(I agree abt Henry… the Witcher is just not the same without him. I have considered replaying the games just so I can maybeeee forget that Henry is not in the show anymore and hopefully ease into Liam a bit better 😂)

oh wow, love, i'm incredibly touched that you feel that way about it!! and that you consider it a piece of art. it's hard to try and see it from your perspective sometimes when i'm so deeply involved with it from a writer's point of view and can't read the chapters with a fresh mind, so hearing you say that actually filled me with joy and motivation.

and thank you so much for saying that! it means i accomplished what i intended to do. i always prefer to write with a heavy layer of emotion clouding my characters. emotions drive us, fuel our fears and define our actions. whether they're morally grey or relatable, it will help reach a level of understanding and hopefully help connect with the story. having to watch the characters battle both inwardly and outwardly before getting whatever their heart desires is just so much more satisfying.

going back to the past felt like a bit of a gamble at first. i was afraid i would confuse or lose some readers who probably desperately wanted to read what would happen at sodden instead, but now that i'm in the middle of writing those early days with yennefer, i realise it was the best decision i could have made. it will explain why they held off on their feelings and so much more. there are many subtle ways i can show their bond slowly forming, or how and why certain beliefs and insecurities will keep resurfacing simply because they were so intricately woven within them. by writing their story from the beginning, i feel like i've started to understand it even better. i don't think i could've properly taken the story forward the same way if i hadn't made that decision.

oh, i absolutely adore writing it. it slithered into my mind years ago during christmas break and it hasn't left me since. i never write anything just for the clicks or interactions, but especially not this one. i just had to write it all down, whether i would later on post it or not. i have notes upon notes everywhere and whenever an idea pops up while i read the books or play the game, i scribble it down. i still don't know how i can find clarity in the chaos (no pun intended). you can always come and talk to me about the story in my dms or asks, please don't hold back. i'd love to hear your thoughts and see if you've caught certain easter eggs, double meanings, symbolisms or foreshadowings (the flower on tissaia's desk is a nod to the bond she'll have with yen and y/n, for example). and as a writer, it's always interesting to see how certain things have landed with readers!

i feel like to a lot of people, me included, henry felt like the essence of the series, the glue holding it together. i get why people are frustrated he's no longer in it, and that the adaption has been absolute shit as well, but i honestly love the world of the witcher too much to not cling to every new bit of media they give us (and i really want to support the other actors). my story is a mix of the series and the book and will at one point stop following canon, since yen doesn't have her arc with geralt or ciri in this. i write yennefer with all of the different versions we've seen of her in mind, so i hope she doesn't feel too ooc for people who've only watched the series, played the game or read the book. but since this story doesn't exist in canon, we also don't have anything to compare her possible actions and reactions to with the things that will happen in everytime you leave, so i think i'll be fine 😊

take care, love! your support means the world to me and i count myself very lucky that you're one of my few readers 🖤

#everytime you leave #wow i rambled #i have some scrapped scenes/alternative ones that i wrote but never ended up using #which i’ll probably post once we've reached a point in the story when they're spoiler-free

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lorirwritesfanfic · 2 years ago

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Do you have any fics in the works? Tell us about them!Looking forward to any other writer's upcoming fics? Tell us about them too!

My wip folder is never empty, darling. I don't know if it's a good or a bad thing to say it, given the number of unfinished works I have there, but oh well...

I haven't had much time to write. You know... real life, bills, family, more bills... 😵 and of course I procrastinate a lot (I blame Netflix Brasil for getting Downton Abbey and all the Turkish diziler I find online 🤦🏻‍♀️). But I write sometimes. Not every day. Not most days of the week as I used to do before. But I'm still writing.

The one wip I'm actually half way through is a Hamid x MC xmas fic. I know you're thinking "but it's almost February! And Prince Hamid is Muslim!" and you're right. But Daphne is Christian, very fond of Christmas, Hamid loves a nice social gathering and finding any reason to tease his favorite girl and we do not follow the real life calendars in here, so why not?

Among the series I write, earlier this month I was working on Meant To Be (Desire & Decorum modern day AU) chapter... 27? (I lost count... 🙈) Anyway, I think the next two chapters will finally explain why I label it as a Soulmates AU. There's a Sinclaire and Daphne awkward scene here, a little Sinclaire x Alisha moment there... But nothing too dramatic for now.

There's also Jade and Liam's For The World to Know. Tbh I have no idea what chapter I am (I'm getting super lazy on this because Tumblr and AO3 count the chapters automatically for me 😅). They're just a couple of weeks away from the wedding, they're getting joint a bachelor and bachelorette party, there's some heart to heart talk with Hana (these girls need it), Leo is joining them in Vegas (and we all know he often brings drama) and there's Drake situation to be solved. I'm close to reaching the end of FTWTK and I wish I could really start Happily Ever After (instead of just posting a few one shots of them married) because I've been daydreaming about the plot for years (the story will be soooooo good, ugh!), but I don't know... If I managed to finish FTWTK (or just The Fives Stages since there's only two more chapters left), I'll take it as a win.

Last year, I also remembered I never finished my Bloodbound series. A while ago, I got a comment on AO3 from someone who wanted me to extend the series and I thought about doing it, but at this point I wouldn't know how to do it. I'd probably have to create a new plot since the one I started back then is nearly solved. But that would demand time to replay Bloodbound to find inspiration and, unluckily, that's something I don't have lately. I started planning a chapter with Adrian x OC (any Adrian stans still out there?), then I'll write one more chapter to wrap it up.

There are other Desire & Decorum AUs and a TRR AU, but I haven't touched those wips in months... I rather not make any promises regarding any of those stories for now.

Other than that, there are a few one shots planned:

A Thomas Mendez x Ayla (+ Stephanie and Luz) inspired by one of my favorite Brazilian memes and a scene of a 2010 romcom. I can't explain why I'm doing this... The muse wants what the muse wants 😂

A few ficlets (or short stories, depending on how inspired I am when I actually sit down to write) to answer some OTP asks for Hamid x Daphne and Nate x Stella (TWC). I was debating if I'd include Liam x Jade, but I might give away the plot of Happily Ever After in one of the questions, so nope 😅

When it comes to other people's stuff, I don't know... I'm not super active on Choices (or any fandom, for that matter) and I'm not familiar with most of the fandom and what people have been writing lately. I do have my faves (@missameliep @lilyoffandoms @storyofmychoices @princess-geek @noesapphic ) and they still write from time to time, but I'm not going to pester them for new fics. They have their own lives and write whenever they can. As a fan of their work, I respect their writing pace and I'm simply glad they're still here.

Thanks for the ask, anon!

#lori answers #anon ask #fanfiction #wip folder

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adelcrait · 2 years ago

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I just finish all of your "Lost and Found" fanfic and I love it! I love your writing. its history, Luke and Anakin's relationship. All! I love all. I also like how Leia and Luke aren't siblings. I'd rather they weren't from the same family, as I can't imagine or appreciate Anakin being her father. Being Luke's dad already, I love it! I think it's because I like fathers taking care of their boys. I'm looking forward to more chapters! Have you ever thought of writing a story about Anakin meeting Luke earlier? Like, being a baby or a small child. Or even after everything that happened at the end of Star Wars, but while everyone thinks Darth Vader is dead, he is being taken care of by Luke?

Or even, Luke not being Padmé's son, but only Anakin's? Like, Luke is a miracle of the Force. Which made Anakin concede, as he was in a situation of great darkness, After everything that happened and he lost a lot of his body, so the Force gifted him with Luke. And unfortunately, Anakin has to hide it for quite some time of the others. As he tries to come to terms with everything his bizarre body went through on the gallows, he still has to protect his magic and wonderful son.

Sorry. these are great ideas I had in my head!

Thank you so much, anon!!!! I chose not to make Luke and Leia siblings in Lost and Found because, as you said, I have a hard time imagining Leia being Anakin’s daughter. I know it’s canon, and if I squint real hard I could see some similarities in personality, but it’s difficult (although it’s something I often think about). However, I can see Luke and Leia as siblings... but of different parents? In my head, and since I’m a big ROTJ fan, I associate Luke as Anakin and Padmé’s son, but Leia as Bail and Breha’s daughter... and I think Leia would be fine with that tbh.

I also love the trope of grumpy old men with repressed emotions being the parental figure of an overpowered child. My absolute favorite! Found Family! Angst! I eat that shit up!!!!!!!!!

As for your ideas,

“Have you ever thought of writing a story about Anakin meeting Luke earlier? Like, being a baby or a small child.” I have thought about this, but never wrote anything because I don’t know how to / don’t like writing children. All the Luke & Vader stories I have written (and never posted) have always been of Luke being at least in his late teens. This way they can talk about life, share opinions, train in the Force, argue about "grown-up" things, etc. I just can’t see that happening with young kids, and I haven’t seen a baby up close in probably decades. Although the idea of baby!Luke is really cute.

“Or even after everything that happened at the end of Star Wars, but while everyone thinks Darth Vader is dead, he is being taken care of by Luke?” OOOH I have read a lot of fics like this! It’s really angsty and bittersweet. Especially when they fix Vader’s torture machine (his suit) and Vader slowly starts to physically heal. I don’t think I’m writing this because of the problems Luke would have to go through: restoring democracy, pretending that Vader is dead, taking care of Vader somewhere the Rebellion can’t find them, processing everything that has happened… I feel like it would be a lot. Also, I don’t really know what mental situation Vader would be in this scenario. From the post-rotj Vader!Lives AU fics that I've read, Vader is miserable and thinks he doesn’t deserve "redemption" because the only good thing that he’s done was killing the Emperor, so it’s hard to get him out of that stupor. Even now just thinking about how I would write Vader's internal monologue is sending me into hell loops of mental acrobatics that I don’t know how to untangle. It’s definitely an interesting idea, that’s for sure. If you want fic recs with this idea, tell me!

“Or even, Luke not being Padmé's son, but only Anakin's? Like, Luke is a miracle of the Force.” Now, this!!!!!!!!! I think even in canon we can agree that Luke is a miracle of the Force. He’s an eldritch type of cryptid with a power that can shatter entire planets if he’s not careful. Blame his dad, sure. Maybe Padmé’s humanity is the only thing that’s preventing him from going full God Final Boss Mode. See it this way: if Anakin is the literal child of the Force, but still had a biological human mother, can you imagine how batshit powerful Luke would be if the Force created this child and based the genetics on The Anakin-fucking-Skywalker, the first eldritch horror monster of the galaxy? I’m literally shaking just thinking about it. Luke would be unstoppable.

...Also it would be hilarious if Luke was a toddler and accidentally exploded a spaceship because he threw a tantrum or something. I think it would be interesting seeing him grow up and adjust his powers to a non-destructive and functional level. That is, if Anakin is not a Sith in this AU. If Vader is raising him…. well, I don’t think the galaxy would be seeing peace any time soon... or Luke would still grow up to be good because he’s the literal manifestation of the Force and the Force has had enough of Vader’s bullshit… Yeah anon, I agree, this idea is super cool.

I admit that I’m guilty of overusing the Force in my stories, but these two are literal space wizards that are capable of so so so many cool things that my brain is salivating at the creative possibilities.

Thank you for this ask! Have a nice day wherever you are!!!!!!!<3

#ask #lost and found #sw #this woke my brain up from its mandatory february slumber #also the leia is anakin's daughter rant is for another day i have many thoughts about that

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burntheedges · 14 days ago

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YES I saw your reply to my last anon message about how much I love pas de deux and I loved getting your perspective on it!!

For whatever it's worth I'm really grateful you posted ch.4 today bc I needed something to look forward to and your writing always lifts my spirits

This chapter is so wonderful! Kuiil's personality is such a beautiful addition to the story and the way he talks about the choreography and learning to be in the moment together really feels like a beautiful encapsulation of what love can be, so it felt so fitting that this story would have them working together in this way.

I AM ONCE AGAIN ASKING FOR DIN BACKSTORY WHAT DISAGREEMENTS DID HE HAVE WITH CONCORDIA I KNOW YOU CANNOT TELL ME YET BUT I WANT TO KNOOOOW

I want the two of them to just sit down and have a real conversation. I want to know what Din is thinking. Gaaaaaaaah I want to see the gooey center of this stoic sexy ballet man

hi anon!! ok just in case I'm going to start tagging these 'pas de deux anon' so we can find them easily. 🧡 but let me know if I assume it's you and it's not. lol

honestly if it even helped a little that means a lot to me. 🥺 this week sucked and I've been leaning on fanfic, too.

Kuiil was so fun to write in this story!! I thought he'd be perfect as a choreographer, he says such inscrutable things. 😂 and I wanted Din to have someone he trusted from the beginning, other than Karga. and I love what you said about it being an encapsulation of what love can be! that's so lovely, and I can't wait for you to read the rest.

😂😭 Din will tell us!! ...later. 😂 and right? don't you just want to shake them and make them talk? I mean, so do I, even though I wrote them this way. and this is the perfect description: "the gooey center of this stoic sexy ballet man" 🥰

#ask me anything #pas de deux anon #pas de deux fic #nbt fic

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10dance · 4 months ago

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I've waited 4 months for the continuation, and it was so worth it!! We got 22 pages this time which is longer than what I expected.

Ever since the Shinyas separated I've spent a lot of time thinking about what would happen if Suzuki barged into Sugiki Dance School, and today Inoue-sensei finally gave us the answer! Suzuki, putting aside all of his reservations, ran all the way to Sugiki (past the receptionist) demanding to see him. The little bit with the aunties at the dance school killed me, it was so funny to see them tensed up in an "oh shit" way, haha. And the grandpa character who fainted... I would do the same!

When they see each other, of course there was the initial shock. It's quite different than the last time they met up, where they were desperate for each other's touch and ran to each other without a second thought. This is Sugiki post-meltdown, and is now having a lot of complicated feelings about his love for Suzuki. He didn't look even a little bit happy which threw me off guard. We get more elaboration a few pages later, but I'm quite nervous about how this talk would go based on Sugiki's reaction.

Also, off topic, but both men are drawn so beautifully this update. I think Inoue was really fired up about this chapter and went all out! Look at our boys: (the second Suzuki picture is just... umph... mm... I have no words at the moment)

Sugiki makes him wait, almost like he wanted to avoid Suzuki as much as possible. It seemed like he was doing his best to keep his composure in front of so many outsiders. Suzuki can't sense the frogs this time, though, so is it actually real? Or did Inoue decide to not draw them to keep the scene serious? And their tension in these few pages was so thick that I felt it through the screen! Try as Sugiki might, I think everyone in the room could tell there was something between them, lol. They're really bad at hiding this...

In volumes 7 and 8 I've felt that we were missing a lot of Sugiki's POV since we largely focused on Suzuki (and Norman, to an extent). But here we get a glimpse into Sugiki's head. Sugiki here is in an almost completely opposite mindset to Suzuki. Whereas Suzuki just got fired up by Aki's pep talk, "breaking up" with Norman, and has a generally optimistic view on their future, Sugiki is still stuck contemplating about what he's lost (he'll soon find that he never lost it in the first place). It reminded me of Inoue's author's note in vol 6:

"Suzuki keeps his hope alive while moving forward, while Sugiki remains motionless, unable to forget."

These two have always been a foil of each other, and it's the clearest it's ever been in this chapter. Sugiki wonders if he's changed and can see Suzuki for the full human being that he is now, and I'm on the edge of my seat waiting to see how they will answer this question. It feels like they had a reversal of roles compared to volume 5: Sugiki was the one who wanted nothing else than to "become one" while Suzuki had all of these reservations, but now it's the opposite. Will Sugiki be the one to talk some sense into Suzuki this time?

Enough thinking, I'm going to come back to simping for men it's what I do best. Sugiki is so petty when he meets up with Suzuki hours later, calling Suzuki selfish for coming here unannounced. He sounded almost mad, which resulted in Suzuki using polite language with him and asking him to come outside, haha. These two are so cute even in a scene like this. And this half-body view of Sugiki is sublime..! He looks more plump than I remember him.

Suzuki then drops the bomb: "Please be mine!" And we are all screaming. This is on the level of "I want you" from Sugiki all those chapters ago. The two-page spread is used very well here, the nighttime scenery adds to the atmosphere of it all.

So after all of Sugiki's rumination, how will he respond? He couldn't take another rejection, but what about a boyfriend request? He's too calm and nonchalant about all of this and it's making me uneasy. I know I say this every review but I need to see what happens next right now!

Edit: I CAN'T BELIEVE I LEFT OUT THE "Sugiki... Shinya" PART OMG! I don't know if this means Suzuki will change how he calls Sugiki from now on or if he only did it to separate Sugiki and his mother, but I caught that little detail and cannot get over it.

10 Dance - chapter 42, part 1 summary

Suzuki rushes to Sugiki's studio so the two can talk about their relationship. What will he say once they finally reunite?

Full summary and highlight images under the cut

Chapter 42, part 1: 好きにならずにはいられない (Can't Help Falling in Love)

Published online on July 12th, 2024, available to purchase on Comic Days, or rent for ten days on Yanmaga.

Suzuki runs through the streets of Ginza on his way to Sugiki's studio. He thinks about how he needs to see him right away so they can discuss their future together. He enters the building and notices that the first floor is a shop selling dance goods, which he'd never seen before since he's only been there late at night. He passes by the group of elderly students who were seen ogling his sexy magazine ad in an earlier chapter. The women blush and sweat, as the husband of one of them faints. Suzuki heads to the classroom, where Sugiki and his mother are giving instruction. Sugiki looks stunned as he catches sight of him, and the two focus intensely on each other, visualized by the other characters blurring into the background.

Fusako sees Suzuki and happily runs up to him, grabbing his hand and thinking that she's missed him. He appears to hear her unspoken communication and thinks back, "Me, too," before giving her a playful tap and turning his attention back to Sugiki. He states that he needs to talk to him, to which Sugiki replies that he's giving a lesson right now, and is pretty booked up for the rest of the day. Unfazed, Suzuki says he'll wait until he's finished. Sugiki sighs and says that someone canceled their lesson later on, so he'll come see him during that time. Suzuki says that he'll be outside and leaves the buidling, staring up at Sugiki's classroom as he waits.

As he continues giving lessons, Sugiki is distracted by thoughts about what might be happening. He wonders what Suzuki could have come here to say to him after he previously told him things were over between them and they promised to not see each other anymore. He thinks of the day they called things off, when Suzuki stated that Sugiki's obsession with him was not love, and Sugiki realized he was not the god he had imagined him to be. Even so, his yearning still remains, and he doesn't think he could handle being rejected by Suzuki again. He wonders if he himself might have changed a bit, and if he's capable of seeing Suzuki for his true self now.

Sugiki finally gets a chance to leave the classroom. He cracks open the main door and accuses Suzuki of being selfish, complaining that he's had to stop himself from coming to see him this whole time. Slightly intimidated by his attitude, Suzuki asks him to come outside. Once they're together on the sidewalk, Suzuki bows his head and says, "Please be mine." He pleads and says that he'll do anything, even be the god Sugiki saw in him, and merge into one single being with him as he wished.

Previous chapter: #41 part 2

Next chapter: There is currently no information on the next release date.

#rb #10 dance chapter 42 #spoilers #i didn't think i'd have so many thoughts about this chapter until i started writing hahahha #the brainrot is alive and well #my boys are back together

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heleentje · 5 years ago

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Yu-Gi-Oh 5DX Fanfic: One Second Per Second (29/49)

Story: One Second Per Second

Fandom: Yu-Gi-Oh 5DX

Author: Heleentje

Summary:

In one universe, Paradox dies in an ill-fated attempt to change his future. But in another, he survives.

It only takes one card to change the world. Now, Paradox is alive and no one, least of all Paradox himself, is quite sure what to expect anymore.

Chapter Title: XXIII. Unmoving

Chapter Length: 7612 words

Fudou Keiko first noticed the new student in her Monday morning first-year physics class. It was hard not to; she knew the faces of all of the thirty-odd students who actually bothered to show up for her eight o’clock class, and the new guy stuck out like a sore thumb. He had wandered in five minutes before class started, taken a seat somewhere near the middle of the room and sat there hunched over taking notes for the next thirty minutes, baseball cap pulled low over his eyes. Did he even have the textbook? No, Keiko didn’t think he did. Should she say something about it? Perhaps he’d just forgotten it. It really wasn’t any of her business.

AO3 | ff.net

#one second per second #heleen writes #fudou yusei #real talk I can't tell you how much I looked forward to posting this chapter #I love Keiko and I love writing Keiko and I'm so glad she's finally here

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justtryingtobecreative · 2 years ago

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Chapter 1: Shifter to Traveler

Kind of a draft/fic, just for fun and learning to write without autocorrect so expect errors.

Billy x reader, Eddie x reader, Steve x reader (Slight Robin and Nancy x reader) because we are hot

I changed a bit of the original post, it has been 1 year instead of two.

Original post:

The bewildered eyes of Johnatan, Will, and Joyce Byers stare at the groaning figure on the floor with confusion. The figure was familiar to them considering it was inmistakenly the girl that they had spend a lot of their teenage years with. You had been presumed dead for about one year now. And although they knew their unaging companion had not been from here, they had always presumed her to have stopped excisting altogether when Ell couldn't find her. You curse to yourself as you look around observing the familiar room and regaining the memories that still lingered.

Ell was the first to approach your cursing figure hesitantly holding out her hand "Y/N? Are you allright?". The sound makes you look up from your frantic thoughts, eyes wide and frantic. Although you remembered you had been here uncountable times before, it had always felt more dreamlike. Never as real as it was now, it was absolutely horrifying how detailed everything was. You hesitantly reach your hand toward Ell, in your dreamlike state the feel had never been fully there not for them and not for you.

Fingertips graze your hand as you stare up at her in horror and wonder. The grip on your hand is sure and tight, exactly like it would have in your actual life. Tears fill Ell's eyes as she rushes toward her old friend, one that had always been one of the most constant people in her life. And although you feel different and look older now, she wouldn't change feeling for the world. Her arms tighten around you keeping you grounded as the thoughts of your other home fill your head would you be able to get back? Would you want to?

"Is she.. really here?" The unmistakable soft voice of Will fills the silence making you look up again, the first thing you notice is that he still had that horrible bowl cut. The thought brings a smile on your face as you observe how much the boy had grown, "I'm here" you mutter simply setting the boy in motion istantly as he rushes forward and hugs you tightly making you let out a huff at the four suprisingly strong arms slapped around you. "I can't believe it!" Joyce whispers softly as her voice takes on the familiar high tone you were used to. She grabs Johnatan by the arm as she drags him forward setting the frozen boy in motion both rushing to hug you as well. You are now being squished by all sides, a sickly sweet familiar smell filling your nostril as Johnatans hair tickles your nose. It takes you a second to place the smell but then widen your eyes "Wait a minute is that Weed?" You yell loudly to observe the boy catching him by the shoulders leaning close to observe his pupils. The boys eyes widen and his cheeks redden at the sudden proximity, she looked and felt far too different from the preteen she was stuck as before "Oh wel..." Johnatan starts as his mom gives him a slight punch on the arm "You said you quit" she hisses giving him a stern look before turning to you in realisation.

~~~

"We have to tell the others!" She yells as she rushes toward the phone.

In the far distance at Eddie's trailer Eddie and Steve argue loudly, they had agreed to switch music evenly because of their different styles. And that had worked fine until the metalhead decided that he was tired of listening to Steve's 'prissy' music and then tackled steve to the ground to get it.

Nancy sighed in exaspheration as she places her hands on her hips "Eddie, it was Steve's turn to play music this time, you literally just played that card song" She said sternly glaring at the entangled pair on the floor. Que the exashpterated sputtering of the metalhead "What did you just say? You are only talking about the best metal song ever!" He swung with his hand wildly as he sprung into a rant about why this particulair metal song was so "World changing" and "The past and future of rock". Robin who was perched on Eddie's bed with her legs swinging of the side groaned loudly, falling backwards on the pillows. "Come on guys! Why are we even waiting here? Ell is out there fighting this thing! We should be helping!" She yelled in her usual panicked voice. Nancy sighed "Rob you know Hopper will skin us if we intervine, exactly why he and Billy are currently keeping them locked tight at the cabin." She sighed loudly sitting down on a clothing filled chair perched against the wall. She seemed just as antsy as Robin of not doing anything but thankfully for her no one called her out on it. "Plus we know what happened last time we went out on our own..." Her voice gradually became softer as she added the sentence in at the end.

The room became grim in an instant as they recalled their last run in with Vecna, he had almost managed to kill max, thus succeeding his plan but their interworldy friend had intervened saving the town by giving her own life. A loss they all carried with them still. The girl had become a beacon of trust for nearly all in the group, someone save to talk to and just someone to spend quality time with. She was light she was sweet and she remained the same even when all else changed. "Allright, way to dampen the mood Wheeler" Eddie said softly gazing out the window silently, before dragging his eyes toward the rest of the group. They didn't have to linger on the subject for much longer as a sudden ring echoed through the house. Eddie jumped up quickly, rushing to the phone and practically hitting himself on the wall. His uncle Wayne would totally not call during this time, which didn't leave many other options.

"Hello?" He yelled into the phone. "Dustin? What's wrong? Stop yelling" the rest of the group could clearly hear yelling in the background of the call as the kids chattered to eachother. Eddie focused back on Dustin's voice. "Get to the Byers house! NOW!" The kid yelled making Steve and Eddie share a gaze, he was such a bossy teen. "Jesus Henderson, What happened" Eddie's eyes were wide as he tried to hear Dustins voice through the rucus. "She didn't say! But it's URGENT" Eddie hung up the phone harshly not bothering to say goodbye as his friends jumped up at the same time. They had obviously heard the screaming. Nancy started of toward the car, Steve tossing his keys to her in a hurry. There was no fight for the front seat this time.

~~~

You sat on the couch silently fidling with the edge of your oversized Metallica shirt you wore as pyama's, a cup of tea in your other hand. It was quite a schock you were here again, especially in such an unfamiliar way.

You could barely wrap your head around the fact that you would soon see all of them again. What also felt quite strange that all of the other people of the room had a fixed stare on you. Although Johnatan honestly seemed to stare at the wall more than her.

"Uhm, could you guys please stop staring?" You muttered softly with a small smile.

"Oh were so sorry Y/N, it's just.. you look so different" Joyce muttered softly. She had known the girl for a couple of years before, and she had gotten really used to the baby faced, braces filled, very short version of the girl. The fact that the sixteen year old looking girl from last year now looked twentyone would surely remain strange for a while.

"Ah, i suppose you didn't really get the chance to get used to me like this" You gestured to yourself awkwardly, now was really not the time to feel self concious but she did anyway.

A ring of the doorbel interupted your thoughts. Joyce getting up quickly practically storming toward the door. You could hear her open it slowly and step outside and then some barely concealed whispers which Ell and Will cringed at.

"So uhh" The figure of Joyce stepped outside rather quickly closing the door behind her tightly. All of them had arrived and were now gathered in front of the house in confusion. "What is going on Joyce? Is something wrong with Ell?" Hopper asked as he tried to look through the window from where he stood. Joyce tilted toward him as she started sputtering "Wait, no nothing like that... well something like that but just not with Ell.." the woman seemed out of her comfort zone.

"Is something wrong with Will?" Mike yelled interupting the woman mid sentence, earning a shove from Max next to him. The musculair form of Billy stood behind her giving her an approving smirk and patting her shoulder. He didn't really like the kid.

Nancy perked up and let out a choked gasp "Johnatan then?" Steve gave her an awkward stare at that one.

"No no nothing like that, wel maybe something like that" The woman made no sense as all of them started yelling at eachother.

Hopper grasped her shoulders tightly looking her in the eyes. "Start at the beginning" he muttered as everyone else thankfully calmed down.

"Well, El was trying to find Henry, as planned. But i guess she encountered someone different, and then he came and Ell grabbed that someone and now that someone is kind of... sitting on the couch" she finally finished the sentence, shuffling about on her feet in suspense.

Everyone seemed confused.

"Well spit it out!" Even Murray was aparently called as he stood to the side by his car tapping his shoe quickly. "Who is it?"

Hopper opened his mouth and he was about to start yelling when the old door of the Byer house creaked open slowly.

And there you stood, just about done with all the yelling and not at all what they expected of the evening.

You lifted your hand i a slight wave, before letting one word through your lips at the sight of the people you hadn't expected to ever formally meet.

"Hi"

#steve harrington #billy x reader #billy hargrove #eddie x reader #eddie munson #steve x reader #stranger things #stranger things imagine

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professorspork · 1 year ago

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Yasher koach, the Yom Ki-post is a bat mitzvah girl. Year 13 has arrived.

Over this past month, taking stock of myself and figuring out what I would want to write about/challenge myself over this year, I was particularly stricken by just how much these posts spiral, repeating themselves every few years. I've written before about how disappointed in myself I've been to keep returning to the same issues, but this year I face that truth with... well to say "acceptance" makes it sound like I'm not going to resist my impulses, and that's not what I mean. I face that truth with a sort of resigned recognition of fact. This is my pattern: I get incensed, I get active, I get tired, I get complacent, the cycle repeats.

In past years, I beat myself up over whether this practice serves any real purpose beside my ego, but this year I found myself really looking forward to it, to digging into it. Once again, when I tell new friends about this tradition they are moved, interested, fortifying. And the rabbi approved, so there's that. Ultimately, Yom Kippur is about facing the self with clear eyes, and that's very hard to do when you're like "well it's not very humble to talk about myself so much."

And that's sort of where I've been this year--thinking about selfishness and what it means to be self-centered. I have spent the last 10 months deep in wedding planning, which is the most profoundly self-obsessed thing anyone can do. Never before have I been so tender with myself, so accommodating to my own whims, so miserly and possessive when asked to think about anything else. And while sure, I think most people would agree that getting married is a perfectly understandable time to take a selfish, this holiday isn't about what's understandable. It's about what's right. The whole point is to hold yourself to a higher standard.

I have been weak. Too often I have failed to make the required effort to do my work conscientiously, to give my full attention to those who needed me, to speak the kindly word, to do the generous deed, to express my concern for my friends. ... How I wish I had learned to master myself; to control my impulses; to curb my craving for pleasure, power and possessions; to display consistently those qualities which are most admirable in others!

This year, I put blinders on. I am sorry for all the times I did not donate to worthy causes and to people in greater need than I, demurring instead about my 'wedding budget.' I am sorry for the conversations I steamrolled or only paid half my attention to, because I was in bride mode. I am sorry for the expectations and responsibilities I saddled my family and friends with in order to make this day happen without sufficient warning, sufficient gratitude, sufficient understanding. I am sorry for the way I built this cocoon around myself and then demanded everyone honor it. I do not think I have been a monster, but I have made actively different and more insulated choices this year because of my upcoming wedding, and to say that that's all just fine isn't in the spirit of teshuvah. I could have done better. I could have demanded more of myself, instead of being the architect of my own coasting.

Part of this hunkering-down has been because I find myself at a crossroads. I genuinely have no idea what my life will look like when we next open the Book of Life a year from now; I have no clue what this year's chapter has in store for me. My career is a complete question mark, and my path is once again entirely open. I lay down the gauntlet to myself now that, whatever road I end up taking, I leave room for the rest of the world. I can't be all-or-nothing with my time management; I want to be cognizant of my pattern spiral enough that I can lean in the other direction.

Maybe that's-- not the best we can hope for, but the reason Yom Kippur is built the way it is. So we can be adults about this and say "hey self, you're back on your bullshit again and you know it, cut it out." And maybe we never fully will, but we can see it enough to try. To set aside time to know what our bullshit is and correct for it.

Or to put it another way: being mad at myself for past failures isn't the same thing as doing the work. And maybe if I spent less time jawing about it, I'd have more time to actually change the things I want to.

Forgive me the past, and lead me into the future.

A Yom Kippur Meditation

In my individuality I turn to you, O God, and seek Your help. For You care for each of your children. You are my God, and my Redeemer. Therefore, while around me others think their own thoughts, I think mine; and as each one of them seeks to experience Your presence, so do I.

Each person’s abilities are limited by nature and by the circumstances we have had to face. Whether I have done better or worse with my capacities than others with theirs, I cannot judge.

But I do know that I have failed in many ways to live up to my potentialities and Your demands. Not that You expect the impossible. You do not ask me: “Why have you not been great as Moses?” You do ask me: “Why have you not been yourself? Why have you not been true to the best in you?”

I will not lay the blame on others, though they may have wronged me, nor on circumstances, though they may have been difficult. The fault lies mainly in myself.

…

I have much that I failed to do. There is also much that I wish I had not done. By many words and deeds I have caused harm. It is not easy now to remember the details; out of guilt I tend to shut them out of my consciousness. But clearly or dimly, the regretted memories now come back to me. I have, in many ways, hurt my sisters and brothers; I have betrayed their trust, offended their sensibilities, damaged their self-respect. Sometimes, indeed, I have done harm from what seemed at the time good motives. Sometimes my supposed love for others was in reality only a desire to dominate them. And sometimes what I took to be righteous indignation was only uncontrolled anger or unforgiving vindictiveness.

How I wish I had learned to master myself; to control my impulses; to curb my craving for pleasure, power and possessions; to display consistently those qualities which are most admirable in others! Have I made any progress at all in this, the greatest of all arts, the art of living? Perhaps a little; certainly not enough.

Why? Because I have not been true to myself. Because I have not nurtured sufficiently the good in me. For there is good in me. “The soul that You have given me is pure!” There is that in me which condemns me when I do wrong and urges me to do right, which holds up before me the ideal, and challenges me to reach toward it. There is in me a spark if Your divinity.

How to realize the ‘divine image’ in me— there is the question and the answer. Surely it means to seek You more earnestly, to submit myself to Your will; to say to you: Here I am; mould me, guide me, command me, use me, let me be Your coworker, an instrument of Your redemptive purpose.

Help me then, O God; help me always, but especially now, on this sacred Day of Atonement; help me to banish from myself whatever is mean, ugly, callous, cruel, stubborn, or otherwise unworthy of a being created in Your image. Purify me, revive me, uplift me. Forgive me the past, and lead me into the future, resolved to be Your servant.

May the words of my mouth, and the meditations of my heart, be acceptable to You, O Lord, my Rock and my Redeemer. Amen.

#yom kippur #leah does judaism

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ackermanshoe · 4 years ago

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"Mikasa?!"

"get your shit together"

"we are the only ones who can stop Eren"

Well smart ppl, this is the first time in the entirety of attack on titan Levi "snapped" towards Mikasa. The look on his eyes it's so full concern, did he know what was happening to her? Did he realise it was her headache or did he think it was Eren doing something?

Maybe he snapped bc he was absolutely tired of Erens shit and mikasa's hesitation towards him. Maybe he was so worried that he couldn't get his words to come out? "Get your shit together" is such a Levi think to say if he said "are you okay?" It would be so out of character.

I know I don't need to explain this as we are all aware that Levi's way with Mikasa is like none other, right? Eg when he snapped at historia for not being able to give a straight answer to the biggest decision of her life - more: he often snaps at hanji despite them being friends for years etc.

It also makes me wonder how Levi is so in touch with reality, he's right next to her, could it be that his presence helped Mikasa come back to hers and finally decide to end Eren?

"a theory isn't a fantasy, it's a coherent set of ideas intend to explain something.." and this is me theorising so stay with me. The Ackerman's who had their inhumane power activated are Levi Mikasa and Kenny. Kenny met his tragic end with Yuri, Levi met his tragic end with Erwin and now it is clearly Mikasa's turn. Ik it wasn't obvious but when Kenny Ackerman lost his liege he was completely alone then eventually he had died off. Isn't it funny how the only two Ackerman's to have had years side by side were Mikasa and Levi? It's just my belief that Erwin's death would have caused more harm on Levi if he hadn't had Mikasa by his side and Mikasa would have been more lost in her delusion or dreams without Levi's consent attempt to bring her back to reality. Eg female titan arc.

Even after killing Zeke Levi never found true happiness, was it really the purpose of his life? Definitely not. It almost feels like there's a loose end to tie, possibly with another Ackerman. This is where my theory ( or more questions ) about the shine in his eyes comes in which I will explain later.

I have always seen Mikasa as a doer, who is not indecisive and always goes for the kill. Levi knows that too. This one moment where got her headache and she hesitated to move forward it was a conflict that clearly irretated Levi.

But man if it were anyone else with all their love and care for Mikasa they would have snapped at her ages ago. The patience this man has for Mikasa is unmatched.

Furthermore

"got it"

"Mikasa"

He said this to himself, TO HIMSELF I repeat not to Mikasa or anyone. What does this tell me? It tells me he trusts Mikasa to make the right decision. He knows it's time and he knows that she won't hesitate this time. Remember the gleam in his eyes when Mikasa asked him to help her kill Eren?

It's a gleam of trust and recognition.

To me this is the purest form of support Levi has given not only to Mikasa but anyone at all. It kinda makes me feel soft if I'm being honest but I can't explain that with facts.

Might I mention how how Levi said mikasa's name more in this one chapter than he has said in the entire manga?

( if someone know why he never calls Mikasa by her name please let me know I'm so hung up on that and still wondering what could be the meaning behind it )

It can be said the same with Mikasa calling Levi "captain" several times in the last chapter and possibly this one.

It may be a personal view of mine but the I think there's a lot of significance in calling ones name. But in rivamika's relationship the lack there of name calling makes it much more interesting to theorise. I have always been someone who would hesitate to say my crush's name because I feel like it would be awkward and make the conversation much more intimate. Yeah it's just a theory but most people would avoid using their crushes name because it makes them nervous and the fact their crush exist near them much more realistic. ( Input scene from there first caridge scene where Levi called Mikasa by her name to tell her to protect Eren with all her skills and Mikasa had a drop sweat on her, she was caught off guard by his voice calling her name )

If I was to assume this is what happened with Levi not mentioning mikasa's name ( all that often ) then it kinda makes sense. And now that we have Levi finally calling out her name in the middle of a life or death battle it makes me wonder if he is finally breaking out of a invisible shell and confronting his feelings (?)

Note: "feelings" can be interpreted as romantic AND non romantic. I don't mean to say that I think he is in love with her that's realistically thinking.

Idk how to word this properly but it's like he is becoming more aware of mikasa's importance in his life and vice versa (?)

Ones name is the biggest connection they have with their individuality and the fact that Levi calls her name several times in this particular chapter makes me think it's somehow connected to Mikasa letting go off Eren and choosing herself + Levi and whoever is left to save. I believe Levi already knew this since the moment the gleam came into his eyes, like I mentioned many many many times Levi knows things about Mikasa before she does. For Levi it's like looking into a mirror that goes backwards in time.

If I'm going to talk more about the gleam in Levi's eyes I might as well put it all down on the table and you can view it however you want.

Remember this

"is it from hope or despair that this strength comes from?"

Well the gleam to me represents hope, not only for the survival of them two by killing Eren, but for Mikasa herself, finding herself MIGHT just be the gleam of hope Levi's strength came from. Individuality. This is more like forshadowing the future than the present.

It also reminds me of S1 when Levi's eyes gleamed when Eren expressed his hatred towards the titans. The look of obsession, to kill the titans and now mikasa's determination to kill Eren ( her obsession).

If I'm being a delulu then yes I do think he is in love with her and nothing less 🤩 and this look^^ above is so sexy can they just idk send me the wedding invitation already I'm 🕯️😔🕯️ tired of waiting.

Anyways I'm going to end this here I feel like I write so much and if anyone asked me what this was all about in real life I would prolly run away rather than speaking. Thank you guys for being here and supporting me and everyone else! I hope the last chapter is at least 100 pages long because we need it 😭🕯️😭.

Edit: I apologize for making this so long I was going to post it like tomorrow but I think it will makes sense if I do it now rather than later.

Also regarding the snapping bit I honestly think it's just because the way he speaks it comes out as harsh which is natural for his character we already know he cares so much about her, he was panicking guys.

#levimika #rivamikacanon #rivamika #levi x mikasa #levikasa #rivamika analysis #theory

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woodchoc-magnum · 3 years ago

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2021 fic year in review 🌟

tagged by @eddie-diass 💖

Total Number Of Completed Works: 27

Total Word Count: 880,787 😅 I uh... really like writing fanfic

Fandoms I’ve Written In: 9-1-1

Looking Back, Did You Write More Fic Than You Thought You Would This Year, Less, Or About What You’d Expected?: Honestly I had big plans to write more but then real life got in the way and spoiled everything, which was... rude.

What’s Your Own Favorite Story Of The Year? I can't pick just one because I'm a biased bitch: alone again tonight with you, the smoke in your eyes and boys of summer

Did You Take Any Writing Risks This Year? I'm not really sure? boys of summer was a totally drama-free, fluffy, smutty fic, which is not my usual thing, but I loved writing it! And I wrote a fic from Maddie's POV which was something new as well (my love has come along).

Do You Have Any Fanfic Or Profic Goals For The New Year? Probably just going to keep writing whatever I want, lol - specifically though I'm working on a post-5a, anti-Taylor fic (well it's kinda anti-Taylor, she's not sympathetic in it at all), I'm also working on the next Songs fic - after that, not sure. I probably want to write another suspense fic at some point.

Most Popular Story Of The Year? Definitely try to love me if you can. It's my most popular story by far - I don't know if anything will ever top it? As at the 21st of December 2021 it's at 54,357 hits and 3,565 comments, and I still get people reading through and commenting on each chapter!

Story Of Mine Most Under-Appreciated By The Universe, In My Opinion: My Maddie fic (my love has come along) but I knew it would flop when I posted it. I just really felt like writing Maddie's POV ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

Most Fun Story To Write: you light my morning sky with burning love and the entire Cooper-arc in the Songs Universe was super fun, I was genuinely having a blast when I was writing his scenes.

Most Unintentionally Telling Story: wherever we're together, that's my home - I've had a fucking tough couple of months.

Biggest Disappointment: I don't know if I should be brutally honest or not? So like... the amount of people I see saying how much they love the Songs Universe, messaging me, talking about it on TikTok/Twitter - like that's great, but... the comments and kudos don't really reflect that? I pretty much entirely go off how people respond to a fic on AO3 as opposed to what happens elsewhere, so yeah... I'm not saying I'm going to end the Songs Universe or anything because I have fucking plans, guys, and I'm not fishing for comments, but it can just be a little confusing for me, I guess? So yeah, if you love it, the best thing you can do for me is to leave me a lovely comment on AO3. Nothing motivates me more than comments.

Biggest Surprise: How the Cooper-arc in the Songs Universe was received - honestly, I never planned it. I wrote him into one of the fics because I wanted Buck to get a little banged up, and I put in a throwaway line about Eddie catching him checking Buck out, and then all the comments were, what the FUCK is up with this Cooper guy? and thus a villain was born 😅

My Favorite Part Of Fandom This Year: It's been a fucking WILD RIDE, you guys. We've had some fun. We've gone nuts together and screamed and wished for Eddie to get shot and then stuck in an elevator, and then we were stuck on Buddie roommates era and then we wanted them to get taken hostage, and they DID, and like... yeah, Seasons 4 and 5 have been fucking wild and fun. Looking forward to more chaos in 2022, y'all!

Tagging @cinematicnomad @zeethebooknerd @chiquititadiaz @tylerhunklin @thisissirius @from-nova @capseycartwright @sevensoulmates and anyone else I've missed 💕

#fic writer asks #2021 fic year in review #my fics

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goofyhoffy · 3 years ago

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CHAPTER 2

Fanfiction : My First Kiss 'just a kiss'

Genre : best friend to enemies to lovers! Roommates au! Classmates au! Romcom.

Pairings : Taehyung × reader

Word limit : 2.06k

Warnings : fuckboi, bestie bad words, private talks, best friend sharing sex life, abusing, angst, misunderstanding, bullying, kissing, smut, fluff, explicit, student life, dirty talks, wet dreams, hitting on, making out, Dom,sub, yandere.

Summary : you shifted to a new city for your best friend Taehyung. He's your bestie since birth. You admitted to his school where you find life difficult. Taehyung being a fuckboi and you being is bestie he shares everything with you even his sex life and moves. But your character is far more different from him. You always looked for your comfort person. You dreamt of spending time with your future partners. Even you're in high school you haven't kissed anyone as you want to secure your first kiss for your special one. What happened when Taehyung seized the chance from you of your first romantic kiss!

Series: a drabble fanfiction of 3 sets.

Author note : this one is so emotional and romantic , so look forward to read it. I hope you'll love it. Finally, after reading give me your help full opinions. Love ya.

Chapter 1 ∆ CHAPTER 3

MASTERLIST

(๑♡⌓♡๑)(๑♡⌓♡๑)(๑♡⌓♡๑)(๑♡⌓♡๑)

You walks up to him and straight up slap him in his golden cheeks.

Slapping your bestie feels so bad, you felt the worst person in this planet. Your anger and frustration towards him still didn't left from your heart.

Taehyung getting slapped with your bare soft hands. He got thrilled. You slapped and left the venue. But eventually you feel someone grabbed your hand so hard. As you expected it's Tae. He was standing with his hand grabbing yours and the other hand holding his delicate cheeks you just slapped. You frowned.

"What was that?" Tae arrogantly asked.

"A slap to remember you that you're nothing but a stranger to me from now." You screamed.

"How dare you?" Tae squeezed your hands.

"How dare you to kiss me?" You eyed.

"Seriously, for a kiss you would slap your bestie" Tae sighed.

"It's My First Kiss" you emotionally acknowledged.

"It's just a kiss". Tae sighed.

"You were my best friend." Your voice broke.

"I still am. Still your best friend." Tae said.

"No, Tae. That's not how things happen. I told you hundreds of time that, I'm not like you. I can't makeout with anyone like you do. I have higher expectations and hope for my First Kiss. But you ruined it." You screamed.

"But you kissed me back." He too screamed.

"I don't, I don't know. It's just happened."

"See, you kissed me back but still reacting like a fucking slut. Don't be emotional virgin,____"

"Shut up, you fuckboy. See yourself. A fucking boy who can sleep with any and every girl across the door. I'm not like you, Taehyung. Maybe your dick fits for everyone but not for me. I never thought that you'll do something like this to me. I was your bestie." You bashed for him.

"What? Think before you speak,____" Tae sighed.

"Why will I? When you never even think about smashing your worst lips on mine? Huh." You said.

"I can't. You're the meanest. Actually your lips taste the worst. You don't even now how to kiss. Huh, how would you even know. You're a emotional Virgin. If I didn't kissed you, nobody in your entire life will do. You should thank me. Poor Virgin." Tae chuckled devilishly.

Hearing those cruel words from Tae. You just broken up. Those tears can't resist to drop themselves from your small pearl eyes. You never thought that your best friend can think that about you. Each and every word he speaks you remember word by word. The known loved face of Tae looked devilish to you now. He was not the same anymore. People change so do he. He turn to devil, who even can hurt their own people. You remember why you even here. It was all because of Tae who needed you. You were always there for your best friend. But he was never there. And he was the one who hurt you the most.

You can't let a word fall out of your mouth. Your neck was feeling pain out of caught your tears back. You don't want to face him anymore. Just want to go away from his gaze. His presence even stinks. He feels like a complete stranger to you. Out of anything you want was someone to tell you what is wrong and right. But your own friend was a traitor.

You still can't processed how things got runied between you. It was only second day of your staying with Tae, and you both already at the verge to broke up. The fight turns into a rival. You never have such a big issue or fight with him. Back in the old days, he always supported, loved and cared about you. But now at the school, he totally treat you like a new nerd girl who's hitting on him. So much things are going on your mind. The presence of your first kiss, the betrayal and the acting a stranger all from your own best friend.

"Huh! Don't fucking cry like a monster. Speak up, my toxic friend." Tae frowned.

His words makes your heart ache more and more. You can't stand to him. You wanted to slap him untill death. He was like a enemy to your eyes.

Without any response you shed off your tears, took a deep breath. Took your books from the library table and left the place.

Taehyung is deeply affected by your presence. He had never seen you like this. He somewhere immaturely annoyed by your response. The slap still leaves a mark on his cheeks. He deep down know that it's all his fault but his ego stops from accepting that. He only knew that you were overreacting and nothing. A kiss never can be compared with a slap. Best friend do this shitty things but the fight turns to Rival. Now, onwards he only know one thing she was his enemy and nothing.

You took your bagpacks from your classroom. And left the school. You stroll down the unknown street. The school, roads, place and your best friend seems stranger. You don't know where to go. For a second you thought of leaving your school from Seoul to go back to Daegu. But you promised Taehyung's mother that you would not leave him in the half way. You decide to stick to him but he wasn't your best friend anymore. But he was, no he still is. Might be you were little too much to response harshly. But he need to apologize to you first. And you were not gonna talk to him anymore.

Taehyung when came to classroom and can't find you anywhere, he got that you skipped the school. He was worried about you, after all you knew no one there. It was completely unknown place to you. But he know his way of finding where are you. He checked your snap location and at his surprise you were already home. He got relieved but still want to realise you that you were wrong to slap him.

You gone home as no other option was left. Did your homework and some self study. And missed your old Tae a bucket. Cried for hours over the same boy. But your strong will power helps you to organise yourself more. Took a fresh shower and done your hair and skin care.

Lying on the bed you were checking your social media. At your surprise you see something that broke your heart again. Tae posted a photo with his school friends and captioned it "far from the toxic friendship. Best day to get to know about real colour of people." You were so annoyed. You deep down know that he posted it for you. Tae intentionally posted to mock you. You were like does he thinks that you were toxic, he want to end friendship so he should tell you early. Such a asshole he was.

You know you have to call him, to tell him that he don't deserve you. That he was wrong to take away your first kiss. You called him and as expected he didn't received. You called him again, he received.

"You asshole." You screamed.

"What? What do you want now?" Tae arrogantly said.

"You fucking don't deserve a bestie like me. Your sarcasm is not a joke. You think you would mock me and I'll ignore it. Huh." You frowned.

"I see... So, how was my post. You like it. I love the caption so much. It's best to ignore toxic people like you." Tae devilishly grinned.

"Just fuck off with your poor fake gang Kim Taehyung. I even don't give a fuck. I hate you." You declined the call.

You screamed across the lungs that you can't with this boy.

Thinking all those think you drifted into sleep. You woke up to some weird noises coming from living room. And it's of screaming some girls. Felt weird that who was gonna scream like a monster at that time. That was barely late evening. As you were moving closer to living room the noises turns to moans. And as expected it was none other than your fake bestie Taehyung.

"What the heck? " You screamed.

"Oh my god. Who's she?" The girl screamed violently.

Taehyung turns to you and let out a deep sigh.

"_____, you're here again. Get off your ass. We're in a moment." Taehyung continued.

"Why in the living room? Don't you have two big bed rooms of your. Don't stain my yellow couches with your c-" you were cut off in the middle by the girl who covered herself with Tae's shirt.

"Shut up. Just go. Babe, we should go to your bed room."

"We can have sex anywhere and everywhere in this house. It's my fucking house,_____. Understood. Now, go." Taehyung rolled his eyes.

"I'm here too. As a roommate, I don't like this. Now go to your bedroom." You sighed.

"You are a bitch,_____. And you know that. You just ruined my mood." Tae frowned

"Babe we can start again, let's make your mood. So, where were we-" the girl said.

"You, please shut up. Take your clothes and fuck off." Taehyung sighed.

"But babe we ca-"

"Get out, slut." Taehyung directed the girl and she wear her clothes finally leaving you two alone.

A deep silence surround you both. None of you were starting a conversation. You were standing at the living room's door and he was sitting at the couch with his hand on the side chin. His dark brown eyes pierced yours. It was like he gonna kill you straight with his staring. You try to hide from his gaze but can not. He got up and grabbed your hands.

"What do you want?" His firm slow voice cut through your ears.

"Huh! I was ... Just asking to be at your bedroom." You stumble.

"Why you slapped me? Is kissing is an offense?"

"For me it is. You have totally changed."

He grabbed your hands and pinned you across the wall leaving enough space to breathe.

"Leave me. You're embrassed of me! Aren't you?" You sighed.

"Embrassed of you? Why?" Tae asked .

"You call me a little nerd in front of your friends. Why? You're treating me like you never knew me. I'm shocked to see such changes. I know I'm not cool like you nor I'm good looking like you. But still you would not talk and even humiliate your best friend in front your school friends. I'm your child hood friend, Taehyung. Mind it." You speak your heart out.

"Are you okay?" Taehyung speaks with his most delicate voice. He never believe that you have think to much just within a day. This was not what he was expecting.

"No, I'm not. I'm here for you but still you are ignoring me. Calling me slut, humiliating me and doing everything a best friend shouldn't do." Tears rolled down from your eyes. You can't anymore hold that back. Your eyes got puffy with tears. Your heart sink because of Tae.

Without any response Taehyung hugged you. Pressed you in his huge warm body. His hands patted your small head and back. But still you were crying.

"Stop crying. You misunderstood me. I'm sorry." Taehyung sighed.

"Please, let me explain you everything. I'm not ignoring you. It's just if I tell everyone that you're my bestie then they would see you as a person like me. I don't want you to be like me. I just wanted that you would make your own image as you wanted in your new school. I want you to be the best in the class and not like me who's always known for having girls around. I... I'm sorry." Taehyung explained.

You hugged him back and even cried more that his shirt got all drenched.

"No. Don't talk to me." You murmured.

"I'm apologizing. I really like you." Taehyung sighed.

A moment of silence between all those words make you stumble. You were still hugged by your best friend who just confronted his feelings to you.

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mesozoic-system · 3 years ago

Text

Bakugou Katsuki is not as bad as he seems.

Okay, fine. That's a lie. Bakugou is a loud and obnoxious asshole with little to no character development and will snap at anyone who breathes on him the wrong way.

Now that that's out of the way, let's move on to why he's like that.

You all know what PTSD is, yeah? If not, it stands for "Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder". It's something that causes panic attacks, unnecessary aggression, trust issues, nightmares, anxiety, depression, and more. People will develop it after a traumatic experience. It takes years of therapy to recover... actually, most people never recover from it.

Fun fact: Katsuki canonically has PTSD. It's confirmed, and you know what? After everything he's been through, it's not much of a surprise. He's been through one tragedy after another and never seems to get a break.

When we first met Bakugou Mitsuki (Katsuki's mother) in chapter #96, we instantly realized how aggressive she was. I mean come on! She talked smack right in front of him and his teachers- in front of All Might who she knew her son was very fond of. Katsuki may be irritable, but to have your own mother backhand you in front of your own role model is a little much.

Later on in chapter #165 during the Provisual License Exams, we get a little more information that only points towards more abuse- and this time it's not so verbal.

Most people paid no real attention nor gave it a second thought in these panels, but remember when Katsuki suggested to use violence against the kids? Of course, you'd look at it and wave it off as "normal Bakugou behavior", but what he says next took me by surprise:

That's right. He was raised that way.

Which means either Mitsuki or Masaru (or both) had struck him in some way multiple times as he was growing up, and I doubt it was Masaru.

"Spoiled" my ass. He might have a strong quirk, but people don't turn into little monsters just by being praised. It'll definely boost his confidence, but not dramatically. This could also explain his aggression toward Midoriya. He realized how helpless he was and had power over someone else for once. But that's just a theory.

Okay, let's fast forward a bit. He's finishing up his third year of Middle School and is preparing for the UA entrance exams. He's pushed away his childhood friend to follow his own dreams and tells him to jump off the roof.

Literally.

And then he walks out the door only to regret it much, much, muuuch later in the series- y'know. The "character development" I was talking about.

Next time we see him though, he gets what he deserves.

One panel he's tramping through an alley with his friends, and the next, he's being swallowed alive by the most perverted-looking slime monster I've ever laid my eyes on.

While Izuku's dreams are being crushed by his own hero, Katsuki is fighting for his life in the middle of town. He's struggling, but all he could do was look back at all the dozens of fearful eyes...

Right there. Right now. Look at him:

He's terrified. He's humiliated and afraid and hurt and despite all of the heroes that were there, none of them had even attempted to save him.

And this is where it really starts. This is where it all begins. Next thing we know, Izuku's running straight for him... The boy Katsuki's bullied almost all of his life is risking his own in order to save him.

You know the story from there; All Might trains Izuku to withhold his power, they get accepted into UA, and then comes the Sports Festival.

Katsuki's already made up his mind: he's gonna win. He's willing to give everything he has to show the country what he's made of, and this may be his only chance to make up for the mishap several months ago. And Monoma, being a professional at making things worse by opening his mouth, rubs salt in the wound.

It was pretty easy to predict Katsuki's reaction: pissed off and more than ready to prove him wrong. He does, but it cost him his "first place" during the Calvary Battle. But that's okay 'cuz it's not over yet!

Welcome to the next and last stage of the festival: The Battle Tournament, where all the kids get to beat the shit out of each other until only one remains.

Turns out, Katsuki does win. It was a foolproof plan: get Todoroki to go all out on him so he can make a final impression before the end of the day. But it was obvious that Shouto was still unsure of himself, so Katsuki did what he did best:

He had to piss him off.

But instead of getting angry and bursting into flames like he had planned, Shouto threw away the battle at the last second, and everything Katsuki had worked for with it.

No shit he's gonna be upset! He worked his ass off to get where he was, and the whole point was to leave himself a footprint! His entire life had been dedicated to that moment, and it faded away right in front of him.

Midnight put him to sleep and he woke up and threw a temper tantrum.

Now this is was UA did wrong:

Why would you do that?! They were all aware of what happened to him only a few months ago, he obviously hasn't properly recovered from it, and they restrain him in front of thousands of people. They cover his mouth and gag him, lock his hands in a tiny metal box and expect him not to go insane. Helloooo?! Wake up! He's just a kid!

Several months go by and now it's time for camp. Katsuki is tired. They all are. It's been a long day of training and training and training, and suddenly villains come out of nowhere, and nobody is prepared. And who shows up? The League of Villains, and they're after certain students...

Tokoyami escapes safely, but Katsuki isn't so lucky.

Just think about that for a second. When we see Shigaraki holding a picture of him, it's the one where UA tied him up. He knows what this child has gone through and he pities him. To be honest, I think the LoV treated him much better than anyone ever has (except maybe Kirishima). They're hesitant, but they treat him with kindness. They didn't just want him for his quirk. They saw what the heroes did to him and wanted to help him get the revenge he deserved.

But when All Might showed up (more like "burst through the wall like the Cool Aid man"), Katsuki is instantly teleported in the strangest way possible... and the most traumatizing.

He chokes out this weird slime-like substance that devours him within seconds. Thankfully it only last that long, but then again, the Sludge Incident, remember?

Yeah, bet that brings back some memories.

But what must have hurt him the most was All Might's downfall and early retirement. He said it himself:

After several chapters, he finally burst. He's been holding all the pain inside of him until it bubbled over and he couldn't take it anymore. So he went to the only person he could- the person he hated and yet trusted the most.

Maybe the Class 1A concert helped him in a way. It seemed like it brought him down and maybe even relaxed him a little. And something incredible happens. Something we haven't seen from him at all until now...

(From here, I'll try to keep it short to avoid as many manga spoilers as I can. That and I'm tired...)

He began to change; started to support Izuku... in his own twisted way, of course. As chapters went by, he started to open up little by little. He admitted what he had done to Izuku in middle school to All Might, which had brought him some peace of mind. It wasn't quite the apology we had hoped for, but I guess it'll do.

And during the war, he made the greatest sacrifice, finally unlocking his quirk's full potential. Despite being unable to move, he used his quirk to throw himself in front of Izuku without thinking, taking a blow to his stomach. To his stomach.

He was impaled.

Holy shit.

Last time someone had been impaled was Nighteye, and he died from his wounds.

But Katsuki somehow managed to survive... And woke up ready to beat Izuku's ass if he didn't wake up.

Anyway, that's all I have to say (so far). However, I'm excited for Season 5 of the anime series! Can't wait to see our new story animated! I mean, I've been watching the episodes as they come out, but still.

-Blightcon

#my hero academia #boku no hero academia #bakugou katsuki #kacchan #midoriya izuku #deku #all might #bakugou mitsuki #bakugou masaru #todoroki shouto #Utsushimi Camie #tokoyami fumikage #the thoughtbox

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