#stiff dialogue

[codenamesazanka]

More Post-Canon Spinaraki!Kid Masanori.

＊

Late one afternoon, Deku arrives back at UA and is told by coworkers that there's a kid waiting for him in front of the school gates. A middle schooler, who refuses to say what he's here for, refuses to talk to anyone except Deku. Not an emergency, he just wants to talk to Deku. Kid gave his name as Shirakata Masanori; doesn't seem dangerous, just strange. Deku's call on whether he wants to meet the kid or send him home.

So of course Deku goes to meet the kid.

Shirakata Masanori is a boy with a quirk that gives him lizard features, it seems - he's short and slender, with white scales, shaggy black hair, pink eyes; in a middle school uniform, holding a file in his hands. Quiet and a bit stiff. Deku feels a weird sense of familiarity, and wonders if he's encountered the kid on a previous case before.

Shirakata-kun…is it? You wanted to talk to me? Do you need help?

In a way.

Kid says it's personal, but nothing more than that. Deku, starting to get a bit concerned, secures a private room for them to talk. He wonders a variety of situations: kid has a secret only a Hero can help with, kid did something wrong, kid is in some kind of danger…

After they sit down, Masanori breathes in, looks Deku in the eye, and says: You killed my father, so I'm here because I want you to make up for that.

It's not super unusual for people to ask compensation from Heroes - usually from family members of people that Heroes were too late to save in an accident or were collateral damage in villain attacks. Insurance often takes care of it, and HPSC has a division dedicated to dealing with such accusations, but of course Heroes work their hardest to make sure they save everyone so it's not a thing in the first place.

In the six years since Deku became a Hero again, he hasn't had any serious accusations - minor injuries that insurance took care of, and the rare nutcase claims - so this is a huge shock. Immediately sends Deku into a panic where he stammers out apologies and condolences as he mentally tries to think of every incident he's been in and what he's done wrong. He's been super careful because his Hero suit is after all just a suit, and he always tries to team up with other Heroes so they can cover for him in case that ever happens, and in every case he's saved everyone who was directly in danger, so what can this be...

The kid's unmoved - just watching Deku panic and ramble on, almost like he's a curiosity. And strangely, he seems very calm. No anger, no sadness, no yearning for meaning - none of the emotions a grieving son might have, especially if he's blaming Deku for killing his dad. There's an aloof, gloomy demeanor to him that's also really familiar and then the realization hits Deku like a smash.

Are you... talking about Shigaraki Tomura?

There's that familiar pang of guilt and pain that always occurs when Shigaraki Tomura is brought up. But all that is overshadowed by pure shock and disbelief.

Because it's ridiculous. Shigaraki was 21 when he died - not married (…which means the kid is illegitimate?); not impossible to have a kid at that age, but improbable (and yet the kid looks about age 15, and it has been 15 years since the war…). There were no accounts of Shigaraki ever being close to a woman. Investigation never revealed anything that might have ever pointed to him having a kid. Moreover, Deku, having been in Shigaraki's heart, never felt an inkling that Shigaraki ever knew he had a kid.

The closest people Shigaraki ever had were the League and among them, there was only... Spinner... who was also a lizard heteromorph...

But Spinner was a guy. And Spinner was never—pregnant? Or capable of having a kid, as far as Deku knew, and he's been in prison ever since the end of the war, til the end of his life a few years ago, and he never said anything either.

(Or maybe there was someone else… maybe Shigaraki just… got along with people with lizard heteromorphic quirks? A woman in the Meta Liberation Army that could produce such a child... but.)

This has all the making of a very, very outlandish and distasteful hoax, and yet, looking at the kid in front of him, Deku somehow knows that it's the truth.

Maybe it's that on closer look, kid looks exactly like the crying child Deku once saw in Shigaraki's heart - shaggy black hair, reddish eyes. Maybe it's just that his demeanor reminds Deku of Shigaraki. Maybe it's that Masanori looks 100% serious, looks like he's being totally honest, telling the truth.

Or what he thinks is the truth.

You're... You're saying Shigaraki is your father?

One of them.

…One of them?

Spinner’s the other one.

Deku has no reply to that. His thought was actually right, but he has no reply to that.

Masanori says that last year, he received a letter from Spinner, the League Villain, delivered by a lawyer. It said that Spinner and Shigaraki were his parents. That Spinner had produced an egg; then lost the egg during the Gunga raid, 15 years ago. He asked his lawyer to find what happened to the egg, if possible, and if a kid ever hatched from it...

That kid was Masanori. He hatched from an egg three months after the war. The egg was captured during the raid on the PLF Villa. No one ever claimed him, they never found his parents, and he grew up in an orphanage.

Masanori says maybe Spinner was insane, but the letter is real. Came from a lawyer, who also gave Masanori manuscripts of the League memoir Spinner wrote. But otherwise, Masanori has no proof other than the letter, which he hands over to Deku.

If what Spinner said was the truth, though. Then what's also the truth is that Deku killed Masanori's father.

Masanori hands over the photo of Deku smashing Shigaraki, which Deku flinches at. And so, yeah, Masanori wants him to make up for that. Compensation.

Deku skims the letter, but is not reading any of it. Can't. This is a lot to take in. Don't even know where to start.

This is… I can't just… What do you even mean… I don't…

Masanori breathes out slowly. I'm Shigaraki Tomura's son. Probably. If that 'probably' is 'definitely', then you, Midoriya Izuku, killed my father. So I want you to pay for that. I'm allowed to want that.

Those last parts shake Deku out of his daze.

…Pay?

It feels bad, but Deku has to be on guard. Though Masanori doesn't seem hostile or out for blood - it doesn't seem like this is a blood revenge scheme, which would be more likely if the kid is delusional.

Then, is this an extortion attempt? A scam extortion attempt? Pay, as in money? Compensation is given after a death. If Deku really is responsible for a death. If the death really is Shigaraki's death. If the kid is truly Shigaraki's kid.

Three things, Masanori says. I want three things:

1. Guaranteed admission to UA's General Studies class

2. A stipend for three years of high school, and

3. An all-purpose recommendation letter from Deku when Masanori graduates.

That throws Deku off again. It sounds… so reasonable. Sort of. It's, of course, also ridiculous. It doesn't sound like compensation at all. Reasonable as in kid's not asking for millions; but ridiculous in that kid's asking for things that's for Midoriya-sensei the UA teacher to do.

You want to go here? To UA?

I want you to get me into UA.

Deku shakes his head. I can't just... Did you take the entrance exam? That was last week.

Think like a teacher. That's still not addressing the massive bombshell of Shigaraki having a kid (with Spinner???), but as a teacher, Deku can get a grip on this conversation thread. As a teacher, he knows how to proceed.

You should've gotten the results by now. Did you not get in? Are you—you want to be a Hero? You want to go to UA to be a Hero?

No. I told you, General Studies. Masanori pauses. I never took the entrance exam. I missed it.

Then…

But you're a teacher here. And you're Deku. You can get me in.

No, I can't do that. Deku straightens up, becoming the teacher he is, one that has to deal with teenagers and their bizarre logic sometimes. That would be cheating. You have to earn your place here. Why didn't you take the exam?

I wasn't planning on going to high school. And then it was too late. I missed registration. I also had no time to study at all.

You weren't planning to go to high school?

Masanori shrugs slightly. I'm 15. The orphanage asked me to leave once I graduate middle school this spring. I was going to work.

And… Deku shouldn't say this, but he does. He has to ask. …you don't want to?

...Not if I could go to school.

By doing this. Deku gestures wildly the room, at whatever this is.

By doing this, Masanori agrees.

Deku can't understand the logic at all. He tries a different track. Nothing else to do but move on at the moment. Why UA? I mean, there's other schools, surely, if you just want a general program.

It's a good school, Masanori says. Basically everyone famous went here. You've got dorms.

So do other places.

Recapping. Masanori wasn't planning on going to high school. He didn't study, didn't take any exams. Then for whatever reason, he decided he did want to go to high school. It was too late to study or take exams, so now he's here, asking to be let into UA of all schools, by—trying to use Shigaraki's death as a ticket. Because Shigaraki is his father. Probably. Because of a letter Masanori received from Spinner.

Deku rubs at his face. Continue ignoring that last part. Deal with that later. Deal with Masanori as a student, for now.

Shirakata-kun. This is not the way to do any of this. You can't just come and demand I get you into UA. It's a school that you have to test into. You have to work for it. You needed to take the entrance exam and pass, fair and square.

Fair and square, Masanori echoes. Yes, fairness and square...ness. You killed my father. I never got to know him. I grew up an orphan. I don't know, I think something in return is deserved. That would be fair, right? And then we'll be squared.

What does Deku even do with this logic?

Your parents have nothing to do with going to UA. Plenty of Heroes' children have to test into this school too.

Well. I'm not a Hero's kid. I'm a Villain's kid.

…What I mean is, Deku says. Then pauses. Then forces himself to continue. Who your parents are don't matter here, in this case. It's not about them. You are responsible for yourself, your studying, taking your exams. I'm... it must have been hard, growing up in an orphanage. But it doesn't mean you get special treatment. You have to earn your spot, like every other student.

Masanori watches Deku, face betraying no emotion.

Deku continues, carefully. If what you're saying is true... I did kill Shigaraki. I won't deny that. If it's compensation you want… there's official ways to go about that.

Masanori's gaze continues to be steady. They'll compensate for a Villain's death? For Shigaraki Tomura's death?

Deku has no answer to that.

In the silence, the two of them stare at each other. Masanori has Tenko's wavy black hair and Spinner's pink eyes. He has Spinner's scales and Shigaraki's slim frame. If he smiles… Deku wonders whose smile Masanori would inherit, if that's something that can be inherited at all.

Masanori's hands have no claws - rather, his fingers sharpen to a point, it looks like. They clench at his knees, stiff and rigid.

He's just a child.

Deku says, I can't get you into UA. But I can help you... I will help you. I can give you some of that stipend, so you can focus on school. There's probably schools that don't require entrance exams, or are still giving exams... You should try taking them, see if you can get in. Maybe you can take a gap year, and try to apply for UA next year, under special circumstances...

No.

No?

I want all three of my demands, Masanori says. If you say no, then I don't want anything.

Not even the stipend? Don't you want to go to school? You'll work instead?

Looks like it.

Deku is a little stunned. He can't understand this kid at all.

You wanted a free ride. You didn't want to work for it.

Masanori says nothing. Maybe Deku shouldn't say that to a kid who's going to be getting a job and working—(Or maybe... what if he gets illegal work? What if he's going to turn to crime?) No, he's just a child, needing guidance. As an adult and teacher and Hero, Deku has to—

This is the wrong way to approach your problems, Shirakata-kun. You can't try to take advantage of people, of situations like this.

Masanori twitches, before leaning forward, one hand reaching out to Deku. Deku recoils, suddenly seeing a different, more familiar hand, five fingers spread out to touch—

…I just want my letter back, Masanori says.

Deku blinks, looking down at his own hands, which apparently has been clutching Spinner's letter this whole time. He still hasn't read it.

O-Oh. Deku hesitates - he really actually did want to read the letter, because what how Spinner Shigaraki w h a t ? - but gives it back to Masanori. I—

This is all I have, Masanori says, sitting back and folding the letter. Two dead people and this one situation. Why shouldn't I take advantage of what's mine?

Deku grimaces. Things like extortion and blackmail are—

It wasn't. Masanori stands up. I know it wasn't. I'm not extorting anything. You said no, so now I'm leaving. There's nothing to blackmail, either. You killed a Villain and everyone saw it. They loved you for it. So all I did was come here to ask you for some help.

Calling what you were asking for help is—

You call it cheating, but I didn't do anything. I asked, you said no. Masanori heads for the door. So I'm going. There's nothing else I'm going to do. Nothing I can do.

Wait, Shirakata-kun. What you wanted—even if it was just about UA admission, you tried to use the fact that, that I killed Shigaraki—

Cuz you did.

You were expecting me to fold to that.

Yeah. The kid stands in the doorway, looking back at Deku. You're a Hero, aren't you?

And then he was gone.

[puppppppppy]

What did they do to you

[circussclown]

i offer you: a bunch of doodles

[star-fandoms]

There was an ask where someone said Thaumo would turn into a random dog to get affection and my mind went to cats(Since I adore cats and the cat convo in game) and then my mind wandered into mc dressing up as a cat for Thaumo since he doesn't have luck when it comes to animals!

I hope you enjoy this little comic @symptomsofdeceit!! my mind has been plagued with silly scenarios LOL

[lucaonthropy]

Overheard someone saying T*re Liy* is the best author in my country and subsequently took psychic damage

[flowers-of-io]

Happy Festival of the Lost! Here in Poland the main day of festivities is today, and we double down tomorrow, so I'm not at all late to the dead people party :D

I don't really have anything new for the occasion this time around, but I wanted to back the faux lorebook I wrote for last year's FOTL. I still feel very soft about it, and it's one of my favourite little things that Season of the Witch wrung out of me.

Have fun (or as much fun as running around cemeteries may give you) and stay spooky!

Chapter 1: Customs

The ritual circle looked jarringly out of place on the white plasteel floor, a tiny ghostly pumpkin bouncing joyously in its centre. Immaru gave a hoarse, disbelieving laugh.

“What the fuck?” he asked incredulously.

Chapter 2: Petals

It had been eight months since she’d collected the petals in the terraformed Pyramid, but they had lost none of their colour or freshness either. They were much like the Seed of Silver Wings in that regard—unchanged, as if immune to wilting, perfect as on the day she had got them. She wondered sometimes whether it was truly perpetual vitality, or just a freeze-frame of it. The past few weeks had taught her a lot about different visions of immortality.

Chapter 3: Missive

Unsurprisingly, everyone here is an idiot. In case you still think Eris has a braincell, I guessed her password in like 4 tries.

Chapter 4: Pretences

There were so many things he wanted to say to her, most of them angry and jagged and pushing forth to the forefront of his mind with a scream, and the rest insignificant questions like Do you love me and When can I come home. He hadn’t been afraid of telling her anything, before, but now…

[ddarker-dreams]

sometimes i wonder if i'm making blade's dialogue too unnatural and then i look at his voice lines and go,

ah. no. this fits.

[blondedingdong]

@piiloh-case wait TIFA SAID THAT?? XDDD Okay now I need to know in which scene she says "Dilly-Dally-Shilly-Shally" so I can compare it to the German scene (when I watch AC again tonight) because I have NO idea which scene has her say anything remotely like that lmao!

[loneliestpeopleinnewport]

wip for the marissa return to newport to help with the sethmer wedding and reconnect with ryan untitled fic...

[maya-chirps]

I am liveblogging me rereading Noli Me Tangere in my fandom blog and honestly the writing kinda slaps. If you wanna read Filipiniana literature, read Noli Me Tangere and El Filibusterismo. I promise you it's not as boring as school made them out to be.

Jose Rizal is like extremely snarky and each paragraph has a backhanded statement that criticizes his time period and some of the scenes are really funny

Please, if you've never read the books for leisure before and had only read it for study, it provides such a different experience and you might just like it!

[stealingyourbones]

Ok so here’s my list of videogames I’m going through rn:

Half-Life series

Batman Arkham

And now Zelda

All of which I know jack shit about the stories or spoilers. I’ve started Batman Arkham Asylum and I’m in the middle of Half Life 2 Episode 1. So far I’m having a blast

[istherewifiinhell]

while im here, lets get this out the door. this one... is weird

[ID: An artificial life form that its in the shape of a large golden women's head declares herself. "...I am Auntie!" END]

tfuk arc Raiders of the Last Arc! getit? huh?? issues 18-21 early summer 1985.

Script: Simon Furman Art: Mike Collins and Jeff Anderson Colours: Gina Hart Letters: Richard Starkings (18,20,21) John Aldrich (19) Editor: Sheila Cranna Original Series Edits by Shelia Cranna and Ian Rimmer, Editorial notes and assistance by James Roberts, Collection Edits by Justin Eisinger and Alonzo Simon, Collection Design by Shawn Lee

my eyes may be skimming the preambles at this point but i caught glimpse of something like "weird they never reprinted this one" bud. ill tell u why. its not very good. its not, horrid. its pretty much just. oh yeah. this is a marvel tf comic...

which, if you trying to make the argument that all tfuk are unique and sophisticated and BETTER than the US ones, or just tryna make a dollar on the iconic stories.... you skip this one!!!

but in this house, we support preservation and revisiting of ANY art. including if it flops. and today that means you'll get a few black and white panels. huh? isnt that neat. you excited???

we'll get to it all. But first. Lets check out the funny pages.

[ID: The back part of a panel with crudely drawn Autobots and Decepticons floating about, being restrained. Its charmingly goofy. END]

[ID: Jazz firing off his flamethrower and saying "Let's see if Jazz can make things hot for you Soundwave!" Soundwave, a little singed but unbothered replying "Very impressive,but my armour's more than a match for your weapon…a pity the same cannot be said of yours..!" END]

are you two... flirting?

anyway, ill bite. who's autie...

As her troops fell, the computerised brain of the Ark swung into operation… Auntie, as she had been nicknamed, evaluated internal defences, calculated probabilities and finally arrived at the only logical course of action…

oh...

[ID: Optimus looking towards an Ark security camera thinking "It would be another matter if the ark's defences were active, but Auntie controlled those directly…" He opens the door to a dark room, declaring to himself "Auntie! Of course! Until now, we've merely used the basic computer functions of the ark, but Auntie was far more than that… She was the Ark! If I can get her to even a fraction of her operational capacity… END]

oh. the space ship is a woman. right

[ID: Caption box: And if Windcharger could have seen the tableau unfolding in the nerve centre of the Ark, he might have felt his fears justified. Auntie, who in scale is at least twice the height of Optimus or Megatron, using an unseen force to hold them captive. Optimus pleads reason: You must believe me Auntie, you brought us here from Cybertron and you were damaged in the battle with those murderous Decepticons... Megatron lying: No! That isn't what happened. As I've already told you, we were on a mercy mission. The traitorous Autobots sabotaged it - Forced you to crash. END]

correction. the spaceship is now a crazy women who might kill them all. awesome. lol. THANKS TF <3 what i always wanted >_>... (even if i do like the chance to see my guy's rhetoric strategies)

anyway pause all that we have a buddy cop adventure (no 20)

[ID: Splash page that includes the arc title and creative credits. Windcharger and Ravage walking the halls of the arc, arguing. Caption boxes: Alone, Ravage And Windcharger Are unaffected by Auntie's magnetic force… They eye each other suspiciously, each suspecting treachery, each distrusting the other they are sworn enemies these two… But today they are Allies! Ravage: This goes against my every instinct! I dislike working with others at the best of times... But to have to fight alongside a puny Autobot..! Windcharger: Silence, you aggravating creature! I'm as unhappy with the situation as you… but for now it's unavoidable. Just keep those sensors of yours alert for… END]

they really like ravage in these comics lmao.

[ID: Ravage gloating, with destroyed machinery flaming and smoking in his mouth, one paw raised to hold it. He looks over his shoulder to Windcharger saying "There, impressed?" Windcharger looks aggravated. END]

SMUG BEAST. are YOU flirting.

[ID: B&W panel. Both reacting to something unseen, Ravage in a ready stance, possible aggressive or alarmed. Windcharger, slightly behind him looking scared/startled. END]

he said NO PICKLES!

okay back to the hostage situation

ID: B&W panels. Optimus and Megatron still surround by a field of energy restraining them. Optimus his eyes glowing, says "You fool, Megatron! Do you think for a moment that she'll let one of us just walk away? She's playing with us. Unless we break free she'll slaughter us all!" Megatron has a brow raised: Oh… I see. Yes, you could be right. Well, in that case… I may be able to set us free! END]

ACTUALLY. hysterical. sorry i see any extremely funny megs moments and im like. how beast wars of him. i like other meg's too but. fgsdj. well...

btw he has a connection to a black hole? always has?? its from the toy box or smth idk

[ID: In colour again. Caption boxes: Optimus Prime and Megatron await the judgement of Auntie. But, while she considers her verdict, Megatron concentrates... A strange, unearthly energy flows around him, threatening to engulf him... But he is Megatron, and he will make the power serve him! In full body, Megatron is tensed in effort, teeth grit. A dark and sparkling energy wreaths around him.

ENTER: his dark magical girl era....

[ID: Caption box: Megatron lands well, Optimus Prime does not! Smaller drawings, Megatron lands daintily on the point of one foot, his arms raised above his head, somewhat like a dancer. Optimus plummets like a heap, landing on his side, thigh and forearm slamming into the ground. END]

LOOK AT THIS SHIT. lol

[ID: Tiny drawing. Megatron hands still raised, gracefully. One hand wreathed in glowing energy, being directed near Prime, still on the ground. END]

hes a beauty, hes a grace, he wants... to melt your face.

oh yeah anyway ravage gets auntie

[ID: Caption box: But Ravage is faster... Ravage leaping passed or perhaps INTO Auntie's open mouth as she screams "Nooooo" Ravage tearing into whatever golden mechanical workings make up her physical being. Caption box: And Auntie 'dies' for a second time. END]

cool. i love what we did here today. really valuable addition to the lore. and a win for feminism

and then windcharger launched megatron out of the arc thru the volcano and into space. no yeah. he can do that i guess.

its dumb, tho also funny. it hates women. its comics. GOODBYE.

[ID: Tiny drawing of Ravage pouncing. END]

[divinekangaroo]

Finishing the Dark Knight and cannot stop laughing: Nolan's ability to finish a movie is like Sting's ability to finish a song.

[sarafangirlart]

My first exposure to the Trojan War is this anthology anime series Tales of Magic:

I don’t have the English dub/sub but just know that this episode portrays Menelaus and Achilles as besties and at some point Menelaus calls Achilles “my darling” (tho another Arab speaker might translate that differently lol) take that how you will. Also they made Paris King of Troy, ig to shorten the story and have less characters to animate idk

[biocrafthero]

Is the dialogue "stilted" or have you just not spoken to another human being in person and had small talk in the last five years

[nonuggetshere]

HIIIII making my AU thoughts yalls problem once more

Sealed Flower AU, aka FaaF but it follows more of a Embrace The Void ending timeline- I'm getting closer and closer to just canonically transing PK's gender in that version even more