#uh for blacklist analysis just do

[lutiaslayton]

So uh. Hi, I finally made a decision I probably should have made a long while ago thanks to talking a bit on Discord: for the sake of my sanity I will not be keeping up the weekly schedule after all 😔 Layton's Book Club updates WILL be posted exclusively on Saturdays at the decided time, instead of at any random time in the week, and I will likely make a few heads up when we're on a lucky week during which you'll get an update, but I will not force myself to make it happen every single week. Simply because at least right now, it is physically impossible for me to do so. (Chapter 1 Part 1 of Illusory Forest is going to be the end of me, and not just because I am still questioning if the author was under the influence of some Folsense gas while writing it.)

That being said, I believe this should actually be treated as good news, and not just good news for my personal health. Because, sure, the updates will not come out as often as I had originally planned to. But in the long run, I actually believe that since I no longer plan to force myself to only work on one thing (which has progressively been eating at my sanity on top of that because darn it this chapter is stupid and it just doesn't seem to END, + it'd be nice if I could finally get some content out that is my creation rather than somebody else's), it means that I will actually allow myself to post more diverse Layton stuff in the meantime.

Stuff like the Evan Barde post I made a few days ago, or other helpful-for-the-fandom stuff that isn't translation work, or… even maybe stuff like finally allowing myself to write SLS and draw random stuff again? Or even read other people’s fanfics and comics and AUs and stuff? (ok technically that last one would probably not lead to tumblr content but shush it means I would take time to look at YOUR content for a change)

The list of stuff I'd like to post in the future includes but is not limited to:

A tutorial on how I get my translation stuff done despite the fact that I do not actually speak Japanese. Best case scenario, this might even lead to some brave people among you to start helping me with this monumental task that is translating multiple novels and games from scratch while you're not even fluent in the language you're translating, and this would be a MASSIVE weight off my back. (spoiler alert: while I do use DeepL to check stuff and/or get inspiration, my work is NOT limited to simply copy/pasting sentences into it and then copy/pasting whatever it gives me back)

The Playthrough series! You had all forgotten about it, hadn't you? Yeah, me too.

Lore analysis stuff in general. I have a massive, absolutely insane project ongoing which is basically "Want to find some info about X? Just open that one (1) web page, enter a few tags such as a specific character's name or location, clich the Search button, and get a list of every single known fact which is related to all of your tags which is summarised down to the bare minimum fact, along with the exact source and quote directly taken from the source material."

Puzzle theory stuff. I've talked about it a lot, it'd be cool if I could finally get the stuff sorted and actually provide all the evidence supporting, refining or challenging it in one place. Above-mentioned lore analysis stuff should help with that.

More fancy shitpost such as the ones found in the #lutiasdraws tag. Let me join in on the fun pls it's good for my mental health to get some serotonin out of non-boring stuff. Heck, perhaps I might even do fanart/shitpost about some fanfics/AUs/others I find and enjoy.

That being said, I apologise to everyone who was hyped at the idea of Illusory Forest updating weekly, but I hope you'll still enjoy the stuff I'll be posting here. If not, blacklisting tags is a thing! I tag everything diligently so for example if you're tired of seeing me ramble about stuff (I do that a lot lately, sorry for that 😭), you can just block the #lutiastalks tag. Yes I finally decided to make #lutiasreplies exclusive to actually replying to asks or reblogs, and use #lutiastalks for random news stuff. yay to self-care and cleaning up my house, head, and tumblr blog.

[laciefuyu]

I completely agree with all of your takes on Anakin! I’m curious, given how present Anakin’s faults are, what do you think Padme saw in him? I saw your post about Obi Wan and Satine (which I thought had amazing points, by the way) and I think their relationship mirrors Padme’s and Anakin’s relationship. You stated that Anakin wanted it both ways, as in to live as a Jedi and continue his relationship to Padme, thus being torn between the demands of both. I’m curious about what your take on Padme is in this.

What do Padme see in him? Temptation.

Here the thing about Padme Amidala, she is already a queen of Naboo by the age of 14. She knows what duty is and when set her mind right, she could do better. As shown in in TPM when she is initially naive, but forced to examined her own bias toward the Gungans and toward the Galaxy at large.

But by AOTC, she is swept away by Anakin Skywalker. I think it's because at very core, she was a hopeless romantic. She fell in love with him despite herself and agreed to marry him knowing it would place a strain on her own duty to her planet and the republic. She allows her relationship with Anakin to compromise her impartiality and obligations to her constituents and the republic. (For instance: trading Grievous for Anakin without consult to her fellow Senators of Galaxy Republic)

It’s built on her own desire to both have a relationship and wield the same level of responsibility, causing her to not disclose said conflict of interest. This is selfish, but understandable. It makes her an interesting character because she has a responsibility at young age and she wants things for herself and that isn't necessarily bad. In the process of trying to have both however, she doesn’t give either her relationship or the republic the attention they deserve. I think in this regards, Padme is white feminist that want to do good but has blinders.

And just like Anakin, she doesn’t make a choice. She want to do good, she really do but when she decided that reassuring Anakin after massacre of the sand people and rationalized it with ‘to be angry is to be human’, when she let herself being swayed away but Anakin’s ‘ to me, there's nothing more important than the way I feel about you. nothing.’, when she traded Grievous for Anakin without consult, that’s when things really shows how she willing to compromise her conscience and duty for the sake of their love, their selfish love.

I think that’s the thing about Anidala too, they let themselves see the idealized version of the other, not what they truly are. She tiptoed the fact Anakin killed children, she tiptoed the fact Anakin have fascist belief and they become an enabler of their worst impulse. They don’t actually manages to set a boundary in relationship. People who in relationship supposed to be bring the best of each other but theirs end up bring like feedback loop of negative cycle. 

And it’s not like the love is not real, I believe it’s real, but its foundation is a mutual blindness to each other's faults. Good couples in a healthy relationship help each other face their issues, they call each other out and communicate well, they make each other better people. Anakin and Padme ignored each other’s faults, and made each other into worse people

Also as you mentioned Anon, Obitine is their foil because unlike Anidala, they are someone who instead make the others compromise who they are, they choose to let each other go. They have a clear understanding of each other’s priorities, communicate effectively, and don’t lose themselves in the relationship.  They understand that they have to put duty first. They don’t let their romantic love defined their entire being. 

So I think in the end, Padme somewhat enables the situation by wanting to have the cake and eat it too because she knows her job would make her able to do good but in the same time, she was consumed by their loves, obsession with each other and that I think actually weighed on her conscience, especially by the time of ROTS, and yet she was still willing to take him even after she was told that Anakin murdered the younglings, even after she knew that he is more that capable to do that after his confession of massacre the entire village of sand people. She established boundaries and priorities with respect to their relationship far too late.

Unwillingness to make choice is one of the cause (a big one) why everything fall apart. 

[lokidrabbles]

Perfect Fit (Loki x Reader)

Peter Parker tells reader about what Loki thinks of them.

A/N: Another oneshot, this time featuring Spiderman as the medium for Reader and Loki. Also, my headcanon remains that Loki refers to Peter as Spider Boy. As always, Gender Neutral Reader!

Warnings: None! Fluff n’ such!

Your eyes peered up from your paperwork to catch sight of the fidgeting teen sitting in front of your desk. You empathized with him. It was always some sort of hell fire when Tony or any of the Avengers reprimanded one of the outlier members for failing to complete a mission in time, or failing to follow a inward duty to protect others. Although the consequences of the damage the young Spiderman had left behind were very minimal (extensive property damage, but no one seriously hurt), Tony still upheld his duty as Peter’s pseudo guardian, and laid it hard on him.

As part of the process, you were in charge of filling all the damage reports and costs left behind by the throws of battle, and Tony ordered Peter to witness the extent of his mistake through financial eyes. Or maybe through boring clerical work. Whatever the matter, Peter looked absolutely nervous, probably dreading to hear just how much his antics caused the city (or Tony).

“You know I’m not actually going to tell you how much cash Tony is going to have to fork out, right?” You asked him, causing him to jump slightly.

“What, really? I mean, are you sure? ‘Cus I’m sure Mr. Stark wanted me to, uh, witness the depth of my carelessness.” He stuttered in response.

“I mean yes, you definitely want to be more cautious. But this, in comparison to Tony’s own damage cost analysis, is almost nothing. I’m sure this is just his weird way of wanting to make sure you’re keeping the citizens and yourself safe out there. Also I feel if I tell you, you’re going to be harder on yourself than you need to be.”

Peter let out a nervous chuckle. “Yeah, I guess you’re right about that. I really am sorry about what happened, I did try to be as careful as I could.”

“I’m sure you did kid. The important thing is that building was insured, and that no one was seriously hurt. You good?”

“Yes, yes!” He responded hastily, and you almost felt the weight being lifted from his shoulders. “I’m just glad you’re just as nice as Mr. Loki mentioned you to be.”

You shot a quizzical look at Peter. “Uh, Mr. Loki?”

“Well, yeah? Mr. Thor’s brother? I’ve seen you both together a lot here at the facility.”

Of course you knew who he was talking about, but the fact that Loki made his chipper self into this conversation was odd at best. From your documentation, you found out Loki had been assigned to this small escapade in the outskirts of the city. It actually made you content to see Tony’s mistrust in him begin to dwindle, allowing him to participate in the Avenger’s daily heroism. You could almost see his sour face once he found out this precise squad would be lead by Tony himself. But it made sense.

“What’s Mr. Loki doing gossiping about me to you?” You asked teasingly.

“Nothing bad! I can swear by that!” Peter said, putting his hands up in defense. “I think he just wanted me to feel better.”

“That’s a good one kid.” You chuckled. “It’s a miracle on it’s own to have Loki talk one word to anyone. You have no idea how long it took me to have him say a simple hello to me.”

“Really?” Peter asked, slowly pulling his hands down. “I know Mr. Loki is always very reserved, and he was a little scary at first. But he’s actually kind of, really nice too.”

“You must have a very skewed definition of nice.” You said sarcastically. You jested however. You had experienced Loki’s ‘niceness’ firsthand, in his own bizarre way. Loki’s form of nice didn’t really fall under your typical definition of it. Nice was, for example, telling someone thank you, bringing thoughtful gifts, buying someone lunch. Loki’s nice more so included telling you that you were being stupid and foolish for failing to believe in yourself, and that you should be ashamed of yourself, blah blah blah. He got the right intention, but his delivery was horrible. You cringed at the thought of poor little Peter having to go through that.

“I mean, maybe? He was very helpful during the mission, and his strategy at the whole thing. I was like, wow! He moved so fast in between everything, I had such a hard time keeping up. Though, maybe that’s why I got so distracted in the first place.” He sighed, still blatantly defeated for his error.

“Don’t be so hard on yourself though. For what it is, I think you’re a pretty talented kid too.” You said with a toothy smile. “Loki’s just a big show off though.”

He laughed in a much more relaxed manner. “Thanks, that means a lot. But I must have really taken it hard when Mr. Stark raised his voice at me. Mr. Loki approached me and told me I’d be sent over to your department and how you’d be very welcoming, nice and easygoing.”

You were slightly irritated at how Loki found it so easy to tell Peter all these likeable things about you, yet still failed to do so with you in person. Yet, you knew his reason’s to do so with Peter. Again, Loki wasn’t the most approachable man in the universe, but that didn’t mean he was completely heartless. His words with Peter, while few, were carefully chose to make the young teen feel less anxious. You mentally reminded yourself to give a him a big smooch the next time you saw him.

“I’m actually really happy to hear that.” You said, leaning against the back of your chair. “It looks like he found someone who he’s comfortable with, so that gives me some peace at mind.”

Peter became obviously confused at your comment. “I’m not sure I get that.”

“You said it best at first. He’s a scary fella. But it seems you got to him somehow. So trust me, from now on you got another set of eyes keeping watch of you, making sure you’re safe out there.”

“Actually, I think that make’s me a little more nervous.” He said sheepishly.

“Oh well yeah, be very wary of the God of Mischief.” You said ominously, followed by a snort and giggle.

“Oh, wait. Are you and Mr. Loki dating?”

Your giggles soon stopped, as your mouth remained agape in shock. Again, this was not where you expected a conversation about Loki to go to. You now felt like the nervous teenager in the room instead. Through its entirety, both you and Loki did well at keeping the relationship under wraps, understanding the impending chaos that would ensue if anyone (Tony and Thor) would find out. Well, maybe Loki could care less, but you still had a job and income to maintain. While inner work relationships were not uncommon here, there might be some adherence to having a relationship with someone who used to be on the blacklist.

“No.” You said lowly. Even you wouldn’t have believed that no.

“Oh, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to insinuate anything like that. It’s just, Mr. Loki seemed to have talked fondly of you, and I do see you both together quite a bit. Also you both look really good together, but like not to mean you are dating or anything!”

“Okay Peter! I think we’re done here. I’ll take care of the rest, tell Tony you learned your lesson and all BS, and you can be on your merry little way, yes?” You said, rummaging through you documents, and handing Peter a crumpled up slip with your signature on it.

Peter took the slip slowly, unsure of what he hand uncovered with his innocent introspection. “Are you okay?”

“I’m super.” You feigned through a false smile. “Thanks for dropping by, but I got some more work to do.”

The young teen, still bewildered by your sudden agitation, took it for nothing and soon tip toed out of your small office. You let out a heavy breath and slumped in your chair. It seemed you were in the clear for now, and you figured Peter would be a smart kid and avoid spreading unnecessary rumors. Also for the sole fact that his life would be at risk if Loki were to ever find out he’d tattle at Tony. Still, your mind raced back to the encounter Peter had told you about, and how Loki made a worthwhile impression on the young teen. It warmed your heart knowing someone else seemed to have approved of your gloomy partner.

Towards the end of your shift, you were visited by said partner in efforts to soon spend a relaxing evening at your home. Loki casually seated himself on the seat in front of your desk, arms crossed over his chest.

“I hear the Spider boy paid you a little visit?” He asked playfully.

“He did in fact. He’s a sweet kid.” You responded, eye still glued on your computer screen. “A little naive, but sweet.”

“Stark was relentless on him today. Dare I say, I felt sorry for the lad. He looked like a scared puppy.”

You hummed in a chipper manner. “Yeah, he told me all about it. He also told me how Mr.Loki made him feel a whole lot better today.”

You heard Loki grunt, a way for him to avoid talking about it. You figured it was still awkward for him to hear about his ‘good deeds’ with the type of shit he’s gone through.

“He was very impressed by your skills set. You may have a little fan boy in the making.” You grinned, finally closing your laptop. “I think we should adopt him as our child.”

“You’re hysterical.” He responded flatly.

“I’m mad at you though.” You said as you began to gather your belongings.

Loki raised an eyebrow at you. “Pray tell why?”

“How come you tell Peter all of these nice things about me, yet you always avoid doing so to my face?”

Loki remained quiet, draw back by the nature of your question. You meant to approach the subject in a playful manner, still understanding how Loki had his own special way of showing affection. Yet, you saw how Loki rested his chin at the top of his knuckles, analyzing and concocting an appropriate answer. He looked adorable.

“I suppose I really haven’t done so.” He said admittedly. “What would you like to hear?”

You felt your face heat up. “It doesn’t really work if I tell you what I want to hear. Also, that’s embarrassing.”

“Ah. Of course.”

“Peter told me all the good things though.” You began. “It does make me happy that you think that way about me, instead of an absolute bother.”

He rolled his eyes. “I do hate your incessant ability to self-deprecate. However, everything else the Spider boy mentioned is absolutely true.”

“How lovely to hear.”

Loki stood up and began assisting you with your bags and belongings. You smiled with a strong sense of satisfaction, promptly turning off the lights in your office.

“I also forgot to mention to him that you’re amazing, and incredible.” He whispered behind you. “That I love your smile, and I love how your hand fits so well into mine. That I always look forward to seeing your bright eyes every single day, that I-”

You felt your lips begin to twist in both joy and uneasiness. You jabbed Loki slightly at his side, urging to promptly stop before you explore. “Cut it out. I can’t tolerate this level of cheesiness.”

He smirked mischievously at you. “Then I will have to draw out my admiration for you with the Spider boy if you aren’t able to tolerate it. I’m sure he would be more than happy to hear about it.”

“You better fucking not.”

---

Later in the evening, a young Peter Parker, overseeing the block from the top of a building, took note of Mr. Loki firmly leaving the facility with you, hands hidden, side by side. Upon further inspection, Peter deducted it would be best to keep quiet about this encounter, sensing how distressed you had been about it earlier today. He felt correct about his assumption however; both you and Loki looked good together.

[afeatherinthewind]

Confession- I will NEVER understand why fans of things are SO DEFENSIVE about authors/actors/artists/etc of said thing seeing their fan content. This is basically how the scenario appears, to me at least:

Person A: "I like this thing you made, Person B!"

Person B: "Aw gee, thanks!"

The next day...

Person B: "Ayo Person A, I saw you wrote an in-depth analysis of the thing I made an also a lot of funny jokes about it and proceeded to post about it on an openly public social media website (that I, as one member of the general public, have access to) and I just wanna talk about that-"

Person A: "WWHAT. NO. DNI. DO NOT INTERACT. Did I SAY you could talk about my blog like that?1? This is Mine. i DON'T want people to see it >:( you have violated my boundaries (that are hidden away in a caard that requires far too many clicks to get through for every person interacted with on the internet) and invaded my privacy that is just simply not okay. Stay away from tumblr!! how did you even FIND it???"

Person B: "Oh, uh.. you tagged it... using the system to help people find stuff about the topic... and I searched that tag?"

Person A: "UHHH That was BEFORE i knew YOU were going to see it or search that tag!"

Like... why is it assumed that as soon as someone creates something and makes it public that suddenly means that it belongs to the internet and the fandom and that no one is allowed to see or talk about it elsewhere??

If you don't want people seeing your posts, let me help:

Customized Tags- instead of tagging "reading list", tag "#Person A's Reading List lolzies" or even just "#PerA RL" because ain't nobody searching that shit but you. Because if you tag "#Reading List", anyone who searches tumblr for "reading list" could potentially see your stuff. (added bonus that if your followers want to blacklist that tag because they don't care for it, it just tell them/post that you use that as your tag for the thing! instead of you not posting it, or them unfollowing you, it's an easy work-around that benefits both parties!)

PRIVATE YOUR BLOG- seriously, you don't have to be seen by ANYONE on this website if you don't want to, or only certain friends! I have linked a tutorial, but if you're afraid of links or w/e simply GOOGLE IT

Post privately- again, you can make any post private! See here (sorry mobile users idk how to do it but I'M CERTAIN THERE'S A WAY)

Quit getting mad at creators for seeing/sharing the things you publicly post related to their content. It's absolutely okay to not want people to see the things you post, if you are young then especially so! But you have to curate your own online experience because the world will not do it for you, and that includes the content you put online.

ALSO!! This ties into the fact that if you're posting immoral things that you don't want the creators to see because it breaks their boundaries or something, here's a newsflash- YOU CAN'T VIOLATE BOUNDARIES OR LAWS OR COMMON COURTESY JUST BECAUSE YOU WRONGFULLY ASSUME NO ONE WILL SEE THE THINGS YOU POST (or that specifically affected people won't). YOU JUST SHOULDN'T DO THAT, ACTUALLY! It's impossible to know who will or won't see what you post on the internet- on a blog, on twitter, even in super speedy instant chat messages full of 1000s of people spamming.

So think before you post, dammit. Rant over.

[bubbyleh]

Do I Know You? - Chapter 4

minor content warning, there are allusions to a child being taken from their family in the last section. if you want to skip it, just feel free to only read the last 3 paragraphs, since it sums up what bubs learned from that.

Chapter 4: B-K55

It isn’t actually that late when Bubby makes it back to their dorm, around nine at night, but they’re still a little shocked to find Coomer waiting for them at their kitchen table. They’ve barely managed to close the door, file weighing heavily in their hand, before Coomer’s on them.

“Bubby!” he shouts, and before Bubby knows it, Harold’s yanking them down into a hug. “Thank goodness you’re okay, you’ve been gone for so long!”

“It was an hour,” Bubby comments. They try to draw back, but Coomer just pulls them further into the hug, cradling their head against his shoulder

“They’ve never called you after hours for a noble reason. Did they try something?” His tone turns uncharacteristically harsh. “I swear Bubby, if they did anything, I’ll march down there and I’ll-”

“Harold.” Bubby shimmies out of Coomer’s grasp, tucking the folder under their arm and taking his hands into their own. “It was just a meeting. I’m fine.” He glances past Coomer, into the kitchen. “Did Kleiner leave already?”

“We wrapped up about thirty minutes ago,” Coomer says, but he seems unconvinced. “You’d tell me if something was wrong, though, wouldn’t you?”

“Of course,” Bubby assures him. He grabs the folder once more. “Actually, well… it sounds like there isn’t going to be any more testing?”

“What do you mean no more testing?” Coomer glances down at the file in Bubby’s hands. “What happened?”

Bubby sighs. “I’m so tired. This has been the longest night of my life.” They pinch the bridge of their nose. “Can we talk in bed?”

Coomer’s hand cups Bubby’s chin, thumb lightly brushing back and forth on their cheek. It’s a simple gesture, but early in their relationship, Harold had caught Bubby lightly ghosting a finger along his right cheek. When Bubby explained that it was calming to them, in a strange way, Coomer realized he had discovered his partner’s instant relax button.

Bubby leans into the touch, smiling in the same content way they do whenever Coomer uses his special calming technique on them. They place their hand on top of his, holding it there.

“What would I do without you?” Bubby wonders aloud, all the love in the world in their voice.

- ○ -

Bubby ends up spilling the beans to Coomer with their face buried into his chest, voice slightly muffled. It's a little difficult to understand them, but based on how tightly they're gripping onto him, it seems like Bubby needs this.

When morning comes, Coomer let's Bubby sleep in, quietly slipping from their grasp. It’s a Saturday, too, so at least they don’t have to worry about work. With all the stress that Biological Research put them through the night before, they deserve it.

As he leaves the bedroom, Coomer spots the file. Bubby had left it on their bedside table before they went to sleep, making plans to sort through it when they woke up. He’s struck by the feeling that, whatever’s written inside there, it’s not going to be pleasant to read.

Maybe he should get started on breakfast.

- ○ -

For as long as Bubby can remember, Biological Research had told him that he was

their

creation. That his DNA was specially crafted by the sharpest minds Black Mesa had to offer, so of course there was nobody out there. He had no mother, but in the file, there was a picture of a woman who held him as if he were the most precious thing in the world. He didn’t have a father either, even though the file clearly showed him being lifted by a large pair of hands. And there certainly weren’t any siblings, despite the small hands he held onto as he tried to stand.

Reading that file would go against everything he thought he knew. Everything Black Mesa wanted him to think.

So maybe Bubby’s a little nervous. They’ve been on shaky foundations ever since Dr. Cynthia’s phone call and their meeting yesterday, and they’re pretty sure that there’s a bomb inside that file that’s going to knock them out for at least a whole day.

If—and that’s a huge if—Black Mesa kept information on Bubby’s family, he isn’t sure what to expect from it. What if they hated him, so much that they wanted to get rid of him? Is that even possible? To hate a baby so much that you’d just give them away?

But the alternative almost seems worse. Bubby’s family could have loved him, more than even the nicest scientists at Black Mesa ever showed them. And, for whatever reason, they lost him.

The willful ignorance almost seems preferable. If he loses either way, then maybe the best strategy is not to play.

The only problem is the fact that Harold can see right through them.

“Bubby, I thought you were going to read through your file today?” Coomer asks when he catches them curling up on the couch.

“Oh, uh-” Bubby struggles. “Yeah, but I’m going to take a nap first.”

“You woke up less than an hour ago,” Coomer counters.

Bubby shoots him a glare. “I’m tired.”

“Nope! You aren’t!” Coomer sits down on the couch, laying a hand on the side of Bubby’s head. “You’re being avoidant.”

“Maybe that’s the smart thing to do,” Bubby mutters, crossing his arms and looking back at Harold.

Coomer sighs. “You’ve been talking for years about how you would love to get your hands on that file. What happened?”

“It’s different now.” Bubby sits up and leans against his fiancé. “I don’t know a lot about what they did to me, or what they took, but… what I do know scares me.” They wring their hands together. “What if it’s bad?”

With a frown, Coomer takes Bubby’s hand into his own. “Well, we already know it’s going to be bad, don’t we? It’s Black Mesa we’re talking about.” That gets Bubby to chuckle slightly under their breath. “I can’t make you read it, but whatever it is, it’s in the past,” he assures them. “We can handle it.”

Bubby allows themself a brief moment by Coomer’s side. It’s in times like these when the thought strikes them of how lucky they are to have him. Before they’d met Harold, they had been content to sit on their own and spiral out of control. It’s nice now to have someone to ground them when they need it. They take a deep breath, and the second they let it out, they stand in front of the couch and face Harold.

“Okay,” Bubby finally says. He points at Coomer. “You’re going to stay right there. We’ll read the file together, alright?”

Coomer only smiles.

- ○ -

The best place to start is the beginning.

With the continuation of Biological Research’s augmentation and enhancement projects, it became apparent that Black Mesa would be unable to provide an adequate test subject through fabrication. Efforts were then put forward to identify a potential subject within the general population.

While many subjects were considered, one was identified for extraction. Due to this subject’s limited number of family members, they were quickly selected above others. Monitoring of the residence and analysis into records revealed that this child was known as Bethany Kleiner.

Bubby stops reading out loud. “Oh, that’s. A coincidence.”

Coomer frowns, eyebrows furrowing at the document that Bubby holds so tightly in his grip. “Hang on a moment. Keep reading.”

Preparations for the acquirement of the subject are underway. Once extraction is complete, they will be redubbed Subject B-K55. Beforehand, all of the subject’s known relatives will receive a pre-emptive blacklist from the Black Mesa Research Facility. This includes their parents, David and Lillith Kleiner, as well as their brother

Suddenly, Bubby gasps, cutting themself off. They cover their mouth with one hand, staring down at the file in disbelief.

“Bubby?!” Coomer grabs onto his shoulder. “Are you alright!?”

“No, it’s- it isn’t a coincidence!” Bubby manages to stammer out. “I have a brother, Harold, he’s-” They pause. “Isaac’s my brother.”

[angelofthequeers]

Hold Me By Both Hands: Chapter 8

Disclaimer: I don’t own ML.

Yes I know that Nooroo is transmission and not transition but let me be salty at this show’s utter failure of symbolism okay

I also drew a lot from this post, so go and give @loosescrewslefty a lot of love for the effort they put into it! And credit for the Aztecan Miraculouses to @sparklyaxolotlstudent and I highly recommend checking their posts out.

Chapter 7 | Chapter 9 | AO3 link

“I never thought I’d be glad that you go to school,” Plagg comments once Adrien’s car drives off. “Blech, your father was in a mood.”

“And I still didn’t even get to see him,” Adrien says, rolling his eyes. “I just got a five-minute disapproving stare over tablet during breakfast.”

“You know, they say that talking to yourself is the first sign of madness,” says a cheerful voice from behind him. Adrien jumps and staggers back, only to flush when he sees that it’s just a laughing Marinette, with Alya and Nino behind her.

“Payback’s a bitch, huh?” Alya says. She fist-bumps Marinette. “Don’t mess with my girl, Agreste.”

“Hey, I didn’t mean to scare her last week!” Adrien says as they head into the courtyard. His brain lights up like a Pavlovian firework when Marinette hands over his daily paper bag of pastries; he hasn’t gotten a box since that first day, but he sure as hell isn’t going to complain when it’s free treats from a brilliant bakery. Today’s lucky dip is a chocolate croissant and a cheese bun, and he surreptitiously breaks off a chunk of the bun to save for Plagg, even though the little gremlin will no doubt complain that it’s not Camembert.

“You were saying that your dad couldn’t even show up to be disapproving, right?” Nino says. “Dude, that’s rough.”

“At least my dad tells me when I’ve fucked up in person,” Alya says, threading her fingers with Nino’s. “But then again, your dad is really extra.”

“Of course he’s extra,” Marinette says. “Have you seen what he wears? I’d get blacklisted from the fashion industry if I tried to get away with that.”

Adrien can’t help but burst out laughing at that. God, what a miracle that Marinette hasn’t actually hated him all this time, because now that she’s started to come out of her shell around him, she’s a super cool friend to have. And that’s not even counting the time he’d visited her as Chat Noir. It would be nice to know why she’d been so weird for the past year, though.

“Adrien! Hi!” Lila stops next to him, beaming. Okay, whoa, she’s way too close, and Adrien’s sure she’s nice enough despite the lies – really, as if she’s Ladybug’s best friend, his lady isn’t irresponsible enough to be friends with someone who’d broadcast it everywhere – but there’s just…something about her. Something he can’t quite put his finger on. Maybe he’s just uncomfortable because she loves to touch him in every way possible whenever she’s around him.

“Hey, Lila!” Marinette smiles, but something about it rings false. Does she also know that Lila tends to not be truthful? “How was your weekend?”

“Oh, I was supposed to have lunch with Clara Nightingale, but she had to cancel at the last moment,” Lila sighs. “She was so bummed, though!”

“But Clara’s not even in Europe right now,” Alya says with a furrowed brow.

“Yeah, dude,” Nino says. “Last I heard, she was over in California. In America.”

“She was going to fly me over in her private jet!” Lila says. “I guess she’s just too busy with her upcoming album.”

Marinette, Alya, and Nino don’t look fooled at all. How does everyone else believe these lies? But they’re not really hurting anyone, so Adrien sees no point in starting a fuss. The only person who could get hurt by these lies are her, once people see through them and decide not to associate with her.

“Do you want some of this croissant?” Adrien holds the pastry out to Lila. “It’s freshly baked from Marinette’s bakery!”

“I’m still salty that he’s the only one you give pastries to,” Alya grumbles. “It’s not like I’m your best friend or anything.”

“It’s not like Adrien’s being neglected by his father or anything,” Marinette retorts. Alya groans.

“Touché. And fuck your logic.”

“That’s so sweet of you to offer!” Lila says, shooting Marinette and Alya a weird glance out of the corner of her eye. Then she leans in and, without taking it from Adrien, takes a large bite out of the end of the croissant that he had been eating and lets out an appreciative hum. “This is delicious! Your parents are so talented, Marinette!”

“Um, thank you!” Marinette says.

“Anyway,” Lila says, running her hand down Adrien’s arm. He instinctively leans away, but she follows him. “I was wondering if you wanted to get ice cream with me after school, Adrien?”

Shit. Is she asking him out on a date? Or just an outing as friends? What does he do? If he assumes it’s a date and it’s not, she’ll get offended. But if he assumes it’s not a date and it is, he’ll be leading her on and letting her think that he’s interested in her, when he’s really not. Besides, the thought of being alone with Lila is…worrying, especially if this is how she touches him around other people. Time for a convenient excuse.

“Sorry, but I really can’t,” he ends up saying. Lila steps back and stares at him with wide, glossy eyes.

“Oh, I’m sorry if I made you uncomfortable!” she says.

“My father just –”

“I understand. It’s okay. I shouldn’t have assumed – I’m awful – I understand if you don’t want to –”

“Uh, what?” Alix says from behind Lila, with Kim and Max beside her. “It’s nothing against you, Lila.”

“Yes, Adrien’s father is incredibly strict,” Max says. “There’s a ninety-nine-point nine percent chance that Mr Agreste wouldn’t allow Adrien to get ice cream with you.”

“Oh.” Lila’s shoulders slump. “I’m sorry for jumping to conclusions. I had no idea that your father was so strict!”

“Weren’t you protesting with us?” Kim says.

“Oh – yes, but I assumed his father was just angry,” Lila says. “I didn’t realise he was like that all the time! I’m so sorry, Adrien!”

“It’s fine,” Adrien says. Lila smiles at him and walks off. “Thanks, guys. I didn’t know what to do.”

“If you don’t want her to touch you, why don’t you just tell her that?” Alix says. “I mean, Chloé’s Chloé, but Lila would stop if you told her.”

“It’s alright,” Adrien says. “It’s not like I’m not used to it. People touch you all the time as a model.”

“Still doesn’t make it okay,” Kim says and flexes his arms. “You wouldn’t believe how many people wanna touch all this.”

“Absolutely no one,” Alix deadpans and Kim sticks his tongue out at her. Next to Kim, Max’s eyes flick away, and Adrien’s forcibly reminded of Marinette’s words to him as Chat Noir the other day about Max and Kim.

“Kim’s right,” Marinette says. “Just because you’re a model, that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t be able to tell people not to touch you! It’s your body!”

Adrien can’t help the smile that breaks free at his friends’ words. “Thanks, guys,” he says. “I just don’t know if I’ll be able to ask other people not to touch me.”

“That makes sense,” Max says. “Due to your father’s strict nature and refusal to consider your wishes, along with your modelling, the chance of his influence leading to your inability to vocalise what you want when you’re uncomfortable and therefore developing the unfortunate habit of putting up with your discomfort to make it pass faster is –”

“Alright, alright, come on,” Alix says, grabbing Max by the arm.

“But I haven’t finished my analysis!” Max protests as Alix leads him away. Kim snorts and follows.

“You know maths makes my brain hurt,” he’s saying as he leaves. Adrien, Marinette, Alya, and Nino are left in silence.

“Well,” Alya eventually says. “Trust Max to call you out like that.”

“I don’t think he realised that he might be making Adrien uncomfortable?” Marinette says. “I know I sometimes don’t think –”

“Actually, he didn’t,” Adrien says absently. “I think he’s got a point. I just don’t know what I’m going to do about it yet.”

“Yeah, not like I’ve been telling you that crap for months, dude,” Nino says dryly. “But sure, listen to the nerd with maths on his side.”

“No!” Marinette and Alya cry when a smirk spreads across Adrien’s face.

“Don’t fuck with me!” Adrien says. Marinette and Alya groan and grab Nino to make a run for it, so he chases after them, ignoring the people around them that are staring. “I have the power of God and Anime on my side!”

“Stay away!” Alya calls over her shoulder. “Keep your vines away from us, meme freak!”

.

“Fancy seeing you here, milady,” Chat Noir says when he lands on the rooftop behind Ladybug, who turns and greets him with a smile. “How did you know I liked afternoon strolls?”

“Just a lucky guess,” Ladybug says. “I’ve got a little after-school class to attend.”

“What a coincidence! So do I!” Chat Noir says. “In that case, allow me to escort you there.”

“I think you’ll find that I’ll be escorting you,” Ladybug teases and then jumps off again.

“Hey! No fair!” Chat Noir cries as he races after her. It’s a tight race to get to Master Fu’s, but Ladybug just edges out a victory and lands in front of the parlour a split second before Chat Noir, though he’s not too upset to have come second when Ladybug gives him a kiss on the cheek as a consolation prize and holds the parlour door open for him.

“Hello, Ladybug and Chat Noir,” Master Fu smiles when they enter the main room.

“Hi, Master!” Ladybug says.

“So, why are we here?” Chat Noir says. He sinks to the floor with Ladybug when Master Fu indicates that they should sit.

“I’m very proud of the partnership that you two have formed,” Master Fu says. “And of the progress that you have made as Ladybug and Chat Noir.” He pats the Miracle Box between them and adds, “I thought that it was time to teach you about the Miraculouses. You’ve certainly earned the right.”

“Looks like you were right about the afternoon class, milady,” Chat Noir says, and Ladybug giggles. This time, when Master Fu opens the box to reveal the colourful ring around the yin and yang symbol, more compartments spring open down the sides of the box in a descending spiral. Chat Noir’s eyes widen. Whoa! How many more Miraculouses are there?

“Aren’t they based on the Chinese zodiac?” Chat Noir says once he’s taken in the Rooster, Snake, Pig, and Dragon and noticed a certain pattern. Master Fu nods.

“This is the Chinese Miraculous set. There are other sets of Miraculouses with other bases, such as the Aztecan Miraculouses of life and death, but this is the only surviving box after my mistake,” he says. Huh. Must have been a real big mistake if these are the only Miraculouses left. But Chat Noir’s pretty sure that this isn’t the right time to ask about that.

“And…are they based on Wu Xing?” Ladybug says, pointing out the Fox, Bee, Turtle, Peacock, and Butterfly slots. “The Five Phases? Five elements?”

“Correct, Ladybug,” Master Fu says.

“My bugaboo is so smart!” Chat Noir says. Ladybug’s cheeks pinken.

“My mum’s Chinese,” she says, and Chat Noir files that bit of information away in his mental safe of Ladybug Facts. “I don’t know any dialects or anything, but…she did tell me a little bit about Taoism.”

“Each Miraculous corresponds to an element, with three tiers of power,” Master Fu says. “I won’t teach you about the zodiacs today, but I do want to talk about the elementals.”

“The Miraculouses don’t necessarily represent an element,” Wayzz chimes in. “There’s no “fire Miraculous” or “water Miraculous”. It’s more that they correspond with an element that represents their concepts. For example, I correspond with the element of earth!”

“Because earth is stable, right?’ Ladybug says. “And you’re a pretty wise and solid kwami.”

Wayzz beams at her words and nods. “Yes! I embody protection and defence, so my powers reflect that. The Butterfly corresponds with water because of the fluid nature of akumatisation.”

“How is akumatisation a good thing, though?” Chat Noir says. Master Fu doesn’t answer, instead tilting his head at them like he expects them to figure it out for themselves. To be fair, as a teacher, he probably is expecting that.

“No Miraculous is necessarily good or bad, right?” Ladybug says. “I mean, you’d think Chat Noir would be the bad guy, but his Cataclysm is invaluable when saving Paris. And I can think of so many ways someone could use mine for evil.”

“Then…if you had someone who was upset…” Chat Noir says slowly. “Someone who felt helpless…they could become an akuma, right? That’s what Hawkmoth does. But instead of making them supervillains…they could be superheroes?”

“Correct, both of you,” Master Fu says with a wide smile. “The Butterfly creates champions to fight alongside themselves and their allies. It doesn’t necessarily rely on emotion, though, as Duusu the Peacock kwami is the kwami of emotion. Rather, the Butterfly draws on injustice and the desire to right it, and it metamorphoses its target with the power to fix that injustice. Hence, Nooroo is the kwami of transition and metamorphosis, just as a caterpillar transitions into a butterfly, and just as water can transition between physical states.”

“And every akuma we’ve faced has felt wronged!” Ladybug gasps. “Ivan when he was bullied by Chloé!”

“Nino when he couldn’t throw m – Adrien a party!” Chat Noir says.

“Alya when Chloé got her suspended!”

“Alix when her watch was broken!”

“Mr Agreste when his book and brooch were taken!” the two of them chorus together. Ladybug’s bluebell eyes are glittering like she’s discovered the secrets of the universe, and Chat Noir would be utterly captivated if he wasn’t certain that he looked the same way. A small part of his brain laments that he can’t see her eyes in their true shade of grey, to know just how much prettier she could possibly be.

“Indeed,” Master Fu says. “The positivity or negativity of the emotion doesn’t matter. Someone could feel the righteous desire to do good and right wrongs and they would be just as able to be akumatised. I suspect that Hawkmoth targets those with negative emotions because it is easier to take advantage of them, to convince them to help him with the promise of getting to right the wrong that left them in their situation while their judgement is clouded. And injustice is very subjective to the person. What could be just to one person could be unjust to another.”

“That would explain the…odder akumas,” Ladybug says.

“It’s okay, you can say Mr Pigeon and Animan,” Chat Noir says, making Ladybug snort.

“And unlike the Peacock, which can amokise itself with no ill consequences, the Butterfly holder should not akumatise themselves,” Master Fu says. “The Peacock’s amoks are external, whereas the Butterfly’s akumas create internal change within the target themselves, and so a transformed Butterfly cannot affect themselves with an akuma. And akumatising themselves when not transformed, without the safety net of the holder’s control over the akuma, can potentially have harmful effects on their psyche. Only a truly desperate holder would akumatise themselves.”

“What kind of effects?” Ladybug says quietly. She bites her lip and shoots Chat Noir a look, clearly remembering back to their suspicions of Gabriel Agreste…but he wouldn’t akumatise himself! He can’t be that desperate, right?

“Impossible to say for sure, since there are almost limitless ways to akumatise someone. It could affect their grip on the world around them. It could affect their morality and how far they’re willing to go to achieve their goals. It could leave them with twisted flashbacks, or distort how they see their friends and family, or many more options that I couldn’t even begin to delve into. It depends on how they akumatised themselves.”

“Well, it can’t be Fa – Gabriel Agreste, then, right?” Chat Noir says almost desperately, like he’s pleading with himself. “He must have something to lose. Like his son?”

“That’s what I said to Tikki when I asked her,” Ladybug says. Chat Noir’s heart leaps at the reminder that Ladybug cares so deeply for him, even if it is his civilian self that she’s crushing on. In a way, it’s painful to know that she’s crushing on him but also not on him; it’s not like he’s had the chance to ask her out as Adrien, and he doesn’t know her civilian identity, so he can’t try and build a friendship and maybe eventually a relationship there.

“Can we keep going, Master?” he says to pull himself out of his swirling thoughts.

Master Fu nods and points at the Bee comb. “The Bee corresponds with the element of fire,” he says. “It’s a very passionate Miraculous and represents subjection and rejuvenation, just as the bee stings those it deems a threat in order to protect its hive and pollinates the land around it. Bees also represent growth, so Pollen’s ideal holder is someone who has much potential for growth to be coaxed out of them, to learn when to sting for the greater good and how to remain warm while not burning out of control.”

“Well, I wouldn’t make a good Bee, then,” Chat Noir jokes weakly. “Bugaboo sets my heart on fire.”

“Oh my god,” Ladybug mutters and shoves him. But her lips are twitching, and his heart is a little lighter, so he counts his joke as pretty effective.

“The Fox corresponds with the element of wood,” Master Fu says with a fond little smile at their antics. “Trixx pushes his holders to grow and adapt and change, just as wood branches out. The Fox represents illusion and manipulation, so its primary power of Mirage allows its holder to stay back and work from the shadows, involving themselves when necessary.”

“So, it shouldn’t go to someone aggressive?” Chat Noir says.

“It can,” Master Fu says. “So long as that person recognises the value of working from afar and withdrawing when needed. There are personalities that would not at all fit a certain Miraculous, but no Miraculous has only one type of person who would be compatible with it.”

“I may represent protection, but I’ve had some very aggressive holders before,” Wayzz chimes in. “And Pollen has had quite subdued and quiet holders that mirror herself, despite representing a Miraculous of passion. Some of Nooroo’s holders have been so empathetic that they were driven to help right all the injustices they could, while others were able to completely detach themselves from their target’s emotions and create champions for their cause with no emotional investment themselves.”

“But isn’t the Peacock about emotion? Ladybug says. “You just said that the Butterfly relies on emotion around injustice.”

“The Peacock and Butterfly are similar, yes,” Master Fu says. “They can both sense the emotions of those around them. But while the Butterfly uses its champions’ emotions as a catalyst of sorts to persuade them to come to the holder’s aid, the Peacock is emotion. Its primary power is amokisation, allowing it to summon a sentimonster based on the emotion of its target. It requires a soulful holder; someone who can truly delve into the depths of emotion and understand its complexity.”

“So…an akuma is based on what the holder wants, but an amok is based on what the target needs?” Ladybug says. Master Fu beams.

“Yes,” he says. “Subtle differences, but still differences nonetheless. The Peacock corresponds to the element of metal, so it is a very introspective Miraculous. The wrong emotion for your purpose can have…vastly different results than desired.”

“Sounds like there’s a bit of history behind that?” Ladybug says. Master Fu nods but doesn’t say anything, so she doesn’t push and neither does Chat Noir, not that it would be their place to do so anyway.

“All of the Wu Xing Miraculouses have a secondary power, and the Ladybug and Black Cat have quite a few more powers,” he says. “But it’s up to your kwamis to decide if you are ready to learn and understand them. Especially Black Plague.”

“The last time Plagg taught his holder Black Plague was in 1338, although the date of 1347 is far more widely known,” Wayzz says. It takes a moment for the significance of that date to hit Chat Noir, but his stomach suddenly churns when he grasps it.

“Oh,” he says weakly. Next to him, Ladybug has paled as she too realises. “That makes me feel good about myself.”

“Black Plague can be extremely useful in the right hands, under strict control,” Master Fu says. “That Black Cat wielder was…not the right hands. But Plagg has refused to teach it since, understandably.”

“And that’s the counterpart to my Miraculous Ladybug?” Ladybug says, and Master Fu nods.

“This is all so cool,” Chat Noir says. “And mind-screwy. I think my head’s going to explode.” But he’d totally take this over normal school any day. Especially because he gets to learn with his lady!

Actually, no, he probably shouldn’t jinx the whole normal school thing. Normal school, he enjoys; it’s just the stuff that all normal kids learn that can be a drag. Especially when he’s learning about Miraculouses right now!

“Should we discuss the Ladybug and Black Cat another day?” an amused Master Fu says.

“Yes, please,” Ladybug says faintly. “I think I need to take notes.”

“I can always tutor you, milady,” Chat Noir grins.

“Sure, kitty,” Ladybug drawls. “I’ll give you my notes, so you know what to teach me.”

“I think that’s our cue to leave,” Chat Noir says loudly, ignoring Ladybug’s giggle as he jumps to his feet, even though the sound fills his insides with warmth. “Thanks for the lesson, Master.”

“Thanks, Master!” Ladybug says. Master Fu smiles at both of them.

“Good luck, Ladybug and Chat Noir,” he says. “I don’t think I could have picked a better duo.”

[natural--blues]

Fandom

I’ve said this before, and I’ll say it again.

Let people post on their blog what they want without having a go at them. 

Do you hate a ship a person you follow loves? Oh darn, looks like you can’t flail together. 

If the repeated ship posts are driving you crazy, you can ask them politely to tag them with their ship tag, so that you can blacklist them. 

Remember: A person has the right to love whichever ships they do. Especially on their own blog, they can love and support whichever couple makes them happy, regardless of canon, regardless of other people’s wants. If it bothers you, and blacklisting isn’t enough, maybe this friendship isn’t for you, and you should consider unfollowing.

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

Does a person you follow‘s headcanons about a thing really disagree with yours and it’s upsetting you? Oh no! Now you guys can’t both be excited about the thing.

If the repeated posts are upsetting you, you can ask them politely to tag them with something that you can blacklist.

Remember: A person has the right to headcanon anything they want. It literally hurts nobody, and this blog is much like a journal for a lot of people. Fanworks creators of all kinds find all sorts of inspiration, and they deserve to live in whatever headspace makes them happy. However many happily ever afters or multiple universes with different versions of the same couples make them giddy, they deserve to put in their own space. If you cannot handle it, and blacklisting isn’t enough, you can always unfollow and block and blacklist things.

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

Does a person you follow post a ton about the NOTP to your OTP?! Oh gosh, now you have to see one part of a couple you love with a character you hate! 

That can make for an unfun experience. But if you ask them politely to tag them, then you can blacklist them! So you don’t have to see it! Remember: They have the right to ship whomever they want on their own blog in their own space. Much like a teenager covering their walls with magazine photos of actors and celebrities that they like, their blog is their own space to do the same with. If you really can’t handle the things they post and blacklisting isn’t working for you, the unfollow button is always an option.

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

Does a person you follow post a lot of stuff that are highly political, that you disagree with, or maybe that really upset you because you really want a place to escape from that while being in this space? Oh my goodness... that means you can’t rage together!

That can make for an uncomfortable experience. You can ask them politely to tag them, so you can blacklist them and continue your happy Tumbling! 

Remember: They have the right to voice whatever their political views are, and can criticize or gripe about any law, policy, political figure, war, etc. that they would like to in their own space. Not everyone will agree on every topic*. Respect their right to express themselves on their own blog! If you find you cannot stand their views, blocking them, unfollowing, and blacklisting their views’ tag and even their username can help you continue Tumbling in peace.

* I do recommend that if someone is being really bigoted that you report them for abuse, unfollow, block and blacklist. Just for your safety and the safety of others.

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

Does a person you follow post criticism of a thing/person/character/show/etc. that you really like? Oh my, that means you guys might not be able to analyze and criticize things together.

That can be something that might upset you or make you angry while Tumbling. You can ask them politely to please tag it so you can blacklist it and continue on! 

Remember: They have the right to criticize any media they like, disagree with it, hate on it, etc. Analysis and criticism of media is part of what makes you a mindful viewer! Not everyone will agree on every topic. Respect their right to their own space to voice these opinions!

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

Does a person you follow also follow and reblog from a person you don’t like? Oh, that means maybe you won’t like seeing these posts, or freely reblog them. They might give you bad feelings, especially if the dislike sparked over a disagreement.

That might make for an experience that brings back bad feelings, so you might want to go ahead and blacklist that user’s blog name. That way you don’t distress yourself, and you don’t involve someone else in your own drama. Going to people and telling them that you hate their friends won’t make for a fun situation, so just block and move on.

Remember: People have the right to be friends with anyone that they want to, and you do not have the right to ask them not to. It’s not nice, in fact it’s very toxic behavior; and people should be enjoying themselves in this space any way they see fit -- even if it’s with people you don’t see eye to eye with. 

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

Does a person you follow post NSFW or Smut content and you don’t like it? Oh gee, that means you guys can’t fan yourselves together.

But that’s okay, you can ask them politely to tag it so you can blacklist, and then continue on your merry way!

Remember: Everyone has the right to post whatever kind of content -- smutty or not -- that they want on their own blog. You should not shame them for enjoying whatever they do or don’t, or expressing their sexuality.* If a blacklist doesn’t feel like enough in this case, and you feel uncomfortable, you should consider unfollowing, or even blocking.  * This does not include pedophilia, which actually harms children. I strongly suggest reporting that post and unfollowing and blocking.

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

Did a person you follow post incorrect information? Uh oh, that might spread misinformation in the fandom!

That’s okay! You can write them politely, no matter which way you do it, and let them know about the misinformation.

Remember: There’s a difference between ‘OMFG what are you, dumb? Here’s my receipts, stop being a **** and spreading misinformation!’ and ‘Hey guys! This source here actually doesn’t say that, and I haven’t heard about this. Do you have a credible source that’s more recent than mine, that says otherwise?’ Remember that there’s no reason to be malicious! After all, the one who might turn out to learn something may be you.

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

The responsibility is on your shoulders to make sure that you blacklist and unfollow as needed. If someone is repeatedly posting things that you don’t like and won’t tag them in a way you can blacklist for you (which is their right, as it is their blog) then maybe you don’t need to follow that human in particular. But you don’t need to be mean to them, either.

Part of respecting other people’s spaces is treating them the way you’d like to be treated. Be polite and request, don’t demand or require. 

For instance, if they’ve been kind enough to tag posts so you can blacklist (which they don’t have to do, but can choose to) and they forget to tag a post here and there, having a go at them angrily, or making them feel guilty about it isn’t very nice either. A brief mention of ‘Hey, I noticed you posted about x earlier, and my blacklist didn’t filter it. Can you please tag it for me? I forget too sometimes, so I thought I’d mention it!’ goes a lot farther then ‘*Sends link to post* I can’t believe you didn’t tag this, when I told you that I didn’t want to see it!’

It’s important to remember that behind that blog you’re following is a human being with thoughts and feelings who doesn’t deserve someone being mean to them over fandom.

Please be good to each other, and respectful...

[saltmer]

hhhh alright here’s a long post, if you read it pls feel free to offer advice. 

i don’t like to think about friendships in terms of what i get out of them. that’s no way to think about relationships. but like, sometimes you gotta. and in general, a friendship involves... like, encouraging and supporting each other? having similar interests? respecting one another? yeah?

y’all have heard me talk about michael a lot if you don’t have my personal posts tag blacklisted (which i honestly would not blame you for) and i’ve just been thinking lately that.... he’s kind of a shitty friend?

i mean, there’s the little stuff. mostly i just give a lot more support than i get -- he tells me about his every single issue and i, in general, feel more comfortable telling a few hundred strangers on the internet about my problems than i do him. 

mostly because he’s a neurotypical upper class cishet white boy who grew up without friends and therefore doesn’t know how to fucking relate to people. i complain exclusively to other people. i ask advice from other people. i solve his problems for him, i offer him emotional support, but i get exactly none back. 

we don’t have a whole lot in common, either. we were both real into skyrim for a while and talked about that, but it’s kind of fizzled out. i brought him into our dnd group in the hopes of kind of rekindling our mutual interests buttttt

that was a mistake! let me explain

he’s kind of a bigot! he’s liberal, but not /that/ liberal, you know? and certainly not socially liberal because, as i said, he’s a neurotypical upper class cishet white boy who can’t empathize with most people. and i don’t call him out as much as i should

what kind of set me over, the whole reason this is even being written, is because... like, look, i’m queer. i say queer because i haven’t come up with a way to describe it and it’s a good catch-all. among the people i’m into are.... dudes! surprise. and because i am into dudes as well as other people,, michael insists that i’m just straight and pretending. 

so last night he said i was straight, and i said “i’m queer bitch”, and he replied with, “uh huh sure”

that doesn’t sound like a reason to write a mile long analysis of a relationship. that’s a specific instance of him being shitty and it’s mild but it’s just like the straw that broke the camels back ya dig?

and i’m just over it. i’m over being dismissed and using my emotional capital to support him instead of investing more in friendships that are actually rewarding and supportive in return and i just. 

what do. should i consider this longer? i reaaaally don’t want to talk to him about it because he always asks for, like, specific textual evidence and i always end up going “fuck it never mind” and never bringing up whatever was bothering me again. do i just fucking block him and never?? i don’t know. i don’t know what to do. all i know is i don’t want to be friends with him anymore. 

[loregoddess]

tagged by @lookerdewitt

Rules: Answer the 20 questions in a new post and tag 20 blogs you would like to get to know better.  I’m tagging uhhh.... @organicgold and uh...anyone else who feels like doing this, but you don’t have to if you don’t feel like it.

Nickname: Lore, I guess (that’s what I use on this site at least)

Gender: she/her

Star Sign: Pisces

Height: 5′3′’

Time right now: 4:36pm when I started this, and 3:29pm the next day when I remembered this was in my drafts to post.

Last thing I googled: castlevania wiki

Favorite Bands: Dude, I dunno I cycle between like, 12 different groups depending on my mood and the time of year.

Favorite Solo Artists: n/a to my knowledge

Song stuck in your head: Not sure which song, but it’s either from the Castlevania: Curse of Darkness soundtrack or the Castlevania Symphony of the Night soundtrack, probably the former since SotN doesn’t have as many harpsichord songs and I listen to the former more often.

Last movie I watched: Inferno, unfortunately

Last TV show I watched: Lucifer

When did you create your blog: 2015

What kind of stuff do you post: Mostly fandom stuff

When did your blog reach its peak: Hell if I know

Do you have any other blogs: Nah

Do you get asks regularly: Nah

Why you chose your URL: A long time ago, I thought I’d use this as a place to dump my game analysis and theorycrafting thoughts, but then I realised that nah, that’s not a good idea given how fandom is, and decided just to reblog a shitton of stuff and use this site for random venting and ranting.

Following: 63, but that will go up when I beat BotW and refollow all the Zelda blogs I stopped following because I still haven’t gotten a blacklist app to avoid spoilers and everything is a spoiler to me.

Posts: 13k

Hogwarts House: Ravenclaw

Pokémon Team: I...dunno...??

Favorite colors: Green

Average hours of sleep: 9, give or take

Lucky Numbers: No number is “lucky” for me per se, I just have favourite numbers.

Favorite manga characters: Xerxes Break, Gil, and Alice from Pandora Hearts come to mind, but if you gave me a specific manga I’d have a clearer answer.

How many blankets do you sleep with: 2: sheet and comforter

Dream job: College professor w/ a few years of character design behind me

Dream trip: Scotland’s Loch Ness and anywhere in Japan, but only if if I had like, no travel anxiety

[fineillsignup]

FUQ

That stands for Frequently Unasked Questions because people rarely ask me any of these so FAQ would be a lie.

Q: Sempai, how do I get you to notice me?! A: Send me a message or ask! I don’t have to be following you to do so! Also, don’t be shy to tell me about some content you think I might enjoy. I basically only follow people who tag descriptively. Generally this means, at minimum, fandom, pairings, and marking explic!t content. I don’t have any triggers, but I do have some strong squicks, and I look to be able to filter those out as well. 

Q: You used to follow me and now you don’t, did I do something wrong? A: Almost certainly not. If you don’t usually tag your Tumblr, that’s probably the reason why I unfollowed, so don’t brood any more than that. I follow a lot of blogs and I rely on people tagging well to help my blacklist keep up by filtering out shows I don’t watch and content I don’t want to see. I’m not angry at you for not tagging--it’s your blog--but if I can’t figure out a filter to keep stuff I don’t want on my dash, I unfollow.

Tumblr also glitches a lot. I have been on both sides of a Tumblr-induced unfollow. If I used to follow you, now I’m not, and you tag well, message me to check in! It’s totally possible I don’t realize that Tumblr made me unfollow you. Fuckin’ Tumblr, man. I’m also always willing to explain an unfollow if you want to know why.

Q: Why did you block me? A: Almost everyone I’ve blocked is because they blocked me first, so uh, check that first of all. If you’re a fairly block-happy person, maybe you don’t even remember doing it. I block anyone who I discover has blocked me. If you no longer wish to block me, you can reach out through another person or perhaps an anon ask to tell me that you want to be cool now and we’ll be cool. Simple as that.

I’ve also preemptively blocked people who expressed an explicit desire not to interact with people who ship my ships or have my opinions. Eg, making or reblogging a post that says “kaka//saku do not interact”. These blocks are my attempt to make YOU comfortable. I respect people’s desires to curate their Tumblr experience. If you think this may be the reason I blocked you and you are ok with me interacting with you, reach out to me through a third party and I’ll unblock.

Another possibility is that you’re a troll who has left me or one of my friends a personal attack, uses slurs, etc. Have you done that? Don’t be like that.

Third possibility is a mistake--I’ve mistaken you for a spam bot, or Tumblr has done something wonky, etc.

Q: I ship your NOTP. Do you hate me? A: Why would I hate you just because you have an incorrect opinion of whether two fictional characters should rub their genitals together? No. I don’t hate you just because you ship my NOTP, and you are completely welcome to follow me, message me, etc.

Q: So Sasu//Saku is fine then right and it’s just a matter of taste? A: Haha no canon ending SS is garbage, let’s not get carried away here, I’m just saying I think you can ship it and still be a good/nice person. Just because I don’t shipper bash doesn’t mean I can’t and won’t point out everything that’s wrong with SS as written in canon. This is called “literary criticism” and “critical engagement with mass media” and is something I won’t apologize for enjoying.

Q: LMAO why do you care so much about a cartoon for teenage boys? A: Two possible answers here. One is that you can ridicule basically any hobby or special interest this way--”why do you care so much about some overpaid men kicking around a ball”, “why do you care so much about two needles and some yarn”, “why do you care so much about a tiny plastic train going around a track”. It’s called entertainment, bitch.

Second answer is, my God! If there’s any segment of society that I don’t want uncritically reading stories that reinforce sexist ideas and give abusers carte blanche, it’s teenage goddamn boys. If my little drop in the ocean makes the slightest difference against that, I don’t consider it wasted time.

Q: I do assholish things like tell people to die for shipping the wrong thing but I ship one of your OTPs. We cool right? A: 🎶 don’t stand, don’t stand so, don’t stand so close to me��🎶

Q: I have a squick or trigger, will you tag it for me? A: I will do my best! Send me a message or ask. You don’t have to explain why you don’t like it.

Q: You have a lot of weird tags, do you have a tagging system? A: I do! It’s a bit complex, but in addition to commentary tags (stuff like “too cute” or “i’m crying in the club rn”), I try to tag descriptively for blacklists.

For original content, I usually post character names in several different forms for the benefit of tag search, eg both “Kakashi” and “Kakashi Hatake” and “Hatake Kakashi”. I also tag with the original artist’s name (if it’s a repost or translation), and “creative commons” or “with permission” depending on whether I was following a usage policy or explicitly got permission from the artist.

For reblogs, I only tag character’s first names, generally.

My meta tag is “naruto analysis”. My typesets tag is “my typesets”. My fanfic tag is “my fanfic”.

I try to tag triggers like “alcohol /” and “blood /” with the slash at the end.

If a piece of art could be interpreted as romantic or platonic, I usually tag with both the character names and the ship name. If it is unmistakably romantic, I only tag the ship name.

Q: You post a lot of stuff and I don’t always come back to Tumblr that often, but I’m really interested in [this character/pairing]. Could you message me when you post original content for that character/pairing? A: I can try! I do this for some people already. Obviously if tons of people want me to do this it won’t work, but right now I’m doing it for less than ten and it works ok. Message me!

Q: Is this a sideblog? Do you run any other blogs? A: It’s Naruto on main here, baby. I have a few other sideblogs. @fineilikefmab is a blog for Fullmetal Alchemist content. @domesticaphrodite is for food, beauty, lifestyle etc and is more of a personal blog. @fineilikesmut (which I can’t tag) is my blog for reblogs that are not SFW.

Q: I found some Chinese art that I want translated! Will you do that? A: Send me the link! I will definitely consider it. Any pairing will be considered except post-699 canon-compliant SS. Right now, I only do typesets for artists who give me permission to modify their work. (I have complex feelings about fair use and abandoned works, but as a matter of priorities, when there are artists who have given me permission whose works haven’t been translated fully, it only makes sense to prioritize them.)

You can also request a character or pairing and I’ll go hunting for content on my own. Some pairings that are very popular among English speakers are not popular among Chinese speakers and vice versa, so obviously my ability to find content depends on that content existing.

Q: I’ve noticed you repost work from Chinese artists. Sometimes you say “with permission” and sometimes you mention something about CC-BY or similar. What is this CC thing? A: Creative Commons is a copyleft movement dedicated to make it easier for people to share their work while retaining aspects of control that are important to them. As opposed to copyright, a CC license makes a work freely sharable and may or may not permit changing the work and using the work for profit. The website LOFTER, by default, does not apply any CC license to artists’ work, but they can opt in to using one, and there are a variety to choose from. Therefore, you can be confident that the artist chose to let people share (with credit) or remix their work.

Q: Can I ask you something about your writing? A: YES PLEASE DO THAT :D :D :D

Q: 我是一位說中文的藝術家，妳願意把我的火影忍者粉絲繪圖翻譯成英語嗎？ A: 我很願意！請給我留言。繁體、簡體都可以啦。

[progeny-of-the-fury]

The Truancy of Guillemont | Part I

Log date: 11/24/17

OOC Note: The text in these logs are strictly for the reader’s enjoyment. Anyone using the knowledge displayed within this text without the participant’s knowledge risks the potential of blacklisting from future communication and roleplay. Please do not meta-game!

Tags: @pain-and-pistolet@darkknightsbread​

Lady De’bayle has been progressing steadily in her pregnancy. I find myself, still… intimidated by the idea of being in the same room with her too long. I am not enough. I have not, managed enough to bring a smile to her face. I fear, the disappointment that must linger in the air when we are close. So instead I decorate for where she cannot. She seemed so joyful at the mention of spending Starlight together. I too, was looking forward to it. To being with my friends and family. The fact I could even say I had such… was almost surreal…

Denz De'bayle walks into the house, not needing much direction before he starts walking into the downstairs area of the Vigil. Coming down the stairs, he would turn his eyes instantly upon the younger De'bayle in the basement. His right hand gripped a wrapped long object.

Adelise De'bayle was bustling about the bakery area. Placing a pot here, hanging a picture frame there. Seemed with the end of the fall season, she was quick to be on top of the decoration for Starlight. Against the servants insistence. Nearly running into the man in her tunnel-vision, Adelise looked up toward Denz with a blink. “Evening De'bayle,” she remarks firmly, placing a single idle hand to her hip.

Denz De'bayle blinked, taking a step back as the young woman nearly ran into him. He grunted a bit, leaning back and holding up his free hand. “Ah, evening. Getting into the…” His eyes scan the room. “… holiday spirit?”

Adelise De'bayle: “Something along those lines. After all, this is my first Starlight back home,” she nearly smiled at the thought. Nearly. “Reminds me of when I would decorate with Hitokiri. He was not much of a holiday’s person himself, but I always managed to convince him to do something small,” crimson gaze dropping, her head tipped some, “have something to put under the tree?”

Denz De'bayle held up the simply wrapped object. It was just some cloth hiding a rather painfully obvious item beneath. “I wouldn’t consider this a Starlight gift… unless you wish to wait another moon or so?” He grins wickedly, proceeding to hold the item out to her.

Adelise De'bayle did manage out a faint smile, her hands slipping forward to take the object, “thank you, Uncle,” she exhaled, “while I would say I am quite the patient person, even I have come to believe I have waited long enough for some things.” Slender digits running over the cloth, Adelise moved to tug it open and peer over the blade. “Not an exact replica, but…” she looks back up to him, “it is perfect. Thank you again.”

Denz De'bayle nods, before tapping on the sheath of the weapon itself. A simple blade cover to a hiltless katana. The blade itself was not so ornamental, though there were a few flourishes of a different type of metal along the edges. “Your father provided me with a few bars of adamantite to use in the East. Said bars are on a garlean ship, but.” He taps his rightt shoulder pad, noticeably shinier than the left. “Fortunately I had some armor I could part with to be melted down and used in this weapon’s forging.” He cleared his throat. “How much do you know how to wield such a blade? My own cuts using a guard’s own katana were… terrible, to say the least.”

Adelise De'bayle widens her gaze some, glancing down, “you… really did not have to go through that trouble, nor use your own armour,” she shakes her head with a small huff through her nostrils. “I know a basic level of usage. Hitokiri was a Samurai. A very masterful one at that. While he showed me how to wield the weapon to some small degree, it… was not my path.”

Denz De'bayle: Oh? What made you come to that conclusion?

Adelise De'bayle: “Well. With the many trinkets and books stuffed within my bag brought with me to that world, one of them was a book on the Twelve here. You did not think I came back so willing to serve simply out of the blue?” Snorting out, Adelise pressed the pad of her thumb to the hilt. “In that book I saw the ‘ice woman’. The one Father always told me of as a girl. I remember how much she meant to everyone here. To my family. How important she was. I wanted to embody her image, and her image came with that of a polearm.”

Denz De'bayle: This “ice-woman” being Halone. And do you think it would be wrong of you to deviate from that path by way of a different weapon? Many people become attached to their preference of weapon. But it is not the sole thing we need to identify what we are.

Adelise De'bayle: “I do not think there is anything wrong with being well rounded. As I said, I know a basic usage of a katana. As with plenty of other weapons, I do keep a dagger on me at all times. But the polearm is something I feel a… connection to, you could say,” she gestures up a free hand, her other holding the weapon tightly. “I felt the lance connected me to home.”

Denz De'bayle nods his head in understanding. “Aye. While I’ve had my fair share of use with a spear, and a sword with a shield, I will say that despite my words I still lean for longswords and their usage in most cases. Shields certainly provide for the protection I wish to give, but I had the ability to protect others with my aether once, and still swing a powerful weapon. So aye, I feel that same connection with the longsword and claymores. I pray it was not too much the same for Guillemont. He’s expressed his left arm being rather obsolete at this point… Speaking of which, he had plans to visit the ruins in Gyr Abania for historical sites that intrigued him. I had had a mind to have the whole family travel with him for such a trip. Would be good for all of us, I believe. Not even we four siblings have done something together since…I don’t even know. The Grindstone? Armont’s Wedding?”

Adelise De'bayle frowns in concern toward that, her free hand moving back to brush at her long braid that hung down her back toward her waist. "Mm, is that so? Guillemont has been concerning me. Last I saw him, he was very quiet and… aggressive almost. He threatened a guest who came into the house before leaving about a sennight ago. I have not seen him since.”

Denz De'bayle blinked. “What?” His eyes turned towards the ceiling of the bakery, focusing his mind and trying to reach out as see if he could sense his brother. “… He was in no shape to leave when last we spoke. Was this the same night two weeks ago?”

Adelise De'bayle shrugs, “how should I know? I had not seen himself, I was only told he threatened a guest before leaving the estate. He has not been seen since though. Our front desk has been keeping count. I had one of the maids check his room even, in case we had missed his return at some point. His plants were dead and so was his fish. I had her clean it up.”

Denz De'bayle sucked in a breath. “That’s… not good. If Guillemont’s left… where would he be? He’s been nowhere but inside this house for the last two months, and he did not appear physically able to venture out on his own.” His eyebrows furrowed in worry. “What do you think?

Adelise De'bayle: "I am afraid I could not tell you. I know very little of Guillemont, even if he was the first of the De'bayle’s I saw on my return home. Had you spoken to him recently?”

Denz De'bayle: “Not since I gave him his own gift from the East. Maybe he simply went to go live elsewhere?” Denz moves to go up the stairs.

Adelise De'bayle: “Uh…” Adelise, simply follows along behind the man.

Denz De'bayle opens the door to enter Guillemont’s room.

Adelise De'bayle: “Oh my…”

Denz De'bayle’s eyes went to the bar as they entered, letting out a discouraged noise. “Ah…” He picked up the superior ornamental katana he had gotten for Guillemont, the golden, red and purple weapon bearing its own bit of dust. Upon the carpet were the lingering footprints, lined in ink. Denz moved further into the room. “My brother…” He opened the room to his study, revealing several boots strewn across the room, and the floor stained with the inkwell. “… What happened to my brother?”

Adelise De'bayle: “Something was… not right with him, Denz,” Adelise remarked in a steady tone. “He has been distant for awhile.”

Denz De'bayle shakes his head, picking up one of the books left in the office. “I don’t…” He sucked in a breath, eyes glancing over the contents. “This… this is a book on voidsent. Summoning voidsent. Why would he be in need of this?”

Adelise De'bayle: “Voidsent? Ah, right Kindred as they are called there. Perhaps he was simply interested in the topic? They are rather intriguing?”

Denz De'bayle tosses the book onto the table, looking over more of the other tomes in the study. Many of them were on darker topics. The void itself, it’s many demons, rituals, all sorts of heretical information. But so too were there many other books on random topics and natures. Professional works and treatises on various subjects far beyond the scope of reason. Theoretical musings and scientific analysis. Denz’s eyes looked in confusion. “… I knew Gaspard was bringing him books, but I… I had no idea he was delving so deep into… knowledge itself.” He looked back at Adelise, clutching the summoning book meekly. His eyes harden as he moved back towards the open door, a deep breath entering his lungs before a loud voice boomed through the very foundation of the Vigil. “GASPARD!”

Adelise De'bayle winces as her slightly-pointed ears might have dipped down at the yelling, had there been enough ear to dip. “Mayhap he has seen Guillemont.”

The frantic footsteps of the house’s manservant bustled down the hallway, the finely dressed man bowing his head and showing great concern on his face. “Y-yes my lord?” His eyes saw the tome in Denz’s hand, swallowing nervously before keeping eye contact with the young De'bayle.

Denz De'bayle held up the book back in front of the manservant’s eyes. “Why are such things in Guillemont’s possession? Do you know where he went?!”

Adelise De'bayle placed an idle hand to her hip, her gifted katana having been left outside her door as they passed to Guillemont’s room. Eyes narrowing dangerously, the woman’s visage was akin to that of a scalekin. Frightening.

Gaspard bowed his head meekly. “T-the Baron asked for my discretion on the matter, my Viscount! Not to speak unless asked.” He shifts his weight for a moment. “The lord was very insistent that I found him material to read. He would study nonstop and read into the night as if…”

Denz De'bayle tilts his head. “As if what, Gaspard?”

The old man’s eyes turned back to Denz warily. “As if he was possessed.” Those orbs then looked to the book. “My lord was vague at first. Manuscripts, historical tomes and theses of any sort. Then he asked for anything to do with the voidsent, from magical instructions to simple mutterings.” He looked between the two De'bayles. “I-I’ve not born witness to anything devious, my lord, my lady.” But I swear, on my house and this one, I don’t know where the Baron Guillemont is.

Adelise De'bayle: “How duplicitous,” Adelise adds in a flat tone, “in regards to our Baron of course. Delving into such manners so… religiously, is very unbecoming of a man of Ishgard. Those who find themselves so devout to Her Fury of all things,” eyes rolling upward toward Denz, a firm frown was drawn over her lips, “I am fearful of what this might entail, De'bayle. He was interested in ruins located in Gyr Abania, yes? Was there Voidesent activity reported there at all in our ventures during the campaign?”

Denz De'bayle nodded slowly to Gaspard, before letting the man out of the Viscount’s ensnaring glare to look at Adelise thoughtfully. “No. He was looking to visit Gyr Abania for…” His eyes looked away in thought. “… for things regarding the Red Mages. Nothing so devious as voidsent. Do you think that is where he went? Venturing to a wartorn countryside does not sound like something Guillemont would do, in his state.”

Adelise De'bayle: "No, it does not. And considering what we have found out tonight, I cannot help but feel that he was not being completely honest in his wanting to venture those lands either. How many of those tomes were in regards to Red Mages, Uncle?”

Denz De'bayle: I wouldn’t know. The subject of Red Mages is beyond me. A few here and there, I believe. It was definitely a topic of interest to him.

Adelise De'bayle: “I know little of their belonging here,” she turns her gaze. “But from where I came from, they were not so involved with… Voidsent. If what Gaspard says is true any how, we cannot take Guillemonts words at face value anyhow. We do not know if he is being truthful… or if his mind has been clouded, per se.”

Astrelle De'bayle would slowly enter the room, carefully peering around the corner of the door as she took a few tentative steps within. Denz’s voice had carried down the hallway as she had traversed it, broken from her normal mechanical stupor after so long a time spent in the Workshop. Upon spying Denz, Gaspard, and Adelise, Astrelle would raise her brow as she regarded the trio with a curious, tired gaze.

Adelise De'bayle: “Evening Astrelle, did Denz’s pitched wailing awaken you?”

Astrelle De'bayle shook her head as the door was closed behind her, fully stepping into Guillemont’s room. “Merely caught my attention,” she murmured in reply. A hand combed through her recently cut hair, studying her youngest sibling. “Why the cry for Gaspard?”

Denz De'bayle crosses his arms in thought, shaking his head. “Clouded by what? Guillemont is not one t-” He looked sidelong at his sister who entered the room, lips setting. The pair were within the doorway of the room that saw no use since it’s occupant sudden departure. A film of dust lingered on the furniture, ink footprints on the carpet in the middle of the room, and a forgotten ornamental katana on the bar beside the woman. “… Astrelle.”

Adelise De'bayle: “I fear we have a rather grave situation on our hands. Your brother is missing, so it seems.”

Astrelle De'bayle returns her attention to Adelise. “Given Denzel’s presence, I assume it is one of the other two. Your lack of 'father’ in regards to the situation would suggest it to be Guillemont, as well as our current location.” The woman’s brows would furrow deeply, studying Adelise and then surveying the room with methodical care. Her eyes finally landed on Denz. “What happened?” she questioned in a quiet, but hard voice.

Denz De'bayle holds up an older book in his hand. “I don’t know. But there are books in his room, many of them pertaining to that of the Void.”

Adelise De'bayle: “Denz wishes to avoid considering the worst, but our dear Gaspard described the Baron’s final days as resembling one who is 'possessed’. Apparently so taken in his study of void magic, a very dangerous path to take.”

Astrelle De'bayle gave the book a cursory glance before her cerulean orbs returned to Denz’s. “I should have been alerted sooner,” she spoke in a frigid tone. Her gaze lingered on Denz before finally turning to Gaspard, whom she appraised in silent scrutiny. “Not a wise path to take, but one my twin was more than capable of handling.” She snapped her head to look upon Adelise. “Have you done naught but stand about and discuss it? Shall I begin perusing the books?”

Adelise De'bayle gestures a hand, “I understand your frustration, Astrelle, but attempting to gather any idea from those present as to where he might be was our first intention before digging into the books for the rest of the evening. Wherever Guillemont is, it is as you said, he is more than capable of handling himself. However, that in itself could be an issue,” she heaves an exhale, “I would say with what information has been gathered, looking into the tomes would be our best option at the moment, yes.”

Denz De'bayle blinked incredulously. “I’m just learning this myself, Astrelle! Last I saw Guillemont, he was ragged and tired, and could still barely lift his arm. How could I assume this of him?” He looked back at Gaspard. “'Twas you who should’ve told us of this sooner!

Adelise De'bayle was rather poised, her still ever present disconnect from the family in a broader sense offering her some emotional detachment.

Astrelle De'bayle snapped her head back towards Denz. "Pray leave Gaspard free of this, lest another one of my brothers assaults an elderly.” Astrelle scoffed, shaking her head in disbelief before her hand found her face, covering it with an incredulous sigh. “We have not been so far apart as to have an excuse for this to happen; this is a recent event, then, I take it.”

Gaspard bows his head fervently. “A thousand pardons, Viscount. His orders merely asked I not tell anyone lest they found out. Were he truly delving into darker things, would I not be given some threat? Some swear of secrecy?”

Denz De'bayle: I am not Guillemont. I would not strike him for his errors.

Adelise De'bayle: “Perhaps… he figured no one would come looking,” Adelise dips her head somberly, going silent.

Astrelle De'bayle: “Then do not blame him for our lack of communication. Guillemont is our brother - our blood. We’ve no excuse for not being more aware of this.”

Astrelle De'bayle pursed her lips at Adelise, but offered nothing in response to her. She wore a slight look of shame at the thought.

Denz De'bayle places both of his hands on his face with a frustrated sigh. “I know.” He closes his eyes harsly with his own sigh. “I know… All we can do now is make the best of it.” He looked sidelong at the elder. “Is there anything else you can tell us, Gaspard?”

The elder threaded his hands together in great thought. “None, my lord. His requests for books was never out of the ordinary. Normal since you’re House took up the vigil. 'Twas only after returning from Ala Mhigo with his wounds did he begin asking for such… material.” He cleared his throat. “He was heading towards the docks of the Beds, and his eyes were distant. That was… thirteen days ago.”

Denz De'bayle: … When I gave him the sword. And then he left.

Astrelle De'bayle’s eyes widened in shock. “Thirteen,” she murmured aloud, guilt laced within her voice. Her eyes fell to the floor where she gazed with a forlorn expression, her teeth sinking into her bottom lip.

Denz De'bayle nods to Gaspard. “That will be all. Leave us.”

Adelise De'bayle: “That must have been when he threatened the guest of the house… already thirteen suns,” Adelise sighs in displeasure. “So long. I should have known something was wrong when the maids returned and told me of his dead plants and fish, but I simply figured he left without telling anyone and would eventually return. It is not as though he would be the first to do such. He was always rather disheveled, it was my poor hindsight… that we did not seek him out sooner.”

The manservant swiftly and graciously takes his exit.

Adelise De'bayle: “…This is no time for us to wallow in the pity of our lack of action, however. We need search for where he might be.”

Astrelle De'bayle hums a light note, pulling herself free of despair. “Aye,” she grunts, eyes flashing as she collected herself and turned to regard the katana with a curious mind. Inspecting it for a silent moment, she murmured, “Which guest of the House was this, Adelise? And Denz– for what reason did you give him a sword?”

Denz De'bayle: A gift from my time in the East. I asked if he wished anything from there, and he said yes. Never specified.

Adelise De'bayle: “They were a… black scaled Au Ra,” she murmurs out some, a hand moving to scratch at her cheek, eyes lingering over toward Denz. “Apparently he said something along the lines of 'hunting her down like the animal she is’ if she did something toward anyone in the house. Then simply left.”

Denz De'bayle walks up to the ornamental katana, the black sheath gilded with gold along its length. The hilt showed two dragons intertwined, one with a red gem for an eye, another with a purple gemmed eye. The length also had gold woven into its lengths. “If the sword was important, he wouldn’t have left it, aye?”

Astrelle De'bayle grumbles, “Certainly Guillemont.” Ruffling her own hair in contemplation, she would think to herself before turning once more to gaze upon the ink spots on the carpet. “I should think it rather unhelpful in our investigation. It is a souvenir he left behind – naught else, aye?”

Denz De'bayle: Yes. I had it forged at the same smithy that made Adelise’s blade that I just gave her. If they were cursed, would I not be affected carrying it longer? Assuming we’re jumping to the “cursed blade” option.

Astrelle De'bayle: “Fury forbid you to be cursed with anything, brother.” Her eyes narrowed some as they lifted to regard Denz. “I still have not completely forgiven you for kicking me.”

Adelise De'bayle: “That does not seem to be the case here,” Adelise murmurs to herself fro behind the duo.

Denz De'bayle: T-to be fair, I don’t remember kicking you, so it wasn’t me, per se.

Astrelle De'bayle snorts at Denz before turning her eyes back towards the ink spots. She would brush past the armored sibling and lower herself to a knee to inspect it, careful not to touch the substance. “I suppose we’ve little else to do but to begin checking the tomes in hopes of reaching some sort of idea of where he might’ve gone.”

Adelise De'bayle: “There is a near room full of them, we have all night and day, so we had best begin,” she huffs out, turning on her heel to enter into the man’s study.

Denz De'bayle nods his head, moving past the pair into Guillemont’s bedroom. “His armor is still in here… and his travelling pack.” There is some rummaging. “Halone, he even left his coin pouch. Wherever he went couldn’t have been too far.”

Astrelle De'bayle follows behind Denz, entering Guillemont’s bedroom. Giving it a cursory glance, she would huff and turn to enter the study and begin looking over the volumes helplessly.

Adelise De'bayle tugs out a book, then another, scanning over their covers with mild interest. “Most of these are historical tomes…” she mumbles.

Astrelle De'bayle seems to be finding much of the same on her side, slender fingers sliding along the spine of every volume she inspected. The woman would read each name beneath her breath as they passed under her finger, a deep frown etching upon her features.

As the pair began to scan the shelves and piles of books, there were as Gaspard claimed that they were. Many of them were on darker topics. The void itself, it’s many demons, rituals, all sorts of heretical information. But so too were there many other books on random topics and natures. Professional works and treatises on various subjects far beyond the scope of reason. Theoretical musings and scientific analysis.

Astrelle De'bayle would pluck two books on the various topics; a tome of rituals and a volume describing the information best left to those of a darker interest. She tucked them under her arm after giving a quick glance at their covers, frowning to herself.

Denz De'bayle crashes around the room, the clatter of plate and furniture echoing about the area. Suddenly Denz lets out an “Aha!” Bursting out of the bedroom, Denz is holding a simple lockbox in his hands.

Adelise De'bayle walks out of the study, some tomes in hand, “find something of actual use?”

Astrelle De'bayle follows behind, the two still held beneath her arm.

Denz De'bayle holds up the box. “This was under his bed, and the only thing in his room that is locked, has any sort of deterrent.”

Adelise De'bayle: “Well, figure a way to open it.”

Denz De'bayle doesn’t miss a beat and holds it out to Astrelle.

Astrelle De'bayle huffs as she closes the gap, taking the lockbox from Denz in her other hand. Tossing the tomes from under her arm onto the couch, she would kneel on the ground and place the box before her while digging into her pouch for a small handheld screwdriver. She would begin picking at the lock gingerly, mumbling to herself as she worked.

The lockbox would pop open rather easily. Placing the tool back within her pouch, Astrelle would lift the lid to open the box to reveal its contents: a copper inlaid medallion, poorly made, sat at the top. Beneath were documents and parchments of various kinds that Astrelle would begin lifting from within, spreading out across the carpet.

Astrelle De'bayle: “Denz, pray look at this.” She held up a piece of parchment towards Denz, waving it at him impatiently as she continued to pore over the other documents laid on the carpet.

Denz De'bayle furrowed his eyebrows, taking up the silver medallion and looking it over curiously. “This eye… Does it mean anything to either of you?” He passed it off to Adelise, before looking over the notes. Many of them were in vague reference to conversations amongst several unnamed individuals. If there were named, they had odd moniker. “'Knowledge met the Illusion, and was found wanting seeing through her tricks.’” He mutters the rest of the page, before looking at the other pages. Many of them would refer to an individual by the name of 'Knowledge’.

Adelise De'bayle takes the medallion into her hand, looking it over front and back before shaking her head. “I fear not. I will more than likely know very little of anything Kindr-ehem… Voidsent related here. I have not delved into the subject myself,” she hands it back to Astrelle.

Astrelle De'bayle takes the medallion, gazing over it before placing it back into the lockbox. She would return a few of the documents into it as well before closing it shut, rising back to her feet. “I shall take this to my room to study, along with a few of his tomes.” Her wedges clicked against the wooden flooring as she collected the previously discarded volumes. “I shall be in my room if you’ve need of anything or find anything else to further our cause.”

Adelise De'bayle: “Mm. I know this is important to you Astrelle, but do not become too lost in this either. We need not lose another De'bayle to… whatever it was that took him. If something took him at all.”

Denz De'bayle sucks in a breath, nodding his head slowly. "We need to figure who he’s been talking to. Who he’s seen…That friend of his. The Red Rabbit. A highlander by the name of… Uyraies. She was the only person outside of the house to see him.Maybe she would know more.”

Astrelle De'bayle holds a finger up to pause Adelise’s concern, her gaze shifting to Denz. "I have heard naught of this person, but it would seem that she may be a vital link to our search. Would you be able to call upon her for a meeting, dear brother? I wish to begin my own research into this… information.”

Denz De'bayle: Of course. She actually has employment under Father Nathanial of Salem.

Astrelle De'bayle: “Ah, the maze-builder. Excellent.”

Denz De'bayle chuckles with a nod. “Indeed. I’ll get her to the Vigil posthaste.” He placed a hand on Adelise’s arm, before moving to leave the room, placing a hand on Astrelle’s shoulder. “We’ll find him.”

Astrelle De'bayle stared deeply into Denz’s eyes, the shadow of hope peering out from within the depths of her irises. Bowing her head in a slight nod, she hummed a light note in response.

Adelise De'bayle watched from afar, eyes dropping to the floor.

Astrelle De'bayle watched her brother depart, staring absently at the door. “We will find him,” she repeated to herself before exiting as well – her mind too occupied to remember Adelise’s presence.

I wondered, if I knew how Guillemont felt in some regards. If, in his great desire to be something more, he questioned being here. If perhaps, he did not wish to be found, despite the sadness that lingered there. I often wondered, if anyone would come to find me There. In some ways, I hoped they never would.