#time to reread it and make sure i like it

[sengenism]

The Ishigamis and The Gifts of Science

Dr. Stone is a love letter to humanity and its sciences. The main character, Senku, often acts averse to all forms of affection, and the only love he doesn't deny is his love for science. But Senku is so so full of love. He just expresses it in a way other than physical touch or words of affirmation. He gives.

But let's go back to the one who taught him so– Byakuya Ishigami, his father. The love of Senku's life.

Byakuya is introduced in the tenth chapter of the manga as a dotting father who sells his car to present Senku with scientific instruments he will need for a more efficient research. This car is Byakuya's means of transportation, and given that he is crying and shaking in this scene, it could not have been easy for him to lose it. But his love for Senku is so big, that he wants to support his son's passion even if it means sacrificing a great convenience for him.

And Senku? Senku truly fell in love with science at this moment.

If there is anything that Senku is, he is Byakuya Ishigami's son through and through. They may seem like two very different people, as Byakuya is an openly affectionate guy while Senku is more closed off with showing his true emotions. But Senku takes more from Byakuya than not, and one of them is by showing his love and/or care for others through giving the gifts of science.

And it starts with Byakuya.

[Bodysuit Acquired!]

Byakuya had failed his first attempt at being an astronaut ten years back, but he doesn't give up and tries again. Senku then creates a bodysuit that manipulates muscle movement to help Byakuya pass his swimming test. And while the bodysuit doesn't quite help Byakuya to swim, the thought Senku had put into it had motivated Byakuya more than ever to pass the test. This is one of the fundamentals of gifting– sometimes, it really is the thought behind it that matters.

This motivation is what Byakuya credits during his interview with JAXA for passing the tests. He understands that Senku might not have given him any words of encouragement, but this bodysuit was all the words that were needed between them. Senku wants Byakuya to achieve his dreams just as badly. It's the way Senku shows his love for his father.

And it's the way Senku shows his love for others too.

[Glasses Acquired!]

One of the primitive aspects of the Ishigami village is that it considers bad eyesight as a type of "disease". Fuzzy disease, to be exact.

Suika wears a melon mask at all times to help clear her eyesight, which Senku later reveals is due to the pinhole effect. She, however, has never told Senku or the others about having the fuzzy disease. Senku himself notes how odd it is for her to wear a melon around, and confronts her about it once he decides to create glass. This is one of the most beautiful scenes in Dr. Stone, as Suika finds out that her disease was never a disease, and is finally able to see as clearly as the others. Senku basically gives her perfect eyesight, something she didn't even know was possible before.

[Antibiotics Acquired!]

One of the most beloved people in this village is the priestess, Ruri. Two of Senku's new friends, Kohaku and Chrome are deeply affected by her unknown fatal disease. Senku is such a person who would help a stranger even if there is no benefit to do so (though he would never admit to it), what more a person who his new friends truly love and care about. He cures Ruri of pneumonia, giving her a chance to live a life without the worry of it being her last day every day.

[Cola Acquired!]

Senku forms an alliance with Gen, who plays the role of Tsukasa's spy, for the promise of a bottle of cola. Both Senku and Gen are aware that the cola is only a front for Gen's loyalty to Senku and the Kingdom of Science, for Gen needs his superficial reputation as a comfort and cannot simply join them if there is no personal benefit for him to do so.

This cola is also the first gift post-petrification that Senku brands himself on, probably because it represents the first gift that is not out of necessity and leans toward a comfort/luxury that they both used to enjoy in the modern world.

For a modern man such as Gen, drinking his favourite soda in the stone world might have been one of the happiest days in his life.

[Cotton Candy Acquired!]

Senku cares about people so much, even if the people in question have tried to kill him. Senku sees Homura as a soldier who is merely following the orders given by her leader, but he also sees the Homura as a lonesome girl sitting by herself on trees day and night.

As usual, Senku hides his kindness and care by showing an evil ulterior motive, such as turning Homura to their side using the cotton candy, but Ruri points out that this is a facade. Similarly to Gen, a person with such an ego is unable to seem as if he is doing something good out of the kindness of his heart.

[Stove Acquired!]

As winter approaches, the elders in the village are worried about losing people to the cold. Senku hears about this and creates a stove which has a multi-purpose of cooking and also radiating heat for the people to stave off the coldness of winter. And speaking of winter...

[Christmas Acquired!]

Senku hangs up lights in the tree for the "light bulb test" on a random night. Except the date isn't random at all and he drops enough hints for Gen to catch on that it is the night of Christmas. The significance of the day is only appreciated by Gen and himself, as they are the only modern timers in the village. It is for the sake of nostalgia, but Senku would rather be caught dead than admit that he is a sentimental guy with such irrational feelings.

And well, it all comes back to that scene with Byakuya, doesn't it? If you recall, Byakuya calls himself "Santa" while giving the scientific presents to the young Senku. This indicates Senku received them during Christmas. Which means... Christmas is a sentimental day to Senku and his father. An anniversary of Senku receiving his Christmas presents from Byakuya, which led to his deeper dive into his science obsession. The beginning of it all, one would say.

And even though he's dead and buried, Byakuya never stops giving. He gives Senku the Ishigami village to provide Senku with allies. He gives Senku Lillian's music, because he believes in the light of music and understands the importance of media to society. He collects platinum till his last breath, because he believes that Senku will need it someday. Byakuya keeps on giving to Senku, because his love for his son is so huge and unconditional. And because he promised.

Surely, there is no greater love in the manga than Byakuya's love for his son and Senku's love for his father. Byakuya could easily win ten billion best father awards... well, not like there's much competition for that in shounen mangas.

[clearancecreedwatersurvival]

‘It’s different from the books’ sure it’s different but are you judging elements based on how they fit within the new transformative narrative that the show adaptation is presenting? Or are you purely judging each element based on how different it is from the books?

Does the new narrative that the show is telling have cohesive arcs and structure that work within its specific logic? Do the elements present, intentionally different or inspired or lifted directly from the books, work together to tell a story that shares most of the same overall themes and important story beats as the entire book series? Are they setting up the long term development of character arcs well?

Or are you just mad your favorite character isn’t just saying all their lines from the book directly and we need to have the ‘characters aren’t people regardless of our parasocial attachment to them, they’re storytelling tools that fill roles within a narrative conflict’ conversation again? Like, neither the author(s) nor the book characters themselves are gonna fuck you, just so we’re clear.

Mat having a weakness for helping and protecting children, Perrin being traumatized about using the axe as a weapon and worried about harming people he loves, Rand wanting to help men who can channel, everything about Egwene’s late stage character arc, Nynaeve’s innate potential and her constant early struggle with her unconsciously blocking that immense power away from herself have all been set up extremely well in the show, and all by making some pretty distinct changes from the books.

And every wot fan agrees that the books are not perfect in various ways, rearranging and tightening of the plot was always going to be necessary in an adaptation, let alone in one that is only allowed to span 8 seasons. But the main beats of the story are all there, and individual changes to characterization and the specific roles that characters play for certain bits of the narrative are not bad just because they’re different and I simply can’t take any criticism of the show that doesn’t account for that seriously.

Also like. Can we stop blaming the writers for stuff that is fully the producers’ fault. Season 1 episode 1 and episode 8 both got fucked over on rewrites and/or covid restrictions during filming, so the pacing and execution is kinda fucky there, but that’s not on the writing team. The rest of season one the pacing is better and better yet in season two, which honestly was kind of a banger start to finish.

The development in s2 of all the themes around channelers losing access to the power or autonomy over their channeling and the griefs of outliving your loved ones were explored so well, and all those ideas are very important for the rest of the plot from later in the books. And the choice to introduce all the forsaken sooner and develop them more than is present in the early books was brilliant, they’re incredibly effective and engaging villains and the show is utilizing them to full effect. Shit rules. I’m stoked for s3 for a lot of reasons but especially for more forsaken shenanigans.

When I want to reread the books I’ll reread the books. I’m doing that right now and having a great time. But I’m glad the show is different in a lot of ways and I like the way they’re reading the original text, including by changing the stuff that makes wot one of those book series you can’t really recommend without an asterisk because RJ’s grasp on feminism and queerness and gender theory was. Loose at best.

Idk man, just treat adaptations of books you love as really high budget fanfiction produced by a team of people who all care about the original text but are also of course gonna put their spin on it, and you might have a more enjoyable time watching them.

Howl’s Moving Castle by Miyazaki? Fanfiction.

NBC Hannibal? Gay Fanfiction.

The Wheel of Time on Prime? That’s right, it’s increasingly higher budget fantasy fanfiction with less gender essentialism, extra emphasis on all the milfy magical politics, and queer subtext made text, hell yeah.

[fictionadventurer]

Potential March Reads

Wandering by Loren G. Warnemunde

Spe Salvi by Pope Benedict XVI

The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett

The Heir and the Spare by Kate Stradling (plus Maid and Minstrel and/or Brine and Bone)

The Lord of the Rings by J.R.R. Tolkien

The Light Princess by George Macdonald

The Hunger Games trilogy (and possible Sunrise on the Reaping by Suzanne Collins)

[megumismyhusband]

A+ for annoying

ᝰ.ᐟ chapter: 05

you stared at your phone, rereading the messages. what the hell was his deal?

with a sigh, you locked your screen and glanced up, only to catch karasu sitting arms crossed, jaw tight, and very obviously not paying attention to anything but you and reo.

he looked annoyed. like, seriously annoyed.

reo was still talking, saying something about the next round of the competition, but your mind was elsewhere.

and then, suddenly, it clicked.

oh.

ohhh.

karasu was jealous.

once you realized this, it was over for him.

because if he wanted to act all moody and possessive over absolutely nothing, then you were gonna give him something to be moody about.

so, you paid extra attention to reo. laughed a little louder at his jokes, leaned in a little closer when he talked, made sure to seem very interested in everything he had to say.

and karasu? he was losing his mind.

at first, he tried to play it cool, barely acknowledging the whole thing, but the more you kept it up, the worse it got. he stopped making his usual snarky comments, stopped inserting himself into conversations, stopped pretending to be on his phone when he was clearly just eavesdropping. by the time the competition ended for the day, he looked completely done.

and now? on the way back to the hotel? he wasn’t even looking at you.

he walked ahead, shoulders tense, hands shoved in his pockets, not saying a word. and for some reason, it actually kind of bothered you.

“karasu,” you called, trying to catch up.

nothing.

you frowned. “karasu.”

still nothing.

annoyed, you reached out and lightly tugged at his sleeve. “karasu.”

he finally stopped. turned to you. and then—

“call me tabito.”

you blinked. “what?”

his jaw clenched, frustration clear in every part of his expression. “you’ll call literally anyone by their first names but me.”

your mouth opened, but you had nothing to say to that. because… he wasn’t wrong.

he let out a sharp breath, running a hand through his hair. “i don’t know why you hate me so much.”

that hit a little harder than expected.

“i—” you started, but the words died in your throat. because did you actually hate him? sure, he was infuriating and smug and had the most punchable face, but… you didn’t hate him.

and for the first time all day, this didn’t feel like a game anymore.

“i don’t hate you,” you said, quieter this time.

karasu didn’t say anything. just stared at you for a second, eyes searching yours, like he was trying to figure out if you were lying.

then he shook his head, scoffing softly. “whatever.”

he turned back around, walking toward your room. and this time, you didn’t call after him.

because for once, you didn’t know what to say.

chapter 04 𐃘 chapter 05

series MASTERLIST

taglist: @x3nafix @kaidostwin @dontmindtheevie @katzline @yzzxo @reyoony @aztec-ahuizotil @arlecchinoftl @elliehenry24 @dantwls @whosliu @midnight-drives-with-sunarin @fierceastheocean@chmeesecake@sindulgent666 @notmayseepetah @mo072806 @p1z-d0n7jud6em3 @peachesvault

[canary-clan]

PART 1/2 this moon has warnings! Careful

Very long Rambling below + If I forgot warnings tell me! Also idk if I'm keeping starclan as 'starclan' or just 'The Stars' for future

Aaaaahhh I've been waiting to draw this page! Since the very first leader doesn't get a full ceremony I thought 'what if the life ceremony was shown in relation to her deaths' (I havent played to far so idk if I can accullally do this for every one of Canarys deaths)

It is mentioned briefly in dialogue but since I don't think it will come up again I'll go into my ideas for Dove and Canarys history with each other...

Burrow-Clan was a very traditional clan that followed 'old rules'. Canary was the Star Keepers apprentice (a story teller and prophecy interpratior) a role created because having your doctor have visions of doom during treatment wasn't ideal... Dove really looked up to Canary, he wanted to be just like her but most of all Dove wanted to be able to talk to the stars... to be special to be helpful and important, but he couldn't even see glimpses of them at all, no matter how much he tried.

Then one day Canary disappeared. Its not unheard of for cats to be lost in the tunnels but it still hurt Dove deeply, he constantly was the subject of rumor for being the next star keeper after Canary since they were close. He resented this, the job was all he ever wanted but it cost his time of grief and made him have to constantly lie about his (lack of) connection to the stars

Moons/years pass, and he is woken up by... Canary? Sure this is a dream he indulges this fake version of his friends request to follow her out of the tunnel... and to take a forest walk to meet some of Canarys friends. But as they walk he realises. This doesn't feel like dreaming he can feel the dirt move under his paws and he can see the way leafs sway on the trees...

This is real. Canary is real, and alive... they are far from Burrow-Clan camp now when he turns around... and sees that Burrow-Clan has caved in, collapsed in... Canary stop him from running back... Canary knew she had to! She talked with stars and they knew everything and she didn't save them she left she disappeared and came back for what? Him?!? Why it didn't make any sense...

And now they are in a new clan... Canary-Clan. How dare she pretend to be leader when she didn't save her clan, his family.

(I dont know if any of the above is even readable or makes sense but I'm really tired so I'm not going back to reread it) I'm not a writer for obvious reasons, just needed this out of my brain.

[cheesus-doodles]

More thoughts on Izana and Rindou's BFF, how did bestie deal with or find out about the aftermath of the battle against Toman? How did bestie react to Izana dying and Rindou going to jail once again? and how does Rindou feel about being separated from bestie once again? In canon the Tenjiuku members stayed behind and willingly got arrested, but in this scenario I can't imagine Rindou willingly staying behind and knowing he'd be separated from bestie.

why friend why would you make me think about this ;w; first and only time imma write about this because it's digging into memories in an uncomfortable place...

Rindo Tags | Masterlist

‎

tw: major character death, discussion about death & depression

I actually think that Rindo would willingly stay behind and go to juvenile prison with the rest of the remaining Tenjiku executives after Izana’s death, despite knowing that would mean a separation from you, his BFF.

My reasoning for this is that despite the way Izana has treated his subordinates, I think all the executives hold a lot of respect for the Tenjiku President and look up to him, either as some sort of role model or just in awe of his abilities. So no doubt that Rindo and the other executives would feel a lot of guilt over how they let things get so out of hand with Kisaki’s involvement that it resulted in his death, though I think the person bearing the most guilt would most likely still be Kakucho (after he had recovered), given he already knew how dangerous and poisonous Kisaki had been to Izana's psyche from the start.

Rindo's fraying at the edges at having been dealt so many heavy emotions and events to handle at the same time. Losing Izana was one gut punch, but the realization that he would have to spend even longer away from you - this time without anyone left to protect you on the outside - was another blow Rindo could barely take. The younger Haitani would spend a lot of time stewing over this, the sleepless nights only darkening his eyebags with every passing day, as Ran could barely force Rindo to eat, let alone call you to break the news.

Despite Rindo despising the closeness Izana shared with you, he still respected the tanned boy, and he knew that breaking the news to you would shatter your naive, glowing world, and it would be entirely his fault.

‎

Either way, you would eventually find out about it, one way or another, most likely through seeing Izana’s obituary in the local newspaper. Despite the beef between Mikey and Izana, I think Mikey did really want to reconnect with his long-lost brother, related or not, and the Sanos would treat Izana with the respect that Shinichiro would want him to be treated with. And despite being completely air-headed and naive, seeing who you thought was a good friend staring back at you from the newspaper would be like a punch in the gut. You'll have to reread it again and again, though it still didn't feel real.

Things become even worse when you happen across the article where you find out what really happened, a small blurb about a gang fight that ended with a casualty and a serious injury.

‎ Your world comes crashing down, the whole event leaving you stunned. You couldn't really accept it at first, even a week after the wake and funeral was over. Life went on as normal, you still attended school, ate by yourself, and then went home to struggle through homework, making sure to carve out time to visit Kakucho in hospital and Rindo in juvie. But then it was a regular sunny day after you had just visited Rindo that the sadness and grief began to set in, and you find yourself unable to stop the tears.

Your appetite crashes, and the nightmares became endless, not helped by the fact that Rindo couldn't be with you to scare off the darkness. The paranoia that settled in the base of your gut refused to be shaken, the constant whisper from the back of your head that you would lose Rindo, Ran, Kakucho in the same way.

It haunted your every thought, Izana's pale, lifeless body framed by the coffin, and your nightmares where you would see Rindo's face instead. Every bruise, cut and bandage he showed up with became another gnawing fear. You stopped going to school for a bit, taking a break to try and deal with the grief, to try and heal.

‎

Time does heal some wounds, and you eventually find yourself again, though that innocence lost never comes back. There's always a darkness in those eyes that Rindo couldn't unsee when you visit him, even though your jolly self returns, slowly. You aren't as trusting or open as you used to be, and though you stopped trying to convince Rindo to stop fighting entirely, Rindo notes that you started to track his bruises and injuries, the way your smile becomes more strained and you try to hide your clenched fists when he appears with new injuries.

[peachsayshi]

I’ve reread The King multiple times already because it’s so so sweet and captivating and I’m so in love with this fictional couple 🥹 How long does it take for them to get married? I can see sukuna buying a ring like a month into their official relationship and not wanting to wait a second longer

(minors / ageless / blank blogs dni)

hi, nonnie! I would love to answer this question! I think it's so cute how many comments/asks I got about these two and when they might get married! thank you so much for reading this work! I am really proud of this fic (personally, it's one of my favorites that I have ever written) and I was originally very worried that sukuna was ooc, but it makes me so happy to see that you all enjoyed this story! I am very much in love with them as a pair and writing out the progression of their storyline was so fulfilling! xo I am so happy you all felt the same way too.

shortly after he retired, you and sukuna chose to move into together. he bought a house in a rural part of the country, surrounded by lots of green and some much needed quiet. sukuna didn't even hesitate on the decision, especially after the news of you both being together finally broke out to the public.

for you both, moving in felt like a real step. the two of you didn't need boundaries to understand one another in a relationship, because you've always been tangled in the other person's life. moving in together just gave you the luxury of exploring your intimate sides with more freedom.

and it progressed so naturally. so...seamlessly. like you were always lovers who were just waiting for this very moment.

about seven months into your relationship is when it happened.

you were getting ready for bed, standing in front of the bathroom mirror and applying your skincare. sukuna approaches the bathroom door, raising his hand overhead as he used it to lean against the frame.

he took up the entire space with his large stature.

you smiled at him from the mirror, "you're back. how's uruame?"

"good," he answers calmly, looking at you (and only ever you) with such soft eyes it makes you want to melt into a puddle on the bathroom tile.

"that's good," you answer, as you pick up your lip mask and slowly dab the sticky, silky balm on your bottom lip. "I wasn't sure what time you were getting in. I was a little sleepy waiting on the couch-"

sukuna's face remains firm, his attention on your mouth which makes him subconsciously bite his own.

your cheeks warm when you notice the reaction.

he just has the ability to make butterflies swarm in your belly without even trying.

"what?" you question a little shyly, though you aren't sure why.

sukuna steps into the bathroom, his hands find your waist, and deliberately slips underneath your pajama top so he can touch your skin. he bends down to kiss the top of your head.

"I have a question," he states.

"which is?"

"when am I allowed to actually propose to you? and I am not talking about the stupid game we used to play when we were kids..."

it catches you so off guard, you drop the pot of your lip mask along with the cap into the sink. the shock makes sukuna huff out a laugh, but all he does is squeeze your side and tuck you into him, pressing your back firmly against his front.

"propose?" you repeat, like the word is foreign. you reach into the sink, to grab your lip pot and the cap, your fingers shaking as you try to screw on the top before placing it gently on the counter.

"yes, propose. as in marriage..."

you suddenly spin on your heel to face him. sukuna actually has to cock his body back a little to ensure you don't slam your forehead into his chest.

"marriage?! but...but we only just started dating...we've only been together for a short period of time..." you ramble, your mind short circuiting at the thought.

your heart hammers so hard in your chest, but all sukuna does is reach for your hips and pick you up. he perches you onto the bathroom counter, then finds your wrists which he brings to circle around his neck.

"we have not been together for a short period of time," he clarifies as he leans down to kiss your parted lips.

you invite him eagerly, because you love kissing him. because it's your favorite thing to do. his statement lingers on his tongue, and it makes your heart and chest expand as he deepens the kiss further.

he snags your bottom lip between his teeth, tasting the berry flavored mask that you just put on. "now that's all cleared up, let's go back to my question..."

" 'kuna," you sigh.

"listen, I'm being a "gentleman" by even asking, princess. if I had it my way, I was putting a ring on your finger the second you let me stick my dick inside you..."

you grip his shirt, and tug at the fabric. "must you be so vulgar?" you say with a sarcastic pout.

"answer my question," he replies sternly, though the tone contrasts the gentle touch of his hand caressing your lower back.

you gulp down your nerves, "I-I don't know, whenever you would like to propose, I guess?"

he arches one brow suspiciously. "and you would say yes?"

that makes you your nostrils flare in offense.

your face grows even hotter.

"of course, I'd say yes!"

he shrugs his shoulders nonchalantly, the smug bastard. acting like what he was saying isn't even a big deal at all.

he leans forward to kiss you once more, "I'm just making sure..."

your body whirred with anticipation that night, and when you both made love later on, it somehow felt even more intimate than usual.

like your bodies were answering an age old question that it already knew.

six weeks later, he popped the question again just as you were both getting ready to go visit his step-brothers. after you finished getting dressed, sukuna pointed out that you forgot something, and when you asked him what it was, he responded by standing in front of you and slipping the ring on your finger casually.

your eyes were glossy with tears, your attention on your hand that was now anointed with a sparkling diamond.

you sniffle as you stare at him with affectionate disapproval, "you know, men usually get on their knees for this part, right?"

""I get on my knees for other reasons, sweetheart..." sukuna chuckles, capturing your wrist and placing a kiss on the inside. "and I'm not treating this like a song a dance the way your shitty ex did. this is a matter of fact. a long time coming. and besides, you already told me you were saying yes..."

you shake your head at him, but your heart feels so full. even now, despite how nonchalantly he placed the ring on your finger, you feel like you're walking on clouds. your bring your hands to his jaw as you lower him towards your lips. "I love you," you sigh, "I love you so much I don't even think saying it is enough..."

sukuna returns the kiss, one hand sliding behind the back of your neck. he traces his lips along your jaw and down the column, before dragging it back up to your ear. he holds you so close, keeps you there to murmur his adoration over you. to profess his deep love for you in return. "you're the best thing that's ever happened to me..." he whispers deeply, meaningfully, his voice ever so rich and smooth. "I love you too."

[redcamellia13]

Mitsukou Analysis: Omen Arc

Okay! My last bit of sunshine before plunging into the depths of misery. *annoyingly cracks knuckles* Let’s get to it <3

Why does Mitsuba bully Kou? Like many things in life, the answer is never simple. Which also means it isn’t gonna be simple to explain. (Haaahhhh, my fingers are gonna hurt so. Bad. After. This.)

I believe it’s a combination between two factors: a want to be close to Kou, which is a task he accomplished through pranking him, making it necessary for Kou to track him down, and it simply being a part of his personality.

Kou brings out a teasing, cutely annoying facet of Mitsuba, so Mitsuba stealing the sign letter might just be his playfulness manifesting itself.

This reminds me a bit of when Kou commented during the PP arc about how supernaturals were “weirdly practical about this sort of thing.” Kind of like they don’t want to get their hopes up.

However! Mitsuba… kinda has a point. I’m not quite sure whether Kou understands this, that he can’t stay with Mitsuba for as long as he would like.

Kou has, not exactly a child like innocence, but a sincere belief that anything can be achievable if you just work hard enough.

This analysis of Kou’s behavior has little basis in reality, but if you add it into the larger context of the series, it’ll make small inconsistencies in his personality make sense, and for whatever reason, it just… feels right within his character.

For example, in the Sacrifice of the Grim Reaper Arc, either Yokoo or Satou (sorry, I can’t remember which) noted that Kou never complained, which wasn’t due to bottling his feelings up, but not understanding the concept of whining.

At first glance, this has nothing to do with my point, but hear me out here.

Perhaps Kou believes, on a subconscious level, that because no matter how hard he works nothing gets better, something is wrong with him and he doesn’t have the right to complain.

I’m 99% sure I’m self-projecting, but if I find any more evidence supporting this, it’ll become quite interesting to think about.

Ughhhhhhh. You’re telling me the answer to why Mitsuba pranks Kou was here the whole time? I reallllllyyyy should’ve reread all these panels before typing that whole lame-ass essay.

Pushing that aside.. “No matter what I do… I just can’t bring myself to dislike him.”

Okay, I’m kind of stupid, and still don’t completely understand why Nene wondered if that was why he spent time pulling pranks on Kou. Is it because he’s trying to combat his enjoyment of Kou’s personality?

Maybe my original thoughts were correct, and Mitsuba pranks Kou as an excuse to interact with him?

And- let’s just pause for a moment. Is it just me, or is that quote a tad bit romantic? If you cannot dislike a person, that implies you like them unconditionally, which sounds a whole lot like you have a crush on them.

I don’t have much to say here, except for the fact that immediately after mentioning how it is impossible for Mitsuba to not enjoy being around Kou, we transition to Mitsuba asking Nene if she’s scared of falling too deeply in love with Hanako.

Almost like when you bring up Kou, Mitsuba’s mind automatically thinks of falling in love…

Well, how nice. He went from a perverted stalker enchanted by Mitsuba’s good looks to a “closet psychopath”. What an improvement.

And yeah, Kou’s actions during the Nightlife arc really weren’t logical, or something a sane person would do.

I believe I touched on this during my Nightlife analysis, but in summary, Kou’s decision to have a competition to see if he would basically assist Mitsuba in suicide based around a skill that not even Kou himself thinks he’s good at.

Actually, I might make a longer analysis on this, so let me know if you would like to read it :)

Right in the panel below, Mitsuba does get the answer to Kou’s question.

He’s mad because he ran off to eat ice cream after he caused a huge inconvenience to Kou…

And this does logically make sense.

But the way Aidairo chose to present Kou’s reaction to Mitsuba telling him this has a sense of intent to it, as Kou and Hanako’s faces parallel each other.

Why is this important? Since Hanako has a reaction that implies jealousy, something the reader can clearly infer, Aidairo paralleling his reaction is very telling.

If we are supposed to draw the conclusion Hanako is jealous, what conclusion are we supposed to draw about Kou?

And then, on Mitsuba’s side of the interaction, he’s either trying to make Kou jealous or Hanako jealous by framing he and Nene’s shopping trip together as a date.

Because he was talking to Hanako when he said this, the intent of this sentence was most likely the latter.

Tsk, tsk, tsk. Kou, isn’t it a bit hypocritical to get angry at Mitsuba for trying to get you alone with Nene when you just tried to go out on a date with Hanako? (Rejoice, Hanakou shippers).

Although we don’t actually know when he wanted to do this, so I guess it can be forgiven.

Okay, what have we got he-

………..

I’ve got my work cut out for me, don’t I?

Starting off with Kou’s expression in the 6th panel: it’s a mix between shocked, perhaps fear, but certainly not happy.

Which is odd, no? We have been lead to believe Kou has something of a small, innocent crush on Nene, so a negative reaction to his friend wanting to set him up with her is anomalous.

In the very next panel, which I didn’t include for some reason, he tells Mitsuba, “Didn’t you get the memo? All four of us are going,” with what I can only describe as a salty expression.

Now, for Mitsuba. I gotta break the news Mitsukou shippers, it is not looking good for his side of the relationship (in a does he like him sense).

If he was some form of displeased of how Kou’s friends were shipping him with Nene, he certainly isn’t showing it, even asking if he would like to go on a date with her.

And this, toxic people on the internet who believe Mitsukou’s unhealthy because they “don’t care about each other’s wellbeing”, is why you are flat. Out. Wrong.

Mitsuba is actively attempting to make Kou happy by giving him an opportunity to date a girl he thinks Kou has a crush on. (Of course, Kou rejects the proposition two seconds later, but I already talked about that).

Not much to talk about here, besides the way Mitsuba and Kou are looking at Sousuke’s mother.

What is with that? Kou doesn’t dislike her, so why would he have an expression that’s honestly closer to disgust than anything else.

And then for Mitsuba, who has never shown any sort of discomfort or dislike for things related to Sousuke, it doesn’t make sense for him to have the same disgusted/nervous/uncomfortable look that Kou has, so what the hell is going on?

Why not? Why aren’t you sure about this? Is he worried being with Sousuke’s mom is going to bring up painful memories, or is he more concerned about Mitsuba pulling a prank on her?

So many questions, and yet so little answers…! (Although I’m sure if I just properly thought about it for 0.048 seconds the answer would be ridiculously simple, but my body is functioning on solely highly caffeinated tea and copious amounts of sugar.)

[raven-at-the-writing-desk]

I’m so sorry I keep bringing this up but I’m the same anon who was asking about Silver’s baton, I just went through your tags and found you covered that already, my apologies!! 🙏🏻

But may I ask of you something else? I’ve heard that Silver had another emotional breakdown in one of the more recent Book 7 updates, and I was wondering if you could give me some spoilers on that? Something about it happening before Silver scolds Sebek for his behavior during Ace’s dream, I think it happened during Heartslabyul, or in the Savanaclaw dreams at the latest? I’ve been trying to find a specific post that covers it, and I just can’t find it.

Also I was wondering if you had any gifs I could download of Silver with the “Perfect!” 3 stars doing his little fist pump thing during history lessons?

Sorry about all that, 😓 thank you very much tho!

Hello!! I apologize for not getting the response to your ask(s) out sooner; it was queued to go up a while from now (my queue's like 80 posts long 💦) and had a link to that older post in which I discussed Silver's use of his baton. I'm glad you were able to find what you were looking for on your own though! I'm not sure what you mean by Silver having “another emotional breakdown"? The only other instance I can recall of Silver really losing control of his emotions (outside of him discovering the truth of his heritage) is when he scolds Sebek. This occurs in Ace's dream; the first years approach Ace and try to tell him the truth about what's going on. However, Ace is in denial and thus doesn't wake. That's when Sebek steps up and starts chewing him out. Ace claims that none of this is his problem, it's what Malleus chose for himself so he should accept the consequences of his own actions, etc. He also gets mad at Sebek for talking down to him and acting as if he's so much better than everyone else; Ace refuses to work with Sebek and storms off. When the first years regroup with the older students, Silver becomes very stern with Sebek and scolds him, saying that his rudeness (towards Ace) has inconvenienced everyone. More specifically, I believe Silver say something to the effect of the people around Sebek (his family, those in Diasomnia, etc.) are too lenient with him, so he has become spoiled and doesn't know how to act properly with peers; Sebek needs to reflect on his actions! This makes Sebek go very quiet and (begrudgingly) apologize to everyone. It's a rare moment of Silver losing his chill and patience with Sebek. I don't think he was breaking down though, so this may not be what you meant; it read to me more as "I'm not mad, I'm disappointed" and Silver being sort of an older brother figure telling Sebek off for his behavior.

I definitely don't remember anything similar to that bappening in the Savanaclaw or Heartslabyul dreams--or any of the dreams, for that matter. Maybe you misheard or misremembered Silver having "another emotional breakdown"?? Or maybe I’m forgetting, lmao 😂 It’s been a long time since the dream hopping started and I don’t care to go back and reread all of those to confirm this—

I unfortunately don't really keep Silver gifs so I'm afraid I can't help you with that. I'm sure if you keep looking, you'll find it eventually!

[ghostpebble]

chapter one is done

[magicicephoenix]

i finally finished reading I see you, Sundrop! by @shirajellyfish and IT'S SO GOOD I CAN'T BELIEVE IT TOOK ME THIS LONG TO FINISH IT RAAAAAAA

i will be gushing about it in the tags but here's a lil animation i made based on the below paragraph in chapter 6 that gave me such a strong mental image that i had to make it real :)

[suntails]

hijo de la luna

[winter-spark]

I don't really have an anniversary that I celebrate but I have only been here for almost two years.

(but I overexplain my getting into a3! timeline as I'm kinda long winded and always trying to fact check myself so...)

I found out about A3! In the February of 2023, via the anime. My sister and I finished the anime by March(one of my earliest a3! posts(still in my draft posts) is dated March 5th where I was basically like "just finished the anime! Here's ideas as to how they could continue the anime" lol) and started looking more into A3! finding out it was a game that had an English version but was shut down. But we were still trying to read the stories.

I'm pretty sure it was around then that I dived into read Citron stories. Like I remember starting Act 5 but I had a bit summary of Act 5 & Act 8 already to an extent because my sister had read about Hisoka's backstory and Citron getting kidnapped. And so reading Act 5 I was like but Citron in Act 8. So I read that instead and then went back to read Act 5, and the rest of year two and it is a bit of a blur and I know I was trying to read at least some of all the troupes' stuff I had a couple of faves in each troupe but I remember scrolling through yaycupcake looking for specifically for events with Citron or Guy on the cover. I wanted to have all the info that I could get.

By late March & April I was headcanoning, writing fanfic and starting essays. By April 8th I was trying to make a playlists. April 13th I started my first Citron pov fic and by June I had a document keeping track of which events were Citron and/or Guy focused and details in about them. And I was rereading Citron events and speculating about his brothers/family life. (I was rereading Citron events before I had even read everything that was available) Then I started a whole a3! Notes document.

Also by June a post had appeared being like "you know it’s super easy to get Japanese games right?" with instructions on how. It was very strange but felt a bit like a sign. I tried to get my sister to get it because she was the one found the fact that it was a game and unavailable for us but she said I should get it(probably because I was reading way more translations of the stories than her and also phone storage space lol). So I did. It was June 13 2023 when I opened the app for the first time (I only know this because I screenshotted a lot lol).

But uh yea. I don't have any celebrations/anniversaries but there's a bit about me getting into A3! and the game and Citron. I guess 2 years isn't new new but I still feel very new.

Mankai March 2025 question 1!

Welcome to Mankai March’s second year running, and the official first anniversary of the event! We have an (almost)entirely new set of 31 questions to ask y’all every day, so let’s kick things off! We’ll start with something pretty simple, since it’s been a whole year and all: Do you do anything to celebrate your own A3!versary(or oshiversary)? When is it, and how many have you celebrated? And if you’re pretty new to the game and fanbase, how long have you been a fan?

[lunarharp]

more phoenix wright situations

[myokk]

It's a clear, beautiful summer's day, the type of day that starts out bright and full of birdsong, that ends looking up at the stars and the moon while crickets chirp and fireflies show soft bursts of light. When the air is warm and full of life and the smell of hot grass and lavender and honey permeates everything.

The whole summer had been like that, really. Running outside with abandon, chasing each other through the tall grass deliriously happy and lying down in the fields surrounding their village, watching the clouds float by while they eat cucumber sandwiches. It's the summer before their first year at Hogwarts; the Sallow twins know that their life's about to change and are determined to enjoy their last summer of childhood.

Maybe they're too old for this sort of thing - they are eleven, after all, but both of them know that this summer is a turning point for them and they want to cherish every moment for as long as possible. Their parents have been encouraging them, often sending them out for the whole day, piling journals and ink and quills and picnic baskets full of food in their hands, encouraging them to research and be curious about the world around them as they had always done.

This day, however, their parents are almost eager to push the twins out of the house. Their mum's smile doesn't quite reach her eyes. Sebastian feels nervous about this, but doesn't realize why until much later, when the memory is analyzed and remembered during his dreams. (definitely not while awake). When they leave the house in the morning, she makes sure to kiss each of them on the cheeks which she normally never does and Sebastian pushes her away in disgust, much to his future horror. In the moment, all he can think is that he might still be holding on to the last moments of his childhood, but he's too old to be kissed by his mum.

(but now, Sebastian doesn't know if his memory is faulty and he is adding moments that never actually existed in the first place. the mind is a tricky place)

He never allows himself to think about these halcyon days, the perfect-until-it-wasn't summer before they went to Hogwarts; this day in particular is forbidden to remember. His unconscious mind rebels against his iron will.

They spend the morning looking for the fairies that Anne had dreamed about the night before. She's convinced that it's a prophetic dream and they march around in circles in the little copse of trees - a forest to the two children, who haven't really ventured out of their village - as Anne tries to remember where she had seen the fairies in her dream.

Sebastian is happy to follow her even if (maybe especially if) he thinks it's a futile adventure - what else are summer days for?

They're in that strange junction between childhood and adolescence; desperate to just grow up already and become the people they were always meant to be, and yet just wanting to spend their days being kids, without a care in the world.

"Come on, Sebastian," Anne calls to him, a tiny stream gurgling between them. In one hand, she's holding the map that she drew as soon as she woke up; in the other, boots stuffed with her stockings.

Sebastian huffs as he trudges behind her, arms full with their bags, his shoes, and the picnic basket. Anne had offered to help him carry things, but he refused on principle. Their dad is always doing small things like this for the women in his life, and Sebastian wants to be just like him.

Anyways, Anne has her own role as the leader today, and it won't do to have her bogged down.

And he's eleven, more than old enough to carry everything.

He steps through the tiny creek, mud and slush squishing through his toes, and he smiles. There isn't anything he loves more than being outside, except maybe being outside with a good book.

"Keep your eyes peeled for a tree with a knobby trunk, with lots of knots that look like faces," Anne tells him, glancing over her shoulder, then turns her face back to her map and scrunches up her face. "In my dream, the fairies lived nearby."

They spend the rest of the morning continuing their fruitless search, laughing as they walk in circles, then set up their picnic in the field next to their house.

"What do you think Hogwarts will be like?" Anne asks, a dreamy look on her face.

Sebastian doesn't look at her when he answers. He lies back and stares at the clouds. They've already had this conversation hundreds of times since their Hogwarts letters arrived, both of them have their parts memorized. "Amazing. I can't wait to actually be able to use our magic instead of just reading about it."

Anne rolls to her side and props herself up on her elbow, getting a better look at her brother's face. With a smirk, she says, "I think I'll like Transfiguration the best. I can't wait to be able to turn you into a -"

A huge noise interrupts her before she can continue. Sebastian sees the confusion in her face before he truly registers that something has happened. It's like everything's moving in slow motion and all he remembers clearly whenever he dreams of this day are his feelings of confusion and disbelief and the smell of fire.

There's a huge explosion and the air is full of smoke and he and Anne are scrambling up, the picnic blanket tangled up around their bare feet and -

Hand in hand they run in the direction of the huge black smoke that is billowing up. It coats the air - they can't see anything and the smell of burning fills their noses and the smoke fills their lungs and they're coughing coughing coughing -

Sebastian doesn't want his sister anywhere near the blackened husk of their former house but he is also terribly afraid to be alone. They stand in the middle of what used to be their house, blackened half-walls, charred wood that used to be their table, the old couch they read on every night, it's all smoldering, all gone, the thick black smoke making his eyes water and choking and smothering everything in its wake. His mind can't comprehend what he's seeing. Everything is so familiar and yet so wrong.

He doesn't know how long he and Anne stand there, clutching each others' hands like they are a tether to reality. Which, he supposes, they are. They might be there thirty seconds, ten minutes, one hour, an eternity...

Then, neighbors are running to the twins, coughing, covering their faces in the crooks of their elbows as they conjure blankets with their wands and wrap Sebastian and Anne up and drag them out of what is - was - their home.

This part is always hazy. Sebastian can't remember if he cries. Or if he even says anything. He just stands there with Anne, the smoke thick and oppressive as it pours out of their house. Everything is crumbling apart.

(A hand gently caresses his scalp, fingers light and reassuring as they dance through his hair)

Their neighbors try their hardest to salvage what they can. The daguerrotype that their mother had cherished more than anything, taken a few years before, miraculously survives. Sebastian stares at it, the tiny figures moving and laughing and smiling as though everything is perfect. He wants to throw it and break it or maybe rip it up to shreds but he can't bring himself to do anything but stare.

Their father's wand is also shoved into Sebastian's hand, unscathed. It was found just outside of his father's curled fingers, lying pristine on the ground as if mocking the destruction that it caused.

At some point, their Uncle Solomon, who they've only really seen once a year growing up, shows up with a loud crack and tears through the rubble, tears carving wet tracks through the soot on his face. His voice goes rough with desperation and when he walks up to the two orphans, he is almost unrecognizable.

As if in slow motion - maybe an after-effect of the curse that has destroyed their lives is that the air has turned into molasses - Sebastian watches his uncle stagger over to them. He looks much older than Sebastian remembers.

Later, when Sebastian looks at his reflection in the mirror of his new home, the boy staring back at him also looks much older than he remembers.

Before It Felt Like A Sin, Chapter 14

[ash-and-starlight]

Baoxiang gives sooo much shit to his brother for not thinking about things while absolutely not being aware that he's also pretty damn excellent at Not Thinking About Things