#the arcana rewrite

[toothpaste-for-the-skin]

The Fall of Luster Dawn

AU/headcanon where Luster Dawn dies in a battle vs Opaline which also helps kick off some events in g5 (which I’ll explain under the cut)

[the-other-starstruck]

currently thinking about reworking lucios route after rewatching malacalicos video about him and his route being absolute shit for his character.

i feel like somewhere in there, there could be a really compelling story but the writers just didnt do it justice

lucios character is interesting despite HATING HIM AND WHAT HES DONE TO LITERALLY EVERYONE ELSE

hes a brat and a bitch and it isnt appealing, and i dont think he deserves a happy ending. not unless his character really goes through a massive change, but even then he wouldnt come out of it being buddy buddy with everyone.

i sort of want a story for him where mc doesnt stay with him and doesnt put up with his shit, i want a route where we can point out his mistakes to his face and force him to confront them and feel an ounce of remorse.

i dont want him to forgive himself or be forgiven. i want him to sit in turmoil and realize that everything he ever did, the people he hurt, the ones he killed, the countless places he colonized and ruined, all of it was for nothing. he didnt gain power, he didnt get his deals, he died and that was it (in his route, in all the others he turns to the devil). it was all a means to an end.

i need him to be more devastated to find out he killed you after youve spent months together, fought together, and helped him better himself. i need him to be horrified with his actions and just FEEL SOMETHING. ugh

maybe thats all why hes the main antagonist. but good lord i just need him to stop seeing lives he ruined and going "oopsie!! im so silly"

[gloriaglorheart]

New cover for my Rewrite!

I just finished making a cover for my ArTw rewrite on Wattpad and on AO3!!

I also havent posted much on my rewrite in a while but currently working on chapter 26 now!!! ^^

[asmo-cosmetics]

i am once again begging y'all to stop glorifying the nix hydra era

[mlpelemental]

The first two episodes! :)

"A New Maretime Bay" - As Sunny and her friends welcome newcomers into Maretime Bay, we explore all the new places that have been built with it. Afterward, conflicts have risen within the town. Sunny and her friends must find a way to fix it.

This episode is very similar to the show's introduction. There wasn't much change besides new buildings and arguments. Though it's not a carbon copy, it's sort of similar and just a good series starter!

"Deputy Dilemma" - After Sunny's ineraction with Twilight, she's up all night worrying. Izzy takes her to Moonbow's Recycling to relax for the day. Now that Hitch is without a Deputy, he's having more trouble dealing with the town. His friends try to help him solve that problem.

This episode delves into more of the backstory of Twilight and the Unity Crystals! Explaining what Opaline's intentions are and where this series is heading.

[brokenhardies]

Foolsuke AU - The Hamburgulars

made in this dollmaker

Yusuke Kitagawa - The Fool

Makoto Niijima - The Chariot

Futaba Isshiki - The Lovers

Akira Kurusu - The Emperor

Goro Yoshida - The High Priestess

Ryuji Ohya - The Hermit

Ann Takamaki - The Empress

Haru Okumura - The Justice

Satoru Yoshizawa - The Faith

(not featured; Violet - The Magician)

@latenitewaffles, @inkwell1013, @mushroomfusion245 @rollthedice-playthecards @thehedgehogat221b @sterling-writes @wonderguards

[into-the-daniverse]

Hello it’s been a thousand years (two) but I was thinking about Muriel and what his relationship with Alec might have been like before the plague, with how close she and Asra were she had to have known him

And then because I’m feeling angsty I’m thinking about him carrying her to the shop after Asra brings her back and how he’s the second person to know she’s alive

Idk over the years I think they’re less of a purely romantic ship and just something else entirely but *Benoit Blanc voice* compels me though

[bakuliwrites]

An Exchange- Julian x Bakuli x Lucio

Rating: 18+ (MINORS DNI)

Tags (for this excerpt): Slightly suggestive, Julian recounting the time he had to dart across the deck of a ship completely in the nude

Pairing: Julian Devorak x Lucio Morgasson x Bakuli Björnsdottir

So, I'm editing a version of End Up Here to feature my fan apprentice, Bakuli. I'm not sure that I'll ever release the full thing, but for fun, I might post some of it on Tumblr from time-to-time. So here's a bit of it from the segment An Exchange in Chapter 8.

Over the next several days, Lucio tries to rid his mind of pointless, wistful dreams, busying himself with concocting plans for his next party. But as soon as he sees Julian and Bakuli, the strange, soft yearnings return. It nearly puts him in a foul mood, but the attention showered upon him by his companions is enough to stave off any potential lashing out on his part. Though as soon as Bakuli and Julian have drifted off to sleep, Lucio’s irritation returns in full force. 

He hates how much he’s enjoying their company. He hates how- fluffy he’s starting to feel about them both. How attached he’s getting. He tells himself he’s doing this to distract them. Not that he thinks either Julian or Bakuli will get to the bottom of what he’s up to and where this plague came from. But still, the threat is present.

Lucio tells himself that all of this is just a bit of fun. He’ll get bored of the two of them eventually. He’s never been one to maintain prolonged affection or interest, with the exception of Noddy. Yet, he finds himself snuggling closer to Julian and Bakuli when the nights get cold, when the anxiety comes creeping into his mind. In his sleep, Julian will drape an arm over Lucio’s shivering torso. In Bakuli’s slumber, she lets out a soft sigh and reaches for Lucio’s hand. 

In their waking hours, Julian is a riot. Lucio can’t remember the last time someone made him laugh like Julian can. In fact, it was probably Julian that last made him laugh this hard, way back when Lucio was still Montag and Julian was still wet behind the ears. 

“The next thing I know, I’m running stark naked across the deck, shielding my bits with a rag while trying to hunt down a cargo crate or a barrel I can duck into before anyone can see me-” Julian is re-enacting, darting across Lucio’s bedroom, holding a kerchief in front of his “bits” to feign decency. Meanwhile, Bakuli is beside herself with laughter and Lucio is practically wheezing, clutching at his sides in pain from all the giggling he’s done. 

“La-” Julian tries to continue, nearly doubling over with laughter, “Lady Delphine pulls off the lid of the barrel and peeks inside to find me desperately trying to cover myself with the rag. I'm sputtering apologies and have got no good explanation for my unfortunate predicament. She merely looks at me for a moment and then- with a smirk, mind you- says, ‘I would scold you for the sheer audacity you have, but you’ve already embarrassed yourself enough for one day.’” 

“My Gods, Ilya,” Bakuli manages, wiping tears from the corners of her eyes with how hard she’s been laughing, “How do you go on after that?” 

“No wonder she gave me a funny look when I mentioned you were coming to that banquet a couple months back,” Lucio posits, recovering his breath after this ridiculous story. This comment just sends Bakuli into another fit of laughter.

As the night winds down and all three of them begin to fall into a daze of exhaustion, Bakuli waves her hand and extinguishes the candlelight. Julian settles in on one side of her while Lucio claims the other. Lucio isn’t surprised that Julian quickly dozes off, his animated storytelling no doubt exhausting. Meanwhile, Bakuli is wide awake beside the Count, her eyes curiously roving Lucio’s face in the silence. It’s a bit unnerving and he’s about to ask if she likes what she sees when she reaches out a hand and tenderly sweeps some of the gilded strands of his hair back.

“Who were you? Before you became Lucio, Count of Vesuvia?” she whispers. Bathed in moonlight, Bakuli’s eyes appear almost green, a lush forest thankful for days of rain. Lucio doesn’t quite understand what she means, quirking an eyebrow up in confusion before realizing that perhaps she's asking what his position in the palace was before he was named Count. 

“Oh, I was Spada’s right-hand man,” he explains, propping himself up on his elbow. But Bakuli shakes her head, the dark ringlets of her hair gently brushing against her shoulders with each motion. Her gaze is utterly penetrating. It spooks Lucio how deeply she’s looking at him, like she’s trying to puzzle out his soul. Like she’s trying to see beyond him in this present moment and figure out the scared little boy trapped in the swirling eddies of snow.

“But who were you? Like what did you do before this and how did you get here?” she specifies. Again, Lucio looks at her with confusion. It’s well known that Lucio, Light of Vesuvia, was a well-traveled, highly respected mercenary before he found his way to Count Spada. It’s common knowledge that he is the reason Vesuvia’s military was and is still so successful. With Bakuli being a Vesuvian citizen, she should know all of this already. And it’s then that Lucio realizes he actually doesn’t know much about Bakuli. Maybe she hasn’t always lived in Vesuvia. Maybe she’s from somewhere else. 

Like under a rock, you mean? a snarky thought pops into his head. Even if she were from elsewhere, word of Lucio Morgasson would have reached her. There isn’t a corner of the world where his name hasn’t been spoken. Before he has a chance to speak, however, Bakuli says something that gives him even further pause.

“I know you were a highly successful mercenary,” she clarifies with a small laugh, holding her penetrating gaze, “I guess what I mean is-”

She pauses, looking nervous to finish her own question. 

“I’ve heard a lot of rumors about you,” she finishes, dark brows knit together and forehead crinkling with a sheepish worry, “About your childhood. Some of them good, some of them not so good.”

Lucio’s heart jumps into his throat, vibrating rapidly, fear setting in. Where is this line of questioning going? This isn’t the first time over the last few weeks that Bakuli has, in some way, made him feel- anxious. There have been a couple times where he’s caught the magician staring curiously at him. He’s chalked it up to her somewhat odd personality and introverted nature, but the way Bakuli is looking at Lucio tonight makes him wonder if, perhaps, there’s more to it. 

“Oh yeah?” he tries to say as casually as possible, feigning nonchalance though his mind is reeling, “Do you believe them?” 

He hopes she can’t see how utterly terrified he is. Maybe the Devil was right. Maybe he shouldn’t have invited this magician into his palace, let alone his bed. Maybe she’s fishing for information. Maybe-

“I’m not one to let rumors cloud my judgment,” Bakuli states, the worried look on her face replaced with one of indignance, “Rumors aren’t always fair and, more often than not, they’re untrue. I’ll make my own opinions of you. I was just curious what you thought of them.”

“Ha,” Lucio lets out a false laugh, leaning back against his pillow and smiling mischievously, secretly relieved that she wasn’t more direct, “Well, all the good ones are certainly true. And all the bad? A load of crap. You can take that to the bank.”

Bakuli merely casts a kind smile at him. But the glimmer behind her eyes tells Lucio she’s thinking, contemplating.

“You’re a curious one, Lucio,” she chuckles, leaning towards him and pressing a featherlight kiss to his lips. She lingers for a moment, the pad of her thumb gently smoothing over the angles of Lucio’s cheekbones. Despite her aura of mystery, there’s something about her that Lucio can’t help but like. Maybe it’s the way she makes him feel heard. For as strange as her gaze may be, he can admit to some part of himself that Bakuli makes him feel seen. When he or Julian tell their stories, even if it’s the millionth time she’s heard them, Bakuli still looks at them like they’re the center of her attention. She seems to do this for everyone she meets. Her focus is unparalleled and Lucio finds himself appreciating this.

“Alright, Miss. Bakuli, your turn,” he smirks, beaming impishly and expectantly at his companion, “Who were you? Before you became such an illustrious magician.”

She beams, a bright smile that seems to reach her eyes. 

“No one special,” she laughs.

“Pshhh,” Lucio returns, “I highly doubt that.”

“No, really!” Bakuli insists, absentmindedly tracing Lucio’s collarbone with the tip of her fingernail. The sensation sends delightful shivers through him, goosebumps settling as quickly as they raise with her touch. 

“I want the whole story,” Lucio quietly demands, drawing her closer, “Tell me who Bakuli Björnsdottir is.” 

She glances at him hesitantly, blushing softly, no doubt at the one-on-one attention she’s receiving from The Count of Vesuvia. Lucio likes it when she’s flustered, likes to watch the way she sheepishly glances down and smiles quietly to herself. 

“Alright, fine,” she acquiesces before launching into a detailed account of her life. And for once, Lucio listens, perhaps too tired to interject with his own stories. Or maybe too invested in gauging if there’s anything in her past he should be worried about. Either way, he learns a fair amount about her. 

Bakuli was born in the South, to a tribe not unlike his own, though her mother is Prakran. She spent her early years in the frigid snows of the Scourgelands, before her parents and three other siblings relocated to Prakra, to be closer to her mother’s family. Things were good, until they weren’t. Her parents split up when she was twelve, something she’d made peace with a long time ago, though the mention of it still seemed to bring a quiver to her voice. Her father, a merchant by trade, went back to the Scourgelands, where Bakuli would visit once a year. Their relationship is somewhat strained.

“I love my father, very much,” she explains, eyes downcast at this part of her story, “But he wasn’t always present, even when he was around. Sometimes, it felt like his spirit was wandering somewhere else while his body stayed behind.” 

Lucio doesn’t dare say anything about his own father, pushing the image of a withered Lutz out of his mind. He doesn’t have to think about the man for long, as Bakuli goes on with her tale. 

Lucio learns that she inherited her magic shop from her mother, who inherited it from her sister, who inherited it from their mother. 

“It’s been in the family for generations,” Bakuli explains proudly as Lucio tries to follow the lineage of the shop, his brain starting to hurt, “You should come by to visit sometime. I think I have a couple things there that you might like. I can even do a tarot reading for you,” she adds with a wink. Lucio isn’t quite sure what that entails, but he’s down to give it a go.

Vesuvia was a summer destination for her family, to visit her grandmother when she was still alive. It didn’t become a permanent residence for Bakuli until her mother inherited the shop when Bakuli was fifteen. 

“And I’ve been living here ever since,” she finishes with a smile. Lucio knows there’s more to her story than this condensed version of it. He can see it in her eyes, a lingering sorrow that wavers in and out as she looks at him. But he’s far too exhausted to ask for any further details. And he’s certainly not going to press for more, knowing that it will open the door for Bakuli to question him in return. Lucio is certain that he does not want to share the intricacies of his own childhood with this magician. He’s never even done that with Julian, and he trusts him more than he trusts Bakuli at the moment. 

Their conversation fades to a whisper and soon enough, Bakuli is out like a light, leaving Lucio to stew in confusion. He’s grateful to have gotten a glimpse into the magician’s background. So far, there’s nothing to alarm him. It does sound like she’s come from a background none-too-special or threatening. Still, the feeling of paranoia lingers. Why is she asking him questions about his childhood? Is it genuine curiosity? Or is she trying to dig up dirt on him and spread it around a city that already seems to secretly hate their Count? Is this Aisha and Salim all over again? Or is it something else entirely? Something that scares Lucio even more. 

Lucio pinches the bridge of his nose, squeezing his eyes shut in frustration. Bakuli’s interrogating, her inquisitive gaze, fills him with a perplexing mixture of caution and warmth. He doesn’t dare divulge the details of his childhood to anyone, let alone her and Julian. Yet, he finds himself feeling grateful that someone is paying attention to him. And genuinely so, it seems. 

Have to keep an eye on that one, Lucio notes, tired of mulling over possibilities in his head.

Something has changed. In this small interaction, everything has changed. Lucio can feel it deep in his heart. He can sense it radiating out from the brightness that slumbers beside him, and he’s not quite sure what to make of it all.

[peachypizzicato]

Hi!! Sory to bother you but this letter to dorian is very interesting! Im new to fandom but you mention many things which are annoying me too already. Its so harf to find smth nice to read 😖☹️😑 Sadly Im not much of a artist so i cant "be the change you wanna see" 😅😭 do you write/draw? Im so curios what a story/fanart would look like if done RIGHT for once. Thanks!!

hey anon! don’t worry, you’re not bothering me at all! thank you so much, i’m glad you enjoyed reading my impromptu essay-thingy! i was really hoping it would resonate with people in the fandom, so your message makes me very happy :)

i totally understand the feeling! sometimes you can kinda get lost in the shuffle and it can feel like there’s nothing good- but there’s good things and good creators out there! i honestly can’t really give super specific suggestions on that front, but id say just keep an eye out for anything showing or talking about characters in an unsavory manner (for example, if a majority of the art of ESPECIALLY the brown skinned characters is sexual or suggestive in nature, or if grown adults- julian and muriel most usually- are infantilized or otherwise treated as incapable on their own)

as for doing the story itself right, i actually feel uniquely qualified to speak on exactly that! i had actually started on my own retelling of sorts– before i realized that i had not done NEARLY enough planning and jumping in both feet first had stressed me to the point of burnout such that i had to shelve that whole thing. but i digress! in the meantime, i’ve actually done a bit of that planning stuff retroactively in the form of light analysis. nothing super crazy, mostly reading accounts from other marginalized groups affected by the messaging of the game and taking into account my own knowledge to jot down specific issues with the original and how they could be fixed (its kind of fun actually if you’re into that sort of thing)

without overloading this answer with a wall of literary analysis, many of the most visible problems end up coming down to a choice between specific traits or a specific background, as keeping both causes said problems (for example, will rewritten muriel stay the stoic woodsy wild man or will he keep his indigenous coding? will rewritten julian keep all of his imagery or will he be a recognized jewish character?) many of the routes also face deeper issues that would need a case-by-case handling, but for anyone looking to rewrite them my advice would just be to look at things with a very careful and purposeful eye: why is this event happening to this character? does it play into a harmful stereotype or trope? what can be done instead to add to their character and their arc?

thats just my two cents, anyway! i hope this makes sense and is helpful, thanks again for reading :)

[wormtoxin]

in case you’re wondering 70% of what i’m writing lately consists entirely of the following:

[oeurie]

the fan guide was supposed to come out on christmas but i think everything is more fun and interactive if we all dunno what's going on together ^_^

[wutheringheightsfilm]

okay so it has come to my attention that neither i nor @mqfx has actually made an official post as to what is going on in october so here it is:

⭐️ join us for untamed october! ⭐️

what is untamed october you might ask? well, charlie mqfx and i decided that since it's been 5 years since CQL aired, it's time for a cql renaissance! starting on october 1st 2024, we will be rewatching cql (and maybe making fanworks to contribute to the fun!!)

don't worry about a schedule; we're all busy adults, and you can take it at your own pace. the point of it is to have fun and relive some of the whimsy we all had when cql was first airing! if you want to try and get some of your mutuals or friends who have never seen cql before to watch it, october is the time!! if you have fanart or a fanfic you've been wanting to post, october is it baby!!

if you want to participate with fanart, fanfic, gifsets, etc., feel free to tag your work with #untamed october or #untamedtober ! i'll be making sure to go through those tags all month to boost everyone's work!!

here are some notable works that will drop this october:

⭐️ @trans-xianxian will be drawing an entire set of major arcana cql themed tarot cards!! check out this ask to see the gdrive folder with the progress 🩵

⭐️ i believe a couple of people may be making gifsets, but i don't know who! i know they'll be beautiful though 🩵

⭐️ and of course, i myself am going to be dropping my 36 chapter fanfic, a complete rewrite and revamp of my fanfic from 5 years ago, Odd Geometry! I will be posting the official summary of it soon, so please check it out 🩵

and of course, the fun won't be quite over yet.... tgcf fans better hold onto their hats for november when @mqfx drops the rest of Idle Dreams Far South! you can read the first chapter of it here!

[the-other-starstruck]

got the entire first chapter of lucios route written down!! editing it now :)

im formatting it fanfic style but keeping the writing style (as best i can) and keeping as much of the canon writing as i see fit.

im using my mc samsin in it because i didnt want to put (mc) or (y/n) cause it just pulls me out of the narrative entirely. plus i can make more dialogue and interactions with personality rather than milktoast mc only there to showcase the characters personalities.

[gloriaglorheart]

Sooo!! I got some more chapters up!!

There are now 15 chapters to my rewrite!

And enjoy this screenshot from the other day lmao

[iliveforyouilongforyouvesuvia]

not sure if you're slowing down on mini hcs due to vacation prep, but if you have time, here's something silly!

How about mc asking their now spouse LI if they can get married- again. Would that even be possible? They just love them that much!

The Arcana Mini-HCs: MC asks M6 to marry them again

Julian: absolutely yes you can!! how do you want to do it? is it okay if he rewrites his vows so they can be "vol II - continued" ?

Asra: they'll commit to you in any realm, under any name, with every loving vow - which counting his deal, would make this the third time!

Nadia: oh that's a lovely idea. give her a few months while she plans an elaborate town-wide ceremony to celebrate your marriage -

Muriel: ... does this mean he'll have to be social? he'll renew his vows if you'd like that, but it'll be easier if it can be just the two of you

Portia: wait that sounds like so much fun! what's the point of a wedding outfit anyway if you only wear it once? let's do it!

Lucio: as touched as he is by your declaration of love, his inner party siren is blasting full volume. hell yeah, it's time to celebrate!

[mlpelemental]

Episode 7 (One more to go!)

"Queen Zipp" - Zipp and Misty are training with their respective mothers. They are both put under specific challenges that they must overcome. Meanwhile, Sunny and Izzy examine the mystery of Hitch and Sprout.

The next episode is the finale! So this really pumps out the final leftover questions before we get to the crazy stuff. This chapter was just a starter. The next chapter is going to be something much much MUCH more adventurous.