askvariance

[askvariance]

nearly oc-tober time again - time for some prompts for 2024

F.A.Q

do i have to draw?

not at all! you are free to participate with any medium that suits you... writing, artwork, free bases and templates, simple text posts, in-character-as-your-oc roleplay, whatever! (just no stealing or AI)

do i have to make new content?

nope! re-uploading old stuff that fits the prompts is allowed (and encouraged) ... old art that didn't get the appreciation it needed always deserves a chance to be shared again, it's a fun throwback!

do i have to post every day?

nope! only 10 days are mandatory (the ones in red with a star symbol) and everything else (yellow) is 100% optional! if you're busy or tired, please skip as many as you want

can i start early?

you can prep your posts in advance if you need to ... but please wait until the right day in october to share them!

can i re-upload your prompt list to another site?

i would prefer if you dont - i have accounts on most sites, so just reblog/retweet/share from me!

event tag?

#bweirdOCtober

have fun!

image desc/text version ↓under the cut↓ or on bweird.art/october

prompts:

WEEK 1: OC INTRODUCTIONS

WEEK 2: BUILDING BACKSTORY

⭐ 1: FAV OC

what makes them your fav?

2: NEW OC

how recently did you make them?

3: OLD OC

how long ago did you make them?

⭐ 4: UNDER-APPRECIATED OC

an oc you feel like you don't talk about enough, or you haven't fleshed out as much as you would like

5: RE-DESIGNED OC

an oc who has changed a lot (what changed about them?) or, if you haven't redesigned an oc: is there anything you might want to change about an existing oc?

WEEK 3: FUN + GAMES

⭐ 6: PAST

where is your oc from? what did they look like as a child?

7: LIKES

what do they like (and why?)

8: DISLIKES

what don't they like (and why?)

⭐ 9: RELATIONSHIPS

doesn't have to be romantic! can any kind of relationship (frienship, family, rivalry etc)

10: PERSONALITY

what are your oc's main personality traits

11: SYMBOLISM/THEMES

what represents your oc? is there a specific colour you associate them with, or a specific animal?

12: FUTURE

what will your oc look like in the future? do they have any plans or goals?

⭐13: MEMES

do any memes remind you of your oc? are there memes your oc would find funny? maybe you want to redraw your oc as one?

14: WHO/WHAT INSPIRED YOUR OC

are there existing characters that your oc looks like? was your oc based on yourself? is your oc originally from a specific fandom?

15: MUSIC

share a character playlist, write a songfic, post lyrics that remind you of them, etc

⭐16: EYES CLOSED or NON DOMINANT HAND

draw a picture of your oc with your eyes closed or with your non domminant hand, write or type a paragraph about them without your eyes closed, etc ... have fun, and don't worry about it looking "bad" -it's meant to!!

17: DnD ALIGNMENT CHART

put all your ocs into a DnD alignment chart, or any other similar chart if you prefer

i've compiled a few templates on my site, but you can find more easily if you google "oc alignment chart"

⭐18: SWAP

swap something between your ocs - their role in the story, hairstyles, personalities, fashion taste, species ... whatever you want! how would this difference change them?

19: PALETTE CHALLENGES

draw your ocs with as many of these colour palettes as you want (or just skip if you don't draw/don't like doing these!)

WEEK 4: COMMUNITY

hex codes for the colours:

palette 1 - #3C1E81 #6D1EA2 #B059E8 #FE0876 #FE5284 #FE7C96 #E0CFE3 #FFD5C3

palette 2 - #352823 #673F28 #AB541C #BA8233 #897128 #A68B2F #F7BF6A #DAC3A4

palette 3 - #A42E25 #D7412B #E47C29 #F7A233 #FCC02D #FCE4A6 #486548 #FEFDE8

palette 4 - #2F4769 #39597E #53779C #94D1E7 #AADDE7 #D48DB7 #D498B5 #D2BABA

some ideas for what you could do: talk about a friend's oc you like, make gift art/writing of them, collabs, trades, reblog/appreciate ocs in the event tag, make interactions between your ocs and other people's

20-26: A WHOLE WEEK OF SOCIAL STUFF

if you don't have the time/energy to do every day this week, ⭐ day 23 is the only one marked as mandatory! you can skip the rest!

WEEK 5: HALLOWEEN

⭐27: FEARS

is your oc scared of anything? do they have any phobias? are they startled easily? would any of your ocs try to scare ppl on purpose?

28: MONSTER

what would your oc be if they were a monster (eg: werewolf, vampire, eldritch beast.. whatever) or, do you have an oc who is already a monster?

29: PUMPKIN CARVING

your ocs carving pumpkins, a drawing of a pumpkin carved to look like your oc ... or even carve it in real life!

30: GHOST

this can be literally a ghost, or a concept that haunts your oc! up to you!

⭐ 31: COSTUMES

what are your ocs wearing for halloween?

[askvariance]

WEIRDLY SPECIFIC BUT HELPFUL CHARACTER BUILDING QUESTIONS

What’s the lie your character says most often?

How loosely or strictly do they use the word ‘friend’?

How often do they show their genuine emotions to others versus just the audience knowing?

What’s a hobby they used to have that they miss?

Can they cry on command? If so, what do they think about to make it happen?

What’s their favorite [insert anything] that they’ve never recommended to anyone before?

What would you (mun) yell in the middle of a crowd to find them? What would their best friend and/or romantic partner yell?

How loose is their use of the phrase ‘I love you’?

Do they give tough love or gentle love most often? Which do they prefer to receive?

What fact do they excitedly tell everyone about at every opportunity?

If someone was impersonating them, what would friends / family ask or do to tell the difference?

What’s something that makes them laugh every single time? Be specific!

When do they fake a smile? How often?

How do they put out a candle?

What’s the most obvious difference between their behavior at home, at work, at school, with friends, and when they’re alone?

What kinds of people do they have arguments with in their head?

What do they notice first in the mirror versus what most people first notice looking at them?

Who do they love truly, 100% unconditionally (if anyone)?

What would they do if stuck in a room with the person they’ve been avoiding?

Who do they like as a person but hate their work? Vice versa, whose work do they like but don’t like the person?

What common etiquette do they disagree with? Do they still follow it?

What simple activity that most people do / can do scares your character?

What do they feel guilty for that the other person(s) doesn’t / don’t even remember?

Did they take a cookie from the cookie jar? What kind of cookie was it?

What subject / topic do they know a lot about that’s completely useless to the direct plot?

How would they respond to being fired by a good boss?

What’s the worst gift they ever received? How did they respond?

What do they tell people they want? What do they actually want?

How do they respond when someone doesn’t believe them?

When they make a mistake and feel bad, does the guilt differ when it’s personal versus when it’s professional?

When do they feel the most guilt? How do they respond to it?

If they committed one petty crime / misdemeanor, what would it be? Why?

How do they greet someone they dislike / hate?

How do they greet someone they like / love?

What is the smallest, morally questionable choice they’ve made?

Who do they keep in their life for professional gain? Is it for malicious intent?

What’s a secret they haven’t told serious romantic partners and don’t plan to tell?

What hobby are they good at in private, but bad at in front of others? Why?

Would they rather be invited to an event to feel included or be excluded from an event if they were not genuinely wanted there?

How do they respond to a loose handshake? What goes through their head?

What phrases, pronunciations, or mannerisms did they pick up from someone / somewhere else?

If invited to a TED Talk, what topic would they present on? What would the title of their presentation be?

What do they commonly misinterpret because of their own upbringing / environment / biases? How do they respond when realizing the misunderstanding?

What language would be easiest for them to learn? Why?

What’s something unimportant / frivolous that they hate passionately?

Are they a listener or a talker? If they’re a listener, what makes them talk? If they’re a talker, what makes them listen?

Who have they forgotten about that remembers them very well?

Who would they say ‘yes’ to if invited to do something they abhorred / strongly didn’t want to do?

Would they eat something they find gross to be polite?

What belief / moral / personality trait do they stand by that you (mun) personally don’t agree with?

What’s a phrase they say a lot?

Do they act on their immediate emotions, or do they wait for the facts before acting?

Who would / do they believe without question?

What’s their instinct in a fight / flight / freeze / fawn situation?

What’s something they’re expected to enjoy based on their hobbies / profession that they actually dislike / hate?

If they’re scared, who do they want comfort from? Does this answer change depending on the type of fear?

What’s a simple daily activity / motion that they mess up often?

How many hobbies have they attempted to have over their lifetime? Is there a common theme?

[askvariance]

CAMERA for the main three. (... Yeah and also Veto. Of Course.)

CAMERA - do they enjoy having their picture taken? what's their go-to pose? do they like taking photos? what do they take photos of?

[The sound of a click distracts Nickle and Veto from their animated discussion. Casey, on the couch, looks over and suddenly tenses.]

NICKLE: Wait, are you taking pictures?

BLITZ: Oh, don't mind me.

NICKLE: I wasn't ready! I didn't smile or anything!

VETO: Lost cause, man. This auteur likes taking candids.

[Nickle poses anyways, freezing with a bright smile and an exuberant burst of limbs. Veto snickers and follows their lead, striking an exaggerated pose with one hand extended out and the other pushing up their glasses. Blitz obligingly clicks the shutter again.]

NICKLE: Wow, that camera looks super old!

BLITZ: Do you like taking pictures, Nickle?

NICKLE: Yeah! It's tons of fun! My camera is pretty cheap, though.

BLITZ: I think I have a spare.

[Nickle gasps in delight, distracted from posing into a wide-eyed look of surprise. Veto grins at them, switching their pose to anime-thoughtful. Blitz smiles and takes another, which makes Nickle giggle.]

NICKLE: Do you like taking pictures?

VETO: Nah, I never got into it. Probably could if I tried, though.

NICKLE: You totally should!

VETO: Homemade memes.

[Nickle groans. Veto gives them a challenging look. Blitz waits with their finger on the shutter.]

NICKLE: You should do more than just memes!

VETO: Name one thing that isn't memes to take pictures of.

NICKLE: Things that make you happy! So you can look at them again and keep them forever!

VETO: Right. So memes.

NICKLE: No!

[Veto laughs for real as Nickle gestures angrily at them. Blitz takes a picture of that.]

NICKLE: Casey, do you wanna join too?

CASEY: Absolutely not.

NICKLE: C'mon, it'll be fun!

CASEY: There is absolutely no reason to be taking my picture. I do not want my picture to be taken.

VETO: Dude, you literally work for a surveillance state.

[They sound unusually disapproving. Casey bristles a little, crossing their arms to grip themself. They draw their legs up to their chest.]

CASEY: That is entirely different.

VETO: How?

CASEY: The subords aren't taking pictures of people for no reason. I actually know what they want with it.

VETO: Okay, hang on. No, no, let me unpack what you just said here.

NICKLE: Guys...

VETO: You think the subords are telling you more about what they want with their pictures than regular people?

CASEY: Yes! Because I know what their objectives are!

CASEY: Subords are dedicated to maintaining the stability and order of the city, acting with clarity and efficiency, and preventing loss of life! They have no personal stake in the action whatsoever!

VETO: Right. So the fact that they could be recording me whenever and I have no way of knowing or objecting...

CASEY: You could just ask them! There are ways to work out exceptions!

BLITZ: They rarely answer most people.

[Veto and Casey both look over. Blitz takes another picture of Nickle and Veto.]

[Casey looks affronted, even though they were not in the frame. Veto snorts.]

VETO: You trying to get a money shot of us arguing?

BLITZ: No comment.

NICKLE: Okay, but people usually take pictures for nice reasons, right? Like, they don't want to do anything with it. They just like having pictures of people and things they like.

CASEY: I have no evidence of this. And I don't like the idea of them having my image without knowing what they're doing with it.

VETO: Dude.

NICKLE: Okay, but that's the same thing as what Veto was saying!

CASEY: How is that the same thing?

NICKLE: It's just directed at a different person! Nobody can help who they trust like that. If you just feel that way about numerals, some people would just feel that way about the subords, right?

[Casey frowns, thinking this over. Veto glances at Nickle, who is beaming, and says nothing.]

CASEY: I guess.

NICKLE: So if you want to get to say no to having your picture taken–

CASEY: I would still rescind my objection if it was about someone's safety. There are some factors of priorities to consider.

VETO: People can just lie and say things are about safety, you know.

[Casey looks indignant.]

CASEY: Why would they do that? That's just– that is completely exploiting a legitimately prosocial instinct!

VETO: I mean, yeah. You kinda summed up why right there.

[Casey scoffs. They set their chin on top of their knees.]

CASEY: This is exactly why I don't want numerals taking my picture.

NICKLE: Casey...

CASEY: Subords don't do that. It would never even occur to them.

[Nickle sighs.]

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

OCTAVE: What? No, of course not.

[Octave scoffs, wiping their hands on their mechanic's apron. They are scowling.]

OCTAVE: I've had enough of that, thanks. The only time anyone ever wanted pictures of me was to let everyone know I was doing something wrong.

OCTAVE: ...

OCTAVE: Someone else might have. Done it better, I mean.

OCTAVE: I don't know what people usually do in pictures. Smile, I guess?

[They think for a while, a slight frown on their face. After a moment they remember themself and scoff again, turning back to their work.]

OCTAVE: Sounds fucking stupid. Doubt I'm missing out on much.

[askvariance]

𝐎𝐂 𝐄𝐌𝐎𝐉𝐈 𝐀𝐒𝐊𝐒!

feel free to tweak questions + all emojis r listed in text form bc i can't see some of them aAAaaAA! sorry if any of these questions are too similar i tried to avoid that but .. there's a lot lol! categorized by emoji type.

i wanted to make one because i could not find one on tumblr already that had a ton of questions. this was created by combining ones under the #oc ask game tag + my own contributions. hi charmymemes nation i'm back.

people

👁️ EYE - what colour are their eyes? do people notice their eyes? is there anything special about them (shows emotion easily, literally magical...)?

🤥 LYING - are they good liars? do they have tells to show they're lying?

👻 GHOST - do they believe in ghosts? what are their "ghostly experiences", if any?

💥 COLLISON - what emotions do they have trouble dealing with?

😭 CRYING - what makes them cry? do they cry easily?

👊 PUNCH - are they quick to violence?

💢 ANGER - what are some habits they have that will take some getting used to?

👪 FAMILY - what is their family like? what is your ocs relationship to them? does your oc have any siblings?

😨 FEARFUL - when scared, do they go into "flight" or "fight"?

💤 SLEEPING - do they fall asleep easily? what helps them sleep?

food & drinks

🥞 PANCAKE - what is their comfort breakfast?

🎂 BIRTHDAY CAKE - when is their birthday? do they like celebrating it?

🍩 DONUT - favourite sweet treat?

🍟 FRIES - do they order food often? or they prefer to cook their own food?

☕️ HOT BEVERAGE - do they prefer hot or cold drinks? what is their favourite drink?

🍓 STRAWBERRY - do they eat their fruit & veg? what is their favourite fruit or vegetable?

🍰 CAKE SLICE - favourite cake flavour? are they specific about types of cakes?

🍧 SHAVED ICE - do they still have any objects from their childhood? what significance does it have to them? what would their reaction be if they lost it?

plants & nature

💐 BOUQUET - create a bouqet for them! what do those flowers mean? are any of the flowers their particular favourite?

🌙 MOON - what is your oc's greatest wish? how far are they willing to go for it?

🌋 VOLCANO - how bad is their temper? is it a slow boil, or a instant explosion?

🌺 HIBISCUS - do they have any allergies?

🍁 MAPLE LEAF - what is their favourite season? why?

🍃 FALLING LEAF - do they enjoy being in nature? what is their favourite outdoor activity?

☀️ SUN - are they a morning person? what is the first thing they do in the morning?

🕷️ SPIDER - what is their biggest fear? do they have any irrational / mundane fears?

🌹 ROSE - do they like valentines day? have they been confessed to before? have they confessed to anyone before?

🙈 SEE-NO-EVIL - whats a side of your oc that they don't want to show other people?

🙊 SPEAK-NO-EVIL - what is something your oc will refuse to stay quiet about?

🙉 HEAR-NO-EVIL - what is the worse thing your oc could hear from someone?

🌱 SEEDLING - what is their most vivid memory from childhood?

🍀 CLOVER - do they believe in luck? are they lucky?

🌏 EARTH - will they give up the world for someone they love? is this decision easy for them?

🌌 MILKY WAY - what was the inspiration behind your oc? what was the first thing you decided about them?

activity

⚾ BASEBALL - can they play sports? what is their best position if they play a team sport? what's their strong suit (speed, power etc.)?

🏊 SWIMMING - can they swim? or are they afraid of water? how well do they swim? how do they feel about swimming in the ocean?

objects

📣 MEGAPHONE - how loud are they? what do they speak like? got a voice claim?

📖 OPEN BOOK - do they like reading? what's their favourite genre?

🪤 MOUSE TRAP - what will always lure them into certain danger? a loved one in danger? a promise of something they are always searching for?

📸 CAMERA - do they enjoy having their picture taken? what's their go-to pose? do they like taking photos? what do they take photos of?

🎭 MASKS - do they act differently around certain people? what's different between the way they act around friends, family, strangers, etc.?

✂️ SCISSORS - what is the "last straw" for them to cut someone out of their life? how easily do they let go of people?

💡 LIGHTBULB - is your oc a planner? do they write down every small detail or just wing it?

💎 DIAMOND - how rich are they? can they live the lifestyle they want to?

🎁 PRESENT - what types of presents would they be most happy to receive? are they good at gift giving?

🍼 BABY BOTTLE - what are their thoughts on children?

🔪 KNIFE - how do they react to injury / misfortune befalling their loved ones (significant other, family, friends)? do they put themselves at blame?

👑 CROWN - what does your oc want to be remembered as? why?

✏️ PENCIL - is there a particular quote / lyric that you associate with them?

🎵 MUSIC NOTE - what is their playlist like? their favourite artists? do you associate a particular song with them?

🎤 MICROPHONE - are they good at singing? what is their go-to karaoke song?

🎷 SAXOPHONE - do they play any instruments? are they any good at it?

📚 BOOKS - how were they at school? what is their best subject? what is their worst subject? do they have a favourite subject?

👖 JEANS - what is their go-to outfit?

🎨 PALETTE - can they draw? what do they like to draw?

🎡 FERRIS WHEEL - are they someone who wants to kiss at the top of the ferris wheel?

⏳ HOURGLASS - are they usually late or on-time?

🔫 PISTOL - do they trust people easily? how easily will they turn their back to someone? have they been backstabbed before? will they betray someone if given an ultimatum?

🎀 RIBBON - how would they fit into other worlds / aus? what aus would you like to try out? what fictional world would they fit / not fit into?

📎 PAPERCLIP - a random fact.

📦 PACKAGE - what are some "most likely to..." that can apply to them?

🖍️ CRAYON - what advice would you give to them?

⚙️ GEAR - what are your ocs thoughts on science & art? which do they give more importance to? how much value do they place on each?

🔧 WRENCH - are they good at fixing relationships? or do they tend to avoid doing so?

❇️ SPARKLE - what is their most prized possession? what do they value?

📏 RULER - is your oc well educated? where did they get their learning from?

transport

🚆 TRAIN - what is their answer to the trolley problem?

🚲 BICYCLE - can they ride a bike? what do they remember from learning to ride a bicycle?

weather

🌩️ LIGHTNING - are they scared of lightning?

💧 DROPLET - random angst headcanon

❄️ SNOWFLAKE - do people consider them cold? if so, what made them this way?

🌪️ TORNADO - what is the biggest change you've ever made to them? how have they changed from their original version?

🌈 RAINBOW - what advice would they give to their younger self?

🔥 FIRE - do they have any self destructive tendencies? what habits do they have that hinder them from becoming their best self?

☁️ CLOUD - a soft headcanon

🌟 GLOWING STAR - what do they think about when they look at the night sky? is there someone they want to star gaze with?

🌠 SHOOTING STAR - if they could make any wish with no repercussions, what wish would they make?

☄️ COMET - what do people assume about them? are they right?

hearts

💓 BEATING HEART - what gets their heart racing?

💘 HEART W/ ARROW - what traits do they look for in a relationship? do they believe in love at first sight?

💗 GROWING HEART - if they have a crush, is it noticable? what changes when they're in love?

❤️ RED HEART - their love language(s)?

💙 BLUE HEART - do they miss their s/o easily? how do they act when their s/o isn't around?

💚 GREEN HEART - what things make your oc feel comforted? hugs, kisses, food?

💖 SPARKLING HEART - are they a subtle or a showy lover?

💌 LOVE LETTER - do they like love letters? what kind of messages do they leave for their partner?

💔 BROKEN HEART - what could their partner do that would absolutely break their heart?

[askvariance]

walkable cities also means sittable cities send tweet

[askvariance]

OC Ask Game

Thought I’d take a crack and make one you guys can reblog and enjoy and play amongst your mutuals.

does your oc have any motifs?

describe your character's voice. do they have a voice claim?

is your character an indoor or outdoor person?

what's your character's favorite recreational activity?

what was your character's dream job as a kid? is it different than what their career ended up being?

what is the thing your oc likes the least about themselves?

what is the thing your oc likes the most about themselves?

what book genre is their favorite?

what book genre is their least favorite?

what kind of music do they enjoy?

has your OC ever fallen in love and with whom?

how well does your OC do in school?

where would your OC like to go on a honeymoon?

An embarrassing secret about your OC?

who is your OC’s best friend?

how does your OC feel about their parents?

how does your OC feel about their siblings?

a memory that still makes your OC angry?

a memory that still makes your OC sad?

a nostalgic memory from your OC’s childhood?

hobbies your OC enjoys?

what is holding your OC back to achieve their goals?

what are your OC’s biggest flaws and biggest strengths?

how does your OC handle death of someone they know?

favorite food and color for your OC?

least favorite food and color?

your OC’s zodiac sign?

is your OC a dog or cat person?

when was their first kiss?

does your OC wish to be married someday?

[askvariance]

its your guys so idk if it counts as headcanons but tell me about the au where veto is light yagami and blitz is misa. it's up to you who is L. my first thought was casey but if someone else would fit better then by all means

hey anon you have a bigger brain than the entire sun

(This got long. into the readmore it goes.)

Veto as Light is interesting because Veto definitely likes L more. Is not the type to just start killing people out of nowhere, but would still for sure pick up the death note and be like "I could totally get some CEOs with this." Thinks about it for like a week and then commits.

Has a code. Uses the power sparingly. Starts out very much as an "only when necessary" guy. Cooler head than Light Yagami. To them, this is pure pragmatism. They are a fine instrument.

Catch this guy using it to make this AUs equivalent of Jeff Bezos liquify all his assets, spend it all on climate change funding and police abolitionist groups, make a surprise public statement and dab on stage, and then die instantly.

The very picture of low key.

People lose their minds about this. Some people love it. Some people hate it. Veto is doing the finger steeple in front of the computer watching the internet discourse and going "yes..... all according to keikaku. (translator's note: keikaku means plan)."

Veto also continues posting online like usual and alternates arguing about this and about cartoons. Posts a long argument on why killing billionaires is fine but Kira's a dumbass and should have spent the money on something else.

Who L is here is really really interesting. Because out of the main cast, it probably *would* be Casey, but we don't know which Casey. This one might be more of a Worstcase than canon Casey is. Kind of colder, legitimately more analytical and able to keep their cool, much less in doubt about whether criminals are bad or not. Old enough to have established themself as some sort of prodigy and risen to prominence in law enforcement. Is NOT having some sort of psychosexual duel with Veto. Do not even suggest it.

If it's not Casey, though, then it is absolutely the Witness. Like, come on. She's right there. Is she? No, she's behind a number of proxies that she's lying to you about and a paranoid personality disorder.

The Witness is basically just L already, if L was a legendary whistleblower in the style of Anonymous. Also she's fucking terrifying.

The Witness is L. In canon L used to be around, and she got killed (?) by skeletons. That's just the way it is.

Yeah it's her.

Blitz being Misa is also very interesting, because it means they aren't Ryuk. The dynamic between them and Veto will be pretty different to Light and Misa (if anyone could pull her off, it's probably Nickle). Blitz and Veto absolutely strike up some sort of deal to cover for both of them.

They both already go by fake names of some sort. Blitz because they changed it both when joining and leaving Tesserate's cult, and Veto because they're a bit of an influencer who doesn't want their past dug up (or their ex to find them), so they go by something more in line with their public persona.

Veto asks what Blitz's actual name is. Blitz laughs at them.

Blitz would not have a Death Note, but does know about them. Might have some fucked up Shinigami ability.

Very possible that Tesserate both grants their followers some sick powers and keeps them physically dependent on them. Blitz was trapped there until they saw Veto pick up a new Death Note.

They immediately take the opportunity to get out, switching to being physically dependent on Veto instead.

Veto says they're not really into this fucked up dependency thing. They both know Blitz can't snitch because they need Veto, so if they want to just get like a high five every week or so, that's cool. No forced labor in their house.

Blitz says that is why they don't mind.

Veto is like, so what, you're just gonna help me get away with murder?

Blitz says they certainly seem to need it.

Veto flips them off. So what, they think Veto is like a mildly infuriating video and is just a little bit bad at murder so they want to do it themself?

Blitz says that they're more than happy to let them carry on as they are. They'll go along with what they ask, even. They mostly just want to see what they do.

Murderous Jeeves has joined the party!

Blitz also knows a lot of the other characters from a previous era, including the Witness. A vital source of information and physical/magical protection. Also very good at sharpshooting, of course. You never know when you'll need that.

Tesserate is still doing some sort of thing and wants to hunt Blitz down. Also is trying to hunt down the Witness. This guy is the one with no qualms about just offing everyone in their way. Also has a Death Note.

Mav is a Shinigami and is still the worst.

Casey's actual role in the story is probably a more mundane detective. Like L, but with less information to work with.

This version of Death Note would have a lot more major players and more prominent minor ones. It's a mess.

Casey is at a loss for a lot of things, but has a strong moral code, and is smart enough to put a lot of things together. Legitimately torn about what to do about any of this. Still thinks murder is bad.

Nickle is often seen hanging around Casey! They're the funny little guy. The Maya. A comedy duo doing investigations together. More clever than they seem, but not really one for all the machinations. They don't have the head for it, they say! They just have some ideas sometimes.

Casey absolutely hates magic, and thinks it's absurd. Refuses to acknowledge the supernatural as being proven to be real. Still very good at speculating about it and following logic to make it internally consistent.

Nickle thinks this is very funny and will throw in absurd-but-plausible ideas to trip them up. It's how they talk to each other.

The Witness doesn't show up in person. Casey and Nickle, however, do. At Veto's house. With some questions.

Veto and Nickle still meet at a Tidalform event and do the full rendition of a classic Checkmark/Lockdown confrontation. This is before they both realize that murder investigation brain duels are involved.

Blitz asks if Veto wants them to arrange an accident. Veto is like "nah. I mean, keep it on standby, but I don't really wanna kill these guys. It'll raise suspicion. Plus it's fun to have a challenge" and agrees to let them both into their house.

Most of the murder investigation brain duels are between these four. Casey is the major player here, checking everything for consistency. Nickle is carefree and less informed but scary observant, and will pick up on even tiny discrepancies in people's reactions. They are a very good team.

Veto realizes this immediately. They put on an act of a second, DIY L-figure who is investigating independently to cover their tracks.

Still has many intense conversations in classic death note style.

Blitz is just off to the side bringing people tea. Pleasantly smiling. Also silently scheming.

Casey gets aggravated and gestures a lot, but still thanks Blitz every time they get a cup.

Octave is missing. Nickle hasn't seen them in years.

Octave was actually also doing a Kira thing about five years ago, more clumsily and a lot more aggressively. It went badly enough that they were found out and went on the run. Made a pretty big splash, enough that people remember them as the first Kira, and the public assumes that they're back when Veto starts.

Veto knows the basic details about who Octave is (they were a minor, so it isn't public knowledge, but the forums Veto frequents were one of many places that dug it up anyways). Does know about the first Kira, and once they got one, put together that they must have used a Death Note.

With some digging, they realize that the reason Nickle is allowed to help with this is because they were friends with Octave in the past. Casey might have been involved in it too. Files this away for later and then brings it up to see how much Nickle knows.

It seems like a sore spot, but Nickle doesn't know much. Treats Veto pretty coldly. Insists that Octave isn't really the first Kira. They wouldn't do that.

Casey's opinion of Octave is far lower. They are also cagey about the details, but they are darkly confident that Octave was dangerous, and not up to any good.

Veto presses them and learns that Casey was involved in that investigation. In fact, they were the one who realized it was Octave. That's how they got this position in the first place.

Veto asks them how Nickle took that whole thing. Losing their best friend must have been hard. Were they mad at Casey?

Casey says that it's reasonable to experience intense emotions in that situation. Nickle was erratic for a long while. They don't hold it against them.

"Fucked up to think they were just doing that right under their nose," Veto says. "They didn't notice anything?"

"Nickle didn't have anything to do with it," they snap, immediately.

"Sure, of course," Veto says. "It's just weird that they didn't see it. Like, they're pretty good at picking things up."

Casey looks away a little. "It's hard to admit it when it's someone close to you," they say. "You end up looking for anything else."

Nickle and Veto became friends immediately. Little weirdo attached to their rival. Inviting them over frequently was a handy way to keep an eye on Casey and feed them information to direct their movements. It helps that Nickle is also funny and likes the same cartoon. Veto continued doing their mastermind thing, and Nickle continued being Nickle, but they legitimately did the same fun stuff that they and Nickle usually do.

This was derailed by Nickle cheerfully telling Veto out of nowhere that "You barely even act like a mass murderer!"

ohfuck.png

Veto goes through the many stages of "oh god what the fuck" grief. "oh god oh shit I'm fucked what the fuck" to "I've gotta kill this fucking guy" to "this guy is gonna fucking kill me" to "how the fuck did they figure it out???" to "wait what if they didn't. don't self incriminate this is basic stuff" to "yeah okay this is probably a test be COOL" to "why are they admitting they know to my face??" to "they must have told casey, otherwise they'd never take the risk. what's their insurance" to "oh god this guy is making a play and I don't even know what it is. I am so fucked" to "wait but they didn't just arrest me. what do they want?? are they going to try and blackmail me??" to "oh man this guy is making a PLAY. good for you little man I didn't know you had it in you"

Running through the options as they recover and hit the "Aw, I bet you say that to all the pretty girls."

"Wow, do pretty girls get Death Notes by default? That actually explains a lot."

ohFuck.png

Nickle explains to a very thrown Veto that they haven't told Casey! And if they can be cool about this, they won't. All they want is to make sure that Veto doesn't do anything dumb, like write Casey's name in that notebook or something! Maybe be a little more thoughtful before deciding somebody deserves to die! There's no reason they can't come to some sort of deal here. Everyone wins! What do you say?

Veto doesn't say anything. Just holds a hand out.

Nickle stops. Doesn't seem to know what to so. This caught them off guard. Veto just raises their eyebrows, doesn't say anything, gestures with their chin and makes a "give it here" motion. That makes it click, and Nickle actually looks a little nervous, like they've been caught at something. They start to laugh and speak. Veto just gives them another look. This one is a lot more pointed.

Nickle slowly pulls their phone out of their pocket and hands it over. Veto stops the recording. Deletes it. Quickly checks the most recent calls, emails, and text messages. Finds something that's cued to send in an hour; deletes that. Then tosses it back to Nickle.

"Alright," Veto says. "Let's talk."

They do talk. Veto learns that Nickle was actually involved with Octave's little stint with a Death Note. Knows how they work, knows what to look for. Admits that they agreed to what Octave was doing and helped cover their tracks.

"Aren't you one of those killing is wrong types?" Veto asks.

"Well, yeah," Nickle says.

"So what, you're just fine with letting someone else do it?"

"We didn't just go around killing people," Nickle says. "We talked it over every time. It wasn't a punishment thing, even. I don't think anybody really deserves it."

"You still did it," Veto says.

Nickle shrugs, and doesn't deny it. "We had reasons."

"Sure you did," Veto says. "Does Casey know?"

They just smile, oddly melancholy. "Couldn't tell you if I wanted to! But I do know one thing, and it's that you've got a lot to lose if you tell them."

Octave took the fall for it on purpose and has been missing for several years. Nickle doesn't know where they went. Had to go along with their sudden "betrayal" and act like they didn't know anything about it, or the whole thing would have been for nothing. It was a really tough time.

Nickle is actually the one who received the Death Note. They shared it. Octave took half of it with them, and was the one who used it to kill, but at the end of the day it isn't theirs.

They do not mention this.

Veto and Nickle agree to a truce, at least until they can deal with some of the more dangerous people out there. Tesserate is a threat to everyone, and the Witness is merciless. She's going to take down Tesserate no matter the cost, and she's not going to show mercy to Blitz, Veto, or Octave, either.

Casey thinks she's the good guy in all of this but still has some misgivings about the way she does things. Trusts her, but is starting to hesitate with some of the orders they're being given.

Nickle knows that Octave can't come out of hiding with her around, and while they don't want to kill her over it, they sure are open to helping Veto figure out who she is.

Veto asks what they plan to do about Casey, who is still hunting for anyone involved with Kira. Nickle smiles and reminds Veto that if Casey dies, they're next. Veto smirks and says they would expect nothing less.

The brain duels continue. They're both really into it.

Sometimes they pretend to be having a brain duel and they're actually just quoting Tidalform at each other. Casey hates it.

Octave, when they show up, starts doing their codependent thing with Nickle again. They snap back into having a single agenda and reveal themselves to be a second, more idealistically driven Kira duo. Nickle is thrilled.

Octave states in no uncertain terms that they don't care who dies and that they'd do anything for Nickle. Nickle is taking a break from all that though! They're nonfatal only!

Nickle turns out to have been the actual inspiration behind the first round of killings. They were the one with big dreams about changing the world. They were still unsure about using it when they got the Death Note. Octave was the one who was fully in favor of direct action.

Nickle was hesitant. Octave said that they're the one who knows how the world is supposed to be. They promised they'd love Nickle no matter what they did. They said they could do it together. They knew Nickle was right.

They planned the murders together. Both of them unconsciously let Octave take responsibility for the violence, with Nickle bearing none of the blame. They just kept it working. They just came up with the ideas. They aren't the kind of person who is okay with killing people. They were always the one reasoning in favor of mercy. It's why they made a good team.

Once they left, Nickle was left holding a lot of complicated emotions. They knew Octave was innocent – or just an accomplice – and that they couldn't prove it without condemning themself. They felt guilty about letting this happen, guilty about being the real culprit (although they still don't think of themself as A Murderer. Just because Octave has taken the role of innocence in their mind doesn't mean Nickle then takes on the violence that was done. It's just sort of floating, out there.), guilty about lying to Casey.

They do feel betrayed by Octave going behind their back to take the fall and stuff this way down. The fury in this borders on actual hatred. They blame Octave for leaving them, and it terrifies them.

They are deeply sad and scared of how far this has gone. This was never supposed to happen.

The cut throat mental duels are tense and heart pounding. The life and death nature of it means that if you really beat someone, that's it. They are worried that they are a bad person because they actually enjoy it.

At least Octave will always love them.

Casey is not happy about any of this. They suspect things are going on with Veto, with Nickle, and probably with the Witness too. They don't like Octave and they still don't know if selling them out was right.

They start investigating on their own. Their growing paranoia means they stop talking to anyone about anything, including Nickle.

Nickle tries to reach out and get them to talk. They shouldn't have to do this by themself! Why are they pushing them away?

Casey snaps at them. If they want to know so badly, maybe they should both just tell each other everything.

Nickle, caught, looks away and doesn't answer. They cover it with a nervous laugh, but their discomfort is obvious.

Casey tells them to drop it and walks away.

Tesserate's goons have been coming for various people this whole time. Villain of the week style almost. Everyone gets to look badass kicking their asses.

Vye is around. We don't know what she's doing. She is smarter and more ambitious than Tesserate. Also being weird about it.

Out of all the goons, she's the one who regularly defeats major characters. She's the type of person who could make this be two seasons instead of one.

Killing her is a major turning point in the series, although no one knows it. When you lose this common enemy, you don't lose the things that got you there. You have all the same tools and the same energy, and there's no one to use it on but each other.

Blitz has exactly one poignant moment, and it's sitting with her as she dies.

There is eventually a confrontation between Nickle and Casey. Casey says that they know what is going on (which alarms Nickle very much, who has been trying to work behind their back) and demand both answers and some sort of justification. Nickle tries to calm them down. It doesn't work.

The whole reason Nickle and Casey could work together is that they both wanted to do the right thing. No Killing is very much on that list. Nickle and Casey agreed to hunt down people like Kira! They were good at it! It was one of the reasons people let the suspicions about them slide!

Casey even didn't ask questions about the thing with Octave, even though they knew something was up. They trusted Nickle. It was selfish, and they were guilty about it the whole time, but they didn't want to lose them.

But it's Casey. They can't think one thing and do another for long.

Casey puts their foot down and demands that Nickle either commit to what they agreed to, and to bring in whoever they know is an actual murderer, or let Casey take them into custody. It's the thing they would agree to do, if doing the right thing as they agreed is actually what matters to them.

It will also mean selling out Veto and Blitz, which Casey doesn't know but suspects, and Octave, which Casey knows for sure. They make it clear that if they do, Nickle probably will be punished by the authorities, but Casey will still argue their case.

The alternative, of course, is to just say no. They can run. Octave is still out there. But that will mean Nickle is solidly picking a side.

Nickle is stricken. Casey is emotional but not wavering. Which friend you will lose, likely forever, is a painful thing to have to decide.

Nickle leaves. They don't hurt Casey, but they don't let themself get caught, either. They go back to Octave and cry their eyes out.

Casey tries to stop them. It's possible that they actually succeed. If they do, Octave kicks their ass a little and gets Nickle out before the cops get there. It's a firm statement of where everyone stands.

If Octave kicks their ass, Casey gets a cool scar.

It's about fifty-fifty on the odds that someone kills Casey before the night is out.

It could be many people. Veto could see this confrontation and do it. Blitz is the same thing. Octave could comfort Nickle and then go do it later that night. Tesserate could absolutely do it. Would also try to kill Nickle while they are in the same place, and only Octave would save their life.

Mav is a surprisingly likely candidate. It is probably not the Witness. Nickle is the only one it definitely isn't.

If Tesserate does it, Nickle comes out of it with a cool scar.

If they live, Casey and Nickle split off from each other, and Casey becomes a solo operator from now on. They will become increasingly erratic and focused on the task at hand, trying not to let losing Nickle bother them. Their plans become more extreme and reckless, and their pursuit of answers more intense. They are no longer playing around but are still in over their head.

When they begin actually uncovering the truth behind the situation, and their investigation leads to things not even the people with Death Notes know, the Witness kills them.

Casey dies. The end of the second act. They leave behind little evidence for their own murder, and a massive, very detailed tangle of journal entries and encrypted investigation notes for everything else.

When Casey dies, Nickle's primary motivation changes to finding and killing the one who did it. They have no intention of showing mercy. Not only will they die, but Nickle will make sure they lose everything before they do it.

If Octave is the one who killed them, they don't swear revenge, but it does drive a wedge between them that will never go away.

If Veto is the one who killed them, Nickle does not know for sure and is determined to get proof. Veto, knowing their life is on the line, is determined to hide it. If Blitz did it, Nickle already knows, but won't reveal this until they can kill them.

If Tesserate did it, Nickle swears revenge. A plot is hatched. Will kill them like it is nothing.

If the Witness did it, Nickle swears revenge, and is furious that it was the person Casey trusted. A plot is hatched. She is the most difficult person to bring down and Nickle is determined to make her suffer.

Octave is quietly watching. They don't try to talk them out of it. They just say that they'll make it happen.

Nickle shakes their head. They need to do this one themself.

Octave kisses their knuckles and promises that they'll bring them right to the doorstep.

Meanwhile, Veto's watched this whole thing spiral out of control and has doubled down on their own mastermind thing. No more games. They're in it to win it now. They've gotten into the groove of it, and are making some ruthless calls that are on the same level as Tesserate or the Witness. Light Yagami has arrived and been outclassed.

Blitz is watching them quietly, too.

Veto knows. Blitz is not interested in being chained down to anyone and if Veto goes too far, or gets to be too similar to Tesserate, they'll likely just kill them and take the Death Note for themself. It's something they need to keep an eye on.

Blitz knows that Veto knows that if they can figure out their actual name, they can kill them. Veto knows that if Blitz can figure out for sure if they can live without Veto, they can kill them. Neither of them has explicitly betrayed the other yet, and if they do, there's no going back.

Neither of them do anything. They keep being a weird guy and their butler. They still really only have each other.

Nickle shows up with an unreadable look on their face. They tell Veto that they'll help them. It is not an act of friendship. The undertone of impending betrayal from both parties is very much there.

Veto, now fully filling the role of Light Yagami, agrees. They begin working together to take both Tesserate and the Witness down. It's a beautiful sight. They are both also doing a silent, calculating mind duel about who is going to kill the other once it's over. This one is less exuberant than usual.

It becomes clear that they need to untangle the information Casey left behind. It's a confusing, encrypted mess.

There's a chess game visual. They're doing stuff like smiling and giving each other staplers and then it cuts back to the chess board and they're staring each other down across the table and monologuing about what it all means. Cut back to them saying thank you for the stapler. Cut back to the chess board as one of them puts down their rook.

If Casey hunted down the Witness and then was killed by her, there is a real race against time, because she is also trying to destroy the evidence. And she's very good at it. This is why Casey was killed in the first place.

Casey's growing paranoia is a saving grace. It means that they were also obsessively covering their tracks, following in the footsteps of the person who would kill them. Everything is scattered, hidden and encoded, duplicated who knows how many times. They were trying to make sure that if they were killed, someone could still pick up the investigation.

Casey journaled everything. Half of what they find are personal entries, with little bearing on the case. The only thing that isn't recorded is the thing they never had the chance to write down, which is the final revelation that would eventually kill them.

Nickle knows Casey very well. They and Veto untangle this web together, learning things that Casey never said outright and that people would rather keep hidden. The Witness is much better at this than either of them, but there are some things that only a very old friend would know to check.

Some of the messages were explicitly intended for Nickle. At least one was written in that style, even after they separated. Habits don't go that easily.

The final confrontation draws near. If they can crack this final thing, the person they're after will have no escape. Veto and Nickle are in complete sync as they set up the trap.

It's possible that they won't immediately turn on each other once they kill them. Not likely, though.

They crack it. Casey's mystery is solved.

The trap is armed.

It works. Casey's murderer is not dead yet, but the final piece is put in place. They might as well be. The chess game reaches its final tense moments. They're

Blitz shoots Nickle in the head.

Veto, to their credit, looks genuinely distressed about it.

Of course, this is assuming Octave isn't also on their bullshit, which they absolutely are. Unless they also died previously which is not likely. So Blitz just *tries* to shoot Nickle in the head out of nowhere, and Octave shuts that right down. And then there's a fight to the death.

You thought this was anime? You haven't seen anything yet. Octave and Blitz are going for it.

The fight to the death happens at the same time as another fight to the death, which is just Veto and Nickle huddling behind cover with their Death Notes and trying to figure out the other's true name. Nickle, after all, was the one who gave all three of the trio their nicknames.

Nickle is trying to figure out Blitz's to end the fight, Blitz is trying to figure out Octave's for the same reason, and Veto is trying to figure out everyone's because they are pretty sure they're done for no matter who wins.

We have no idea who gets who. It could go a lot of ways. Maybe they all die and it's terrible. It's Death Note.

We also don't know what Vye has been up to this whole time, but she's *asbolutely* on some bullshit. You know the psychosexual brain duels? She's the one doing them. She's doing a weird thing with Blitz *and* Veto *and* Octave *and* the Witness and she's also waiting for her chance to kill Tesserate. Nickle hates her. She makes overtures of bullshit towards Casey, who does not reciprocate and hates this whole thing.

She doesn't have a Death Note, but she does figure out Blitz's real name, which is massive leverage. Thinks she's hot shit. Is correct, to be fair.

Hubble is also around. Hates Tesserate, hates Blitz, likes Octave and won't admit it, and deeply respects the Witness. The Witness sees them as a valuable ally and would absolutely still kill them if necessary. Hubble knows this and approves of this attitude.

Knight has a very sad subplot where he's the only guy the Witness is willing to confide in. He's her man on the outside. The Witness is deeply suspicious of him because of this. She goes back and forth on trusting him and eventually sends him to his death, convinced he'll reveal his betrayal. He dies having been loyal the whole time. She dies soon after.

TL;DR:

Veto is Light. Blitz is kind of like Misa.

The Witness is L.

Casey is kind of also L, narratively speaking. They're an investigator and a main rival but don't have the same "two steps ahead" thing that L has happening.

Nickle is like if L had a Maya.

Actually Casey is just like if regular fucking Miles Edgeworth got into Death Note and Nickle is like if Kay went with him. This is the Investigations games to them.

Octave tried some Kira shit with Nickle years in the past. When it went bad, they took the fall for it, and Nickle was left behind. Casey was the one who told the authorities that Octave was behind the murders and the one who insisted that Nickle knew nothing about it.

It's uncommon knowledge that Octave was the first Kira. No one knows that Nickle is the original recipient of the Death Note.

Tesserate is running some sort of Shinigami cult. Blitz ditched it. Anyone in the cult can be given sickass Shinigami abilities, but is physically dependent on Tesserate to live. When Veto got the Death Note, Blitz ran and switched to being dependent on Veto to live instead.

The factions here are nuts. People are backstabbing each other and teaming up. The Witness, Veto and Tesserate are in some weird three way duel. Blitz works for Veto, used to work for Tesserate, and now has to deal with a jealous ex. Casey works for the Witness (kind of) and Nickle works for Casey. Nickle also teams up with Veto behind Casey's back and has been on Octave's team the whole time. Octave's team is actually just Nickle's team and Casey is NOT on that team.

Summing up the people with Death Notes: Veto, Tesserate, Octave/Nickle. Blitz and other cult members don't have one but do have weird Shinigami powers.

Octave knows about Death Notes and took Nickle's with them when they fled. They may or may not also have a Shinigami power.

The Witness doesn't know about Death Notes, but has enough information to know that something like them is out there. Her guesses are not always correct, but they are always dangerously brilliant.

Casey doesn't know about Death Notes, but is familiar with the rules of them. They solved the first Kira case and knew something unnatural was behind it. They just assumed Octave was haunted.

Mav is the actual worst.

[askvariance]

Reply to any post with [PRESS] to ask a follow up question, [X to DOUBT] to call out a lie, or [THOUGHTS] to hear one thing they are thinking!

Add <=> to any question to get an answer from an unspecified AU (each character has one)!

See all original posts in chronological order

See all posts tagged as "lies"

[askvariance]

☀️ Friendship Alphabet Template ☀️

Inspired by the Fluff Alphabet created by @snk-warriors. I decided to create my own alphabet which isn't romantic in any way. This is for platonic/friendship stuff, because sometimes you just want to know what being friends with your favourite characters would be like.

@gaycowboywizard helped with the last three letters that I was running out of ideas for lol. Check them out!

__________________________________________

A dventure - (Do they take you on wild fun times out? Are they someone who wants to go on adventures or do they prefer doing something lowkey?)

B onding - (What is the activity which they do with their friend exclusively as their own little friend activity? If so, what is it?)

C over - (Are they the kind of friend who would cover for their friend? Will they lie to others in order to help their friend out of a sticky situation?)

D abble - (Do they encourage their friend to try something out of their comfort zone? Will they push them into doing things they otherwise wouldn't?)

E ndanger - (Do they get their friends in situations that are dangerous? Are they always getting themselves and others in trouble/shenanigans?)

F ake - (Are they the king of friend that would talk behind their friends back? Would they defend their friend when someone else talks behind their back?)

G rudge - (Do they hold a grudge for long when they're mad with their friend? Are they someone who easily forgives?)

H elpful - (Will they help their friend with creative/errands that they need completed? Are they the kind of friend that their friends could trust to borrow or take care of something for them?)

I ntegrity - (Are they honest to their friend? Will they lie to them in order to keep the peace?)

J ester - (Are they someone who jokes around with their friends a lot? Are they more serious? Are they comic relief of the group who uses humour to uplift?)

M otivation - (Does they motivate/inspire their friends? Are they someone who is very charming?)

N aughty - (Are they a prankster? What kind of pranks do they do?)

O pponent - (Are they competitive in their friendships? Do they feel like they have to prove they are better then their friends? Do they compete with other friends to show that they are the best friend?)

P arty - (Are they a party animal friend? Will they be the life of the party? Are they the kind of friend to host parties at their house or would they prefer to just briefly stop in to a party to be polite and leave?)

Q uirk - (Something unique about them which makes them the great or bad friend that they are)

R omance - (Can their friend talk to them about their crushes and romantic interests? Are they inclined to be interested in that or find it boring/gross?)

S ecret - (Are they one to keep a secret for their friends? Do they keep secrets from their friends or share everything?)

T rust - (Will they ever backstab a friend if they felt like they had good reason? How would they feel if their friends ever abandoned, backstabbed or broke their trust?)

U nderdog - (Are they seen as the underdog in society? Are they considered a loser by others?)

V acation - (Are they someone who their friends would want to travel with? Or are they more of a homebody?)

W ish - (What is one thing they wish they could change about themselves to be a better friend?)

X ylose - (Will they bake for their friends? Are they a good cook or will they set the house on fire?)

Y ule - (Do they prefer to celebrate holidays with their friends over their family? Do they get their friends invested in holidays?)

Z oom - (Are they someone who will keep their friends on Zoom/Skype/the phone for hours? Are they more of a caller or a tester with their friends?)

[askvariance]

Send 🎙 and Any Word of Your Choice and My Muse Will Talk About Something Regarding That Word.

[askvariance]

snowdrop for everyone i think it’s fun

snowdrop— would you say that you have been in love before?

CASEY: Absolutely not. The concept is ridiculous. Frankly, I'm not sure anyone should be answering yes to this. I'm unconvinced that it isn't one of those collective social inventions that everyone made up and would be better off without.

NICKLE: Uhh... I dunno? Like, romantically, right? I know I love people, but like, I dunno if I'm in love with people! Or maybe I am and it's like super obvious?

NICKLE: This is so complicated! How am I supposed to be sure??

NICKLE: But also like, maybe definitely yes! I guess it depends? I dunno.

OCTAVE: Of course.

VETO: I've been in a lot of things before, baby.

BLITZ: ...Let's call this one a firm "very unlikely" and move on.

VYE: Love is a funny thing, isn't it? It pulls the mind along with it, no matter the direction. If you're asking if I've felt that inexorable pull towards someone, then yes, of course. If you're asking if I'm ruled by it? You're welcome to find out.

OGRE: HAH! No.

GLOAM: A few times.

FRISS: Love is a strong word.

BIGGUNS: [doesn't kiss and tell]

KOR: Mind your own damn business.

DIANIDA: Sure! I've had some good times with some good people. Hope they're doing well.

KYU-AR: No.

STYX: Not.... really.

ACEL: Yeah.

HUBBLE: No.

TESSERATE: Hm.

MAV: I sure would! Everyone wants a piece of this action!

CAPRI: 🅱️😝🌏👊🥶💯💯🔜

[askvariance]

send a “<=>” along with a character’s name to talk to exactly one alternate version or iteration of them! this could be them in an established AU, at a different point in their timeline (forward or back), or a secret third thing ;3c you won’t know what alternate version of themself each character has until you ask!

> See all original posts in chronological order?_

[askvariance]

100 questions to talk about on the late night train at 11:04 pm (can also function as an ask list)

(second edition of this post)

1. What do you crave in a psychological sense? Intimacy, passion, purpose, belonging, social interaction, etc.?

2. What kind of emotions do the stars evoke for you, if any? The ocean, the sky, the moon?

3. Are you pretending to be something you're not?

4. Who's the most important person in your life right now? Why?

5. Do you see your parents in your appearance or behaviour? Are they favourable traits?

6. If you have siblings, are you similar to them, and in what ways? If you don't, do you think growing up with siblings would have changed your personality in any way?

7. Would you cannibalise a dead body in a life-or-death scenario? Does your answer change depending on whether they're a loved one or not?

8. In reverse, would you give permission for someone to eat you if they would die otherwise?

9. Do you know a lot about politics? Do you think it's important to be educated on them?

10. What are your feelings on cheating in relationships? Have you ever done it, has anyone ever cheated on you?

11. Do you think you have a particularly unique view on life?

12. What's your most controversial opinion? Would you state it publicly? What's the most controversial opinion that you would publicly support, if it's different?

13. Do you have trust issues?

14. What are you worried about right now, if anything?

15. Is there a song, book, movie, or other piece of media that has drastically altered your life? What was it, are there multiple?

16. What's the worst decision you've ever made? What's the best decision you've ever made?

17. What's the most interesting coincidence you've had happen to you (or someone you know)?

18. You're offered a one-way ticket to any place and time in history you want. You cannot return. You can't exist at the same time as your current self. You won't carry any diseases, nor will you be infected by others, you have enough money to survive (if relevant). You can speak the local language(s). You still look like yourself and have all your memories. Do you take this offer? Why or why not? Where do you go? What do you do? Does your answer change depending on whether you can alter the future or not?

19. In general, is there any historical event you desperately want to witness?

20. Do you think about your past or future more?

21. What's the luckiest you've ever been?

22. Do you want children? Why or why not?

23. What would you never admit to in real life?

24. Does your name suit you? Do you think you "look" like your name?

25. A classic - would you rather know the date of your death or the way you die? Would you rather know when you die or when your closest loved one dies?

26. Is marriage an important institution for you? Do you want to get married? Why or why not?

27. Do you think you have a "moral compass" and where or who do you think you got it from? Or do you think of it as something inherent to yourself?

28. What has influenced your taste in music?

29. How do you want your body to be treated after your death?

30. If you don't have tattoos, and had to get one, what would you get tattooed on you? Is getting tattooed a big deal to you? If you are tattooed, do you regret any?

31. Do you feel like you have a 'purpose'? What is it, if so?

32. What's a common thing that you think shouldn't exist (if any)?

33. What are your predictions for the next few years? Or tomorrow, even?

34. Is there someone you would do absolutely anything for? How loyal are you to your friends and family in general?

35. What's wrong with you? Physically, mentally, whatever comes to mind. What's right about you? What are your best and worst traits?

36. Do you like looking at artwork?

37. What stereotypes do you fulfil, what ones you do break?

38. Who do you miss, if anyone?

39. What taboo do you think should be discussed more, if any? Alternatively, do you think a topic that isn't taboo should be?

40. Would you sacrifice your life for a stranger? An acquaintance? A loved one?

41. Do you find it easy to ask for help?

42. Does affection come easily to you?

43. How do you express affection? How do you like to receive affection?

44. What's your pettiest "dealbreaker" in a relationship or friendship?

45. Do you put any value in the idea of "virginity"? Do you think there's a specific sexual act that makes someone no longer a virgin or is it more general sexual contact? Was/is losing your virginity a big deal to you?

46. Do you have a "right person, wrong time"?

47. Do you feel like you're impacting the world around you?

48. What do you think of the idiom "blood is thicker than water"?

49. If you have a nickname, where did it come from? Did you choose it, did someone else, did it naturally form?

50. What qualities do you find charming?

51. What can make you dislike someone very quickly?

52. Do you spend a lot of time thinking about the meaning of your life? Are you looking for meaning?

54. When were you the happiest in your life? The saddest? Why?

55. What reminds you of your childhood?

56. What (or who) do you daydream about?

57. Do you feel like you don't belong in your social circles, or in this world in general? If so, why?

58. Do you regret a lot of your choices?

59. What's something you can never tell your family?

60. What are you afraid of? What are your worst fears? Are you afraid of any of the following - the dark, fire, heights, being alone, people, spiders, snakes, blood, drowning, or death?

61. Are you a romantic person? Why?

62. What topic(s) have you drastically changed your opinion on?

63. Do you have a good relationship with your family? How would you describe your family in a single word? If your family is chosen, why or how did you choose them?

64. Do you feel like you know yourself very well?

65. When you look in the mirror, do you see yourself or your reflection? Do you make the distinction between those things?

66. If you are gay, did you struggle to accept your sexuality? Would you change it if you could?

67. What did you need to hear as a child?

68. What's the best advice you've ever been given?

69. Do you struggle with emotional expression or regulation? Do you suppress your feelings?

70. What do you hope others think of you? How would you like to be perceived?

71. Tell me something you don't like telling others.

72. Who did you last say "I love you" to? Who last said it to you?

73. Have you ever broken someone's heart? Would you change anything, looking back?

74. Do you believe in karma? Do you think someone can "deserve" bad things?

75. What is your favourite fairytale?

76. What do you label yourself as, if anything? What subcultures do you identify with, if any?

77. How long can you go without socialising?

78. Have you ever written a poem or song about someone? Or had someone write one about you? Do you hope to have either of those experiences in the future?

79. What stupid thing are you really insecure about?

80. What scars do you have, if any?

81. What's the worst crime you think you're capable of committing?

82. Do you get bored easily?

83. What's your type? Otherwise, do you think you attract a certain a sort of person?

84. What do you think is waiting for you after death, if anything? Does the idea of dying upset you? Why? Can you imagine nothingness?

85. What memories would describe as your "core" ones?

86. What could you talk about for hours?

87. What do you wish people would stop asking you?

88. What's an unusual but useful trait or talent you have?

89. Do you think of yourself as attractive?

90. What surname would you choose for yourself?

91. If I could only know one thing about you, what would be the most important thing?

92. Do you have any ghost stories? Or general encounters with the supernatural? Do you believe in ghosts?

93. What are two facts about yourself that are true, but seem contradictory? Or two beliefs you have that seem unlikely to exist together?

94. Who is the first person you tell good news to? Is is the same for bad news?

95. Where do you wish you had grown up? Do you think your childhood's natural landscape had a role in the person you are today?

96. What is the worst thing about your favourite person and the best thing about your least favourite person?

97. What is a trivial hill that you are willing to die on?

98. What genre of film or literature do you think your life is? Comedy, romance, action, horror, etc.? Alternatively, if you were written into a fictional universe, what genre would you be best suited for?

99. Do you enjoy "slice of life" media?

100. What do you want an answer to?

[askvariance]

octave 33

33. Do they prefer to sleep alone?

(Octave's expression curdles into something festered and savage.)

OCTAVE: Don't push it.

[askvariance]

snowdrop for everyone i think it’s fun

snowdrop— would you say that you have been in love before?

CASEY: Absolutely not. The concept is ridiculous. Frankly, I'm not sure anyone should be answering yes to this. I'm unconvinced that it isn't one of those collective social inventions that everyone made up and would be better off without.

NICKLE: Uhh... I dunno? Like, romantically, right? I know I love people, but like, I dunno if I'm in love with people! Or maybe I am and it's like super obvious?

NICKLE: This is so complicated! How am I supposed to be sure??

NICKLE: But also like, maybe definitely yes! I guess it depends? I dunno.

OCTAVE: Of course.

VETO: I've been in a lot of things before, baby.

BLITZ: ...Let's call this one a firm "very unlikely" and move on.

VYE: Love is a funny thing, isn't it? It pulls the mind along with it, no matter the direction. If you're asking if I've felt that inexorable pull towards someone, then yes, of course. If you're asking if I'm ruled by it? You're welcome to find out.

OGRE: HAH! No.

GLOAM: A few times.

FRISS: Love is a strong word.

BIGGUNS: [doesn't kiss and tell]

KOR: Mind your own damn business.

DIANIDA: Sure! I've had some good times with some good people. Hope they're doing well.

KYU-AR: No.

STYX: Not.... really.

ACEL: Yeah.

HUBBLE: No.

TESSERATE: Hm.

MAV: I sure would! Everyone wants a piece of this action!

CAPRI: 🅱️😝🌏👊🥶💯💯🔜

[askvariance]

nickle, casey, octave (separately) 40

40. Do they know that they are loved?

CASEY: ...Yes.

(They sigh. It's exasperated in tone, but not with much force.)

CASEY: Normally I would object to the question on the grounds of it being subjective or vague. Or inapplicable due to my incompatibility with social functions.

CASEY: This one does have a clear answer. There's not much point in denying the obvious.

———

NICKLE: Yeah.

(They smile, soft and wistful. Their fingers lace together.)

NICKLE: I didn't always. And I don't always feel like it. But... yeah. I am.

———

OCTAVE: Of course.

(They scoff, not looking up.)

OCTAVE: I'm fucking here, aren't I?

OCTAVE: Don't waste my time with stupid questions.

[askvariance]

nickle 32

32. Whats the most valuable thing in their possession?

NICKLE: My friends!!!!

(The answer is immediate and loud, with a lot of energy. The objections are also quick.)

CASEY: That isn't an object.

VETO: Not in your possession.

NICKLE: Well, fine, but still!

NICKLE: What else am I supposed to say? I'm not gonna say that anything else I have is more valuable than you guys!

CASEY: Well, no. I would hope not.

VETO: Boo! Raise the market value of self-respect!

CASEY: Is the value of life a standard part of the question?

NICKLE: I'd rather not risk it!

CASEY: Should I bother arguing that it doesn't have objective value and cannot be exchanged?

NICKLE: It's the most valuable thing to me! That's the question!

(Casey nods, conceding the point.)

VETO: I mean, it does say thing singular.

(Nickle turns on them immediately.)

NICKLE: No!!!!

VETO: Can't just say shit about friends without putting the dilemma on the table–

NICKLE: I'm not picking! I'm saving both of you and blasting off into the sky!

(Veto gives an exaggerated scoff.)

VETO: Checkmark fans. Predictable.

NICKLE: Yeah, well, that's destiny for you!

CASEY: Is there an inanimate object that you'd consider to be the most valuable in your possession?

NICKLE: How am I supposed to pick??