#where is the seventh samurai

[tamayula-hl]

Headcanon about Sebastian and my mc, Sakurako

NOTE ･Sakurako is a Mary Sue-like character with an unrealistic personality. Reading is not recommended if you don't like Mary Sue-like OCs! ･It's very long. To be honest, all the descriptions of Sakurako are nothing more than a product of complacency for me. I am a little embarrassed to disclose my headcanon, which is filled with these particular settings and delusions...😳 ･Read from the top right in Japanese manga style. ･And again, please bear with my poor English🤣

Until admission to Hogwarts

In 1875, Sakurako was born into a former samurai family when the cherry trees (sakura) were in bloom. In Japan, the samurai society was abolished around 1868 and the samurai were forced to take the status of commoners. Sakurako's samurai-turned-commoner father became a successful trader and took young Sakurako and his family to Britain to get serious about the raw silk trade with Britain. (At the time, there was a thriving raw silk trade between the British and Japanese.)

Her father, who had a male-dominated mindset due to his birth in a samurai society, restricted her from academic opportunities that she did not need for a better marriage. Whenever she went out of the house, local children always made fun of her yellow skin. One day, after such a depressing life, with the sudden awakening of her magical powers, Sakurako received her Hogwarts acceptance letter and became a member of the Wizarding World, a place free of sexism and racism, where she had a fateful meeting with Sebastian and formed a warped love with him.

During the relationship quest with Sebastian

In my personal opinion, I consider Sebastian to be a very calculating character. Sebastian initially comes into contact with Sakurako as a means of breaking Anne's curse. Sakurako takes an early liking to the boy, Sebastian, who is very kind and helpful to her in her first time in the wizarding world, but it is around the 'In the shadow of the study' quest that Sebastian begins to take a liking to Sakurako. Having grown up watching her parents become arrogant new rich through their success in the trades, Sakurako has a desire to be a good person who is not conceited by her talents and luck. Impressed by the fact that the wizarding world is free from sexism and racism and that everyone treats her with openness, Sakurako is so excited that she takes on any request from anyone without refusal. Sakurako feels threatened by Sebastian's obsession with the relics after "In the shadow of the study", but she can't refuse Sebastian's request and continues to cooperate with him. Then came the tragedy of 'Avada Kedavra'.

After all is over, Sakurako realises how stupid she has been. She continued to help Sebastian (and the other students) out of kindness and goodwill, but as a result she realised that she was not a good person, but an arrogant monster with no sense of right and wrong. Sebastian's mistakes were all her fault, and she blamed herself from this moment until her death, and she would have lifelong thoughts of 'rewinding time and starting all over again'. Sakurako was deeply in love with Sebastian at this point, but out of remorse she tried to distance herself from him. However, Sebastian forcefully continued to contact Sakurako, confessed his fondness and they began dating.

About relationships

Elsewhere, Sakurako had established a friendship with Anne over a number of correspondence until tragedy struck, which was disrupted by Anne's disappearance after Solomon's death. In my headcanon, Sebastian heard the news of Anne's death in the seventh year, and Sakurako was also deeply saddened and even more remorseful when she heard of her death. Sakurako kept Anne's letters and the last letter she was unable to send to Anne for the rest of her life.

Subsequent relationship with Sebastian Since she and Sebastian have been seeing each other, Sakurako has been constantly worried that the love Sebastian has for her is not genuine love, but an obsession caused by the confusion and trauma of losing Anne. She was aware that their relationship was codependent, not healthy love, yet she spent her days loving Sebastian so much that she could not reject him. She dreads every day that one day Sebastian's love will disappear and he will instead resent her and saying 'Solomon's death was your fault'. When she is in the seventh year and thinking seriously about her future life, she finally decides to break up with Sebastian.

When Sebastian realised that Sakurako was acting strangely and that she wanted to break up with him, he asked her to marry him in The Great Hall at a crowded time, in front of many people watching, in a situation where she could not say 'no'. As per Sebastian's cunning intentions, Sakurako is unable to reject Sebastian and becomes engaged to him. However, even after her engagement, Sakurako's insecurities were not exhausted. Worried that she would never be happy even if she married him in an unhealthy codependent state, Sakurako finally came to her senses and, after secretly returning the engagement ring in Sebastian's bag after the graduation ceremony, disappeared without saying anything to him. Sakurako then went to Japan and spent her days learning about Japanese native magic, which she had long been interested in. However, after about a year, she is discovered by Sebastian. After Sebastian apologises for how selfish he had been, he asks Sakurako to marry him again. After a few days of deliberation and discussion with Sebastian, Sakurako accepts his engagement with a smile.

(This is an Illustration I drew for a previous Twitter post introducing the MC's image song) Afterwards, Sakurako returned to Britain and officially married Sebastian, giving birth to their first daughter the following year, and then to male and female twins the year after that.

About the death of Sakurako Sakurako became Unspeakable of the Department of Mysteries shortly after returning to Britain. https://harrypotter.fandom.com/wiki/Department_of_Mysteries#Early_history It is official canon in the Wizarding World that the Department of Mysteries conducted time travel experiments in the 1890s and then had a serious time accident in 1899. I have built on this canon to create a head canon in which Sakurako dies in 1899.

Ever since the tragedy of 1890, Sakurako had been harbouring a wish to 'go back in time and do it all over again so that Sebastian would not make the same mistakes'. Then, she is asked by the other Unspeakables to help them with a time travel experiment using her ancient magical powers. She understands that it is a dangerous experiment, but with a strong desire to redo the past, she accepts the request and takes part in the experiment.

Then one day in 1899, Sakurako was involved in a time accident with Madam Mintumble and her existence was lost. The Department of Mysteries determined that she had died in the chasm of time.

When Sebastian heard the news of his wife's death, he despaired violently, but had no time to grieve as he had the three young children Sakurako had left behind to look after. He vowed to raise them well on his own. After his wife's death, Sebastian, who had been active in the outside world as an Auror, moved inside work and, after the twins entered Hogwarts, became a Professor of Charm, watching over his precious children as they grew up.

The consequences for Sebastian and Sakurako I consider an even more specific headcanon for Sakurako: 'She survived only her soul by the power of an ancient magic, losing her memory and trapped in an endless loop of time'.

She loses her memory but somehow survives with only her soul and travels back in time to 1890 with only her soul for her obsessive wish to 'start all over again for Sebastian'. But because she has lost her memory, she ends up repeating the same mistakes and is unable to save Sebastian, despairing and wishing to 'start all over' again. Trapped in the Ouroboros circle of time and tormented by eternal guilt… is the headcanon about her. (I love novels and movies about time leaps and infinite loops… 😳) But I also have two possible outcomes when she is able to escape the endless loop. The first is route A. If Sakurako is able to time leap without losing her memories.

(I like Butterfly Effect soooooo much!!!!!!!!) During that fateful encounter with Sebastian at DADA on her first day of transfer, when he spoke to her after class, she rejected him and said terrible things to him. Sakurako thinks that that tragedy happens because she and Sebastian have become friends, so she tries to save him by making Sebastian hate her… and so the ending goes.

And Route B. If by the power of love she accidentally escapes from the infinite loop and travels back in time to a world 100 years later. (Never mind the details. The power of love is powerful in the Wizarding World, right?)

She is miraculously reunited with Sebastian, who has been surviving and waiting for her return for all of a hundred years… and that is the ending. Having fulfilled his purpose in life, Sebastian soon dies, and Sakurako's soul, weakened by multiple time slips, also ascends.

In any case, Sebastian and Sakurako do not end up completely happy… which is my preference. I love tragic love stories 😂 But it's nice to see these tragic couples having fun in extra episodes and so on!

(The drawing on the left is part of a cartoon I drew when the Sebastian T-shirt was decided to be launched. The drawing on the right is a parody/trace of a meme that used to be popular in Japan)

These are my headcanons on Sebastian and Sakurako! I'm honestly embarrassed to reveal my brain fantasies 😳. Thanks so much for taking the time to read this long post! 😭💓 The following are the Japanese versions!

[sparrowsong-7]

Character Dump Time!

Figured I'd keep an up to date primer on all my OCs, since some of their details have changed.

(Updated as of 10/13/2024)

Ayami Ami (formerly Ayami Tsukimori)

Age: 22 (post EW)

Race: Lala Ra (half Lalafell, half Au Ra)

Pronouns: She/Her

Gender: Trans Woman

Jobs: Black Mage, Red Mage, Summoner, Pictomancer, Reaper, Samurai

Born as an Au Ra to the Tsukimori Family, Ayami had a rather rough childhood, something that reached a head when she ran away from her home at the tender age of 11. Her lonesome journey took her to Ul'Dah, where she'd live on the streets until Cocobuki of the Thaumaturge's Guild took pity on the girl, bringing her inside and changing her life forever. Eventually she would hear the call of adventure and set out with her best friend Mel in search of glory.

Throughout her journey, Ayami has gone from a meek, unassuming adventure to a veritable force of nature. She would also transform from an awkward Au Ra to a confident Lalafell thanks to a rather potent Fantasia. Rather than seeking fame and fortune, Ayami instead used her new form to fake her death, leading the world to believe that Ayami Tsukimori perished during the Final Days.

Now going by the name Ayami Ami, she wanders where her heart may take her, taking in the sights and knowledge that she stumbles across.

Memello Mello

Age: 25 (post EW)

Race: Dunesfolk Lalafell

Pronouns: She/Her

Gender: Cis Woman

Jobs: Machinist, Gunbreaker, Dark Knight

A Sharlayan runaway, Memello (often simply Mel) grew up as a magitek prodigy in a family that had no care for the machines. In a fit of desperation, frustration, and fear Mel stole as many supplies and gadgets as she could from a gleaner store house and caught the quickest boat to Eorzea, hoping to start a new life using her skills. While Mel had nothing to her name her prowess made waves that would soon reach the ears of one Cid Garlond, who would quickly offer the young girl a job at the Garlond Ironworks.

She would eventually cross paths with Ayami Tsukimori, irrevocably changing the course of both their lives. Some years later, they would set out together in search of adventure, hoping to strike it big. What they never expected was to be recruited to the Scions of the Seventh Dawn, eventually becoming Warriors of Light.

Unfortunately, after Zenos took her leg and her confidence in their climactic battle at the edge of existence, Mel was left unable to continue her adventuring. This, followed by the loss of her love Crescent, Mel spiraled into a deep depression, one that she had only recently recovered from.

Crescent Sparrowsong

Age: 20 (?)

Race: Elezen, Doll

Pronouns: They/them

Gender: Non-Binary

Jobs: Reaper, Paladin

Born to the Seventh Epopt of Troia 20 years before the Flood of Darkness, Crescent was seen as an enigma by their people. Eschewing from the traditional norms of Troian society, Crescent instead took up the blade, spending their life training to one day lead Troia's military. That day eventually came, and with it the Contramemoria...

When the dust had settled and the world was consumed, Crescent took to floating aimlessly in the abyss of their world, their memories slowly fading until one day they stumbled upon a void gate with a voice that beckoned them forward; Hear, Feel, Think

Crescent would find themself in the snows of Coerthas, body formed back into its original shape. From there, they would attempt to pick up the pieces and figure out just where they were and how they wound up here.

Years later they would fall to a great foe, seemingly leaving the mortal coil. In truth, a portion of their essence remained tethered to Ayami, allowing them to live on as a spirit. In time, through the combined efforts of Corin, Mel, and the Scions, Crescent's soul was tied to a custom Doll body, allowing them a second chance at a true life.

L'vinia "Fay"

Age: 1500+

Race: Doll

Pronouns: It/Its

Gender: Ungendered (Doll)

Jobs: Machinist*

*L'vinia doesn't fall under the standard job umbrella, drifting closer to being a gunslinger than a machinist.

Dormant for over 1500 years, L'vinia was discovered by an expedition team in the ruins of a Amdapori fringe town just on the outskirts of the Twelves Wood. Its dormant body transferred hands countless time as a curiosity before winding up in the hands of the Seedseers of Gridania. There it would remain until its body came into direct contact with Ayami, stirring L'vinia to life once more.

Once obedient to a fault, L'vinia was freed from the enchantment placed upon it by its former master with the help of Ayami and Cait Sith. Now truly free for the first time in its life, L'vinia chose to steal a Manacutter and fly off to parts unknown, leaving only a note begging its former friends not to follow. Where it's been all this time is a mystery to everyone, though talk has been spreading in Shaaloani of an unkillable gunman who bears a striking resemblance to the wayward Doll...

Corin "Fay"

Age: 27

Race: Vierafell (half Viera, half Lalafell)

Pronouns: She/They

Gender: Intersex Woman

Jobs: White Mage, Pictomancer

An orphan left for dead by the mages of Mhach, Corin was found by the enigmatic Lady Fay and brought in to study the arts of White Magic in kingdom of Amdapor. There, she wiled away the hours, growing closer with her fellow apprentice L'Vinia. All seemed right with the world.

But then Mhach attacked, sending legions of voidsent to attack Amdapor Keep during what would one day be called the War of the Magi. Panicked and afraid, Corin was shepherded along by Lady Fay into being the centerpiece of a ritual drawn up to fling her through time. Unfortunately, the ritual put Corin into a half stasis, locking her in the rift until the appropriate point in time had been reached. Now over 1500 years late, Corin awakes in a bed in Mel's cottage, bereft of memories.

Lithryn Willowbough

Age: 1467 (linear age), 5064 (total age)

Race: Kaldorei

Pronouns: she/her

Gender: cis woman

Class: Hunter

Hero of the Alliance, Huntsman of the Hidden Path, Champion of Azeroth…

The Knife Eared Drunk…

A hero very far from home, Lithryn has taken to forming bad habits, making enemies with anyone she can, and just generally being a nuisance to those around her. But underneath her rough exterior is a woman deeply broken by the loss of her home, desperately trying to find some semblance of normalcy in a world so different from her own.

Proficient in at least a dozen combat styles and wielding magicks the likes of which no one has seen on Etheirys, Lithryn is a veritable force of nature when she fights, quickly ending engagements before they can even really start. Perhaps as time wears on she can find a place and purpose in this new world.

[seekers-who-are-lovers]

Pretty in pink: Kazuki K & subversion (an homage)

Note: For Kazukiweek 2023: Acceptance

Pink is fresh. It is a happy color. It is positive. It is a sign of good health. That says a lot about Kazuki Kurusu. He has a bubbly personality, his optimism is brimming, especially after the seventh episode. It sure helps that Rei and Miri have become his ethos, have accepted to welcome the changes after five years of losing Yuzu. Usually, he wears his emotions on his sleeve. (But I think that’s only a front.) I love him. Right to the 11th episode, he has totally embraced the new life he’s been leading with Rei and Miri. The fact that he wanted it all along but was apprehensive because of his traumatic experiences made him cautious of the way he dealt with Rei and Miri. Rei’s determination on the second balcony scene was the catalyst because he knew how much K wanted it.

That fond looks K gives toward his family.

In the West, we are past that era where men cannot subvert pink’s gendered stereotype. You see men wear pink dress shirts, pink suits and other piece of clothing and they look spectacularly good. It is still a test of bravery for some though. Small boys still despise this color perceiving it as a girly stuff. New mothers try to veer their daughters away from this color by consciously not purchasing and introducing pink-coloured merchandise to their daughters’ color palette only to be disappointed because of peer pressure in the kindergartens. You know Elsa and Anna and the beautiful ladies of Disney and their association with pink? Too common, too banal.

However, “in contemporary Japanese culture, says (Barbara) Nemitz, pink is perceived as a masculine and mournful color that represents ‘young warriors who fall in battle while in the full bloom of life.’” Slain young samurai. All right. (Thanks to PA Works, it didn’t come to that though.)

It is also the color of sakura, cherry blossoms, which are the Japanese’s favourite flower. They do picnics just enjoying and gazing at the beauty of cherry blossoms (and later, peach blossoms). The Hanami. Some Japanese migrants adapted this ritual/event to their host countries and it is a sight to behold.

Different shades/nuances of pink worn by K and the moms

Pink has long been associated with homosexuality. The pink triangle. The lgbtq movement reclaimed the former badge of shame used by the Nazis incorporating it into the pride flag later. Though almost 70 per cent of the Japanese society supports it, it still is a huge problem to come out.

While there are no legal implications, coming out remains taboo for many in Japan for fear of being ostracized. A survey of young LGBTQ people published last year found high levels of mental anguish, including suicidal thoughts. More than 90% said they couldn’t talk about their sexuality with their guardians. Very few people in national politics or the corporate world are openly gay, although homosexual themes and LGBTQ celebrities are a staple of television and other forms of entertainment.

“Buddy Daddies” is not marketed as BL, but the show makers can write whatever about their characters. Sometimes implying them without direct confirmation. It depends how the viewers interpret it.

But K also symbolizes subversion. K’s characterization nonetheless goes against of what is perceived to be the norm in the Japanese society. He is both a nurturer and a protector, though Rei certainly will take over this “protector/saviour” task without any question. From the looks of it, he’d do anything for K and Miri.

Rei always in front to gauge the danger

An odd man out, K does the household chores while he can carry an adult man without any problem. We have seen him does it more than twice already. He’s loud and conspicuous. In Japan, you must never stand out. (<< - Shogo’s videos are highly recommended to watch btw!) He (and Rei) (go) goes against the rules. They blur the gender stereotyping in all aspects of life.

The crew presented the scenarios as if they were a matter of fact, normal, without making fun or light of it. No further commentary. One can say that it is subversive in a sense they want the audience to become aware of their thoughts on adoption, new family dynamics, the bureaucratic hurdles of enrolling your children and better access to daycare centres/schools to the ever-present mothers who have to give up their jobs and dedicate their lives to their kids, etc.

(It was unfortunate that they didn’t follow it up with Misaki Unasaka.)

Why do I get this feeling that one way or another “Buddy Daddies” had been the show makers’ thinly veiled social commentary on their society?

Anyway, I will miss his winking. Either way, I can still rewatch it.

Many happy returns, K!

[alicesadventuresinffxiv]

Telling "The First Step" as Background NPCs

One of the interesting quirks of the FC I'm in is that we often help a Youtube Let's Player record his FFXIV videos. Last year is when he did the Stormblood patches, and when I and a dozen friends got together for a special project!

Since the Lodestone short story "The First Step" would otherwise not be in the Let's Play (nor would the SMN 80 quest) we wanted to convey the plot beats of that story in another way. Specifically, we designed a handful of "scenes" that the Let's Player would naturally run across as he progressed the 4.x MSQ.

The goal was to make it look as though "Arenvald," "Fordola," and the rest of our cast were overworld background NPCs who changed position after every patch, much like the B-Team Scions do in the Rising Stones!

Our first scene could be found in Rhalgr's Reach at the tail end of 4.3. Here, Fordola and a few other Garlean prisoners are being conscripted into the Ala Mhigan Resistance. The idea was Raubahn’s, so Arenvald and Pipin are on hand to pass along the details as various Resistance and Alliance soldiers chat and train nearby.

(Credit to @halcyonlioness - here playing a Meteor-lookalike Garlean prisoner - for the first screenshot!)

.

Come 4.4, this same mix of soldiers could be seen early on in Ala Mhigo. The Resistance and the Alliance are collaborating on something, it appears...

(This screenshot by @shepspencil, with his character Anri as an Immortal Flames soldier! You can also see the Let's Player's Lalafell samurai in the background, where Alisaie and Thancred would appear for a quest at this point in the MSQ.)

Later in the same patch, more "NPCs" could be found by approaching the steps to the Royal Palace. Here, Fordola and Arenvald are being introduced to the Immortal Flames' Summoner squadron from the SMN 60-70 quests:

(More screenshots by @halcyonlioness!)

Of course, in the real short story, the scene where Fordola meets the summoners actually takes place outside Forgotten Springs. But the Let's Player wasn't going to pass through a random ARR village, so we picked a different location… albeit one that required getting our alts through a good chunk of the MSQ. It was quite the journey!

(Double Pipin shot by Pipin's player, who is a delight but does not have a tumblr!)

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By the 4.5(6) MSQ, things might be looking dire for the Warrior of Light, but our "background NPCs" managed to defeat Ifrit offscreen, so they could be found celebrating in the Seventh Heaven bar...

And what a celebration it is! A few people were called away for Savage raiding important military errands throughout the day 😉, and we also had some random other players go AFK in the middle of the Rising Stones. As a result, the tableau actually evolved quite a bit as the Let's Player ran in and out a few times for the patch quests.

Here's where we ended up by the finale!

Some fun little details I’d like to highlight (with thanks to @halcyonlioness once again for all these screenshots):

-The summoners and the thaumaturge are all using Ifrit weapon drops now, and Crispin has his Ifrit-egi out to further emphasize the point of what we were up to.

-The Resistance thaumaturge was wounded in the fight and saved by Fordola, so she and Pipin are checking up on him again here.

All in all, it was an extremely fun creative challenge to "adapt" a written story to this unusual storytelling format. It was also quite an intense undertaking to organize! Even before the actual Let's Play recordings, we had weeks of rehearsals where we worked together to come up with our "stage blocking" and determine when in the MSQ each scene would be visible.

Ultimately, while I might have been the instigator of these shenanigans, I couldn't have pulled any of it off without such an awesome and talented cast.

Some of whom are also on tumblr! In addition to @halcyonlioness (Hyal) and @shepspencil (Anri), I'd like to shout out @darquingdragon (Arenvald) and @newsiesgirl (Alexia)! Thanks for putting up with my wild ideas. :)

As for me, I haven't done a project this involved before or since... but who knows what the future might bring?

[frogs-in3-hills]

Day 15 of the @domaystic prompt challenge: "Junk mail"

Ace Attorney | Gen | SFW | 2,383 words

Relationship: Maya Fey & Miles Edgeworth

POV Miles Edgeworth

Summary: Maya doesn’t know how to use computers, and Miles receives a very strange email indeed.

~~~

The first thing Miles does upon getting back to his hotel after the prosecutor’s dinner is to take a moment, his back pressed up against the door, and breathe.

The room is high up---seventh story---and while he’d dealt with worse at his own office back in Los Tokyo, tonight had still been far from an easy climb. Only an hour ago, he’d been eating his weight in gourmet Austrian cuisine and chasing it down with a tad too much Riesling wine. In addition, it’s beginning to occur to him that his knees are not quite what they used to be. Coupled with the fact that his focus for the day had largely been dedicated to appearing presentable, courteous, and as “normal” as he possibly could be… it was all a perfect recipe for the complete exhaustion that he is now suffering the consequences of. It’s a weight that had been growing all throughout the day, but only now does he have the opportunity to wince so openly at the growing headache it fosters.

He squints out at the wide, glistening hotel window that overlooks the city, the sheer curtains that frame it flowing gently from the force of the automatic heating unit mounted below them on the wall. His laptop sits on the small wooden desk beside the bed, still open. He’d forgotten to close it this morning before leaving, it seems.

He considers the pros and cons of checking it before collapsing into a much-needed sleep. Miles is the kind of person who monitors his emails closely, answers them regularly and promptly, sorts those that are needed, and discards the ones that aren’t. A warring anxiety rises in his chest at the thought of leaving a potentially important message to stew in his inbox overnight, so he manages to push himself off from the door frame, loosening his cravat a little as he walks, but not removing it yet.

He navigates the laptop with swift proficiency. It seems his worries are for nothing---he quickly fields one or two easy questions from some students that had attended his speaking engagement this morning, then marks another one that would require a bit more thought, so that he may answer it before work tomorrow. All in all, nothing to be concerned over.

Without thinking much of it, he moves to his junk mail, fully expecting there to be nothing of value within it.

There are one or two advertisements, his name stiltedly inserted into the subject line in a sad attempt at familiarity. But in addition to that, there’s something suspicious waiting near the top sent only two hours ago:

pinklotus1999@hotmail.com

Mr. Edgeworth

The moon cast an ethereal glow upon the desolate rooftop, where a solitary figure halted…

This is strange. Miles doesn’t recognize this email, and the sight of his name waiting unaccompanied in the subject line is a bit foreboding, in all honesty. The text preview does not provide much more clarity.

He clicks onto it, resolving not to click any of the links that may be lying in wait inside, ready to pounce and infect his laptop with all sorts of material and code that could prove problematic.

The moon cast an ethereal glow upon the desolate rooftop, where a solitary figure halted, panting, his silhouette cut from the fabric of the night. The Steel Samurai passed his tired eyes over the city, wishing desperately for just just a moment of rest in the midst of this chase, laid bare like this before its pulsating heart. But… that heart was still tainted by the lingering shadows of crime and corruption, and he was still being hunted, and would be for as long as he remained still, so The Steel Samurai took a halting breath through his mask before preparing to leap into the darkness of night.

That familar and accursed presence, as the chill wind whispered around him, materialized behind him, having caught up once again in their chase.

“There you are,” the Evil Magistrate said, the words seeming almost like a sigh through his metal mask, which hung around and shadowed his face like the long bars of a prison.

The Steel Samurai felt his heartbeat grow erratic once more, as he registered the danger. Rendered incapable of speech by the weight of the exhaustion, he just growled in response.

The Evil Magistrate laughed in response, a tinge of childlike wonder to it as he leaned forward, like a little boy prodding curiously at a frog caught between his hands by the river.

"You know…” The Steel Samurai hissed. “You have a flair for dramatic entrances. Don’t tell me you’ve rehearsed this in front of the mirror."

What in the world…? Is this some bizarre attempt at blackmail?! Miles leans away in his chair, affronted, as if increasing the physical distance between himself and the screen could solve a single thing about the predicament before him (except, of course, to remind him once again that he really should seek an eye examination soon). How does this stranger know about his personal interests, and what is their game in sending it to his work email? If they have any queries about the Steel Samurai in-universe legal system, he has a separate email for such things that’s publicly available and, in fact, is apparently rather well-known in the online Steel Samurai community.

(The logistics, of course, are handled by a friend he’d met at the annual tokusatsu convention in San Francisco, but he’s nonetheless aware that his anonymous contact is readily available to those with specific questions.)

But how many people does Miles know from the legal world who are aware of his interest in the series, and how many of them have emails he doesn’t even know?! This must be some sort of threat. It’s a good thing he checked his emails tonight, the danger of the situation awakening a rush of adrenaline in his brain. His previous exhaustion feels more like a distant dream.

But… he reads on.

The grammar…

Their repartee continued, a dance of words amidst the whirlwind of their weapons. As they clashed, their voices intertwined like the eb and flow of a symphony, each barb revealing something deeper, more intimate, beneath the surface.

It was a respite from the weight of their destinies, buried in the midst of chaos. A trust built over countless battles, their words had become a secret language, an unspoken acknowledgment that the line between love and hate had grown perilously, irreparably thin.

The Steel Samurai feared its implications, perhaps even more than he feared the Evil Magistrate himself. All it took was one distraction, one misplaced strike, and the Evil Magistrate would take advantage of this insane infatuation, driving a spear through his heart with all the elegance and care of a oathbroken warrior who still clung fruitlessly to his expired code of honor.

It isn’t a bad story, Miles cedes. In fact… reading through it all, the plot is really quite intriguing. He’s not sure what the purpose of this all is, but he can’t help but be a little captivated by the prose; it’s rough, a little purple, but infused with creativity and care. Clearly, this is written by someone intimately familiar with the series, and dedicated to portraying the characters realistically.

Miles doesn’t read fanfiction anymore, and doesn’t particularly miss it, though not out of a sense of disdain. It had been an enjoyable pastime in his youth, but one that he’d since lost interest for. He’d found much of the available stories out there to be riddled with errors, which had eventually outweighed the enjoyment he found in reading it (in fact, he’s fairly sure that his and Franziska’s old computer at the von Karma mansion---if it’s still functional---still contains a well-hidden folder of fanfiction that he’d downloaded and heavily edited as a teenager, so that he could appreciate them without being distracted by spelling errors).

It’s almost instinctual for him, then, to copy the email into a simple word processor, where the typos and basic grammar mistakes are conveniently indicated with red. He squints at the screen, its brightness causing his vision to blur a little bit. The words wobble a little, a reminder of Miles’ tired tipsiness, but sleep honestly doesn’t even occur to him at this point.

He still isn’t clear on the point of all this, for the sender had not left any extra commentary.

Miles does, however, know one thing: this complete stranger’s promising Magisteel fanfiction is in dire need of his grammatical expertise.

~~~

A pleasant pinging noise shatters the comfortable silence, just as they’ve gotten a pot to boil for pasta.

“Is that your com-pew-ter, Mystic Maya?” Pearl asks, all bright curiosity, as she watches the pot fill with water under the sink.

“Sounds like it,” Maya says. She sort of wants to go answer it right away. She hasn’t figured out how to make it so the PC stops making noise even when the screen goes dark---in fact, she hasn’t figured out how to make it stop making noise at all---which is kind of annoying, but there’s only one thing she can think of that she’d be getting a notification for right now, and the thought of an actual reply makes her heart kind of nervous and giddy at the same time.

“Let’s go look!” Pearl says, jumping away from the counter and leaving the faucet running.

“Oh, Pearly,” Maya calls with a sigh, “we really need to get started on dinner…”

She’s already disappeared into the next room, peering at the PC. Maya smiles to herself before turning off the water with a flick and following the girl’s excitable footsteps.

She knows she should probably try to stand her ground more often with Pearl, but she just can’t bring herself to be strict after realizing just how bad Morgan had gotten. Plus, they hadn’t really started cooking anything yet, and Maya really, really wants to see if this is a response to the email she sent earlier this afternoon. She can totally see why people get addicted to this kind of thing.

Pearl, of course, already knows about the email, and had in fact been the one to encourage Maya to send it to Mr. Edgeworth, even insisting that she publish her fanfiction online. Maya is aware that there’s a community for this kind of thing, but is totally confused on how it all works and how to get involved. Pearl is practically bouncing in the chair by the time Maya gets there.

“You wanna open it, kiddo?” Maya asks, leaning down over the back of the chair. She can see Pearl’s face light up in the reflection of the dark computer screen at the suggestion.

“Okay, okay…” Pearl says, reaching out to shake the mouse awake. It opens right up to her inbox, and Maya can’t help but hold her breath a little as Pearl reloads the page.

The cursor spins sluggishly for a good ten seconds before the page blanks out and reassembles itself, exactly the same as it looked before, except for the addition of a new item in Maya’s inbox.

“Oh!” Pearl cries, then leans close to the screen to see better, her nose nearly touching the glass. “Does that say… does that say Mr. Ed-ji-worth? Mystic Maya, what did he say?!”

“Well, I dunno, the only thing I can see is someone’s cute little face blocking my way!” Maya teases. “Don’t worry, Pearly, I’ll read it aloud to you, okay?”

That’s another thing she’s upset with Morgan for. Pearl clearly has some issues with reading, beyond what should be normal for a girl her age, and yet Morgan had done absolutely nothing about it. It took months before Pearl finally explained that the words seem to wiggle and swim whenever she looks at them. She’d seemed so hesitant, like she was afraid Maya would be mad at her for the admission.

Obviously, she hadn’t been. Maya still hadn’t taken Pearl to a doctor about it, though---she’d have to see if Nick knew how that kind of thing works. She’s never had to arrange an appointment before. She isn’t even sure if she has a doctor. Which means she probably doesn’t.

Pearl frowns a little, then moves aside, revealing Mr. Edgeworth’s email like a curtain opening on a dramatic stage play. Maya’s heart flips with anticipation. She’s never shared this kind of thing with anyone before (except for Pearl, of course, and then Mia, once, who’d been a little confused but supportive), and she’s eager to hear his thoughts. Pearl is too, apparently, since she’s quick to open the email up with a little giggle.

Re: Mr. Edgeworth

Dear pinklotus1999,

I have received your story and found that your ideas are creative and commendable, but your presentation and grammar is admittedly rather lacking. If you are comfortable with receiving critique, I have attached a copy of my revisions for your work so that you may fine-tune your execution and transform this story into the fascinating, heart-wrenching love story it has the potential to become. Your grasp of characterization and your ability to navigate the tender conflict between the Steel Samurai and the Evil Magistrate is truly remarkable, and I would be very thankful for the opportunity to look over your work in the future should you require any more assistance.

If you were unaware, there are many websites that make it easy to publish your fanworks online, such as Fanfiction.net or RealSteelForums. Please reach out to me if you need any help with navigating these sites. If you choose to publish this story, please feel free to credit me for my editing work as The Legal Samurai, but do not feel obligated to do so.

Yours sincerely,

Prosecutor Miles Edgeworth

Attachments: pinklotus_Magisteel.txt

~~~

When Maya does eventually post the story, she’s sure to credit The Legal Samurai for his keen eye. Two days later, the group that hosts his official blog makes a post requesting that people please stop inquiring on his availability to edit their own stories, as he is not interested in doing so for anybody except pinklotus1999.

And thus, Mr. Edgeworth officially became Maya’s fanfiction beta, though it never quite became clear if he knew it was her.

[likemosaic]

BASICS

full name. enishi chiyo; typically styled in reverse in the west. nicknames / aliases. goes by "chiyo kanshi" to distance herself from her family and few know her family name; playfully referred to as "chichi", though not by her preference. known as "the bard of light". referred to as "mistress kanshi", formally, due to unmarried nature. height. 4'11". age. verse dependent. is 23 in a realm reborn, though due to louisoix time fuckery, should actually be 28. zodiac. sagittarius. spoken languages. verse dependent. doman/hingan is her first language, common her second. due to the echo, can understand most languages, but even without it, is intelligent enough to learn new ones. in her modern verse, a polyglot with an ear for language, which is how she furthered her world-traveling career.

PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS

hair colour. very blonde. eye colour. bright green. skin tone. darker skinned than most westerners due to doman heritage, but middlingly so when in the east. body type. short and rubenesque due to muscles. dominant hand. right. posture. holds a lot of tension in her body, generally, and usually keeps arms crossed subconsciously. was brought up to have good posture and keeps her shoulders back and back straight as a result. scars. post-stormblood, a scar across her chest where zenos cut her down; various other smalls scars from combat and various scuffles. tattoos. a kanji tattoo down her spine. birthmarks. n/a. most noticeable features. her blonde scales which match her hair; her prominent horns; her large, thick tail; bright, green eyes; generally very beautiful as well as curt and forward, and receives much unwanted attention as a result of it.

CHILDHOOD

place of birth. monzen, doma. siblings. enishi yoichi (alive, younger brother). her mother miscarried chiyo's other siblings due to her husband's older age. considers the fortemps sons to be brothers, of a sort, or at least treats them like brothers and is very protective of them. parents.

enishi suzume. alive; strongly resembles chiyo, but with long, well-cared for black hair. a very serious and no-nonsense shinobi spy who served the garleans in order to protect her family. was chosen by koichi in her twenties for marriage. though she was never necessarily happy in their marriage, suzume believes that happiness and marriage are incompatible--and that marriage to a powerful man is the best way for a woman to protect herself in doma, something she pressed upon her daughter. and as a result, chiyo ran away from home. her daughter going on to become a famed warrior was not something suzume anticipated nor wanted, and chiyo and suzume are at odds because of it. despite her lectures and cold nature, suzume does love chiyo deeply, and is secretly relieved that chiyo went on to become such a beloved success in eorzea. in certain verses, she's also very relieved that, by endwalker, chiyo's settled down to marry and have children.

enishi koichi. deceased, passed away of a heart attack shortly after chiyo ran away from home, due to the stress of worrying about her. koichi was a renowned samurai known for his good humor and his notable blonde hair, and who was exempt from garlean service due to his old age and poor health. chiyo was always the star of his world and suzume often accused him of "spoiling" their daughter. though he treated chiyo kindly, he had very high, unfair expectations for suzume and thus the two women have very different views on who he was. chiyo's younger brother was too young to form much of an opinion.

ADULT LIFE

occupation. verse dependent. in main verse, starts out as a paid assassin and becomes a scion of the seventh dawn and the bard of light; in her companion verse, goes on to become lady of doma. other verses include a bd star and actress (cyberpunk 2077), a diplomat/legal consultant (modern), an assassin (baldur's gate 3), and a legatus (baelsar au). chiyo likes to choose jobs that are physically active or exciting, as per her adventurer nature. current residence(s). has an apartment in ul'dah in ARR; after ARR, moves into the rising stones with the scions. technically has a room set aside for her with house fortemps. after endwalker, buys a massive house in thavnair and moves into it with her loved ones. close friends. in her main verse, her closest friend is j'tanga khilim (@windcovet) though chiyo would describe it more as a babysitting job. is also close with krile, tataru, nanamo, and yugiri. due to her friendly nature post-heavensward, most who know her (including other wols in shared wol verses) know her serious nature is a front, and consider her a friend in spite of it. relationship status. verse dependent. post-heavensward in main verse, various "situationships" with others. due to the open nature of her relationship with thancred, is willing to have one night stands and engage in flirtation as well as bring home "strays", so to speak. by endwalker, ends up married, in a polycule, with a surprise baby. whoops. in her companion verse, marries hien (for politics and for love) and the two have twins that factor into the endwalker plot. driver’s license. n/a. criminal record. attempted assassin of the sultana (cleared); should technically be under investigation for various deaths of men in ul'dah, but due to her close relationship with nanamo, nothing has ever come of that. vices. refusal to ask for help; chooses to solve problems with violence; very dark humor; flirtation and general promiscuity with various people (post-heavensward).

SEX & ROMANCE

sexual orientation. bi/pan. prefers men for one night stands but finds forming relationships (platonic or no) with women easier. preferred sexual role. very submissive, though it has to be earned by someone she trusts. prefers to be penetrated but will top every now and again, especially with a long term partner. libido. non-existent due to trauma during ARR; rising during heavensward and much higher afterwards. turn-ons. blondes and light hair, though it's not a requirement; competency, particularly in battle; due to traumatic history as well as the nature of sex in doma (that being between two married people and purely for children), chiyo loves to "break the rules of tradition", and have kinky, casual sex. also loves sex that can border on violent, ie hair pulling and urgency, though again, it has to be someone she trusts. chiyo may be a spoony bard, but she does need to trust that the person she's with won't hurt her or bring up her history, even if it's a one night stand. all of this applies to post heavensward chiyo who has had thancred teach her the "rules" of sex, including consent and kink; ARR chiyo is withdrawn and borderline asexual due to fear. turn-offs. drunkenness; a lack of dignity; maliciousness towards others, especially the helpless. love language. just like her mother, will fuss to show her worry, ie lecturing, picking at your appearance, seemingly random fits of temper, etc. though she can be a gift-giver now and then, is more prone to acts of service--ie, throwing herself in front of the metaphorical train to protect you and never bringing it up again. can be very protective and defensive, perhaps too much so, if she believes the one she loves is being slighted or is in danger. has also been known to write poetry or songs about those she loves, though whether she'll tell you it's about you is uncertain. relationship tendencies. see above.

MISCELLANEOUS

hobbies to pass time. a musical enthusiast who keeps a harp on her at all times to write music; an artist who loves to depict portraits of those she knows (like haurchefant and nanamo); very physically active, loves combat and learning new classes and ways to fight. mental illnesses. chronic depression that can be triggered by loss, as well as untreated PTSD due to her sexual assault and various deaths that she's suffered. self-confidence level. even during her lowest moments, chiyo is very self-confident, though there's an undercurrent of self-blame and doubt always ready to drag her back into depression given the chance. knows that she's beautiful and capable, but rather, believes she has an air of "bad luck" that destroys everything (and everyone) she touches, which is brought up in dark knight quest. "woe to those who join the warrior of light, and those who don't" quote, etc. by endwalker, chiyo has recognized this "bad luck" has nothing to do with her--it's just the way life is, and all you can do is fight to protect the ones you love, which she never plans to stop doing.

tagged by: @magicxecustos chiyo kanshi's number one fan <3 tagging: @strnza, @eclipsecrowned, @butnobodyhome, @clockwork---heart (for any of your blogs), @aeonsolitude <3

[kumoriyami-xiuzhen]

Hakuoki - Record of Curious Tales: Katana and Samurai #8, Kofuzumi Okitomo

well, this is the last of these that I can translate. sorry it's a bit late but I had a difficult time tracking down the sword name mentioned in this. Also, I won't be doing Sannan's since I got contacted for the raws... and I won't say no to not translating though I need to figure out what I'll do next.

Anyway, I ended up not working on this sooner than I would have liked... and I think the heat's getting to me again. (┬┬﹏┬┬) fucking hate summer.

This was originally published in 電撃Girl’s Style 2016年6月,

Hakuoki - Record of Curious Tales: Katana and Samurai #8, Kofuzumi Okitomo

Translation by KumoriYami

2nd year of Keiou, 4th month——

The Shinsengumi Seventh Division Captain, Tani Sanjuro died. The cause of death seemed to be the result of a personal fight, where he was unilaterally beheaded/sliced then killed, and the identity of the perpetrator was unknown. Although Hijikata Toshizou ordered the Watch to secretly investigate, there were ultimately no results. As a result, the real cause of Tani Sanjuro's death was never made public, and he was declared to have died suddenly.

Tani Sanjurou was the eldest son of three brothers in the Tani family, and in the fall of the third year of Bunkyuu, he enlisted with the second son Mantaro and the last son, Shuuhei. The Tani brothers had originally run a swordsmanship dojo in Osaka, but the eldest son, who usually practised Jikishin-ryu [I think?] and Shinkage-ryu [新陰流], served as the Shinsengumi's spearmanship instructor. Both of them participated in the Ikedaya Incident and were awarded for their outstanding contributions.

The members of the Shinsengumi were very troubled by Tani Sanjurou's murder. There was no way that a Captain of the Shinsengumi would get killed in a private fight while drunk. Due to how this matter could not be made public, the cause of Tani's death was buried in darkness.

After the incident was resolved, the second son, Tani Mantaro, decided to leave the Shinsengumi. Although the Shinsengumi was thought of as an organization that you couldn't leave after you joining, that wasn't the case. If a member had a reason that the executives could understand, they would be allowed to leave. That was to say that Mantaro's reason for leaving was sufficient to Vice-Commander, Hijikata Toshizou.

On the night Tani Mantaro left, Harada Sanosuke was summoned by Hijikata to his room.

"So does the reason you called me here have something to to with Tani Mantaro leaving? Let me tell you, I don't know anything about why he's quitting."

As soon as he entered the room, Harada sat down with a slightly dissatisfied expression as he spoke. Seeing Harada like this, HIjikata helplessly shrugged his shoulders.

I don't have the slightest doubts about you. That guy went back to the Matsuyama Domain [松山藩] instead [in place?] of his brother."

The unexpected answer made Harada somewhat bewildered.

"…Huh. So that's how it is. I thought he quit because he couldn't stand the way Sanjuro was treated. So is Shuuhei, the youngest son, going to go too?"

"No, I heard that his return goes smoothly, then Shuuhei will be called."

"I see… In that case, why did you allow him to leave so easily? Is that really okay? Won't our internal affairs leak out?"

"…Hmm. I don't want him to intentionally speak ill of the Shinsengumi to Lord Matsuyama when he returns and cause unnecessary difficulties. Besides, we can make something about our internal situation [I think…?]

"That's true. You're as shrewd as ever when it comes to those sorts of things. So exactly what did you call me here for?"

In response to this question, Hijikata stood up and took out a long spear from teh corner of the room, and placed it in front of Harada.

"Actually, when Tani Mantaro left, he left this spear for you."

"Ah… Is this… for me?"

"Although it's nameless, it looks like a good spear. It's workmanship and quality have already been checked out, but I don't know about spears. How about it, do you want to use it?"

"In the end, doing something like one who would act as a master... Then I'll gracefully accept it."

When Harada was younger, he briefly lived in Osaka and learned how to use the spear under the guidance of Tani Mantaro. It was that reason why the Tani brothers Shinsengumi wasn't because Harada was there or they wanted to rely on him, but because that of his experience as his former master made the eldest brother, Sanjurou, quite proud/bossy.

As Hijikata gazed at Harada holding the spear in his hands, he suddenly remembered something and asked.

"…Speaking of which, your sword. Didn't it break during the Ikedaya Incident? Are you still using it?"

"Yeah, though it looks like it'll still be usable if I sharpen/polish it. I mainly use the spear so that sword's enough for me."

"With your salary, you should be able to buy a better sword, right? If you don't have enough, I can lend you some. Sword are used to protect lives so even if they're a bit expensive, you need to have a good sword."

"While I appreciate you saying that..."

"What, do you have feelings for that sword?"

Harada didn't respond and instead let his eyes wander to look into the distance.

Kofuzumi Okitomo. [江府住興友]

It was a sword wielded by a man who was like a brother that he knew from Osaka. That person gave up the pursuit of his dreams with Harada to start a family with a woman. He said that he wouldn't fight anymore for his woman's sake ever again and he removed his katana from his waist and gave it to Harada.

It was said that Harada, who left by himself, decided to go to Edo after reading the inscription on the sword which said "Kofu".

"…Yeah, sort of. I received this sword from a very important guy."

As Harada spoke with a smile and Hijikata did not ask any further.

---end---

I had spent more than 30 minutes trying to find the name of Harda's sword. I couldn't tell what the raw said (I am extremely bad with stylized writing) so what I thought was the 3rd character was wrong and that kept getting me Chinese results which are not helpful when looking up Japanese names. Eventually, I just tried looking up 新選組 の愛刀 to get the names of them... which eventually got me 江府住興友 though finding something in English took a while since all the google translations of the name didn't get me results so I had to keep spelling the romancized text in different ways... then gave up and just tried Harada and Kofu a few times before pulling up the name.

references used (not in order):

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shinkage-ry%C5%AB

https://samurai-archives.com/wiki/Harada_Sanosuke

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kashima_Shinden_Jikishinkage-ryū

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iyo-Matsuyama_Domain

https://shinsengumi.net/index.php/welcome-to-shinsengumi-no-makoto/tani-sanjuro/

http://www.toshizo.com/nozoku/skatana2.html

got a headache will deal with other stuff later.

[truebluewhocanoe]

okay fine ill assign each doctor what ffxiv job they would main

First Doctor - Scholar. He’s by the book. He’s a little silly. He doesn’t need friends, he has a fairy right here!

Second Doctor - Bard. Explains itself. “Oh my word Jamie, it seems I must either let my Barrage cooldown drift, or overwrite my Straight Shot proc! Whatever shall I do?”

Third Doctor - Monk. Also quite self explanatory. He shouts IKEAAAAA every time he uses Perfect Rush.

Fourth Doctor - Dancer. He’s a free spirit. He likes hitting the colorful buttons. Sometimes he En Avants off of the arena.

Fifth Doctor - Paladin. This is the most basic white boy in the universe and you can bet your ass he is maining the basic white boy sword & board job. He’s the only player in the entire game who enjoyed the 6.3 Paladin adjustments.

Sixth Doctor - Red Mage. Dramatic, colorful, occasionally blinding. Saves your ass with a Verraise and never lets you forget it.

Seventh Doctor - Black Mage. Did you know that the Seventh Doctor’s umbrella is canonically a magic staff through which astral energies can be channeled? This man knows exactly where to place his leylines and when to use his Triplecasts. Don’t look at his parse. Don’t look. 

Eighth Doctor - Reaper. Purely for the gothic edgelord aesthetic. Also, the simple rotation is perfect for one of the more ADHD Doctors.

War Doctor - Dark Knight. A lone warrior fighting because he must. And now I want to see John Hurt with a big fucking sword.

Ninth Doctor - Astrologian. I’m going to be real with you guys this one was based on pure vibes and also that one scene where he shoots the playing cards all over the room.

Tenth Doctor - Gunbreaker. Something something 3 DPS in a trenchcoat. And no, it’s not a gun, it’s a gunblade, there’s a very big difference. 

Eleventh Doctor - White Mage. Healer with a god complex. This man could not do a rotation to save his life. He just wants to wave his glowing stick at things and impress people. Demons run when a Blood Lily goes to war.

Twelfth Doctor - Sage. But not the kind of Sage who overestimates Kardia healing and doesn’t realize Toxikon is a damage loss in single target. More like the kind of Sage who can solo high-end Stormblood duties. A true Doctor of War.

Thirteenth Doctor - Summoner. Nice simple rotation, cool glowy friends! You bet your ass she lets her Energy Drains drift and drops her Ruin IVs. 

Bonus round: companions!

Jo Grant is a Ninja. Her Hyoshi Ranyus are to be feared.

Peri Brown is canonically a samurai.

Ace is a Machinist. It comes with a flamethrower. Enough said.

Dan Lewis is a Warrior.

This is the end of the post. Are you a fan of both FFXIV and Doctor Who? (If yes, please be my friend.) Would you be interested in reading a semi-serious fusion of the canons of FFXIV and Doctor Who? If yes, feel free to check out my fic The Award-Winning Expansion of Rassilon.

[musicalpancakes77]

Extremely interested in Ghost AU (the title so nice you say it twice lmao)

Hi Indigo!! omg the ghost au... god I haven't thought about it in so long, but as soon as you asked this and i saw it this morning I did indeed have so many thoughts about it 🥰 Thank you for asking!! This is gonna be slightly long I'm so sorry but stick with me LMAO

So the Ghost AU is a rather generic AU based off the peanut gallery from the movie Stardust- you know, the 2007 hit movie Stardust?? Surely we all know the one- but I say generic because I'm pretty sure at least half of the Ace Attorney fandom has individually, on their own time, went "Hey, what if Phoenix could see ghosts??" so like. It's really not THAT unique LMAO

But that's kinda what it is when you boil it down: an AU where Mia dies, befriends Greg in the "ghost world", and together the two of them have fun peanut gallery moments over the course of the OG trilogy. This is all possible by the magatama that Phoenix carries around of course; at first it's just their hushed voices, maybe a cold touch, but it develops into something more. By the time Phoenix starts cases from game 3 he begins to develop a more literal Sight for the deceased- I don't think the magatama cares who is using it, it doesn't discriminate, hell if Miles had it on him for long enough I'm sure he would have developed an ability to see them too. But in this AU it's just Phoenix dealing with joyful heckling from two more experienced (albeit dead) lawyers, Maya who complains it's so unfair that she's the spirit medium but she can't see them, Miles who would never believe this if you told him, and Pearls who is so happy to just be here LMAO

I never wrote more than about 7 pages in my document for this one- I barely got past the end of Turnabout Sisters 😭 I do still love the idea; if I were to ever come back to it I think I'd write it on a smaller scale than what my brain typically tries to achieve with fanfic (cough slowburn 100k stories COUGH) and I'd put a heavier importance on dealing with grief between all the comedic heckling 🤔

This is already one of my longer posts, but since you asked so kindly I can even provide a snippet or two, since I haven't talked about this AU in so long and there is an unfortunate chance it may never see the light of day again,,,

She wakes up to adrenaline, buzzing through her veins, with breaths that shouldn’t be choking in lungs that don’t exist. Her mind screams that there’s supposed to be pain- a single, blooming, unbearable pain in her temple- but miraculously, there is none. It’s just her, sitting in the dark, feeling like she’s having an out-of-body experience as her mind reels and reels over why she thought she was in pain, what she remembers, why she remembers being scared.  It takes a few moments of hushed breathing for it to hit her.  A hallowed clock, a wiretap, and a snake. 

“I would ask how she can watch that episode for the seventh time in a row, but that would be redundant since I know for a fact that Miles has watched it at least twenty times.”  Mia raises an eyebrow while Mr. Edgeworth hovers over the Wright & Co. office couch. Miles Edgeworth? Watching the Steel Samurai? At the same interest level or more than her literally obsessed younger sister, Maya?  “Miles Edgeworth, your son, the Demon Prosecutor? Watching the acclaimed children's show The Steel Samurai? I’d sooner think he’d die than watch a show like that.”  “Objection, Miles would rather die than admit to watching a show like that.”  Mia sits on the statement. “... You’re fucking with me.”  Maybe it’s the bluntness, maybe it’s the uncharacteristic use of language, but Mr. Edgeworth laughs to the point his hand meets his chest. Mia can’t help but giggle herself. Miles Edgeworth likes the Steel Samurai, who would have known. 

That's about it; thank you again for asking!! It was a joy to explain <3

[talesofedo]

Ceremonies & Stages of Samurai Childhood

"Edo-era childhood was differentiated into various stages, each of which had its expectations and goals for advancement. Movement into each succeeding stage was socially marked by ceremonies involving family and friends and entailed changes in dress and hairstyle that indicated clearly even to strangers what stage the child had achieved." (Roberts, Growing Up Manly: Male Samurai Childhood in Late Edo-Era Tosa)

Shaving an infant's head.

Shichiya / O-Shichiya / お七夜 (Seventh Night) Ceremony, takes place on the 7th day after birth

The child is named: samurai girls receive the name they'll use throughout their lives, including in adulthood, while samurai boys are usually given a childhood name (yomyo) they will use only until their coming-of-age ceremony.

Yomyo are sometimes reused in multiple generations of a household or clan. However, they start being less common during the last century of the Edo period. You can often recognize childhood names because they end in -chiyo or -maru.

The child has their head shaved: this is done for both boys and girls and is considered to help keep the head clean and prevent diseases. Families continue to shave their little ones' hair until they reach age 3, for both boys and girls.

A celebratory dinner follows, to which are invited the family's relatives, and (where applicable) the midwife, doctor, and wet nurse. Visitors give gifts of baby clothes and toys, and the family gives money and food to visitors, as well as to relatives who couldn't attend.

Registering the Child No ceremony, no set age

The child's father must decide whether he will add the child's name to the family register. Although this is usually a given if the mother is his wife, he may choose not to register a child whose mother is his concubine or servant. Their children are only recognized as being his offspring - and, in the case of boys, potential heirs - if he officially acknowledges them.

Because there's no specific age at which registration must be completed, a father might wait to add boys born to concubines or servants to the register, or choose not to add them at all.

An assortment of children's hairstyles.

Kamioki-no-gi / 髪置の儀 (Ritual of Placing the Hair) Ceremony, takes place at age 3

Following this ceremony, the child's hair is allowed to grow... in a manner of speaking, since boys' hair continues to be shaved at the crown, which will continue into adulthood.

Classroom at Aizu's hanko, Nisshinkan.

Education Beginning at age 6 or 7

Samurai boys start going to school outside the home around the time they begin wearing hakama and have their forelock tied back, around age 6 or 7.

Samurai boys attend han schools (hanko), of which there are some 200 across the country by the end of the Edo period. Hanko are established and funded by the domains to educate the children of daimyo and their retainers living in castle towns. Hanko are generally modeled after Shoheiko, the shogunate's academy.

Samurai boys outside of castle towns attend either gogaku, provincial schools, or shijuku, private schools whose classrooms may be located in someone's home or at a temple. (But not to be confused with terakoya, temple schools, which educated the children of commoners.)

The curriculum in samurai schools focuses chiefly on kangaku (Chinese learning), such as The Five Classics and The Four Books, but because there's no single official curriculum, can include anything from the basics of calligraphy and arithmetic to advanced subjects (for older students) that may include medicine and yogaku (Western learning).

Samurai boys often attended more than one type of school in their lives. Takasugi Shinsaku started his studies in the castle town of Hagi where he was raised, later joined Shoka Sonjuku, Yoshida Shoin's private school, and then attended Shoheiko.

A wakashu alongside an adult.

Genpuku / 元服 Ceremony, age varies

The most important part of a young samurai boy's genpuku, or coming-of-age ceremony, is shaving off his forelock to transition to an adult's hairstyle.

Other parts of the ceremony may include changing from the furisode (long-sleeved kimono) of an adolescent to the short-sleeved kimono of an adult, and wearing two swords in public, instead of only a single short sword as younger boys do.

However, whether these are part of a boy's genpuku depends on the part of the Edo period in which he lives, the boy's domain of origin, or even the social standing of the boy's family. For example, Tosa boys in the 1800s often wore two swords starting at a young age, and boys from low-ranking families often did not wear furisode due to the cost.

There's no set age at which a boy has his genpuku and is considered an adult, although it's most commonly held between the ages of 15 and 17.

In some instances, a boy's genpuku might take place at a younger age; for example, if his father dies and he has to take over as head of the family.

And in some instances, a boy's genpuku might be delayed well into his 20's; for example, if he's a daimyo's favorite page, a position in which he couldn't continue once he's considered an adult.

Genpuku is also when a boy receives his adult name. Well, names in the plural for most samurai boys of the Edo period.

The first of these is his kana, or common name, which is what people will call him. The second of these is his imina, his forbidden name or real name, which is used only by his lord, his parents, and after his death. It would be considered very rude for other people to call someone by their real name.

Actors portraying father and son in the Chushingura.

Being Able to Legally Adopt an Heir At or after age 17

Even if a samurai boy had his coming-of-age ceremony before age 17, he cannot legally adopt an heir, should it become necessary for whatever reason, until he is at least 17 years old.

This may seem like a strange concern, but if his father died young and he has become the head of the family at a young age without younger brothers to take his place should something happen to him, it may be something he's concerned about, especially with frequent epidemics such as measles and cholera.

[silvertsundere]

Meet Okita Celeritas!

Design sheet by the wonderful wakameyogurt!

Okita won the poll so she's the first one to get a profile (other than Vivi). I put all the details under the cut to keep the post shorter.

Like I said in the poll she's both my FF14 chara and self insert. I created her when I started playing, and haven't changed her design a single time, which makes her my oldest OC by far going on 6 years now. She has her own backstory and is her own character in XIV, but I also use her as my self insert when getting art with characters from other series for not much more reason than me just loving how she looks so much. I also use her as my pngtuber when I stream (which I haven't done in a billion years but yknow).

I post her art here under the first tag of this post, but as you know tumblr doesn't allow certain content. If it looks good enough cropped I might post it like that but most of the time I don't bother. You can find all the art I've gotten so far (R18 included) in this folder

Race: Miqo'te | Job: Adventurer | Age: 27 Height: 172cm (5'65'') Weight: 66kg (145lbs)

Name Origin:

This one doesn't actually have a lot behind it. If you've known me for long enough you know I'm a HUGE fan of Okita Souji from FGO. When I was creating my character for FF14 I already knew I was going to main the samurai class. Coming up with names is one of the hardest things for me when it comes to creating characters, so I took inspiration from one of my favourites. In this case Okita being the first name and not the family name. The last name, Celeritas, is just latin meaning "speed" and other synonyms because I wanted to have something speed related and being on the NA server I figured most people wouldn't know immeditately what it meant.

Backstory:

Okita was born and raised in Ala Mhigo during the unstable period of King Theodoric's rule. After his death, when things seemed to be getting better the city-state was invaded by the Garleans. When her family was trying to flee the country they were caught by the imperials but were saved by an adventurer from Kugane. He was escorting some merchants from the city and they had stopped in Ala Mhigo to ressuply before continuing to Limsa, not knowing of the invasion. With their lives uprooted suddenly and with no plans on where to go Okita's family decided to join the merchants and move to Kugane, which double as a way to repay them for saving their lives too. In Kugane, out of admiration for the adventurer that saved her family all those years ago, Okita started learning martial arts and swordsmanship wanting to be like them. At first she joined the Sekiseigumi as a way to further her study of the blade and also help the people of Kugane, but quickly realized the job wasn't what she thought. Some years after the Seventh Umbral Calamity, when travel to Eorzea started opening up again, she made the decision to become an adventurer leaving for the continent.

[cinlat]

Ghosts That Linger

Endwalker Spoilers Below the Cut

Word Count: 2505

Even in a world ravaged by blasphemies, the people of Eorzea found the time for a proper spectacle. Fynta stood in the back of the crowd that lined the harbors of Old Sharlayan. She watched the grieving faces of strangers and allies. Masses filled the courtyard and peered from the decks of ships. She didn’t know how many had come to mourn the vaulted Warrior of Light, but Fynta estimated it was most of what was left of their star.

“She’d ‘ave hated this.” Kirin inhaled through his nose, then let out a shaky breath. His eyes were fixed on the stern visage of a tiny Au Ra woman who’d proven herself to be larger than the gods. He shook his head. “Too many people.”

“Serves her right.” Fynta didn’t glance at her long-time friend when he looked at her. She allowed herself a respectful smile, then slid her gaze to meet his. “She shouldn’t have been so godsamned heroic.”

Kirin snorted, but there was no mirth in the sound. If not for him, Fynta wouldn’t have come. She hated memorials and the weeping of people who had nothing better to do. Their star had lost a hero, and there were too many people present to allow the ones who truly grieved a chance to do so.

True, Kirin and the Scions had been given time with Isashi's body. Fynta thought back to their first meeting in the pugilist’s guild. How she’d used her larger size and strength to overpower the smaller woman. Or, so she’d thought. It had taken a year to convince Isashi to teach Fynta the strike that had laid her out cold. Mostly because the au ra didn’t trust Fynta to use it responsibly.  All of that fire and discipline had drained away in those final moments aboard the ship between worlds, leaving Isashi a small, fragile husk with nothing to fill it.

According to Thancred, they’d almost revived her. Isashi’s eyes had fluttered open after her final match with Zenos and she’d spoken. No one had heard what she said, but Fynta bet it had something to do with the miqo’te standing next to her.

“You want to get out of here?” Fynta asked, staring at the platform where Lord Aymeric was no doubt giving a heartfelt speech. Isashi had been a regular fixture in Ishgard during her marriage to Harchefaunt, and she’d befriended many of the Elezen there. The Scions of the Seventh Dawn fanned out behind him, Estinien and G’raha included. Thancred’s keen eyes searched the crowd, but Fynta had positioned herself and Kirin in the shadow of a monolith.

“Soon,” Kirin answered. His ears perked forward, likely picking up on the speech that Fynta couldn’t hear. She nodded and leaned against the stone, searching the crowds for something to occupy her mind.

A red feather caught Fynta’s attention, and she smiled at the gaudy red mage beneath it. No doubt Arya was with him. Fynta was glad that X’rhun had made it. He and Isashi hadn’t dated long, but the worn-thin warrior had found new life during her time with him.

Loud sobs echoed from somewhere behind Fynta, and she didn’t need to turn to know that Hildebrand was mourning the loss of a dear friend too. She’d seen his father earlier, wearing a pair of black, cut-off breeches and a bow tie with little else. All throughout the area, Fynta spied familiar faces. A hulking samurai hovered near the spiky black hair of an eastern lord. The royal crest of the Fortemps family had been engraved into the wood surrounding Isashi’s portrait on the stage. Even the odd tuft of a moogle bounced in and out of view. They had all come to see Isashi into the aetherial sea.

Fynta glanced at Kirin, who had barely spoken since Isashi's body had been lowered from the ship hatch. She had witnessed their final conversation, though that hadn’t been her intent. Kirin had gathered the courage to kiss Isashi, who’d looked more annoyed about his piss-poor timing than the act itself. Isashi had promised to revisit the topic upon her return, as the ship’s great engines had already ignited and the primals were restless. He’d watched her depart from the shadows, never to finish that fateful conversation.

“Okay,” Kirin said, turning from the raised dais as Urianger took the podium. “I need a drink.”

Later that night, while Kirin snored in the bed next to Fynta’s, a knock tapped softly on their door. She ignored it, assuming someone was looking for a good time in the wrong place. Then, light bloomed in the crack beneath. Fynta raised onto an elbow, squinting until it faded. She trod softly, though it wouldn’t have mattered with how much Kirin had drank and pulled open the flimsy door. The hallway was dark, as empty as one would expect for such an ungodly hour, save for a pearlescent crystal on a gilded stand.

Fynta knew it on sight, though she’d never beheld one before. With one more glance up and down the hallway, she lifted the white auracite. It was both heavier and lighter than she expected, with red and blue crystals wrapped in a spiraling pattern. Fynta nudged the door shut and carried it to her bed where she studied it in the dying candlelight. No black smoke swirled out of it, nor did it radiate any sort of aether. For all purposes, it was a pretty rock.

Deciding it would be best to leave the study of such things to more intellectual, and admittedly, sober, minds than her own, Fynta placed the bauble on the rickety table that separated hers and Kirin’s beds and flopped back onto her pillow. She succumbed to the weight of liquor and emotion in minutes.

That was when the dreams began.

[seventhofcrows]

David Lore aka My Organized Autistic Ramblings

I don't feel the best unfortunately due to some life events, but I figured I'll give out some new information about David! He's one of the oldest Splatoon original characters that I ever created in a while!(Despite Jasmine, lol) He's also AUHD! (He has both autism and ADHD)

Without any further ado, here is a few things about my son!

Despite being a Octo Samurai, (I'm treating it as its own species because Nintendo has not given any sort of information regarding him or where he comes from) he doesn't really have much to do with the OG that much. Some could speculate that he was one of Octavio's offspring that decided he didn't want anything with the military.

Comparing to the OG, he's slightly taller. And his shoulders are not broad. He looks pretty small compared to the OG.

His special interests change a lot, but he's currently into psychiatry, pottery, caring for his two pets, and nature. He used to collect leaves and collect cacti.

He tends to mask his behaviors, but when he's around his pets at home he has LOTS of energy where he feels like running around the house. He has learned to exert that energy through playing football as well as golf. He has a GF too who loves playing sports and they go out on the trail sometimes.

He has anxiety.

The OG Octo Samurai has met David before, but they don't really talk much.

That was quite a lot of stuff. If you enjoyed any of it, please feel free to comment and maybe draw him if you want to. (Just mention me at @seventhofcrows when you do!) I'm AUHD myself (I think?) and my current interest is specifically Octo Samurai, analog horror, and whatever other stuff my friends are into. Also into certain music, but i don't really talk about it.

Feel free to HMU if you want! Thanks!

Seventh of Crows

[lukestarkillerisgay]

tiktoker i follow has found herself in a position that i would say is a party of the seventh circle of hell - she and her boyfriend made their living off of an only fans they ran together , now they’ve broken up , i wanna kill myself just Imagining having to like ? what split only fans royalties? with my ex ,,,,,,,,,,,,,,, my money and rent is coming from graphic and intimate elements of the life we used to lead …,,,,,,, And HE DUMPED HER, like she’s SAD about it the way i would kill myself so fast it would be like where the samurai sword clicks and the person is cut in half but it’s me and i’m killing myself

[weekend-whip]

Wait okay. So book 2 ends November seventh. Where are we now? September?

*rolls up sleeves* ALL RIGHT, WE’RE DOING THIS EARLY

Book 2/ Season 1 Timeline LETS GOOOOO:

August 29th: Reveal of the Elemental Compass/Green Ninja Prophecy (Chapter 1) (Monday) 

August 30th: School Shopping/Jamanakai Visit 1 (Chapter 2-4) (Tuesday)

August 31st: Dumbasses Get Grounded (Chapter 5) (Wednesday)

September 4th: Last Day of Summer Vacation, Lloyd Meets Mystake, Fuchsia Ninja First Appearance (Chapter 6) (Sunday)

September 5th: First Day of School (Chapter 7+8) (Monday)

September 6th: Lloyd opens Serpentine Tombs (Chapter 9) (Tuesday)

September 7th: Jamanakai Visit 2, (Chapter 10, First Part of 11) (Wednesday)

September 8th: Nya’s First Outburst (Rest of Chapter 11) (Thursday)

September 9th: Cole makes Duck Chowder Glue (Chapter 12) (Friday)

September 10th: Lloyd burns down the Monastery (Chapter 13, Part of 14) (Saturday)

September 11th: Ninja find the Bounty (Chapter 14) (Sunday)

September 12th: Jay’s Parents Visit, Ninja Skip School (Chapter 15) (Monday)

September 13th: Jay’s Parents Get Bit (First Part of 16) (Tuesday) 

September 14th: Rest of Snakebit Episode (Chapter 16) (Wednesday)

September 15th: “Generic” School Day (Chapter 17) (Thursday) 

September 16th: Attack on Darkley’s (Chapter 18) (Friday)

September 17th: Lloyd Switches Sides (Chapter 19+20) (Saturday) 

September 18th: TOMB RAIDING (Chapter 21) (Sunday)

September 19th: Lloyd Pranks Ninja (Chapter 22) (Monday)

September 20th: “Rumor Arc” (Chapter 23+24) (Tuesday)

September 21st-23rd: Samurai X Shenanigans (Chapter 25) (With Lloyd’s 14th Birthday sandwiched in there)

September 24th: New Suits! + Lloyd gets kidnapped (Chapter 26) (Saturday)

September 25th: Nya Revealed as Samurai, Wu leaves (Chapter 27) (Sunday)

October 3rd: Zane Gets Ripped...Apart (Chapter 28) (Monday)

October 4th: Zane’s True Potential (Chapter 29+30) (Tuesday)

October 5th: Zane’s Outburst/ Fuchsia Revealed (Chapter 31) (Wednesday)

October 6th: Jay’s 16th Birthday (Chapter 32) (Thursday)

October 7th: Kai Becomes the Godfather (Chapter 32) (Friday)

October 8th: Jay asks out Nya!! (Chapter 32) (Saturday)

October 9th: Dinner With the Walkers (Chapter 33) (Sunday)

October 10th-12th: Jay Hides His Snakeness (Chapter 33) 

October 13th: Field Trip/Jay’s True Potential (Chapter 34) (Thursday)

October 17th: Jay’s Outburst; Everyone Gets Detention (Chapter 35) (Monday)

October 20th: Jesse Tries to Ask Out Cole (Chapter 37) (Thursday)

October 21st: Cole Makes Bad Trophy Decisions (Chapter 37) (Friday)

October 22nd: Cole Robs His Dad/Cole’s Outburst (Chapter 38) (Saturday)

October 26th: Talent Show!/Cole’s True Potential (Chapter 39) (Wednesday)

October 27th: AFTERSHOCK / Jesse’s Outburst (Chapter 40) (Thursday)

October 29th: Day of the Departed (Chapter 41) (Saturday)

October 30th: Autumn Fest, Wu/Garm Return (Chapter 42) (Sunday) (WE ARE HERE!!!!!!) 

October 31st: Halloween, [REDACTED] (Chapter 43) (Monday) 

. . . 

SUBJECT TO CHANGE: 

All of Nothing: November 1st-3rd

Rise of the Great Devourer: November 4th (Friday) (Give or Take)

Day of the Great Devourer: November 5th (Saturday) (Also the day of the Rally Miranda mentioned  <-- very important)

Aftermath: November 6th-7th

Start Season 2: Technically November 11th (Friday) (Because this is basically how S2 followed S1 in the first place snksnk)

[tixersdotcom]

Although a lot of us have entered the "John Wick" franchise thinking that it's its own thing, a mere peek into the history of cinema will show that action-packed series owes a lot to samurai films, Westerns, and of course, action films from the days of yore. And Chad Stahelski and his incredible team are well aware of that, and they wear their inspirations on their sleeves. All the "John Wick" films are filled with references, Easter eggs, and homages to films and literature, and "John Wick: Chapter 4" is no different. Since we probably have a long way to go, let's not waste any time and get on with it. Major Spoilers Ahead Dante's Inferno "John Wick: Chapter 4" opens with lines from Dante's Inferno. When John Wick met the Bowery King for the first time, he said that John's descent into Hell had begun, thereby referencing Dante's Inferno from "Divine Comedy," which involved Dante going to Hell via nine stages of suffering with a poet of Roman descent, Virgil. John technically has been through Hell; he has almost died, and he has returned to the world of the living. Now, he's about to unleash Hell on those who've wronged him. So, maybe the repurposing of the famous poem doesn't exactly mean that John is journeying into Hell. In fact, he's becoming the personification of Hell, and everyone has to pass through him to survive. BTW, out of all the action scenes in "John Wick 4," John personally appears in a total of 9 setpieces. So, the allegory makes sense. The first one is in Morocco, the second one is on the rooftop of the Osaka Continental, the third one is in the glass panes of the Osaka Continental, the fourth one is against Killa, the fifth one is at the 7th arrondissement of Paris, the sixth one is at the Arc de Triomphe, the seventh one is in that house, the eighth one is on the Montmartre stairs, and the ninth one is the duel at the Sacré Coeur. Lawrence Of Arabia David Lean's "Lawrence of Arabia" match cut a close-up shot of Peter O'Toole blowing out a burning matchstick with an extremely long shot of a sunrise. After lighting up a pentagon in John Wick's training room, the Bowery King takes a deep breath and then blows out the matchstick. That's when editor Nathan Orloff cut to a shot of the sunrise. I don't think that's where the references end because the horse riders of the High Table and John Wick riding in the distance, barely recognizable due to the heat shimmer, echo the shot of Sherif Ali arriving at his well.  Ned Kelly Ned Kelly's apparent last words are brought up multiple times to comment on accepting death because Wick and Winston are not just preparing themselves to confront death, but accept it as well. But, probably more interestingly, Kelly and his gang were synonymous with a bulletproof suit that protected their chest, shoulders, back, and crotch, along with a helmet that protected their head. That was all the way back in 1879. Meanwhile, "John Wick" imagines a future where assassins can wear a three-piece bulletproof suit that can even resist bullets from a shotgun. Marquis' Father Can Be A Follower Of Martha Beck When Winston and Charon meet Marquis Vincent de Gramont, he says that his father used to tell him that how one does anything is how one should do everything. Apparently, the aforementioned quote was coined by Martha Beck, who is an author, life coach, and public speaker with various degrees from Harvard University. So, it seems like one of the writers, or Chad himself, is a fan of Beck and, hence, has decided to include her teachings in this circus of violence. Zatoichi The first name that comes to everyone's mind upon seeing Donnie Yen's Caine, a blind, cane-sword-wielding mercenary, is Zatoichi. Created by Kan Shimozawa, the character made his first appearance in a 1948 essay and eventually went on to feature in 26 films while being portrayed by Shintaro Katsu, Takeshi Kitano, Show Aikawa, and Shingo Katori. Caine's penchant for not being interested in gambling is probably a subversion of Zatoichi's habit of gamb

ling. But since Yen is from Hong Kong and Zatoichi is Japanese, I am not sure if the comparison is fair. By the way, Yen has played a blind action hero before in "Rogue One." And going by the tease at the end of "John Wick 4," he'll be playing Caine for a long time now. The Menpo Mask The High Table soldiers from "John Wick 3" wore pretty generic-looking but bulletproof masks. The ones in "John Wick 4," though, wear bulletproof menpo since they are Japanese. Traditionally, the menpo was worn by samurai warriors in feudal Japan. But since this is modern Japan, you see gun-wielding soldiers wearing it, thereby keeping up with the times and staying in touch with their roots. Flash Point No, I'm not talking about the DC comic series, the DC animated film, or the upcoming "Flash" movie, which is based on "Flashpoint." I'm talking about the Hong Kong action film by Wilson Yip featuring Donnie Yen, marking the duo's second collaboration and paving the way for many future collaborations. Anyway, in a kinetic fighting scene in "Flash Point," Donnie Yen did a wind-up punch, something that's usually seen in animated fighting scenes. But he did it with such conviction that no one batted an eye, and it became instantly iconic. In "John Wick: Chapter 4," we see Yen do it again after displaying his other iconic move, i.e., the flurry of punches made famous in "Ip Man" (another film by Wilson Yip and starring Donnie Yen). Bruce Lee Although the origins of the nunchaku are iffy, if you mention that particular weapon, everyone associates it with Bruce Lee because he was the one who made it incredibly popular, at least in films. So, when John Wick starts using a nunchaku to bash anyone and everyone around him, you can feel the spirit of Bruce Lee flowing through that scene. In addition to that, Donnie Yen's black suit, white shirt, and black tie ensemble is probably an homage to Bruce Lee, something that Yen incorporated into the film to push back against the racist characterization of his role. This isn't the first time the franchise has referenced Lee because "Chapter 2" had an entire fight sequence set in a room full of mirrors, much like the one from "Enter the Dragon." Sammo Hung Scott Adkins as Killa in that purple three-piece suit is a very obvious homage to the legendary Sammo Hung's appearance in "SPL: Sha Po Lang." Guess who else was in that movie? That's right. Donnie Yen. Well, "John Wick: Chapter 4" isn't the first time that Adkins has appeared across Yen. Adkins has also worked with Yen in "Ip Man 4." Although Adkins doesn't share screen space with Marko Zaror (who plays Chidi) in this film, they've worked together before in "Undisputed III: Redemption” and "Savage Dog." By the way, if you are hearing the names of Scott Adkins and Sammo Hung, or even Donnie Yen, for the first time, there's no need to be ashamed. Just make a note of it and start watching all the incredible work they've done. I Am Klaus If the director, writers, and Keanu himself punch me for saying what I am about to say, I'll totally take it. But when Klaus kept saying, "I am Klaus," I was instantly reminded of this running gag from Craig Ferguson's era of "The Late Late Show," where he and his fellow robot skeleton, Geoff (Josh Robert Thompson), pretended to be German. Geoff dubbed himself Klaus and kept saying, "I am Klaus," at the end of every sentence. If not that, it can be a homage to Groot from "Guardians of the Galaxy," who can only say, "I am Groot." John Wick Self References The first "John Wick" film had the titular character running after Iosef in a club called the Red Circle while wading through a sea of people dancing between pulsating lights. After losing sight of him, Wick unleashed his gun-jutsu on Iosef's henchmen, and it ended with Wick being thrown off the balcony by Kirill, played by Daniel Bernhardt. Echoes of that scene are there in the fight sequence in Killa's nightclub (which is a

combo of Kraftwerk Berlin and the Alte Nationalgalerie), down to the rave, the music, and Wick's fall from a great height. There's no Bernhardt in this scene because Kirill was technically killed in "John Wick." But the actor has a blink-and-you'll-miss-it cameo when the assassins in Paris prepare their guns because Bernhardt has a long working relationship with Keanu and Chad. Additionally, Winston repeats a line from "Parabellum" as he sees the commencement of the attack of the assassins on Jonathan. Eugène Delacroix The place where Winston meets the Marquis is filled with paintings. The ones that I noticed are "The Raft of the Medusa," "The Barque of Dante," "The Death of Sardanapalus," and "Liberty Leading the People," among many, many others. Winston says that the painting "Liberty Leading the People" represents the cost of tyranny. But, as per Delacroix, that's liberty personified, and she is leading the people to freedom. Given the context of the scene in "John Wick 4," it makes sense because John is looking to be free of the bindings of the High Table, while Winston is seeking the cessation of his exile.  When Winston begins to leave, Vincent reminds him that if Wick loses the duel, he has to die with him. Winston looks at the painting next to him, which is "The Raft of the Medusa" by Théodore Géricault, and repeats Ned Kelly's saying. I am not sure if there's any thematic significance there, but I don't think it'll be a stretch to say that there's a direct line between the painting's commentary on survival by cannibalizing one another and everything that's happening in "Chapter 4" for the sake of survival. On a side note, this scene and the conversation kind of reminded me of a similar scene set in an art museum in "Skyfall" between James Bond and his quartermaster. 'Mission: Impossible—Fallout' "John Wick 4" has a pivotal scene at the Trocadéro Square, where the location and time of the duel are decided, and an action scene at the Arc de Triomphe, where Wick is chased by a bunch of assassins. "Mission: Impossible – Fallout" had a pivotal scene at the Trocadéro Square, where Walker revealed his true intentions, and an action scene at the Arc de Triomphe, where Ethan Hunt was chased down by the French police. Given how "Mission: Impossible — Fallout" was one of the greatest action films of the past decade, it makes sense to tip one's hat to that film. Yes, it can be totally random. But given how prominent "Fallout" was, I think it was on Chad and the rest of the team's radar before going into their own film. The Matrix John Wick, played by Keanu Reeves, sits in the Mairie des Lilas subway station and waits for the train to arrive. Subway stations and trains were a big part of Neo's (also played by Keanu Reeves) journey in "The Matrix" and "The Matrix Revolutions." The connections do not end there, of course. Laurence Fishburne has played the role of Morpheus in "The Matrix" franchise, and he also portrays the Bowery King in the "John Wick" films. Chad Stahelski, the genius behind the "John Wick" franchise, has also been a part of the stunt team in "The Matrix" movies along with David Leitch. Chad doubled for Keanu Reeves in "The Matrix" films and showed up as a major character named Chad in "The Matrix Resurrections." The subway scene in "John Wick 4" has Wick standing in front of a mirror, which is an object that's used to bring someone out of the Matrix and later used to travel between locations inside the Matrix. There's a long-running fan theory that the entirety of the "John Wick" series is a simulation that Neo is in. Caravaggio During the subway scene, the painting titled "The Incredulity of Saint Thomas" by Caravaggio shows up as the Bowery King hands over Wick's newly made suit. The painting depicts Thomas the Apostle's doubts about the resurrection of Jesus Christ as he wanted to know if Christ had been really killed and then resurrected. John Wick has a lot of Christia

n imagery. John Wick kind of looks like the most popular depiction of Jesus Christ. He technically dies in "Chapter 3" and is resurrected in "John Wick 4." I don't think anyone casts doubt on his return. But there's this underlying theme that if Wick manages to beat Caine and Vincent at the duel, he'll become a "sect," which is exactly what happened when Christ returned from the dead. So maybe that's the parallel that is being drawn here. 'The Warriors' This one is pretty simple. Walter Hill's "The Warriors" had a radio announcer updating the progress of the protagonists as they make their way through New York City while being attacked by the antagonists. The final act of "John Wick: Chapter 4" features Wick going all the way from the 7th arrondissement to the Sacré-Cur, while a radio jockey updates the assassins about Wick's location and plays songs like "Nowhere to Run" and "Marie Douceur, Marie Colère" to set the mood. It's kind of hilarious that the radio channel is named WUXIA, which is the genre that films like "14 Blades," "House of Flying Daggers," "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon," "Hero," and "Shadow" belong to. 'Constantine' Dragon's Breath! I can't believe that tons of people claim that they love Keanu Reeves' "Constantine" and that they want a sequel. And yet, when Dragon's Breath showed up, and Wick used it to shoot up a bunch of assassins, not a lot of people noticed the "Constantine" reference. Anyway, Dragon's Breath is a rare piece of weaponry that was given to John Constantine to fight off literal demons. Yes, both of those characters, played by Keanu Reeves, are named John. Both of those characters are associated with Christian imagery. And both of them have now used a firearm called "Dragon's Breath." Is John Wick secretly John Constantine? No, but you are free to use your imagination. 'Door,' 'Hotline Miami,' Or 'Malignant' After the bike chase and before climbing up the stairs, John Wick has to fight a bunch of assassins in an abandoned apartment. It's a single-take or one-take sequence. But instead of doing it the traditional way, with the camera following the character from behind and then inserting cuts whenever something crosses the frame, Chad and his team go for a top-down angle, likely with the help of a drone camera. Hence, we get an eagle's-eye view of the whole scene. There are similar scenes in the 1988 film "Door" by Banmei Takahashi and the 2021 James Wan film, "Malignant." At least, these are the two films that come to mind. In addition to that, there are tons of top-down shooter games, but the one that makes heavy use of a shotgun is "Hotline Miami." It can be either of them or none of them, but there's no doubt about the fact that it's a fantastic action sequence. 'Amélie' As per Letterboxd, Chad Stahelski loves "Amélie." That's what brought him to the Sacré-Cur. But during that process, he discovered the side steps leading up to the location. And that's why we got that painful but hugely enjoyable fight sequence on the Montmartre stairs. The Pencil John Wick is famous for using a pencil to kill people. We saw him actually do it in "Chapter 2." But in "Chapter 4," it's actually Donnie Yen's Caine who puts a pencil through Chidi's hand. Given Caine and John Wick's friendship, it's possible that Wick acquired the ability to use a pencil like a knife from Caine. 'The Good, The Bad, And The Ugly' Well, there are several references to "The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly," directed by one of the most prolific filmmakers, Sergio Leone. John Wick having echoes of the Man with No Name, played by Clint Eastwood, is as clear as day. Then there's Shamier Anderson's Mr. Nobody, who is literally a man without a name. Blondie, or The Man with No Name, possesses a pocket watch that plays music when opened. Caine possesses a similar pocket watch, which has a photo of his daughter in it. And then there's the duel between Caine and Wick, complete with Western-esque music mixed with Wic

k's theme. Conclusion These are just some of the references, Easter Eggs, and homages in "John Wick 4." Some of them have been purposefully inserted into the film by the makers, and the rest are parallels that I have observed. They can be correct, or they can be wrong. Either way, it greatly impacted my viewing experience. That said, if you notice any inspirations, hat tips, or details other than the aforementioned ones, please feel free to share them with "John Wick" fans.