#the theme of this little gang i am creating is:

[quietwingsinthesky]

making mass effect OCs that are such fail loser idiots i love them

[lynxgriffin]

What are your predictions for Deltarune Chapters 3-4 ?

Hmmm, let's see...

I think Susie and Ralsei are going to work out very quickly that Kris was the one to create this fountain. Susie's going to brush it off like "Okay yeah I get why you would, it's okay we'll just have fun and seal the fountain when we're done anyway!" and Ralsei will try and act like it's not a problem, when he clearly is bothered by it, and this will start to build up some tension between Ralsei and Kris.

I am open to Toriel being another side party member, less convinced yet that we'll be seeing another adult like Undyne or Napstablook there as well. I do not think we'll be getting a Snowgrave repeat where Toriel is manipulated into killing Undyne or anything like that. If there's a weird route continuation here, it'll be handled very differently.

I don't think we'll be seeing more of the Dreemurr household in the dark world; it'll just be focused on what's on the TV. We've already got a few possibilities for areas: a cooking show, the weather report, and the monster movie, plus we do keep getting hints that the western show may show up in some capacity.

To that end...hopefully a Susiezilla sequence for the monster movie part!

Unsure of what Mike's role will be in here, but I'm anticipating Tenna as the main big bad for this Dark World.

I don't think anyone has guessed the secret boss for chapter three yet, and I don't think anyone will. Thusfar for secret bosses, there's been no hints of them from other places, and you have to go out of your way to find them. Their function as Darkners made from discarded/forgotten objects makes sense in hindsight, but isn't obvious from the get-go. All we know is that we'll need the shadow mantle for a future secret boss, and that that's missing now.

At the end of chapter three, Asriel is going to call on the landline phone and talk to Toriel briefly, but WE won't get to actually communicate with him and it's going to drive me bonkers.

We know less about chapter four, except for some very basic things...Susie and Kris have a few scenes talking out in the light world, and it's raining some of that time. It could either go the direction of an all-light world chapter, or another dark world they explore the next day.

Assuming it's the latter and there's another dark world (which makes more sense to me), I feel the best location options are the hospital, the church, and Asgore's flower shop. If there's a thread started in chapter three getting into more of the Dreemurr family history and Kris's place in it (which does seem to be the case), Asgore's shop seems the best bet to continue that thread next, so I'm going to predict Asgore's shop for chapter four.

Since that's a flower shop and all, a more Alice In Wonderland sort of theming seems likely, with more of a jungle/wild area that the Fun Gang has to explore compared to the city and sound stage areas of previous chapters.

I am expecting Catti (and potentially also Jockington) to be future Dark World partners, and either chapter four or chapter five seems a good option for that.

I think Catti is necessary as a partner 1) because of her occult history with Kris, 2) her focus on protecting Noelle, who I could see showing up in the Dark World again as early as chapter four or five, and 3) her clearly having beef with Susie.

If we're dealing with Kris's family history through chapters 3 and 4, I can see that then going into more of Susie's backstory and whatever is going on with her family. I get the feeling that Catti knows some secret about Susie that makes her dislike her more than just "she stole Jockington's hat once", and that will need to be resolved in conjunction with learning more on Susie's situation.

Every day in-game that big-headed blue bird monster is going to reveal another shelf in the second floor of the library, which will slowly give more worldbuilding lore, and it's going to be maddening just getting those little crumbs of info one at a time.

We'll be getting more Knight hints, but not a real reveal until chapter five.

[leafeyrune]

Introducing AVA: Code Breaker AU!!

Hi Hi!! I have been working on this AU for a little bit now! It’s still being worked on (esp the later half of it) But I wanted to talk about it and introduce its premise

What is AVA Code Breaker AU?

AVA: Code Breaker is an alternate telling of the possible events of AVA 11. This story is created just for the sake of a “What if” scenario rather than predicting the actual events (as of writing this, it has not come out yet). It would be super cool if some of the themes and events of Code Breaker happen in the actual series but im not counting on it. I just like writing silly (not so silly) scenarios like this.

The Premise

It starts pretty much after AVA 10: Yellow being taken away from the rest of the color gang, Chosen getting his/their memory scanned, Orange finding out he has powers. Victim is seeking vengeance on Alan after deleting him and now learning what he does, she wants to use the tools he now has to make her goal come into fruition.

Now that victim is aware of Orange’s extraordinary powers, he has a feeling he has key to finishing off his revenge after all. It’s only a matter of time…

After locking Chosen up and sampling Orange’s code, victim tries to analyze it, but a cypher prevents victim from continuing.

But seeing that they have captured Yellow, who from what they have seen is talented in coding and programming, the task is still possible…

After persuading (tricking) Yellow into deciphering the cypher, victim tries to recruit Chosen, Orange, and Yellow into her plan of stopping the Animator once and for all to “save the rest of stick kind” as well as carry out her revenge. However, the gang refuses and shows hesitance towards victim’s revenge plan. Victim has had enough, refusing to take no as an answer, and takes the cypher Yellow created and breaks through Orange’s code, forcing him to awaken and follow a new mission code.

awaken.The_Second_Coming = follow(victim).destroy(The Animator)

How will Chosen and Yellow handle the tides shifting…and how will they regroup with the rest of the Color Gang with this new adversity?

Character Renders (So far)

I will post Part 1 of the main summary of the AU soon! But I am super excited to do more for this au… it’s been boiling on my brain for a little bit now so I am super excited to talk about it! :D

[leavemyelevator-alone]

Okay, I know I’m a few days late, but I want to talk about Nicholas the Punisher. This theme shows up in either episode 6 or 7, during Wolfwood’s fight against Livio on the Sand Steamer, and it starts playing when Wolfwood declares that he’s gonna be pissed if he has to hurt Livio. This isn’t the first time we’ve seen Wolfwood fight (far from it), but with such high stakes on the outcome on this fight, both concerning Livio’s safety and Vash’s survival, and the fact that this is the theme that is supposed to reflect Wolfwood as the Punisher, we would expect something fast-paced and tense, maybe, if it wanted to lean into the looming outcome if Vash and Wolfwood lose. 

   But no. Wolfwood’s theme (as the Punisher) is so slow, and seems to carry a melancholic, tragic theme to it. It feels so weary, like Wolfwood is exhausted of having to play this part, and is sick of hurting people he once knew (and even loved, in Livio’s case). It carries an undertone of determinedness, but it’s so overwhelmingly melancholic it makes me pause. Does it mean that under all of his blunder, Wolfwood had already given up on Livio, from the start of the fight? This theme plays before he spits out who he really is to Vash, so does that mean that this is how Wolfwood views himself? Does he see himself as this tragic, unforgivable monster? Does he think that he doomed Livio, albeit unknowingly from the start by letting his little brother follow him around? I think so, but the cool thing about music is that everyone has their own interpretation of it. 

   Knives’ theme is strong gorgeous and victorious, Vash’s is chaotic and clearly feels like someone on the run, but Wolfwood’s stays tragic. It is mean to show who he is with the Eye of Michael — what they’ve made him into. Not this strong, unbreakable inhuman fighter, but a scared, broken man who feels like not only his brother but his humanity was ripped away from him. Let’s compare it to Undertaker, his introductory theme: as @/fatalwhims mentioned, this piece is overall kinda unsettling. It’s slower as well, but is more confident. It’s relaxed, and arguably a little mischievous, as opposed to Nicholas the Punisher’s despondency. This is absolutely the musical personification of Wolfwood’s persona he shares with the gang. This is the relaxed, knows what he’s doing, “big-brother Nico” vibes he attempts to use to get Vash to trust him. But Nicholas the Punisher is so far from that. 

Okay, we got the melancholy, “woe-is me” music out of the way; now it’s time for the action-packed, Vashwood-fighting-back-to-back fight music, right? Wrong. Whom to Kill, Whom to Let Live is the track that plays next, and it is just as (arguably) hopeless. The piano creates a bit more of a determined feel, as well as the bass (I think? Correct me if I’m wrong, cause I probably am) that comes in at 1:07 and the addition of another instrument at 1:37, but if you listen closely, the determination that it invokes fits more that of a grim one than that of a triumphant, I-can-beat-him! feel that most series like to do. That aforementioned piano piece? It’s lifted directly from the track Orphanage. Whom to Kill is just as sad of a song as Nicholas the Punisher, and I feel like this is the perfect score for this fight scene. This is not an epic showdown like it was against the Nebraskas at the beginning of the series, or even against Knives at the end of it. This is what I would call the “Last Agni Kai” fight: Wolfwood doesn’t want to fight Livio. He understands that he seems to have no choice, but that doesn’t mean he wants to fight his baby brother. That is why the Orphanage piano piece comes back and haunts this track. That is why it is grim determination. He will either have to let Livio kill his ward (which will get him killed by Knives), or he will have to kill Livio himself (which will break him worse than death). The entirety of the Livio-Vash-Wolfwood fight is tragic, somber, almost desperate music; not what you would expect to hear from an epic fight scene. None of this might make any sense, but I had to get it out of my system. Thanks for indulging my rambling! 

@tristampparty

[theimpalatales]

I adore the cinematography in Kin, particularly in the first few episodes of season 1 (directed by Diarmuid Goggins).

There's a voyeurism to many of the shots that place things like furniture, doors or windows in the foreground between the characters and the camera, creating distance between us and them – like we, the audience, are privy to family matters we shouldn't be seeing.

There's a sense of intensity and a fight for control to the extreme edges of the frame the characters are painted into.

And, as intense and powerful as the characters can feel, there is always the sense that the world is bigger than them. The characters are, ultimately, swallowed up by the world.

I think this is so clever because it feels like such a fresh way to shoot a show about gangsters, and it completely fits with many of Kin's themes. Throughout Kin, we see a fairly humanistic exploration of gang families and how difficult it can be for the characters to become free from the criminal endeavours they're surrounded by; once you dip your toe in the pond, you're sucked in. Events have a way of spiralling out of an individual's control, and actions have severe consequences that manifest like falling dominoes.

The world the characters inhabit is bigger than them; the house always wins. It doesn't matter that Mikey wants to stay clean to better his chances of seeing his daughter again, or that Amanda doesn't want her son having anything to do with the family's criminal activities. Even as they wrestle for control of their lives, it's made apparent that they're up against forces bigger than any of them. They are Kinsellas, they exist within this criminal world, and they will have to face the consequences of that.

But neither are these characters helpless. They are in constant conflict with each other to shape the world how they want it to be. They are characters fighting for their survival, for their right to live the way they want to (whether we agree that's morally acceptable or not). We even see explicit examples of characters like Mikey and Amanda being in a position to walk away from the family business and leave it all behind. But this isn't truly what they want.

The Kinsellas go up against Eamon Cunningham. We watch Amanda orchestrate assassinations to hit back at the men who killed her son. Eric is the first Kinsella we see carry out an execution. Mikey (briefly) engages the legal system to be able to see his daughter, and then he and Anna disregard the court's orders for them to have no contact. And the Kinsellas are constantly butting heads with each other as they reap the rewards of their criminal activities. They each have agency and power that they use to try to stay afloat in this treacherous world. The characters' conflict and struggle are visually apparent in the framing and composition of the shots.

Finally, going back to the first point I made (and, wow, I had no idea I'd be making a post this long, I am so sorry!): the voyeurism. From my (little) understanding, gang members in Ireland have almost a reality star-status. The public know who they are, the papers are constantly reporting on them, and their lives appear to be glamorous and, to some, enviable in some ways. Kin almost entirely strips this perspective away to look at the individuals behind this sense of celebrity, to examine the traumatic impact of being involved in a world so deadly and dangerous.

The wealth and glamour is present, but it isn't the focus of the show. Instead, what we get feels like an exposé, a peak behind the curtain into the true lives of these gangsters. Mikey suffers from epileptic fits often brought on by the stress of the job. Amanda and Jimmy lose their son and we watch them grieve. Eric goes to prison and his girlfriend struggles with the drastic change to their relationship. The list goes on as we are treated to the serious and real consequences of being part of this criminal world.

The colour grading and lighting also help hammer this home. It's neither highly saturated or overly desaturated. Rather than having the contrast bumped up, it almost appears soft. Against a backdrop of criminality and drama, the visuals of Kin invite its audience to view these characters as people first, to view them and their actions with empathy, if not always sympathy.

Kin is a show with something to say, and it knows how to use its cinematography to deliver that message to its audience.

[swallowerofdharma]

Which saezuru characters besides Yashiro and Doumeki do you like and why?

It’s Saezuru month! In no particular order:

Aoi

So much time has passed in terms of the release of the first chapters but I find myself thinking back often about her. As the story progressed, we have noticed how the theme of seeing and being seen is a very central and recurring one and the introduction of Aoi works well in that sense. She is in the street and the characters in the building are seeing her through a window above, at a distance. Nanahara thinks that she is Doumeki’s boyfriend, Doumeki doesn’t want to see her, only wanting her to stay away from his new life, Yashiro is compelled to go talk to her, seeing her much better than she has probably ever been seen. It’s a little reciprocal and those scenes under the rain and in the restaurant are so important because we really see Aoi as she is and not through the eyes of her brother. She really needed to be able to communicate with Doumeki to move on and that real motivation made her presence in the story and Yashiro’s meddling so much more meaningful than a plot device to bring Y and D closer and I really liked that. And I would love to know what type of art she creates.

Ryuuzaki

I never gave up on him, I think the banter between Ryuuzaki and Yashiro in present times is so enjoyable. And this is another example of people fitting into the theme of seeing: he looked at Yashiro and saw more than ever he knew and on the other hand Ryuuzaki is someone Yashiro doesn’t see clearly and it’s interesting that, isn’t it. I also like the way they talk, there is intimacy and fun and challenge in that inconsiderate way that has stayed with them since they were both younger. And I think that a very under appreciated element of having sex in these types of stories is the ability to laugh and play. As for the past: in the situations Yashiro put himself in recklessly, Ryuuzaki’s personality and his unwillingness to really hurt Y is much more important than we have given credit for. Ryuuzaki was the gang leader in Matsubara: the other guys would have followed his example in the way they were treating Yashiro and Ryuuzaki wasn’t willing to push too far, hurt Y or really incite violence. He was maybe unconsciously looking out for Y and we see how different the situation is when it’s Misumi the one who takes charge. Who knows, maybe we will see Ryuuzaki again? He may have learned things about Kai in prison.

Hirata

I remain very much non-judgmental when reading fiction, this kind especially. I find it grating when I have to suspend my beliefs too often and I much prefer characters that behave realistically and coherently with who they are, human beings are flawed and contradictory and yakuza are shady and easy to provoke. But it may come as a surprise that one of my favorite characters is actually Hirata. I think he helped me a lot feel like the story was grounded because he is exactly what I would expect from most yakuza. He is one of the most believable characters there is and I enjoyed how his lines were written, the manipulative way he talked with Ryuuzaki, the false way he addressed Misumi and how he could only barely tolerate or openly despised Yashiro. He was a well written antagonist and provided some good moments and an interesting conflict that kept me engaged. And listen, I am who I am, so I might enjoy fictional stabbing scenes more than other people?

Kamiya

Since he appeared with his pants down in an alley I was immediately a fan of him. His facial expressions speak to me: I am fed up with everything and everyone, every single day is Monday and I haven’t time for your drama. I think the external point of view he provided after the time skip was clever and his dynamics with Doumeki so needed to smooth the air. He is also a character that is able to talk and interact with women very normally despite being yakuza and with the introduction of Izumi I believe he can be very useful to have around and he knew how to be discreet but also worried enough to warn Izumi about Doumeki, even vaguely. It’s too early for me to express opinions on newer characters like Izumi that have not yet been fully and actively involved in the story. I think everything has been kept purposefully as a mystery and I am the type of person who has such an ingrained habit of suspended judgment that I am not able to say much yet about ongoing situations and those involved, I lack information to form a strong opinion on newer characters at the moment. Izumi intrigues me a lot, tho. Thank you for the ask!

[m-jelly]

The bunny's keeper - Chapter 6

@ladycheesington <3

Levi x fem! reader.

Modern AU, fluff, romance, falling in love, Levi has tattoos and piercings, bad boy Levi, protective Levi,

In this chapter: The team work together to set up and repair a community causing the mayor and the media to be interested in Erwin. Levi takes you on a date to a theme park, but while he's there he has to protect you from Seymore's men.

Massive thank you to @ladycheesington for helping me flesh this story out and helping with the side plot of Erwin and how the gang started <3

part 7

Erwin wiped his brow as he looked out at the park. The ground had been prepared and now it was time to start putting in the play equipment for children. He hummed a little as his and Levi’s men brought everything out and laid it down on the ground so they could map it all out. He glanced down at the plans when they were presented and assessed if they were correct. After a few alterations, the work began again.

Orders were called out, and teams worked together to create different playground equipment. The locals joined in building up the park for the kids. When you first arrived, the aim was to work on the shops and homes. After doing that, it was all about making sure the kids had a place to play. Everyone made it fun with music and a few people dancing and singing along.

While serving drinks and snacks, you noticed that a news team had turned up along with a very curious mayor. You put on your best smile and welcomed them. You handed them an information leaflet with everything Erwin was doing. “We made these to help the locals know what will be coming and what we have done.”

The mayor looked it over. “Incredible. Why is he doing this?”

You smiled sweetly at him. “Well, we all come from backgrounds like this. We all came from poor backgrounds or loss. We were neglected because bad people took advantage of how desperate we were. So, we raised money, put some of our own money together and started helping the community. We give them the tools to help themselves and we listen.”

He looked through the leaflet. “This is impressive. I must speak to Erwin.”

You pointed over to Erwin. “He’s just there helping put up a large slide. I’ll take you over.” You walked with him to Erwin. “Erwin? I have some water for you and the mayor here wants to talk to you.”

Erwin downed some of the water. “Thank you.” He smiled at the mayor. “Lovely to meet you, sir. I am sorry about how I’m dressed.”

The mayor chuckled. “No need to apologise! You’re working hard. Shall we have a chat?”

You gave him a thumbs up. “Go, Erwin.”

Levi slid up next to you with a little girl in his arms. “That the mayor?”

You nodded. “Yeah.” You saw the little girl. “Oh, hello there. You having fun today?”

She grinned. “Yes, Miss!”

Levi adjusted her. “She said she was feeling a little unwell. I was thinking she needs some sugar.”

You nodded and grabbed a chocolate chip cookie. “This should help you, little one.”

Levi smiled and looked after her. “That nice? My fiancée baked them.”

She giggled. “They’re yummy! Thank you.”

You grabbed a cup. “Do you want some juice as well?”

“Thank you.”

You cleaned her face after she was done. “There we go. All better.”

Levi put the girl on her feet. “You feel all better now?”

She grinned. “Yes, thank you.”

Levi ruffled her hair. “Go take a cookie back to your mummy, okay?”

She took another cookie from you. “You’ll be a great mummy and daddy someday!”

“Thank you.” He waved to her before turning to you. “She’s right.”

You hummed a laugh. “Is she now?”

He walked closer and wrapped his arms around you. “I think we would.”

You kissed him and purred. “Me too.” You smiled a little. “You’re doing amazing. This place looks so good.”

Levi smiled as he tangled his fingers in your hair. “Thank you.”

You mewled in delight as he kissed you passionately. You pulled back a bit causing him to kiss and bite at your jawline and neck. You started panting as your body began tingling. You glanced to the side and noticed the news team were locked in on you and Levi. It seemed like they were trying to show that Erwin’s gang was full of love.

Levi picked you up making you giggle. “I can’t wait to marry you.”

You gazed down at your man. “I can’t wait either.”

He carried you to a chair. He sat down and put you on his lap. “What do you want for dinner tonight?”

You thought about what food was in the apartment. “Mm, I could do a jacket potato with beans. I’m sure we have everything in the home.”

Levi blushed a bit. “Well, we have more money. The work you, Erwin and I have been doing has paid off. So, we can go out for a date.”

Your eyes widened. “What? Really?”

He smirked. “Yeah.”

You got nervous when you thought about money. “That’s amazing, but um…we should save our money up.”

Levi caressed your cheek. “We have a great savings account, my bunny. One dinner out will not ruin that.”

You gazed at him with a twinkle in your eyes. “Are you sure?”

He nodded. “Yes. Besides, I’ve told you not to worry about a thing. I’ll take care of you.”

You pouted a bit. “I want to take care of you though.”

He nuzzled his head against you. “I know. You take care of me so much. I eat like normal because of you. I take care of myself better because of you. I sleep like a healthy person should because of you. Fuck, brat, because of you this gang is now expanding and gaining power. If it weren’t for you, I wouldn’t be looking after myself, Erwin would still be fighting against Mr Seymore and this gang would be tiny and not making a difference.”

You felt your cheeks burn. “I…you…umm…” You sighed. “You talk too highly of me.”

“I mean every single word, my lovely bunny.”

You hugged Levi tightly. “Okay. I’d love to go on a date. What do you have in mind?”

He pinched your cheek and smiled a little. “How about a theme park?”

You gasped. “They’re expensive.”

He kissed you. “We can afford it.” He kissed you again. “Tonight, we will order some burgers and tomorrow we’ll go to a theme park.”

You pulled at Levi’s shirt. “Mm…okay.” You gazed at him. “As long as we can afford it.”

“We can.” He squeezed you. “I need some bunny therapy before I get back to work.”

You gave Levi a big hug. “I am so proud of you.”

“That means a lot to me.” He softly said your name. “I’m proud of you every single day.”

You smiled a little. “We better get to work otherwise we won’t be able to part.”

He stood you up and chuckled. “You’re right.” He rose to his feet and stretched. “Alright, let’s get to work.” He leaned over. “Kiss for luck.”

You lightly kissed Levi. “Good luck. You’re amazing and I love you.”

“Love you too.”

You smiled a little before turning back to your post. You handed water out and some food to those who needed it. You made sure you had a gentle smile on your face. When someone got a bit hurt, you gave them a bit of first aid. It was nice seeing everyone so active and having fun. As you chatted with people you saw a gang walking closer, a gang that looked rough. You clenched up a little and made sure you stood protectively in front of the kids.

You stared at them. “Have you come to help us?”

The leader eyed you a bit before smiling softly. “Yeah. We noticed what you were doing. We wanna help.” He thumbed to some ladies. “We cooked some shit too. Help people to keep going.”

“Thank you so much.”

He rubbed the back of his neck. “We were wondering…your boss employing?”

You smiled brightly. “He sure is! He is currently talking with the mayor right now, but I can introduce you to my fiancé who is in charge of recruitment.” You waved to him. “Follow me.” You led the man to Levi. “Grumpy? This gentleman here is asking about joining.”

Levi shook the man’s hand. “Good to meet you. Let’s take a bit of a walk and talk things over.” You gave Levi a cute little wave before turning back to your table. You talked to the ladies and pointed to where they could put the food. You worked together and dished out a massive lunch for everyone. The court was lively with people enjoying themselves. It moved you to see how one small idea you had for Erwin turned into such a fun community event. The mayor was even helping put up a few things in the park. It all looked so perfect.

You pulled on your shoes and gazed at Levi. “Are you sure?”

Levi nodded. “Yes.”

You felt your cheeks burn. “Are you sure we can afford this?”

He walked up to you and held you. “Yes.”

You hummed in thought. “Okay, if you say so.”

He pulled you against him. “I swear, my cute bunny, we can afford this. We’ve come into a lot of money these past few months since you suggested the plan for us.” He cradled your face in his hands and showered it with kisses. “You saved us. You allowed us to afford so much more. Darling, your impact on the gang means we can afford a better place to live very soon.”

Your eyes widened. “Really?”

He nodded. “We can afford it now, but I’m saving up. My plan is once we take down Mr Seymore, we will absorb a lot of his power, which will result in a lot of money.”

You tapped your forehead against Levi’s chest. “I’m not that great.”

“You are incredible.”

You whined a bit. “You’re incredible too.”

He held your hand and pulled you outside to his bike. “Are you going to be okay walking around in your shoes and jacket?”

You nodded. “I think I’ll be okay.”

He kissed your cheek. “Okay. If you need anything, let me know.”

“Promise.”

He put your custom helmet on and climbed on first. “Come on, bunny.”

You climbed on and hugged him tightly from behind. “Ready to go.”

He started his bike up and sped off through the city and towards the theme park. It brought him joy having you hold him so tightly. When Levi came to a stop at a light, he felt his heart flutter when you rubbed his tummy and patted his thigh. He placed his gloved hand on your hand resting on his stomach. He chuckled when you pushed your hands up to his pecs and squeezed. He grabbed your hand and squeezed it before putting it back on his stomach so he could drive off.

You gripped Levi again as he moved once more until he finally reached the theme park. You climbed off first and pulled your helmet off. “Look at this place! I’m so excited.”

Levi took his helmet off and helped you pack your biker things with his in the side bags. “You deserve a treat.”

“What about you?”

He held your chin. “Spending a whole day with you is my treat.”

You pouted. “Levi.”

He smirked a bit before kissing you. “Love you.”

“Love you too.”

He pulled you along to the front and paid for tickets to get in. He glanced over at you to see you were worrying about the price again. “Darling bunny.” He pulled you against him. “I want you to only think about today, nothing else. Don’t let money enter your mind, okay?” He stopped and faced you. “Do it for me.”

You gazed deep into Levi’s eyes before releasing a sigh. “Okay.”

“Good girl.” He handed you the map. “So, where do you want to go?”

You looked over the map. “Mm, I don’t mind.”

“Come on, sweetheart, anything you want. There is nothing wrong with wanting things.”

You released a long sigh. “I know, I just find it hard sometimes.”

“I understand.”

You nibbled your lip and pointed. “How about we walk to the far side of the park and work our way forward?”

He kissed your temple. “Fantastic idea.”

You led the way through the park and over to the back end. You eyed up the place and noticed a massive ride. You pointed to it. “This one first.”

Levi stared at the massive ride. “You like the fast scary ones?”

“I do.”

He smirked. “Makes sense. I mean, I am scary and I ride my bike fast.”

You purred. “But you’re not fast in the bedroom.”

He nipped your neck. “You’re damn right.”

You stumbled into the line and giggled as people glanced at you. You hummed a laugh as Levi hugged you from behind. “When shall we start planning for the wedding?”

Levi hummed in thought. “I would love to marry you now. Maybe we’ll marry after we get our big break. I want to spend a lot of money on you.” He nuzzled your neck. “I want you to be treated like a Queen. I’ll buy you the best wedding dress ever.”

You rubbed Levi’s arms. “I don’t need a grand wedding. I’m happy to sign a piece of paper and go to a bar after.”

Levi squeezed you hard. “No.”

You laughed. “Okay, we’ll have a nice wedding.”

He kissed your cheek over and over. “Thank you.”

You moved to a seat and climbed into the spot before pulling down everything to keep you safe. You smiled as the attendant came along and checked to make sure you and Levi were strapped in. You leaned forward and took Levi’s hand. “You okay grumpy?”

Levi hummed as he played with your hand. “I’d rather you be sat on my lap, but yes I’m good.”

You giggled as he showered your hand with kisses. “Levi, focus. We’re moving up now.”

He took a knuckle of yours between his lips and lightly sucked. “I want to devour you.”

You whined a little as you felt a fire burn inside you. “Levi, stop making me feel horny.”

He nipped your finger a little before sitting back. “Here we go!”

Levi smiled when he heard your squeals of delight and delightful laughter. The fun you were having was so infectious. Laughter erupted from Levi as he too started to enjoy himself going around on the twists and bends. He was even smiling when the camera went off and took a picture of the two of you. Levi was sure it was going to be a beautiful picture.

He climbed out of the seat first before helping you. “Are you okay?”

You giggled. “Yes, but I think my hair isn’t.”

He played with your hair a little. “There you go.”

You gazed up at Levi. “Grumpy, your hair is a bit wild too.” You reached up and moved it. “So soft.”

Levi hummed in happiness. “I’m thinking of getting it cut. Maybe an undercut?”

You gasped in delight. “That’ll look so sexy!”

He chuckled at your words. “Well then, I’ll get it done. It’ll also be smarter.”

“You’ll look like a strong and handsome baddie.”

He picked you up a bit and walked with you as you laughed. “Well, I’m glad you will still adore me.”

“Always!”

He glanced over to two men eyeing you and him. Levi knew instantly they were probably Francis Seymore’s men. Levi needed to act without you knowing, to keep you safe and to keep you happy. He placed you on your feet and handed you some money. “Could you get me something to snack on? Maybe some freshly made doughnuts covered in sugar?”

You squealed in delight. “Yes!”

He smiled as you ran off with the money. “So, you here to scare me or kill me?”

A man moved closer to Levi and fixed his tie. “A lot of accidents can happen at theme parks.”

The other with sunglasses put his hands in his pockets. “So many hiding places too for bodies.”

Levi clicked his neck. “You’re right. I can see them all now.” Levi slammed his foot against the middle part of tie’s lower leg causing the bone to snap in half. He ignored the man’s scream as he dropped like a sack of potatoes. He quickly jabbed sunglasses in the neck with the side of his hand causing him to cough and choke. “Come near me and my fiancée again and I will show you what I can do when I’m furious.”

You paid for the doughnuts and loved how warm they were. You walked out and looked for a seat. “Mm…”

Levi walked up to you. “Come on, my bunny. I’ve found a nice spot for us.”

You held his hand and walked with him. A small sob and cry of pain drew your attention away from your man. “What happened to those two?”

Levi brought you to a nice table with a sweet view. “Accident, they happen all the time.”

You placed the bag on the table and stared at Levi. “Levi?”

He picked up one hot doughnut. “Do you trust me?”

“With all my heart.”

He released a long sigh. “They were bad men wanting to hurt us and they were linked to a certain someone.”

You leaned over and bit the doughnut before Levi could take a bite. “I know what you mean. I’m guessing you’re protecting me by not telling me.”

Levi stared at the bite mark. “Yes. You owe me some doughnut.”

You kissed him sweetly at first before slipping your tongue into his mouth. You pulled back a bit and smiled. “How was that?”

Levi growled. “Better than any doughnut I’ve had before.”

You giggled and picked up your doughnut. “About the guys you beat up, Don’t worry, okay? You don’t need to tell me in the future about everything you do and everyone you beat up. Just keep me in the loop a little.”

Levi took your hand and showered it with kisses. “I swear.”

You smiled a little. “We should keep eating before it gets cold.”

“We should.” Levi admired you as you ate with him. He hummed in delight when he saw how happy you were. “Ready to go on more rides?”

“Yes!”

He walked with you to the next ride. “So, I just wanna say if I see another guy or pair I need to take care of, I’ll just say it’s friendship time?”

You giggled. “Sounds cute, but good.”

“Thank you.”

The two of you moved around the park as you went on different rides. Levi relaxed a little and made sure to keep his eyes open for anyone getting close to you. He knew very well that during this time when Mr Seymore was being pressured was the most dangerous for you as a couple. Levi was not going to let anyone hurt a single hair on your head. You were more precious than all the gold in the world.

Levi kissed your neck. “I’ve gotta make some friends, okay?”

You gazed at him with cute doe eyes. “Be safe and be careful with your knuckles, okay?”

“Promise.” He handed you some coins. “Have fun in the arcade.”

You smiled at him. “Thank you.” You ran into the arcade and started on the claw machine. “Oh, cute cuddly!” You stuck your tongue out as you focused a little. “Come on, I will win you.” You gasped as the toy slowly slipped from the claw. “No! You’re so close!” You flinched when a man slammed against the claw machine causing the cuddly to drop into the dropdown box. “Yes!”

Levi panted as he pressed the man’s face against the glass. “Did you get it?”

Your eyes sparkled as you gazed at him. “I did, thank you.”

“Good.” He smiled at you. “Keep playing more.”

You grabbed your prize and hugged it. “You’re the best.”

He smiled at your cute smile. “You’re so sweet to me.” He released the man and sighed. “I just have friendship time, okay?”

You nodded. “I’ll keep playing.” You blew him a kiss then ran into the arcade more and started up another machine. You point your coin in and started playing a platform game. “Been so long since I’ve played something like this.”

A large bang echoed out in the arcade and the wall shook, you ignored it because you knew it was your man working hard to protect you. You stopped playing once you lost all your lives and moved on to the next game. You saw another game where the prize would be a bunny toy, so you were determined to win it for Levi. You tried a few times and started pouting because you weren’t winning.

You shrugged off your frustrations, took a deep breath and then went for it again. You squealed in delight when you won the bunny. “Perfect!”

Levi walked over to you as he panted a little. “Bunny, you okay?”

You smiled up at him. “Yes. I won this for you!”

He gazed at the bunny and smiled. “It’s you.” He took it from you. “Thank you so much.”

You fiddled with your bag and pulled out a tissue. You reached over and wiped some blood off Levi’s cheek. “You’re welcome. Is everything all sorted?”

He nodded. “No more issues for us.”

“So, how about we go have lunch?”

He smiled and took your hand. “Wonderful. What are you thinking?”

You pulled him along. “Umm, I’m thinking maybe we get hotdogs? Oh! Burgers.”

Levi chuckled. “How about we go to a place that does both?”

You hummed in delight. “Yes.”

He picked you up making you squeal with laughter. “Today has been wonderful.” He carried you to a nice restaurant and plopped you on a seat. “Could we do a bit of wedding talk?” He blushed a bit and shifted. “Also, future talk?”

You picked up the menu and played with it. “Of course.”

He released a long sigh. “Future talk.”

You nodded and reached over to Levi and placed your hand delicately on his. “You can tell me anything.”

He locked eyes with you. “How do you feel about kids?”

You smiled. “Are you asking me if I want babies with you?”

He shyly nodded. “Y-Yes.”

“Do you want them?”

“Y-Yes.”

You lifted his hand and kissed his fingers. “Good because I want them. I love kids and I’ve always wanted to be a mum. I know we’ll be amazing parents together.”

Levi welled up. “We will. I can’t wait to have a family together.”

“I can’t either.” You giggled. “So, wedding talk.”

He hummed in thought. “I would like something nice and pretty for you. Maybe we could have it in a forest or a pretty field.”

You smiled a little. “Both sound perfect. I’m just looking forward to our honeymoon.”

Levi perked up. “We can go abroad.”

You whined. “I don’t know if we could afford that.”

“Bunny.”

You released a sigh. “No thinking about money.”

“Good girl.” You kissed your cheek. “The honeymoon will be perfect.”

You smiled sweetly. “I’m also thinking about going camping sometime soon. What do you think?”

Levi nipped your finger. “I would love that. Just you, me, a beach somewhere and all the cuddles.”

“Perfect. We can go on a little road trip.”

“I plan something. We can do it in celebration of taking down a certain someone.”

You grinned. “Great! Now, let’s eat.”

[hevexns-realm]

Came to talk about Iris from your previous ask and how she is lowkey relatable (father issues part) and been wondering about the lore with your versions of Nazo and Seekladoom (no really where do I start? I’m only more familiar with Nazo)-—

Sees your reblog with superscourge.

Oh ahaha, well it was flattering you thought it was me for a second, but that was not me unfortunately. If they manage to top Glaze’s and Frontier’s AUs though I will be in awe and very scared….

I think it’s safe to say we Scourge Fans tend to really hurt the poor hedgehog when we can I suppose. 😅

On the other hand, hope with whatever we’re going through that we’ll both heal from it. 

-squeals- I AM SO HAPPY YOU ASKED!! 🖤💙🩵

Okay, I have so much on these two in general, I’m going to try and shorten it to keep things from getting out of hand! Because I’ll be here until 9:00PM the next day if I do- (/hj)

Also, I appreciate you being able to relate to Iris. I try to make my characters at least a little relatable, as we’re all human at the base, no matter what we physically look like. We all share similar feelings, emotions, personalities, and blood colors. Why should we judge on one’s physical appearance when we don’t know their lives? That’s at least how I try to think, even if my intrusive thoughts make it difficult sometimes, I always try my best to make sure they don’t affect my morals and hurt others.

So here’s their physical look to describe them as of now.

Nazo is 21 in this AU. Considerably studious amongst everyone else in the group. (with the exception of mephiles and iblis, because they’ve been around much longer than him in this AU.) His fur and quills are slightly darker in color than how he’s seen in Nazo unleashed, and are arguably more soft and fluffy due to his care routine.

Nazo has this mixed style of Old money, Dark academia, and whimsigoth all in one. Lots of simple yet elegant pieces with lots of accessories. He tends to wear a lot of crystal jewelry when he can, and tends to lean towards gold jewelry rather than silver. As it makes the contrast all the more appealing. That doesn’t mean he does experiment with different styles and designs, as he doesn’t care much about societal standards all that much. He wears what he feels comfortable in, and doesn’t mind the stares.

Despite him being a literal being of negative energy, and still being regarded as a villain by most, he’s considered more empathetic out of him and seelka. We also see him have more morals than most of the other villains you see throughout the story, and that’s due to his ability to sense negative energy in general. (Also through Sonic multiverse mayhem, where Nazo shows genuine concern over seelka wanting to burn down an orphanage, so we know he’s got some sort of morals.) as negative chaos energy Isn’t the only thing he feels, it’s negative energy in general, which includes negative emotions.

This negative energy goes into creating his perfect form, which is still obtainable with or without the chaos emeralds now, he just uses them as a power boost.

He loves classic/dark academia literature and history of humans, the scent of rain and earth when a storm is about to hit, and also likes melancholy type of weather. He loves tea, particularly the more sweeter ones, as he does have a small sweet tooth, and prefers to either stay inside or go somewhere quiet. He prefers solleanna’s cathedral libraries, the ones that are open until the late evenings as he drowns out the world in the great minds of the past. The histories of the world as he sees them form in his head. He also loves classical music, as there’s usually no lyrics to them. If there are, they have no cuss words or slang, innapropriate themes of drugs, gangs, SA, etc. It feels timeless to him, and it helps him relax whenever he is angry, or when he’s in the artistry room in their home, either designing something that came from his head, or drawing something that he saw while out and about.

Seelkadoom is 22 in this au, and is almost the complete opposite of Nazo. While he is also quite intelligent in not only books, combat, and street smarts, he’s also quite loud and brash when in particular groups of people. He’s quite extroverted, and is much more physically active than most of the others!

He loves anything grungy or alternative, this goes for both clothing and music. He loves the smell of metal, roses, leather, and rain. He loves comfort foods like soups, cultural comforts like onigiri, shrimp Alfredo, and just anything that’s warm and soft, warm, and filling. Although he’s not afraid of trying all sorts of culinary tastes from all over the world! He particularly likes music artists like Troy, Johnathan young, etc!

Cozy games from independent developers like lost in random, subnautica, and cult of the lamb are some of his favorites to play. Although he isn’t afraid of loading up overwatch or COD if he’s up for it!

Seelka has less morals than nazo, but not so few he’s considered a borderline monster. Even he has his limits and boundaries, and it’s best to be wise and not purposefully cross them too much, less you wish for death.

Seelka is a night owl. You cannot get this man to sleep at night unless you shove melatonin down his throat, which is why he likes to sleep all day and participate in cool stuff at night!

The only real “family” either of them have outside of the gang is seelkadoom’s creator/father, Dr. Eggman. They actually have a good relationship of father and son, and they tend to still hang around him on holidays.

How do they meet? Well, given the context that Nazo doesn’t die and he isn’t immediately taken into G.U.N’s custody, he’s basically Eggman’s right hand man. He’s the one that’s in control while the doctor is gone doing villian shit as he rests and recovers from the huge fight between him, shadow, and Sonic.

Few days later, seelka comes out of his coma after his fight with hyper sonic. With an itch to fight, he starts heading towards the doctor’s chambers to either get a fight out of him, or figure out where Sonic and shadow are to give them a beating maybe.

That is until the two lock eyes, and then the confusion begins. Who is this guy? Why is he in the doctor’s lab? Is he a friend or a foe? And why does he look conviently attractive?

So after a lot of confusion of the two wondering what the hell was going on, Eggman introduces them to the other and makes them work together.

It’s a slow process, but it’s not like they actively hate each other’s guts. It’s the usual strangers to friends thing with a little bit of awkwardness from Nazo. Eventually he warms up to seelka, and they become good friends.

Then a world pandemic happens, and G.U.N requires not only Dr. Eggman’s assistance, but seelka and Nazo’s help as well.

Then after a lot of soft moments while under G.U.N’s care, seelka finally got the guts to confess to nazo, which leads to a very soft and sweet moment between the two of them!

Once the experiments are done, and the pandemic subsides, Nazo and seelka are both paid generously by the government for their contributions and cooperation.

They both expected to get maybe like, $10-$20k, at most $30k. What they didn’t expect was for Eggman to come out crying tears of joy, showing they have almost $20 million in the bank.

So then Eggman takes on the role of seelka’s dad figure and helps them with the adult stuff. Taxes, bills, credit, investments, etc. In return he ends up being gifted $2,500,000 by the two, allowing him to be able to retire and live his life abroad. Not needing to keep fighting Sonic, as they’re willing to be the ones who cause mayhem for him.

Does that stop egghead? Nope, if anything it helps him get started on his empire! But instead of trying to take over the world, he starts with becoming the leader of a small nation, and start from there. Then he uses the money to invest into the people, the country, everything. Plus, unlike in Sonic prime, he’s actually a good and genuine leader, not blinded by the greed of wealth. As he knows wealth builds in the long run, and if he does it right, the world will be his. He just needs to keep a level head!

However, seelka starts getting bored staying inside all night and sleeping all day in their new home. So he eventually decides to take a shot at a night shift job, and is lucky enough to be taken under the wing of solleanna’s most prominent employer in the entertainment industry, Mary Jane the Cat, or MMJ for short.

She teaches him everything he needs to know about being a bartender and a card dealer, and eventually hires him for the job.

And that’s where they are now in my AU! I’m so sorry it took me so long to make this, school has been wacky, so I hope it’s worth the wait anon!

Taglist for any mutuals who want the lore:

@thebreadmeower @hunniegl4zed

[twentyfivemiceinatrenchcoat]

jjk chapter 267 spoilers under the cut !!

I AM HEREEEEE I’M LATE BUT I’M HERE. FOR THIS. FOR HER . I CRIED

i don’t have much to say abt this chapter other than!!!!!!!) i’m so hyped!!!!!!!!!!! i’m so happy!!!!!!!!!!!!!! don’t tell akutami i said this but i was genuinely losing faith :’) BUT SHE’S BACKK MY BABY’S BACK

i’m literally so in love with these pages btw………. she has never looked this good . she has never looked so Nobara . akutami outdid himself she looks so insane and cool and pretty and pdjdkfjkdjfk .

ALSO . THE OPP THING 😭😭😭 ICB SHE ACTUALLY SAID IT I’M SO??????? they’re so funny….. she’s so petty………… i’m just so so happy to see the gang back together again :’) nobara & todo and everyone appearing right when yuji needs them most…….. you are so loved little sunshine boy!!!!!!

BUTTT nobara aside (and i don’t say that lightly!!!)…… gojo crumbs 😵‍💫😵‍💫😵‍💫

I LOVEEEEE HOW YOU CAN JUST TELL. YUUTA WITH HIS PUPPY POUT GOJO WITH HIS …. look. i can’t explain that look it’s just gojo. i love how you can tell it’s them and i love how light their dynamic feels :’) GOJO’S UPSY DAISY . i miss my man…..

this chapter was sooooo good all around …. i’m obviously still super sad that jjk is ending so soon but!!!!!!! i do have faith that these final chapters will be amazing …….. it was fun seeing utahime & gramps again :3 hoping praying begging for one last little glimmer of sashisu before it all ends . let me see shoko at least visit them at the airport…., those are her little babies…… she deserves to see them……….

WAITTTTT ALSO THIS !!!!!!! AAAAAAAAA

i love love loveeee this page sm and it also gives me sm hope for the ending :’) bc this has been a reoccuring theme for the entire manga since the very beginning ……… the cycle of love & hate and weakness & strength and people cursing each other………… and i love that only yuji and sukuna can end it because!!!! it started with them!!!!!!! it started with sukuna eating his weaker twin for survival and that created a standard for strength that only yuji can break by devouring sukuna in return <3 since he’s the offspring of the weaker, eaten twin….

idk it just . makes me insane!!!!! i love this manga :((( and i have a feeling i’ll love the ending. will never ever forgive akutami for robbing me of kenjaku and their potential but that’s my only real gripe… super excited for next chap <3333333 will be Extra careful not to get spoiled!!!!!! i’ll try my hardest!!!!!!!!!!!

[dolceaspidenera]

Hey everyone, here's the second entry for my playlists of the Touch Starved characters and this time is Ais' turn (gosh I'm obsessed with this man)!

You can find the complete playlist on Spotify at this link

Of all the characters' playlists, this is the most metal-packed one, let's see how many metalheads are hidden in this fandom 🤘🏻😁 As always, feel free to let me know what you think and, if you want, to share your own playlists, I'd really love to geek together about music and Touch Starved!

A couple of thoughts on my song choices

I think Ais is a much more complex character than he appears to be and despite this, he strikes you with a disarming simplicity. His being a black sheep and an outcast creates a sense of affinity that is easy to empathize with, while his disarming honesty about feeling alone gives the final blow in all its rawness. He is a misfit who pretends to be okay with it but deep down yearns for connection, he presents himself as violent and dangerous (which he definitely is) and yet deep down he is also caring, vulnerable and lonely. 

Which musical genre, therefore, is better suited to those who feel a bit like black sheep and marginalized by their community than heavy metal? Heavy metal, despite the many groups that have literally made the history of music, was originally mocked and denigrated, considered transgressive, dangerous music and swamped by criticism and prejudice. At the same time, it was able to gather around those who felt outcasts and enable them to express all the rage and frustration that come with it, while finding a sense of pride and membership. Metal is by its nature a genre without filters, it enters your guts creating raw emotions and I think it is the most suitable to describe Ais, who, in his very design, clearly bears the signs and brand of metalheads (rings, bracelets and leather belts and studded boots) and I am convinced that it is no coincidence.

Songs with an irreverent nature like Bad Reputation and Highway to Hell were obvious choices, Bad Boys Are Here in particular suited Ais' fondness for brawling, as well as being reminiscent of his gang, while Evil Eyes is rather self-explanatory. I then wanted to add a few more "angry" songs that well describe his situation with Ocudeus both musically and with their lyrics; Hive Mind, Domination, Master of Puppets and Perfect Insanity speak for themselves, while The Thing That Should Not Be was simply a must considering that it was written taking inspiration from Lovecraft works. Inside The Fire is perhaps the piece that requires a little more interpretation but it made me think of all the people who have found themselves choosing to drink from the Seaspring in the past.

Also, I added several songs, Flip in particular, which have peculiar sound influences and reminded me of the Ais' and Seaspring's music themes (which are the best pieces of the whole demo in my humble opinion), as well as being spot-on even as lyrics. Nobody's Listening caught my attention for the Japanese flute integrated into the song which refers to all the elements of oriental culture present in Ais' design and it was immediately a perfect match. Smoke and Water could very well have been written for Ais since it fits him perfectly, it's dark, eerie and sexy at the same time.

Finally, to highlight the most vulnerable sides of this multifaceted character (and to take a breather amidst all the angst-filled songs), I chose songs like Lonely Day (which speaks for itself), Demons of Pain and Fear of The Water, which fits very well with a scenario where MC decides to drink from the Seaspring. 

I started with the good purpose of keeping it short ad ended up writing sooo much, I'm sorry. If you read this far, thank you! If you also happen to listen to this playlist and enjoy it, double thank you and congratulations, you have excellent music taste! 🫵🏽🤘🏻

[writingrosesonneptune]

Writerly Questionnaire Tag!

🌾Thank you to @cowboybrunch for the tag here!🌾

Gently Tagging: @saturnine-saturneight @tabswrites @magic-is-something-we-create @chauceryfairytales and leaving an Open Tag for anyone who'd like to do this!

About You

When did you start writing?

In First Grade, we had a class project to write a story, and I kept at it from there! Before we had a computer, I used to write and draw on copy paper and staple them together into books.

As far as when I started having longer term projects, that was probably halfway through elementary school, when I gained access to Word (back when it was pre-installed on computers and wasn't subscription based. It also crashed every few minutes).

Are there genres/themes you enjoy reading different from the ones you write?

I don't write much about generational baggage, but I love to read about it!

Is there an author or fellow writer you want to emulate, or one to whom you're often compared?

Not particularly, even though there are plenty of authors and other writers I admire. I'd be flattered if my writing was compared to someone else's, but I try my best to focus on phrasing things in a way that sounds right to me personally.

Can you tell me a little about your writing space(s)? (Room, coffee shop, desk, etc.?)

I mostly work on my tablet in the living room! Back issues and vision loss make computer screens too difficult for me to work at in recent years (I say recent but it's been ten years 😂).

My shelf full of sketchbooks, writing notebooks and previous drafts is right next to my chair. As is a rubber chicken. And watercolors/gouache supplies. It's a messy shelf.

What's your most effective way to muster up some muse?

Pacing in the dark!

Did the place(s) you grew up in influence the people and places you write about?

To an extent! I used to write a few contemporary stories that dealt with environments closer to what I grew up with. But. Drawing direct connections like that felt too close sometimes, and for various reasons, I'm uneasy writing fiction set in those environments. Maybe that'll change someday!

That said, some of my early circumstances do find their way into my characters' lives - not as a 1:1, but meshed in there, somewhere.

And as for the climate, I do enjoy writing about hot, dry places as much as other climates. And having camped a lot as a kid (in different parts of the state), the woods also feel familiar to me.

Are there any recurring themes in your writing, and if so, do they surprise you at all?

Oh, they're there. Loss of Stability and Poverty (surprisingly, this one is largely absent from The Scorpion At Dinner) are near-constants.

Recovering after Abusive Relationships, Characters being forced to reckon with their Self-Worth, Societal Isolation - the gang's all here.

Festering Rot also shows up a lot, in both literal and figurative forms.

Your Characters

Would you please tell me about your current favorite character? (Current WIP, Past WIP, Never Used, etc.)

Unfortunately, I am physically incapable of picking a favorite anything ever.

Which of your characters do you think you'd be friends with in real life?

Guillermo (the chef from The Scorpion at Dinnner) would have some pretty interesting conversation.

Which of your characters would you dislike the most if you met them?

There are some choice antagonists in Pelican Queen. But as far as just like... personality clash? Inez, Ghost-Hand, or Stryn. They're all too set in their ways of thinking, and we'd get into headache-inducing arguments way too often.

Tell me about the process of coming up with one, all, or any of your characters.

Ghost-Hand is actually a good example for how a lot of my characters develop! In the first draft, he was actually more of a benevolent and even friendly guy, if still very distant. And while he was important, I didn't feel like he worked very well in the story.

On rewrite, I played around a lot with various characters' motivations and backstories. For him, I kept the beginning of his backstory mostly the same, with slight differences, and his personality slowly started shifting until I hit upon a key departure from his original history - his encounter with Stryn. Instead of parting ways, I decided to have them remain in close proximity, story-wise.

Do you notice any recurring themes/traits among your characters?

*Tubthumping by Chumbawamba plays in the distance*

How do you picture them? (As real people you imagined, as models/actors who exist in real life, as imaginary artwork, as artwork you made or commissioned, anime style, etc.)

I sometimes get a loose, fuzzy idea of what a character might look like, usually like real people who exist only in imagination. Their features are never as clear as people I've met in real life. Usually, if I need to visualize a character, I have to draw concept sketch after concept sketch to get a decent picture of them. The concept sketches veer more towards stylized art, because it's easier for me to exaggerate features to make them distinct from one another.

And sometimes, in spite of this, I never nail down how they're supposed to look. No matter how I render them, the vibes are just off. Maybe I'll figure them out someday!

Your Writing

What's your reason for writing?

I want to read the stories in my head! And sometimes I want to introduce those stories to others, too!

Is there a specific comment or type of comment you find particularly motivating coming from your readers?

Any comment at all is extremely motivating 🥹

How do you feel about your own writing? (Answer in any way you interpret this question.)

I enjoy rereading a lot of what I've written in the last handful of years! There are certainly instances where the phrasing is not where I'd want it to be, quality/consistency-wise, but overall, I feel like I'm more or less improving.

If you were the last person on earth and knew your writing would never be read by another human, would you still write?

Bummer! I hope something like this never comes to pass! But as long as I had the tools, I would still be writing. It's a nice way to pass the time, and I do get a sense of comfort from it from time to time.

When you write, are you influenced by what others might enjoy reading, or do you write purely what you enjoy? If it's a mix of the two, which holds the most influence?

I'd love to say I focus purely on what I enjoy (and I generally do, in documents I don't plan to publish), but there is an element of outside influence that keeps me from exploring some of the avenues I used to (where did you go, The Women's Wrongs?). I've been trying to break out of this mindset lately, and dabble in offshoots from what is currently canon in some of my work.

Whether those tangents will ever end up seeing the light of day, who knows?

[sunnibits]

Tell me Dimitri lore. Now.

Who is he. What is he. What's his deal. What's his story. What is his place in the story you're telling yourself in your head. What's his stance on old hairy men.

HE-HE’S JUST- *grabs you by the shoulders, white-knuckled* he’s my everything. he’s my skrunkly. he’s my little punching bag. I love him so much.

putting this under a cut because I just made this very long but I am absolutely not ashamed, I hope you like reading 👍👍

Dimitri Kazriel is my first (and almost only, I have one other new character) dnd character, created for a campaign that I loved but was sadly cut short a while ago due to the DM being an absolute jackass that I could no longer respect. He’s a stereotypical little edgy tiefling who is officially a warlock but is essentially a rogue in every other aspect. He’s charming (or at least he thinks he is), snarky, a bit asshole-ish, untrusting, sneaky, and an absolute disaster. He look like dis :)

He lives in a Norse mythology-based world, and his warlock patron is none other than the god Loki, who he has happily served for like 10 years now.

His deal you ask? Well, teehee *twirls hair* well his deal is that he’s a widdle puppet of the gods who has no concept of how tiny he really is in their plans and how little his patron actually cares about him 🥰😍😍 he exists solely to be manipulated and used as a microscopic chess piece on a board of grander scale than he will ever comprehend!!! 😍😍😍

Not only is he Loki’s little puppet (which like, he’s kind of starting to become aware of but not fully) but in the timeline of the campaign, Odin himself has also taken an interest in him! And essentially gave him an offer to help Odin overthrow Loki and as a reward, Dimitri could literally ascend to godhood in Loki’s place! Sounds great right! Except ummm Loki sees and knows all and Dimitri knows that if Loki catches him plotting with Odin he’ll probably be horribly punished 🥰

So basically his whole deal (as of the time that the campaign ended) is that he’s a little puppet chess piece that two gods are fighting over, and he has no idea what they really want, has no concept of how insignificant he really is to them, and has literally no sense of independent identity outside of servitude! 😍

But the manipulation theme goes wayyy beyond just that because before he served Loki, he spent the majority of his teens as part of this sort of gang-like organization called the Weavers. (There’s like this whole city lore thing but yada yada basically they’re a sneaky force that controls a lot of shit). Specifically, he serves the leader of the Weavers, a man called the Broodfather. (Literally all of this city and Weavers lore was all made up by my DM btw, I’m not gonna claim ownership of that even if he is a shitbag. Most of Dimitri’s story and backstory was very much an ongoing collaborative project between us.)

And ohhh I could go on about what that was like but basically all you need to know is that the Broodfather is Not Nice and was extremely manipulative and made Dimitri sort of look up to him as a father-like figure for years, someone that Dimitri strove to make proud. (Also the Weavers basically “rescued” him from poverty on the streets so he feels like he owes the Broodfather a debt.) Eventually this all culminates in him tricking Dimitri into killing his best friend! 😍 Which finally makes Dimitri realize “oh shit I need to get the Hell Out Of Dodge” but long story short that plan fails, the Broodfather catches him in the act, punished him and completely breaks his spirit!!!!

Now THIS. This is where Loki swoops in. When Dimitri is at his absolute lowest point, Loki comes in and offers him freedom and power, and Dimitri takes it. He serves Loki for years - (he doesn’t like thinking of himself as a servant of course, he considers Loki more of a generous benefactor who he happens to share a lot of mischievous traits with) - and even when he does finally start to question his allegiance, Loki keeps him in his grasp by reminding him of who saved him, who it was who so kindly freed him from enslavement to the Weavers.

But. But. 🥰Teehee. My favorite part. My absolute favorite part of the lore. Is what Dimitri doesn’t know. Which is that Loki and the Broodfather are the same person. Loki killed the original Broodfather and, being a shapeshifter, took on his form to lead the Weavers for a few years for his own personal plans. Dimitri just happened to wander in to his web, a naive little boy waiting to be manipulated. So Loki molded him, shaped him into the perfect puppet, purposefully engineered his trauma to make him as weak and easily manipulated as possible, just in time for him to finish his plans with the Weavers (leaving the Broodfather’s dead body behind to explain his disappearance) and appear to Dimitri as his real godly self.

Dimitri only stays with Loki willingly because he believes him to be a savior, because he thinks he’s free. He thinks he escaped. But he never did.

anyways here’s a text exchange between me and my old DM that really fits here I think 🥰💖💖

(oh, also I think his stance on hairy old men would be somewhere between apathetic to positive. he has a little bit trauma-related unease around old men I would imagine, but there was also a really hot 60-70 something year old dilf NPC in game that I personally had a massive fucking crush on, so I had Dimitri flirt with him a lot lmao)

[daisyvramien]

DND PEOPLE !!

Hey gang!! I've gone ahead and set up this cozy little Discord server, and it's shaping up to be a real gem! 🎉🌟

We've got all sorts of goodies waiting for you here. Different categories for all your gaming needs: campaigns, homebrew adventures, casual games, and even small one-shots. And the best part ? We're keeping things super chill and laid-back (because rules are meant to be broken sometimes) !!!🎲✨

We're all about creating a welcoming space where everyone, especially new players, can feel right at home. No strict rules, no pressure, just a bunch of friendly faces ready to embark on some epic adventures together. Whether you're a seasoned pro or just dipping your toes into the world of gaming, there's a spot for you here I promise!!

The possibilities are endless! Want to delve into the depths of a mysterious dungeon, battle mythical beasts, or maybe just kick back and have a laugh with some casual games ? We've got you covered. Plus, we're all about embracing the wild and wonderful world of homebrew (because who doesn't like homebrew stuff ?). Why stick to the rules when you can make your own, am I right? 🧙‍♂️✨

So, if you're looking for a fun and friendly community where you can geek out about D&D, Percy Jackson, Taylor Swift (yeah we got those as themes for campaigns and it's gonna be so fun) or whatever else strikes your fancy, you've come to the right place. Come join us on Discord and let's make some memories together ! Can't wait to meet you all ! Shoot me a dm if you're interested and I'll send you an invite !!

NB: Heads up, we have zero tolerance for any form of discrimination, including homophobia, transphobia, racism, sexism, or any other hateful behavior. So, let's make this crystal clear: if you engage in any kind of discrimination or hate speech, you will be swiftly shown the door. We're talking an immediate ban and a report to the Discord gods. You won't be welcome here.

[dynamic-k]

If you're accepting asks for this right now, I've always been curious... do you have colors for some of the villains in the Super Sticks AU? Some colors were probably mentioned and I forgot them, but overall I don't remember all of the villains' colors being revealed.

This ask has been staring at me for quite some time, and I did honestly try much earlier to muster up some brain cells to give an answer-

I am always always accepting asks, it's just a matter of me answering on my own time. Theeeeesss one took me a whhiiile~ sorryy

To be honest, if there are not descriptions in the fic or bonus features, than I just don't have a description.

Sometimes, that's how I write. I have the semblances of a character design in my head, but I am definitely more on the word-oriented side of making an AU.

-

I will say that Madame Pop-Up has a pretty heavy design, actually. She was supposed to look a very specific way.

While it might sound strange to hear all at once, that's how it is so deal with it- /silly

-

Madame Pop-Up has a creamy-white [with like- barest hint of pink/red] skin with rosier and more prominent pink patches/splotches.

#fffffa, for the creamy white

#e6b3e5 for the rosy pink

Boots: #b80b45 [Ankle boots or higher, take your pick, she could wear either.]

Gloves: (which go about mid arm length) #fc0859

Poppy flower shade: #fc0820

With yellow middle.

She's supposed to be like a glamourous movie star look. I have yet to decide if I want her canon identity to be famous in that way or not, but it is tempting and matches my envisioned style of her to a T. :]

[The patches should look sorta streaky, like thick stripes. Large brush stroke stripes, of a sort? ]

Think a patches cat. Occasional spots, mostly stripes, a bit random but it looks nice because again: she is very showoff-ish and glamorous.

U U

An intimidating movie-star style though. She terrifies Chosen for a REASON, guys-

Oh and Madame has these color eyes: #bf0d52

-

Those are pictures I found online that match closely with how I imagine Madame's hair. Take creative liberties or variations if you want. 

Oh yeah, hair color: uhhh

[*digging in my worn cardboard box of hexcodes-*]

#520642

There-

-

Now uh-

I DID try to make a sketch.

...It got a little..

...coffee-d. Q Q

..Oops.

[And no, she doesn't have only one arm, I just- Didn't draw it-]

I BLOWDRIED THE LIVING DAYLIGHTS OUT OF THAT PAPER, WE'RE FINE-

I went back to my initial Arc One description, apparently Madame has a mask. I almost forgot about that: Like I said, I'm more word-oriented and delve deeply into plot.. and leave designs lacking sometimes-

I try my best, I'm glad the Ladybug Brothers have solid designs at least-

I'm gonna work equally hard with how the Color Gang will look in Arc Two, but that's still gonna be a while-

Uhh, the mask is..

You know what- 

I am just gonna explain how the style is. If someone wants to draw my OCs, use the style descriptions and go ham with whatever you deem fitting.

:]

I love all my fanart, no matter the 'accuracy' or whatever. :)

-

Uhhm, so let's move on to Mudd.

He is really easy to describe because I spent barely any time making him.

I'd just started the AU and needed some bully guy. And then ended up making him Red's nemesis- By accident-

Okay- XD

Uh.. Mudd has an arm canon on his left arm, and he can use it to funnel his acidic mud wherever he pleases at varying pressure rates.

Due to the acidic qualities, and occasional rocky clumps within the dirt substance, it does pack more of a punch than it might sound.

Mudd doesn't really create mud out of thin air, it's more like he manipulates the dirt around him and makes it into acidic mud via his sweat because I thought the way Bakugo's quirk in MHA worked was epically awesome and took creative liberties-

Then he can manipulate his mud into the arm canon and fire it out quicker than he could utilize effort to thrust it himself. Energy saver.

Uhm. He's a bulky figure. Simple brown-themed costume with maybe occasional black, no cape, generic mask.

There ya go. U U'

-

-

Moving onto the Alcoholic family:

-Vodka and Whiskey, the twins.

-Rum, the mother.

-The Jade Pretzel, the father. [And a british dramatic variant of Jade from A Second's Tale.]

-

-

The twins are the thin, wiry sort.

If anyone is familiar with this Junkrat and Roadhog animation for Overwatch:

Junkrat's build is similar to how the twins are. Actually the hair too, a bit, now that I think about it.

It sticks up and outward a little more for Whiskey; the younger of the twins. 

Take creative liberties with the costumes, honestly. 

All I know is that Whiskey is more greener themed, because his abilities are relatable to the nausea effect in Minecraft.

Vodka is more like...

Pinky browny? 

[*more digging in my worn and torn cardboard box of hexcodes-*]

#a36c6c

Have at thee-

O vO'

-

Rum is a bit more on the deep purple end of color scheme. With a RUM RED littered about as the complimentary color. She is fairly muscular, and has a stockier build than her sons.

-

Now, uh- The Super Sticks variant of Jade-

I found a stick-figure piccrew and made ST!Jade and SS!Jade respectively- [not 100% accurate, but the vibes are present-]

He has a monocle. Canon. You heard it here folks, I HAD to- 

It's got a gold rim, clear glass. 

It's actually attached to his mask, which is green and gold themed, so the monocle doesn't easily get knocked off if he moves too fast or something.

I will.. describe more of him when I actually complete the chapter where the Ladybug Brothers are battling the Jade Pretzel- 

The fight scene eludes me at the moment, so I keep writing more color gang shenanigans for future chapters instead- And probably a good thing too, since the ending homestretch of Arc One really didn't give our Color Quad the spotlight they deserve, so I'm putting more focus on them in Arc Two~

-

Uhhh, and that's it..?

[*brain buffering-*]

...Do I need to describe Primal/Prime a little bit since at one point she played a villain role-

-

Okay, yeah, why not~ 

:]

Primal is cool. She's got emo vibes, but is browner/tan themed rather than black or something you'd find on an emo-stereotypical design. 

She prefers practical over stylish canonically, but ends up appearing rather well-designed anyway, in the eyes of others.

And her hair alternates from side, over-the-shoulder braids, to long back-ponytails on a whim.

Yes, Vic has a side braid too, but it isn't that long so it sticks out sideways in the back, and doesn't touch the shoulder.

Primal's hair is also a different length. It's aboooout mid-upper chest. :)

And that, I think, is all. 

-

...I really hope I don't immediately remember a villain OC I just forgot to speak of after hitting the Post button-

Thank you for the ask, and I deeply apologize for how long this sat in my Inbox. Fret not, your ask vehemently stared me in the face until I was intimidated enough to gather my notes together and some braincells too-

U U

Have a lovely day~

Edit: Do ignore that gloved hand in my sketch.

...Just ignore that. We all know I can't do hands.

I went powerpuff mitten style purely for some saving grace- XD

[ratinasuitproductions]

#003: Why did you decide to do this to yourself and other questions to ask yourself while running a marathon?

Last month was a busy one for me, though not in the TTRPG sense. I started a new job and completed a marathon—something I had been training for quite a while. Now that it is done, I am not quite sure what to do with myself, though I am glad I no longer have to get up on the weekend and run for 2 hours. The run itself wasn't the best of times, though on the positive side, I didn't collapse and die after my marathon like the marathon OG Pheidippides.

What have I been creating?

I haven't gotten as much writing done this month as I would have liked, and unfortunately, I have finally ended my 5-month streak of publishing something new. But as they say, all good things must come to an end. Looking back over the TTRPGs I have made over the last 5 months, I have dramatically improved in terms of writing and layout. 

 Currently, I have 2 projects on the go. The first is a biblical apocalypse-themed TTRPG where players take on the roles of badass survivors. Picture someone riding a Harley, blasting a devil in the face. It is still in the pre-first draft stage, though I have already done a couple of pieces of art for it.

 The other project is a rewrite/redesign of The Trains of the Glorious Republics of the People. I am planning to refine the text and make some adjustments to the layout. However, the main focus will be to add more world-building elements (be it short stories or artwork), as the document feels a bit bare on a reread. 

What have I been consuming?

I have put Poe on pause and have started reading Catcher in the Rye. I am yet to feel the urge to shoot John Lennon, but maybe if I read more I get that feeling. Apart from that, I have started running a campaign for Spire: The City Must Fall. A highlight of this has been making up a weird gun gang that are followers of the cult of the gun and giving all the members that are encountered dumb gun-based names. 

What is to come? 

The main goal next month is to finish the first draft of the biblical end of the world TTRPG (I'll come up with a better name at some point, I am sure…). On top of that, I will start planning out the rework of The Trains of the Glorious Republics of the People. 

What to conclude?

It's been a long month, but hopefully, now that I have done the marathon and I have settled into the new job, I'll have more time to create my horrid little works. Will write again next month. See you then, unless the creeks rise and take me out to sea.

[thinkin-bout-milgram]

It’s Not My Fault: Initial Thoughts

Hey gang! I may be running out of braincells rapidly due to Futa’s confusing videos and the fact that it’s 3:16 AM but I’m here to give some of my initial thoughts on Mu’s new song, “It’s Not My Fault” (INMF)!

This is gonna be flow of thoughts and some sections might not really connect, but here we go!

T/W: Bullying, mentions of suicide

Queen Bee is being portrayed literally in this MV.

This is obvious, but I do want to touch on the whole bee theming because I think there’s some important stuff.

There’s the obvious stuff with the antennae, buglike body and black and yellow colors. There’s even the jellies, which are probably royal jelly, as Saturn somehow predicted in her random joke post.

What interests me most is her transformation towards the end of the video. Through the entire beginning and middle, she’s a queen bee. However, by the end of the video, she emerges from a chrysalis with sprouted wings and flies off into the sky (2:20). I think that this is her personal transformation from where she is in this MV to how we see her in Milgram. 

Bees have a sting, and while becoming a butterfly meant she lost her status as queen, it gave her the power to fly away. It gave her the ability to be seen as beautiful, harmless. Some kinds of butterflies even migrate, which is exactly what I think Mu was doing here. 

I think that her flying off, away from the shattered hourglass and the carnage that happened, is her escaping to Milgram, a far off place somewhere in the sky or something. She’s the one who’s able to escape the hellish high school she helped create, and because of that, “everything is as [she] wish[es]”. Mu has said before that she likes it better here in Milgram. She’s gotten to start over. Her innocent verdict, to her, means that the slate was wiped clean, and she doesn’t have to answer for her past baggage. Thus, she’s found a new “friend” in Haruka, and she’s returned to her status as queen bee.

Mu and her victim went back and forth vying for power.

I’m not sure how many times it actually swung back and forth; it’s possible that it only actually switched once, and then Mu killed her. Still, we can be certain of this. 

In After Pain, Mu is seen in the hourglass in the bottom. This is where she suffers; things fall on her, and she’s seemingly drowning in the lime green fluid. To me, that means that the one who’s currently suffering, the current victim, is on the bottom. Conversely, the one in the top half of the hourglass is “on top;” they have social control and everything is going as they want it to be. Mu wanted us to believe that she was always on the bottom in After Pain, but in reality, she was once on top, and by the end, she’d gotten the upper hand again.

Mu insists in her audio drama (thanks to @/onigiriico for the fast translation!) that she never bullied the others and has a very negative reaction to the very idea of it. However, in INMF, we see her seemingly doing this exact thing when she pushes over a servant bee, who shatters on the ground (0:32). In Mu’s mind, this is as simple as giving her a little push, but the fact that she ends up completely shattered shows that this must have had a greater impact in the end than Mu is letting on.

My theory is that Mu’s bullying was purely social/verbal. I don’t think she physically attacked anyone; she outright says this in her audio drama, saying she never hit anyone or dumped water on them. Based on After Pain, I think it’s safe to say that some of those things must’ve happened to her at some point. Still, from the audio drama, I get the sense that Mu believes that bullying is only bullying if it becomes physical. I disagree, which is why I’d call Mu a bully, but she thinks so, which is why she still insists that she isn’t after all this time.

Anyways, I think that these two shots (which I believe are the same scene) are a good way to show the energy behind Mu being in power:

If you dare to go against her, if you don’t devote to her, you know you will face negative consequences. Mu can make fun of anyone she wants, and if you don’t serve her properly, she’ll break you. If you dare to oppose her, you’ll face even worse consequences. But in Mu’s mind, that’s because the other person failed first. That person didn’t appreciate her enough, or they tried to attack her character. Based on the setting Mu created, any disobedience towards her could be considered them “starting it.”

Right after this second image, there’s what I believe is a major timeskip to when Mu stabs her victim. I believe that essentially the entirety of After Pain happens at that time jump (~1:45). Mu has ended up victorious, spilling the blood of her adversary. Instead of seeing everyone gossiping about her as she hyperventilates, in INMF, we see her eyes shift to that of her bee form (1:54). This is because, by eliminating her only threat, Mu has become queen once again. To her, this isn’t some tragedy; this is her taking revenge and restoring things to the way it “should be.” She then proceeds to do her butterfly transformation and fly off to Milgram.

After Pain and It’s Not My Fault parallel each other at the beginning and end.

This isn’t a claim so much as an observation, but I did want to touch on it. The scenes at the beginning are slightly different, one having Mu alone on a desk where the hourglass falls onto the floor (control of the hourglass is now out of her reach). In INMF, she flips the hourglass, presumably putting herself on top, and we see her begin her reign as queen bee.

The endings are extremely similar, showing the exact same classroom:

The boards are the same and the flowers are the same. The existence of the flowers, to me, indicates that it must be after the death of the victim. So, why is she here in the end credits?

I think there are a few ways this could go. I know that some people thought that, due to the sock confusion in After Pain (see my mini theory if you don’t know what I’m talking about), the victim might have a twin who died in her place, leaving the intended victim alive to see what happened. I’m not sure I like this one, just because I feel like it’s a pretty unnecessary twist given that Mu isn’t even there to deal with the repercussions (unless, I guess, Mu purposefully killed the wrong twin to make the other suffer more. That would at least matter on a character level). Still, I think that the victim is there symbolically, “after death.” She isn’t there in real life, just in Mu’s thoughts, sort of like how Heather Chandler follows around Veronica Sawyer after she was an accomplice in her murder in Heathers.

As Mu sings about how everything is how she wants it, the hourglass is once again flipped. Based on my earlier theorizing, this should theoretically mean that Mu is going to be on the bottom again, returning to suffering. How would the victim accomplish that from beyond the grave?

Well, as I’ve said, I think that Mu has already flown off to Milgram at this point. As such, I think that there’s one way that the victim could still get her revenge: getting Mu a guilty verdict.

Though Mu seems fully convinced of her own innocence, she definitely seems to have anxiety over the idea of her verdict changing. She tries to really sell Es on the idea that it would be cruel to flip her to guilty now that she’s been voted innocent, and this flip of the hourglass reads almost like a prediction on Mu’s part. The hourglass is flipped back at the end of INMF, so at the beginning of her Trial 3 song, she will be suffering once more, at Kotoko’s hand or just as the hand of the thoughts of the voters. Some lyrics clearly show her trying to convince us of the same thing: “Hey what if / If I am a bad girl / Don’t hate me. Don’t even try to proof from ‘After Pain.’”

The direct inclusion of After Pain tells us, more than anything else, that she is directly addressing her verdict here. Mu believes she’s in the right, but she also believes that we may turn on her as well, whether it’s out of jealousy or whether she believes that maybe she is a bad person somewhere deep down. In either case, I think that, somewhere in Mu’s mind, she expects us to vote her guilty this trial. I’m not sure how I feel about that.

Haruka’s fate may rest in Mu’s verdict, and Mu is okay with that.

Mu very clearly states in her audio drama that, because Haruka is happy to make this threat and go through with it, she sees no problem with supporting him. After all, she’s his friend, and she should support his desires, right? ...Yikes.

Mu thinks of Haruka as her friend, and I do think she believes that. I just think that she’s the kind of person who believes that a relationship, friendship or otherwise, will never be equal in power or effort. She prefers to be in the position of greater power and lower effort. Because Haruka is used to and content with being in a position of lower power and higher effort, she simply sees him as a good candidate. I’m not sure how much she really, genuinely cares about him, considering she seems pretty neutral on the subject of his literal potential death, but maybe that’s unfair of me. If I think she’s trying to manipulate us/Es into giving her an innocent verdict, maybe she’s decided that playing it off like she’s okay with Haruka doing it will give her a better shot. I’d believe she’s afraid enough of a guilty verdict to do it.

CURRENT VOTE: GUILTY...?

I say this, but I did technically vote her innocent tonight. Mu is currently hard charging towards a guilty verdict, and I’d honestly be surprised if anyone manages to shift that tide. 

I’m not opposed to the guilty verdict. I think that it is probably our best chance of teaching Mu that there is nuance. She isn’t completely innocent because she got an innocent verdict; any innocent verdict, and especially hers which happened by the thinnest of margins, is not a full mark of approval. I think that, no matter what lingering anxiety she has, if we give her a second innocent verdict, she will be certain that she has, in fact, done nothing wrong. That makes me want to vote her guilty.

But, it just sort of feels... too obvious? Too easy? She expects it, we expected it going into the MV, I’m sure as hell that the Milgram devs expect it. She feels too easy to hate. Maybe that’s a weird thing to say when Yuno seemed to easy to love just a few MVs ago and I was hard on the innocent train, but I can’t really find any anger towards Mu, or much of any emotion at all. She showed her true colors, but they were obvious from the get-go. I was pretty sure she was a bully the whole time.

Plus, I obviously would like to avoid Haruka dying. I don’t think a Mu guilty necessarily guarantees it (hopefully him being restrained due to his guilty verdict would prevent him from killing himself), but it’s definitely a risk we’re taking if we vote her guilty. Then again, I don’t want to give into her demands; that’ll probably only make her more manipulative in the future.

I’m probably overthinking this, and at least for right now, I think that a guilty verdict is probably our best option. Still, for tonight at least, I voted counter-trend in case a new day’s worth of thoughts changes my mind or something. She has plenty of guilty votes; might as well try to make it not irreversible later if something comes up.