#shes just trying to see how long she can keep lilia thinking she believes that

[wonderlandhour]

Lilia: *chatting about Silver's childhood*

Ash, staring at Silver, realizing several things: oh my god, are you a changling?

*Malleus and Sebek choke on their tea. Silver looks confused*

Lilia, gasping: I'm not a cradle snatcher! That's been outlawed for centuries!

Ash: you Just Said you kid-

Lilia: I was joking! I found him abandoned in a cottage!

Ash: . . . *narrowing her gaze at him in suspicion*

Lilia: I'm not a baby thief! Malleus, tell her!

Malleus: Lilia would not. . . However I did not meet Silver until he was nearly 2 years old.

Ash, slamming her hands on the rable: I KNEW IT!

[agatharkn3ss]

Lilia's premonitions theory (contains spoilers)

Well, my brain has been in overdrive and I love puzzles so... "buckle up!"

If it's too long for you - you can jump straight into the last section titled "How does it all fit"... I really think there could be something there.

OTHER THEORIES

There have been many theories about Lilia's powers and her moments of visions. Some think it's just some loose wiring on most part, some think it's past traumatic events catching up with her, some think they are predictions of the future, some even went as far as suggesting that Lilia (loosely) predicts the last words of the next person who's going to die (based on the fact she said "Get off me!" in ep.2 and we hear Sharon shout "Don't touch me!" in ep.3). But we keep seeing more and more of Lilia's blips in ep.4, they make less sense to any of the above theories, so personally I am not sold on any of them.

There is also a possibility that her premonitions could just be linked to the events that follow - but the words aren't accurate because Lilia can't quite see the "full picture". So her screaming in her shop could be linked to Teen's reaction when Salem Seven attacked in that same episode. Or when she says "Alice, don't", we see Agatha pleading "Don't" with Rio.

BUT then I saw people discussing that maybe these are actually "misplaced" moments in time - from the future AND the past. And that they will make sense if they were said in the correct moment, but somehow got lost and sent to a different time. For example - when Lilia talks about the vampire by the campfire "You know, we really kind of hated each other in the beginning, but now..." then zones out. We could assume she's still talking about the vampire, but this pause could actually be easily filled with "I love you guys!" from the "botox" scene in ep.3, because she was actually touched by their campfire stories. Or when she shouts "Get off me" in ep.2, it could be taken right out of the ep.4 scene where she's burning on the floor, shouting "Get it off me!".

WHAT WE KNOW

All those theories got me mighty intrigued, so of course I made a list of all of Lilia's apparent 'blips' and tried to make sense of it! I believe there are two types of Lilia's visions - one where she has "wrong messages" and one where she exclaims names of tarot cards.

The tarot cards she mentioned so far:

Three of Pentacles - right after she wrote the coven names down

High Priestess - when she meets Jen at Agatha's house

Three of Swords - as Jen is trying to heal Teen

The "blips" are:

shouting and flailing her hands - when Agatha and Teen ask her to join the coven in ep.2

writing the coven names (same scene as above) - this is the only premonition where we see burst of power - the electricity flicker around her, the water boils and it all seems really intense.

shouting "Get off me!" and looking like she was pushing someone away - just before the witches begin summoning the Road

"I love you guys" - when Jen questions Sharon about her poison symptoms in ep.3

"Try to save Agatha" - when she and Agatha are searching for potion ingredients

"Which is it, am I wispy or am i kooky?" - when talking to Alice about her mum during the trial in ep.4

"Alice! Alice don't" - shortly after the one above

Zones out - during the campfire scene when she talks about the vampire scar

We also know that her Air trial will be all about tarot (confirmed by Patti herself) and the promos show Lilia in some sort of princess dress and tiara, Agatha as the green Wicked Witch of the West and Jen looking like the Evil Queen from Snow White but in the old hag form. This makes me think in her trial she will have to confront all those stereotypes about witches that she always said she hated so much. She will likely have to do a tarot reading too. There is also a room with ceiling full of swords that could fall down on them. And finally, in that same room there is a brief shot with her and Salem Seven, flowing mid-air.

One promo also shows one of Salem Seven (Vertigo) opening her mouth to release a swarm of cicadas (her spirit animal).

We know the witches slowly regain their powers once they passed their trial.

There is also this thing about Alice (I will need to make a separate post to explain this) - where my prediction is that in ep.5 she will try to protect the coven by attacking Agatha while she's in her "possessed" form. Unfortunately, Agatha will (willingly or not) completely syphon her powers and Alice will die.

HOW DOES IT ALL FIT?

Well. I think we will potentially get some answers during or after Lilia's trial, once she starts regaining her powers. I think Lilia will try to send a message to the witches in the past, but she will still be struggling with getting the times right.

I could almost see a scene where she sits at her crystal ball or does a tarot reading and talks, not realising that EVERYTHING she says is "sent out" without any filter.

Something like...

.........

Lilia is in a room with other witches, it is a high pressure situation because the Salem Seven are chasing them. Her task is to send the names of the witches to her past self so that Agatha can form her coven - they realised that without the list, they would've never gotten there. Maybe their existence or memory depends on it.

So Lilia starts a tarot reading and begins "tuning in" to her memories, saying the names of the revealed cards out loud - "High Priestess" (she says it in a surprise voice as her vision suddenly flickers to the moment of meeting Jen), "Three of Swords" etc. Maybe one of other witches in the room starts antagonising her kookiness, so that she would just hurry up, because this is not working and Salem Seven are close. So Lilia responds in annoyance "Which is it, am I wispy or am I kooky?!" But then she realises she is standing in front of Alice from the fire trial (in spirit anyway, Lilia is still physically in the scary room). She exclaims in relief "Alice!" and realises this is also her chance to warn Alice so that she doesn't die. She begins saying "Alice, don't try to save Agatha!", but mid way through, her spirit gets transported to the first trial, searching for potion ingredients. So Alice only hears "Alice don't..." and Agatha hears "...try to save Agatha". At some point Lilia is transported to sitting in front of the campfire, reminiscing their stories. This is a fond memory so she starts saying "You know, we really kind of hated each other in the beginning, but now.." and before she can finish, she gets transported back to the "Huge tiny lies" house "...I love you guys".

Maybe at some point Salem Seven break their way into the tarot room and one of them attacks Lilia. She screams "Get off me!" and pushes them away (while her spirit is transported to the moment before they opened the Road). Vertigo releases her cicadas, flying around Lilia's head. She flails her hands and screams, while her spirit is inside her shop where Agatha and Teen just approach her. She realises she's close, focuses all her energy and channels her spirit to write the list of names herself. It takes enormous effort to stay focused on that one moment, hence the energy around her is bursting. She either doesn't have enough time to finish writing Rio's name or feels cheeky and draws a black heart instead. She finishes by revealing and naming the last tarot card: "Three of Pentacles". She completes the task, the End!

....

So..... What does everyone think?!!!!!!

[ennn]

Lilia and Agatha: The Comfort of Fate and Death

I've been pondering Lilia's arc in Episode 7 and what it might say about Agatha's arc and the show's exploration of fate, choices, and death, because they all seem intertwined.

Let's take a walk through my thinky thoughts, shall we?

Fate and Agency

Lilia hid from her power because all she saw was death, and she couldn't stop or change it. She had been chased away for trying to warn others of disaster. And because MCU witches can apparently live a damn long time, all this death and loss and sense of helplessness crippled her.

So she forgot herself, forgot her power. And just like Agatha, Lilia also gave up on having a coven because it didn't work out the first time.

But despite everything, Lilia did still try to make a difference in helping Billy using the sigil. She saw the boy needing help and decided to try.

And she realises she did make a difference. He's standing with her now. Despite running away from it for years, her power enabled her to do something that mattered.

And when confronted with a vision of her own death, Lilia decides not to leave the road but to go to her coven who need her. She embraces her fate (her death) and saves her coven.

It's interesting because it feels like Lilia's destiny coming true but it also feels like Lilia is making her decisions and driving her story. Because we're with Lilia as she goes through this journey.

But is it all ultimately a matter of fate? Can fate be changed or are these points fixed regardless of what we do? Because divination means they can be perceived in advance? I don't think the show will give us any definite answers. And maybe there aren't any.

Maybe it doesn't matter if it's fated or not, but what we decide to do with the information and power that we're given in a moment. I like to go back to that quote from the Angel TV series, because it sums it up so nicely:

If nothing we do matters, all that matters is what we do.

The fate and commonality of Death

It is what we all have in common.

Lilia's story also makes an important point about death: Yes, death can be frightening, and lead to pain and grief and sorrow, but it's part of being alive, part of the common human experience.

Death can tear a person apart but it can also bring people together, if you let it. It can be a comfort.

And every living thing's fate will be death, one way or another. We don’t need divination powers to know what awaits us at the end. But what will you do, knowing this fate? Not just for you but for the ones you love?

This issue is further compounded for these witches, who seem capable of living for centuries or longer. They can experience the pain of deaths across many human lifetimes and they also deal with death more often as a persecuted or misunderstood community.

Lilia tries to escape the pain of death by isolating herself from other witches and hiding away as a hermit. She doesn’t want to see, to keep futilely trying, so she runs from her power.

Agatha, on the other hand, is a creature of ego and hubris. She believes that rules can bend to her power. She refuses death, refutes it. To Agatha, death is a challenge, and perhaps the ultimate mystery – and she’s big ol' nerd who loves a mystery – so she's fascinated by it.

Complicating things is how Agatha ends up falling for Death and vice versa. And in so doing, she gets emboldened about bending the rules. She's not above manipulating Death to keep herself just a bit more safe.

But the end result for Agatha is still isolation, like Lilia, because Agatha removes herself from that common experience.

There's no one to grieve with her, to comfort her, when Nicky dies. Especially if Agatha's first instinct is to hate and blame Rio for not bending the rules for Nicky (especially if Rio did bend them a little for her).

It's actually a similar message to the Death tarot card: Change will happen. Resisting the change, not letting go, will only make the transition more painful.

Agatha clings to control but there's only so much one can control, and it's ultimately harming her. Lilia struggles with this before she is reminded that her role is only to see.

To see and ask her question to the cards, and in so doing remember herself. What she's missing, what she actually wanted to find walking the Road.

For Agatha, I think she has to come to terms with fate being bigger than her, and with having less control than she wants, than is healthy. And in so doing, open herself to a coven she deeply wants.

[rendy-a]

amh if possible could hoy make hdcns for the dorm leaders ( separately ) reacting to their mc fem explaining the marvel universe and then puts them to watch the movies hehe ( ..also mc's fav hero is dead-pool ;) bc it gives me laugh imagine their reactions about this xd) , thanks in advance and take care<33

This certainly ended up being a little bit of a crack fic but it ended up amusing. Hope you enjoy it.

At first, he scoffs as such a time-wasting thing as wanting to watch dozens of movies.  Where is the educational value in this?

He is just too polite to refuse to listen, so he’ll end up letting you describe all your favorite scenes to him.

You are better off if he doesn’t take an interest because, if he does, he is going to turn into the worst sort of comic book geek.  Be ready to have him quote lore from issues of source material at you during any discussion on this from now on.

What do you mean who would win?  In Volume 3 #3, Thor clearly defeated Iron Man.  Don’t get upset Prefect, I don’t write the lore, I just recite it.

Doesn’t appear to be interested but, if you pause long enough, he’ll prompt you to go on.  It’s important to you, so he’ll try to care at least a little.

You’d never tell him this, but you love to banter with him because it reminds you of your favorite character.  Sometimes you wonder if he’d be pleased or offended to know who you remind him of.

Movie marathons?  Not only is he willing to do them with you, but he is also often the one who suggests them.  Don’t be deceived though, it’s not for the movie but for the quality nap time on the couch with you. 

Don’t turn that off, Herbivore, I’m watching it.  What do you mean I don’t know what’s going on?  This is the part where we learn her mom isn’t dead after all.  So quiet down and keep the lights off.

Please, he is in Board Game Club with Idia. You think this is the first time he has hmmm’d himself through a conversation about fictional characters?

Wait, you say that this makes a ton of money?  Tell him more about this merchandising and licensing.  Especially that, what do you call it…ah, Happy Meal.

You can eventually talk him into watching the movies with you for ‘research purposes.’  When you do, you can’t help but notice how teary-eyed he gets at the sad scenes.  He’s just so sensitive!

Deadpool is also his favorite character.  He feels a sort of connection to certain parts of his story.

So, she chooses to stay with him even though he looks like that?  No, I’m not blubbering.  No, I don’t need you to cuddle with me.  Ok, fine.  Just for a little while. 

He doesn’t get it, but he still loves it.  Sure, you have to explain everything to him three times, but he gets excited over your excitement.  Call him any time to talk about your theories on how things would have gone if Thanos had made a different wish on the infinity gauntlet.  He doesn’t mind if it’s 3 AM (just don’t let Jamil find out).

Movie marathons turn into parties.  Why just watch the movies when you can have themed snacks and dress up too?  Hulk smash cakes and Black Widow berry cobbler?  Yes, please.

His favorite part of any film is the soundtrack.  If he hears a song he likes, he gets up to dance along.  It’s pretty disruptive when you are watching the movie but when you see how much fun he is having, you find you don’t really mind after all.

Sorry Prefect, Jamil says we can’t have dance battles in Scarabia anymore.  Ooh!  But come by the Pop Music Club later.  I’m going to play all my favorite songs for Cater and Lilia. Ahaha!

You were worried Vil would dismiss your favorite Marvel films as inferior art, but he is actually rather generous about it.  He believes the film should suit the audience and, as so, there is nothing wrong with films like this that serve to entertain the masses.

Still, he can’t help but be critical of everything while you watch.  He doesn’t criticize the things you’d talk about with your friends but topics you’d hardly even notice while you watched like the set design and lighting.

You notice Vil seems secretly fond of Loki.  You think the idea of the Villain that survives the main movies to get his own spotlight series appeals to him.

No, Potato, I’m just saying the angle isn’t right for this sort of tone.  A shot from below would be more effective.  Plus…wait, are you having more popcorn?  I don’t think so, it’s past the time you can snack before bed.

You had expected Idia to be all in on the Marvel Universe but, at first, he is oddly resistant to it.  He’d rather recommend you one of his own favorite hero movies.  If you disagree on which is better, he is more than willing to fight with you over why his is best!

After a heated argument, he puts on some of the movies to watch so he can come up with targeted points about why his own shows are better.  This does not work out for him as he gets sucked in himself.  Next time you meet up, he wants to go over tiny bits of lore and speculate on future plot lines from hints in the past movies.

You might think his favorite would be Iron Man because they both are innovative engineers, but he is a fan of Ant Man.  Shrinking down to a size where you can hide from everyone; it’s an introvert’s dream!

Prefect, this is serious business!  I’ve drawn up plans.  So long as we sleep only 2 hours a day and avoid taking any breaks for food, studying, and showers, we can finish at least three seasons this weekend.  True fans like us need to be ready to sacrifice for the shows we love!

There are many things Tusnotarou doesn’t understand, and this is one of them.  For starters, he barely knows how to use his smartphone, let alone how to stream movies and shows.  So, before you can even start explaining the plot, you must explain the whole concept of series and interconnecting shows to him.

He doesn’t get it, but he is happy to watch with you.  Your reactions to the show are far more amusing to him than the actual show.  Plus, he feels like he learns so much about the human world from your conversations.  A subway, how intriguing an idea.  Humans are so fascinating.

Even though he watches politely, he isn’t very impressed.  They can fly?  Well so can he.  Magic, lightning, superstrength?  All just part of being a dragon.  Perhaps instead of being interested in these superheroes, you’d rather learn more about him?

 Lilia, do you think I am a superhero?  The Prefect has been explaining this concept to me in great detail lately.  I can’t help but notice the many things I have in common with these so-called heroes.  Why yes, Lilia, now that you mention it, I am wearing a cape.  Another point in my favor. Fu fu fu.    

[hanafubukki]

Rereading the new EN update for Twisted Wonderland as well as the finale section of Lilia's dream made me think about something

"Why does Maleficia keep the Senate around despite her doing stuff behind their backs when it concerns Lilia and her grandson?"

Especially since

1. She snuck Lilia into the castle to help find a way to hatch Malleus

2. Through Malleus the castle sent baby food to Lilia in order to help feed Silver so she definitely knew her grandson was checking on him

3. She was openly on board with Malleus attending NRC despite the school being filled with humans and beastmen and the Senate actively opposed this idea

Now this is my personal theory but I don't really think she likes them that much. It's likely that the Senate consists of ancient and powerful fae that have served the Draconia family for many generations with absolute loyalty and from a political standpoint, it wouldn't make sense to fire them out of the blue. So I think the Senate are more like co-workers she's forced to work with even though she doesn't like them.

Though I do like to think that once Malleus gets home, he's for sure going to have some choice words for the Senate and how they treated Lilia

Hello McDingus 💞🌺����

(Cute new icon btw 💞💞)

I think this is the biggest question of all. Why does Maleficia let the Senate have so much control? Why does she have to go behind the Senate’s back to support/help Malleus and Lilia? Does this have something to do with how their kingdom is run? The system currently in place?

We know Briar Valley is old and runs on customs of the past and change…is not easy. I mean look at it even now. In the story, we know that they have no internet and primarily run on magic.

I wouldn’t put it past the Senate being the main reason why it took the fae and humans so long to make a peace treaty after centuries. Because they don’t like change and are stubborn.

Change cannot happen drastically and honestly can we blame the fae for not wanting to get along with humans?

But change is needed and it was pushed for since Levan’s time. Levan pushed and taught fae the human language. He saw a future where they might get along.

Of course this was all set back because of the war. But then restarted and slowly pushed forward due to Lilia’s and Maleficia’s actions.

In the newest Halloween event in JP, we see how ghosts are treated, and I believe this is also how the Senate are treated as well.

In the event, despite there being good and bad ghosts, the twst characters believe they should be respected on Halloween.

Now I think this is their way of telling us this is how and why the senate are treated the way they are.

As you said, the senate are old and loyal and probably those who have more power collectively than the queen does. In a way, they might just treat Maleficia (and Meleanor as we see in part 6) as these powerful queens and “perfect” figure heads. While they try to run the kingdom in the background to suit their own needs.

It goes to show why the Draconias are royalty doesn’t it? When they have to deal with stubborn fools like them?

But now the question is, when is it enough? When can you step forward and rebel against these ideals and customs? When can a Queen, no a mother and grandmother, stand up against the very beings who’s hurting her family?

A queen whose temper is worse than Malleus. (Well, meleanor and maleficia are worse lol)

Yes, she’s been going behind the Senate’s backs but when will she step up beyond that??

Like personally for me, and this is a bit off topic so not going to talk about it too much, I can look at Maleficia two ways. I can look at her as the queen of briar valley but I can also look at her as a grandmother.

Let me know if you want me to expand on this take, but as someone who…well, understands Malleus and kind of grew up the same way - parents too busy working and being isolated etc.

While the Senate needs to burn in hell, Maleficia is not without blame as Lilia is also not without blame either.

There’s a reason why Malleus is angry at the end of part 6 and rightly so. Considering how he grew up and followed the rules placed before him. Only to learn what he does? He has every right to be angry.

I hope Mallues is the change, the one who will not only help his kingdom in this new age, but the one who will depower/restrict the Senate. I hope that Malleus can express himself and can scold them for how they treated Lilia.

I think we’ll learn more about the potential future of the Senate through this Halloween event, namely by seeing what happens to Skully who has these…very conservative views. 🤔

(Sorry I know I went out of topic a bit there lolol)

[cassiebones]

Character Analysis: Alice Wu Gulliver

Disclaimer: I don't read Marvel comics, so I don't know if Alice is mentioned in the comics and, if so, I don't know her role there. I am only talking about the Alice Wu Gulliver from the MCU (played by Ali Ahn), who is a precious baby who was rightfully protected by her mother, who loved her so much.

Okay, so first up: Alice has mommy issues. They've gotten better, I think, after episode four, but she definitely has a whole new batch of mommy issues, too. I have a pretty contentious relationship with my mother, but I know that she loves me and I love her. Alice, I believe, didn't really know that. She grew up thinking that her mother was "unwell" and that she cared more about her fans than she did about her own daughter, that her obsession with this curse was putting up a wall between them. And maybe it was, in a way.

But Lorna Wu did everything she possible could to ensure her daughter's safety. She probably tried dozens, hundreds, even thousands of protection spells before realizing that if she just had a popular enough song, then the spell might never have to end and her daughter would be protected for as long as possible. And she made that her legacy; protecting her daughter to the very end--and past--of her own life.

The fact that Alice didn't know that is heartbreaking.

And that's nothing to say of the lyrics of the song, which make a lump form in my own throat because all Lorna really wanted Alice to know is that she loves her and she would do anything to protect her, like any good mother should.

Example: "If I can't reach you, let my song teach you, all you need to keep our love alive. If I can't hold you, remember what I told you: it's the only way we survive. We survive!" This part specifically has me fucked up, because it's so filled with affection (holding her daughter? I'm crying) and implication that Lorna spent all her time with Alice trying to convey her love for her and how much she just wants her to be protected. It's very powerful. It's why I have listened to this song no less than 5000x over the last week (also to protect Alice ofc).

Also, Alice, despite having a complicated relationship with her mother, knew how to play every note of that song PERFECTLY on the piano. I bet you anything that her mother taught Alice herself how to play as many instruments as possible when she was little, so that she could play the song herself if need be. It's probably muscle memory for her at this point. This was probably their bonding time. I can see why Alice may have resented it (if I was forced to take part in a hobby by my seemingly neurotic mother, I would definitely be bitter about it), but everything Lorna did was for her. Lorna didn't even care about herself staying safe; all she wanted was for Alice to be protected.

Alice, herself, is also pretty remarkable. She was a cop, I think? So she got through the Academy and training and all that, but probably got canned because of this damn curse. She says that everything she touched turned to shit, so I can only imagine how hard her life must have been. I'm not sure that Lorna left her much else but that song and the tattoo she forced her to get at age 13.

But she's also incredibly kind. She talks to Teen with affection, talks to him like he's her equal, which is not common for a lot of people. She praises him and worries over him. She was the first one at his side in the booth after her curse threw him through that window. She helped dig Sharon's grave. She and Jen share some moments (am I the only one that ships them, btw?) And she and Lilia seem to have a good rapport going, as well.

Alice Wu Gulliver has a lot of baggage from a misunderstood childhood and a pretty shit life, but she's probably the person in that group with the biggest heart. She is very compassionate to all around her and I love that about her.

I really hope she makes it to the end (I hope they all do, but I'm trying not to have too much hope. Marvel has broken my heart before.)

We love Alice Wu Gulliver in this house. May she stay protected forever.

[error-intheraine]

Agatha All Along

Ep 5, Oct 10 2024:

HOLY FUCKING SHIT HOLY SHIT WE WERE RIGHT HE IS WANDAS KID THE SIGIL BEING MESSY TO PROTECT HIS IDENTITY ‘we don’t like to say her name’ AND THEN HES SO MAD THEY JUST WANT POWER AND THEN HE MIND CONTROLS THEM AND THE CROWN GROWS ON HIS HEAD JUST LIKE IN WANDAVISION W/ WANDA AND ALSO ‘a lot happened to me at 13 too’ AGATHA WAS UNDER WANDAS CONTROL FOR 3 YEARS SO BILLY WOULD BE 17 AND HE IS AND WHEN HE WAS 13 THATS WHEN WANDA AND VISION DIED AND WESTVIEW WAS UN MIND CONTROLLED AND I THOUGHT HE DISAPEERED IF HE’S ALIVE IS WANDA ALIVE OR DID HE COME FROM A DIFFERENT MULTIVERSE TO FILL JN A SPOT IDK I THOUGHT HE WAS DEAD IS TOMMY DEAD TOO??? IF TOMMYS THERE WILL THEY BECOME A DUO IS HE GONNA KILL ANYONE ELSE CAISE THE IMLY ONE WHO WAS REALLY NICE TO HIM WAS ALICE W/ THE BROOMS AND ‘you know, I miss the eyeliner, but the hair’s kinda cute’ AND HE WAS THERE FOR HER FLASHBACK AND SHE JUST GOT OVER HER GENERATIONAL CURSE AND IS RECOVERING FROM HER TRAUMA AND THEN SHE TRIED SAVING AGATHA AND AGATHA KILLED HER AND THEN THE END BEING ‘YOU SHOULD SEE ME IN A CROWN’ THAT SLAPPED SO HARD I LITERALLY ALMOST SCREAMED HOLY SUOT AND THE PARALLELS AND VISION IS GETTING HIS OWN SHOW WILL BILLY AND/OR TOMMY BE IN THAT WILL THE FULLY WHITE VIS BE IN THIS AND LIKE PULL BILLY OFF THE EDGE OF DESTRUCTION? IF RIO IS DEATH THEN WILL BILLY FORCE HER TO LEAD HIM THERE TO GET ALICE AND THEN FIND TOMMY VIS AND WANDA WOULD VIS EVEN BE THERE BECAUSE HES AI BUT ALSO HE IS A PERSON AND HE CAN DIE BUT WOULD HE BE IN THE SAME PLACE WILL WE GEG TO SEE MORE OF HIS BOYFRIEND WILL IT BE A WANDAVISION SITUATION WHERE HE’L TRY HIDING IT FROM HIS BF AND WONT WORK OR WILL HIS BF BE LIKE A CAHRCATER (I don’t think so cause gay and marvel) ALSO ‘an agent of Mephisto’ WHO IS FROM THE MARVEL UNIVERSE BASED ON GREEK MYTHS IF NORSE MYTHOLOGY IS REAL THE. GREEK MYTHOLOGY ORPHEUS???

OK LIKE 15 min LATER LOOKED ONLINE YEAH SO BILLY MOGHT NOT BE 616 BILLY SO MAYBE THATS WHY HE CANT TLAK AND LIKE AND THIRTEEN HE GOT TRANSPORTED AND HIS HAIR TURNED BLACK OR SOME SHIT AND ALSO THE REASON HE KEEPS FINDING THE CLUES

A. Already walked the witches road in a different universe/multiverse (not 616)

B. The gatherer of the coven walks the road, he gathered the coven it was never Agatha’s it was his

ALSO WHY WAS AGATHA PROTECTING HIM MAYBE SHE THOUGHT HE WAS HERS UNTIL RIO AND THEN SHE REALISED HE WAS WANDAS AND WAS LIKE OH SHIT THAT MAKES SENSE ALSO DOES TEEN KNOW HIS MOM IS WANDA HOW LONG HAS HE KNOWN WTF I CANT BELIEVE I HAVE TI WAIT ANOTHER FUCKING WEEK ALSO THE FINALE IS DEF COMING OUT ON HALLOWEEN ALSO WHAT IF WANDA IS AT THE END OF THE ROAD AND NOT DEAD J DINT THINK BILLY KNEW HIS MOM CAUSE AGATHA TRIED KILLING HIM AND BIS MOM SO LIKE YEAH

OK MEW THEORY FROM TWT HOMY SHIT WHAG IF THE WHOLE EPISODE WAS A VISION BECAUSE IN EVERY EP LILIA BLURTED OUT A VUSION AND SHE DIDNT THIS TIME PROBABLY BECAUSE WE WERE IN HER VISION ALSO SVERYINE WAS WEIRDLY OOC AND STRAIGHTFORWARD MAYBE IT DIDNT HAPPEN YET AND LIKE MAYBE BEGINNING WAS BUT I THINK GATAHAS TRIAL BEING THE SHORTEST IS DUMB SHE WOULD FAVE SO MUCH MORE AND MAYBE HER WORST FEAR IS HER MOM IDK TRAUMA BUT LIKE WHAT IF IT WAS A VISION THAT WOULD BE FUCKING CRAZY HAHA WHAT IF RIO WAS THE ONLY ONE IN CHARACTER THEY ALL TURNED ON AGATHA SO FAST MAYBE THE VISION CUT OUT FLUFF WHICH IS WHY ITS SO SHORT OR MAYBE TEEN WAS MANIPULATING EVERYONE OR LILIAS VISION OF THE WORST OUTCOME OF THE ROAD ‘save Agatha’ , Alice, don’t’ SO LILIA CAN STOP THEM FROM HAVING ALIVE DIE SAVING AGATHA AND BILLY DOESNT KILL EVERYONE ALSO WHAT IF IT WAS ACTUALLY TEENS TRIAL BECAUSE 80’s SLEEPOVER HES WEARING SAME KIND OF T SHIRT AS HE DID IN WANDAVISION AND WNADVISOON HE WAS AGED UP IN THE 80’s EPISODE AND LIKE THIRTEEN AND MAYBE HEA EVIL AND MANIPULATED EVERYONE INTO THINKING IT WAS AGATHAS FAULT SO THATS WHY BUT HE WIULDNT KILL ALICE MAYBE THAT WASNT PLANNED BUT LIKE THE DOOR ONLY OPENED WHEN HE SAID NICHOLAS SCRATCH FSR WTF

TWT IS MAKING ME CARZY WHAT IF BILLY WAS CONTROLLING IT THE WHOLE TIME SO THATS WHY TRIALS ONLY START WHEN HE DOES SOMETHING AND WHY HE WAS ABLE TO GET AGATHA OUT OF HIS MOMS SPELL AND WHY THE KIGHT AT THE BEGINNING OF THE ROAD WAS BLUE LIEK AAAAAAH AND HES THE FIRTS ONE INTO THE ROAD AND THE DOOR ONLY OPENED WHEN HE RAN DOWN MAYBE THE NEXT EPISODE WILL HAVE A DIFFERENT TITLE

ALSO LIKE BILLY CONTROLLING THEM THE WIO TIME BUT THIS EPISODE THE ONLY PERSON WHO TREATED HIM AS AN EQUAL (Alice) DIED SO HE JUST WENT FUCKING INSANE AND FERAL

[kirarinlovesidols]

Love Interests and some discussions.

Hello y'all, good morning, noon or evening. Today i would like to finally address the elephant in the room that is: character's ages.

So i'll rip off the bandaid and be clear: i'm not changing them, they're remaining canon.

Yall are prolly thinking "But in't mc 500???? isn't that bad? why not age them up!" 

For two reasons.

1: These boys and their behavior is extremely juvenile most of the time, i don't think the first years suddenly being 2 years older should happen without significative changes in their personalities. Yes, i'm aware that 2 years is barely enough time for someone to change much specially teens(I'm turning 21 like next week and i have trouble reminding myself i'm not a minor anymore, that's how little this shit can change if at all). But due to the nature of NRC and the ppl in it these characters would undergo so many things in their lives inside these 2 years that it doesn't feel right to me to make them act the same or even worse speculate on how, for example, older Ace or Epel would act without canonical material for that.

2: Wheter people like it or not NRC is a HighSchool. Yes, yes i know that y'all are probably going "WHY IS IT CALLED COLLEGE THEN". 

*Sigh* Y'know, eve since all we had for this game was the jp website and Malleu's illustration where he's rising from his coffin and nothing else i just had the feeling english speakers would have trouble with the school's name.

You see, college can mean "school" in other countries, not necessarily university.

I know that cause i'm brazillian, we literally have the word "Colégio" which is a synonym for Escola(School). In japanese it's essentially the same and that's a mistake made by JP Disney who didn't consider this when naming NRC.

Japan has many synonyms for school and since college can mean school they didn't think too much about it despite having a very different word for university (Daigaku).

And i'm a firm believer that relationships between some immortal being and a human is always going to end up in some kind of difference and if you're gonna problematize it you're gonna end up not ever watching or reading ANYTHING anymore, specially Lillia stans.

Like? Kamisama Hajimemashita fans? cooked

Inuyasha fans? cooked!

And the list goes on.

Why would i need to feel guilty about it if i'm not writing smut.

Like this a sfw story, these characters are NOT going to fuck.

People need to stop assuming that every relationship in fanfiction is going to end up portraying sex.

The most i'll do is some passing suggestive thought or so cause these are teenage boys, everyone knows how they are and the puritan parade can go cry louder abt it but everyone knows teens, it is what it is.

But that's MY personal take on it on MY story so ofc ppl can and are free to have whatever other views about this topic, as long as we're all respectful, mature and civillized.

Anyway now that that is finally out of the way we shall talk about the love interests.

Romantic Love Interests:

Heartslabyul: 

Riddle Rosehearts

Ace Trappola

Deuce Spade

Savanaclaw:

Leona Kingscholar

Jack Howl

Ruggie Bucchi

Octavinelle:

Azul Ashengrotto

Jade Leech

Floyd Leech

Scarabia:

Kalim Al-Asim

Jamil Viper

Pomefiore:

Epel Felmier

Ignihyde: Idia Shroud

Diasomnia:

Malleus Draconia

Silver

Lilia Vanrouge

Platonic Relationships: (Characters here are to be seen in a sibling or friend light)

Cater Diamond

Trey Clover

Vil Schoenheit

Rook Hunt

Ortho Shroud

Sebek Zigvolt

Also about MC's behavior, yes it's sometimes supposed to be wavy or ooc.

Sometimes she'll do or say things you would think she wouldn't do, it'll be explained why later.

Consider this a form of foreshadowing.

My writing isn't stellar so i do advise to keep the bar y'know kinda low as this is mainly for fun despite trying my best. 

[themonotonysyndrome]

i can’t stop thinking about how castin must’ve felt when he was falling/in love with the baroness. how do you think he felt? or how he tried to express it? like did he watch from afar or try to do little things? i’m imagining him in a room with us, rhett and him came in and we both immediately tried to leave, but rhett told them both to stay, and now he’s just watching us interact with people and he’s just like “damn. i messed up.” or something like that.

i love lovesick castin.

so some headcanons on how he felt/what he did when he was falling or just already in love with the baroness?

i’m imagining him in a room with us, rhett and him came in and we both immediately tried to leave, but rhett told them both to stay, and now he’s just watching us interact with people and he’s just like “damn. i messed up.”

Yoooooo! Anon! You were close to what happened in Castin's Prologue audio! Rhett did try to smooth things out between Castin and the Baroness by making them play a game together, but then Castin messed up near the end by hiding his true feelings and pretending to be all manly Intacian warrior, and that pisses off the Baroness, lol.

But... hmm... perhaps instead of headcanons, lemme try to write a oneshot about Castin slowly falling in love with the Baroness:

-

Rhett, who is at the patio, is watching Castin, who is watching the Baroness from behind a tree, who, in turn, is watching the wild rabbits frolicking about with her entourage.

What a hilarious sight they all make!

With a sigh, Rhett sneaks up behind Castin and whispers, "Brother, this is pathetic. Just go talk to her already."

Castin must be out of it because he nearly screams when he realises Rhett is standing behind him. The warrior quickly crouches down before the Baroness can notice. The King is utterly unimpressed when he immediately pulls Rhett to the ground with him.

"What are you doing here!? I thought you were with the Queen!?" Castin hisses. His cheeks are red, embarrassed at getting caught. At this moment, it feels like the two of them are boys sneaking behind their parents' backs. A pair of impish friends without the weight of the world on their shoulders. It's nice.

"I could say the same for you." Rhet whispers back, deadpan. "You've been stalking the Baroness for days now. It's sad. I'm feeling sad just looking at you. Do something about it before the entire country notices how much you're pining after her."

"P-Pining!? Over her!? Eww! Brother, eww! What's that?"

"By the Goddess, Castin! This is no time for memes. You've never had any trouble sauntering your way into a group of women before, so why now?"

"That's different! She's not fun like them. She's a nerd and you know how pissed off they can get."

"I believe you've already pissed her off the moment the two of you met each other. Now the truth, please."

Castin grumbles and looks away from Rhett in favour of the Baroness. Apparently, one of her friends manages to coax a skittish rabbit to come closer with some veggies. When the Baroness' eyes widen with delight as the bunny hops onto her lap, Castin engraves it into his memories. Rhett nows a lovesick expression when he sees one and 'subtle' has never been in Castin's dictionary.

"She's... she's different. She isn't like other people." Castin finally confesses. "Not you, Not Ma, not Lilia - no one. She keeps to herself even when she's there with her friends, but then there's these little moments that bits of her peeks through, you know? And when she laughs! Look!"

As if the world has scripted it to be, Rhett and Castin watch in amazement as the stoic Baroness laughs when the rabbit kisses her nose. Even her friends stare at her in surprise.

Rhett blinks while Castin lets out a long, heavy sigh. This goes beyond simple crushes; his best friend might truly be in love for the very first time! And if he's too scared to approach her then -

"I have an idea! Leave it to me, Castin. I know of a game that can get her to talk to you."

[dropdeadgorgeos]

Polar express x twisted wonderland

(Btw the polar express is a Christmas movie about kids getting on a train to hear to the north poll on Christmas Eve)

I'm trying to write all of these down. Who does what? Who caused this? Who is that drug dealer on the top of the train? Who knows? Anyway, I'm trying to write all that down. But it's supposed to be housewardens and vice housewardens(including Ruggie and Ortho) being little kids on the train. So it's like everyone as kids? Yeah. Ortho is the youngest. Technically malleus is the oldest. And then Leona. Because Lilia isn't there. You know where he is? He's the person on top of the train ofc! Yes! He is the person making the kids eat that nasty food??? Obviously he cooked it himself. But I made basic ideas for who is who. We have grown up yuu as the dude taking care of the kids. Sam works with hot chocolate. Crowley and Trein drive the train??? And Crewel as Santa. I get it "Shouldn't Crowley be Santa?" If you want a Santa that'll do nothing yeah. Plus Crewel has the big furry coat so- anywaysss

I thought about Riddle being that kids who struggled to believe. Not the one in blue! The one that was younger then most. He seemed to have a bad background and didn't have Santa visit him. So I'd take a guess that riddles mom never let him really celebrate Christmas with presents? "Your to old for this! You should be greatful your smart!" Yeah stfu no one cares. Anyway, we also thought of Leona being the kid in the blue sweater he doesn't believe and he's a bit mean? Seems like it could fit! And Vil gets to be the girl in pink! Because well, she sticks with the boy in the sweater the whole time AND he would be with Leona the whole time(not to mention the girl seemed to really enjoy singing) but other then that. Ruggie and Kalim are probably the kid that went to try and find there presents early then fight over who should get there's first. Jamil tries to keep Kalim out of trouble of course. Hm.... Idia stays with Ortho the whole time. Oh! Azul is that kid that was like "Do you know what train this is?" And then says the really long train name he's just more shy about it. I just realized that Rook and Leona would probably have to get on at the same stop(poor Leona) and who else are we missing? Hm? Malleus you say? Huh... Did we invite him? OBVIOUSLY He is the one being super quiet but he totally spoke to some of them I'm not really sure actually but yeah. Trey probably tries to get Riddle to join everyone but he's that kid that sat in the back the whole time. Ruggie is super happy about the free hot chocolate lol. Ahh, yes! How did a train get underwater you ask? Idfk! Magic? Magic! Everyone probably panicked or was super happy when they went underwater. It's one or the other! Oh! Kalim is always trying to see outside he's probably the one who lost a ticket by playing with it in the wind outside the window. Have you ever done that? Held something outside the window and then it flow out of your hands and then you were sad? Exactly how kalim felt because that was probably Jamil's ticket. But kalim will not lilet that happen! He starts looking around everywhere trying to leave the train to get the ticket! Probably almost fell off a few times but Jamil was there to catch him(same with MC). Vil is probably singing a lot of the songs and full of Christmas spirit I can totally see it! He's just super happy to be there! Awwwwww my heart is so happy to think of that- ANYWAY Rook prob stayed with Vil because he thought he was pretty. And Idia and Ortho always stayed together NO MATTER WHAT! Malleus was there. He didn't have his dad lmao. Ahhh, I'm gonna add more as soon as I can :)

[italoniponic]

Golden Like Daylight | Diasomnia

Synopsis: Malleus couldn’t make it to the party in Scarabia that Kalim invited him and, as usual, Diasomnia falls into quiet sadness and frustrated thunderstorms. He thinks about all his parents taught him and how the world can really be cruel sometimes. But after the most violent storms in the nightfall, there are little glimpses of daylight as well.

platonic diasomnia family / angst with a comfort ending / based on ch10, vol 2 comic anthology ft. my own lore hcs / 1945 words

Notes: Since half of this fic deals with my hcs about the Valley of Thorns in general, I made a separate post that will summarize it so we don’t have long ass author notes~~ Also, it’s based on that chapter from the comic anthology but apart from context, it’s not a need to read it to understand this story Hope you enjoy it!

Golden Like Daylight

Malleus has been alone for much longer than anyone could have imagined. Born into a family of noble blood, all he could remember from early childhood was a lot of people around him, caring and watching over his well-being. His parents always had a glimpse of his special power and told him stories of the glory days of the Valley of Thorns.

But the more time passed, this special and happy atmosphere ended up like wood consumed in the fireplace. Lilia’s presence was one of the few things that truly remained unchanged.

The Lady of Thorns’ gaze grew colder every day. The countenance of the Lord of Thorns, direct son of the Queen, harder than stone. Malleus wanted to believe that they didn’t ever realize how much they left their son aside to deal with the affairs of the kingdom — without rest, just gathering together at dinner. Still, he was almost always aside.

Not that he didn’t understand why. His father worked as second-in-command for the Queen and his wife dealt with diplomatic issues. It was amazing how a place so isolated from the world could have so many problems. 

It was only a hundred years after the Last Great Fairy War and they were just organizing the policies of coexistence with neighboring human villages and trying to maintain the peace between the two fairy valleys in which a lot of blood was shed to achieve.

As a prince, Malleus had everything at his disposal. Toys, books, comfortable clothes, access to quality lessons. But he had only one wish. A simple, even silly wish.

“Go outside?,” his mother repeated his words in a confused tone.

The Lord of Thorns took his eyes up from the treaty papers of the new diplomat of the Valley of Flowers, Florian Braginsky — which he was being forced to read — in order to face his son.

“Malleus, why are you talking about this?,” he asked.

“I wanted to see what the eastern mountain village looks like, it is near here. Lilia could take me there.”

The sound of his former tutor’s name made the Lord’s blood boil. How revolting it was to see the man who taught him everything he knew lower himself and abandon all his ideals, those he used to deeply believe. He was right when he said, that night a hundred years ago, that Lilia had lost more than one wing in the Battle of Dornröschen. 

“I do not see why you should go. There is a cruel and terrible world beyond the mountains that surround our kingdom. Not even among our own can there be anything greater than mere alliance. These fairies should be grateful every day for the good fortune of being in our presence and keep living,” the Lord of Thorns put down the papers on the table.

The hard thud made Malleus cringe a little. His mother took the papers and arranged them better in a perfect pile. 

“Malleus, you know that our species is very rare and therefore, it is not surprising that the other fairies fear us. We don’t want these people to say bad things about or to you. Therefore, above all, you must stay in this castle,” she said to her son, perhaps not as docile as she thought her tone would come out.

The marriage between Mephisto and Tauribeth was, as with Malleus’ grandparents, a way to keep the dragon-fairy species alive. There were really few such families around the valley, the most powerful House managed to rise to the throne — and these were the Draconia, the center of everything being the Queen of Thorns.

Still, Malleus wondered how the most powerful and feared fairies should need to hide from others. Malleus knew about the scars that the human kingdom nearby, now not so numerous, had made in the fairy valleys. His species was one of many clans that still held grudges against them.

However, he wasn’t going to a human village. It was a place inhabited by faeries. Lilia would be next to him, he would be well protected. 

“No more talking about it,” his father cut off before Malleus could try to argue once more.

“Yes, sir my father.”

There was a brief sound of doors opening and, for a moment, Malleus had a glimmer of hope as he saw his grandmother enter the dining room. The air around her was heavy but elegant, full of ceremony and honor. As a queen should be — what the young prince should have become from there many hundreds of years ago.

In general, the Queen of Thorns was a little more compassionate to the wishes of her grandson than his parents might like. However, this didn’t mean that she didn’t share the opinion and hesitation of keeping him inside the castle rather than showing the kingdom beyond the heavy wooden doors.

‘Well, well, well,” she said as she sat down on the other side of the table, in a large, thorn-adorned chair just like the one her son was sitting in.

The Queen looked tired and perhaps a little frustrated that Lilia was planning yet another future trip abroad — a distant and sandy land, something alike — in yet another of his usual “whims”.

“What were we talking about?,” the Queen of Thorns asked.

“Nothing, madam my mother,” the Lord said, giving his son a sideways glance to remain silent.

  But Malleus had already given up hope of mentioning the village he wanted to visit again. 

Over the centuries, he began to wonder at certain times if his parents were not right. Well, they were no longer there with him to face him and silently state how obvious it was. That realization was a sad thought two hundred years ago, not so much nowadays. It was neither time nor age that mattered in the present to Malleus.

The day before, he had been invited by Kalim to a party. 

And it folded as it would usually happen: Malleus missed the event due to a mysterious circumstance. Sometimes he didn’t really notice the time, other times others forgot about him. 

At the time, Cater forgot to tell him that Kalim’s banquet night had been rescheduled at last minute to that same night. Since Lilia had orchestrated for Malleus to participate in his place, he also couldn’t have known about this sudden change. 

In order to help Malleus make friends on his own, things got complicated. As per usual.

Because of this, strong thunder crackled through the skies in Diasomnia and a torrential rain fell on the outskirts of the castle, becoming a misfortune for any student who was outside the dormitory at that moment.

Lilia would like to say that the situation wasn’t so bad because Malleus distributed all the treats and souvenirs he bought in Sam’s store to the students, but his aura didn’t change at any time. Each gift was delivered as if they were objects rescued from a disaster or belongings of deceased soldiers being returned to their families.

It was undeniable that Malleus had a special sense for gifts of the highest quality — of this no one dared to complain. Sebek’s voice competed with the storm outside in all his praise of his generous veteran and sovereign prince.

But Malleus was still in his worst “Nihilleus” form. 

Nothing made sense, everything was worthless. That was what his eyes of emerald flames said, burning low. How many times had he been through these situations? How many more would you have to overcome before fate is satisfied with his humiliations?

The world always abandoned Malleus, and he no longer strove to try to hold its sands in his hands. In his thin, light marble fingers there was only loneliness. The nothing. His grandmother sometimes held those same hands and repeated the words of their family.

A Draconia can only trust a Draconia. A fae can only owe to a fae. 

He was alone in that vast world that pushed him away with fear and distrust. Just like his father said they would. Malleus sighed, asleep in his own thoughts as he sat on the sofa in the Diasomnia lounge. The place made him feel at home — but sometimes, that was exactly the problem.

His parents were right. He would never leave the confines of the royal castle. He should not, that was his world. The only place where he would be safe and well received. Still, none of this comforted him. Not only would he be completely ignorant of the human world and the other fairies around him, he would be alone.

Always alone, as if trapped in a long night of eternal sleep. For eternity, eyes closed. The rest of his semi-immortal days would be a mere drop in the greatest of oceans. Would he ever die? Impossible. Few things can hurt faes, especially dragon-fairies. 

Sitting on his throne of thorns, nothing could reach him. Not even death. Much less life.

“Malleus-sama? Could you teach me more about this gargoyle?” 

Malleus awoke from his deep thoughts as if awakened by a kiss of the dawn. Soft morning rays passed gently across his face to bring him out of that dreaded darkness. Thus, Malleus faced Silver who was holding a miniature gargoyle in his hands. 

Ever since Lilia had brought that little human into their life, Malleus had wondered what his parents — mainly his father — would think of Silver if they could have had the chance to meet him. 

Silver with his crystalline eyes, lilac as the most delicate wildflower. Dedication to the prince of his people — because he was raised among thorns — in every action. A human he could trust.

Malleus knew Silver had pity for him, but there was something in his mercy that didn't make him feel completely ashamed. He then noticed how Sebek continued to praise him, his words worthy of the best books in the Royal Thorns Library. Nearby, Lilia gorged himself on sweets.

A small smile appeared on Malleus’ face almost at the same moment when the rain outside slowed down.

“Well, Silver, this one is a pretty simple model, but…”

Malleus always felt good about talking about gargoyles, maybe that was the benefit Silver had in mind. He remained silent and paid attention to Malleus’ words as much as he could — at least, to understand part of the matter. Soon after, Sebek joined Silver’s side as an avid spectator.

“Um, it reminds me that I had saved some cookies that I made last night,” Lilia suddenly commented. “Let's rock this party, boys!”

The young fellows suddenly jumped off the couch to go after the old fae, trying to convince him that he didn’t need to do this — and “the wise words of the Young Master about gargoyles will feed our hearts enough!!”, as Sebek said.

Watching them closely, Malleus let out a soft laugh. He was incredibly grateful for the company and patience of those three.

They were golden like daylight. 

The thin rays of sunshine that appeared after the gray clouds of rain stopped its dreadful crying, slowly making it into a new time to step outside. Of course it wouldn’t be enough forever. Malleus needed to learn more about the world around him, make new friendships and understand the purpose of his own existence.

But sometimes all he needed was his family. Maybe not exactly his grandmother or his parents. Just Lilia and his awful cooking skills and jokes. Just Sebek being this tall, endearing and energetic child. And just Silver being like the morning dawn, sleepy but gently welcoming to view. 

Not his servants or soldiers but his friends. Malleus’ friends. Precious lives he loved with all his heart.

Special notes: yes, this is a tiny little reference to “Daylight” by Taylor Swift. It was meant to be a Silver fic, then turned out to be more suited for Malleus, then it just got too deep… And I’m planning on doing a little omake about Lilia’s cookies. I just thought that randomly inserting some comedy would break the flow here (and it would be too long lol), so I’ll let it for another time. But thanks for reading 🩷

[the-meow-arts]

The Sister - Lion with dragons

Gonna do double post as I'm in a roll, still need some figuring out how all this played out, if y'all wanna get tagged to the next chapter and help out with idea would be appreciated

I thank @genodesu to help me out of the making of the first chapter and how all of it brings together with their opinion and talk how things flow, and the potential of the second chapter

" I still don't understand how you manage to pull it off father "

Silver said as he getting ready to go back to NRC the week before the first day for the first years, as he looked at his bags if they are ready to go

As the fae father smiled as he watched his adopted son getting ready to leave then turns his head to his adopted daughter who admiring the ceremonial clothes that have been sent to the house

" well I have my ways to get things Silver, now did you remember to pack your toothbrush? "

Young he may look but he is still a father nothing less to him and (yn), as the fae floats to look over their shoulder

" yes, I have all the necessary items "

(yn) giggled as she looks at Silver as a teasing older sibling would

" you sure Silver? Because I remember you sent me a letter to home that your forgotten some items at home "

Silver rolled his eyes at her and grab his things to head to the mirror that travels to the dorm, as appon leaving he looked back at the sunset color haired lionesses to give some advice when the day got her to ride the black carriage that will pick her and Sebek up for the ceremony

" sister, remember that to not panic if you feel the coffin shake, it's normal for it to do that and try not to go into a deep sleep as I did "

" noted, see you in a week Silver, say hello to Lord Malleus for me when you arrive there "

He nods and leaves, leaving only Lilia and (yn) being the only one in the room, giving the old fae time to talk to her and asked some questions if she remembers anything yet and if she is alright giving in to his fatherly instinct that he adopted years ago as he did raised few humans centuries ago due to his long living and him being a care giver

He only show this in private

" (yn) are you sure you alright? Have you written anything down about anything of your old memories? "

" for now not as of much I'm afraid, other then finding out about my unique magic few years before Silver entered NRC so far most is just a blur "

The old fae nods slowly and pat her head to play with her hair as it's an unusual color, even with people with natural color hair it's not often you seem one with mix naturally, so far the ones he knows of is that king of the sunset savannah and few others but none have the kind that looks like a setting sun

" uhm, Lilia? What are you doing? "

" oh nothing dear just seeing that your hair have gotten longer again, do you want me to cut it short again? "

He smiled as that just to cover up his strange train of thought, since the lioness haven't noticed any of it as she just smiled to his offer and said yes to have their hair cut as long as sertain section of the hair is left alone so she can braid it

Something that both she and he know it might be connected to her past, as he gets the secors ready to trim her hair in a bit over the jaw length but still keeps it to fit of her face frame as femaneit as he could

As he cut her hair they both talked and one is him giving her advice as well once she arrives to the school

" then what happens if I be section to a different dorm? "

" not to worry I believe they can transfer you as long as we have the headmaster permission if you want "

" still being the only female in a all boys school is kinda strange don't you think "

" first time for everything~ can't kill a man if they try, maybe this will open doors for all the other females who wanted to join to this school "

He kinda dose have a point there

As week passed by quickly as both Sebek and (yn) all dressed in their roabes

" You ready Sebek? "

She smiled at him as his family waved a farewell at him as he nods at her question

" Yes my lady, and as a knight I ensure to escort you safely to the school ceremony! "

" relax Sebek besides we are going there together "

The black carriage arrive and the coffins open for them to lay inside of it's soft velvet plush

As they both enter the coffin lid close and it's time to go

Silver wasn't kidding when there be an occasional bump and shakes around the coffin, and still in her mind how in the world he able to sleep all this, deciding in her better judgement as sh went in a deep sleep she wasn't aware of a small stowaway managed to sneek in to her coffin

When some time have passed she slowly woken up of the sound of scratching at her feet and looked down to see a strange looking cat

" what? What are you a raccoon? "

The cat thing looks up at her and spoke

" I'm no raccoon! I'm the great Grim and I'll be the greatest mage there is! It's my destiny! "

When the coffin opens as it seem it supposed to be her turn to the introduction Grim ran out and in the matter of seconds chaos erupts as blue flame spew around, students running for cover or trying to get the fire out, even herself try to take cover seeing that the headmaster trying to grab the small beast with some what appears to be other teachers she decided to help capture them; noticing that the hood of the roabes can be unlatch she too it off and grab it from behind and put it in a cat purrito

Some students gasp seeing a girl in a all boys school, but one is different reaction, it's a reaction of mix emotions that hits him like a tital waves as his tall figure gets up from his sitting position and ignoring the people around him as he slowly approach the figure

In his mind he couldn't believe who it is infront of him, as there no other lions have that sunset hair

" (y-yn)? "

He said quietly

She didn't hear him let alone nobody noticed that he's up there as they are busy putting out the fire, as things settle and her turning around there is no mistake of his seeing his sister who he oh so loved dearly as his legs just ran twords her and his arms hugging her

Everyone in the room are in shock wondering why the dorm leader of Savanaclaw hugging someone

" W-what are you doing!? "

" Unhand her this instance! "

Sebek yells as he grab the taller lion off of his sister figure, who turn around and see who this other guy is

When they both eyes meet, his green eyes meet her (eyecolor), something in her mind starts to hurt as she drop the cat thing and hold her head in pain, as it caught Lilia to get up as seeing that she can't handle the situation and noticed she in pain as she cries out when her body hit the ground

" What did you do to my daughter Kingscholar!? "

The old fae yells in anger and he made his way down to check on her, but his reaction froze of supprise when they yells

" Because she is my sister!! "

The whole room are in a standstill that the tention went high, as the headmaster Crowley yells that the ceremony have to end temporarily and resume later due to the chaos of the day

Lilia and Silver used the situation to take the young woman to the infirmary while Sebek keeps guard incase the Lion beastmen decides to follow them; to their relief that he didn't, but he sees that their facile exspretion seem to be of longing and of something that they have s en a ghost, a ghost of the past that seem to not go away from them that have a guilty grip that is only visible to only to them

Once reached to the infirmary, the oldest fae acts as a father since there only him and the two boys he raised and trained under his wing

Looking worry as he touched his daughter head and rubs it in hopes it'll help what pain she is getting after all that from the ceremony

As some minutes past one of them finally spoken up, and that is Silver as he is worry about his elder sister

" father, please tell me what just have happened back in the ceremony amongst the chaos? "

Lilia look at Silver and sigh as he pinch the bridge of his nose before looking up

" I think your sister memories are returning painfully after meeting the Kingscholar, but I can't confirm if she is of his kin "

As the three talked the lioness is in this dream like state that they are looking at something, like a strange memory lane that some parts are blurry and what words came is bearly recognisable but some are clear

" sister are you returning back soon? "

There it is, that little boy looking up at her and his face a almost clear and what is clear is that green eyes of his looking up at her in worry as her memory self pat his dark hair gently

" of course ---- I'll be back and we'll play chess together "

Seeing the child smiled at that before giving a hug as the cub say they promised to their return

But what is that they promised to return from where is all they asked as the memory plays out

Somewhere else as the dorm of Savanaclaw, the dorm leader Leona Kingscholar took out a hidden box that is contained of a treasure that he keeps closed to him ever since he was a child

Opening it with slight hesitation he looked at pairs of old earings that his elder sister made for him, beautifully decorated jade river stone that is hold on top of silver and gold with a small magic stone in the middle that is made to keep him protected from the people who scored and looked down the two of them

He still remembers how his sister try to keep him in the dark when it comes to attempt of their live, as her unique magic is true to healing but he did s e a glimpse how dangerous it is as he learns that every living things have water, and water she control as if it some kind of puppet to her when being used

He knows that (yn) means well but she can be protective over the people she cares, and he's one of them

Keep looking at this small peace of jewelry made his head hurts a little, even with a memory of how the guards who sent to look for her came back with her bloody cape and one bloody ear jewelry that she always word back to them, how his mother cries in anguish when holding the article of fabric, how even his older brother lost his temper on the guard appon hearing that they can't find her body but the dead bodies of her guards who seemingly died with her of the royal duties when meeting the merchants

Giving a deep audible breathe he closed the box and lay on his bed, he have questions that would be asked later

[house-of-laminations]

Okay so how about a fae!mc - one like the traditional stories of fae. Inhuman in their behavior, a trickster and petty but capable of being kind. At least by the standards of fae. They knew they were fae well before coming to Devildom. It's so funny, really, that Lucifer or Diavolo screwed up in summoning them. Well, it's not as if they ever asked MC if they were a human. You know how assumptions are.

The cultural differences between fae and demons. What would be considered courting by human or demon standards don't translate all that well to the fae. Even between the fae courts there are differences. In many stories fae are quick to charm or kidnap mortals that gain their attention - romantic or not. Giving gifts can be dangerous with the fae - it can imply a debt to them. They also tend to hate promises being broken.

Even more with fae!mc not being related to Lilith at all. It would be interesting with a fae!mc old enough to have met Lilith's human incarnation. Whatever Lilith did, caught fae!mc's attention. Perhaps (un)luckily child!Lilith was raised by fae!mc, whether this means she was found or stolen probably makes no difference to the fae.

Lilith may, or may not have children in this universe but she did live a happy life and was loved as only a fae could.

All these centuries later brings fae!mc to devildom and they are so very curious about this place. They do well in their classes, though never in the way a demon would. Faery magic is old, and wild and hates to be contained or controlled much like the fae themselves.

Maybe the instructors and demons simply write it off as a human thing they don't understand. Maybe they don't even think to ask Solomon about it as the brothers outside of Asmo don't trust him.

Fae!mc doesn't fall for Belphie's lies. They still help him escape, whether it's because he'll owe them (and they do make him promise to repay this debt) or they wish to see how this will play out. It'll be such a wonderful drama to watch unfold. They make the pacts with the brothers, not because they need them to undo the seal, but what faery would resist having someone indebt to them?

The magic sealing Belphie away could be something the fae!mc has seen before. The fae are much like demons - eldritch creatures though more tied with wild and ancient magic than with sin. They know how to break it, how to bend the magic, though demonic in origin, to their will. Perhaps because the seal was intended to keep demons and maybe humans at bay but Lucifer never counted on mc being non-human.

When Belphie tries to kill fae!mc as he still believes them to be human is when the fae's glamour finally falls. Fae!mc is so very angry that he's tried to kill them - not because of him actually trying, but because it's so very rude to try and take the life of someone that just helped you. Belphie has terrible manners by faery standards. In the aftermath both are probably injured but no one is dead. Faeries are particularly difficult to kill without the right weapons or tools.

Though Diavolo and Barbatos still look into fae!mc's past and realize how long they've actually lived. That they knew Lilith, and cared for her in their own fae-ish way. So the brother's still learn that Lilith lived (as a human) and had a happy life. Though there's also the realization that they have threatened, and attempted to kill, a fae that had been dear to their sister. Even they know that the fae folk are petty and grudges run deep.

Belphie and Beel (as well as the other brothers) trying to mend their relationship with fae!mc. Both because of how they love the faery but also because they could share stories about Lilith's life.

This was such a brain rot and it was completely thought of because I went what if mc was a fae? What if fae!mc had a relationship with Lilith that was similar to the one Lilia has with Silver from Twisted Wonderland?

I imagine fae!mc when not glamoured to look human could possibly have an appearance not unlike Malleus or Dire Crowley. Or the fairies/fair folk of the Ancient Magus Bride.

I am here to encourage that brain rot my dear anon 💛

Fae MC is such an interesting concept because they're not that different to how demons operate: they work in favours and deals, trying to tempt or trick unsuspecting people away from their lives for eternity. Demons deal in souls, and fae deal in memories, in names, in emotions, in loves - and really, aren't they the same?

It's very possible that fae MC could be a kind of changeling - appearing human but under the skin they're really not. Diavolo's searching spell for the right human selected them because for all intents and purposes they lived a large majority of their life thinking they were human. Maybe being pulled into the Devildom is what 'woke' them up.

They're so roundabout in the way they talk that it frustrates some of the brothers because why can't they just speak plainly? Of course they can keep up but it's exhausting, and sometimes they part with MC having made promises that they don't remember bringing up in the first place. In combination with the pacts, the brothers are in for a chaotic time.

I love how you describe fae as eldritch because you're so right. They're unknowable and eternal but instead of the lens of the cosmos, they exist in and through nature. They're a representation of the chaos that somehow works to bind reality together, and in that they exist in the cracks. And so an Eldritch demon comes face to face with an eldritch Fae and they're such diametric opposites and yet can understand each other.

[sabraeal]

Consider: Obi is green-red color blind

A Color by Any Other Name

Written for @aeroplaneblues for a surprise birthday gift! Many months ago she mentioned wanted to see a colorblind Obi, and I said, WELL WHAT A GOOD EXCUSE TO WRITE THIS PROMPT JOANNA GAVE ME. I hope your birthday is a good one, filled with a lot more nice surprises!

“Are you ever going to introduce me to your guard friends?” Suzu asks around a mouthful of dumpling. “Or are you embarrassed?”

To say Obi is unprepared, would be an understatement; there’s a pork bun lodged between his teeth, his gloves not only coated in pig grease but also far less effective against steam than he’d thought they’d be back when he’d just grabbed a plump little blob off the stall. He’d laughed off Suzu’s concerns about protective equipment; after all, if smiths use leather gloves, they’ve got to be just as good as an oven mitt.

They aren’t. Not to mention the roof of his mouth starting to have a real good think about peeling off and having a vacation. Maybe even with someone who doesn’t eat entire dumplings straight from the basket.

“Wha?” he manages eloquently, nearly drooling spicy meat drippings onto the street.

“I know I’m not cool like they are,” Suzu continues, warming to his new thesis. If his sudden flush of confidence is any measure, he’s spent more of time composing his arguments for this than Obi’s ever seen him work on his actual defense. “And I’m no good with a sword. Or fists. Or really any implement that isn’t a scalpel, and any opponent that isn’t already anesthetized. But I am very smart.”

There’s a thoughtful pause before Suzu adds, “Some people do enjoy that, you know.”

What Obi knows is that this kid tried this conversation on for size in front of Yuzuri, and she didn’t even bother to warn him as a courtesy. See if he buys her any more meat-on-sticks when she’s ‘left her purse in the lab’ now.

“That’s not--” he takes a hurried minute to swallow-- “not what’s happening. I didn’t...”

Even know you knew I didn’t work for the pharmacy. His teeth clamp shut around that winner, and its friend, I didn’t think you lot would want to hang out with a bunch of men without degrees. Not only would that encourage Suzu to make a scene right here, right now, but if it got back to Jirou-- well, if he thought Suzu could turn any day into a disaster, the lieutenant would make that seem like a vacation.

“I didn’t think you wanted to,” he settles on instead. Similar enough in feel, if...creatively edited. “You scholar types tend to flock together.”

“Well, sure,” Suzu murmurs, stymied, “but we’re friends too, aren’t we? If all my friends are your friends, then all your friends should be my friends.”

Only an academic could talk about arithmetic with that amount of confidence, especially the kind that involved transitive properties and letters, and all sorts of things that made Obi’s head spin.

“Well,” he hums, one boot scratching his calf. “You would know.”

Suzu whirls on him, staring down his long fox-snout of a nose. “You mean it? You’ll really...?”

“Sure. If that’s what you want.” He twitches his shoulders, more casual than he feels. “It’s fine if it’s you.”

There’s always been a lazy lilt to Suzu’s eyes, but it disappears now, all the sleepiness gone to surprise. “Me? You wouldn’t want to bring anyone else?”

“Well, definitely not Kazaha.” The glares he’d get bringing that twiggy pedant into the guardhouse might be enough to drop him dead on the spot. “And Yuzuri would be too popular.”

Suzu grimaces. “The number of admirers she’d get from a wink alone...she’d be unlivable.”

He can see it now, her ponytail bobbing with a buoyant glee, giggling through every painstaking penned line from her fan club-- “Think of all the bad poetry.”

“Honestly, that might make it worth it. At least I’ll feel better about not knowing the difference between a quartet and a quatrain.” Suzu takes a thoughtful bite of him bun. “And you couldn’t bring Shirayuki, of course.”

“Right.” Not a one of them could be trusted to keep their lips sealed; she’d hardly have to take a breath and someone would call her Obi’s lady, or ask how they met, or whether she’s still Mistress behind closed doors--

But Suzu wouldn’t know any of that. “Wait, why?”

“Well...” He has the grace to look chagrined about it, whatever it is. “You know. Her hair...?”

“Oh.” Obi shrugs. “Sure, I guess.”

“You guess?” Suzu stares. “Shirayuki has a non-zero amount of stories about being kidnapped for looking like a candied apple, and you guess there might be a fuss about bringing her ‘round to the guardhouse?”

“Well, none of you acted weird about it,” he snips, hiding his annoyance behind a bite of dumpling. “There’s no reason they will.”

“Of course no one at Lilias acted weird, Obi!” he squawks, arms flailing as he talks. “You couldn’t pay them to look at anything but their own project. But when a bunch of normal men with eyes and, uh, other working appendages see a cute girl with red hair and a soft voice, they’re gonna go crazy!”

His palm hooks around his shoulder, thumb digging into the hard knot at his collarbone. “Aw, come on. It’s not that special.”

“Not that--?” Suzu whips around, eyes round as dumplings. “Obi, she’s the only person I’ve ever seen with red hair.”

“You don’t get out much,” Obi deadpans. “No offense.”

“That’s not--” Suzu grunts, throwing up his hands-- “She’s the only person anyone’s ever seen with red hair!”

“Her dad’s is kind of red.” That observation wins him an unimpressed look, one that says you’re missing the point. “And Yuzuri had blue hair when I met her. That’s way more interesting--”

“It was dyed!” Suzu wobbles over to a wall, sitting with his head in his hands. “Shirayuki has a hair color so rare that the birth records in Clarines haven’t noted it in more than fifty years! And you think Yuzuri dying her hair with woad is more impressive.”

“Well, even her natural color is brighter than Miss’s. Not--” he waves a hand between them, quelling-- “that Miss’s hair isn’t nice enough. But I’d think that people would pay more attention to that.”

“...Brighter?” Suzu murmurs after a long moment, stilted. “Obi, could you tell me what color that sign is, right over there?”

“The one for the tea shop?” He wrinkles his nose. “Why--?”

“Just...indulge me for a moment.”

“All right.” He squints up at the moon cresting over a wolf’s head. “Blue.”

“Right, and, um, that coat over there.”

“Yellow.”

“Right.” Suzu’s voice is tight, stressed. “And what I’m wearing?”

Obi squints. This one’s a little harder, but he’s confident when he says, “Green.”

“Ah, right.” Suzu stands, a unsteady on his feet. “That would explain that, then.”

Obi blinks. “Explain what?”

“Obi,” Suzu begins, with all the gravitas of both a grim prognosis and a terrible joke. “You can’t see colors.”

*

It’s not the first time Obi’s played hound to his prey’s fox, but there’s something distinctly unsettling about it being Suzu that leaves him lagging behind, unsure of himself. Especially with the way he scurries through the concourse, bounding toward the mess hall with this idea caught between his teeth like chicken feathers.

“I can see colors just fine,” Obi informs him with far less confidence than he’d like. “Some of them are just hard to tell apart. Weren’t you and Yuzuri arguing yesterday about whether salmon is orange or pink?”

Suzu waves a hand at him, dismissive. “That’s different. Salmon’s both orange and pink, and what color it looks most like has to do with the composition of your eye-- and it’s pink by the way, with orange undertones--”

Between the two of them, Obi knows who he’d trust to know their colors. “Uh-huh.”

“You can’t make out red and green, which is different entirely, and--” the doors to the mess burst open beneath his hands, a noise lost in the din of a hundred scholars trying to share the same table-- “YOU GUYS WON’T BELIEVE WHAT I JUST FOUND.”

The whole of Shidan’s lab-- minus the man himself-- have taken up right by the door, bags and coats piled to save them their places on the bench. Suzu makes short work of the pile on his seat, haphazardly shoving them to the floor as he sits.

Kazaha peers at him and ventures mildly, “A new way to avoid finishing your thesis?”

“No,” Suzu hums between his grit teeth, “but I have found out--”

“I don’t think we need to do this,” Obi murmurs, handing Miss her muffler. “It’s not--”

“Obi,” he intones with far more gravitas than his name has ever strictly deserved, “can’t see colors.”

“Not at all?” Kazaha turns those sharp eyes to him, like he’s a specimen under glass. “Just black and white?”

“I can see just fine,” Obi huffs, tossing Yuzuri her coat before he slides onto the bench, knee knocking into Miss’s in a way that puts his heart through its paces. “Suzu is just making a mountain out of a molehill.”

“Is that so?” he hums with a grin. “Then what color is Shirayuki’s hair?”

He stifles a sigh. It’s best to put all this to bed now, before he’s stuck playing what’s this color for the next two years. “Red.”

“What’s the point of this?” Yuzuri yawns, already bored. Obi shoots her a grateful look, glad that at least one of them isn’t going to play Suzu’s game.

It’s too bad he’s already puffed up with unearned confidence, like an evolutionist at a botany lecture. “And what’s the color of Ryuu’s cloak?”

He knows it by heart-- how could he not, when the two most important people in this city wear matching ones-- but still Obi glances up, anticipating a trick. Ryuu stares back, confused and guileless. “Blue.”

“Great, good.” Suzu’s grin stretches from ear to ear. “Now what color is your scarf?”

Obi’s fingers knot in the fabric, the weft tickling the pads of his fingers. “Well, it’s...sort of reddish, isn’t it?”

This is the wrong answer.

“It makes so much sense,” Yuzuri murmurs in wonder. “You really don’t know how ugly Suzu’s outfits are. That’s why you still hang out with him.”

“Hey!” Suzu pouts. “That’s not very nice.”

“No, that has nothing to do with color, it’s the cut.” Anxiety spikes through him. “But wait, it is red isn’t it? My scarf?”

“No,” Miss murmurs at his side, cheeks flushes. “Obi, it’s...it’s green.”

He stares down at it, trying to imagine what that might look like. “Green.”

“It looks very nice on you!” Her small fingers wrapping in the fur at his elbow. “It’s your color, really.”

“Oh, sure,” he murmurs, faint. “I guess it matches my eyes.”

“Hey, what do you mean ‘it has nothing to do with the color?’“ Suzu’s hands fly to his hips, brows drawn tight over the long line of his nose. “My clothes are just fine.”

“They aren’t.” Obi leans in next to him, grin feeling thinner than it should. “But I hang out with you anyway, which means you know we’re really friends.”

Kazaha rubs at his chin, where his ode to Shidan’s goatee is failing to thrive. “You know what this also explains?”

Obi blinks. “What?”

“All the black.”

It’s not Kazaha that says it, oh no. That would be too merciful for a mortifying moment out of his life. Instead it’s low and feminine, and when Miss Kiki leans out from the other side of Miss, it’s like a siren emerging from the depths, teeth bared to tear a man to shreds. “What an interesting thing I’ve learned today.”

“Miss Kiki! How--?” He gulps. “Why--?”

“I came to deliver a message from Wirant,” she drawls, too pleased. “And it seems I’ve earned myself a fine tip.”

“No,” he breathes. “You can’t-- you’re not going to tell Master, are you? Or Sir?”

“Oh,” she hums, looking particularly hungry for manflesh. “I certainly will.”

*

“Oh, there there.” Miss pats his back, the sensation lost among the dozen layers of clothing between them. “I’m sure Kiki won’t tell them, not until you’re ready! You asked her not to.”

“I think that just means,” Obi mutters, voice muffled by his arms and the wall he’s throwing himself over, “that she’ll just enjoy telling them more.”

“Ah...” He doesn’t need to see her to know her grimace. “Yes, that’s...probably right.”

He lets out a heavy, dramatic sigh. It helps a little. So does a bit of flailing.

“They won’t make a big deal out of it,” Miss says, changing tack. “It hardly changes anything! I’m sure they’ll just forget as soon as she tells them.”

He peeps one eye over his elbow. “That’s easy for you to say, you haven’t spent the last half an hour playing What’s That Color.”

“Well,” she wheedles, “they are scholars.”

Obi groans, loud and long, which doesn’t help; but it echoes out over the rooftops, returning back to him, which does.

“How...?”

Miss hesitates, a gloved finger pressed to her lips. He sighs, already braced for the onslaught-- how didn’t you know? how did you go so long without knowing your colors? how do you find people if you can’t even tell what hair color they have--?

“How did you notice?”

Obi lifts his head, unblinking. “What?”

“How did you notice?” Miss repeats, more firmly this time. “You’ve spent your whole life this way, haven’t you? It must have taken something really special to realize there was more than what you see.”

“Uh.” It’s nice that it’s darker here, that it’s cold. He has perfect legitimate reasons to be flushed. “Well, it was Suzu really. He mentioned that--” his teeth clamp down around his words, not letting them out without a hasty edit-- “that people think your hair’s pretty special, and I said I didn’t get why...”

Miss stiffens beside him, a statue that breathes, and he hastily adds, “Not that you aren’t special, Miss. It’s just, the red...”

“Right.” The words comes out stilted, strange. “You can’t see it. You actually...haven’t ever seen it.”

A silence settles on them like a wool blanket; not one of those nice ones at the castle, or the fleecy ones Miss stockpiles like one day the North might run out of sheep, but the itchy, coarse-woven ones of his childhood. Uncomfortable and smelling faintly of animal.

“So,” he coughs, fixing his gaze out over the city. “What did Kiki want?”

“Oh...” Miss shifts, mouth pulling into a guilty grimace. “She came to tell me that the Queen Dowager has invited me to dinner. Tomorrow night.”

His brows raise. “Well, well.”

“Don’t,” she murmurs, head giving the barest shake. “It’s not like that.”

“Are you sure?” He shouldn’t press, but if he doesn’t, no one else will. “After you told Master--”

“I told him a list of reasons why I thought I would be a better ally as a friend, and not as a...” Miss loses steam, letting her words sigh into the air. “I’d like to believe this has to do with my work with Phostyrias.”

He watches her, careful. “But do you?”

“I don’t know,” she says, which is as good as any no.

*

Obi’s barely stepped into the Protector’s solar when Master asks, “What color is my jacket?”

His head swivels, delivering a glare so flat carpets would be jealous. Miss Kiki only hums, shoulder lifting in a disinterested shrug. “I said I was going to tell them.”

Fair enough.

“It’s blue,” he deadpans, flopping onto the cushiest divan. He’s too long for it, his boots spilling off one arm a idling over the floor. “Apparently I can see that one just fine.”

According to Miss, at least; she’d unearthed a slip of a book from the university’s library, outlining the limits of his sight. Little Ryuu had pored over it for a day before showing up at his door, flushed faced and nervous.

Garrack always told me I had nice eyes, he’d admitted, lingering at the threshold. I was hoping you could see them.

Cross as he is about the whole thing, Obi can’t regret that. He might not have Miss’s hair, or Suzu’s coat-- thankfully-- but Ryuu’s eyes would always look true to him.

“But not red.” Master’s mouth twitches, far too entertained. “Or green.”

“I do see them,” he protests. “They just...don’t look very different to me.”

Just another shade of yellow and brown, if those books are right. Which they are, since he’d always thought so. Subtly different, like the way Suzu and Yuzuri fought over salmon, or Master and Miss Kiki would dither over chartreuse. Just enough that he’d been able to eke by on keeping his mouth shut and a fondness for black.

Still, there’s nothing worse than finding out something new about yourself this late in the game. Especially when--

“What about the curtains?” Master inquires. “Can you see those?”

--Especially when it’s so endlessly entertaining to everyone else. “I can see them,” he grumbles, sinking further into the cushions. “Just because I can’t see some colors doesn’t mean I’m blind.”

“Then what about the note?”

Obi rolls his gaze to where Sir perches at his desk. “Huh?”

“To our red-haired guest.” Sir coughs, a flush working its way up his neck. “It’s just-- you wrote that.”

“Oh, His Grace told me that one.” A lifetime ago, it seemed. “‘The red-haired girl, you’ll know her when you see her, I’m sure.’“

Master winces. Obi can admit his talent doesn’t lie with impressions, especially ones of dour old men.

“Right,” Sir presses, voice oddly tight. “But you don’t see-- I mean, how could you find a girl that looks just like everyone else?”

“Ah...” He grimaces, scrubbing at the top of his head. “Well, I just looked for the girl who didn’t belong. It--” he hesitates, suddenly aware of Master’s eyes on him-- “didn’t take very long.”

Master’s frown belongs above one of those prie-dieu, to remind penitents that forgiveness isn’t absolute. “What is that supposed to--?”

“So what does she look like?” No one could say that after a decade of dedication, Miss Kiki doesn’t know how to do her job; she deflects Master’s brewing sour mood with the ease of a professional. “What does her hair look like to you?”

“Uh.” He clears his throat, tugging at his collar. “I wasn’t lying when I said I bought my scarf to match...”

There is a stillness to the room that is too much, too pitiful. Much as he hated it, Obi would much rather be a joke than a charity case.

“Huh,” Sir grunts, gaze still fixed to his neck. “Now I wonder what we all look like to you.”

“Well, I sort of wonder what you all look like to yourselves.” Obi let a sigh float wistfully through his lips. “At least I know that me and Miss still have the same eyes.”

There’s silence again, but this one buzzes, filled with words no one dares to say.

“What?” he laughs, nervous, pulling himself upright. “Don’t we?”

Sir grimaces. “Ah, Obi...”

*

Miss is quiet when they walk the walls home that night, the winter stillness making the silence and heavy as any drift. Her mouth is pursed, not with anything like anger, but something closer to consideration. As if there’s words back there she’s sorting through, trying to compose a thought that just won’t come.

Well, she should know: she won’t get anywhere if she doesn’t air a few of them out to look at. “Something wrong, Miss?”

She blinks, shaken out from wherever she gone away. Her mind palace, maybe. Suzu’d told him about those once, with busts and painting and curtained alcoves. What she’d do with a place like that, he couldn’t imagine, but if anyone asked, he’d put his money on hers having apothecary drawers instead, and gardens too. The kind with half crumbled walls, ivies curled around every stone. Cluttered desks piled high with books, and one of them with curtain drawn to let its owner nap the afternoon away.

“Oh,” she breathes, finally. “No, no. Nothing’s, um, wrong. I was just...thinking.”

He lifts a knowing brow. “So something is wrong.”

“That’s not what I said,” she informs him, primly. “I was going over my meeting with Haruto, and...”

Her lips snap shut around the words, distress narrowing her eyes. “And...?”

“She didn’t know about my work,” Miss huffs, arms wrapping tight around her chest. “Or, she did, but only what Zen had told her. Which...”

Was far less than the whole of it. He’d heard that part of her argument that night, try as he might not to. “So she invited you as Zen’s ally?”

“No.” The word is colder than any he’s ever heard fall from her lips. “That I wouldn’t mind-- I’m still trying to be his ally, after all, and if she saw me as an asset...” She shook her head. “No, she wanted to meet his...paramour, even if she didn’t say as much.”

Obi grimaces.

“And even that wouldn’t be so bad if...” Miss took a deep, steeling breath. “When I came in, after all the curtsies and pleasantries, she said, your hair is just as red as he said it was.” Her knuckles are white where they wrap around her elbows. “All those years, all those letters, and the only thing he thinks to tell his mother is that my hair...”

The rest is lost in a sigh, a cloud of mist swirling off the wall.

“It must really be something,” Obi deadpans, gaze following it off the edge. “Since it makes all these people forget how smart you are.”

She’s watching him; he can feel it as she sidles up to where he stands, hands unclenching from her arms and splaying on the crenellations instead. “Obi, you really can’t...?”

Miss hesitates, falls silent. He lets her; she’s put enough words in the air to sort through, and now all she needs is time. Obi’s happy to give it to her.

Especially since there’s a rabbit down there in the dark. A small one, moving slow, hind legs churning like clockwork winding up. It’s nose digs into the snow, snuffling around, searching--

“Can you really see better?” Miss asks, startling him back to the wall. “In the dark, I mean. That book said you could.”

“Well, after the past couple days, I’m a little shaky on what’s normal.” He jerks his chin over the edge. “Can you see the rabbit down there? Right by that sapling?”

She blinks, pressing in close. “The what? It’s just...dark out there.��

“Well,” he says, grin tight on his lips. “There’s your answer.”

Miss settles back on her heels, one hand already cupping her chin. “It makes sense. Without the distraction of color, your movement tracking must be much more acute...”

Obi only half-manages to stifle a laugh. “Seems like it definitely distracts everyone else.”

Miss goes quiet; almost too quiet, enough to make his teeth sit on edge. The seconds tick by, and Obi might play at patience, but it’s not in his nature. He glances down, just from the corners of his eyes, but Miss is already watching him, eyes strangely shuttered.

“Obi,” she says, so clear his name rings in his ears. “You don’t...? My hair, it’s not...” Her mouth works, quiet, before she manages, “It’s not anything to you?”

Anything special, she means. Because that’s what he said so stupidly last night, nothing special.

She’d tied it up tonight, finagling the strange looping knots that were partial to the queen’s court, but already some of it’s worn loose, slipping from its pins. “It is,” he murmurs. “I like it.”

She huffs, unimpressed. “But you can’t see it, not really.”

“Of course I can see it,” he laughs, weary. “Maybe not the color, but that’s fine. I like it because it’s yours.”

She ducks her head, and Obi might not be good at colors, but he can see her cheeks flush in the lamplight.

“Miss.” Her gaze lifts to his, no longer shuttered, just full. “Can I ask you something?”

Her breath catches. “Anything.”

“Be straight with me,” he pleads. “We do have the same eye color right?”

*

“Obi!” Miss‘s laughter bubbles bright with betrayal as she hops down the stairs after him. “Obi, please--”

“Let me grieve, Miss,” he grumbles, hands shoved in his pockets. “I’ve been a real champ about the rest, but let me have this.”

“Obi!” She catches him round the wrist, mouth twitching as she turns to him. “Is it really so bad that they’re gold?”

“No,” he mutters sullenly, shoulders slumped enough that with two stairs between them, they’re nearly the same height. “It’s just...”

Her eyes flutter wide with curiosity. “Just...?”

“It’s fine enough that they’re unique.” He spits the word with more venom than it deserves. “I just I wanted this one thing in common.”

“In common?” Miss blinks. “You mean, me and...?”

Obi would lay down his life for his mistress, but even she can’t ask him to do this, to lay down his pride for her to walk on.

“Oh!” She flusters, limbs fluttering in the air between them. He’s half-tempted to turn away again, but she grabs his face and holds him steady, her cold, slender fingers caught behind his jaw. “Just-- just one moment...”

“Miss?” he wheezes. This is entirely too close, too much--

“Yes!” He breath flutters over his lips, her own parting in a celebration of teeth. “That’s it. I see it. There’s a little, right there.”

He blinks. “A little what, Miss?”

Her teeth flash around the word, “Green.”

It’s cruel to throw a starving dog a bone, but he snaps it up anyway, heart nearly clogging up his throat with hope. “D’you mean it? You’re not just saying that to make me feel better.”

“Really,” she promises, her nod serious and officious as any she might give Little Ryuu. “There’s a thread, right around the middle. Green. Just like mine.”

“Oh.” His own hands raise, leather muting the feel of her skin, but-- Master always told him about the red thread that bound him and Miss together, that drew them toward their fated meeting, but this-- Obi will take this too. “Thank you, Miss.”

She smiles, eyes shining bright in the lamplight. “No, Obi, it’s my pleasure.”

Not much different between green and red to him, anyway.

[snake-snacc]

Fandom: Twisted Wonderland 

Topic: The "Fuckboy" thing 

DISCLAIMER: This is my opinion and my thoughts! You are free to have a different opinion! Take it with a little bit of humour!

forgive my bad english

You know what guys? I think it's kinda funny how a part of the Twisted Wonderland Fandom really goes with "Yes XY is a total fuckboy! You see it in his eyes!" And from what I saw the most characters that get into this discussion are Leona, Malleus, Ace, Jamil and Floyd. BUT LET ME BURST YOUR BUBBLES GUYS AND LET ME TELL YOU ABOUT THE REAL "FUCKBOY" OF TWISTED WONDERLAND!

First of all, I'm gonna tell you why the pretty boys above are not really fit for the title of "Fuckboy". :3 [I will refer often to female partners but I try to keep it gender neutral most times!]

Let's start with the sleepy the lion, LEONA KINGSCHOLAR

— No, my argument is not that he's too lazy. No, no. But he probably was raised to totally respect women. He even stated that he is afraid of the women in his homeland because they are pretty tough ladys! So, they wouldn't hesitate to slap a bitch if they find out he fucks around and leaves them heart broken 

— Also, he probably doesn't have the strength or the motivation to handle all the drama 

Next! Horny (no pun intended) boy, MALLEUS DRACONIA

— Let's be honest, he probably doesn't know how to really communicate with people, beside Yuu/MC, Lilia and maybe the rest of his dorm. Yes he can talk to others but get them into bed? I don't think so. 

— He probably doesn't even know what even kissing is 

Next boy! ACE TRAPPOLA 

— He would go all out about stuff like "Yes, I totally would bang that girl/that boy" but in the moment the person would be stripping down in front of him, with the intention to do naughty stuff with him, he would panic. He would straight up panic and would get out of there

— Look at him. He doesn't even know how to use his dick

Next Boy! JAMIL (I'm a whore for you) VIPER

— As sad as it makes me, this pretty boy is way to stressed for fucking around! He couldn't even use it as a stress relief because while doing it, he would stress himself with stuff like "Is this good enough? Do I have enough time left? Does Kalim need help? Is the food ready?" 

— Plus I see him more as a "I choose a partner and stay by their side" kinda guy. But even then he wouldn't get a partner because he knows he wouldn't have time for them so he doesn't even starts dating

Next and last! FLOYD LEECH

— He would start it, get bored and leave. Facts. This boy would just straight up leave the second his partner wouldn't play along. Maybe he even just goes before they even started because "I don't want to anymore" 

— His mood swings would keep the people away from him and I don't see that he really appeals to all the naughty stuff

SO! Now that I bursted your bubbles, let me tell you about the real "Fuckboy" from Twisted Wonderland…

*dramatic music* 

……

(☞ﾟヮﾟ)☞KALIM AL-ASIM!☜(ﾟヮﾟ☜)

Yeah I know I know

"But he is so baby and naive and innocent!"- quit that! No! He is not! Yes he is very naive, but in the way to trust and believe people way too easy and to believe they wouldn't do bad things twice. (This whole chapter broke my heart… my poor boys! ;-;)

But let me explain to you, why Kalim is (in my eyes) the one that should/could wear the title "Fuckboy": 

— Let's start at the beginning: From what we know he has over 30 siblings, is probably the oldest, so there for he saw his Dad with the Mom. Or should I say, the Moms?! Kalims Dad probably had more than one wife, and not like "She died, or, we fell apart after 10 years", no, probably like "you look pretty, give birth to my kids, you are my wife now for a few years". (My theory/opinion on what kind of dad he has) So he had an Idol which had more women on his hands that a normal man would ever. I can see that Kalim is totally used to stuff like that from his homeland, his familie, and that the idea/concept of multiple partners at the same time is something totally normal to him. 

— He will be the next Sultan. You can't tell me the girls at his homeland didn't throw themselves at him at some point of his life. "Oh you're so handsome~ And so sweet~ omg you make me laugh~", etc. And with his carefree and happy nature he probably doesn't even have a problem with that. "Oh thank you, you too ^^ Your hair is so pretty, your eyes are enchanting~", etc. 

— If this sweet, so happy, smiling boy would throw a party and ask a random girl to dance with him, they wouldn't say no. They would dance with him, smile and be happy. He could get all of them wrapped around his little finger, by just smiling and asking nicely. Yes he is a little over the top sometimes, but that probably don't stand in his way

— If he doesn't get what he wants, he cries. He is so used to getting what he wants the second he recommends it, that a "No sorry, I don't want to dance/talk/come over" would be the instant start of big, wet puppy eyes and stuff like "But it would make me so happy! We could have soooo much fun! *sobbing*" (He kinda is a pick me boy not gonna lie, but i love him) and who wants a happy nature like Kalim to cry? No one! (Besides Jamil) So they would probably feel bad and be like ".. Okay.. just this one time.. and not so long.." and in the end they would be at his side for more hours then they could count. 

— I can see that if he would directly ask for a person to come with him in his room and they say no, that he would be kinda sad. Puppy eyes and everything BUT he knows that he can't force people to do that stuff with him, so he just gets sad and is like "Can we at least cuddle..?" And you know what? In the end it's not just a cuddle. BUT WITH CONSENT! He respects a No, but he can't do anything about it if the person changes their mind because little Kalim is all sweet talk and praise while cuddling

— Fact is, Kalim would totally flirt talk or at least very flirty praise people without even realising. (I mean.. have you ever listened closely to how he talks about Jamil..? Way to much praise and simpness) You know, while just casual dancing with them, out of nowhere something like "Your body looks so beautiful in this light and the way it moves, mesmerising" 

— Because of his "It's totally normal to have multiple partners" thingy, I can see him just living that. Party here, party there, oh you look pretty, you're mine now. And yes he knows some would just be at his side for the chance of getting some money, but why would he care? He doesn't plan to marry one of them. He would care for that when it comes to the one he should marry and when he finds out they are just after him because of the money, yeah, well bye bye then 

— He is probably in general way too touchy with people, so accidents happen, right?~ (that sounds wrong) I mean with that, that probably some people would get his closeness a little wrong think he is interested in them, so they get interested and in the end, Fun~ 

— He calls people casually with sweet nicknames. He called Yuu/MC "My Love". So why wouldn't he just call other people too by stuff like that? The pretty dancer lady he had invited with the green eyes? "My shining emerald" The handsome boy he met at a feast in his homeland with the sun-kissed skin? "My golden sunshine" 

— Just saying, who in his Homeland, from the young ladys that need to get married and stuff, wouldn't instantly say yes, if Kalim would ask them to spend time with him? The moment he would invite them into the palast, they would fall in love with him (or his money) 

— He knows how the world is working. Money does big things. A soft smile, a nice ask and a little bit of "One night at the Sultans Palace / One night treated like a princess/prince, getting served from servants" and he has a partner. Kalim isn't stupid, maybe school related stuff, but not about life. 

— By the way: "One night treated like a princess/prince", come one. Tell me this boy wouldn't absolutely treat his partner, even just one night stands, like total princesses/princes. He would praise them so much, tell them all the way how beautiful they are, how they are his treasure right now. Surely he could also go easily into the mood of "Serve me I'm the Prince", but I think he would make this the first few times by accident (because he was taught to be served from everyone) but quickly realize that that's not how it works.

— Facit:

Kalim could easily be a Fuckboy, or a very popular and successful Pick me Boy. But I think he would get himself in the way with his "I don't do that on purpose" nature. 

[americangirlstar]

World By Us Quotes

I know when we make aesthetics/art pieces, we like to have little quotes from the books below it! Here’s some quotes for the WBU girls– if it’s not said by them specifically, I put who said it at the end in [brackets], and if it’s not from their main book, I made a note in italics at the beginning.

Makena Williams

As I sorted through the new items on the bed, I wondered what kind of statement I wanted to make. I was going to have fun figuring it out!

As I looked at the outfit now, I realized it still needed... something. I closed my eyes and focused on how I was feeling. I was nervous, but excited, too, like something I had been waiting for was finally about to begin.

I added three gold butterfly hair clips to my twists. Butterflies are a symbol of transformation, and I knew today would be full of big changes. When I tilted my head, the butterflies looked like they were taking off.

On my way to the gym, I passed the big mural again. We Walk Together. I smiled, knowing that I had just met two new friends to walk with.

I have four names: Makena means “happy one” in Swahili; Lilias was my dad’s mom, who died when he was a boy; Cook, for Mom’s family, and Williams. They all matter, and they make me who I am.

“Fashion can be a form of activism. And I wouldn’t be surprised if one day that was your purpose.” [said by her mother]

I want to live in a world where who you are inside matters more than what you look like outside.

I rolled over and pressed the pillow around my ears, but Mom’s question was like a song I couldn’t get out of my head. Couldn’t he see that they’re children? Couldn’t he see? No, Mom! I wanted to scream. That’s the problem. He couldn’t see that we’re real people, with real names and lives and feelings. All he could see was that we’re Black. I cried sad and mad tears, because none of it made any sense.

I’m so much more than what you see / Don’t guess- ASK about all the feels inside me / Get to know who I am for real / Then maybe this world can start to heal / See me, hear me, know me!

My name is Makena Williams. Something happened to me, and I am not okay.

I am a person. See me for who I am. Hear what I say. Get to know me before you make up something about me. Judge me by my words and actions, not my race. See me. Hear me. Know me.

Do you see us now? We’re girls. We’re your neighbors.

I ran my fingers across the letters. There was my idea, my first design, in real life. I was so proud.

My eyes went back to Auntie Bling’s word power. Maybe I could give other people the power to tell their own stories. What if kids could show and tell the world who they really are, how they really feel, in any style they chose?

I’m Makena. I’m proud that my family’s roots in Anacostia go back four generations. I came up with the words on my T-shirt because people weren’t seeing the real me. They were only seeing that I was Black– if they saw me at all. I love West African kente cloth because the colors and patterns tell stories. The green in this skirt signifies renewal. I like wearing butterflies because they remind me that though change can be difficult, it can lead to something beautiful. With my fashion, I am always making a statement.

When everyone had made their statements, we all gathered onstage for a bow. The audience was on its feet, clapping and cheering for us. All the other kids hopped off the stage and started mingling. I stood there, watching adults talking to kid and kids from different communities talking to each other. Seeing so many people come together was powerful.

I believe that when you take time to get to know people, you get to see who they truly are.

I was so proud of what we’d done that I couldn’t stop grinning. Just before I went to join my friends and family, I glimpsed my own reflection in the window. It looked as if the river was flowing right through me. Maybe it does, I thought, along with the strength of my ancestors, and the bravery of Black people before and the bravery of everyone in this room who works for change.

Evette Peeters

When we made the sign last year, I painted a monarch butterfly above the words. Monarchs fly thousands of miles. Their strength and endurance remind me of the people who were on the front lines during the pandemic.

The one good thing about not going anywhere was seeing the gardens change. I never knew it could be fun to watch plants grow, but it actually was.

The bridge was coming up. Pretty soon, we’d be crossing the Anacostia. I’d been crossing that river all my life on the way to Gran E’s house. Every time I saw it, the river looked different. Sometimes the waves were rough, but today they were calm. The sunlight made the pale green water sparkle.

Why did people think skin color defines who we are? It seemed so simple: humans come in different colors, just like flowers.

I put them on and hung my heart necklace on my jewelry tree. Next to it was a locket that had an umoja symbol on it. Umoja means “unity” in the Swahili language. Gran E had given me the locket for Kwanzaa last year, along with a card that said, “Promise always to see umoja: unity in the family, community, nation and race.”

Still, I couldn’t help wondering, Is this how a rift gets started? Something goes wrong between people, and before you know it, there’s a rift between them. Was that how it happened with my grandmothers? And the most important question of all: Could a rift between people be repaired?

The grass was trampled, but seeing the riverbank free of litter lifted my heart.

With a day of hard work, we had healed part of the river. If only it could be this easy for my grandmothers to heal the rift between them.

“A world– by us,” I announced, writing it on a piece of poster board. I looked up at my friends. Somehow when I was with them, anything seemed possible. “That’s what we’ll call it– and that’s what we’ll make it.”

What I’m trying to tell you is not to judge a whole person for one thing they said or did. People can change and learn from their mistakes.

Well, we are one family. So we should all act like it, right?

I know the world has many problems, just as there are many kinds of pollution in the river. But with the sunshine and the music and good friends beside me, I felt a wave of hope rise in my chest. As long as we can imagine a better world, we can make it happen. When people come together, we can do remarkable things. The river taught me that.

Maritza Ochoa

from Makena’s Story: Well, we don’t need to wait until we grow up to make a difference. We can start now, making the kind of world we want to live in. 

At school, the girls always play with the boys. The girls are tougher than you think.

Before she passed away, I received a beautiful journal from her in the mail. Inside, she had written inspirational quotes from famous women athletes and leaders. On a note enclosed with the journal, she had written that I should add more inspirational quotes to the journal, because keeping a positive attitude was important when life becomes hard. I had to admit, it was hard to be positive during that time.

I stared down at the salteñas, thinking of what my abuelo said. Prayers weren’t enough, but sometimes prayers are all you have. Was there something more I could do?

The title of the piece was Tu lucha es mi lucha, which means “your fight is my fight.”

Remember, we’re young. Nobody expects us to be leaders, so we must expect it from ourselves.

There was incredible history here, and yet... so much more history to be made.

“She needs me to be her friend,” I replied. And as soon as I said those words, I felt them in my heart.

In soccer, if we see something wrong, we call it out so it can be fixed. I see something wrong, and I want to help.

Tu luca es mi lucha. I will lead with my heart and find a way to help your family.

We don’t just want to talk about injustice. We want to do something about it.

It was as if Tia Mari knew that someday I’d need this quote. Maybe I’m more like her than I even imagined.

All of us are united in our love for soccer, but we are also united in another cause that we want to share with you. Soccer has taught me many things, but most important it has taught me to be a team player and to be vocal if I see something wrong. This past week, I saw something wrong and I want to bring it to everyone’s attention.

If you were here, I would tell you what an inspiration you are to me. I miss you, Tia. I know I’ll always miss you and that’s okay. It will be an extra part of me that will make me stronger and kinder.