#Invincible Questions & Discussion part 2

[clairewritesfanfics]

Invincible Questions & Discussion part 2

first list<<select

ranking the dads

vtuber shiesty irl

what if you became edible bubblegum?

the cursed toes of that one variant

more on virgin shiesty

meeting the bats-in-law (neglected batsis au)

mohawk's harem

the harem helping main mark

when you use pet names on them

[kirietown]

Charmless Morning | Ch. II

Pairing: mark grayson x f!reader

Summary: before there was the hive, there was only you.— or perhaps before there was you, there was the hive? it hurt your head to think about it, but all you knew for certain was that now you were one in the same, and if the hive wanted mark grayson, then so did you.

Content: mind hive control, college move in!, the hive shenanigans, minor body horror

18+

[chapter one] [chapter two] — ongoing series

Word count: 2.1K

a/n: i promise we will have mark appear in the next chap <3

College meant a lot of things; change was the most major thing. Luckily, you hadn’t gone through many throughout your first week. Though it was difficult to part with your bees; your backyard had grown into a large sanctuary over the course of your adolescence and housed thousands of bees of various breeds. You promised them you’d see them on the weekends because thankfully it was only a half hour drive from your college. 

Upstate was promising, but you had no interest in socializing— and had heard plenty of roommate horror stories on Reddit that caused you to implant a bee as soon as you saw your roommate come in with a scowl on her face and more luggage than necessary. Her name was Darla-May, a second year, (not Darla, not May, but Darla-May), and she grew up in the city but had some questionable tradwife views. Had you not planted the bee in her brain, you would have never found out about the fact she was planning to have her group of friends harass you to force you to drop out so she could have the room to herself. 

Luckily, campus was buzzing with bees and you managed to find one for each of them! They lived life the same, though now you made sure they wouldn’t be hurting any more girls on campus. The Hive was truly a blessing. You now had your very own friend group, something most university students struggle with for months. They made it easier to seek out the one you were looking for, Mark Grayson, who apparently was a friend to William who had been dating Rick, who unfortunately was MIA— or possibly dead? You didn’t bother with the details, and The Hive was able to handle the rest. 

You’d learnt a few things about Mark Grayson since your stay on campus; 1. He has a girlfriend named Amber,— this, the hive was displeased by for some reason. 2. He was the superhero Invincible, son of Omniman,— though it seemed the hive already knew this. 3. Mark Grayson was not on Earth at the moment, and although The Hive knew most things, it appeared that outer space was its hard boundary. 

“How can I get close to him if he’s not even on the planet?” 

You sighed as you laid in bed and pondered over your situation. Darla-May was fast asleep in her own bed across from you, and you didn’t have to worry about potentially waking her up because her bee ensured a strict sleep schedule (she used to have a bad TikTok addiction and it was what led her down the tradwife pipeline). It wouldn’t wake her unless you wanted her to wake, or if it felt as though she were in danger. 

We wait. In the meantime, we have to prepare. 

“Prepare?” 

We’ve been tailing Amber and William. Their discussions imply that Mark has a habit of putting his hero duties over his personal life. We won’t get anywhere by trying to get through to him through there. 

“But how will we be able to do that?” You furrowed your brows in confusion,— just how could you infiltrate his superhero life? 

Is it not obvious? 

“No…” You knew where this was going, but you didn’t like the thought of it. College was supposed to be your biggest worry, but it seemed like The Hive had a different agenda for you.

Becoming a superhero was easier said than done— even with the help of The Hive. Outside of class time, The Hive had you on a strict regimen when it came to exercise and concentration. You’d learnt that if you focused your attention enough, you could connect to any bee in the country if you had to. The Hive was convinced you could link to every single one on the planet if you continued to strengthen your link. 

By the end of your second week of training, you were already stopping petty burglaries amongst other smaller crimes. You were pleased, but The Hive was convinced you could do more. 

We have to get the GDA’s attention. Go after something major, and then we’re in. 

“I don’t get why you can’t just plant a bee in one of their top agents or something…” You sighed. You walked casually on the sidewalk until you came across the tailor shop you had been looking for. You needed a proper costume now that some time had passed, as The Hive believed a baggy sweater and a scarf wasn’t heroic enough. The shop you chose was old fashioned, but it was the closest one to campus that seemed low key. You needed something that didn’t seem like it attracted a lot of visitors.

They’re incredibly thorough when it comes to access. We can’t risk them believing we’re some type of foreign invasion nor would they understand us regardless. We’d have to get their director, Cecil Stedman,— but we don’t want him to join our hive. 

The Hive was picky sometimes when it came to allowing certain individuals into its domain. Planting bees into your parents, and most regular people was fine. But it drew hard boundaries during other occasions and you weren’t sure why. 

We find him icky. 

“Hello?” You called into the tailor shop, stopping by the counter until a man emerged from a back door. 

“Hello to you as well,” he replied in a chipper tone. “My apologies, I’m the only person who works here and so it’s hard for me to manage the desk and work on suits at the same time. It feels like a back and forth between the back and the front. But it’s why I have the bell here,” he explained with a sigh, and ended his ramble by pressing his hand against the bell on his counter. 

“Anyway,” he continued. “So what can I do for you?” 

“Well,” you said. “I’m trying to get my own suit too, but something of a more niche nature. Actually, I’m glad you mentioned you’re here alone because it makes this so much easier.” He furrowed his thick brows in confusion at your words, and you only smiled tenderly. 

“Sorry,” you said. “The little guy I picked out for you is a little shy.” You sighed dramatically before you reached into your jacket pocket and pulled out a mellow bumble bee. “C’mon,” you said softly. “I know you’re young but I promise you it’ll be fine.”

”Look girl,” he said as he backed away in worry. “I don’t know what you’re on about but—“ his words were cut abruptly as the bee in your hand quickly flew off and went straight into his ear. He choked for a moment, stunned, before his expression changed to one of familiar neutrality. You sighed in relief, glad that your little friend finally got over his confidence issues. It wasn’t that the bees didn’t want to work, some were afraid of disappointing The Hive as it was a great honour to work directly for you both.

You shut your eyes, suddenly in tune with the memories of the tailor. “Okay Derek,” you said, though you didn’t need to speak physically, but you had begun to prefer it over the years due to the history of silence between yourself and your parents. “You know what to do.” 

You turned to take a seat on the couch, and watched him bring out various yellow fabrics and immediately started to work at a quickness that was beyond human. No, it was a quickness only made possible by The Hive, and its little friend.

The entire process of making your superhero costume, which would normally take any tailor several weeks, only took an hour. He needed no measurements as The Hive knew all there was to know about you and your preferences and thus your suit had been made. 

You stepped around the mannequin Derek had assembled it on and noted the fairy like appearance of the top and skirt. You pursed your lips at the sight, noting the wide open back— you weren’t opposed to a backless look but you didn’t realize the hive would select something so… revealing. 

The back is open for a reason. But unrelatedly, we want to catch Mark’s attention. 

You stepped back in shock at the words that rang in your head. “I thought you just wanted to get close to him— did you mean seduce him?” You paused for a few moments and waited for The Hive’s reply but it didn’t come. “Are you there?”

Yes. Are our intentions not obvious? 

“He has a girlfriend, which you’re aware of…” You paced around, feeling your cheeks heat up at the thought of The Hive trying to set you up with a guy you never even met. 

She doesn’t seem very happy with him.

”Whoa,” you said with a snort. “I’ve never heard you sound so snappy before, you’re usually so monotone. Why do you need this guy so bad?” You halted your walking and found yourself in front of the costume again, admiring the bright and sparkly fabric. It ideally fit the criteria of both cute and sexy. You could see Derek at the corner of your eye standing stiffly, if he had been paying attention to your conversation he didn’t show it. The Hive had said his implant would be temporary anyway, you only needed him for his skill, and now that the bee had been in his brain long enough, anyone connected both now and in the future to The Hive could duplicate his skillset. 

Everything was shared once you were a part of The Hive; in fact, everyone with a bee in their head currently knew exactly where you were right now and what you were feeling. 

Awkward. 

We think he’s an ideal candidate for us. 

“Because he’s some B-tier superhero?”

No, because he’s part extraterrestrial. It is the link we have been ready for. 

“I see,” and you really didn’t. You just hated to question The Hive too much; if The Hive got too agitated, your head would start to hurt. It wasn’t a normal pain either— it was punishment. You knew better than to question The Hive’s choices or authority. You weren’t sure why you bothered to now. 

You turned and allowed Derek to pack up the suit and associated mask. You thanked him and paid him generously for his services before you summoned his bee back into your palm. You watched his expression shift from contentment to confusion within seconds before you thanked him again and exited the store. You knew he wouldn’t remember anything that had just happened, and thankfully you didn’t have to fix any cameras as the store didn’t have any. 

That night you slept pleasantly until you awoke from immense pain searing across your back. You flailed in bed for a few seconds before you tumbled out and ripped your shirt off and threw it across the room. It hit Darla-May straight in the face but she didn’t stir whatsoever much to your annoyance. Wasn’t she supposed to sense your pain? 

We can’t see but she’s crying in her sleep, The Hive said solemnly. They all are. That’s why we waited to do this in the middle of the night. 

“W— what are you doing to me?” You cried out. You curled your back and pressed your clammy forehead to the floor, feeling the cool hard wood against your skin. The pain of your back was so intense you felt as though you’d pass out at any second if it didn’t stop. You could feel your skin splitting, as if to make room for something, though it felt less so of an invasion and more so like an intrusion— if that even made sense. You had never felt the terms were so different until now. 

Don’t worry. Just sleep. 

Instantly you relaxed, your eyes shut tightly, and despite the pain, your body and your mind listened. 

In the morning you woke up sweaty despite having been pressed top naked against the cold floor all night. Slowly, you arose twitching slightly due to the sensation of fluttering against your back. 

“What is it? What’s on my back?” You asked Darla-May who seemingly awoke a few minutes before you as she had been in the middle of grabbing her towel and other toiletry from her closet. You stared at her with anxiety written all over you. Yet, if she noticed, she didn’t show it. Generally, she was clearly unbothered by the situation. 

“Wings,” she said happily. “You have wings,— just like a bee. Isn’t The Hive so generous?” 

What a blessing, you thought bitterly. You ignored the pain suddenly digging in your skull. What a blessing to have been chosen by The Hive. 

[kawaiigirly21]

The Beast In His Arms: Chapter 2

Not even a week later, trouble started when Nayera started letting Cecil run tests on her. They studied her strength, her speed and agility. They asked extremely personal questions and inquired that they were ‘Necessary’ for their studies. “Have you and Invincible had sex?” A scientist asked while another checked her heart rate.

“Excuse me!? How dare you ask such an explicit question?! I do not see how my personal affairs have anything to do with my abilities as a hero!” To say she was offended was an understatement. She was royalty for God sakes! A princess! And they dared to ask her something like that?! Petulant rats! Standing from her sitting position, Nayera fought the urge to smirk at the size difference between her and the scientists.

Suddenly Cecil walked in. “Leaving so soon? We're not done.” The man said as he watched Nayera gather her things to leave. “I believe we are good sir. For your so-called scientists have insulted me for the last time.” Cecil in return rolled his eyes. “Who knew your kind was so sensitive. All they did was ask you necessary questions.” Nayera was quick to turn around and back Cecil up against a wall with her teeth bared.

“I’ve had dolls bigger than you in my adolescence. I’d hate to see you end up like them. Broken and used. Now, let me leave.” Later that day, as Nayera laid her head on Mark’s lap while listening to him talk about his day, she felt tears sting her eyes under her bangs. “Babe? You’re pretty quiet tonight. Is everything ok?” Mark asked while stroking her tail. She nodded silently and moved her head closer to him trying to gather all his warmth.

“I heard about the incident today, In the  GDA HQ. Is that why you’re being so mopey?” His fingers trailed from her tail to her back to her head. Gaining another silent nod from her, Mark sighed before leaving down and pressing a sweet kiss to her forehead. “ I’ll talk to Ceil. It wasn’t fair for them to ask you stuff like that.” Thinking for a moment, Mark smiled and tapped Nayera on her nose. “Wanna race? Here to home? I’ll even hold back to give you a chance.” Nayera sat up and smirked. “You are going down!”

Many Many months later, Many things had happened to Mark and Nayera. While Mark struggled with his morality, Nayera struggled with her ability to control her anger. With this came arguments. Loud and explosive arguments. At that time, the couple decided to take a break until they were sure they were stable enough to be together again. They however still remained friends. “Mark, pass me that?” Nayera asked as she scribbled in her stress relief art book.

Her markers and colored pencils spilled across his bed as the pair sat in comfortable silence with the occasional question or two. “Mark? Hello?” Looking up from her book, Nayera noticed Mark staring off into space with a frown on his face. “Mark? It's not your fault about what happened. That powerplex guy is going to get the help he needs in prison…” Mark looked over at Nayera as she leaned over him. Her bangs parted slightly which gave him a good look at her pale blue eyes that albino animals usually had.

She had a soft mile on her face and brushed a caring hand through his hair. It gave him flashbacks to the day he met her…The day he actually fell in love. “The help he needs because of the fight with my dad and I killed his sister and niece or the help he needs because the fight between him and I killed his wife and son?” Mark grumbled. “I know none of it is my fault but it feels like…” Nayera then pressed a sweet kiss on his head.

“It’s not your fault Mark. End of discussion. Now, Pass me that marker!” She giggled, making the man smile. It seemed like when he was around her, he felt better about his situation. He didn’t think about it much unlike when he was by himself leaving his mind to wander. He missed her smile. He missed her laugh…he wanted to get back together but wasn’t sure on how to approach the subject.

Sitting up, Mark handed Nayera the purple marker before taking a deep breath. It was now or never. “Hey…Nayera? I wanted to know…what’s your …If you want to…Um..Fuck! Do you wanna-” “Hold that thought Mark!” Nayera noticed her watch beep red. “Guardian emergency. I gotta skedaddle! We’ll continue this later, kay? I’ll just leave my stuff here. See ya Marky Mark!” Leaning in close, Nayera pecked him on the lips quickly before leaving.

Mark could feel his heart palpate as he brought his fingers to his lips. “Does…she still love me like I still love her?” Before he could further dwell on it, Mark picked up his phone when he noticed Eve calling him. “Hey Eve. I’m at home…why? I’m not in Paris Eve. Trust me I would know if I’m in Paris.”

“Wait…So if you’re not in Paris…Who is…?”

AN: The variants are in the next chapter!! Which variant should Nayera meet first?

@mikajack9273

[bananasplit133]

Between Shadows and Light (Part 2)

Alternate Invincible | Mark Grayson/reader

(Part 1) - (Part 3)

Summary: In this chapter, the protagonist deepens their friendship with Mark, known as Invincible. As they share conversations in the café, Mark reveals his loneliness and the thrill he finds in instilling fear. The protagonist supports him, encouraging Mark to see himself as more than just a figure of fear. The chapter ends with a growing connection between them, allowing their friendship to develop at a slow pace amidst the chaos of their world.

Words: 1,866

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The next few days at the café unfolded in a comfortable routine, but thoughts of Mark lingered in your mind like the rich aroma of freshly brewed coffee. Each time the bell above the door jingled, a flicker of anticipation ignited within you, yet you maintained a steady patience, understanding that genuine friendships take time to build—even with someone as complex and sinister as him.

As you wiped down the counter one evening, the sun dipped below the horizon, painting the sky with vibrant shades of orange and pink. You were lost in thought, recalling your conversations with Mark, when the bell jingled. Looking up, a small smile formed on your lips as he stepped inside, wearing a casual black hoodie that made him appear more approachable. The familiar silhouette brought a sense of warmth to the otherwise cool evening, even as a hint of danger clung to his presence.

“Hey,” you greeted, your voice steady, betraying none of the excitement that bubbled beneath the surface.

“Evening,” he replied, a hint of amusement in his eyes as he glanced around the café. “Mind if I grab a seat?”

“Not at all. Your usual?”

He nodded, and you poured him a cup of black coffee, observing him as he settled into the corner booth. There was a relaxed air about him today, but the faint shadows under his eyes hinted at the burdens he carried—not just as a person but as a figure of fear in this chaotic world. You found yourself curious about what thoughts might be swirling in that mind of his.

As you joined him at the table, you set the coffee down in front of him and took a seat across. “So, what’s on your mind today?” you asked, genuinely interested in his thoughts.

Mark took a sip of his coffee, contemplating your question. “I’ve been thinking about our last conversation. You have a way of making me reconsider my outlook on things.”

You shrugged, pleased to hear he was reflecting on your words. “Sometimes it helps to talk things through. Life can be overwhelming, and everyone needs a sounding board now and then.”

“True,” he replied, a thoughtful expression crossing his features. “I’ve realized I haven’t had many conversations like this in a while. Most people avoid me or just want something from me.”

“That’s unfortunate,” you said, tilting your head slightly. “But I’m glad you’re here now. You deserve to have people in your life who want to know you, not just Invincible.”

His gaze met yours, and for a moment, the tension in the air shifted to something lighter. “It’s nice to hear that. I guess I’m just used to being seen as this larger-than-life figure. It’s refreshing to talk to someone who sees beyond that.”

“That’s how I feel,” you said, smiling softly. “I’m just here to serve coffee and make sure people enjoy their time. If that means chatting with Invincible, then so be it.”

He chuckled, the sound rich and warm. “I’ll take it as a compliment. It’s not often I get to just… be me.”

As the two of you chatted, the conversation flowed easily. You found yourselves discussing everything from the state of the world to your favorite childhood memories. Each word exchanged drew you closer, building a foundation of friendship that felt genuine and steady, even with the shadow of his sinister nature looming over your interactions.

“Do you ever miss it?” Mark asked, his voice low, a hint of nostalgia in his tone. “The way things used to be before everything changed?”

You paused, considering his question. “Sometimes. I miss the way the café used to buzz with life, the laughter and chatter. But I also believe that we can find ways to create new memories. It’s just going to take time.”

“Time,” he echoed, leaning back in his seat. “That’s something I’m not particularly good at.”

“You’re not alone in that,” you replied. “We all struggle with patience, especially when we want things to change quickly. But friendships take time to build, just like anything else worth having.”

Mark looked at you, a mix of appreciation and curiosity in his gaze. “You really think we can get back to something resembling normal?”

“I have to believe that,” you said firmly. “If we don’t hold onto hope, then what’s left? We have to create our own sense of normalcy, even if it’s just in our small corner of the world.”

He nodded slowly, a thoughtful look on his face. “I think I’m starting to understand that. Maybe there’s more to this than I initially thought.”

Just then, the bell above the door jingled, and a few more customers entered, breaking the intimate moment. You stood, glancing around to ensure everyone was settled before returning your focus to Mark.

As the café buzzed with life, you felt a sense of contentment wash over you. Your conversations with Mark had become a highlight of your shifts, and while you were aware of the darker undertones of his persona, you were in no rush to push it further. You valued the growing friendship, the gradual unfolding of trust, and the shared laughter that brightened even the darkest days.

Over the next few weeks, Mark continued to visit the café regularly. Each time he entered, you felt a familiar flutter of anticipation, but you kept your demeanor calm and collected. You shared stories, jokes, and insights, allowing the bond between you to deepen without rushing into anything more. Each interaction felt like a carefully woven thread, adding strength to the tapestry of your friendship.

Mark opened up about his life, the pressures he faced as Invincible, and the loneliness that often accompanied his power. You listened intently, offering a safe space for him to express himself while being mindful of the darkness that lurked within him. He spoke about how people cowered before him, how the fear he instilled kept them in line. There was a twisted satisfaction in his words that sent a chill down your spine, but you remained steadfast, determined to understand the man behind the mask.

One evening, as the sun set and the café emptied, Mark lingered at the counter, his expression contemplative. “You know, I never thought I’d find a place like this—where I could just relax and be myself.”

You smiled softly, wiping down the counter. “I’m glad you feel that way. It’s nice to have you here, Mark. It feels like I’m getting to know the real you.”

He chuckled, a hint of warmth in his voice. “The real me is a work in progress. But you’re making it easier to embrace that.”

“Good,” you replied, meeting his gaze with sincerity. “We all have our layers, and it’s okay to take your time revealing them. I’m just happy to be part of the journey.”

As the evening wore on, you found yourselves lost in conversation, the connection between you growing stronger. Each shared moment felt like a step toward something more profound, yet you were content to savor the friendship that was blossoming between you.

“Have you ever thought about what you want to do once things settle down?” you asked, curiosity piquing as you leaned forward. “What are your dreams beyond being Invincible?”

Mark paused, his brow furrowing slightly. “Honestly? I haven’t had time to think about it. Everything is so chaotic right now. But I do enjoy the power I hold over people. It’s fascinating to see how fear can control them.”

“Is that what you want?” you asked, your curiosity growing. “To control people through fear?”

He hesitated, the tension in his shoulders evident. “It’s part of my nature. I thrive on it. It’s amusing to watch them cower, to know I can bend their will.”

You nodded, understanding the darkness in his words. “But that doesn’t mean you can’t find a balance. You have the ability to use your power in different ways, even if it’s not what you typically do.”

Mark regarded you quietly, the intensity of his gaze making you feel seen in a way that was both exhilarating and daunting. “You really believe that?”

“I do,” you replied, your voice firm. “But it has to start with you wanting to be that person. You can’t let the darkness define you.”

He nodded slowly, processing your words. “You’re really good at this, you know. Most people would just give up on someone like me.”

“Maybe they don’t see the potential,” you said, shrugging lightly. “I see you as someone who has the chance to grow and change, even if it means grappling with the darkness within.”

Mark’s expression shifted slightly, revealing a glimmer of something deeper. “You have a way of making me feel… hopeful. It’s strange.”

“Hope is a good thing, even when it’s hard to hold onto,” you replied softly. “And you don’t have to navigate this alone. I’m here, and I’m happy to be part of your journey.”

He smiled, the warmth in his eyes bringing a flutter to your chest. “Thank you for that. It’s not often I find someone who genuinely cares.”

The atmosphere between you felt charged, and you sensed the bond between you deepening. Yet, you were both content to remain in this phase of friendship, allowing it to flourish at its own pace.

Eventually, the café began to empty, the last customers drifting out into the night. You glanced at the clock, realizing your shift was coming to an end. Reluctantly, you prepared to close up, the thought of leaving Mark behind filling you with an unexpected sense of longing.

“Hey,” you said, turning to him as you wiped down the counter one last time. “I should get going, but I really enjoyed tonight.”

“Same here,” Mark replied, a genuine smile lighting up his features. “I’ll be back soon. You can count on that.”

With a final wave, you stepped outside, the cool night air enveloping you. You couldn’t shake the feeling that this was only the beginning of something meaningful—a slow burn of friendship, unfolding in the shadows of a world transformed by fear.

As the weeks turned into months, the café became a sanctuary for both of you. With each visit, Mark shared more of himself, his walls slowly crumbling under the weight of your patience and understanding. You learned about his struggles, the expectations placed on him, and the moments of loneliness that accompanied his power. You also witnessed the enjoyment he derived from the fear he instilled in others, a part of him that you couldn't ignore.

Mark became a constant presence in your life, and your friendship blossomed like the flowers in spring. You found comfort in his company, and with every laugh shared and every story told, the bond between you grew stronger.

And while the thought of a deeper connection occasionally crossed your mind, you both seemed content to explore the friendship that was blossoming between you. There was something beautiful about the way you interacted, each moment laced with the potential for something more, but never rushing into it.

For now, you were friends navigating the complexities of a chaotic world together, and that was enough.

[bizarrequazar]

GJ and ZZH Updates — March 3-9

previous week || all posts || following week

This is part of a weekly series collecting updates from and relating to Gong Jun and Zhang Zhehan.

This post is not wholly comprehensive and is intended as an overview, links provided lead to further details. Dates are in accordance with China Standard Time, the organization is chronological. My own biases on some things are reflected here. Anything I include that is not concretely known is indicated as such, and you’re welcome to do your own research and draw your own conclusions as you see fit. Please let me know if you have any questions, comments, concerns, or additions. :)

[Glossary of names and terms] [Masterlist of my posts about the situation with Zhang Zhehan]

03-03 → The whaler MistyRose posted a screenshot of account stats that can only be seen by the account holder for the official Ranyi Music YouTube channel (associated with the Zhang Sanjian songs.) This suggests that at the least she has some insider connection with the scam that allowed her to receive the screenshot personally, and it's possible that she's the one running the account herself.

→ 361° posted two photo ads featuring Gong Jun. (1129 kadian)

→ Za posted another teaser photo ad featuring Gong Jun. (1129 kadian)

→ The Instagram posted six photos of "Zhang Zhehan" and "Zhang Mama" and four of an aquarium.

03-04 → Gong Jun posted a commercial for the makeup brand Za, announcing that he is their new global spokesperson. This was reposted by his studio.

→ Za posted five photo ads featuring Gong Jun. [1] [2] [3] [4] [5] (1129 kadian on the first)

→ The Instagram posted a video of the most recent scam concert.

→ Za held a livestream to promote the new endorsement with Gong Jun. During this, a number of people with obviously CPF usernames won several giveaways, and the streamer reportedly said "Oh [you're] also a fan of Zhehan" to one of them. Sources: [1] [2]

→ 361° posted a promotional video featuring Gong Jun. Fan Observation: The video shows him colouring flowers in with red. In the final shot one flower is still left uncoloured, recalling Zhou Zishu's plum blossom mural in Word of Honor.

03-05 → Za posted a promotional video (1129 kadian) and two photo ads [1] [2] featuring Gong Jun.

→ 361° posted three photo ads featuring Gong Jun.

→ Za posted three wallpapers featuring Gong Jun.

03-06 → Gong Jun posted five photos ads of himself for L'Oreal.

→ Za posted a promotional video featuring Gong Jun.

→ Some of the old essays posted by Zhang Sanjian at the very beginning of the scam (early 2022) were reposted, but edited to remove the implications against Gong Jun and CPFs. It's been discussed quite bit by now that trying to appeal to solo fans at the expense of CPFs so early on was the scam's biggest mistake, as it caused CPFs to become sceptical and begin investigations. This is not the first time that the scam has shown signs of wanting to backtrack on that move.

03-07 → The Fox Spirit Matchmaker Weibo posted a promotional image of Gong Jun's character to celebrate the show reaching 4 million viewer reservations. Caption: "Refreshing and clear, with eyebrows like poetry. Dongfang Yuechu @ Gong Jun Simon seems to be the person in the painting."

→ Gong Jun posted a short commercial for Za to his Douyin. Fan Observation: The product is called Magnetic (贴贴, tietie) Powder, the same word fans use for how Gong Jun and Zhang Zhehan would often bump against each other when they were working together. I could be wrong, but I couldn't find any evidence of this product existing prior to Gong Jun's endorsement.

→ Gong Jun's studio posted a little video celebrating Fox Spirit Matchmaker's milestone. Caption: "Pure fire is invincible🔥Candied haws never leaves the hand✌️ #Fox Spirit Matchmaker: Red Moon Chapter has more than 4 million reservations#, @ Gong Jun Simon's new mission props are now distributed!" The same was also posted to the studio's Douyin.

→ Za posted a photo ad featuring Gong Jun.

03-08 → Gong Jun posted four photo ads he did for L'Oreal to his Xiao Hong Shu.

→ GXG posted a photo ad featuring Gong Jun.

→ 361° posted a video voiced by Gong Jun for International Women's Day. (1129 kadian)

→ Za posted a behind the scenes video of their commercial featuring Gong Jun. (1129 kadian)

→ Gong Jun posted four photos of himself. Caption: "Happy holidays! Also share my half-day leisure 😌"

→ Za posted a photo ad featuring Gong Jun.

→ Gong Jun posted a silly video of himself to his Douyin. Caption: "I heard that this is how millions of people move their mirrors 🤳" BGM is What You Won't Do For Love by Bobby Caldwell.

03-09 → The scam announced a short film entitled "August" directed by "Zhang Zhehan", using footage that the scam gang took during the bike trip in August 2022. The intention of this is very obviously to have search results for the film come up with information about 813.

Additional Reading: → N/A

previous week || all posts || following week

[shiningdesignersreflections]

Chapter 5: Heroes Never Fall

Narrated by Perlin.

Narrator: I think I can finish the draft today. Only the final evaluation is left.

Narrator: There has been much discussion over Yunikina, even now.

Narrator: Some say that she could have built a great empire, if she had half the ambition of the Queen of Arms.

Narrator: She clearly wasn't a warmonger, though, so they thought that she let her talents go to waste.

Narrator: Of course, it's unreasonable to berate a historical figure with modern perspectives.

Narrator: In the past and even now, people hold her might and flawless record in high esteem, hoping for a repeat of her deeds.

Narrator: With the recent rise of anti-war sentiments, she has become a symbol for peace and freedom.

Narrator: More works of art based on her were released. She has become synonymous with the terms Girl Commander, Unforgettable Romance, and Patriot.

Narrator: Yunikina now shoulders so many romantic ideals that her actual life seems boring in comparison.

You: Do you think it's boring?

Narrator: Like many kids in North Kingdom, I grew up listening to stories about Yunikina.

Narrator: But I was never into fighting, so her stories didn't inspire ambition in me, but an indescribable peace of mind.

Narrator: North Kingdom is becoming peaceful now. When I was little, there was always a war going on.

Narrator: I remember watching the war reports, seeing the soldiers' tired faces, burned pictures, and those little sprouts growing in bullet casings.

Narrator: I could almost understand why the invincible commander always regarded herself with a hint of sadness, why she could wield the Sword of Legend, and why I feel safe whenever I hear stories about her.

Narrator: We were both born in times of peace and scarred by war. I began to wonder if history is indeed moving forward, or simply going around in circles.

Narrator: Eagle never sang about war. He only praised the beauty of bygone things, reminded Yunikina and her people of their home that once was, and showed them the way forward.

Narrator: Perhaps that is what I truly want to do. To be calm while I reflect on the past, and maybe have some sort of revelation.

You: Is it why you chose to major in military history?

Narrator: Probably. I don't know if this story has answered your question.

Narrator: If I must say something... I am grateful for her part in North Kingdom's history, and for being my childhood hero.

Narrator: Also, perhaps I was wrong before with what I said.

You: Huh?

Narrator: A hero's story never ends, because memories are never-ending songs.

Narrator: Regardless of time or space, the will to uphold freedom and peace will continue to light the way forward.

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

[megaboy335]

WSJ Serialization Round - September 2023

It's Jump serialization season so I decided to write short reviews of each new title and give final thoughts on the series ending. I'll update the post with my thoughts on the other two new series and whatever ends next week. Discussion about Fabricant 100, Tenmaku Cinema, and the new series MamaYuyu below Edit: Added thoughts for Do Retry and Kagurabachi Edit 2: Added thoughts for Two on Ice and Ayakashi Triangle

Ending Series 1. Fabricant 100 - 37 chapters (Score 4/10) The Golden Future Cup winner curse strikes again. Fabricant 100 was the 2021 winner and it comes from an assistant of Yusei Matsui. I saw red flags right away with the concept. Why is the most powerful fabricant paired with the most valuable human? They're basically invincible when combined together. Sure enough the early opponents didn't put up much of a challenge (the later opponents weren't much better either). The main character Ashibi and #100 join an organization and the series is forever locked into the battle manga angle. Shortly afterwards, Fabricant 100 pivots into exploring the meaning of life and questioning how to become the ideal human. These can be deep questions that perhaps could have been explored if the series wasn't so dead set on being a battle manga. These two sides of the series were always at odds with itself. Some of the Fabricants showed they could coexist with humans... until they couldn't due to internal instincts to steal body parts. The powers steadily had to become edgier to make the life commentary look smart. The art was rarely anything worth mentioning. I would say it peaked early and the story meandered around for a majority of its run. Instead of having 100 Fabricants, there should have been 10-20 who each lived with humans under unique circumstances. That could have shaken Ashibi's morale resolve at every turn. In the end, the series gave reasons for how Fabricants came into existence and #100 made a selfish yet selfless choice for the first time ever. I hope the author has a more straightforward vision for their work next time. If only we lived in a timeline where Red Hood survived 36 weeks. 2. Tenmaku Cinema - 21 chapters (Score 7/10) At the end of last year, the duo behind Shokugeki no Souma returned with a new series about film making. It focused on the process, tools, and management of creating an amateur film. The story begins with the main character Shinichi finding himself possessed by the ghost of a screenwriter named Tenmaku. The ghost character sees the talented young actress Hinaki and immediately becomes inspired to draft a film based on his perception of her life titled "The Shore". Hinaki reads the script and wants to help as much as possible. Her decision comes from 1) the relatability of the story to her own life (without ever knowing its technically based on her) and 2) the desire to have fun with her school peers for once. From this point the series remains squarely focused on bringing this film to life. We see the ups and downs to film production such as sound, prop setting, music, and location scouting. I wished the series devoted a chapter to simply showing The Shore, but I also think it ultimately didn't matter because Hinaki is the film's protagonist in the literally sense. Between walking home, going to the beach, school, or accepting her mom, those are all moments she can bring out organically from her own experiences and desires. The art was amazing and well detailed as you would expect from Tosh. I thought giving Shinichi a spirit partner was kind of an old school throwback since that's a common troupe of the late 90s/2000s era. Its shame Tenmaku and Shinichi got very little time to interact outside of film making. The biggest weakness is while the manga comes off fairly complete, its also shallow. They only made a single movie, so not a lot actually happened over the 21 chapter run. I think the reason it failed is simple: Oshi no Ko, Chainsaw Man, and Sakamoto Days easily fill the void of movie inspired series. Unfortunately there was no place for a series like Tenmaku Cinama to explore the creation process at a ground level in the current manga climate. At least Tosh and Tsukada will be back with a one shot next spring. We haven't seen the last of them. 3. Do Retry - 19 Chapters (Score 4/10)

I've had my eye on Jun Kirarazaka since Bone Collection. That was a bad series with the art in particular being its weakest point, but I thought the characters had some charm. It was like a modern day Urusei Yatsura with an exorcist series skin. Afterwards they did assistant work under the famous Yusei Matsui and here they are again with an historical boxing series.

Right away its obvious his artwork had improved substantially. There is more detail, better composition, and it had a good handle on portraying the setting. I was very impressed with the first chapter. However, problems quickly began to crop up. As the popularity tanked and art deteriorated, it looked more and more like a Yusei series. Kirarazaka doesn't have the imagination to make it compliment what he's drawing to convey. This could be seen most in the opponents our main character faced. There was a guy with a big arm and another with super slates eyes. Its exactly like the exaggerated features you would expect in a Matsui series, who is able to normalize those features with unique panel compositions. The designs in Do Retry came off ugly and out of place for this setting.

The story itself was fine with enough runtime to have 3 main opponents. As a cancelled title, Kirarazaka had to rush through the final arc scenario. Its not hard to imagine how a long term plot of slowly piecing together a mystery about the missing father would have unfolded. I liked the overarching theme of pushing forward despite adversity. The final chapter time skipped to present and we got to see the main character through the pov of his grandson. That is one of the more clever cancelled final chapters I've seen in awhile.

Honestly, the final chapter saved the series somewhat for me. Kirarazaka dropped the Matsui-ness and got to be himself again. It was like the return to form that I wanted since the beginning. I still think this mangaka can land a hit someday. He needs to figure out how to balance his character writing with his newly developed art skills. Do Retry is a respectable attempt, but this wasn't it. I hope he can keep improving and find a style that works for him. 4. Ayakashi Triangle (AyaTri) - 144 Chapters (Score 8/10) Kentaro Yabuki is a prolific manga artist whose career dates back to the late 90s with his debut series Yamato Gensouki at age 19. Since then he's become known for pushing the boundaries of shonen ecchi series to their upper extreme limited. In 2020, Yabuki returned to the weekly magazine with a new ecchi battle series titled Ayakashi Triangle. The most apparent thing right away was that it had a heavier emphasis on the characters and less on making ecchi scenes. It eventually became even clearer how this series was a soft reboot/continuation of Yamato Gensouki which was cancelled in 2 volumes. While the original has very little lore impact on Ayatri, the biggest connection is original Ayakashi Medium is the previous protagonist Iyo. In retrospect, when Male Matsuri split off I should have considered that it might kick off the end game scenario. At the time I thought it was just another subplot to mess with Suzu. The series was more daily life centric in the WSJ days, and more plot focused after it transferred to Jump+. The publication didn't come with any substantial change in content. Though Ayatri was already too spicy for Viz. It was a miracle they kept it as long as they did. I think the series landed in a good place. In fact Shirogane and Suzu acknowledged my long held idea that she might be able to control Matsuri's gender at will. The daily lives of the characters will continue onwards with hijinks always happening. Yet, I also feel unsatisfied because the final boss battle was against a remote controlled puppet. It makes sense within the series for the Goyosen to be the manifestation grudges from Iyo's time, but its underwhelming as an action climax sequence. However for completing a few ideas from Yamato Gensouki, I think it worked in that area. Yabuki has always been a creative artist. He specializes in minimal panel layouts with dynamic action that is easy to follow. It's a style he perfected over the years and still be seen all over Ayatri. As a weekly series, I would say his art and color pages weren't as good compared to the monthly Darkness years. The weekly color pages on Jump+ weren't particularly memorable for the most part, but his compositions are still way ahead of his peers. Regardless, its been a treat to experience a Yabuki series on a weekly schedule. I think Ayatri will be remembered as the series that didn't introduce anything ground breaking, and yet connects Yabuki's carrer from the start to present. He's an artist you read because the content is sweet comfort food. Yabuki often doesn't often stay gone for long, so I'm sure he'll back before we know it. I look forward to whatever he cooks up next.

New Series #1 - MamaYuyu Weekly Shonen Jump has been a save heaven from the plague of fantasy isekai that has consumed the industry, so I was worried when the preview material talked about heroes and the demon lord. Thankfully that doesn't appear to be the case. We're introduced to a hero from a different world where the demon lord is far from defeated. The main character Corleo gets to learn what it means to be a hero through watching his actions. However, the hero sacrifices his life to save this town from the demon lord of his world. Chapter 1 was a long winded prologue to our hero's origin story. I think it could have been streamlined to get the point without beating readers over the head with the conflicted thoughts of Corleo. It also went overboard on defining a Hero. The paneling was unusual, but not necessarily off putting. I hope the author can handle it better with shorter chapters. I would say this is a middle of the road chapter 1. It's hard to pinpoint the exact direction of the story at this stage. My guess is what it will become a battle manga and the mom demon and hero will have to travel together. We already know there are other worlds so the framework is there for a long journey. Time will tell how receptive readers are to this concept.

New Series #2 - Kagurabachi I feel like I don't have much to say about this new series. Its a sword themed with sorcery like you would see in Demon Slayer/Jujutsu Kaisen. The first chapter played out a little differently than the usual Ch.1 template. It was a prologue in the first half and then the real chapter in the back half. You can feel the dad's passion for his craft and the child's desire to match that someday. The dialogue was a little dry, but I thought it worked well with the art style. In the back half, the art got shaper to convey the change in tone. Usually a chapter 1 would show a character like the dad getting killed and then the incident would create a lifelong motivation for the protagonist. Choosing to pause that story and leave it a mystery is an interesting approach. Overall, I think the minimal exposition gives it a stronger than usual first chapter. It gives room for the characters to be the center of attention. The time skip leaves you wondering what exactly happened and how far the main character will go in enacting revenge. The strongest point of the debut is easily the art. I'll be going forward to seeing how the story unfolds in the coming weeks. New Series #3 - Two on Ice Two on Ice isn't a bad series, in fact I would say it has some solid potential. The first chapter is a prologue story about how the protagonist meet the main heroine and became inspired to take figure skating seriously. Several years later, they meet up once again and he's given the chance to be her partner on the ice rink. It's a solid start for character writing with clear motivations and paths for the story to take. The weaker aspect is the art work. There are places were I thought its not good enough to convey what the manga artist hopes. I think these are pretty minor nitpicks in the grand scheme because the love for Figure Skating can clearly be felt. I'm not sure if this kind of topic can succeed in Jump, but I wish them the best of luck.

[basicsofislam]

ISLAM 101: ALMS AND CHARITY: VIRTUES OF ZAKAT: Part 18

HOW IS ZAKAT PAID?: Part 3

PAYMENT BEFORE THE DEADLINE

The payment of zakat during Ramadan does not prevent it from being offered before this deadline. Also, there is no harm in offering zakat which is due between two Ramadans during the previous (first of these two) Ramadan. It is well renowned that Abbas, the uncle of the Prophet (upon whom be peace), had asked the Prophet whether it would be appropriate to give zakat before its due date, to which he has given an affirmative response, attested to  by personal verification of the Prophet through the chain of Umar: “We received the due zakat of Abbas last year.” Thus, the gist of it all is that a person, without wasting time, must perform his obligations before the cut-off dates. All in all, there is no problem in paying zakat beforehand during the preceding Ramadan, for this is far preferable than being under the debt of zakat.

AVOIDING OVERDUE PAYMENTS

Irrespective of the circumstances, a person compelled with zakat by Islam should immediately fulfill this obligation. As for those with reasonable excuses, such as suffering financial strife, they have been excused in any case.

The Almighty has placed numerous cautions in His Book advising debtors to reimburse their debts without delay or otherwise face dire consequences. For instance,

And spend of that which We have provided you before death befalls any of you and he should say: “Reprieve me, my Lord, a while, that I may give charity and be among the righteous.” (Munafiqun 63:10)

Spend a part of what We have given you before that day arrives when there shall be neither trading, friendship or intercession. (Baqara 2:254)

In fact, the Qur’anic words, “Pay the due thereof upon the harvest day,” have been understood as a command by a considerable number of scholars, whereby palpable benefits derive from giving zakat promptly, as soon as crops and fruits are harvested.

On the other hand, sudden and unexpected death may mean that a person will be commencing the afterlife in debt, as it is impossible for man to predict the place and time of his end. For that reason, it is crucial to constantly be aware of this reality. The Messenger of God refused to perform the funeral salat of a Companion until another Companion had agreed to pay his debt, as discussed earlier. This debt in question only pertained to personal rights, whereas the debt of unpaid zakat is even more serious in that it concerns both personal rights and the ultimate right of God; therefore, the latter burden is indisputably heavier. In emphasizing the importance of this responsibility, and in trying to thwart people from taking it on the lighter side, the Messenger of God instructed in the following way a Companion who wished to ascertain the most valuable charity: “It is the sadaqa you present while you are full of health, greedy towards riches, living with the fear of poverty, and desiring wealth. Don’t you ever postpone this to your last breath, wherein you will say, ‘This is his and that is hers.’ But that would be worthless, as, at any rate, your wealth has already  become theirs!” In a  similar Qudsi hadith, the Almighty after illustrating the conceited nature of man, reprimands him: “You collect and then withhold, saying you will give at the moment of death. But isn’t that a little too late?”

WHAT ARE THE IMPLICATIONS OF DECEITFUL BEHAVIOR DURING PAYMENT OF ZAKAT?

No matter which action a person pursues, it will never escape the invincible, all-encompassing knowledge of God. In Qur’anic terms, though it may be the weight of a grain of mustard seed hidden in a rock or in the heavens or in the earth, in no way will it be beyond God’s omniscience. Being the Creator of everything, He certainly knows all things committed by a human, concealed or unconcealed. After gaining full comprehension of this reality, it is unthinkable for a believer to even attempt to transgress the limits and instructions regarding the payment of zakat. For the others who are weak at heart, spellbound by the world’s spurious luxuries, and who may resort to cheating their way out of zakat, the Messenger of God (upon whom be peace) addressed a simple but stern warning, as dictated to Abu Bakr and narrated by Anas ibn Malik: “Individual property cannot be separated in order to break free from the duty of zakat.”

For all intents and purposes, then, those fostering the anticipation that they might be able to break free from the duty of zakat are hopelessly trying to flee from an obligation decreed by God, simultaneously displaying a deceitful and swindling demeanor which is totally unacceptable for a Muslim to endorse. Irrespective of what the action may be, everything is being recorded, as we speak, to be exposed on a day when all secrets will be revealed. Fleeing from such a duty, when a true Muslim should actually be searching for ways to donate more than the bare minimum, can only be explained by a weakness of iman (faith in God), and such a feeble iman is bound to cause grave impairments over time.

CAN PROPERTY GIVEN AS ZAKAT BE BOUGHT BACK?

Speaking in terms of trade, although there may be no problem in buying a charity item back, insofar as zakat is concerned, it is rather inappropriate. The most famous narration involving this scenario is that of Umar’s, who had once given charity in the way of God, only to soon see it being up for sale at the market. Carrying the intention to repurchase that item, he went and asked the Prophet (upon whom be peace) whether it would be appropriate or not. The Prophet’s response was, “Do not revert to your sadaqa!” In another version, the Prophet says, “Do not repurchase it, even if it could be sold to you for one dirhem, as reverting to sadaqa is like reverting to something you vomited.” Bearing in mind both the fundamental trade principles of Islam and the above hadith, the scholars have concluded that although such a trade is financially valid, it is ultimately attached to a large degree of inappropriateness and therefore discouraged. It is clear that, in this case, the verdict is influenced more by a socio-psychological incentive than a strictly jurisprudential one.

IS THERE A WORLDLY PUNISHMENT FOR UNSETTLED ZAKAT?

Being a financial obligation and a matter of concern for the entire community, zakat has necessitated the installment of many incentives and deterring precautions against the evasion of payment—and appropriately so. Caliph Abu Bakr’s explicit declaration to wage war against the deniers of zakat, and the scholars’ agreement on the seizure of half the wealth of a withholder of zakat, can be considered as clear examples. As for the repercussions in the afterlife, we can only know what the Qur’an and Sunna permit, and due to our insufficiency in being able to entirely apprehend its nature, we leave the details with the Almighty and His Messenger. Simply put, acts of worship are constructed on faith, for which reason it is unthinkable for a true believer to abscond from duties pertaining to his/her servanthood. Nevertheless Islam,  in allowing no vulnerabilities in the matter of zakat, and in preparing for weaknesses of faith, has prescribed certain laws to address the diverse attitudes exhibited by those whose own beliefs have not reached a level sufficient for appropriate self-monitoring on this important matter.

Eluding the duty of servanthood, Islam maintains, is all but equivalent to transgressing the borders of the religion itself. As zakat is an imperative social requirement incumbent on Muslim individuals, neglecting this worship cannot be passed over lightly, and Islam cannot remain indifferent to those who avoid zakat, and quite plausibly, will take firm precautions. To impose a fitting punishment, the scholars have agreed upon seizing half the property of a person resisting zakat out of avarice, as verified by the hadith conveyed by Muadh ibn Jabal, wherein the Messenger of God had announced, “Whoever gives zakat accepting a divine reward will receive just that; and whoever refuses, we will confiscate half his property as penalization. This is one of the definite verdicts of God. As for Muhammad’s family, they have no share (i.e. they are ineligible to receive zakat).”

WHAT IS THE PUNISHMENT FOR UNSETTLED ZAKAT IN THE HEREAFTER?

The mysteries of the Heavens, impossible for a human to know, are only known to the Creator. The afterlife, as far as knowledge attained through human’s endeavors is concerned, is also a mystery. God, however, Who is the Ultimate Knower of all mysteries, has provided us countless information concerning the afterlife, including the destiny of those who resist the payment of zakat. The following verses depict the ominous situations they are destined to face:

Those who hoard up gold and silver and do not spend it in the way of God, give tidings unto them of a painful punishment. (Tawba 9:34)

That which they hoard will be their collar on the Day of Resurrection. (Al Imran 3:180)

Moreover, Sunna, the other half of revelation, contains additional reports in relation to this. The Messenger of God, as reported by Abu Hurayra and Jabir, said, “For those who deny the Right of God, as well as owning camels, cattle or sheep, their stock will return to them in the afterlife, more in numbers and larger than ever. The person will be seated in a straight and wide place wherein the animals, of which none have broken horns or are hornless, will begin to trample him. After the first round comes to an end, it will start again, and this process will continue until the verdict closes on all creatures. Again, if a person financially eligible for zakat refuses, then his wealth, in the Hereafter, will embody the appearance of a snake, bold from excessive poison. The man will flee, only to find that each time the snake is relentlessly breathing down his neck; and it will be exclaimed to him, ‘This is your wealth which you were so stingy over!’ Finally, realizing there is no chance of escaping, the man will helplessly insert his hand into the snake’s mouth, whereby the snake will commence torturing him by gnawing like a camel chewing crop.”

In another hadith, on the account of Abu Hurayra, the Prophet of Islam warned, “Gold and silver of which their rights (zakat) have not been presented will be brought on the Day of Judgment in the form of steel pillars, which will then be scorched and employed to brand their owners.”

[hanmasghost]

Hey! Could pls write a Hanma x male reader

So kisaki is obsessed with hinata, but hanma is obsessed with hinata cousin. They met by accident when he saw hinata takemichi and reader going for a walk. Kinda yandere, like i could imagine him Kidnapping reader in the future when takemichi discusses with naoto about what changed and all.

P. S I loved the way you answered my last request!!!

Hanma Shuji x Reader

Please look at my page before requesting

Pt.2 here

Pt.3 here

A/N: I’m really glad you liked what I wrote for you last time. Not sure if I can write as well as I did last time because I’m low on writing skills and motivation, but I can try. Hope ya enjoy. Also sorry I’ve been gone for a month, I was working on a Quotev quiz lol

Pronouns: He/Him

Warning(s): Not proofread, Hanma is delusional

Hanma was bored.

Kisaki hadn’t contacted him at all, and there was no meetings today either.

He did come across some wannabe gangsters and a few small time gangs, but they were so easy to beat.

It wasn’t enjoyable at all.

It was only nine in the morning and he already felt like jumping off a building because he was so bored.

“Hey! Wait for me!”

Hanma turned his head towards the shout.

That sounded like that kid..

Uh.. what was his name again?

Takemikey?

Mitch?

Mitchy?

Takemichi?

Oh! Takemitchy!

He was shouting at Mikey in the middle of their fight.

To be honest Hanma almost forgot about that part. He was too busy having fun fighting the so called “invincible” Mikey.

Speaking of Mikey.. he should fight him again..

Ooh! Maybe Mikey was with that kid! Then they could fight again! That’d cure his boredom for sure!

Hanma started walking towards where he heard Takemichi’s voice.

Tho before approaching Takemichi he saw a boy. A very attractive looking boy. He looked around Hanma’s age.

Hanma didn’t know what it was about him but he made Hanma’s heart pound.

It was a type of adrenaline Hanma never experienced before. He liked it. A lot.

Hanma watched as the boy walked up to a pink and orange haired girl. She looked familiar to Hanma somehow.

Eh. Whatever.

Then he watched as a blonde haired kid walked up to them.

Wait.

That was Takemitchy!!

Where was Mikey tho?

Was he not there?

Fuck, that sucks.

Hm.. maybe he could fight Takemitchy and then Mikey would show up!

Then again, Hanma wanted to experience that new kind of adrenaline he just felt again.

Maybe if he fought you?

Worth a shot!

With that in mind Hanma walked up to the group of three. Takemichi recognized Hanma instantly and grabbed Hina’s hand and squeezed it. Hina looked at her boyfriend and squeezed his hand gently.

Y/N on the other hand shot Hanma a questioning look. Which hHanma returned with a smile.

“Who are you? Do you need something from us?” You asked the tattooed man that was smiling directly at you.

It made you uneasy to be honest.

It was like he couldn’t see anything but you. Or he just refused to acknowledge anything else.

It was kinda creepy.

For Hanma on the other hand, he was confused.

Why is he just standing here?

Wasn’t he gonna ask if you could fight?

“What’s your name?”

What the actual fuck is he doing?

Why did he ask your name?

“Huh? Me?”

Why are you replying to him?

He’s a stranger to you?

“Yeah! I’m Hanma Shuji~ Call me Shuji if you want tho~”

Why the fuck did he say you could call him Shuji?

Why is he doing this?

“Oh okay then Shuji. I’m L/N Y/N, you can call me Y/N… Oh! And this is my cousin Hina and her boyfriend Takemichi.”

Why did you just tell him all that?

I think I’m having a internal crisis right now uhm…

“Say Y/N~ can you fight?~”

Takemichi was gonna say something and get you three away from Hanma, and hopefully not start a fight. Fortunately for Takemichi, Hanma got a call.

“Hello?~… Kisaki? What do you want? I’m busy….. can it wait?~ I just found something exciting to doooo”

Hanma complained over the phone.

Both Hina and Takemichi recognized the name of the one Hanma was talking to. They stood there in shock.

Hanma hung up the phone a turned to Y/N once again.

“Soooo.. maybe we can hang out sometime?”

Y/N stared at Hanma.

He was an attractive guy. Weird. But attractive.

“Uhh… maybe.. I’m not so sure.. you kinda seem like you wanna fight me but I don’t really like fighting so uhm…”

Hanma was going to reply but paused.

“Oh.. we’ll then we can hang out without fighting! How about that?~”

Hanma was ready to say or do anything to get you to hang out with him. He didn’t know why he wanted to talk to you again. You were just some pretty boy he saw on the street.

“Uhm.. sure. Why not?”

“Sweet~ here’s my number. Call me sometime ‘kay?~”

“Huh?- oh- sure. Talk to ya later Shuji.”

“Okay♡~"

With that said, Hanma turned and tucked his phone back into his pocket.

As he was walking away he thought about both of your future encounters.

One imaginary encounter made Hanma freeze.

Why was he thinking about marrying you?

He just met you!

Then again….

You were…

Perfect.

And no one else around you seemed to notice that. Was Hanma the only one? Was he the only one who saw how perfect you were? That has to mean something right? It has to.

Then it clicked.

He was the only one who noticed because..

You were made for him!!

You were made for each other!

Perfect for each other even!

It made so much sense to Hanma now.

The adrenaline from before was back.

The adrenaline wasn’t because he wanted to fight you. It was because you were destined to be his! Destined to love him!

“Ha.. haha.. HAHAHA-“

*ding*

Hanma stopped laughing and looked at his phone. It was Kisaki.

“Ugh… right..”

*ringgGggGgg*

Kisaki started to call him.

“Huh? I said I’ll be right there-“

“It’s been fifteen minutes where are you!?”

“Traffic.”

“Well hurry up!”

“Okay okay~”

“Ugh..”

“Ahaha~”

“God.. just.. hurry up dammit.”

“You got it Ki~sa~ki~”

“Ughh didn’t I tell you to stop that?”

Kisaki then hang up.

Hanma chuckled and stuffed his phone back into his pocket once again.

Guess he’d have to figure out how to get with you later. He has a job to do.

[clairewritesfanfics]

Quick Transmigration: Villain Creation System MASTERLIST

Pairing: Mark Grayson x Reader x Invincible Variants

Synopsis:

You died. Literally. The process itself was nothing special. The interesting part is what happened after. Instead of the abyss or paradise, a mysterious voice strikes up a deal with you in front of your fresh corpse.

[I am the Villain Creation System, if you want a second chance at life, then you must corrupt the souls of various Mark Graysons across the multiverse.] “Do I have a choice?” [Of course! Agree to our terms, or spend the rest of eternity alone and conscious of your own nonexistence, unable to move on to the next life and barred from what your ilk calls Heaven.] [ ˶ˆᗜˆ˵ ] “...okay, sold.” [Yay!]

You successfully destroyed the lives of different versions of Mark Grayson, but when it's time to claim your prize, something goes wrong and you are stuck in this godforsaken timeline. What's worse was that they have found you.

"Come with me and we will rule the universe together." "Be my wife and bear my children. No harm will ever come to you." "After you died, no one could compare to you, not even your own corpse."

You: (•_•)

General Trigger Warnings: you are literally dead, death in general, dark humor (e.g. necrophilia jokes), innuendos, mild swearing, mentions of violence and bodily harm, toxic relationships, the Marks are their own warning

Your Character Settings: AFAB

Chapter 1: Don't Mix Red Bull with Coffee

Chapter 2: Tutorial Mission START

Chapter 3: When In Doubt, Do Your Research

Chapter 4: Just Cut Their Red Thread of Fate

Chapter 5: This Boy is a Choking Hazard

Chapter 6: Square Root of a^2+b^2

Chapter 7: My Mama Done Tol' Me a Man…

Chapter 8: They Call Him–

Chapter 9: Just Spit It Out!

Chapter 10: Coming Soon.

[A message from writerclaire: This story is also available on AO3 if you prefer the format there.]

Questions and Discussion about the fic

who is who

villain creation system and origins

path to destruction

how many variants

greedy for love and attention

cheat items

toxic viltrumites vs human love

maskless (gay) mark

villain reformation system

virgin viltrumite

will the marks find out the truth?

more on virgin viltrumite mark

mohawk's zipper

rizz 'im with the 'tism

1st mark's jealousy

meeting with main mark

which variants; also, angstrom?

we don't villainize love rivals here

piercings

system cheats are op

card and board games are free

random thoughts: sinister loves selfishness

fanart by @gluttonousriceflour

spoiler!! chapter 6 fanart by anon

Disclaimer: The images used in this post do not belong to writerclaire. They were lifted from the following sources:

Invincible flying

Alternate Invincibles

ദ്ദി(｡•̀ ,<)~✩‧₊

MAIN MASTERLIST

Any questions for the author? Ask here.

[tlgtw]

-- How to Purify the Omen Curse --

Here is another small part of a larger topic discussed in Episode 2. Like last time, with the DLC being titled "Shadow of the Erdtree," I think putting particular attention on this, specifically, will be worth it.

//By the way, if you see any typos, do not refrain from mentioning them. I am trying to build a resistance for social media posts.//

The 'Purifying Crystal Tear,' we're explained, "purifies the curse from Mohg, Lord of Blood's terrifying rite of blood." "Rite of blood," specifically, meaning the magic drawn from Mogh's blood. Of an Omen son descending directly from Queen Marika.

You might have wondered, when you first got this item, as to what the hell this is actually supposed to mean. I dare say, even, that *many* of you might've been wondering this! For after I released Episode 1 of ERwSET, I exited my 7+ month long stasis from anything Elden Ring-related, to sort-of, prod the waters, and see what kinda questions were most common, that I'd ended up missing in Episode 1 itself.

I was wanting to judge my clairvoyance, you see, as to what things in the game people were confused by, that I'd just completely failed to account for. I also wanted to see if there were any specific topics that'd be good for putting into Episode 2 in-case I didn't get any suggestions. (With the script for Episode 2 now being around 35k words at this point, my fears had been unfounded...)

One of the most common questions, though, which I'll confess kind of surprised me, was as to what exactly happens to Morgott at the end of his boss fight, with him losing all his omen features (His horns, tail, and size) just before finally dying.

For the answer behind Morgott's transformation, simply recall the single object of *his,* prior to beating him, that Morgott *no longer has,* after we have beaten him: He loses his Great Rune.

Morgott's appearance after his boss fight is just the twist-reveal that not only is Morgott's condition, and subsequently the being of an Omen on the whole, the result of an extrinsic magical effect put upon otherwise ordinary humans. But the actual origin of Omen Curse itself is that it's from the Elden Ring. Or, more specifically, the magic of the Elden Ring--Grace.

Retroactively, this goes on to explain why we see *so many* Omen on the Altus Plateau, where there are like, what, a dozen and a half, not including the Subterranean Shunning-Ground? As opposed to the rest of the game combined, where there are only, like, 8.

By the proximity of like, Olympus, there. The Plateau was where the largest number of people with Grace lived. As such, it's where the largest number of Omens were. At the same time, this is why specific attention was brought to the royal/demigod-like-Kenneth-Haight Omen in the Subterranean Shunning-Grounds. Omen born from Marika's family line. Meaning, inheritors of Marika's blood, and consequently, the same innate Grace of herself, the Erdtree's, and the demigods, that made them all invincible. Thus, their not being killed or horns cut off, and instead, all being thrown down the drain. With the expectation still that they'll continue to live for an eternity.

The power of the Elden Ring itself, through some currently-unknown means, is where the effects of the Omen Curse are coming from.

And so, taking away someone's connection *to* the Elden Ring's power, as we end up doing directly for Morgott, taking his Great Rune, cures them. All those magically-induced growths of the Omen; the horns, Morgott's tail, his fat legs, all the wings and stuff that Mohg had, and so on, disappear: The thing literally facilitating those effects upon their body has been taken out.

So you're welcome, Morgott!!

And sure. Yeah, whatever, maybe, 'cause it kills him, maybe, you maybe can't call it a particularly *good* cure for the Omen Curse. But like, still, right?

Anyway,

As depicted in the item's icon. Morgott's Great Rune is composed of the yellow Code of the Elden Ring itself, and the red blood of his being an Omen, making it orange. To specify, I'm being literal here. You can see Morgott's red accursed blood on the Rune itself. (Though if you're having trouble seeing it, try looking at the bottom-right corner.) The same way we see Malenia's butterflies and stuff on her's, or, perhaps more pertinently, the same way we see Mohg's Great Rune, "soaked in accursed blood."

Physically, where Morgott, who repressed his Omen-ness, has his red accursed blood just sizzling around the yellow lines of Code on the Great Rune itself. The red accursed blood of Mogh has completely overtaken it. "Soaked," I'd say, being the most interesting word here. 'Saturated,' *filled* with accursed blood. A soaked-through, sopping, soggy, dripping, stain-smearing, born all alone in a cardboard box, Great Rune. (Just like Mogh himself.)

With Mogh and Morgott being twin brothers. That source itself, of Mohg's sogginess, is also necessarily the same as Morgott's. Being identical twins, too--unlike the fraternal Twin Prodigies, for example--also happens to tell us that Mohg is exactly what Morgott *would* look like, if he didn't repress his accursed blood. So imagine, right? What Morgott must feel, *seeing* Mogh, with the knowledge that that is literally what he is, also. That he is that.

He is physically the same as Mohg.

If Morgott wasn't doing what he does, Mohg is literally what that looks like.

Consider how this should feel, of Mohg, from the perspective of Morgott.

...

Now take into account the kinds of clothes they're both wearing.

...

...

...

THE CONNECTIONS.

...

And now, we return to the Purifying Crystal Tear. Or rather, what exactly the Crystal Tear *does.*

Isn't it cute how the Flame-Shrouding Cracked Tear is depicted as physically cracked, and physically on fire? Or the Lightning-Shrouding Cracked Tear, also physically cracked, and sparking with electricity? Or the Windy Crystal Tear, surrounded by winds. Or the Twiggy Cracked Tear, growing a twig. The Thorny Cracked Tear, growing thorns. Or even the Crimsonwhorl Bubbletear, depicting a crimson whorl, in a bubble!

We should observe, then, what the 'Purifying' Crystal Tear is shown to be doing. With the reveal of precisely where the Omen Curse comes from in mind. Just as every other Crystal Tear depicts their names directly occurring, the 'purity' itself that the crystal tear itself is actively '-ying' can be seen:

It's separating the red stuff from the yellow stuff.

The red blood of the Omen from the golden Code of the Elden Ring. Instead of mixing together, making the orange of Morgott's Great Rune. Or completely overtaking the other, making the dark red of Mohg's Great Rune. From the little rune fragments in the Crystal Tear itself, the accursed blood is being pushed out, and kept out.

As the Purifying Tear's use in Mohg's boss fight itself appears: a magical bubble or forcefield appearing as if physically repelling back, until breaking, the red rings of the Nihil curse exploding with blood. That otherwise deal a shitton of damage to you.

Comparing this effect's appearance to something similar, the Opaline Bubbletear, something that also, 'repels' things, also reducing their damage. The 'purifying' of yourself from Mohg's terrifying rite of blood, as the item is described, appears to indeed be the very physical repulsion of Mohg's blood from one's own body.

Now, there's a man coming to mind who might just find that power quite useful, wouldn't he? Hand outstretched, high-five ready, at the opposite end of Mohg's arena...!?

Perhaps, then, the effect presented by our Purifying Crystal Tear, through our relic of the physick chemists, priests of the Erdtree, is a foreshadowing of what's to come?

After all, "Basins are placed at the feet of Minor Erdtrees throughout the Lands Between in order to collect their crystallized tears."

"...crystal tears, which only form after the passage of many moons."

"...where the Erdtree's bounty falls to the ground."

And there's a certain gold-pouring tree we've recently seen, that I reckon, at least, to be very fitting of that bill.

I honestly can scarcely contain myself. I cannot fucking wait to find out for real.

[randomshipperhere]

Space with Markiplier Stream on MiltonTPike1’s twitch channel summary

I really thought the stream was gonna be Stan coming back when I heard the announcement yesterday 🥲🥲

Minor spoilers for part 2 will start with a ⚠️ and when I say minor, they really are minor. So much so it’s negligible info but it does give you a tiny bit more heads up

(most of them I wrote while watching, I just made it comprehensible enough)

Mark arrives somewhere in the 3 hour mark of the stream.

First topic. How to deal with burnout. Solid advice and discussion

Unus Annus and the meaning of it

Bitch I’m crying I miss that channel. RIP

Memento Mori

[Talking about the endings of ISWM PT.1] Yeah sure, Mark… there’s a lot of endings

No spoilers 🥺 awww come on Mark. Just a little pleaaaseee

Messing with your audience and how fun it is

[chat reaction] D:

I mean considering our relationship with Mark, we do love this back and forth.

Milton talking about Jerma’s Dollhouse </3

A few stories about the BTS

50-60 crew members a day. Holy shit.

In their busiest day there were 20 actors on set. Sheeesh.

Milton has a commercial story. I feel bad because man, even finishing a meal is hard. Having to eat the same thing for retakes sounds like hell.

Mark went over budget a lot during the filming. Interesting.

Last sound session happened last week.

⚠️“-last scene in the show” 🧐 minor spoiler? Kinda hard to tell if this means there’s only one ending or it’s like AHWM where there’s a true end.

Japanese Breakfast Club “Paprika”. I’ll give it a listen after. I’m not even sure if I spelt that right.

No F*p November 🤨 Mark??? Someone take his mouth away lol

Milton made a UFO 5 hour stream. Man

Mark and Amy loving video essays.

Habo Hotel…? huh???

Mark loves space but found that it really is expensive to make a space related production even when others already said so beforehand 😅

Industry calls write/director/actor people pompous douchebags. Good on you Mark lol

Isn’t that also Actor tho…

No one in the crew knew what the fuck was happening until the very end but trusted Mark enough. It also helped that a lot of them already understood Mark’s crazy process because they were in Heist before.

Space is the next thing for humanity

back to back movie night last night with Mark and Amy. Moonfall and After Earth.

Disonsphere??? hah?

UFO stuff

[chat reaction] Among us and Sus

ball lightning? red balls. Alien going wtf at nukes

Earth speed running any%

I seriously love the jokes in this part of the stream

Humans are just like the Orcs from Warhammer. You heard it here folks

I love the unga bunga human stories

Mark mentions Corridor Crew yet again

AI and the future

All I could think of was vocaloid

Mass Effect 3 mention

Milton has 5 space questions

[chat reaction] Wee Woo borpa spins

I knew about that gravity can create waves but wait black holes don’t succ??

Mark is very knowledgeable about space

He still loves kurzgesagt

Interstellar vs Inception

Mark likes Inception better (he still loves Interstellar tho)

I have not watched either movies (: I actually don’t watch a lot of movies you guys. Last I watched was Spider-Man: NWH

Mark would watch Ratatouille over a million times but How the Grinch stole Christmas (Jim Carrey) is his favorite movie

Any future plans?

Mark just wants to focus on youtube again 🥰 We miss you too

Once again the Pokemon smash or pass vid gets a mention but the backstory is much shorter here compared to the stream with Jack.

MEOW mocks him

jingle the keys in front of the audience m’dudes. Well… it worked on us

⚠️ Minor Spoilers. There’s a lot more stupidity in Part 2

YAAAY WE’RE WATCHING IT IN CHAT. With some commentary maybe?

OST being put out? 👀👀 Guess the answer is up to Schmoyoho. I’d love to actually listen to it. The bgm is so cool y’know.

Mark’s face watching ISWM 🥰🥰🥰 He’s so proud of it.

The design of the Invincible ship is based off of the Event Horizon movie

I see the similarities

COMMENTARY COMMENTARY

Burning Tractor gets another mention! He’s so proud of the VFX team. Corridor Crew mention again

Fun Fact: apparently the things on the ceilings are from Home Depot. Budget stuff

Mark basically saying how everyone’s reaction to the first video is “omg is that MatPat from Game Theory”

Champagne Glass scene. Mark had to drink 12 glasses of sparkling apple juice. RIP Mark’s throat after that shoot.

I mean, I like the taste of sparkling drinks but holy shit 12 of those bad boys…

smh everytime Mark finishes a project he says he doesn’t want to do 1st person ever again

Mark tells he used to do Biomedical engineering. He did civil engineering before that. He dropped 2 sems before graduating .

⚠️“Most is 3 at the moment” AYO MORE MINOR SPOILERS. You telling me my dumbass post about a 4 option path happening is possible

Mark: Recovery is for the weak

Proceeds to say that he’s been focusing on Elden Ring and gettin’ some oreo lol

4:33:55 is the time when he left

Thanks for the existential crisis in the middle of the talk you guys. This is why I just shut my brain off for space stuff. There’s some info that’s repeated but it was really cool to just see these two nerd out about space.

[ukaiknowsbest]

breaking down Ace of Diamond - the "Hero's Journey."

Using the model/guide presented by Overly Sarcastic Productions in their youtube video Trope Talk: The Hero's Journey, I will attempt to discuss how Sawamura Eijun's story in DnA is his Hero's Journey to becoming an ace pitcher in the Japanese HIgh School Baseball environment.

Blue from OSP put forward the 12 basic parts of the Hero's Journey Cycle. The illustration below will be our reference. I simplified a graph made by Signy Wilson in order to match OSP's less rigid guide.

disclaimer: I am by no means any kind of expert. I was just fascinated when I learned about the Hero's Journey as a general trope/framework when it came to writing stories. I want to apply what I learned by breaking down the story created by Terajima Yuuji in Ace of Diamond.

A. ORDINARY WORLD

STAGE 1. THE HERO IN HIS NATURAL ENVIRONMENT

Hero: Sawamura Eijun. Captain and Ace Pitcher of middle school baseball team. He has no formal training in baseball whatsoever but was the one who gathered and convinced his friends to start a baseball club. He's the best player in their small team. Good at sports but bad at academics .

He is generally a baseball idiot and quite a naive/simple guy with a strong heart. He does not have any idea what competitive and pro baseball looks like because not only does he not have experience but also he does not watch the broadcasts on tv/radio at all.

Ordinary World of the Hero: rural town in Nagano Prefecture, where Sawamura formed a small baseball team with his childhood friends. Acording to him, as long as they all stay together they can always play baseball anywhere.

STAGE 2. THE CALL TO ADVENTURE

2.1 Problem/why hero's ordinary world is going to crumble: - He lessened his chances of being scouted/accepted in a good baseball school after he btchslapped an entire opponent team and the umpires in their first and only match as middle school team in Saitama Stadium.

He also has low chance of being accepted into the high school in their area (where his friends are all going to) because he struggles with his academics a lot.

Unless he does something he won't be able to be together with his friends and/or play baseball at all.

2.2 Caller of the adventure - Takashima Rei pursues Sawamura into Nagano Prefecture in order to scout him as a sports scholar for Seido High School, a baseball powerhouse school located in the West Division of Tokyo Prefecture.

2.3 medicine/ solution to hero's crumbling world: being a sports scholar for Seido. This would solve almost all of Sawamura's highschool enrollment problem and also give him the chance to play as much baseball as he wants.

STAGE 3. REFUSAL TO THE CALL

3.1 reluctance to go: Sawamura refuses to leave Nagano despite Rei's "sales pitch" to him and his family. He doesn't want to leave his friends just to play baseball in a stronger school far away because he had promised his friends that they would always stick together.

3.2 hero punished for this - his grandpa literally smacks/slaps him in being stupid and doubting his friends.!!! / technically circumstances are already punishing him for being a hotblooded baseball idiot in the first place.

3.3 do you think you have a choice - this is probably the only chance he'll get to play baseball with all his strength AND finish highschool.

B. EXTRAORDINARY / UNKNOWN WORLD

Venturing out into more competitive/pro baseball is a world beyond him. It's scary and unknown and he'd rather defeat bigger teams than leave his friends.

STAGE 4. CROSSING THE THRESHOLD

4.1 crossing physical threshold - Rei persuades him to at least check the school out with his own eyes. They leave Tokyo together for one visit.

4.2. crossing a metaphorical threshold - in that visit, sawamura, picks a fight with a senior who's bound for baseball drafts, works together with a nationally acclaimed catcher in defeating the senior player, thus changing his worldview because he had so much fun.

4.2. conscious and irreversible decision - Because of the experience he goes home conflicted. His family encourages him in their own way to follow his guts and heart and go to Tokyo.

STAGE 5. REALM OF ADVENTURE

5.1 hero learns to navigate the unknown world - Sawamura learns the harsh realities of being in a baseball school once he actually starts to live there. Our boy also gets educated in Baseball and Pitching 101. He also finds out the true personality of the catcher he played with before.

5.2 meeting allies/rivals/mentors - he learns about the team better when he meets a whole bunch of people: batchmates, coaches and senpais. He builds interesting dynamics with all of them.

5.3 trials and initial failures - Sawamura undergoes difficult initial training and is barely allowed to play in matches.

5.4 meeting enemies - Sawamura being allowed to play as relief pitcher in the games and face talented pitchers and scary batters mostly in tense situations.

5.5 growth, new skills - Sawamura grows with each match, thus bolstering his confidence. Sometimes he falters but he learns from his mistakes.

5.6 first major success - striking out scary batters with each new thing he learns.

5.7 major challenge that leads to downfall - seido vs inashiro finals match where he goes in full of confidence and courage but then he and his team gets defeated in a devastating way.

STAGE 6. BELLY OF THE WHALE

6.1 lowest point of hero where hero physically or metaphorically goes down - one month after their major defeat, a lot of intense practice matches and change in team dynamics, the team find out that Sawamura has the YIPS. This condition took away Sawamura's ability to pitch in his trademark style/ the only thing he was good at.

6.2 hero's darkest hour - without the ability to pitch, Sawamura questions his reality and why he is still on the team.

6.3 Face and overcome inner demons - with a lot of help from allies and mentors, Sawamura finds a way to bring back a bit of his ability.

STAGE 7. ROAD OF TRIALS

7.1 Discarding old self - In the duration of his downfall and eventual healing, Sawamura turns to books, meditation and becomes even more careful in maintaining his form and body.

7.2 Accepting the new role - instead of fixating on the ace position like before, Sawamura is just glad that he is still allowed to pitch as relief.

7.3 Finding path out of the belly of the whale/The road back - After figuring out a solution to fix his pitching, he focuses on it and regains some of his ability. Sawamura is then allowed to play in matches. Just like before, he improves little by little as he recovers from each failure. He gains fresher mindset and new weapons, thus becoming an even stronger pitcher than he ever was before.

7.4 more trials - they face new opponent schools and old but improved opponents which test the best of Sawamura and the team's ability

STAGE 8. PRE SHOWDOWN BREATHER

every major match in ace of diamond has this part of the story but usually the most critical breather episode is the one before the final match.

8.1 show humanity of other characters - Somethng bad happens to the other mc without Sawamura knowing. This could absolutely wreck their chances of winning the final match. This shows that the other guys are not 100% invincible after all.

8.2 last chance to relax. - calm before the storm. It is also the time where they finalize sawamura's weapons.

8.3 quiet moment to reminisce - usually happens before each match. However the night before the finals was the major one because their old senpais went to visit their practice and encourage them.

STAGE 9. CLIMAX / STEPPING UP TO THE CHALLENGE

9.1 Final Showdown - Sawamura helps in the team defense with the best of his ability and weapons and he succeeds. Their team eventually wins Fall Tournament even with a few setbacks.

9.2 Apotheosis - Sawamura's worldview changed once he realises that even with his improvement and skill, his goal of being the ace is still out of reach for him.

9.3 Ultimate Boon - Sawamura gets to be a pivotal member of their baseball team and can play baseball as much as he wants with his team.

STAGE 7. ROAD OF TRIALS start again after the Fall Tournament Act 1 because Sawamura faces new challenges in Ace of Diamond Act 2.

Meiji Jingu Tournament - Play in matches without Miyuki

WInter camp and break - Intense Physical Training and development and improvement of his weapons which he will use and improve on throughout the rest of Act 2.

Spring Koshien where he realises that he has to do more in order to surpass the current ace which was Furuya.

Start of New Term/ Practice Matches - Sawamura and co. meets their new kouhai and team dynamics shift once again.

Spring Tournament / Summer Tournament - Sawamura meets old foes and new enemies. He also becomes the Ace Pitcher of the team, which adds more pressure on his part.

ACT 2 STAGE 8. PRE SHOWDOWN BREATHER

This is the big and long one before Summer Tournament Finals match where injuries and problems were discussed and feelings were explored.

ACT 2 STAGE 9. CLIMAX

Final (Or most hyped and awaited rematch) Seido vs Inashiro in order to qualify for Summer Koshien Nationals.

**everything after this point will be prediction and just my opinion

STAGES 7-9 start again

Koshien Nationals Arc.

STAGE 10. CROSSING THE RETURN THRESHOLD

Miyuki/3rd years retirement/graduation. Sawamura and his batch will have to lead the team.

STAGE 11. THE REWARD

Sawamura gets to play with his team as ace pitcher.

STAGE 12 / STAGE 1. THE HERO IN HIS NATURAL ENVIRONMENT

Sawamura may become both ace and captain, same as his role back in his middle school team, albeit in a stronger school. Even if he won't be the next captain, as ace he will still be in a strong leadership position.

CONCLUSION

That's how Ace of Diamond is written in the style of A HERO'S JOURNEY.

Act 1 writing especially followed the trope quite rigidly.

Notes:

I still don't want Sawamura to be the next captain. I hope that does not happen. However if it does, it means the story will have gone back full circle. That would be quite poetic ngl.

Gotta applaud Terajima's pacing. Can you believe that the story only reached its lowest and most pivotal point at around episode 70 of the anime???? thank godt that after ep 63 I read spoilers about yips arc in tv tropes or else i would have dropped the series completely.

I had difficulty in classifying the events after the climax stage into hero's journey stages because technically sawamura has not gone "home" yet. Moreover the challenges and trials just kept on piling up after Fall Tournament.

In this whole story, Sawamura has experienced only one true "Belly of the Whale stage" during his YIPS arc. I don't think he really came to a low point in Act 2 other than his first official match as Ace Pitcher. I treated that in the same vein as the effects of Raichi's first homerun off Sawamura back in Act 1.

I realized that having stages 7-9 recur starting from Meiji Jingu to the current summer tournament is what made reading Act 2 quite frustrating for me. That's at least 5-6 arcs of endless roller coaster ride loops.

I consider Miyuki's departure to be the "CROSSING THE RETURN THRESHOLD" moment because playing with him was the major reason for Sawamura's decision to study and play in Tokyo. Something will change Sawamura when this eventually happens.

As Blue from OSP said, the Hero's Journey is just a general guide/framework to writing stories. It is flexible, writers don't even have to use it or all of its parts to make a good story. Terajima just seemed to have adopted A LOT of the hero's journey trope in his baseball series.

I wanted to add more pictures tbh but tumblr is a killjoy :(

This was a fun thought exercise. There were probably even some parts which I have used the tropes wrongly. Please feel free to dispute me.

I talked about Sawamura's mentors here (x).

[vibraniumwing]

i’ve got you, always. [2]

an oliver wood x reader wherein oliver tries to bring the walls the reader built because of a past heartbreak down. will he manage to do that or break his own along the way?

WARNING: angst, effects of toxic relationships mentioned. 

A/N: so @harrysweasleys​ planted this idea into my mind about how oliver wood and y/n’s love blossomed after her heartbreak with fred. (if you do not know that, please do read this before continuing.) so i’ve broken this down into two parts due to the fact that it was too long. i hope you guys enjoy this, i promise things would look brighter in this one.

i’ve broken this down into two parts, find the first part here.

---

It’s been nearly four years since he left Hogwarts, since he left you.

Oliver was doing good, life was going great for him. He was a reserve player for Puddlemere United, he has met a ton of people due to his passion. However, there was still a missing piece within him. A piece that no amount of money and materials can fill in.

He still missed you.

---

“C’mon! Hurry Up!” Oliver’s voice shouted through the chaos as they rushed to the main warzone at Hogwarts, the adrenaline pumping as he saw the school he once attended and deemed as a second home in ruins as flashes of green and red ensued the field, leading a group of his old Quidditch teammates down into the field. 

“Professor!” Olive was quick to shout, immediately spotting McGonagall who was tending to students running from left to right. “Tell us where to go, we’re on it.” Katie, an old student and former member of the Gryffindor Quidditch Team added upon nearing the woman. 

McGonagall had easily directed them inside the castle, telling them to spread out and assist whoever they could and care for themselves along the way. Oliver sprinted along the hallways- or what was left of it- as he casted spells left and right to shield students from their impending misfortune.

He had run into familiar faces along the way, bumping into Harry once as they both fled their separate ways and from afar he spotted a certain ginger who was running frantically through the crowd, fighting his way through threats; looking for someone amongst the sea of what it seems like never-ending people. 

That’s when he heard it, your familiar voice stood out from the loud crashes of walls. “I’d rather die knowing I didn’t live a life under a monster!” He heard it as clear as day, running to over where you are, he immediately casted, “Stupefy!” which sent the death eater flying away, taking you in his arms in a tight hug.

“You have to be more careful, lass.” His voice was rather broken as you took your face in his hands, letting out a shaky breath as he took in your rather relieved smile. He didn’t know what took over him but tears suddenly filled his eyes, the pent up emotions he had overwhelming him as his posture relaxed visibly.

Holding his hands, you let out a soft chuckle, “I’m alright, Oli. Thanks to you, of course.” a shaky sigh soon following as the fear soon slowly sunk in. You leaned into his touch, finding warmth and safety in his touch before giving him a big smile. “We best be off now and fight our way ‘til dawn, Oli. Thank you so much for saving me.”

His heart was jumping out of his ribcage at the sight of you leaning into him, engraving that into his mind as he nodded. “Promise me you’ll be safe, (Y/N).” He said, voice dripping of seriousness as he readied himself to let you go. This earned an eye roll from you but a big smile nonetheless, nodding eagerly, “Of course, Oli. Thank you once again.”

With a reluctant sigh, he quickly placed a kiss to your forehead and let you go, “I’ve got you, (Y/N). Always.” he said, showing you a bright smile as he and you both ran your separate ways. The sudden course of energy flowed through him, making him feel invincible almost instantly.

“Oh and Wood! Whatever you do, don’t tell Weasley you saw me!” Your voice rang out once more, making him stop dead in his tracks. His head whipped to where you were but all he saw was you saving the twin of the man you just said not to mention your existence to. 

What do you mean by that exactly?

---

The sun slowly shined through the broken walls of the Great Hall, multiple people either crying or just in a trance due to the whirlwind of events that just happened within just a few hours. 

Oliver was by the bleachers, tending to a few first years who were severely injured when he saw a glimpse of your clothes walk away from the castle. He handed the cloth to the boy, “Can you tend to this for a bit?” To which the younger nodded, taking the cloth from him. 

He was quick on his feet and ran to you, catching you in the nick of time as well. His hand grasped onto your wrist, making you twirl around to be greeted by the same honey-colored eyes you’ve seen just a few hours back.

And there it was again, the butterflies you’ve sworn to ban from your stomach, it’s back.

“Oli! I’m so glad you’re okay” You breathed out, taking him into your arms for a hug, heaving a sigh of relief at the sudden burden lifting of your chest. You placed your hands on his shoulders, eyes inspecting all over his face and visible skin, looking for any sort of abrasion on his skin, “Are you hurt anywhere?”

This made him laugh rather loudly, shaking his head, “I’m all good. This is nothing I can’t handle, if I survived nasty bludgers to my stomach, pretty much I can handle anything.” He said, smiling at you rather happily before remembering the reason why he approached you in the first place.

“Would you mind telling me why you asked me to keep you hidden from a specific Weasley, (L/N)?” He suddenly asked, shoving his hands into the pockets of his rather tattered jeans, eyes watching how your hands went back to your sides as your body tensed up at the question, clearly caught off guard. 

“We aren’t together anymore.” You explained, gently leaning against the bridge as you crossed your arms, now sparing him a sad smile; despite successfully pushing the memories away, you’ve never really recovered from the fear of loving someone and just have them let go in the end. Ever since the day Fred left, your heart sealed the deal of never loving anyone again.

Taking his silence as a notion to continue, “I caught him kissing another girl one night, then when I gained courage to officially break things off, that was also the day that he and George left Hogwarts. I couldn’t bear to see him today after everything he’s put me through.” You further explained, the fear creeping back into your mind as tears started to fall. 

Oliver didn’t even hesitate to pull you into his arms, engulfing you in a tight hug to silence the sobs that slipped past your lips. He held a subtle scent of cinnamon and ash wood, making you sink into his embrace further, not wanting to let go from the warmth he emitted. 

His hands found its way back to your cheeks, cupping them as his thumb prodded against your skin that glistened with tears, “I’m sorry I wasn’t there to help you through it, love.” His voice gentle as he spoke, afraid of ruining the fragile moment. You smiled at his caring tone, leaning into his touch once more. 

“(Y/N), I know this may come as a surprise, and I'll accept whatever reaction you may have, but I just want you to know that I’ve got you, always. I know you’re still going through a lot right now because of your emotions, but I’d be more than happy to help you through it all.” He suddenly said, sincerity dripping with every word he spoke, despite the erratic pacing of his heart. 

“I’ve loved you since Godric knows when and I just can’t stand seeing you like this. I won’t mind how long it would take, I’d love you every second of it and even more.” He ended his confession, a shy yet hopeful grin on his lips as he stared at you, readying himself for the probable rejection.

You were stunned into silence, shocked that someone has loved you all his life without the certainty of him receiving the same love back, that someone stayed despite of you losing yourself for another person. Your judgement easily wanted to reject him, to leave him hanging and just protect your heart, but a small part of you just yearned to be held like how he was holding on to you, to feel the warmth and affection he had easily given you over the course of your discussion right now. 

All of these emotions were coursing through your body as he patiently waited for your answer, eyes never leaving his rather calm expression; how he reminded you of the same warmth he had always given you back in the day.

“Just promise me to always be truthful and that you won’t hurt me, Oli. I’ll try and learn to love once again, just please promise me this.” Your voice quietly spoke, searching for the sincerity that never left the brunette’s face. 

“Of course, (Y/N). I promise to give you what you deserve. I’ve got you, always.”

---

And he did hold on to his promise, Oliver had always been so patient with you; giving you the space you need when you ask for it, the attention, affection and love always there despite him going out to train on a daily basis.

He’d always visit your small business and help out when he’s off from Quidditch training, be proud of all that you have done. He has treated you with the utmost respect and understood days where you just can’t control your emotions and help you through the toughest days and weeks; Oliver had always been there. 

Nearly a year into his promise, you’ve realized how much you have fallen for the male, realizing how he effortlessly broke down the walls of fear and hatred for love and replaced it with warmth and security. 

How your heart would flutter when you hear him laugh at your rants and stories from the customers you would encounter, how he would always be gentle when tending to you, how we kept the end of his promise, how he only made you feel that you were worth the fight and patience; that’s when you knew you love him.

---

The two of you were sat by the garden of your childhood home, the sun shining through the spaces in between the leaves as you two sat by the bench swing under the tree. You asked him to accompany you to your family dinner and he gladly accepted the offer, even clearing out his schedule for you. 

It was still quite early so the two of you decided to kill some time by your backyard, your younger cousin immediately finding him interesting and decided to keep you guys some company, settling himself by Oliver’s lap. His feet were gently swinging the bench as he held unto him, lulling him gently to sleep. “Looks like Theo had grown quite attached to you.” You whispered, giggling softly at the sight. 

A soft chuckle resonated from his lips, shrugging lightly as he spoke, “I’ve got my way with kids, what can I say?” tone light and easy as to not wake the child up while his hand rubbed on his back soothingly. 

Maybe it was how he looked at that exact moment that you knew you wanted this forever or just the way your heart pulsed out of beat that made you say, “Oli, I love you.” Your eyes were trained on him as you had sincerity painted all over your features, cheeks as red as the sweater he was wearing at the realization of what you just said, “I’m sorry, that didn’t mean to come out-”

“(Y/N), you have no idea how long I’ve wished for you to say those words to me, you don’t have to apologize for any of it. I love you too.” Were his words, tears forming in eyes as his whole body was suddenly filled with gratitude and warmth, Oliver was never the one to cry, but hearing those words from you were enough to move him to tears, knowing that you meant that by heart. 

Now wrapped upon comfortable silence, the two of you had the biggest smiles as your hands were now interlocked, his thumb caressing your skin gently. “(Y/N)! Oliver! You guys come in now, dinner’s almost ready and we’re about to take pictures!” your mother called out, hand waving to rush you guys back in. 

The two of you looked at each other knowingly before getting up from the seat, his hands cradling Theo as you made your way inside, immediately greeted by your uncles and aunts who you haven’t seen in quite a while. 

“Merlin’s beard, who might this be then?” One of your uncles asked, staring straight at your companion who instantly straightened up despite rocking your cousin in his arms gently. He was about to answer when you spoke up, “This is Oliver Wood, a former schoolmate, one of Puddlemere United’s reserve players and most importantly, my boyfriend.” introducing him with a proud smile as you take his free hand in yours, squeezing it gently. This earned hollers from your cousins and older relatives, making your cheeks a warmer hue than how it was already.

He looked rather surprised at the last thing you put, giving you a did you just say what I think you just did? Which you returned with a subtle nod, smiling happily as your cousin took baby Theo in her arms, quietly thanking him. “Before you even ask, you already know my answer, Oli.” you immediately said, reaching up to peck his cheek before leaving him to help out with your parents. 

That’s when he knew that he wanted this for eternity.

---

Oliver’s heart was erratic as he touched the small velvet box in his pocket as he led you to the very same place where you first confessed your love for him, smiling at the sight of you nervous and trying to peek through the blindfold, squeaking gently as he let you go, gentle music now filling the quiet space, melding with the noises of the grasshoppers that echoed through. 

“You can remove your blindfold now, love.” He said from behind you, to which you happily complied, eyes instantly catching the rather intimate candle-lit dinner set up under the tree, tears springing into your eyes as you searched for your boyfriend, turning around to see him standing with a bouquet of your favorite flowers which he handed off to you.

“This is going to be really cheesy but a year ago, today, a very special girl said something to me under this very same tree. A year ago today, was also the day that I knew that I wanted her- this- for the rest of my life.” He started off, a nervous smile displayed on his lips as he grabbed the same small box from pocket, getting ready to kneel down. 

“I know that we haven’t been together for the longest, but being with you for a year was enough to convince me that I would never find another. You might have beaten me to say I love you first, but I want to be the last person you’d ever say it to. So, (Y/N) (L/N), will you marry me?” He finished off, your vision blurred with tears as it was greeted by a simple yet elegant diamond ring. 

You were at a loss for words as happiness overwhelmed you, only managing to let out a small “yes” as you opened your arms for him, to which he easily found himself in, capturing your lips in a kiss  before slipping the ring on your finger.

“I love you so much, (Y/N)”

“I love you as much, Oliver.”

---

“Are you really sure about this, darling?” He questioned you one last time as his eyes wandered through Diagon Alley, seeing the rather large moving figure of Weasley’s Wizard Wheezes come closer. 

You had asked if it was alright to personally give your invitation to George, to which he happily agreed,  the unnerving feeling of you seeing the man’s twin still present despite the never-ending reassurance that you gave him that it was alright, that you can handle yourself. 

“I am, Oli. Don’t worry too much, I’ll be fine.” You answered, finally reaching the front door of the shop. Your hands slipped from his as you grabbed the invitation from your bag, placing a chaste kiss on his lips in the process. “Don’t miss me too much, Mr. Wood”

He laughed softly, waving as you entered the shop, “I’ll try not to!” he answered, peeking through the glass of the door. A wide smile on his lips as you were now greeted by the ginger, nodding at his direction as you pointed at him from the outside, to which the latter waved happily, giving him a thumbs up in approval. 

What happened next however, made his blood boil. He knew that Fred would be surprised to see you, but to see him take you in his arms was enough for him to rush inside and blast a hard punch across the man’s face, loathing how he treated you in the past. His better judgement, however, told him not to intervene and just trust your words.

His jaw was clenched shut as he watched the scene unfold, how he subtly heard you voice say that you didn’t want any part of him anymore, that you were done and you were happy with him. 

With those words said, a sudden wave of tranquility washed over him as pride swelled over his chest, a big smile on his lips as he welcomed your figure with a warm hug, placing a gentle kiss to your forehead before wiping the tears that managed to escape your eyes, “Are you alright, princess?”

You nodded, not moving from his grasp as you captured his lips in a kiss, conveying how thankful you are for him, how thankful you are that he taught you how to love once again. “I am, love. I’m just so thankful for you, I love you.”

He smiled once more, resting his forehead against yours as he spoke, “You know I love you too, love. You don’t have to thank me for anything.”

“And why is that?”

“Because as a girl told me one too many times before, I’ve got you, always.”

--

general taglist: @theweasleyslut​ @violetravens​ @starlightweasley​ @eunoia-kth ( i can’t tag you :<)

[froggy-frogz]

hey dude, congrats on the 500 followers hitmark!! i've been following you for a while now, and i absolutely love every single piece of your writing i've read - also the way you format is one of the few that doesn't make my neurodivergent brain spontaneously combust, so keep it up!!

I'd like to ask for a jjba match-up, thanks!

my name is skam, i'm poly & bi and currently questioning my gender, and i go by she/her

i'm 5'3, i have pale skin and i'm a bit chubby; i have shoulder-lenght wavy auburn hair with two bright red hair strands on the side of my face. i have almond/green eyes and my cheeks are covered in freckels (i also wear big golden square glasses)

i'm an extremely loud, talkative and attention-seeking person, i'm also very hyperactive and i have difficulty concentrating or taking things seriously (i've had a lot of therapists and they all said that i'm too quick to resort to humor to cope oof-)

in all of my friends groups i've always been considerated the clown friend, and i swing between taking great pride in being able to make people laugh and worrying that everybody around me sees me as some sort of uni-dimensional jester, and will leave me the moment i show any real emotion

another thing i take pride in is charisma and my ability to stay calm during discussions: generally i'm very impulsive and i act without thinking too much, but when an argument is enough stimulating my brain clicks and bam! i'm invincible (that's why i'm planning on studying law lmao)

btw i'm an entp (scorpio sun, libra moon, capricorn rising)

i wouldn't know how to describe my music taste, so i'll just list off some of my favorite artists: mitski, sleeping at last, sufjan stevens, the front bottoms, radiohead, ricky montgomery (these should be all?? idk lol)

my hobbies include reading manga (and watching anime to a lesser degree), taking naps, dancing in my room at 2 am (reason why i take so many naps), reading random wikipedia pages, buying new extravagant earrings/sunglasses/hawaian shirts, baking and hanging out with my friends (we basically just walk around the city centre buying food all day, but i just enjoy their company)

i hope this isn't too much and that my english didn't totally suck :))

A/N: Ty sm for following me! It does mean a lot, and also dw about your English at all, I could understand what you were saying perfectly! Also, you sound super cool Skam! I didn't know what parts you wanted so I just did 1 - 6 as those are the ones that have been animated. I try not to do 8 myself as I'm still reading 7 :,) little scared to finish it lol. ANYWAY getting off-topic, enjoy hun!

- - -

Warnings: None! I try to keep my matchups spoiler-free <3

- - -

I would match you with...

Jolyne

Jolyne would go so well with you. I feel like your personalities would balance well with each other, as she needs someone a bit like her. Charismatic, talkative, but yet someone who can always be calm when need be. She'd absolutely love you! Your music taste would be pretty close to hers, hell, she'd jam out with you at 2 am lmao- I HC that Jolyne cannot sleep for the death of her, for insomnia and plot-related reasons. She also doesn't mind at all that you're chubby, she loves it, she's slim and almost skin and bones so she would love a partner that she can cuddle and be clingy too. She's been void of affection [besides her mom] so that's something she'd definitely look to. She'd come along with you when you go to the city centre or any other shopping you'd do and point out things that she'd think would look cute on you. If you weren't able to buy them, she'd spoil you 100% and get you said item.

Narancia

I thought about this one for a bit, as I like to do 1/2 matchups per fandom, and well, I feel like you and Narancia would get along super well. Nara needs someone who can keep up with him, and someone who's like him. He needs someone who's just as loud and talkative as he is. If you can also make him laugh, which isn't that hard to do, that'd be an added plus! He also loves shopping, whether it's for a new manga, or just to pick something out for you. Just because he has an interesting fashion style, it doesn't mean that he doesn't have a good one, because he does, and he'll help pick out things that he thinks you'd like. He also loves to bake despite not being the best at it, so he'd definitely turn to you to help teach him.