#guest; kafka

[iunctura-arch]

THE UNENDING SPARK: CHAPTER 1

"Oh wow, this place is great! Why didn't we come here before?!"

"Probably because Melanie hadn't met us yet." Cassiopeia watched as March took photos of the landscape. "But we're here because of a mission, too. Don't forget it."

"I know! I just want some good photos so we remember this place before we go! So, Melanie, since you're the one who knows this place the best, where do you think we should start looking....?" March looked over to Melanie, who was talking to a... very small pink-haired girl near one of the... Were they shops or was it some weird storage area?

Both her and Cassiopeia walked over to Melanie, who looked over to them with a small smile.

"These are a couple of my new friends I've made on my journey. Cassiopeia, March, this is Tataru. She's a seamstress who set up a shop here in Sharlayan. Tataru, this is Cassiopeia and March. They're Trailblazers, world-hopping travellers on a mission."

March put her hands on her hips and beamed while Cassiopeia rubbed the back of her neck nervously.

"A pleasure to meet you!" March said cheerily. "So, little Tataru, do you know where the Stellaron is?"

"I'll have you know I'm a fully-grown adult!" Tataru said, a frown on her face as she did so. "But I don't know where this 'Stellaron' is. I heard that there'd been a new discovery, but it seems to have been taken by someone before the Forum could officially figure out what it was."

That took the other two by surprise, while Melanie folded her arms against her chest and thought for a few moments. So, the Stellaron had arrived here, which meant the Stellaron Hunters were here. Which meant that the Astral Express had the advantage with Melanie's knowledge of the world they were currently on.

"That may have been the Stellaron they took. I'm guessing they left Sharlayan as soon as possible. Thanks for the info, Tataru. It looks like the Scions have to get together again. We're gonna need all the help we can get on this one."

She looked back towards March and Cassiopeia, putting a hand on her hip. "If they left Sharlayan, that means they may be heading to Othard. The only other place they could've gone is Limsa Lominsa, and I doubt they'd take the Stellaron somewhere where it could easily get stolen."

March looked confused as Melanie said that. "But... what if they do take it to that Limsa place? Wouldn't we be better going there?"

Cassiopeia looked a little irritated at that. "Melanie told us that Limsa is where the pirates are. They steal from others that aren't their own people, so going there would be pointless. I think we should hurry to this Othard place. But how are we getting there?"

It took Melanie a moment to answer, a wide grin appearing on her face.

"I'm taking you two with me." She grabbed both March and Cassiopeia by the hands before the three of them disappeared one-by-one. Tataru stood there, staring at where they'd been previously, before chuckling a little to herself.

"I hope they can handle teleportation!" She said with a smile on her face.

---

Not a few seconds later, the three of them arrived in the Doman Enclave, with both March 7th and Cassiopeia reeling from the experience while Melanie pulled out a couple of waterskins. She handed them over to the two.

"This cures aether sickness. Forgot you guys weren't attuned to the aetherytes..." Which meant that going back to Sharlayan would cause this, too. Or wherever else they went because of teleportation. Man, she really needed to stock up on the Lassi for aether sickness before she did that again.

Either way, they were here now. Once the two were back in order thanks to the Lassi, the three of them headed towards the Kienkan. Holding a hand out to stop March and Cassiopeia, Melanie walked up to the guard standing at the front.

It seemed Hakuro was out at the moment, which meant it was just the guard today.

"I'm here to have an audience with Lord Hien about something important." Melanie stated. "Could you tell him that the Warrior of Light wishes to have an audience?"

"Certainly." The guard gave her a bow before heading inside.

"Warrior of Light? What's that?" March asked. Melanie looked behind her with a shrug.

"It's a title I got for being... well, the hero of Eorzea. I didn't come up with it." She said, before turning around. "I've saved practically every country-- this entire universe we're currently in-- with my own two hands." She'd had help on some of them, but most of them she'd fought by herself. All alone, with her own two fists.

"Woooow...." March's eyes shined when she heard all that.

"So that's why Mr. Yang was so hesitant on letting you come with us on the prior missions." Cassiopeia said, thinking. "You're practically too powerful."

"I know how to hold back." Melanie shrugged. "He wants you guys to gain experience, but sometimes having someone who knows a lot there with you can help. I'm surprised he let me come with you guys here... And that Dan Heng wanted to stay behind."

"Well, the track did shift..." March recalled, tapping her chin. "It's never done that, according to Pom-Pom, so he's staying onboard to analyze and categorize the data we get from here!"

"Sounds about right." Cassiopeia nodded in agreement. At that moment, the guard came back out.

"Lord Hien has granted your audience, Warrior of Light. Please, come inside."

"Of course." Melanie turned to the guard and bowed, gesturing for March and Cassiopeia to come with her. The three of them were guided by the guard to the meeting chambers, where Hien was sitting. There was a tray with a teapot and some cups, all filled with Doma's famous tea.

"Melanie, it's good to hear from you again." Hien said with a smile. "I've heard you've come for an audience. That's quite rare. Is there any reason why?"

Melanie walked over to one of the cushions, sitting down on it and taking a cup of tea. Taking a sip, she looked into the liquid that rested in the cup. "My friends here-- March and Cassiopeia, they're looking for an item called the Stellaron. According to what we gathered, it ended up here on Hydaelyn, which is why we're here."

"Friends?" Hien looked to March and Cassiopeia before smiling at them. "Friends of Melanie are welcome here in Doma. Please, have a seat."

"Um-- sure!" March hurried to sit on one of the cushions while Cassiopeia plopped herself on one and sat cross-legged on the floor.

"The Stellaron is dangerous to this place." Cassiopeia said. "It could change something. It hasn't been here long, probably about a few days, but we need to get it off the planet before it does irreparable damage."

Hien nodded, a serious look on his face. "So you assume it'd be here in Doma?"

"The only other place is Limsa, and it'd be stolen without a doubt. Whoever took it clearly knows what they're doing, because they took it before the Forum could determine what it was." Melanie stated. "They'd come to Othard, for sure. And I was going to request your assistance in this."

"Whatever you need, my friend." Hien took his tea from the tray, taking a sip. "I have been hearing that a man has taken residence in the Swallow's Compass. Perhaps that's the person you're looking for."

"....I haate that place." Melanie groaned. "Guess we have to go back. Come on, you two."

The three drained their teacups, thanked Hien and headed out. Melanie took them to the ferryman, who took them across to the One River. It was only about a mile away from the dock at One River to get to the dungeon area. At the door, the three of them saw a familiar face.

"Kafka?!" Cassiopeia brought out her bat while March got her bow ready. "What are you doing here?!"

"The same as you." Kafka turned to face the three of them. "I'm here for the Stellaron."

"I'm surprised you found your way here." Melanie said, having not immediately gone on the offensive. "I know you Hunters and us of the Express are usually at odds, but could we work together this once? It's going to be difficult getting through there."

Especially if the Stellaron buffed the monsters in there. Which meant that they'd have to fight really hard to defeat them.

"Melanie, she's-" March started, but was cut off.

"I know this world better than you do." Melanie retorted, looking back at March for a moment. "I know what lies inside. We need more than just the three of us, so I'm calling a truce with the Stellaron Hunters here. The Stellaron may have also augmented the man, as we've seen happen with Cocolia. We need to get through this place first. I'm not feeling up to summoning Mr. Yang or Himeko off the ship, either."

"You know this world?" Kafka asked, starting to walk down the steps. "Did you originally reside here?"

"For quite a few years. Seven, in fact." Melanie stated, folding her arms against her chest. "I'm not an original resident of this world, but I am the Warrior of Light. I'd rather not waste our time fighting you when we could work together."

Kafka seemed to contemplate it while both Cassiopeia and March were on guard still. But then...

"Alright. We'll call a truce here." Internally, Kafka knew her reason for being here. A Stellaron falling on this world hadn't been on the original script Elio had written out, so he'd sent her to investigate the world itself and the Stellaron had lead her here. There was no reason to fight the Astral Express when they both needed information.

"Glad you could join us, Kafka." Melanie said. Both March and Cassiopeia put their weapons away before walking up to the two.

"Uhh.. Guess it's nice to work with you?" March was confused.

"Nice to work with you." Cassiopeia said, her tune already changed. "But just so you know, we'll be watching you."

"Of course." Kafka said. Melanie smiled before walking around Kafka to head up the stairs.

The four of them soon stood at the doors to the Swallow's Compass. With a deep breath, Melanie pushed the doors open and they all walked inside.

It was time to see what the Stellaron had done to the Swallow's Compass.

[aloetech]

Chibis!!

[joeyclaire]

♪♪♪

i can’t choose between these so i didn’t you get both

send me a 🎶 and i’ll write down my favorite lyrics from the first song that comes on shuffle

[the-travelling-witch]

i went to check out the hsr bubble tea collab after all!! big thank you to @kreideprinzessin for meeting me so spontaneously, i had a blast chatting with you!! ♡

[winterfurst]

"Mmmm... I don't want Solus to look at me and then start yelling. I'll just keep an eye on them..."

He watched as Satoshi came back out from the backroom without...? Ashe...?

"Where did she...?"

Coming up behind Igino and the new guy, Ashe blinked. "Hi!! Satoshi thinks I can sit here for now unless they need me again for more testimony. He said it would 'calm my nerves'. Mr. Schwarzer is on his way, is what he wanted me to tell you guys."

"...You could try and sneak closer? Though you might not get the result you want, so I dunno if it's worth it."

[metamorphesque]

Franz Kafka and guests at the sanatorium where he stayed during December 1920 to August 1921 to treat his tuberculosis. Matlárháza/Tatranské Matliare, Matliary, High Tatra, Czechoslovakia (now Slovakia)

[mostlysignssomeportents]

Shifting $677m from the banks to the people, every year, forever

I'll be in TUCSON, AZ from November 8-10: I'm the GUEST OF HONOR at the TUSCON SCIENCE FICTION CONVENTION.

"Switching costs" are one of the great underappreciated evils in our world: the more it costs you to change from one product or service to another, the worse the vendor, provider, or service you're using today can treat you without risking your business.

Businesses set out to keep switching costs as high as possible. Literally. Mark Zuckerberg's capos send him memos chortling about how Facebook's new photos feature will punish anyone who leaves for a rival service with the loss of all their family photos – meaning Zuck can torment those users for profit and they'll still stick around so long as the abuse is less bad than the loss of all their cherished memories:

https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2021/08/facebooks-secret-war-switching-costs

It's often hard to quantify switching costs. We can tell when they're high, say, if your landlord ties your internet service to your lease (splitting the profits with a shitty ISP that overcharges and underdelivers), the switching cost of getting a new internet provider is the cost of moving house. We can tell when they're low, too: you can switch from one podcatcher program to another just by exporting your list of subscriptions from the old one and importing it into the new one:

https://pluralistic.net/2024/10/16/keep-it-really-simple-stupid/#read-receipts-are-you-kidding-me-seriously-fuck-that-noise

But sometimes, economists can get a rough idea of the dollar value of high switching costs. For example, a group of economists working for the Consumer Finance Protection Bureau calculated that the hassle of changing banks is costing Americans at least $677m per year (see page 526):

https://files.consumerfinance.gov/f/documents/cfpb_personal-financial-data-rights-final-rule_2024-10.pdf

The CFPB economists used a very conservative methodology, so the number is likely higher, but let's stick with that figure for now. The switching costs of changing banks – determining which bank has the best deal for you, then transfering over your account histories, cards, payees, and automated bill payments – are costing everyday Americans more than half a billion dollars, every year.

Now, the CFPB wasn't gathering this data just to make you mad. They wanted to do something about all this money – to find a way to lower switching costs, and, in so doing, transfer all that money from bank shareholders and executives to the American public.

And that's just what they did. A newly finalized Personal Financial Data Rights rule will allow you to authorize third parties – other banks, comparison shopping sites, brokers, anyone who offers you a better deal, or help you find one – to request your account data from your bank. Your bank will be required to provide that data.

I loved this rule when they first proposed it:

https://pluralistic.net/2024/06/10/getting-things-done/#deliverism

And I like the final rule even better. They've really nailed this one, even down to the fine-grained details where interop wonks like me get very deep into the weeds. For example, a thorny problem with interop rules like this one is "who gets to decide how the interoperability works?" Where will the data-formats come from? How will we know they're fit for purpose?

This is a super-hard problem. If we put the monopolies whose power we're trying to undermine in charge of this, they can easily cheat by delivering data in uselessly obfuscated formats. For example, when I used California's privacy law to force Mailchimp to provide list of all the mailing lists I've been signed up for without my permission, they sent me thousands of folders containing more than 5,900 spreadsheets listing their internal serial numbers for the lists I'm on, with no way to find out what these lists are called or how to get off of them:

https://pluralistic.net/2024/07/22/degoogled/#kafka-as-a-service

So if we're not going to let the companies decide on data formats, who should be in charge of this? One possibility is to require the use of a standard, but again, which standard? We can ask a standards body to make a new standard, which they're often very good at, but not when the stakes are high like this. Standards bodies are very weak institutions that large companies are very good at capturing:

https://pluralistic.net/2023/04/30/weak-institutions/

Here's how the CFPB solved this: they listed out the characteristics of a good standards body, listed out the data types that the standard would have to encompass, and then told banks that so long as they used a standard from a good standards body that covered all the data-types, they'd be in the clear.

Once the rule is in effect, you'll be able to go to a comparison shopping site and authorize it to go to your bank for your transaction history, and then tell you which bank – out of all the banks in America – will pay you the most for your deposits and charge you the least for your debts. Then, after you open a new account, you can authorize the new bank to go back to your old bank and get all your data: payees, scheduled payments, payment history, all of it. Switching banks will be as easy as switching mobile phone carriers – just a few clicks and a few minutes' work to get your old number working on a phone with a new provider.

This will save Americans at least $677 million, every year. Which is to say, it will cost the banks at least $670 million every year.

Naturally, America's largest banks are suing to block the rule:

https://www.americanbanker.com/news/cfpbs-open-banking-rule-faces-suit-from-bank-policy-institute

Of course, the banks claim that they're only suing to protect you, and the $677m annual transfer from their investors to the public has nothing to do with it. The banks claim to be worried about bank-fraud, which is a real thing that we should be worried about. They say that an interoperability rule could make it easier for scammers to get at your data and even transfer your account to a sleazy fly-by-night operation without your consent. This is also true!

It is obviously true that a bad interop rule would be bad. But it doesn't follow that every interop rule is bad, or that it's impossible to make a good one. The CFPB has made a very good one.

For starters, you can't just authorize anyone to get your data. Eligible third parties have to meet stringent criteria and vetting. These third parties are only allowed to ask for the narrowest slice of your data needed to perform the task you've set for them. They aren't allowed to use that data for anything else, and as soon as they've finished, they must delete your data. You can also revoke their access to your data at any time, for any reason, with one click – none of this "call a customer service rep and wait on hold" nonsense.

What's more, if your bank has any doubts about a request for your data, they are empowered to (temporarily) refuse to provide it, until they confirm with you that everything is on the up-and-up.

I wrote about the lawsuit this week for @eff@mastodon.social's Deeplinks blog:

https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2024/10/no-matter-what-bank-says-its-your-money-your-data-and-your-choice

In that article, I point out the tedious, obvious ruses of securitywashing and privacywashing, where a company insists that its most abusive, exploitative, invasive conduct can't be challenged because that would expose their customers to security and privacy risks. This is such bullshit.

It's bullshit when printer companies say they can't let you use third party ink – for your own good:

https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2024/01/hp-ceo-blocking-third-party-ink-from-printers-fights-viruses/

It's bullshit when car companies say they can't let you use third party mechanics – for your own good:

https://pluralistic.net/2020/09/03/rip-david-graeber/#rolling-surveillance-platforms

It's bullshit when Apple says they can't let you use third party app stores – for your own good:

https://www.eff.org/document/letter-bruce-schneier-senate-judiciary-regarding-app-store-security

It's bullshit when Facebook says you can't independently monitor the paid disinformation in your feed – for your own good:

https://pluralistic.net/2021/08/05/comprehensive-sex-ed/#quis-custodiet-ipsos-zuck

And it's bullshit when the banks say you can't change to a bank that charges you less, and pays you more – for your own good.

CFPB boss Rohit Chopra is part of a cohort of Biden enforcers who've hit upon a devastatingly effective tactic for fighting corporate power: they read the law and found out what they're allowed to do, and then did it:

https://pluralistic.net/2023/10/23/getting-stuff-done/#praxis

The CFPB was created in 2010 with the passage of the Consumer Financial Protection Act, which specifically empowers the CFPB to make this kind of data-sharing rule. Back when the CFPA was in Congress, the banks howled about this rule, whining that they were being forced to share their data with their competitors.

But your account data isn't your bank's data. It's your data. And the CFPB is gonna let you have it, and they're gonna save you and your fellow Americans at least $677m/year – forever.

If you'd like an essay-formatted version of this post to read or share, here's a link to it on pluralistic.net, my surveillance-free, ad-free, tracker-free blog:

https://pluralistic.net/2024/11/01/bankshot/#personal-financial-data-rights

[kyouka-supremacy]

Asagiri-Harukawa panel at the Naples Comicon (2025) - transcript

KA: Kafka Asagiri SH: Sango Harukawa I1: Interviewer 1 (Angelo “Sommobuta” Cavallaro) I2: Interviewer 1 (Alessandra Marchioni) Interpreter: Serena Musella

Translation is from Italian and not Japanese. My notes are in [].

[Before the panel began, I1 informed that it was strictly prohibited to take photos. Harukawa and Asagiri entered dressed the same way as they looked in their greetings before the Dead Apple screening a few hours beforehand. Harukawa set behind a white divider, which kept them hidden for the whole duration of the panel. There were enthusiastic clapping and cheers after every answer for the entire duration of the panel.]

I1: I would like to ask the senseis Harukawa Sango and Asagiri Kafka whether they’d like to introduce themselves.

KA: Benvenuti [welcome]. Thank you everyone for being here; I see there’s also a lot of people who were at the autographs session, I am very happy to see you again; have fun.

SH: Ciao, grazie [hello, thank you]. Hello everyone, I’m Harukawa, I take care of Bungou Stray Dogs’ character designs and drawings. I’m very glad to know you, and I’m especially extremely happy for being here, coming for the first time in such a far place and seeing just how many people are here to hug me with their warmth.

I2: I would like to start with a series of questions to break the ice, to get to know a little more about our extremely welcomed guests: how did the fly from Japan go, have you ever been in Italy and Europe and how many times, and are you enjoying this travel in Naples?

[Asagiri looks confused about the question. He turns around in a goofy way (questions are written on the screen to their back), and everyone giggles.]

KA: I’m sorry, I can’t see very well. This is the first time I come to Italy and in Naples, I’m extremely excited and glad, especially for the beauty of the city and for the delicious food. And also thanks to the warmth that I received from all you fans, I now feel completely reinvigorated, thank you lots.

SH: Just like Asagiri sensei said, for me as well it’s the first time in Italy and in Naples, and I was extremely struck by the beauty of the city, and I had the impression like Japan’s colours were a little darker and sadder compared to Italy’s. Italy is so colourful and, just like I thought, the land of art.

I1: Before diving in our talk about Bungou Stray Dogs, I would like to ask the senseis if there’s anything they would like to share with us Italian fans.

KA: This is the second time I’m participating to a panel of this kind: the first time I was in America, but in Japan I already had the chance six times. Although, this is the first time I’m joining a panel in collaboration with Harukawa-sensei, so it’s really an historical moment you’re all being part of.

SH: Asagiri-san stole my words.

[I2 invites the audience again not to take photos.]

I1: I would like to ask Asagiri Kafka sensei what brought you to write and create Bungou Stray Dogs, how did the idea come to you, and what did you want to convey to us readers?

KA: The reason that pushed me to write Bungou Stray Dogs is very easy: I was unemployed.

I2: At this point we have a question for Harukawa sensei: when you started drawing Bungous Stray Dogs – since you take care of the artistic aspect – what guided your artistic approach? And how did you find the right drawing style for each character of the manga?

SH: In Japanese manga, there’s no colours and everything is black and white. So what pushed me the most to write was creating silhouettes that could work [??] in this world in black and white.

I1: This is a question for Harukawa Sango sensei and Asagiri Kafka sensei: what are your favourite authors, favourite books, and how did these preferences influence you in Bungou Stray Dogs?

KA: I forgot what I said during rehearsal, so I’m going to come up with another answer now. My biggest inspiration comes from movies, especially American superhero movies like Avengers. Especially, which movie inspired me the most? It could make you a little mad, so I’m not going to tell.

SH: I don’t know how well-known it is in Italy, but in Japan it’s incredibly famous: there’s this game called Persona, so principally from the artist, who’s Shigenori Soejima.

I2: At this point as good Italians we must ask whether you have any favourite Italian writer or illustrator; and if you had to add an Italian artist to Bungou Stray Dogs, who would they be, and what special ability would they have? You wouldn’t have drawn them, obviously. [not sure about this last sentence, I think they’re rhetorically asking “unless you have already drawn them”]

KA: [Pause] Dante! [Audience goes wild.]

KA: I’ve always wanted to add Dante in the story, and if I had to think of an ability, I would like it to capture Italy in its entirety.

SH: I wouldn’t know how to answer on who’s my favourite writer, but I certainly have a favourite Italian artist, who is Giorgio de Chirico, who’s very famous in Japan as well.

I1: A question for the both of you, I would like to know how much research you made on the life or real works of the great authors that share the same name of every character of the manga, that is, the great writers, the great artists. And, do manga characters reflect their personalities, or their works?

KA: When I imagined the characters’ creation, the first thing I wanted to convey was respect for the original authors. That’s why I dedicated a lot of time to research the works and especially the lives of these authors. Even then, I never thought of making the characters the same of the original authors. The reason why is because if I had done this, 70% of Bungou Stray Dogs’ authors would have been horrible people and drunkards.

SH: I also made a lot of research regarding the original authors, for example, the character of Izumi Kyouka, she always brings with her a rabbit plushie, and this derives precisely from a story of the author.

I2: What are your favourite scenes and characters in the manga; how much did characters change with the story’s progression; and do you think today Bungo Stray Dogs’ characters have a will of their own?

KA: I forgot the rehearsal’s answer again. The most fun thing to write were fights between adversaries, enemies. For example, the one between the Port Mafia and the Guild; or the Hunting Dogs and Sigma. The reason is very simple: when there’s a fight between good and evil, it’s obvious good is going to win, but when the fight is between evil and evil, it gets a lot more interesting. And it’s in these moments that one can write a real conclusion.

SH: I also forgot the answer from rehearsal, so I’m going to think about it now. I’m not going to speak of a scene, but of a character. Since I found it very interesting to draw western clothes, one of the characters I had the most fun drawing was Lucy and Nikolai.

I1: Now we have a little surprise, because we will make the sensei Harukawa Sango comment some pages from the manga. So, now we will see some pages, and the teacher will comment them to us.

SH: In this scene in particular, I had to draw the room of Lucy Maud Montgomery, and at that time, I couldn’t find the inspiration. So, it was my assistants who helped me, and it was a nice moment of cooperation. Especially when I then saw this scene again in the anime transposition, it was exactly the same of how I had drawn it, and that made me very happy.

SH: For what concerns the picture in the center, where lemons come out from the character’s face, I received a memo from Asagiri sensei where they told me to draw it extremely frightful, and that’s exactly what I tried to do.

SH: For what concerns the panel of Demon Snow, I said before that one of my greatest inspiration were the Persona characters, and indeed Demon Snow is inspired exactly to these characters.

SH: Here I draw a chainsaw for the first time.

SH: Of this episode in particular I don’t have many memories, because the deadline was super tight and I worked like crazy, so I don’t remember very well what I did. I am very thankful to Asagiri sensei who, since they saw me in great struggle, told me that the scene of the battle on the top of the whale, I could leave all white [???]

I1: I would like to ask a question for both of you, that is, I would like to understand how does the behind the scenes of a chapter creation works; Asagiri Kafka sensei writes the script, Harukawa Sango obviously draws, but, how does their collaboration work, I mean how does the work between illustrator and script writer work? And above all I would like to know what’s the thing one likes about the other.

KA: I take care of the script, while Harukawa sensei takes care of the drawing. I respect a lot, we both respect a lot one the expertise of the other, so we try to never enter in the work [of the other] nor to influence each other.

SH: They again stole my words.

KA: It’s a little embarrassing, now on the spot like this, saying what’s the thing I like the most about her; but to be honest, working with her has been one of the most beautiful things of my life. And if I were to say what I love in particular, it’s the colours, the way of drawing, but especially the characters’ design.

SH: If I had to tell what I like about him is that he never projects himself inside his characters; characters are independent entities, different from him. This is something I like a lot.

I2: And just to Asagiri sensei we would like [to ask] a question in particular: can you tell us some more on the character abilities’ nature and on their connection with the Book? What are exactly abilities, and why do some have them, and others don’t? As of late the story delved more on the Book, can you tell us some more on what it really is, and of its role, the role of the Book in the world of Bungou Stray Dogs.

KA: For what concerns the Book, you’re going to find out soon; the only thing I can tell you, is that the Book is the world.

KA: Instead, for what concerns abilities… I don’t think there’s the need to actually decide where they come from. There may exist works where it’s necessary to reveal what abilities are and where they come from, but I don’t think it’s the case of ours.

I1: Once more, I would like to ask you both what were your impression when you received the proposal of realizing the anime of Bungou Stray Dogs, so, an animated adaptation of your manga.

KA: If I had to say in one word what it is to transpose in anime the manga for a mangaka: it’s a dream. For a person, to see their dream become true, it’s truly indescribable. [Everyone starts clapping, but Asagiri gestures to stop in a funny way.] However, when I was told that my manga would have become an anime, I had published only two volumes, so I thought the timing was a little wrong, and it surprised me. That’s all.

SH: As a mangaka, I think anime can reach a lot more people; compared to those who exclusively read the manga, anime reaches where the manga can’t reach. And thanks to this, even people who would have never read the manga, like my friends, and especially my parents, complimented me, and told me “you did very well”; that made me very glad.

I2: What role did you have in the phase of production of the anime, and how did you help the anime staff?

KA: For what concerns the writing of the script, which is also my job, I joined every meeting, and I was even a bit nitpicky in deciding what to say, what to put in, what to not put in. For everything else, I left it to the animation experts: it’s not my job, so I left things to them.

SH: On the other hand, for what concerns the drawing part, the manga is black and white, while the anime is in colour, so I mostly took care of this part. However, I didn’t give specific directions on which colours to pick; the only thing I focused on was the brightness and the shading aspect. That’s what interested me above everything else. Like Asagiri sensei said as well, I take care of the manga, so everything else, for what concerns the animation, I left it to the professionals.

I2: What were your impressions when you saw the finished anime for the first time?

KA: Of a breathtaking beauty. I was truly moved. In particular, seeing how Dazai threw away his coat [I suppose how his coat flows to the wind in season 1 episode 1].

SH: I will again give an answer that is completely different from rehearsal. In my illustrations, there’s a lot of images where hair fly to the wind, or clothes fly to the wind; seeing those animated was very interesting. And because of this I was very happy.

[Shortly after, the panel drew to an end. Explanation on Asagiri waving the Soukoku Italian flag here.]

[winterfurst]

"Uuuh....Friends?"

Were they friends? The only one part of his group was Edward. The other two were... Rivals, at best. Maybe? He wasn't even sure why Kafka was like...That. But good God...

"I can't wait to go tell Mother and Igino about today. Jesus fuckin'..."

Blade snorted as he finally let go of the blonde man with Satoshi. "No promises," he huffed. "But you're free now."

"Marvelous! You both seem like you're friends, and I'm assuming the other two are also part of your group, so I'm sure you'll be able to resolve whatever unfortunate misunderstanding got all of your feathers ruffled now that you've all calmed down a little."

[aventurineswife]

hay so I was just watching some MLP infection au's and saw that you're requests where open soon here I am to drop this on you

What if in the reader's art museum in sahsrau MLP infection paintings started to appear (like ponies from the cookie virus au or ones from the graveyard au) also what if the reader (purely for the old on their end) made some paintings or sculptures of that kind of virus in the hsr universe how wild would things get? Just food for thought lol

Okay but yes—this is delightfully unhinged and I love where your brain went with this.

Imagine the museum staff in SAHSRAU—people like Pela, Yukong, or even Qingque—just staring in stunned horror at these new exhibits. No one remembers approving them, but there they are: haunting, glitched-out ponies with hollow eyes and corrupted code bleeding off the canvases. Some guests swear the paintings move when you aren’t looking. Others swear they whisper.

Then there’s the sculptures. Eldritch-chic creatures that shouldn’t exist under the laws of biology or logic, but the Reader just casually says, “Oh, I made those for fun. You know, for the vibes.” And everyone else is like, “WHAT vibes?!”

Bonus points if Kafka or Silver Wolf walk in and immediately go, “Okay but this slaps.” Silver Wolf tries to extract data from one of the paintings and accidentally gives it Wi-Fi access. Suddenly, a corrupted cartoon pony glitches its way into the Express mainframe.

10/10 idea.

[margoteve]

A New User

Summary: It's been some time since number 10 has seen some action. Kafka comes to visit him about it.

Rating: Gen

Characters: Kafka Hibino, Kaiju no. 10, mention of Hoshina

Read on AO3

Tag list (if anyone wants to be off the list lmk): @kafkahibinomybeloved @mechazushi @sonicasura @iceclew @quinowskie @idocreative @j4yslayz @famouslysleepy

The doors whooshed, and the seams rose from the pneumatic valves as Kafka stepped into the room.

"Hey, Ten!" The kaiju-man called cheerfully. "Wanna grab a beer?" He raised a six pack as he walked towards the holding tank of Numbered Weapon Ten.

The former daikaiju squinted at his guests. "Get out! I don't want to talk to you!" He yelled.

"C'mon, Ten, don't be like that!" Kafka chuckled and just sat down under the tank. The beer fizzled as he opened a can, spilling a little over his finger. "Ah, shit-!"

Ten continued to scowl but said nothing. Kafka took a sip of his drink and sighed deeply. There was grey dusting his hair, and some deeper wrinkles started to mark his face. Laugh lines and crow's feet indicated his age, but even if someone tried to guess it, they would probably get it wrong.

Kafka continued to drink in peace, feeling the animosity radiating from Ten.

"I heard you refused another user." He finally spoke up.

"A weakling! No spark to fight in him!" Ten scoffed. "If it was Soshiro—!" He abruptly stopped himself.

The unfinished sentence hung heavily between them. How long was it? Fifty years now?

"Yeah, Vice-Captain was a great soldier…," Kafka said with a light, nostalgic smile. "Gotta miss seeing his fox-face in the field. Fighting all these powerful kaiju." He glanced up at the red kaiju.

Ten huffed. Number Eight was so obvious.

"I know what you are doing," Ten grumbled. "They sent you here to convince me. It will not happen." He stubbornly insisted.

"Well, that's too bad!" Kafka crushed the empty beer can and got up to his feet. "I heard another Hoshina is entering the force! Real spunk in that girl. Good with blades, too. But since you'd rather be cryofrozen!" He was about to leave.

"Wait!" Ten called out.

Kafka looked over his shoulder.

"How good is the brat?" Ten asked.

"Well, she didn't beat Kikoru's record on a recruit's release power, but she did a number on me in the entrance exam," Kafka replied with a thoughtful hum.

Ten snorted. "That's not hard to do. You are too soft, Eight."

"Now, that's just rude. But we could check that out if you chose a user, then we could see who is better," Kafka joked as he took on a boxing pose, throwing a couple of air punches. "I haven't been exactly rotting in confinement all these years, you know."

Over the years, the two kaiju fought alongside each other many times, until the loss of Vice-Captain Hoshina, that is. They built a rapport with each other. It also meant that Kafka knew exactly which buttons to push on Ten to come around.

"I am still better!" Ten shouted back at him. "Fine! Send the kid down here! We'll see how good she is."

"Knew you'd come around!" Kafka grinned. "I'll let others know!"

"Brat." Ten grumbled. As the doors closed behind Kafka, he sighed deeply. "An officer wearing your last name, huh? Soshiro… maybe this time, I won't fail to protect you."

He closed his eye and let the memories sweep him away once more.

[salty-dracon]

Stellaron Hunter Sunday thoughts, going on a mission edition:

Kafka's buying a cake to celebrate Sunday's first official IPC bounty. After a terrifying mission where he uses some Path powers on an important group, he's winded, but his new teammates are clapping when he returns to them safe and sound. And it's at that moment that Sunday realizes that there is no going back to his old life.

Imagine a cutscene where the Astral Express is enjoying a banquet with a bunch of guests. One by one all of the other guests start to fall unconscious. As the room falls silent and the lights flicker and hum, the crew hears the even-spaced, metronomic clicking of footsteps... before they spot a familiar Halovian, dressed to the nines in the darkest shade of midnight blue, making his way into the banquet hall.

How do you get away from a man who doesn't even need a weapon to be a major threat? Bring up Robin. Ask him, "What would Robin think?" or "Would Robin want you to do this?" It stuns him the first few times, but it loses its effectiveness quickly as he begins to convince himself (or perhaps Elio has convinced him?) that everything he does is for Robin's happiness and salvation.

Illusion and dreams are extremely versatile powers in the right hands. Consider: illusory doubles of yourself and your enemy, voices and sounds that distract and deflect, or trapping a single person in your own mental world to eliminate them when they're unable to receive help from their friends.

Maybe he needs a weapon for style purposes, like a conductor's baton similar to the one Dominicus/Septimus had. It works well thematically given how both the Harmony and Order are themed around music. Also it would look cool in battle. One flick of the wrist, and everything is under his control, mirroring the very first scene in the prologue where Kafka plays air violin.

Can Sunday be contained in conventional ways? If you lock him in a cell and leave a guard in the room, could he trap them in a waking dream where they think a loved one is in the cell and feel compelled to break them out? How far does this power extend?

How self-assured is Sunday of his power? Does he believe in Elio's script enough to trust in fate that his enemies will fall? Can his captors see it on his face- an unsettling smile that screams "Do whatever you want, try whatever you will- fate is on my side."?

We've had several moments where the Stellaron Hunters manage to protect each other or free each other (SW saves Kafka in the prologue, Blade breaks Kafka free of the Matrix and helps her escape, etc.). Imagine the playful banter Sunday has when he's finally rescued by the Hunters. As serious as he usually is, with a side of appreciation.

I imagine he's still got that space fantasy Catholicism influence in his words and actions. He's quoting proverbs and admonishing sinners while watching buildings blow up, things like that.

Maybe he puts those proverbs away when dealing with the Astral Express who already bested him once, and who are as noble as him. Perhaps he sees them as equals who could potentially best an Aeon, and he's just playing the villain to make sure fate takes the right course.

Sunday, eating dinner in an apartment the group rented on a whim: "Do you mind if I say grace before we eat?" Blade: "I do mind. This is an Aeonless apartment."

[castaincognito]

May I offer you this chart of astral express family I once did (featuring ein, tesla, kafka and void archives as guest stars/honorable members)

[magic-shop-stories]

bts soulmate au where reader reject the bond but ends up regretting it and has to win them back (or the other way round) ?

💌 Reply:

hello 💜 THANK YOU for the message, I enjoyed writing these headcananons a lot! Hope you'll like them and it's what you wanted 💜 - C -

NAMJOON

- The Weight of Words

WHAT HAPPENED

Soulmate Bond

Namjoon and you share a unique intellectual connection

rooted in literature

you first meet at a bookstore bookshop

both reaching for the same worn copy of The Little Prince

inside: his handwritten note tucked between pages:

“To define is to limit – Oscar Wilde.”

later, he discovers your annotated margin in his favorite poetry anthology:

“Silence is a text easy to misread – A.S. Byatt.”

mutual obsession with words = your “soulmate” thread

WHY YOU REJECTED

Insecurity

a struggling writer

intimidated by his accolades

at a dinner party, a fan gushes over his UN speech

you shrink into silence

Pressure

you convince yourself you’re just another admirer

“He needs a partner, not a fan.”

HOW YOU REJECTED

after months of late-night debates about Kafka and shared playlists

panicing during a studio visit

you blurt: “I’m not your equal. I’m just… noise.”

His Reaction

removes his glasses

voice steady but strained

“If you need space, take it. But don’t insult us by calling this noise.”

gifts you the anthology

your annotations highlighted in gold

REGRET

Trigger

a year later, you attend his guest lecture at Seoul National University

he quotes your blog post:

“We were born to meet and mend.”

a student asks, “Who wrote that?”

he hesitates:

“…Someone who taught me words can cut deeper than silence.”

HOW YOU CAME BACK

Gesture

you publish an essay titled “Oxford Commas & Other Heartbreaks”

detailing your insecurities and his impact

the final line:

“Love isn’t an equation - it’s the margin where two pens meet.”

Key Moment

he reads it live on VLive

voice cracking

“This… is why I write.”

BTS MEMBERS’ REACTIONS

Jin

sends you a meme:

"When your soulmate is a drama queen (but we love her)"

Yoongi

mails you Namjoon’s lost journal

sticky note:

“Stop overthinking. He’s worse.”

Hobi

drags you to a bookstore date with Namjoon

“You two need chaperones. And coffee.”

THOUGHTS & FEELINGS

Namjoon’s Internal Conflict

Logic (?)

“Love is irrational. But she makes rational for me… beautiful.”

Fear

“What if I’m too much? Too many words, not enough heart?”

Your Growth

learning love isn’t a competition

it’s a collaboration

WHAT HE SAYS

“You thought I needed a scholar? I need you, the chaos to my footnotes.”

“My words were hollow until you read them.”

HOW LONG IT TOOK

1.5 Years

8 months of silence

4 of awkward encounters

2 of drafting essays neither could send

3 of starting to understand each other (again)

ENDING

Final

you're co-hosting a poetry night

at the bookstore where you met

he reads a piece about “margins and second chances.”

you add a line:

“Erase the Oxford comma, we’re not done yet.”

CUTE AFTERMATH

you're getting a retired guide dog named Monet

Namjoon insists on reading her The Wind in the Willows at bedtime

you film him mid-ramble:

“See, Monet? Even moles need poetry.”

THINGS ONLY ARMY WILL NOTICE

his lecture notes now have doodles of your initials in the corners

the bookstore displays your joint essay with a sign:

“Local Authors (and lovers)”

he donates to literacy programs under “Kim & Kim Books”

your shared joke about hyphenating

JIN

- A Recipe for Love -

WHAT HAPPENED

Soulmate Bond

Jin and you bond over a shared love of food

you meet at a cooking class

he’s incognito (giant sunglasses, terrible fake mustache)

he’s instantly drawn to your jjajangmyeon recipe

matches his late grandmother’s

your connection deepens through weekly cooking dates

he nicknames you “Sous Chef”

gifts you his mom’s kimchi recipe

his playful “Worldwide Handsome” persona fades around you

he’s just Seokjin

the guy who burns rice (distracted by you) but laughs about it

WHY YOU REJECTED

Fear of ARMY

a fan recognizes him at your favorite market

hate comments flood your food blog:

“You’re using oppa for clout!”

Insecurity

you compare yourself to his idol image

“He’s a global star. I’m just… a home cook.”

Jealousy

his cheeky fan service during lives sting

“Is this the real him? Or am I just another joke?”

HOW YOU REJECTED

TikTok/ Video of you two at the market goes viral

you panicked

“I can’t do this. I’m not *Worldwide* enough for you.”

His Reaction

he laughs, but it’s strained

“Yah, I’m Jin, not a brand. But if you want out… take this."

hands you a container of kimchi

the note inside:

“Grandma’s recipe. Don’t waste it.”

REGRET

Trigger

months later, he guest-stars on a cooking show

host asks about his “ideal type"

he shrugs:

“Someone who laughs when I burn rice… and knows kimchi isn’t just side dish.”

Breaking Point

you find the unopened kimchi container

inside, a second note:

“Secret ingredient: you”

HOW YOU CAME BACK

Gesture

you master his mom’s galbi recipe

send it to his manager

note: “For him. No returns.”

Key Moment

he cooks it live on VLive

pretending to hate it

then tears up:

“Finally… someone who doesn’t ruin meat.”

BTS MEMBERS’ REACTIONS

Namjoon

texts you:

“He’s been eating instant ramen for weeks. Please fix this.”

Jungkook

challenges you to a mukbang

“If you win, I’ll call you hyung’s wife."

(he lets you win.)

Yoongi

mails you a knife set:

“For cutting onions… or his ego.”

THOUGHTS & FEELINGS

Jin’s Internal Conflict

Mask

“If I’m always ‘Jin,’ maybe she’ll stay.”

Truth

“I’m just… Seokjin. Is that enough?”

Your Growth

learning his confidence isn’t arrogance

it’s armor

“He’s not ‘Worldwide Handsome.’ He’s my clumsy chef.”

WHAT HE SAYS

“You thought I needed applause? I need you... the mess, the burnt rice, the real.”

“My kitchen’s been empty. Stay. Let’s… burn something together.”

HOW LONG IT TOOK

7 Months

3 months of silence

2 of stalking his VLives

2 of cooking classes to perfect galbi

ENDING

Final

Jin invites you to co-host a “Cooking with Jin” episode

you spill soy sauce on his shirt

he fakes outrage

then kisses your forehead

“Best. Episode. Ever.”

ARMY trends

#WhoIsSousChef?

he replies:

“My always.”

CUTE AFTERMATH

cooking tteokbokki at 2 AM

feeds you a too-spicy bite

then laughs as you chug milk

posts a selfie:

“Sous Chef 1, Jin 0. #DefeatTastesSpicy”

THINGS ONLY ARMY WILL NOTICE

the kimchi container is his grandma’s vintage Tupperware

his VLives now feature a tiny apron doodle in the corner (your inside joke)

he donates to culinary schools for underprivileged kids

“For… hungry reasons.”

YOONGI

- The Sound of Silence -

WHAT HAPPENED

Soulmate Bond

Yoongi and you bond over music

you meet at an underground studio where he’s producing a track

you’re a lyricist hired to collaborate

your first session sparks magic

your words sync perfectly with his beats

he nicknames you “Lyric”

gifts you a USB of his early demos

your connection deepens through late-night sessions, shared playlists

mutual love for Clair de Lune

WHY YOU REJECTED

Fear of His Fame

a tabloid leaks photos of you two

fans swarm your apartment

anxiety drives you to quit the project

“I’m just a ghostwriter. He needs someone… more.”

Yoongi’s Overwork

cancels your anniversary dinner for a last-minute studio call

you leave a note:

“I can’t compete with your first love (music).”

Your Mental Health

panic attacks make you ghost him

“I’m a broken track. He deserves a hit."

HOW YOU REJECTED

finds you deleting your shared files in his studio

you snap:

“I’m just static in your symphony.”

His Reaction

removes his headphones

voice flat

“Static? That’s all you think this is?”

tosses you the USB

“Take it. But don’t… erase us.”

REGRET

Trigger

months later, you hear “Seesaw” on the radio

the chorus uses your scrapped lyrics

a fan tweets:

“Yoongi’s been sampling old demos. Who’s ‘Lyric’?”

Breaking Point

you find the USB in a drawer

the tracklist is renamed “Unfinished Duets.”

HOW YOU CAME BACK

Gesture

you finish the song you abandoned

“Glitch”

you mail it to BigHit

Key Moment

he plays it live on VLive

voice cracking

“This one’s… ours.”

BTS MEMBERS’ REACTIONS

Namjoon

texts you:

“He’s been sampling your voice for months. Safe him... and our ears.”

Jin

sends a meme:

“When your producer hyung is a drama queen (but we stan).”

Jungkook

slips you the studio key/code

“He’s there at 3 AM. Always*”

THOUGHTS & FEELINGS

Yoongi’s Internal Conflict

Logic

“Music’s safer than love. But she… she’s the melody.”

Fear

“What if I’m too broken to harmonize?”

Your Growth

learning love isn’t perfection

it’s a raw, unfinished track

WHAT HE SAYS

“You thought I needed a hit? I need you, the crackle in my vinyl.”

“My music’s been hollow since you left. Stay. Let’s… make noise.”

HOW LONG IT TOOK

1 Year

6 months of silence

3 of lurking his VLives

3 of rewriting “Glitch”

ENDING

Final

co-producing “Glitch” in his studio

he releases it under Agust D

with a credit:

“Feat. My Lyric.”

ARMY dissects the lyrics:

“Is ‘Lyric’ his muse?!”

CUTE AFTERMATH

you fall asleep on his studio couch

he drapes his hoodie over you

posts a blurry Snap:

“Creative block? Solved. #SnoozeButtonLyrics”

THINGS ONLY ARMY WILL NOTICE

the hoodie is from his 2016 tour

stolen from him years ago

“Glitch”’s cover art hides your initials in the spectrogram

he funds music therapy programs

“For the broken tracks”

J-HOPE

- Dancing in the Dark -

WHAT HAPPENED

Soulmate Bond

you and Hobi bond over a shared love of dance

you meet at a community dance workshop

he’s volunteering incognito (baseball cap, oversized hoodie)

your styles clash

he’s all sharp, radiant moves

you prefer fluid, introspective choreography

but when you improvise together, magic happens

he gifts you a pair of golden sneakers

a note:

“For the quiet storms.”

you give him a mixtape titled “Moonbeams & Basslines”

blending jazz and hip-hop

WHY YOU REJECTED

Insecurity

at a dance battle, fans swarm him chanting “Sunshine!”

you linger in the shadows

“How can I compete with his light?”

Misunderstanding

he cancels a date to film Chicken Noodle Soup

you snap:

“You don’t need me, you have millions who adore you.”

Fear of Fame

paparazzi stalk your dance studio

you quit the workshop

leaving the sneakers and a note:

“I’m not built for spotlights.”

HOW YOU REJECTED

finds you deleting the mixtape from his phone

you lie:

“It was just a phase.”

His Reaction

forces a smile

his eyes dull

“Phase? Cool. I’ll… move on.”

leaves the sneakers at your door

REGRET

Trigger:

months later, you attend a BTS concert

during “Trivia: Just Dance,” he freezes mid-routine

he spots your golden sneakers in the close upper side ranks

next day, a fan tweets:

“Hobi messed up??? Is he okay??”

Breaking Point

you find the mixtape in your drawer

tracklist is scribbled with “Play me when you’re ready.”

HOW YOU CAME BACK

Gesture

you choreograph a solo piece to “Blue Side”

post it anonymously

tagged:

“For the dancer who lost his moon.”

Key Moment

DMs you at 3 AM:

“Studio. Now.”

you arrive to find him dancing your routine

tears in his eyes

“You… remembered.”

BTS MEMBERS’ REACTIONS

Jimin

drags you to a dance-off

“If you win, you can use our practice room.”

he lets you win

Jungkook

mumbles:

“Hyung’s been practicing your choreo nonstop, you need to stop him."

Yoongi

slides you a USB:

“Track 7. Listen.”

it’s a demo of “Moondancer”

your name in the credits

THOUGHTS & FEELINGS

J-Hope’s Internal Conflict

Mask

“If I’m always ‘Sunshine,’ maybe she’ll stay.”

Truth

“My light’s mostly a stage act. With her… I’m just Hoseok.”

Your Growth

earning his joy isn’t performative

it’s trust

“I don’t need to dance in his light. I’m his shadow, where he rests.”

WHAT HE SAYS

“You thought I needed crowds? I need you the silence between beats.”

“My dances were lame without your moon.”

HOW LONG IT TOOK

11 Months

5 months of silence

3 of stalking his VLives/ (TikToks)

3 of secret rehearsals

ENDING

Final

co-choreographing “Moondancer” for his solo tour

debuts it in Seoul

pulling you onstage during the encore

ARMY trends:

#WhoIsTheShadowDancer?

he tweets:

“My Moonlight”

CUTE AFTERMATH

teaching him your introspective style in your studio

he trips and laughs

posts a Boomerang:

“Moonwalk FAIL. Still my fave 💜”

THINGS ONLY ARMY WILL NOTICE

the golden sneakers resurface in his “Chicken Noodle Soup” MV

they are tucked in a corner

“Moodancer”’s choreography includes your initials in sign language

funds dance scholarships for introverts in your name

JIMIN

- Constellations & Scars -

WHAT HAPPENED

Soulmate Bond

Jimin and you bond over a shared love of astronomy

you meet at a rooftop observatory during a meteor shower

he points out the Pleiades constellation

calling it “the seven sisters who never let go"

on your third date, you both get matching minimalist tattoos of the Pleiades

his on his collarbone

yours on your ankle

becomes your secret symbol

a promise to navigate life’s chaos together

WHY YOU REJECTED

Childhood Trauma

you grew up in foster care

labeled “too much”

Jimin says:

"I’ve waited my whole life for you,”

you panic

"He’ll leave. Everyone leaves.”

Self-Sabotage

paparazzi snap a photo of your tattoo after a beach day

fans dissect it

linking it to Jimin’s

you flee

leaving a note:

“Your love’s a fairytale. I’m not the princess.”

HOW YOU REJECTED

finds you erasing his number from your phone

you lie:

“This tattoo was a mistake.”

His Reaction

he laughs

voice brittle

“Mistake? Then I’ll… burn it.”

he covers his tattoo with a bandage

but you see his hands shake

REGRET

Trigger

years later, you attend his “FACE" concert

during “Filter” he spotsyou

your tattoo peeking under ripped jeans

he misses a step

improvises lyrics:

“Even stars fade… but some stay.”

Breaking Point

you find the origami star he once gave you

inscribed:

“Pleiades forever”

HOW YOU CAME BACK

Gesture

you paint a mural of the Pleiades on his old dance studio wall

tag it:

“For the boy who taught me stars can stay.”

Key Moment

he finds you there

paint-splattered

“You… remembered.”

BTS MEMBERS’ REACTIONS

Jungkook

blocks your path backstage

“Hyung cried every night. Hurt him again, and I’ll...”

Jimin cuts him off:

“Kookie. Enough.”

Taehyung

slips you a concert VIP pass

“He reserved Seat #7 for you. Always."

Jin

texts a photo of Jimin’s failed pancake attempt

“Fix this before he burns down Bangtan HQ.”

THOUGHTS & FEELINGS

Jimin’s Internal Conflict

Fear

“Was I too much? Too loud, too needy?”

Hope

“Her stars are still there. Maybe… we can too.”

Your Growth

learning love isn’t about perfection

it’s showing up

messy and scared

WHAT HE SAYS

“You thought I wanted a fairytale? I want you, the cracks, the fear, the real.”

“My tattoo’s still here. Our stars… they never left.”

HOW LONG IT TOOK

3 Years

2 years of silence

1 year of anonymous concert attendance

(+ 6 months of mural painting)

ENDING

Final

Jimin unveils a new solo album “Serendipity”

your mural as the cover art

tracklist includes “Pleiades”

a ballad about lost-and-found love

ARMY trends

#WhoIsTheMuse?

he tweets:

"My brightest star."

CUTE AFTERMATH

teaching him to paint in your studio

he smears acrylic on your nose

posts a selfie:

“Modern Art 101: Messy Masterpieces 💫”

THINGS ONLY ARMY WILL NOTICE

his collarbone tattoo is now inked in gold

he “Pleiades” track samples your voice from old voicemails

he funds foster care art programs

“For the kids who think they’re ‘too much.’”

TAEHYUNG

- Canvas of Us -

WHAT HAPPENED

Soulmate Bond

Taehyung and you bond over art

you meet at a community mural project in Busan

he’s painting a sunset

you’re sketching portraits

he gifts you a blue paintbrush with a note:

“For the artist who sees colors I can’t.”

you give him a sketchbook filled with candid moments of him

titled “Vante Unfiltered"

your connection deepens through shared gallery visits and late-night painting sessions

WHY YOU REJECTED

Jealousy

during a live stream, fans beg him to date a co-star

he jokes

“Maybe I will!”

you spiral:

“He’s an idol. I’m just… a doodler.”

Fear of Fame

paparazzi stalk your shared studio

you ghost him after a tabloid headline:

“V’s Mystery Muse: Who Is She?”

Self-Doubt

you tear a page from his sketchbook

“I’m not art. I’m a rough draft”

HOW YOU REJECTED

he surprises you with tickets to Paris

you snap:

“Stop pretending! Your fans want a love story, paint them instead!”

His Reaction

he burns the sketchbook in silence

“Pretending? Fine. But art… it doesn’t lie.”

REGRET

Trigger

years later, you visit his solo exhibit

apainting titled “Unfinished” stops yo

it’s your face

half-scribbled with lyrics:

“I ran out of blue when she left.”

Breaking Point

you find the charred sketchbook in your attic

the surviving page reads:

“Her eyes are my ultramarine.”

HOW YOU CAME BACK

Gesture

you paint a mural of his Daegu childhood home

tag it:

“For the boy who taught me blue isn’t sadness.”

Key Moment

he finds you there

paint-streaked

“You… you're still my blue.”

BTS MEMBERS’ REACTIONS

Jin

blocks your path

“He bought that wall, you know. Fix this.”

Jungkook

eyes your mural

“Hyung cried for weeks. Don’t… leave again.”

Yoongi

mails a USB:

“Track 3. Listen"

it’s “Winter Bear” with your voice sampled

THOUGHTS & FEELINGS

Taehyung’s Internal Conflict

Anger

“She thinks I’m a character. I’m Kim Taehyung, messy, real, hers.”

Longing

“My art’s been grayscale since she left. Bring back my blue.”

Your Growth

learning love isn’t about perfection

it’s collaboration

“I’m not his muse. I’m his co-artist."

WHAT HE SAYS

“You thought I wanted a masterpiece? I want you, the smudges, the mess."

“My blue’s been missing. Stay. Let’s… repaint us.”

HOW LONG IT TOOK

5 Years

2 years of silence

1 of stalking his exhibits

2 of mural drafts

ENDING

Final

Taehyung publishes “Vante: Unfiltered”

a photo book of your murals and his paintings

last page is a Polaroid of you asleep in his studio

ARMY trends

#WhoIsVante?

he tweets:

“My everything”

CUTE AFTERMATH

teaching his nieces to paint in Daegu

he dips their hands in blue

smudging your cheek

posts a reel:

“Art Class 101: Chaos & Cobalt 💙”

THINGS ONLY ARMY WILL NOTICE

the mural’s coordinates match your first kiss spot

“Winter Bear”’s music video includes your doodles in the credits

he funds art scholarships

“For the quiet creators.”

JUNGKOOK

- The Arrow & The Armor -

WHAT HAPPENED

Soulmate Bond

Jungkook and you bond over a shared love of archery

you meet at a Seoul archery range

he’s practicing incognito

admires your focus

you tease him about his “Golden Maknae” ego

he gifts you a custom golden arrow necklace engraved with “ARMY (matching his tattool)

you give him a shield-shaped keychain for his studio keys

“For the battles you won’t face alone.”

WHY YOU REJECTED

Sasaeng Terror

a stalker leaks your address

sending death threats

“Leave Jungkook or die.”

you panic

fearing you’ll endanger him

Career Fear

overhearing his manager warn him about dating scandals

you vanish

“I’m the arrow they’ll aim at you.... stay safe.”

HOW YOU REJECTED

finds you packing

you lie:

“This was just a fling. Move on.”

he snaps the arrow necklace

voice trembling

“A fling? Then I’ll… break too.”

punches a mirror

shards cutting his hand

REGRET

Trigger

months later, a sasaeng tries hurting him at a fansign

news headlines blare:

“BTS’s Jungkook Hospitalized: Obsession Turns Violent.”

you find his unreleased track “Bulletproof” leaked online

the chorus samples your voice:

“You were my armor. Now I’m just… scars.”

HOW YOU CAME BACK

Gesture

you visit his hospital room

he’s awake

bandaged hand clutching the broken necklace

“Took you long enough"

you press the shield keychain into his palm

“Still your armor. Always.”

BTS MEMBERS’ REACTIONS

Jimin

blocks the door

tear-streaked

"He almsot died, if you hurt him again..."

Jungkook cuts in:

“Hyung. Stop.”

Namjoon

hands you a book: “Meditations"

page 27, highlighted:

“The best revenge is not to be like your enemy.”

Taehyung

slips you Jungkook’s new address

“He moved. For you.”

THOUGHTS & FEELINGS

Jungkook’s Conflict

Rage

“I’d burn the world to protect her. But she thinks I’m weak.”

Fear

“My hands shake now. What if I can’t hold a bow...or her?”

Your Growth

learning love isn’t hiding

it’s choosing courage

“Your scars are our strength."

WHAT HE SAYS

“You thought I needed a shield? I need you, the arrow to my aim.”

“My ‘ARMY’ tattoo? It’s always been us and true love. The rest is just… noise.”

HOW LONG IT TOOK

18 Months

1 year in hiding

6 months of therapy and secret archery practice

ENDING

Final

Jungkook debuts “Bulletproof” live

he rips off his bandages

revealing a shield tattoo over his scar

the crowd chants “ARMY!”

he mouths:

“Our armor.”

CUTE AFTERMATH

teaching him to bake at 3 AM

you burn cookies

he laughs

feeding you dough

posts a reel:

“Golden Chef? More like Golden Mess 🍪”

THINGS ONLY ARMY WILL NOTICE

his shield tattoo includes your initials in Morse code

“Bulletproof”s MV has a blurred cameo of your café date

he funds self-defense classes

“Armor isn’t hiding, it’s fighting back”

[heissenn]

𝐅𝐈𝐍𝐀𝐋 𝐖𝐀𝐋𝐓𝐙 kafka x fem!reader one dance to celebrate the last, a final moment to honor a love that cannot be. tags: 1.3k, violence, death, lots of angst

with a firm pull of the trigger, the final bullet of your gun embedded itself on the head of your last remaining opponent.

in the silence of the grand corridor, your bloodied body slouched from fatigue as you heave the sigh you’ve been withholding ever since you entered the large residence. from the near distance you can faintly hear the sounds of classical music. a distinct contrast from the deafening sound of your pounding heart.

you steel yourself and head towards the ginormous wooden doors. even through your blurring vision, you can still make out the intricate patterns of glimmering gold and elegant flowers.

you enter the hall and suddenly the prowling grasps of death were replaced by the lively air permeating the ballroom. the lifeless guards nowhere in sight and instead your vision was filled with lively guests, each presence commanding sophistication and grace. no more was the smell of metallic blood, just the aroma of champagne and expensive perfume.

even though your suit was soaked with blood from head to toe and blood drips from every step you take, nobody batted an eye your way. you take it as a sign to head to the middle of the vast room.

you down a glass or two of expensive wine and the taste of iron and lavish flavor burst on your tongue. and before you know it, you’re under the biggest and brightest chandelier in the center. where she agreed to meet you.

you don’t look around, just silently tuck your gun away. she’s here and she’ll come when she deems its the right time to do so. after all, she has her way of doing things.

it didn’t take long for her to show herself. you crane your head down from staring directly at the light of the chandelier and tilt it sideways. the side of your face faces your left back where she stood in all her glory. but your eyes never left the gold ornament decorated with pretty lights.

“would you do me the honor of having this dance?” the alluring voice drowned your boisterous heart beats and the calm music. purple locks and purple eyes graced your sight, what a delight.

kafka is finally here.

the question goes unanswered verbally and she takes your callous hands with her equally hardened ones, the dried up blood staining her freshly manicured yet calloused fingertips. the moment your skin met you hear the music in the background slowly changing from an orchestra to a string quintet, like a melody touching another.

you recognized it from the sound of the first note alone. but it didn’t matter for when kafka is around she is the only thing your senses can focus on.

your eyes can only see the little cuts littering her face that the gods, if they were real, rook tike sculpting. ears that can only register her honey voice and her touch is the only thing you are allowed to feel when she is near.

she’s irresistible and she knows it, you doubt you’re capable of refusing her. thus, the reason for your presence at this moment.

a few months prior, a crow delivered a fancy letter while you were on the middle of a mission. you would’ve mistaken it for anything else but the shade of the lipstick mark sealing the envelope was one too familiar.

you didn’t open it until much later to the day where you are in the privacy of the hotel you were staying at. inside the envelope was not a letter but a music score, filled with intricate notes and symphonies. above the rows of staff read “last dance, composed by kafka, yours truly” in delicate handwriting.

it took you a while to decode the hidden message inside the beautiful harmony, countless of hours playing the melody until it’s branded to your brain and you can hear it while you dream. your knowledge of music wasn’t that great but you can perfectly play this symphony on a violin, where it was intended to be played.

“how did you like my present? i thought a lot about it, you know,” kafka smiled at you as you both sway your bodies to the music she gifted you. both of you paint a moment that couldn’t be more immaculate.

“it was perfect. i’m confident i can play it better than the ones onstage,” you spit out, it’s been a few hours since you last spoke and you feel the blood bubbling up your throat. kafka laughed at your remark and spun you, her hands nor her eyes never leaving yours.

“i didn’t think you would actually show up,” you face her after twisting your bodies, to catch a glimpse of her eyes holding an emotions you have yet seen. something from her voice made you think that she was hoping you wouldn’t be here but you ignore it. there was no point in dwelling, you’ve had enough time doing so and your final choice was to be here.

“you wound me. you underestimate my devotion, kafka,” you mutter against her painted lips as you press your bodies close enough. at the end of the day, it all boils down to your devotion to the woman in front of you.

in your peripheral vision, you notice how the ballroom is empty. the guests with their fancy ties and extravagant gowns moved away one by one until only you and kafka were the only ones dancing. they form a crowd at the sidelines observing the scene before them silently, no hushed whispers and idle chat. just silence, only the sounds of your footsteps and the quintet reverberated the halls.

you feel their eyes following the both of you, as you weave through the empty and vast ballroom. but deep down you are aware that their focus is on you alone. your smile a little wider.

kafka dips you. her arms catching your waist and her face ends up facing your neck. she whispers in a hot breath before bringing back up, “your devotion blesses and curse me, my love.”

this time it was you dipped her except your face is above hers, giving you a full view of her face and her locks suspended in the air from above, “it’s your reward for loving me and your curse for making me love you.”

as you help her up, you can’t help but recognize the familiar ominous sound of music present in the latter piece of kafka’s composition. the music is ending soon and so is your time with kafka.

but you were always daring enough to desire more of her.

“i shall inherit your love and devotion until my last breath. it will be my heaviest burden and my most prized possession,” she caresses your face, leaving no skin untouched by her palms while her other hand pulls you to her.

you spend the last remaining notes kissing. in these moments, only the sound of her gift, the darkness and the feel of her soft lips are your sole purpose.

the final note rung throughout the room and echoed through your ears with finality. your lips part away but her held only became tighter and closer. for a moment, kafka wouldn’t budge when you try to inch yourself away but her resistance was fleeting and the next second her skin was no longer touching yours. you heave a breath like oxygen was removed from your body.

“i love you, kafka” you say through the painful breaths. by now, you were seeing blacks in the corners of your vision and even the light of the chandelier was a little dimmer.

kafka looks at you one last time before turning away. not before pausing and saying, “i know.”

you smile even though she couldn’t see and watch as her figure slowly gets swallowed by the crowd and disappearing completely.

as her shadow fades and kafka couldn’t be found anymore. the guests, whose eyes never left your figure, swiftly moved in sync. in the blink of an eye, thousands of guns, varying in sizes and models, are pointed at your already dying figure.

one foot in front of the other, her boots digging through the snow filled pavement but no matter how much kafka distance herself from the building, she was unable to escape the deafening sounds of gunshots.

in a way, her heart yearned for the sounds to never cease because of the meaning it symbolizes. but at she thought that, the sounds stopped.

kafka’s eyes twitched and her eyebrows narrow yet her hands clenched only to unclenched and repeat the same pattern.

her walk forward was lonely. with no sounds to accompany her. for she left all her music with you.

[yuesya]

Ember glances up at the sound of brisk footsteps and a wooden clatter, auditory signals that are indicative of a new guest who has just pulled out a chair at the counter that he’s manning. The small shop is only one of many eateries on the Luofu, and while it’s far from one of the more popular spots, it has its share of loyal customers, too.

But the smiling woman with red-violet hair who’d just sat down in front of him is most definitely not one of the regulars that Ember is used to.

“… Can I take your order?” Ember asks.

“I think we both know that I’m not here to order food,” the woman responds, “Although I wouldn’t say no to a berrypheasant skewer, if you have any of those in stock.”

Berrypheasant skewers are one of the more popular street foods in Luofu. They’re one of Ember’s favorites, too, so he’ll begrudgingly admit that she at least has good taste.

It’s the only reason why he decides to give in to his own curiosity, and turns around to begin putting together the woman’s order… instead of immediately calling the authorities on this unwelcome customer who is also a Luofu fugitive. Ember might not be an actual Luofu citizen, but that does not mean he cannot play the role of one. Given how well he’s been blending in so far, he’d say that he was doing a pretty good job of things.

… Not that this was likely to last much longer than today, given the Stellaron Hunter smiling at him. Luofu authorities would definitely discover that Kafka had deliberately made a detour to this food stall while she was supposed to be escaping and hiding her tracks. Which meant that they’d probably be investigating the shop as well, and Ember wouldn’t bet his chances on staying unnoticed. And those of the Xianzhou could be… sensitive, when it came to Iron Cavalry Knights.

Well, he had been thinking about returning to Glamoth sometime soon, even if it meant cutting short his time in Luofu far earlier than he’d been planning to…

“Why are you here, Stellaron Hunter Kafka?” It’s known to the Iron Cavalry that the leader of the Stellaron Hunters, Elio, is capable of some manner of foresight. Ember doubts that the Stellaron Hunter is sitting in front of him for no reason.

“To ask a question,” the woman responds. “In exchange, I’ll offer a piece of information that should be of interest to you. Of course, if you deem it worthless, then I’ll simply walk away and leave. Does that sound like acceptable terms?”

Ember arches an eyebrow silently. The Iron Cavalry are widespread across the stars, and he doubts that the Stellaron Hunters would–

“‘The northern lights that vanished from the stars are slumbering in a dream within a dream.’”

Aurora?

Ember frowns. Aurora had been rather silent recently, but… was she really…?

Looks like he really did need to make a trip back to Penacony, then. And, a ‘dream within a dream’… if one was talking about dreams, then… “Penacony?”

Kafka smiles and does not respond. Instead, after a deliberate pause, “What is Glamoth’s stance on Stellarons?”