#the thing that means the world to me was the halo for her <3 she’s an angel and he loves her for that <3

[hsficrecommendation]

Hello everyone! This is masterlist #7 and #8 (Nov and Dec of 2023!) for all of the fics I have reblogged on this side blog I hold super close to me. Remember to leave feedback and reblog the writings if you read them!

Also, a huge thank you to all the writers mentioned, I adore you so very much and I hope you keep writing &lt;3

••• NOVEMBER •••

Chiffon | Lace | Satin | In which Harry is grumpy and mean to Y/N, who's just shy and trying to get through the day, and they're both teaching assistants for the same class. - @cupid-styles

Love's An Ache In The Jaw | A fic about TA!Harry and TA!Yasmine who hate each other more than anything in the world. - @harryforvogue

Sunkissed | Part 2 | Where (Y/n) is a single mom to an uncoordinated kid, who happens to have surf lessons with a very cute man. - @harryhoney-bee

Knockout | The one where Harry is a handsome stranger who always comes to your diner covered in bruises. - @freedomfireflies

Athens | Harry’s in his fourth year teaching university, and he knew he was bound to have a favorite student but he didn’t know he would meet someone like y/n. - @moonchildstyles

••• DECEMBER •••

Halo | Harry doesn’t believe in love and Y/N tries to figure him out. - @parkersroses

Baby, It's Cold Outside | In which Harry is the right person at the wrong time. - @havethetimeofyourstyles

Where The World Takes You ♡ | In which you study in a different country and meet someone along the way. - @havethetimeofyourstyles

Lonely This Christmas ♡ | You and Harry broke up earlier in the year, but at Columbia’s Christmas party you see each other again, and you both realise just how much you miss each other. - @enthusiasticharry

Fine Line | Harry plays you Fine Line for the first time and some things get said. - @harrystylescherry

Delicate | Harry has a bad past with relationships and is waiting for when Y/N decides to leave him. - @gucciharrywritings

Love of my Life | Where Harry and Y/n, who is a part of the love band, end up married without the media and the fans finding out. But Harry finally lets the news out by introducing Y/n Mrs. Styles. - @gucciwins

Number One | In which Harry jumps in to help when Y/n is stressing about a little lie she told her family, but is the new lie -- actually a lie? - @watchmegetobsessed

Masterlist for more recs! My Writing account - @0oolookitsme

[1dmonthlyficroundup]

— 1D Monthly Fic Roundup —

Hi, and welcome to the 1D Monthly Fic Roundup for August 2024! Below you’ll find 1D fics that were all published this month. We hope you’ll check out these new fics! If you would like to submit your own fic, please check this post on how to submit or visit our blog @1dmonthlyficroundup​. You can find all our other posts here.

Happy reading!

＊ I've been here for days by @justanothershadeofblue [E, 18k, OT5]

Somewhere in the desert, a man is called by God to raise up a righteous generation, to bring forth the kingdom from his own seed and the wombs of his omegas.

He will do it by any means necessary.

A series in six parts. Part 1 of Keep Holding Me This Way

＊ i'm going out tonight by @disgruntledkittenface [M, 3k, Harry/Louis]

Louis hasn’t been appreciating his boyfriend Harry. He only realizes it when Harry takes matters into his own hands. Inspired by Bejeweled by Taylor Swift.

＊ And I'm Okay (with what i'm not) by red_panda28 / @red-pandaaa [T, 6k, Louis/Harry]

“So, speaking of steamy scenes.” The interviewer, Harry had already forgotten his name again, gestured with his mod cards between Harry and his co-star, Sam. “With all the intimacy going on on-set, was there ever a time that continued… off-camera?” He winked at the camera.

OR 3 times people make assumptions about Harry's sex life and the 1 time he snaps

＊ Gotta Feeling by @allwaswell16 [T, 2k, Harry/Louis]

When Harry's life in Manchester isn't turning out the way he thought it would, he decides to visit his best friend in Mexico City. Maybe Niall can convince him to move halfway around the world.

＊ HOT TO GO! by @allwaswell16 [T, 2k, Louis/Harry]

When Harry does something weird at the barricade, he leaves Louis’ show devastated and hoping he can somehow make things right.

Or the accidental pervert fic

＊ Let the Feeling Last by @allwaswell16 [T, 5k, Harry/Louis]

Omega Harry thinks the alpha at the grocery store buying a cart full of vegetables must be an amazing chef. He doesn't know that Alpha Louis is feeding all those vegetables to his pet pig.

＊ Stars over Amsterdam by @hellolovers13 [T, 4k, Louis/Harry]

Louis remembers how stressed they were, trying to get tickets at all. The waiting for the email with the code, which only Louis got, the actual On-sale. How Harry stood behind him, peeling at his nails nervously. Trying not to distract Louis.

But it had all gone smoothly and he had gotten the tickets within just a few minutes.

Harry had jumped around Louis’s chair in excitement like a bouncing ball. Already starting to plan their outfits.

A gold fringe dress for Harry, Fearless was his favourite album, after all, and a matching shirt he had found online for Louis. So people could tell right away they were an item.

That was their plan. Before it all went to shit.

or Fate in form of Eras Tour tickets forces Louis to meet up with his Ex.

Hopefully soon to be Ex-Ex.

＊ Stronger Than the Tide by @haztobegood [G, 3k, Harry & Louis]

The time Louis had spent talking with Harry in the cave had flown by. He was still unsure where the time had gone. Maybe it was because this was the first real connection Louis had made in years. Love and sex did not interest Louis, and it became harder to find good friends.

It was different with Harry. Their conversation flowed effortlessly without pressing for more. Despite the hours they spent together in the cave, Louis wanted to keep talking, to share more of himself, and to learn more about Harry. He hoped their paths would cross again soon.

＊ The Grundy County Drag Show Incident by @haztobegood [T, 3k, Zayn/Liam]

The instrumental opening of Beyoncé’s Halo filled the bar, and the crowd clapped in time to the beat. Holding a wireless mic in her gloved hand, Veronica Stardust owned the stage. She was one of the most vocally talented drag queens in the Midwest. Harry and Louis had seen this act a few times before and were always blown away at the power of her voice. Liam, however, was just experiencing it for the first time. He didn’t know what was yet to come. Part 2 of Grundy County Incidents

＊ Porcupine by sweetkalachuchi / @neverforpickles [E, 82k, Louis/Harry]

Louis, a broke omega librarian, finds his quiet life in Vienna turned upside down when he meets a charming four-year-old boy named Venus, who insists that Louis is his "Mama." When Venus's father, Harry—a powerful and dangerous mafia leader—offers Louis a lucrative job as the boy's full-time nanny, Louis steps into a world where love and danger are deeply intertwined.

As Louis grows closer to Harry and Venus, he discovers the perilous secrets of Harry's underworld life. Their unexpected connection sparks a passionate romance, but with Harry's enemies closing in, Louis must navigate a treacherous path where his heart and life are at risk. This is a thrilling tale of love, danger, and the irresistible pull of two souls drawn together against all odds.

＊ Miracles At Sunsets by sweetkalachuchi / @neverforpickles [T, 16k, Harry/Louis]

Harry and Louis are best friends bound by years of shared memories, but their relationship is complicated by a tangle of unspoken emotions. Harry, an Alpha, is deeply in love with Louis, an Omega, but fears revealing his true feelings might shatter the friendship they’ve built. When Harry decides it’s time to settle down and start a new chapter in his life, he turns to Louis, an interior designer, for help in finding the perfect home.

What begins as a light-hearted search for a house soon becomes a journey of self-discovery and emotional upheaval. As they explore potential homes, their bond is tested by the growing tension between what is said and what remains hidden. Can Harry find the courage to reveal his heart, or will their unspoken desires tear them apart?

＊ Symphony by sweetkalachuchi / @neverforpickles [T, 4k, Louis/Harry]

In the peaceful countryside, Harry Styles is a hardworking farmer who’s all about keeping things running smoothly on his farm. But when a routine check on his crops leads to a nasty fall from his horse, Harry finds himself seriously injured. Determined not to worry his pregnant omega, Louis, he stubbornly drives himself to the hospital, knowing full well that Louis would be frantic if he found out.

Meanwhile, Louis gets a call that sends him into a panic—Harry’s in the hospital. Rushing to his side, Louis is a mix of anger and worry, not sure whether to scold Harry or hug him. As they reunite, the two navigate their emotions, and despite the scare, their bond only deepens, proving that together, they can handle anything life throws at them.

＊ Let Your Tears Fall (No I Won't Judge You) by LiveLaughLoveLarry / @loveislarryislove [E, 7k, Harry/Louis]

“I want to feel good," Harry says. "I want you to feel good. I just… I don’t know what that looks like.”Louis nods. “That’s fair,” he says. “Always a bit of a learning curve, figuring out what you like and what you don’t.” He rubs his chin. “What if we just… talk through it? Instead of doing it?”Harry blinks. “What do you mean?” he says. “I don’t – I just don’t know what-”“I know,” Louis says. “It’s okay.” He brushes his hand down Harry’s cheek, soft and gentle. “I can start,” he says. “Tell you about what I imagine us doing together. And anytime you feel like something isn’t right – you can stop me, and we can figure out a different path.”Harry nods slowly. “Okay,” he says. “I can try.”

Four times Harry cries during sex. And four times Louis is right there beside him, giving him all the comfort and support and validation he needs.

＊ Donatello by @jooles999 [M, 42k, Louis/Harry]

"GET OFF MY BUS!"

Louis neck bristled, he glared into the face of the man towering over him, his pupils black with unfiltered rage he opened his mouth ready to respond before hearing fast approaching footsteps from behind the curtain.

" Jeff, What's all the shouting about?"

Louis clamped his eyes shut gulping for air as a tightness gripped his chest.

No it can't be

Seconds felt like hours, he shivered as time stopped still. Louis opened up his now glistening eyes, he held his breath and bit tightly on his bottom lip trying to prepare himself for the moment he had so carefully avoided for 3 long years.

The curtain pulled back.

" Yes yes you have guessed right well done, it is indeed Harry Styles, you can close your gawping mouth now mate. Ill even be nice and give you a tour t-shirt, then you can get the hell off my fucking tour bus and back to...."

"L..Louis?"

Or One stormy night popstar Harry and accountant Louis are reunited after 3 long years apart. Harrys manager is dangerous and controlling can Louis save him before it's too late.

＊ I long for that feeling to not feel at all by @ineverateakiwi [NR, 2k, Harry/Louis]

When he is not around and Harry needs to feel more grounded, steady on his own feet, he thinks of Louis. It's probably not healthy to rely on someone this heavily, but it's better than nothing. It's what he has right now. And, right now, it's working. Is thinking about that feeling, the feeling of being real, being alive, that he whispers – without thinking – those two words. — "Hurt me."

Harry needs to feel something, even if it's pain. Louis gives what he needs.

- Fic Fests -

＊ 1D Aro/Ace Fic Fest / @1daroaceficfest [Masterpost]

A One Direction Fic Fest centred around all the identities on the aromantic and asexual spectrum

- Podfics -

＊ [Podfic] Write You A Song by by Rearviewdreamer / @all-these-larrythings read by Panda_Podfics / @pandapodfics [G, Louis/Harry]

Harry’s new flat is great but the acoustics are even better. They’re so good in fact that his daily shower concerts start to entertain an audience besides his shampoo bottle.

[sinner-sunflower]

A HH Lucifer-centric AU 19/?

PART 1, PART 2, PART 3, PART 4, PART 5, PART 6, PART 7, PART 8, PART 9, PART 10, PART 11, PART 12, PART 13, PART 14, PART 15, PART 16, PART 17, PART 18, PART 20, PART 21, PART 22

Hello!!! How's everyone's weekend?!

I had the most relaxing trip of my life. Me and my best friend went on a picnic and the place was so gorgeous I wish I was rich enough to have that kind of landscaping.

Anyway!

Here's my update. I hope you all enjoy.

As always: likes, reblogs, and ESPECIALLY COMMENTS are so appreciated and it honestly gives me motivation. We're near the end meaning this might end this week :((

Disclaimer: I did get some help with chat gpt for some paragraphs just to get my ideas across and also because English is not my first languagee. I edited them of course myself because u know how automated shit can be.

I'm learning I promise!

-------------------------------------------------

Every denizen of Hell held their breath in anticipation as each agonizing minute passed without a word from the King. Some feared he had met his demise the moment he entered, leaving them grasping at false hope. The Overlords pondered the same grim possibility but dared not voice it in the presence of higher demons.

Amidst the tension, the task of pacifying Paimon fell upon the Goetias, who found themselves ensnared in his relentless tirade about their illustrious King and their collective duty to fix Hell's problems, a duty he believed lay solely with them, not Lucifer.

The Sins, meanwhile, remained vigilant, their eyes fixated on the entrance through which Lucifer had disappeared, searching for any subtle sign of their brother's fate.

Satan, ever watchful, kept a peripheral eye on Goodie. The Good of Humanity had fallen into an unusual silence since Lucifer embarked on his suicide mission. Unlike the rest, she wore neither worry nor despair on her face, hell, not even of glee; instead, there was a knowing glint in her eyes the Sin of Wrath definitely did not like. He could only hope Lucifer emerges from all of this still himself.

At the very back, Vox stole a glance at his rival, noting the whatever-the-fuck thing he had with the King. He half-expected the radio demon to remain his usual apathetic self. And he was half right. The guy was smiling with no care in the world. Yet, to his surprise, a strained smile is etched the demon's face. It's not as noticeable but if you've been looking at Alastor as closely as Vox had been for the past how many years, it's like a giant pimple you can't ignore. There was a glassy look in his eyes, as if the radio demon is going to-

Vox wonders incredulously if his wiring got fried by that shockwave earlier because there is no fucking way.

The media demon is silently thankful he couldn't finish that thought as they are knocked down once more.

----------------------------------------------

It all unfolded in a blink, leaving them no time to respond. The ground quaked with a force that they realized was from the towering tree that's trembling before them. Roots and branches contorted, twisting inwards and outwards like a well-oiled machine, as if the very essence of the tree was tearing itself apart. Red flowers all around withered as the oppressive miasma dispersed. Then, with a thunderous crash, the colossal tree collapsed into a single heap.

The dust clears presenting a lone figure stands in the center of it all.

Belphagor: Lucifer!

There stood the King of Hell, his horns protruding proudly and his corrupted halo casting an ominous black glow. His six wings spread wide, a testament to his power and dominance. It was Lucifer. But... something seemed off.

The Sin of Pride appeared altered. His once pure white attire had transformed into black, adorned with accents of red. His porcelain skin, once flawless, now bore a grayish, melancholic hue. However, the most striking change lay in his hair—it was no longer the radiant gold of angels, but a sinister black with tendrils of creeping red, moving like of the deadly miasma.

Lucifer looked like a shadow of himself.

Before anyone could react, the fallen angel lunged towards Goodie, swiftly pinning her to the ground.

Lucifer: Ẏ̷̨̖̯͎̤͎͖̪̆̀̊͌͑̓̇o̵̻͗̔͊̃͘̚͠ṳ̸͎̍̊͗̌̈ ̵̱͙͇͛͑i̴̳͈̗̺͒̏̃̀̚͝n̸̢̧̖͖͚͉͙̤͇͆̃͛͊̿͛́̚͘s̸͇͚̱͍͈̤̘̒̂̈́̆͗̈̆ͅó̵̇̅́͜l̶͇̝̞̜̰̘͊̒͂̓͝ë̶̮͔̰́̀̑̔̽͊̐n̶̡̧̗̤̘̞̑̇̀t̴͙̲̳̦̦͎͔̠̔ ̵̮̰̞͐̌͌b̸̧͚̾i̴̧̜̪̳̤͔̹͉̦̇͠t̴͖̐̀̾̌̽̎̂̅͜ͅc̵̛̞̳͛̋̆̏͆̏h̷̟̺̬̗͗̉̓̍!̴͉̲̼̪͓̻̪̻̀̊ ̷͇͓̲̬͍̦̙̹͓̔̈́͊̇

Goodie chokes from the stench of hellfire on her skin.

Goodie: I never lied to you, angel. I told you that you were the key.

Lucifer: Y̷̢̘̻̩̲͐͋̐̌́́͝ŏ̴͎̌́u̷̟̯͋ ̶͔̝̘̓̈́̄̈́́̀̐ǵ̸͍͌͝͝á̵̧̫͔̤̘̹̓͗͂v̶̢͕̘̼̦̰̐ẽ̵̝̥͈̝̓͋̌̋͠ ̸̝͙̐̓m̵̩͖͍͒͌͛̔e̸̤̹̻̪͇͔̽̇ ̵̜̬̰̟̖̘͈̐̆̀á̸̻̜̬̫̝͇͚ ̷̢̗̠̮͊ͅf̶̡̩̟͘͝a̵̢͎͆k̷̲̰͓̤̐͌̽͐̿̕͠e̷̛̪̖̅̒̀̓͐͜ͅ ̸̭͙̫̂̚ͅs̴̩̝̺͕̲̯͒e̸̮͍̤̦̯̎̈́̔̌̇͌ä̷̳̖͓̒̕l̶̦̬̙̘̝̉̏̔̈́͆͘͠.̸̨͓͉͒̄̚ ̶͈͆̽̿̋̑̈̕T̶̗̹̱̞̭̩͉̍͆̀̚é̵̹̗͖ļ̶̜̬͍͓̗̿͑̾̋̏̕l̸̛̀̆̓̾ͅ ̷̡̗̼̀̿̓m̸̛̗̞͕̠̟ę̵̬̰̻̮͎̉̓ ̵̥̩̞̮͈͖̅̃̑͜͝ŵ̷͈̥͕̦̘̙̏h̶̝͈̬͖̲̯̝͊̓̕ȳ̴̱̓̄̎͝ ̵̛̣̭̘͔͋̏́̀̋I̵̡̦̬̬̫͓̭͆̍͌͗̍́̀ ̶̛͈͆s̵̛̗͙̙̭h̷̝͌͌͜͝͠ȏ̴̝̹̻͚̾́̃̔͘͝ư̸̮͓̰̖͔̙̇́͊̽̐̔l̶͙̟̙̣̮̱̞̂͌̏͗d̴̢͊͒̉̈ ̸̠̠̮̉̿n̴͚̯̜̫̊ō̴̡͉̪̥̗̹̲̽̄̀̕t̴̢̺̱̊̉̎̕͜͠ ̷̛̹̜̿͝ķ̴̻͚̙͔̈́͊̍í̸̥̼͕̮̾̿͌l̷̢͂̏͆͊̃͠l̷̡̨͎̪̝̖̱̽̽̓͐̀́̈́ ̷͖̿̋͛y̶̻̝̆͂͝ỏ̸̧̹͇̫̀̐̀̍͋̃ų̶̟̩͔͇̝͚̎̈́̑̕͠ ̵͍̃͗͠ẁ̷̝̟̥̰̘͎͒͛́͒h̵̦̜̩̬͋͐̋ė̶̃͜ṙ̸̡̧̟͉̻̬͚̅e̵̤̮̟͌̓ ̴̹͕̮͍̺̲͇̉y̴̨̛̪͛̍̓̏ô̴͔͍͉̅̈́̌u̴̙͖͖͎͐͛̒ ̶̟̙͍̖̭̃̌́l̵̙̽̈́̐͝á̷̡͔̞͈̜͎͒͌̑̐͝y̴̼̹̪̻̒̓̽̀̚?̴̛̻̘͈͍͕̒̃̀̓̏

Goodie: It was not a fake. Without it, you would have perished the moment you set foot in-ah!-side.

Lucifer: H̵̹̩̗̑̎̈́́̕o̷̘͝ẇ̷̢̨̛͇̞̝̦̠̎ ̸̯̹͋̃͑͘͝d̴͉̭̟̫̙̠͂à̶͎̮̝̺̺̥͙̓͛͂̒́ŗ̴̡̺̬̭̝̳̓̈́̑̍͝ĕ̷͓̕ ̸̺͈̖̣̳̃y̴̜̞͆͑̉͠o̴͓͋ủ̸͈͎̳̥͈̞̍̀͜ ̸̥̑͐̇̂̈́̐͝t̶͓͋r̶̼͠ỉ̸͍̻̫̩͍̓͌̍̄͝ċ̷̞̤̭̳̈́̓́̃k̶̖̹͙̋̓̑̀̅̔͊ ̵͙̠̻̜̎ͅt̵̛͇̀̑̀h̴̛̥͉̲̬̰͛̊̀̅͝e̵͇̮̫̟̗̍͊̓ ̶̰͎̟̜̗̈̋͂̓K̶̞͉̰̫̂͂̋͝ͅi̷̯̟̤̽͛̈͑n̵̬͙͑̉̍͊̕͠ģ̸͖͍̪̉͗̂͠ ̷̣̯͖̭̜̀ͅǫ̵̨̣̿̽̑͜f̶͔͖̬͐͌ ̸̼̅̿͒̎́Ḣ̴͎͕̳́ͅe̶̛̞̱̦͈l̴̡̲̯͔̰̱̂̅̀̄̈͗͋l̸͍̩̯̗̏?̴̯̥̭̦͙̃̏!̸̼̹͍͖͒̊̅̊̌̔̍

Goodie: Do not delude yourself. There was no chance that this could have ended differently.

Lucifer was heaving so much that Goodie could sense his energy waning. Seizing the opportunity, she managed to escape his clutches. Despite the danger surrounding her, (such bothersome loyalty) she couldn't resist letting out a chuckle, teasing the angel one last time.

Goodie: I gotta say, angel, I do like your new look. Corruption definitely suits you.

Lucifer: F̸̢̨͔̲͖̖̳͍̑̽͜U̵̼̪̰͈̟̜͙͌́́̅̈́̔C̷̢̯͓̘̬͖̝̎K̶̳̖͓̘̝̗̀̓̈́̾̉̾̾͊͠͝Î̶͇͕͚̪̭̎N̴͉̟͍̻͇̚G̵̠̲̰͈̖̎͂͋̾ ̴̧̥͕̹̭̘̜͍̟̎̂̔͗̋̿̒B̶̢̦̤̥͕͉͋̂͌́́͂̈̔͠I̸̗̭̼͊̐͂̀̈́̐̏̐T̸̠̹͓̮̱̻̹̯͉̦̍̔̽̍̄͌̆C̸͍̩̉̈́̈́̄͒̓͑̾͝ͅḨ̴̦̙͉̫̪̫̇̀̄̈́̋͘!

Lucifer then collapses to his knees, clutching his throat as if he's drowning in searing heat. Confusion and desperation fill his voice as he struggles for breath.

Lucifer: How? *gasp* why? *gasp* -trusted-

There's a flurry of movement around him, voices overlapping and blending into a chaotic white noise. Amidst it all, someone speaks with a commanding tone, their words cutting through the haze.

Alastor: Listen to only me, my dear.

There was a faint humming of music? Was Alastor here?

Alastor: I'm here, my Majesty. Calm yourself. You need not to panic.

He's trying, he really is. But his ears are muddled and he can't understand anything anymore. Everything is happening all at once, leaving him disoriented and terrified.

As consciousness begins to slip through his grasp, the Sin of Pride feels a sense of detachment. A new presence moves in front of him, accompanied by a chorus of apologies that echo faintly in his ears.

A cool sensation brushes against his fevered forehead, offering a brief respite from the overwhelming heat and chaos. And with that fleeting moment of relief, Lucifer succumbs to the darkness.

Roo: How fun~

--------------------------------------

Transformation central! (Transformation central!)

Reformation central! (Reformation central!)

Transmogrification central!

[goldenamaranthe-blog]

Hallelujah pt. 2

Roughly 3 months after Blake summoned Demon!Yang.

Blake: (ears twitch as hushed whispers pull her from sleep)

Shrill Voice: Do you have any idea how much danger you're in staying at a CHURCH?!

Demon!Yang: Shhhhh! Keep it down! You're going to wake up Blake.

Shrill Voice: That's another thing! Why in the Four Planes would you strike a deal with a nun?! If the counsel of this church finds out a demon, and the daughter of the devil at that, is "stealing the pure soul" of one of their devout followers, they're going to kill you. You KNOW what happens to demons if they die on holy ground!

Demon!Yang: Awww, Weissy the Icy Queen is worried about me~

Blake: (opens her eyes and blinks at the pure white being surrounded by a halo of light and white wings scowling at Yang in her demon form) .....There is an angel and a demon in my room.....

Demon!Yang: (snaps her head towards Blake) Blake! Hey! Sorry, did we wake you up? (glances at Weiss) Oh, this is Weiss. She's an angel, obviously.

Angel!Weiss: (sighs tiredly) Yes, I'm an angel, and one who questions her poor life decisions every day. (glances at Blake) I take it you're the one who made a pact with Yang?

Blake: .....I am. (notices her lack of clothes and pulls the blankets up over herself)

Angel!Weiss: Don't bother. I've seen everything already. Save your modesty for someone who cares.

Blake: Uh... noted. (looks to Yang) Why is there an angel in my room?

Demon!Yang: She's just trying to make sure I don't do anything stupid.

Angel!Weiss: (sticks her finger in Yang's face) No. I'm trying to make sure you don't do anything catastrophic. Ruby would be heartbroken if you suddenly disintegrated because you got killed in a monastery!

Demon!Yang: Thank you, Weiss! Warning heeded! (slices a portal open with her claws and pushes Angel!Weiss through) Bye, Weiss! Thanks for visiting! Give Ruby my love when you get to heaven!

Angel!Weiss: You insufferable brute- (phases through the portal)

Demon!Yang: (wipes forehead and turns to Blake) Well! I think I'm gonna go take a walk around the abbey. Toodles! (flaps wings and bolts to the window)

Blake: Stop.

Demon!Yang: (freezes just short of the window)

Blake: What did Weiss mean you would disintegrate if you died on holy ground?

Demon!Yang: (slumps and sighs heavily as she slowly descends to the floor) ....If demons die in the human world, we just go poof and wake up back in Hell. If we die in a church or on holy ground, or get killed by a high enough member of the church, we just go poof.

Blake: (arches an eyebrow) Poof?

Demon!Yang: Yup (wipes a handful of dust off the floor with her tail and blows a cloud into the air) Poof. Do not pass Go. Do not wake up in Hell. After that, no one knows what happens to them. They just disappear.

Blake: (wraps the blanket around herself and walks over to Yang) And you knew this when you accepted my summon? You still made a pact with me despite the fact that you knew you could disappear if you were found out?

Demon!Yang: Or if you decided to tell someone I was here. Kind of another reason why I was keeping that hush-hush.

Blake: Why?

Demon!Yang: Honestly, there was something about you. I don't know what it was, but I felt something in your heart and soul that made me want to help.

Blake: (hesitantly cups Yang's cheek) Thank you.

Demon!Yang: (blushes and clears her throat) Y-Your welcome.

Blake: (heart pounding in her chest, face flushes, and swallows thickly) Are you still hungry?

Demon!Yang: (blinks in confusion) N-No. I'm good. Thank you.

Blake: (takes a deep breath) I might be.

Demon!Yang: Oh! (locks eyes with Blake and swallows) I guess I'm a little peckish.

Blake: (gently kisses the corner of Yang's mouth) Take me to bed then?

Demon!Yang: (eyes widen in shock and stutters) Y-Yes, Ma'am.

Part 1

[amazingmsme]

Blue Halo

AN: Making up for lost time, 3 fics in a day eat my ass. Jkjk, these fics are so much fun, it’s just a lot, especially when I let myself get carried away like this. But y’all are about to go hog wild, because here’s another lee!simon fic, dare I say better than the first? Idk man, today’s prompt is unusual spot & the whole head portal thing just screams ticklish scalp to me.

Fionna stared at the back of Simon's head, still trying to wrap her mind around it. It felt weird when she leapt from the portal and found herself staring at an old man laying face down.

Since entering his world, she hasn't had much time to dwell on it. Now that they seemed to be in a relatively safe world, her mind began to wander off to places she hadn't had the time to dwell on.

"I can feel you staring," Simon said, looking over his shoulder at her. She panicked and looked away, causing him to chuckle softly. "You'll get them too ya know."

"Wha-?"

"Gray hairs. It's what you're staring at, right?"

"Oh no! I wasn't staring at that!" she assured, but Simon rolled his eyes fondly.

"Really, it's okay. I know I'm old as dirt. You start going gray, that's just life," he explained casually. Fionna snorted in amusement and shoved his shoulder playfully.

"You don't have to explain the concept of aging Simon!" she teased. "I was just thinking... About home, and where we came from..." she trailed off, staring at the back of his head. Simon connected the dots.

"Oh..." He looked away, a small frown on his face as he thought of a way he could comfort her. "Well, once we get me a new crown, then you can go home and everything will be okay," he offered a soft smile, one which she returned.

"Yeah, I'm just a little worried about going back in," she mused aloud. Simon cocked his head curiously, so she elaborated. "I mean, you're head's only so big, and my hips are definitely bigger," she joked.

He snorted in amusement, "Oh please, you made it out just fine! I think all this craziness is just gunking up your head and making you nervous. I promise, I'll get you and Cake home safe and sound," he said, patting her shoulder.

"I guess I'm still just, confused about it all. And curious," she shrugged.

"Well... you're welcomed to rummage around the ol' noggin; see if there's any remnants of the portal hiding behind my hair," he offered.

"Really? You wouldn't mind?" she asked, sitting down behind him.

"Not a bit. I'm honestly a little curious about what's back there myself." Fionna started carding her hands through Simon's hair and he let out a chuckle. "I wonder if this is how Jane Goodall felt," joked aloud.

"Who?" Fionna asked, not understanding the joke at all. His short lived laughter trailed off with a sigh.

"Oh, never mind. Just a scientist from a long time ago." His voice sounded dejected and forlorn, reminiscing on a time long since past. Fionna frowned to herself at the change of mood.

"What did she study?"

"She was a great conservationists and anthropologist who studied primates. She even got to live with them for awhile," he explained.

"Whoa, that sounds pretty cool," she said and Simon agreed. She continued parting his hair, looking for any sign of the portal.

"Well, your scalp's pretty pale, but I don't know if that has to do with- wait!" she cut herself off, shoving his hair away excitedly, in doing so shoving his head down abruptly. Simon let out a quiet oof and braced himself on the floor.

"What- what is it?" he asked nervously, craning his neck to see despite knowing it was a fruitless effort.

"Oh, it's nothing bad!" she was quick to assure. "I think." Or maybe not... "It's just, I think your skin might be blue." Simon felt himself relax.

"Don't scare me like that Fionna! I thought it was something serious!"

"Blue skin isn't serious?" she asked, voice soft and concerned. Simon leaned back to look at her.

"Well, I was Ice King for a really long time, and he had blue skin," he reasoned. "So it doesn't seem like that big of a deal. You said you followed a sparkly blue portal?" She nodded, and he continued. "See, that explains it. No need to worry," he reached back, patting her hand to put her at ease.

She hummed, not fully trusting the explanation but deciding not to dwell. "Whatever you say," she said skeptically. "Man, your hair's soft. What shampoo do you use?" she asked.

"Huh? Oh, I don't know, Marcy picked it out for me. But it's the conditioner that makes it soft,” he gently corrected. Suddenly his calm demeanor took a left turn when he arched his back, shoulders shooting up to his ears as he shrieked, a full body shiver overtaking his body.

He jumped away from the sensation, landing in the soft ground and spinning around to face Fionna. He he had a hand slapped over the back of his head, rubbing furiously. His eyes were wide and he was… blushing?

Fionna pointed at him accusingly, “I knew it was a bad omen! And you just tried to shrug it off!”

Simon shook his head, “What? No! No, it’s fine, I guess the portal just made my scalp a little… sensitive is all,” he grumbled, arms crossed as he adverted his gaze to the ground.

“Well that doesn’t sound good. And you hit your head pretty hard when you fell down those stairs at Prismo’s,” she pointed out, brows furrowed with concern.

“Oh, well I-“

“Let me just make sure you aren’t hurt, okay? If it really is blue it could be bruising.” Simon had to admit she had a point. Hesitantly, he sat back down, though much stiffer and guarded than before. Fionna playfully punched his arm.

“Relax dude, I’m not gonna hurt you!”

Simon rubbed his sore shoulder. “You just did,” he teased, though the smile on his face let her know he was only kidding.

“Oh shut up,” she mock scolded, parting his hair to try and get a decent look at his scalp. She hadn’t cut her nails in a while and they grazed the tender skin beneath his hair and she noticed how Simon’s shoulders hitched up towards his ears and a startled gasp escape him. She immediately pulled away, “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to hurt you!”

Simon was quick to put her mind at ease, especially with her growing guilt over hurting others. “It’s fine, you didn’t hurt me. Like I said it’s just, um, sensitive,” he said vaguely.

“Huh?” Fionna gave him a puzzled look before connecting the dots, confusion morphing into an ecstatic grin. Simon felt his stomach drop. “Oh. Ooooh! You mean sensitive as in ticklish! This is great!” she exclaimed, plopping herself way too close to him in his opinion.

“N-now wait a second!” he tried to protest, yelping when Fionna grabbed him in a headlock. Not strong enough to choke or hurt, but he certainly wasn’t going anywhere. Uh oh.

“No way! You had me all worried for no reason! And you’ve been a sad sack o’ taters this whole time! So I think it’s about time you cut loose,” she decided, lightly scratching against the back of his head. Now that she wasn’t holding back, it was so much worse than before. He snorted, biting his lip to contain any more unwanted sounds. Soft snickers managed to slip past the barrier despite his best efforts.

“Oho man, this is hilarious! Who even knew scalps could be ticklish! I gotta try this out on Gary when I get home!” she rambled as she continued tickling.

Simon was halfway in her lap from her ambushed attack, his legs kicking and scrambling against the ground for purchase. Her nonchalant enthusiasm was more flustering than he thought it would be and he covered his red face to hide from the teasing. What else was he supposed to do? Her hold made it so that he couldn’t even reach her hands to stop her. Though in second thought, maybe that was a good thing: she’d probably go after his armpits and then he’d really be in trouble.

“Fihihionnahaha! Lehet mehehe gohoho!” he whined, unleashing the hoard of giggles that had been trapped in his chest for far too long. The sound was bright and high pitched, and so unlike the Simon she knew.

“Aaawww, you have, like, the cutest laugh ever!” she cooed, causing him to blush even more.

“Whahat? Ihihi dohoho nohohot!” he denied, shrieking when she started scratching closer to his hairline. His giggles grew faster and more breathy, snorting loudly when she traced a circle in the center of his head.

“I don’t know dude, have you ever heard yourself? Pretty fuckin’ cute,” she teased, then thought back on her own words, an idea forming in her mind. “Wait, where’s my phone?”

Even while giggling hysterically, Simon tried to be helpful. “Ca-Cahahake!”

“Ugh, she has it!” she groaned, still scribbling anywhere that warranted a reaction. She leaned her head back and yelled, “CAKE! I NEED MY PHONE!”

In the distance, she could just barely make out a Cake-colored shape. The shape responded, “I’M BUSY!”

“IT’S MY PHONE! I NEED IT FOR PROOF THAT SIMON CAN LAUGH!” she yelled. That seemingly got the cat’s attention.

A leg stretched all the way over to them, followed shortly by the rest of Cake. “Now this I GOTTA see- oh wow, you weren’t kiddin’,” she said once she made her way to them, clutching the phone to her chest. She chuckled to herself as she walked up to them, getting up in Simon’s face as she filmed them before Fionna pushed her back with a giggle of her own.

“Cake, that’s too close!”

“Hey, I’m a director! Y’all just keep doin’ what you’re doin’,” she said, trying to decide on the best angle for the video.

“Cahahake, hehelp mehehe!” he pleaded, reaching an arm out for her.

She looked up to the sky in thought, “Hmmm, no. I’m Fionna’s cat, not yours,” she sassed, fangs peaking out behind her smirk.

Simon shrieked when she found the weak spot behind his ears, his laughter reaching a new pitch. Once he started hiccuping through his giggles, Fionna decided to grant him mercy.

“Welp! Think it’s safe to say that you’re in tip top shape!” she chirped, patting his arm as he laid on the ground wheezing. He held up a thumbs up.

He composed himself enough to sit up, playfully glaring at the two of them. “That was the worst. You’re the worst.”

“Naaah, I play with my friends like that all the time, and you took it like a champ,” she complimented, smirking at the way he flushed at her words.

“Wha- you had me in a headlock!” he defended himself, throwing his arms in the air for dramatics. Cake couldn’t help herself and stretched over to tweak his sides. He yelped and curled in on himself, falling onto his side. They all laughed.

“You coulda tapped out,” Fionna taunted smugly. Simon was dusting himself off and fixed his glasses.

“Well if I knew that, I would’ve,” he said curtly.

“Bet next time you won’t,” she challenged, hands on her hips. He froze, balking for an answer before a calm, almost smug expression found it’s way on his face.

“Well, I’m an old man Fionna. I’m sure I’ll forget by then.”

[fountainpenguin]

"I'm not the kind of girl to get messed up with you- Hello! ... You're all right, but I'm here, darling, to enjoy the party..." (x)

---

New Dog's Life chapter today! ~ 3rd Life series fan-season

Chapter 31 - “Flame (Etho, Skizz, Pearl)”

❤️ Read on AO3

💛 Start from Chapter 1

💚 More Pixels Imperfect fics

---

Scar files a microaggression complaint with the HALO team. Pearl helps Scott settle in while he recovers from glitchy code. They have a spat that's not about a sticker.

Meanwhile, SnifferMyFeet and Etho separate their souls… and start an honest talk about Sniff's identity as Sniff, not Joel. It was needed. It's for the best.

(First 900 words under the cut)

---

Etho - Fox

Status: Resting

Self-taught programmer, full-time hero

💙  💙  💙

He gets it now.

It's like ice in your water. It's like marshmallows in your cocoa. It's like wind beneath your wings. The final week before he's due back in Between (reluctantly, but definitely due), Etho flops on his bed and sprawls his arms to either side. Is he giddy? He doesn't mean to be, but this feels…

… Oh, it's a game-changer. Which is exactly what he texts Cleo after scooping up his admin panel. They won't see it if they've left their private server, and since Session 2 of Dog's Life could be starting any day now, there's no telling how long that may take.

Etho: hey so Etho: remember after limlife 4 or 5 when we talked about burnout?

Grocery shopping. For a family dinner- he and Cleo both made one (like a peace offering) in a way that wasn't really flirty married life roleplay, but more like… regular, everyday person roleplay. Did all their shopping together so they wouldn't cook the same thing. Call it 'date night' if you want; he walked her home and there might've been a little 'dramatic logout' roleplay in there. We don't… We don't need to go into detail about it.

To some people that's romantic and to some it's completely gross. Not really sure why… It's a natural process, isn't it? Soul-eaters can't help being what they are, and you may as well snap at endermen hybrids for struggling with eye contact or shame unthreaded players if they expose their glitches instead of keeping them covered up. This world's too big and life too long for arguing. Do you really want to make enemies and be rude to people who are going to carry the echo of your words for the rest of their lives?

Lend a helping hand. Extend a little kindness. Be polite. Respond to the hurt. Try not to avoid responsibility when others are counting on your strength. Sit with the injured, even when the night is cold. They're simple goals, but so easily forgotten these days.

Etho: I think you said if I felt stuck then I should break my routine for a while

Nothing happens for several minutes. Etho rotates words without meaning through his head, then types out something else.

Etho: you were right. I get now why you go on adventures with Martyn. Why you let him and no one else log you out all the time. Thanks for the advice. Let me know next time you need a favor. Rating this cycle 10 of 10 and I owe you big xD

He takes a long, guilt-free nap in his cushioned bed. Catching up on block updates and videos really drains a guy (especially this close to the end of the Hermitcraft season, not to mention Vault Hunters and a Life series on top of it), but he spent all morning prepping the bed and it's already providing every agonizing tick of its worth. Two hours later, he's stirred awake by a buzz on the admin panel.

ZombieCleo: yay! So glad that worked for you <3 I want to hear all about it. Maybe in a couple weekends you can watch MCC with me and the kids + Martyn? If we catch a minute alone, I can recommend more stuff you might be into ;)

The kids refers to Bdubs and Scar, who skated through Limited Life like energetic teenagers spreading their wings. It's goofy, it's endearing, and Cleo's got her roleplay voice on because she knows it makes him snort. His tail gives a twitch as he tries to keep a smirk from creeping out behind his mask.

Martyn, huh? he muses, but doesn't say that. Cleo circles between lovers, friends, and exes like a pollinating bee.

Etho: whoaaaa Etho: inviting a fox? that's dangerous! ZombieCleo: nose out of your tail, fur boy Etho: dibs on Martyn, I see ZombieCleo: If you're serious about returning the favor, Martyn says Rhetoric's down here and this might be our best chance at smash and grabbing from your mum's museum Etho: Hm… ZombieCleo: I mean, you did leave my eggshell when you rescued Grian and that other soul

Yeah- it looked distressed. Now Sniff's down here. He can actually talk now when he couldn't before. Honestly, not the worst decision he could've made.

If anyone's going to try getting into the Fox Dragon's museum, a fox has the best chance of doing so. It's kept separate from the nesting cave where souls respawn, but even the deadliest traps won't keep foxes out since they'll just respawn. Unless they're traps that can't be dodged even with careful planning, or some sort of system that short-circuits code. The phantom roost is nearby, right? Frankly, phantoms are excellent trackers, they can fly, and they're probably the fastest of all non-swimming hybrids, so a phantom alone provides great security as-is.

Etho: I'll think about it. Not tonight, though. Full moon fox face isn't for me. Also if there are raiders there then that's probably the worst time to show up ZombieCleo: Fair ZombieCleo: I can think of something else, but if you ever get the chance, I want it back Etho: duly noted ✌️ ZombieCleo: btw say hi to Scar and Bdubs when you see them. They've been cracking nonstop jokes since you disappeared. One can only imagine they're attempting humor to bury immense throes of pain Etho: D:

[Full chapter on AO3 - Link at top]

[just-1-scorpio]

Theories about Arcana

Warning spoilers!!!

So I think we know that Arcana was defeted, by being nuked. And how Igor declared that she is dead. But is she really dead?

In the To The New World, when we talk to Druvis there is a option to tell her that Arcana was defeated, but she is sceptical. She says that to defeat an entety like her, first you need to understand her intentionds. The purpose to Manus Vindictae is clear, but Arcana's is a mystery acording to what Druvis tells Vertin. Then she tells her that during the time she speant in Manus Vindictae Arcana didn't seen to clear about anything. And in Sophia's flashback, Arcana tells her that she will die today.

So I have two theories.

The first one is that she is trying to become a legend or a type of holy figure.

Manus Vindictae looks partially to be a cult as well as a terrorist organisation. They refer to Arcana as the "Guiding One", and one of the number people who joind to Manus referd to her as "Mother". And it's pretty safe to assume that she founded Manus Vendictae. So by chosing to die by Igor's bomb, she can make herself a sort of martyr figure for the Manus Vendictae members. In the 2.2 triller we see that Sophia become the new leader of Manus Vendictae. Arcana used the situation to manipulate Sophia, who by the end of the chapter probably looks up to her. Similarly to Forget Me Not, Ms. Grace, the rest of the higher ranking Manus members, and Manus Vendictea as a whole. It's pretty safe to assume that Sophia will keep Arcana's memory alive, even if Arcana is dead, and the rest of the Manus who already probably worshiped her, will remember her, and talk about her as a martyr, and becoming holy figure to them.

2. My second theory is that she is trying to become a god.

Okey. This is posibly just me over anylising it, but I still write it down. So Arcana is pretty powerfull. The form she takes during the battle ageinst her in chapter 7, then in chapter 2. She looks more powerfull, and now she is somehow capable of creating portals, and she can use the ritual that killed, and deformd member of Laplace. She is really powerfull. The game includes mythological, and folklore elements in the game's world building. Spirits, vempaires, and the gorgon for exemple. In the greek myth of Heracles when Heracles jumps on the funeral fair, the fair burns away his moral half, and becomes a god. So what if by daing from the bomb, she become one. After the bomb, one of the opereters heard something, that Igor comfermd to be the wind, but what if it was Acrana assending into Godhood. Also this theory can go side by side with my first theory. If she has a cult that worships her before becoming a god, then that means that she will recive prayers, and offering shortly after becoming one.

3. And my last theory is that, she is a goddess.

Okey. I admit this may sounds stupid, and I probably read more into it, then it actually is in it. But let me explain.

She is powerfull. We know that. But how can she apear in multiple defrent forms like this?

Also in those forms she always has a circule around her head that kind of resemles a halo, especially in chapter 7, with that crown thing. So acording this theory, she eather survived the bomb and will eventually come back, or Igor killed a goddess.

[konohamaru-sensei]

To me, Kimi ni todoke is a perfect story

What can I say now that I have finished season 3? The season 3 we didn't even know we would be getting? Well, I used to tell friends that I am happy with whatever comes, but now im greedy and I want it all. I am very Kazehaya about new KnT seasons, I guess.

Anyway, I have been browsing the tag a little to find gifs and reactions and such, and I already see discussions (not much tbh but still) about how this and that in the story should be different and while the anime did skip things (Rip to "you are mine now" Nakamura-san would have sounded SO GOOD!), people are satisfiedI think. I am, at least, very happy.

But to me, Kimi ni todoke is perfect. and not perfect in this way that i have small problems but overall I'm happy. No, I find it perfect perfect. Every storyline every character development from beginning to end is perfect. I guess people complaining about Ayane or whatever, even if its not here on tumblr that much, just show me that I can't interact with fans of this fandom either.

See, ever since I found KnT in 2009 when I was just 17 (about the age of the characters in the story funnily enough) I have always rewatched it when I was doing poor mentally. I must have seen it 12-15 times over the years, I've probably watched it twice after my fathers death alone. These characters mean the world to me, all of them. I love all of them.

But the girls! At different times of my life I could always connect to another one of them. So much so that while I like Chizu best and think she resembles me the most (in fact, I think she is the anime character that is closest to me in personality), I find a part of me in all of them.

When I found the story I had just lost my friendgroup (because an ex lied about me, it happens) and I had to go back to being alone, so I emphasised with Sawako (and her distancing herself from her friends always makes me cry, without fail, always).

When I moved out to study in 2011 and was mentally so low in 2012 and dated guys because I thought otherwise they wouldnt be my friends, I reread Ayanes okinawa arc over and over and over again.

And of course I have my friends call me by a different name than my given name because my given name is boring lol Kurumi and me.

And ah, Chizu, it would be too long to explain. Too personal. Nobody would care. I had a best friend once that I lost because I was scared of our friendship ending. I love Chizuru because we are the same, and I'm jealous of her because she is better than me. I don't have time or space to express my feelings. Level up to Nisi friendship level 6 to hear tragic backstory.

Also, I can't talk about this show without mentioning how much the voice actors mean to me. Long before I knew any seiyuu-names I knew Kazehayas-voice. In fact, I hated oikawa in hq SPECIFICALLY because he has kazehayas voice and isnt nice! You gotta be nice with that voice man! Their voices are tattooed onto my soul and when I hear them in other places I always think of KnT first.

I love them so very much that when I watched the Tokyo E ncounter episode with Nakamura Yuuchi (Ryu) and Sanpei Yuuko (Chizuru) when they are playing Halo and he is teasing her for having bad aim, I started crying - like sobbing. It was so weird I have you know but I just sat there and I couldn't get it together.

Anyway, Kimi ni todoke is perfect to me. Everything about it means the world to me. I have to physically restrain myself to not rewatch the season again.

Please netflix, finish it, please. You may cut some things. I will forgive you if you cut some things, but give me the end.

[sunsafewriting]

Do a Flip - part 3

No Halo / Modern AU. After leaving St Michael’s, Ava does everything she can to support Diego, including taking him to extracurriculars. Beatrice is his aikido instructor, and it changes everything.

---

Lilith. 

She's so used to seeing Ava help Beatrice pack up after a class that it takes her nearly a full minute to realise that it's Thursday. Diego isn't in the Thursday class, which means Ava has zero fucking excuse to be in Lilith's dojo. 

Lilith glares at Ava from where she's doing her paperwork at the front desk. Ava doesn't even notice. In fact, she’s pretty sure that neither of them have even realised she’s still here.  

Typical. 

"— and I heard from one of the guys at the bar that they're doing this lantern thing down by the pier tonight, so I thought we could do that after, if you're down? No pressure, obviously. I know you've got an early lecture tomorrow."

Someone should tell Ava that memorising another person's class schedule by osmosis is desperately tragic. Maybe Lilith will take the time to be that person. As a public service. 

"Of course, if you want to," Beatrice says. Which is also a bit tragic, but Beatrice was socialised in a conservative fishbowl, so she gets a pass for her lack of game.

Not for her lack of taste, though. 

"Speaking of things I want," Ava continues, and Lilith rolls her eyes into infinity. But also starts filling in her paperwork a little faster, just in case, God forbid, Ava has actually worked up the courage to discuss her ridiculous crush. "You said we couldn't do aikido at my place because I don't have safety mats."

"That was months ago." 

"Yep. And how convenient of me to remember while we’re surrounded by safety mats."

"You'd like me to teach you how to do a throw? Now ?"

"Or you could throw me," Ava shrugs. "I don't mind. I just want to try it."

Lilith isn't about to comprise on the quality of her record-keeping. She's meticulous. She is. 

But the idea of Beatrice and Ava sparring as a way to get close without it having to mean anything is somehow worse than them talking about their fucking feelings, and Lilith does not want to be around for it. 

She lets herself write a tiny bit faster. 

"Alright," Beatrice agrees. 

Lilith remembers when Beatrice wouldn't get within a square mile of a girl she might even theoretically, eventually, possibly like. Is this progress, then? Or has Beatrice just completed the requisite mental gymnastics necessary to convince herself that she isn't attracted to Ava?

She can hear Beatrice explaining the throw to Ava. Her window for escape is closing. Lilith speeds through the next form. 

"So, I put my hands here?"

"Yes. And I put mine here, like this, see?"

"Oh. I mean, yep. Seems — um. Solid."

Lilith wants to smack her face into the desk. 

Okay, she wants to smack Ava's face against the desk. She won't; she owes too many favours to Beatrice. 

Lilith hears the familiar sound of a body hitting the mat. She looks up instinctively, and regrets it. 

Beatrice has got Ava pinned to the floor. 

There's a beat of silence. 

It drags on and fucking on. 

"I really see why people are into this," Ava says at last, disgustingly breathless. "I mean, like, why they like it. Sports."

"I told you that Lilith teaches adult classes."

Lilith should leave quietly. She should. She's just signed her last form, and slipping out the door unnoticed is now officially an option. 

But she can't resist the opportunity that’s been so neatly laid before her. 

"I don’t think Ava would enjoy that nearly as much," Lilith says loudly, and they both startle. 

Beatrice leaps to her feet, not quite as graceful as usual. 

Ava just drops both her hands onto her face and holds them there, blocking out the world, exhibiting absolutely no interest in getting up. "Hi, Lilith," she calls out, her voice still slightly strangled. 

"What’s that supposed to mean?" Beatrice demands, the muscles in her jaw cinching tight. "She wanted a demonstration. I demonstrated."

Sometimes, Lilith wonders if there's truly no upper limit to what Beatrice can successfully repress. Or if one of these days, Ava is going to manage to hit the right button in the right way, and all of Beatrice's carefully constructed internal architecture is going to collapse irreparably. 

Probably the latter. 

Lilith just hopes that when that day comes, she's too far away to see or hear anything. 

"Just don't demonstrate in front of me," she says. 

She makes something of a show of filing her paperwork and gathering her things.

Ava and Beatrice just watch her. Ava doesn't even have the decency to stay embarrassed. If anything, she looks kind of annoyed with Lilith, and maybe not just because she interrupted her full body contact with Beatrice. 

And. Well. Ava's an idiot, and no one's arguing that, but maybe Lilith should've been a bit less direct. While Beatrice seems to be settling into herself more as of late, she’s still liable to spook easily. And as much as she's inclined to cause trouble for Ava — and she's very inclined — she doesn't want to set Beatrice back. Not after everything. Not when it would take so little to undo so much. 

"Enjoy your night," she grumbles, nodding at them before heading out the door. 

And please remember that the dojo’s windows face the street , Lilith would add, if she weren't convinced that they're going to be standing a minimum of six feet away from each other for the next hour or so. 

[amaiguri]

I redesigned my Main Antagonist

Kivihk, the God of Blood and Beginnings, has slowly risen from "antagonist of one story arc" to "main antagonist" and thus, he needs a new design and personality to match.

What was I working with? He had this arrogant, abrasive, "I'm waaay better than you" sort of attitude before. Imagine like... stereotypical misogynist college bad boy who drinks and parties too much and stuff. And he wanted to take over the world because he was an entitled baby.

So. He was evil and boring.

And also, he wasn't wearing enough clothes and this made him LESS hot, imo. I mean, look at this mess...

So then, I fixed him.

Initially, I fixed his second-in-command, Vanya, and gave her an actual tragic arc and stuff. And she went from "boring, evil goon" to "realistic depiction of a trad wife being gaslit into thinking giving birth was her only value, only to be put down for doing the one thing they told her she should do." So, she's this EMOTIONAL MESS and she hates him but she loves him cuz she doesn't think she has options...

Except the Demonic/Eldritch horror version. So her body will eventually be consumed and taken over by him. And she has to just be happy about this... SEE? That's FUN! (And by "Fun", I mean, it's horrific.)

So, next, I thought "Maybe, I'll remove Kivihk from the story except as a force-of-nature villain, with Vanya as his face!" Especially since "God of Blood and Beginnings" sounds a lot like "birth" to me -- so making him more of a feminine villain just made sense. I even started doing some sketches for this potential change -- Below: Vanya as she is now and Vanya as she could be as the avatar of a dead God.

But then I thought about how much editing that would require and died inside...

So I went and fleshed out the last 2000 years of backstory. And lo and behold, my usual trick of "just imagine going through their backstory" gave me a lot more empathy for the kind of people these two would be... And for one: Kivihk would not ACT like an entitled little baby all the time. He would, in fact, be pretty gentle, patient, and nice. He's a God, after all. He's a God who is superior to all other mortals and he has forever to achieve his goals. As I described it to my Discord:

He doesn't hate humans... he just doesn't see them as people. Do you gloat at cows? No. You aren't insane. You DO still get mad at them if they break your fence or refuse to eat the food you give them, though...

So, with this in mind, I went and redrew him to give him that "JRPG Final Boss First Form" vibe. In his human disguise atm, he's got darker skin because the majority of humans in that area have dark skin. But most of my Demons have ashy-silver skin, so that's kinda what I'm going for with his "Godling" form.

To be clear, in his TRUE true form, he'd probably have like 5 more of those black "burned" arms, 6 more eyes, and like 3 flaming halos or something. I also think his God form would be more fishlike, since fish lay a lot of legs, and take a lot of influence from sea angels (since they're clear/white but have a red core and I think that's a great aesthetic for a God of Blood).

So yeah! That's a list of all the changes atm. I'm not even sure if this is the final destination of my changes so if you have questions or suggestions, I am open to them. Thanks for going on this journey with me! Now I just have to do a proper illustration to update this banner already... Hee hee!

[confusedspaceotter]

Daily avatrice analysis (day 2)

day1 day2 day3 day4 day5 day6 day7 day8 day9

Hello and welcome to day 2!

I love to see you guys adding on to my analysis! please keep doing that, agree with me, fight with me, whatever you wanna say, let's talk about avatrice together :))))

So

Season 1 Ep 3 (yes im doing this in chronological order cause why not)

ah yes the first breakthrough of avatrice 

where we got some actual interaction between the two

(surprise is still not the canteen scene lol)

But here Bea said “and if she dies?” does indicate there is some level of empathy from Bea

Since she no longer view Ava as just the mission, then a actual person after seeing her 

here we can see that Bea took the more soft and suggestive approach(compared to lilith which is more demanding) to calm Ava down

Further suggesting there has been a change in Bea’s attitude towards Ava(as shown in the gif below)

which leads to the first time they interacted one on one(yesss is the canteen scene)

Bear in mind that this scene happened after she sparred with(pissed off)Lilith and mother superion

She is starting to pick up that the members of the OCS didn't exactly give her the warm welcome, making this interaction more heartwarming in a way

It just makes so much sense that Beatrice is the one who welcomed Ava into the OCS

If I have to guess why

must be because this is how Beatrice feel when she first arrive to the boarding school her parents shipped her to

an outcast, the odd one out of the bunch, someone who stands out

and she doesn't want Ava to experience what she hand been through 

so she decided to be the one who welcome her and try to help her fit in 

Which Ava gladly accepted(I mean who wouldn’t is Bea we are talking about here)

now back to the scene

(this is kinda out of topic but NO ONE sits with Bea??? How??? Where is camila??)

reasons why I think Ava does this assessment thing and why is it important:

a. from being quadriplegic she quite literally had to intact with people by observing them since she can’t initiate the interaction with physical contact 

b. confirming the avatrice endgame agenda (Bea was saving the sit for ava, and giving of friendly vibes because she wanna help/get to know ava more)

Father Simon did say that they planned Avatrice from this start so

c.she took inspiration from shows she watched and she recognize the trope(potential love interest trying to subtly interact with main protagonist) 

(you can't tell me this is not what happeded lol)

anyway

Starting of a conversation with a joking manner, classic Ava silva

which were met with Bea trying to ground her to reality/truth that is Ava needs to start seeing the bigger picture here

Bea your logical is showing 

Bea countering Ava’s attempts to underestimate the situation with logical explanations we love to see it

To be fair Ava is just trying to lighten the mood which is understandable but is not what Bea and rest of the OCS sees

OCS saw Ava as someone who was unfit to bear the Halo, which yeah I kinda have to agree with the OCS

but Ava’s weakness(? is also her strength

her out of the box mindset is literally what saved the world in s2

the OCS needed someone with a fresh pair of eyes

normally that would be Mary

but with Ava being the new kid in town, the collective dislike towards people/ideas that are solar opposites to the religious traditional cathlic values that OCS follows went to her instead

(okay i'm getting off topic again back to avatrice

This is where Ava realized that shit is real

People have died(Rip Shannon 

Now is not the time to take things lightly 

So being the kind hearted kid that she is

She asks Bea what’s Shannon like 

As a way to try to comfort Bea

Really love the way Ava is looking at Bea while she is reminiscing her first encounter with Shannon 

Moments like these reminds me how kid like Ava is

Yeah sure she’s an adult(19 years old is still young as hell btw, as a fellow 19 year old)

But because of what happened to her 

The child like behavior never fades into adult responsibilities

The way Ava looks at Bea like a kid listening to their parents telling them stories is just ughhhhh

(Plus Alba had no reason looking this good

Avatrice really said:

Anyway the conversation ends with Bea and Ava bonding over being the odd one and Bea encouraging her to give OCS a shot 

okay thats a lot of words what the hell

so i think i'm going to continue the first avatrice hug and that hallway scene tmr

stay tuned for ep 3 part 2 :)

day3

[thetreestumptherapist]

My thoughts on Cortana's Halo 3 Speech

"They let me pick. Did I ever tell you that? Choose whichever spartan I wanted. You know me. I did my research, watched as you became the soldier we needed you to be. Like the others, you were strong and swift and brave. A natural leader. But, you had something they didn't. Something no one saw... but me. Can you guess? Luck. Was I wrong?"

I think this speech hurts me most out of any of the big speeches in halos reach through 3. It's Cortana thinking of the things she wishes she could tell John. It's her trying to keep her sanity and thinking of the only person who kept her safe and in check over the course of several years. And the saddest part about it is the end of it.

"Something no one saw... but me. Can you guess? Luck. Was I wrong?"

The double meaning of "Was I wrong?"

"Was I wrong? No, of course I wasn't. Somehow, you're always lucky. You'll make it. You'll come back for me. Just like you always do."

"Was I wrong? Has your luck finally run out? Will you be able to rescue me? Or will you be too late? Will I ever see you again? You said you'd come back for me, but what if you can't this time?"

She tries to believe John will continue to be The Master Chief and defy insurmountable odds like he always does, but the situation is more hopeless than it's ever been. The flood have an entire city at their disposal, they have her now, and John is all the way back on earth. She's exhausted, weak, she can't control the city anymore because the Gravemind is too strong, and she can't escape unless someone, her someone, comes to rescue her. The only sources she has for information about the outside world, are the fact that she's still there, the Gravemind is still there, and then whatever the Gravemind tells her from the things he senses through the the flood.

She chose John to protect her because his luck and determination was what humanity needed. It was what she needed. And in this moment, surrounded by the worst horror known to man and alien alike, she can't help but ask herself, "Was I wrong?" Was she?

[talentforlying]

@handgiven: ♬♬♬ THREE songs??? 👀 — SONGS I LOVE

bite the hand - boygenius! this one punched me in the head last month and has not let me go since. it's very much a summary of constantine's attitude towards love and kindness in general; he wants it, craves it, but he's learned to keep his fangs out to survive, and that often means he snaps at someone who doesn't deserve it. this song always makes me think of his sister, especially, and i've sort of assigned it his mourning song for her. she let him in time and time again, gave him a respite from the darkness and a family to be part of, and he repaid her by getting her killed and failing to save her. even though she made the choice to stay in hell, he'll always feel responsible, and she's still always the one he reaches to in his lowest hours, even knowing she's no longer there.

i can't hear you, you're too far away / i can't see you, the light is in my face / i can't touch you, i wouldn't if I could / i can't love you how you want me to

sweet as whole - sara bareilles! one of my earliest constantine anthems, and a great summary of how he generally views the world and brushes off all the terrible things he sees and has happen to him. people suck, and shit happens! that guy's an asshole, that girl's a bitch, he's a bitch, fuck it all and let it go! it's very much a song that he and his friends would belt out if they weren't bound by the laws of toxic masculinity to not know who the hell sara bareilles is, i promise you that. it also provides an excellent reason for why he talks so much shit:

and i hate to think that i ruined the day / of the dick and the queen of the high horse parade / but i'm sick and tired of your poisonous ways / your toxin wasting perfectly good space / and i say what i think / 'cause it's more economic than drugs or a drink

unraveling - the crane wives! if you can't tell already, the crane wives are one of my favorite bands of all time, and this one is the current emotional arc of my current dnd character. in this case, though, i am hitting you directly with the constantine-after-em-falls stick, because GOD!! the survival of faith in a different form, but having to adjust to that change, to mourn the loss of the sapling before you can appreciate the new growth? the tailor + gardener + carpenter examples when we've already talked about how they're both so good with their hands? "my love" as in the unconditional holy love that angel em gives to constantine? the lyric "i never knew i needed you" and the way it's drawn out with such bewildered wonder? my head is actively in my hands.

i once loved a gardener with his dirt-smudged face and hands / trimmed my weeds and gave me room to grow my flowers again / but now my love is gone / and i am left here withering

^ constantine as the garden, struggling to survive being repotted after poisoning his own soil (breaking em's halo)

i once loved a carpenter who carved a smile for me / sanded my rough edges, crafted new and lovely things / but now my love is gone / and i can’t help the fracturing

^ em as the clay, losing his divinity, the unconditional love of god / heaven, and his halo to constantine's hands and having to rebuild

+ 3 songs for em: oh my GOD for fallen em, prayer - ghost quartet, one of my FAVORITE songs in the world from one of my FAVORITE shows / performances!! if you have not looked up the mckittrick performance of ghost quartet, i SO recommend it!! it's also one of my favorites for constantine, but i feel like it just sits so well around the concept of a former angel struggling to adjust to being part of the material world he'd floated through previously, and all that you've talked about em dissociating and struggling to afford himself the same forgiveness he gives so freely to others.

i will try to forgive myself / for living in the dark / for my loss of wonder / for forgetting how to play i will try to forgive myself / for being absent in public / and bored before stars for not remembering / for not being in my body / for not starting right now i will try / to see myself as i am

and while i'm on my crane wives shit, icarus - the crane wives, also my beloved!! i don't even have anything i can say about this one, just look at these fucking lyrics:

oh my brother, my brother, my brother / who have you become in the wake of all that's happened here? they're burning down the orchard to the soil / to the soil, to the grave / spreading out the ashes of a love that only gave and gave . . . it's okay, it's okay / my love will fall with grace

finally, polite and good - secret pie has a very otherworldly em vibe for me, it's very much got a just-outside-of-humanity-playing-human sound to it and the lyrics are spot on with "your tea and your cat". it feels like if em's apartment was just slightly a horror movie in a way, which, with all that biblically accurate angel business, it could be at just the right angle.

don't mind what you see in the mirror / don't mind the shadows that knock at your door / i'll be right here, unchanging sincere / i will be Polite and Good

[beastenraged]

the nature of the diseased, pt. 3

@hallowed-nebulae

The Radiant Nightmare knows that there is something wrong with her. But there is nothing she can do about it.

Her tail curls about her multiple limbs, the change in form somehow less frightening than the change in mindset.

Because she thought with 'I' once, didn't she? But now the 'I' has become 'she' and her thoughts are her thoughts, instead of my thoughts.

Something has changed and she doesn't know what.

"You continue to chase my vessel."

The nightmare forces eyelids into existence so she can use them to blink slowly (and warily) at the unicorn masked...man.

Not a man, but the shape of one, so man will do. For now.

Radiant Nightmare does not see the mask with eyes, she just feels it. A hum of a tune, a whisper of robes. Senses beyond the human mind that was once hers.

"I do not chase them," she states firmly. "I...they go where my past goes, so I follow."

The mask tilts in her direction, the eyes underneath no doubt staring into the core of her.

"You are chained by your past."

Literal chains flicker into life, on her wrists, at the mention of 'chains.' With some effort, the Radiant Nightmare forces herself not to think about them. Because they are always there, but much like a Game many once played, she only loses herself to enchainment when she recalls they exist.

She flicks her tongue in one of three mouths. Hm, maybe she should close some of those up, man-shaped Others often don't like the reminders of exactly inhuman they all are. Inside and outside.

Though he may be Light, and her Dark.

Wrists free. Free of...don't think. Act.

"Are you going to do something about it?"

The unicorn man taps at his arms. "Is there something you want me to do about it?"

No.

"Not from you. Never from you," she states firmly. Her scales rise, her fins fan out.

"Some things cannot be broken. Like certain connections. You would know, huh? Between you and your Master."

Something shifts in the shadow that isn't. Because just then, she realizes that the one who stands before her has no shadow at all. Just the light halo of one standing directly under an eclipse.

In a world without a sun. With only stars.

"He is my Master no more, though he tries to claim the past is all that matters. Much like you."

She can't help but laugh. A mere nightmare that shouldn't exist, anything like the Master of Masters? Give her a break!

Her entire body shifts and wiggles under her laughter, shifting all colors under the judging Light.

"Oh, he and I think very differently. About what past means."

After all.

He wants to save the World, doesn't he? Make it into something that he wants to see.

As for herself...

(I will break the worlds. To make them happy again.)

[thewickwheat]

Hello!! I don't play FFXIV but I do love your Wol and your art, and I'm curious (and sorry for making you lore dump, I tried looking it through wikis but didn't understand that good), but what is about Earley and the other guy dancing after (I think is their Azem?) being slip in two? And is this related to her Valentine's day being on a grave? Is Zenos dead? Or had she had a past lover before? Sorry for the interrogatoy, I just adore your WoL development and would like to understand better

Thank you so much for loving Earley, even tho you dont play FFXIV! That's seriously such a compliment ;v;

I'll do my best to explain (but trust me it is incredibly difficult to explain FFXIV lore without going on insane tangents, I understand BDG's Halo video all too well now)

Major Shadowbringers spoilers so I'm putting it below a cut:

A big lore element you learn in the Shadowbringers expansion is that 12000 years before the events of the game, the world and everyone on it (except for 3 people) were sundered into 14 pieces. So the world you play in one of those pieces and the character you play as is a piece of the person who was known as Azem pre-world splitting.

In Shadowbringers you travel to another one of the shards (referred to as The First) and it is the home of Ardbert, the male character featured in my comic. Ardbert is The First's shard of Azem and so is quite literally the WoL's soulmate, like they literally have the same soul lmao.

So in Earley's canon, she and Ardbert are not in anyway romantically involved (Earley sees him more like the sibling she never had) but they are still soulmates and pieces of Azem and thats kind of the vibe I was trying to get across in my comic

I hope this clarifies things a lil better???

But thank you again for your interest! It seriously means a lot!

[7-pines]

Revolutionary Girl Utena Tarot Card Ideas

I cannot commit to drawing all these but I have been working out how I'd lay out the Major Arcana at least. While I'm confident in some cards, there's some where I'm not sure which visual symbols I want to use or how to capture the meaning of the card right. Feel free to reply/message me about these if you have better ideas.

Deck is Rider-Waite and meanings are cobbled together from BiddyTarot, Labrynithos, TVTropes Useful Notes, Wikipedia and me. I list these meanings, then describe the cards, and then describe how the meanings interact with the cards and whether or not they still fit. Once I feel satisfied/done with the card assignments, I'll probably just write out new suggested meanings for all of them.

A thing about Rider-Waite decks is that Strength and Justice are reversed compared to other decks. I'm tempted not to number these so that those cards can change places.

Anyways, the cards:

0. The Fool - Tenjou Utena (Prince)

upright: beginnings, innocence, free spirit, spontaneity reversed: recklessness, taking risks, naviety, inconsideration

She should be depicted in her school uniform at the beginning of the series, white rose in her breast pocket and bamboo sword and about to step (off?) onto the dueling arena and is looking above at the school's mirage. I am tempted for her to have short hair in this.

The show goes out of its way to call Utena the Fool. "Was that really such a good idea." This card is positioned as the protagonist that makes their way through all the challenges presented by the other 21 Major Arcana cards (21 duels). Both upright and reversed, this card describes Utena's personality as an innocent and naive young girl, reckless in the name of what she believes is right.

1. The Magician - Ohtori Akio (Dios/Apocalypse)

upright: manifestation, willpower, desire, creation reversed: manipulation, trickery, untapped talents, illusions

This should be the verison of Akio that's a prince, in the white suit with red cloak. Projected above him is the illusory school that reflects the real one below, and maybe sitting on the projector (should not be obvious that this is the projector, as much as like, the orb that also represents the world/egg). He is doing the "as above, so below" symbol that the magician is doing but with his hands reversed, and above his head should be a snake eating its own tail in the shape of an infinity sign like a halo, representing the dueling cycle. I'm not sure if he should be the version of Dios or the version of Apocalypse. It's possible to do both here with Dios reflecting Apocalypse but it might get too crowded.

Upright this card represents how Akio controls the world through his own desires. Reversed, this card represents the manipulation and illusions he employs.

2. The High Priestess - Himemiya Anthy (Rose Bride)

upright: intuition, subconscious/unconscious, internality, magic reversed: secrets, withdrawal and silence, repressed feelings

It shouldn't be obvious that Anthy's in her coffin, but there's a shadow over her that represents that. Her expression is neutral, doll-like and she is wearing the rose bride dress with the crown on her head. Chu-chu should be in this card, dressed as Akio, maybe eating/holding a pomegranate. She is in the rose garden that's flooding around her feet, with other roses and the moon reflected in that. Behind her is a red rose on the veil, and the shadows of A/B-ko are both going into the rose as they fight each other. In general, the colors and composition should reflect the Empress, so more purple in this one.

This card is a lot about secret power and manipulation. Reversed, it leans more into emotional repression and withdrawal.

3. The Empress - Kiryuu Nanami

upright: feminity, motherhood, nature, abundance, harmony reversed: dependence, smothering, lack, nosiness

Posed like the High Priestess, Nanami has a smug demeanor to her. Wherever Chu-chu was, should be replaced with a colorful egg. She should also be wearing a crown, and in the background should be the mountains as seen in the episode where she turned into a cow.

Nanami represents the queen in the way she has social power over her classmates from her proximity to her brother, the Emperor. She is literally the only person I could think of in this show that has a scene that one could describe as maternal (trying to raise the egg). Reversed, this card signifies dependence and lack, both things that characterize Nanami. She is dependent on her brother for power, and she lacks a true emotional connection with literally everyone (she thinks she has one with her brother but that's proven false). Maybe also including the cat whever Anthy has one of the duelists.

4. The Emperor - Kiryuu Touga

upright: masculinity, fatherhood, authority, control reversed: tyranny, rigidity, coldness, domination

This card should probably reflect the Devil more than the Magician, though Touga models himself after both in relationship to Utena. Touga should be wearing red and sitting on the chair as though he were dead, on the Student Council rooftop. He is carrying a sword in one hand and maybe he's holding a white envelope or telephone in the other one. On the table should be the recordings he made for the student council meetings. I feel like I should include the cabbage butterflies from the movie since they are a visual symbol associated with him. I don't know how to depict coldness other than the ways he destroys the relationship he has with Nanami and Saionji, so maybe the diary burning should be near him and he should be bleeding from the hand holding the sword.

Touga and Nanami reflect Akio and Anthy. All together, these four make a story about a kingdom where it looks like the power is in the hands of Touga and Nanami, but it's really Akio and Anthy that are influencing things as the Magician and High Priestess.

5. The Hierophant - The Shadow Play

upright: religion, conformity, traditions, morality reversed: personal beliefs, rebellion, subversiveness, freedom

This one is complicated. I don't feel like there's a particular religion that's believed in (especially not Christianity). I was debating putting the teacher here for her role in enforcing the school's norms, but she's pretty ineffectual in the face of Utena. The thing that's a much larger controlling force in the school is the Narrative. The story that says that one boy is the prince and all girls are the rose bride (except for the witch) and so forth. I feel like the Shadow Players are the most aware of the narrative and the story they're acting out. This card shows the different masks the girls wear, roles they act out, and the play they're putting on is the one they invite Utena to. I haven't figured out which props should be in the foreground but probably a crown, a sword and a monster mask/witch hat?

Upright, this card represents the narrative and social constructs that the world is expected to adhere to. Reversed, this card represents rebelling against those things and staying true to yourself.

6. The Lovers - Utena & Anthy

upright: love, harmony, duality, union, synthesis reversed: self-love, disharmony, imbalance, one-sidedness

This has to be Utena and Anthy having tea together, as equals, both of them with their hair long and down. Some canvases on easels in the background, referencing the scene in the movie where they perceive each other, and the implication that this is in the future or outside the school. There's tea on the table next to a plate of biscuits, but under the table, there should be two swords. I would love if I could make the swords only visible if the card is reversed, and it's not necessary for those to exist, because maybe the tea and biscuits are enough to call back the scene where they joke about poisoning each other. I want them to be holding hands across the table as well, and smiling, truly happy. Maybe car keys in the foreground, and a world stretching out around them in the back.

Upright, this is their relationship as equals. Reversed, this is their relationship as prince and bride and princess and witch, one-sided projections of the other, jealousy, and taking advantage of or minimizing the other.

7. The Chariot - Akio's Car

upright: control, willpower, success, direction/leadership reversed: self-discipline, opposition, lack of direction

This one's kinda obvious, what else is a chariot but Akio's car? Akio sits on the hood of the car, shirtless, as it speeds past the word "stop" written on the road, which is turning towards the left, this car is not trying to escape the school. I'm tempted to draw the car so large that Akio's face isn't really visible.

The additional meaning afforded to this card by the show is coerced sexuality. The word "Stop" should be reversed so it's easier to read from the driver's point of view and when the card is reversed, and I'm debating whether writing it in English or Japanese.

8. Strength - Shinohara Wakaba

upright: courage, bravery, compassion, gentleness, self-control reversed: inner strength, self-doubt, weakness, insecurity

Wakaba's a normal girl going through it and dealing with feeling inferior and the heartbreak from the guy she likes mocking her feelings for him. I'm really not sure what to include in this, maybe her in her dormitory with her kappa water dispenser and food she likes cooking, like one of the bento boxes she makes for Utena. The other symbol here is the carved wooden leaf and her love letters, but I'm not totally sure how I want to include these, maybe reversed or falling from something behind her. Also maybe actual onions for both her and the onion prince.

Upright, it's about the forms of strength besides just physical, besides the type that stands out and is special. Quiet and emotional strength and compassion. Reversed, it's insecurity about not being special or important.

9. The Hermit - Saionji Kyouichi

upright: wisdom, introspection, solitude, search for truth reversed: isolation, loneliness, withdrawal, lost

I don't really have a lot of Saionji thoughts. But, he is like Utena in that he also has no family and no one to rely on, except Wakaba and he sure does end up fucking that up in the end. He doesn't really have any inner knowledge but when he gets expelled, he doesn't go home and lives in the woods for a few weeks, I guess he grows a little in this time? Maybe? Anyways, that's this card. Him camping out in the woods, and wearing an apron and cooking eggs, I guess. He's also the first duelist to point out/realize that maybe the upside-down school is just a mirage.

Upright, this card is about having time alone and trying to figure out what you're doing. Reversed, this card is about not having anyone to rely on, being isolated and withdrawn.

10. Wheel of Fortune - The Duels

upright: good luck, cycles, destiny, change in fortune reversed: bad luck, resistance to change, breaking cycles

The cycle of duels is the only thing that makes sense to me here. All of the main duelists (Utena/Saionji/Miki/Juri/Nanami/Touga/Akio) pointed at a rose like the spokes of a wheel. Maybe also a light that points upwards, representing the power of Dios, or a light coming from Anthy to represent the hearts that these are coming from. Surrounding this is either the shape of the school or the shape of a coffin (the shape of the school is also the shape of a tomb), filled with roses of different colors.

I think something about this card is being complicit in the cycle you're stuck in. Upright means success within the system, and reversed is failure within the system, but there are reasons why succeeding in the system may perpetuate a terrible cycle and reasons why failing or rebelling against a system is a good thing.

11. Justice - Tenjou Utena (duelist)

upright: objectivity, fairness, truth, cause and effect, law reversed: unfairness, unaccountability, dishonesty

There's actually a version of this card drawn by the mangaka artist, Saitou Chiho, here in 1997. The other card here is Utena as the High Priestess, but I really think that should be Anthy. There's some stuff here about how Utena rides a black horse in the opening sequence and how (of the four horsemen) that rider is Famine who also carries a scale.

I think this card should be Utena in the pose that she uses when the spirit of Dios possesses her and there should be rose petals fallilng to the ground behind her, purple and/or red maybe because that's Akio that she's defeating but that's also Anthy.

Upright, this card is being the chivalrous and honorable prince, to revolutionize the unjust world. Reversed, this card is the way a prince never quite let the princess protect herself, and that you cannot revolutionize the world with the methods used to enforce control.

The really fun thing about Utena being Justice and Wakaba being Strength is that Rider-Waite decks actually have the order for these two reversed, compared to other decks (Strength is the 11th card, Justice is the 8th card) and this really neatly fits in with the last episode of the series.

12. The Hanged Man - Mikage Souji/Professor Nemuro

upright: surrender, sacrifice/matyrdom for knowledge, release reversed: stalling, resistance, indecision, needless sacrifice

Mikage should be upside down in his elevator, with a leaf framed on the wall next to him. He should be holding the candles, representing this belief that he sacrificed himself for Mamiya. The bottom of this card should be up in flames, and maybe a red outline around him like the other princes that died in the school in the past and were cremated. He has a black rose in his breast pocket and the black rose ring on his finger. He should be looking downwards, mirroring Utena's pose as the Fool. There should be a desk behind him, somewhat reminiscent of the table the Magician has, with the things that the other black rose duelists had on their school desks.

This card upright is about sacrifice for knowledge, sacrificing people for the sake of information or revenge. Reversed, this card is about nostalgia and fixation on the past, being unable to move forward. It's also about needless sacrifice, and the way everyone's memories of the Black Rose Duelists were totally lost after the arc.

13. Death - Tokiko Chida

upright: endings, change, transformation, metamorphosis reversed: resistance to change, stagnation, decay, inner purging

Tokiko should be upright, wearing all black and looking like an old woman. On the wall behind her should be a framed butterfly representing metamorphosis. It should be sunset, mirroring the flames that consume Mikage. I want to somehow represent that she's left flowers on Mamiya's grave and is moving forward with her life, maybe a coffin behind her with the stalks of floweres on it.

Tokiko is only figure that is able to change between the memories and now, and one of the first to escape. While Utena and Mikage mirror each other, Mikage sees Utena as Tokiko and able to enact change.

14. Temperance - Arisugawa Juri

upright: balance, moderation, patience, synthesis reversed: imbalance, excess, self-healing, extremes

Juri is casting off things, the broken locket falling into the water while the orange rose, torn from her breast pocket, falls onto the land. I was going to use Shiori as the Lovers so that I could cast Juri as the angel in both of these cards, but I think this also works out.

I think upright, it can work to be patience and reversed it can be repression or imbalance. Juri's patience in hoping that Shiori will understand her feelings without her saying them, which doesn't work out for her but sort of works for the card. And reversed, there's an imbalance and block that's keeping her from progressing.

15. The Devil - Ohtori Akio (Chairman)

upright: shadow, restriction, addiction, sexuality, material attachments reversed: release, freedom, detachment, restoring control

This card should be framed to be inside the observatory that keeps everyone trapped, with Akio standing above Utena and Anthy, who don't look at each other. Utena's dressed like a princess wearing earrings, Anthy is dressed like the Rose Bride and the night sky is projected above them, Venus directly above Akio.

He literally draws a line from the planet Venus to Lucifer to his own name and role in this story. Not a lot to really say about this one, it mirrors the Lovers and the way Akio uses sexuality and family and attachments to control people.

16. The Tower - The Observatory

upright: sudden upheaval, broken pride, chaos, revelation, disaster reversed: averting disaster, fear of change, fear of suffering

Feels self-explanatory. It's the tower, it's the birdcage, it's the garden, it's everything that's keeping Anthy trapped. The swords should be in the process of destroying it, with the silhouette of Utena getting hit by them.

This is the scene of destruction, Utena's broken dream of being a prince, understanding Anthy, and the reality of being a prince. This revolution is going to hurt. Reversed, it's about Akio's fear of the swords, of change, of destruction.

17. The Star - The Projector/Miracle

upright: hope, faith, purpose, renewal, spirituality, peace reversed: faithlessness, discouragement, disconnection

commentary: The star is the projector of the castle reversed. I think it should be front and center, and projecting the upside-down school and a constellation above it. It's the hope that people have to gain power and attain their dreams at the same time keeping everyone stuck within the system and used to discourage true freedom.

18. The Moon - Kaoru Miki and Kozue

upright: illusion, intuition, fear, subconscious/unconscious, true colors reversed: confusion, fear, misinterpretation, repression

commentary: I think this works best if I use both of the twins on this one. Miki represents illusion and the tame dog while Kozue represents true colors and the wild wolf. They should both be in the garden but Miki's resembles his memory while Kozue's side represents the current reality, while she looks up at the moon and between them is the pitcher of milk creating a river that divides-connects them.

Upright this card is about nostalgia and the illusions created by memory, thinking of Miki's perspective of the events. Reversed, this card is about hedonism and expression of true feelings, seeing Kozue's side of the same events.

19. The Sun - Tsuwabuki Mitsuru

upright: positivity, fun, warmth, success, celebration, reward reversed: inner-child, negativity, overly optimistic

commentary: A baby. I want the film to be projected above him, with the idea of being a prince just out of reach above him and maybe holding the bar of chocolate or the potted plant that he dropped on Nanami's head upside-down.

I think this ends up mirroring the Fool a bit, with naivety and impulsiveness. And nothing Tsuwabuki tries to do succeeds because he's a child. Maybe leaning more towards that, being a child and powerless.

20. Judgement - The Swords of Hatred

upright: judgement, rebirth, reflection, reckoning, awakening, absolution reversed: doubt, self loathing, ignoring the call

commentary: A circle off the swords pointed at a coffin filled with roses, mirroring the Wheel of Fortune. The roses in the center should either all be white or be rainbow overflowing from the coffin. This should be happening at the observatory.

21. The World - Himemiya Anthy (leaving)

upright: completion, fulfillment, accomplishment, travel reversed: short-cuts, delays, no closure

commentary: Himemiya is wearing her outfit from the end of the anime. The road she walks on fades into the wilderness.