cyten0

[cyten0]

i’m gay but i’m always gonna choose the well developed straight ship over the 2 bland and incompatible white dudes that have 500,000 fanfics written about them. you guys just hate women.

[cyten0]

AND YET WE CARRY ON

formerly burned and forgotten, just got another update on AO3!

ALSO this DOES HAVE MORE STUFF IN IT, it's not just a copy/paste of the last chapter i posted here.

[cyten0]

So I decided to look back on Final Fantasy 14, and just think about fun ideas as a writer. and the most entertaining crack fic idea occurred in my head. Here's a teaser idea of it.

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

You hadn't expected much from spying on the crown prince. This child that is the bane of your existence. Your eventual end. You are well aware of the prophecy.

"The True King of Light shall end the Bringer of Darkness at the cost of his own life, returning the light to all"

Dreadfully cliche and predictable, if you are honest, but the Astrals have spoken! Your options are either go along and die, or break that prophecy by eliminating the True King.

A True King that as of now is just a mere prince. Again, you expected nothing, and were more bored and curious.

And then the Prince said something to their friend. Something small.

But it gave you a lovely idea. An opening for an... alternative approach.

Oh how rich it would be if the almighty, all seeing gods, lords of Eos itself, turned out to lose, to be wrong about fate... From a mere technicality?

There is more then one way to eliminate a King.

It's silly, and petty, and you aren't abandoning your old plans for it. But you LOVE being petty. And it would be utterly humiliating for the Astrals.

You just have to encourage the young heir's line of thinking. Give them tools to make it happen. They seem more then amenable, and if they break their fate this way, then it's a win for all parties.

Who knew the Prince would rather be a Princess?

[cyten0]

Was playing with ideas for Persona 5 writing things and toyed with the idea with trans-fem Akechi, before quickly realizing the fundamental truths of how it it could or could not work.

It doesn't happen, because if Akechi is a guy during P5 he's doing it on purpose, regardless of how he was born. The only really cannon compliant option that is fully in character.

It's already happened before the very fucking start because she's not going to deny herself agency on something so utterly fundamental, and anybody who'd fucking stop her is dead in a ditch somewhere.

It happened after, because SOMETHING changed, and she absolutely hates it and despises it with every fiber of her being because someone has taken agency from her YET AGAIN and it's unforgivable. She isn't Akechi, Akechi is clearly dead after taking away something like that. But whoever she is she's gonna avenge him. And she won't let herself be changed even a tiny bit more.

I literally do not see an alternative that doesn't go against Akechi's character or at the very least their themes.

This of course, has great potential to complicate situations. As is all things with Akechi.

[cyten0]

[A:2 C:8]

(Stostorage roomoom. Stostorage roomoom. Stostorage roomoom. Stostorage roomoom-)

(You repeat the words to yourself as you walk through the first floor. You had been asking around about that blocked room in Dormont, and had gotten the openphrase from the person running the store. Hopefully this worked, otherwise you were going to look very, very stupid.)

(You get to the door, look it up and down, and say the word.) “Stostorage roomoom.”

“What-”

(Click.)

(Odiles' question is cut off when you open the door and step inside.)

(It’s a small storage room, to no-ones surprise, and you quickly walk around investigating, scooping up the items you saw and handing them to Bonnie. There’s a table, barrels, bookshelf. . .)

(. . . You know there’s something behind this bookshelf.)

(Stars you KNOW IT!!! You can feel the slight draft of an opening, and you could feel how the floor curves ever so slightly down. You know there’s something here, but WHERE IS IT!!! You pace back and forth, it’s driving you crazy!)

“. . . . Siffrin, you’ve been staring at that bookshelf for five minutes.” (Mirabelle asks, worried.) “Is, everything okay?”

(You nod your head, and continue. Feeling along the sides, the undersides of the shelves, the ledges under the shelves, the. . . . You feel something. You look on the underside of a shelf and there’s a metal plate! And there’s something written there!)

(. . . . . . You don’t understand that language.)

“It’s nothing.” (Starsdammit.) “Let’s move on.”

(You’ll give up your secrets eventually, bookcase!!!)

(You continue on and look around the room, eventually pausing at an open book on the table. It’s a Poterian - Vaugardian translation dictionary. It’s open to the “T” section.)

"Taciturn? What does "taciturn" mean?”

“It's someone who doesn't speak up very often, Boniface.”

“Oh, like Frin, okay.”

“Yes, just like Siffrin.”

(Hey!) “I speak up sometimes!”

“Um. . .”

“Not really, Sif.”

“My teacher always says we gotta speak up more. You're an adult, so why don't you speak up more, stupid?”

(Why don't you? You just don't have much to say. It's simpler to just let people talk.) "I just don't have much to say."

“Hmm?”

"And it's nice to hear you all talk."

“Oh.”

“Awwwwwww!!!”

“That's cute.”

“That's a lovely thing to say, Siffrin!

(Huh?!?)

“It feels like we tamed a wild animal, doesn't it?”

“Perfect analogy. Maybe soon we'll even be able to pet them.”

“Oh crab, stop, just imagining it makes me emotional!!!”

(A-are they, making fun of you?!?)

(You felt a warmth in your chest, and a tickle down your spine. S-stars, what, what is wrong with you?!? Why are you feeling like that?!?! W-what even IS that feeling?!? You hid inside your cloak and pull your hat down. Does your face feel hot? No not that. What, w-what’s going on?!?!)

“See, now he went back to a shy, skittish animal.”

“All this hard work... Wasted…”

(Face warm and eyes wide, you walk away. S-stars, get it together! The strange tingling down your neurons was repeated when you were called an animal. Why? What’s going on with you?!? Why that?!?)

(There’s something wrong with you, that must be it. Just, ignore it, it’ll go away, a-and they won't find out that you’re a freak. Stars. . .)

>>>

(Oh! It looks like there’s some games in this closet. All kinds of things, kids games, board games, and. . .)

“Checkers!!! We should play Team Checkers again! Sif and I will kick your butts!!!”

“Hm. . . I think I'll pass. . .”

“The last time we played, Siffrin cheated the whole time and you didn't even notice.”

“My obliviousness makes me a wonderful teammate!”

(You snicker just thinking about it.)

“We never did find the missing pieces, did we?” (Odile huffs.) “Gems, Siffrin, where did you put them anyway?”

(O-oh! Right! Uh. . . Well, since it’s the end of the world, you might as well tell them.) “I. . . I, ate them?”

“SIFFRIN?!?!?”

“SIF!!! NO!!!!”

“How?!?!”

“You’re weird, ‘Frin.” (Bonnie pouts.) “And stupid. That’s bad for you.”

“You’re just jealous of my slight of hand.” (You wink cutely.)

(You continue on, looking around the table in case you missed anything.)

“Is it. . . cutlery?”

“Yeah, dummy. Why do you have to ask?” 

“No, no, I'm asking m'dame Odile! Is it cutlery you're studying? Cutleryology? This is it, right? Did I get it?

“Wrong again, mister. I swear, your guesses are getting more and more eccentric. Who makes their research all about cutlery, of all things?”

“Some people, I'm sure!”

“Not me, and definitely not Siffrin.”

(Hey!)

“Heh, yeah ‘Frin.” (Bonnie chuckles.) “You should study cutlero, cutl, ctelto-”

“Cutleryology?”

“That’s not even a word.”

“It COULD be!”

(You look away awkwardly.) “I use cutlery!”

“You didn’t before!!!” (Mirabelle clasps her hands close to her chest.) “And!!! I saw you using your hands just a week ago!!!”

(HUH?!?) “W-when?!?”

“I was staying up late and heard something and went to check and you were eating the leftover chicken with your bare hands!!!”

(Ah.)

“EWWWW ‘FRIIIIN!!!”

“Don’t worry, I’m sure you’ll figure out how to use a fork one day.”

(You make a hasty retreat.)

>>>

(. . . You’re not very good at your job, are you?)

(It's your job to look for traps, your job to see hidden things, and you've failed at those multiple times. You missed the rock trap. You missed this key, and the key in the Head Housemaid's office. Stars, what else have you missed?)

(If you weren't looping, there's no way you would have been able to get this far. You'd have died for good right away. And possibly brought everyone down with you.)

(You can't help but sigh.)

“. . . Frin?” (Bonnie pokes your hip. They’re offering some dried meat.) “. . . Have a jerky.”

(. . . You take it and nibble on it. It makes you feel a little bit better.)

(. . . . . .)

(YOU WERE QUIET TOO LONG AND NOW EVERYONE’S WORRIED!!!!!)

(SAY SOMETHING!!!) “T-thanks, Bonnie, I feel better now.”

“It’s noth-”

“That jerky was just the key.”

“Okay, no--”

“Ew.”

“HA!!!!”

>>>

“IT'S A CRABBING DEAD END!!!!!!!!!”

(Well, that was a waste of time. You should’ve trusted your gut; you didn’t hear anything from down the hall, or smell anything except the bathroom. Ew. And now you’re here standing in front of a Change God Statue and nothing to show for it.)

“Well. . . This is the first statue of the Change God we’ve found that isn’t destroyed. Right?”

(She’s right. That’s something, at least. Looking at the others, they were silent, and had closed their eyes. They were praying, right? Should, you do that too? It couldn’t hurt.)

(You close your eye, and pray that you’ll beat the King.)

(. . .)

(There’s a ‘sfwoosh’ sound, and a flash behind your eyelids. You open your eye to see a blade sitting in your hands.)

“S-siffrin?!? What, what’re you holding there?!?” (Mirabelle looks at you in shock.)

“A KNIFE!!!” (Bonnie replies.)

“Did, did the Change God give it to us???”

“Huh??? No, it can't--”

“I think th-they did!!! With it, we can--”

(You're blinded by a flash of light, and the peculiar feeling of nausea, dizziness, and, urgh. Like you’re being shaken like a coin in a can. After just a moment of this, you feel yourself thrown back down into reality. You stumble and hold your head, you’re, in the main room again?!?)

“Siffrin?!? Are you alright?!?” (Mirabelle rushes over to you.) 

“I’m fine! I-I’m fine!” (You blink a few times, then stand up straight again.) “Just, disoriented!"

“Strange.” (Odile looks to the side, quizickly.) “I feel fine.”

“Same here.”

“Yeah, that was weird, but I’m okay.”

“A-are you sure you’re fine, Siffrin?!?”

“Yes???” (You grimace???) “I’m fine???”

“If you’re sure. . .” (Mirabelle takes a breath, then nods.) “Let’s try and get through that thread!”

(You turn and walk towards the threads blocking your way, twirling the knife between your fingers like it was nothing. You stand in front of it, take a stance, and. . . Please work please work please work! You strike!)

(The thread falls away from the door, leaving the path open.)

(You glance back at your party.) “Let’s get going!”

>>>

(Snack time! And by stars, you really, really needed it.)

(The last few minutes had been a whirlwind. Learning what Mira had gone through, and the truth about who gave her the blessing. . . You could smell the anxiety, and it was thick! Stars, you're hungry.)

“Uhm, okay I'll start with the first one. . .” (Uhoh, you know that smell.) “Leftover samosas.”

“From yesterday's dinner?”

“Yeah, they're the ones I burnt. But I thought maybe you guys would get super super hungry so I kept them just in case!”

(Very true! Bonnie was talking to everyone, but you know they were really talking about you.)

“Next! We gooot, PA-L-MI-ERS!!!”

“PALMIERS!”

“PALMIERS!!!”

“They're super good and crunchy and get crumbs everywhere MOVING ON!!!”

(You've never tried palmiers, you should somet- WAIT!!!)

“Okay, I never tried this before but uhm-” 

(You could barely contain yourself from springing to action!) “MALANGA FRITTERS?!? MALANGA FRITTERS?!??!”

“YEAH!!!!!” (Bonnie pulled them out and you were DROOLING!!!!! Stars you don't care if you can't eat them properly YOU. NEED. THEM. NOW!!!!!!) “I followed a recipe in a book!!!”

“Pleasepleasepleaseplease-”

“Siffrins eyes are sparkling!!”

“They're drooling, too!”

“Gems alive give the poor rogue the fritters, Boniface!” 

(Odiles teasing didn't even reach your ears as Bonnie held out the fritters to you. You snatched them as fast as a snakebite and started tearing into them.)

(They're so good, THEY'RE SO GOOD!!!!!!!)

(They're your favorite fried food, maybe even ONE OF YOUR FAVORITE FOODS EVER!!! They're so yummy and crunchy and tasty and you want more more more MORE!!! You're licking your lips, there's fritter stuck in your teeth until you get it free with your tongue. It's. So. GOOD!!!!!!)

(. . . . Huh! You suddenly feel very self conscious!)

(Oh. Glancing up, everyone is looking at you.)

“. . . . Siffrin. . . .” (Odile put her book down) “Were you raised by wolves?!”

“H-huh?!?” (You spring to attention.)

“I-it’s. . . Unique! ” (Mirabelle nervously chuckles.) “A-almost like something out of a book I read!”

“I think sis got mad at me for eating like that once.”

“?!?!??!??!?” (You look down at your hands, then back up to your party. You didn't?!? Go that crazy?!?) “S-sorry?!?”

“N-NO NO IT'S FINE!” (Isabeau squeaks, squeaks?) “JUST DIDN'T EXPECT IT Y'KNOW?”

(They probably think you're weird because of that, now. You keep smiling, trying to ignore that, feeling.) “I, got hungry?*

“Clearly.” (Odile rolls her eyes.) “Go clean yourself up. I can't bear to look at you with your face like a crime scene.”

(Oh, okay.)

(You go to clean yourself up.)

>>>

(It's finally time.)

(After months of traveling and dozens of your deaths, here you stand with your party members facing the one who started it all.)

(The King.)

“Oh….. young ones…….” (The raspy voice of The King booms through the hall.) “Are you here….. to kill me…?”

(Mirabelles breathing quickened.)

“Oh...... Young lady...... You stand for Change Themselves, do you not......?” (The giant sobs.) “...I... I just want the world to stay the way it is now...... To be frozen in eternal beauty, a world safe from calamity and destruction…... Young Housemaiden…. Can’t you see? My wish is to save change itself…… Why aren't you on my side......?”

(You smell anger on her, a glance to the side confirms it.)

“Ah……. Can’t you feel it, young lady?” (His voice is like salt in rain.) “The Universe yearns for everyone's hopes to be encased in limitless ice…... And yet you would doom your own fate….?”

“Corrupting and ending people's lives? You call this saving Change from calamity?!?” (Mirabelle spits back with more venom than you’d ever seen before.) “You DARE push your dreams of ice and stillness and say it’s for the good of Change themselves?!”

(Mirabelle draws her sword.) “To change is to break! You’re not acting out to save us, this is just you, acting as a god would, for your own satisfaction!!”

“One would think keeping a whole country from burning then rising is the farthest thing away from salvation.”

“P-Pretty simple, stupid!!!”

“Seems like a pretty desperate way to appeal to a Housemaiden's good nature, huh?”

“Is that what you want? To let ourselves be frozen in time because of some disaster that doesn’t even exist?!?” (Mirabelle steps forward.) “I will never be on your side, King. Not in a million years!!!”

“Oh……… Ha...... Spoken like a true Housemaiden of Change.... b-but……..” (For the first time, the King stirs, his sobbing interrupted by a breath, his head rising up to look at you.) “N-no……. You, traveler.”

(Odile looks at you with an expression screaming "he’s talking to you?")

“Cold one.” (Is that supposed to be you?) “........ Do you remember?”

(Remember. . . ?) "Remember what?"

“Oh….. Oh.. Oh!!” (It sounded as if the King had let out a breath.) “....It is better that you do not.”

“......We shall fight.” (There’s a gust of wind, you get ready for a battle, the King roars.) “AND WE SHALL SEE THE UNIVERSE SHINE ONCE MORE!!!”

(It’s go time! A strong wind blows from nowhere, the fear and courage is pungent in the air. The King stirs.)

“Oh...... Saviors....... Despite what you may think...... I am...... A generous King.” (He weeps.) “I will save you the weight of your coming sleep, Saviors...... For it is time for your most beautiful, eternal, end.”

“Wow, he's. . . He’s really taking us for chumps, isn't he?” (Isabeau laughs, but, you can smell it.)

(Fear.)

“We've gotten this far!” (Her heartbeat quickens, you grip your dagger.) “W-we will not back down now--!!!”

“Look out! Everyone!!!”

(But Odile's warning was too late. Before any of you could scratch the King, he strikes. Lights and tears, blood, and stars! Y-you, you can’t see! You could only see a, see a vision, a-a, a vision of the future.)

(Your body gives out on you.)

(. . . . One hit.)

(One hit. The King got you all in one hit.)

(You'd laugh if you had the energy to do so, but you can't move. You can't see. You can't really  feel anything, either! Your body was frozen, refusing to move no matter what!)

(You don't think you'll get out of this one.) 

“Urgh…! S-Sif!” (Isabeau, he’s so. . .)

“We can't... Let it end this way…” (Odile, no, please, don’t push yourself please!) “Come on, you useless body... Move...!!!”

(No, no, your allies, they're- N-no! You can't let him, you can't let the King hurt them! With all your strength, you scream.) Bonnie, j-just run!!!”

“. . .”

(. . . The sound of footsteps.) 

“T-they escape. We, need to buy them time!”

(Your allies, your party members, you, you need to save them!!! The King, he’s approaching, n-no! No no no!!! You need to do something!!! Move! Move! MOVE!!!)

“Please... Do whatever you want with us. . .” (Mirabelles voice, she’s so quiet, and far away. . .) “But don't hurt Bonnie, please. . .”

“Oh, ooooooh.....” (S-stars, he’s, looming above you!) “Do not worry. After I save you all...... The young one will have a wonderful rest.”

(Save you?!?)

“But, before that..... You....” (You feel something, tingling on the back of your neck, something, hot!) “....... May your ashes be forgotten.”

(The King, strikes.)

 (A-ah-! A-AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!!!!)

(EVERYTHING’S BURNING!!!! EVERYTHING’S ON FIRE!!!!!!!!)

(YOU CAN'T MOVE!!!! IT BURNS!!!!! IT BURNS!!!!!!!)

(IT BURNS IT BURNS IT BURNS IT BURNS IT BURNS IT BURNS IT BURNS IT BURNS IT BURNS IT BURNS IT BURNS IT BURNS IT BURNS IT BURNS IT BURNS it burns it burns it burns  it  b urns  it b  u r n s   i  t b  u    r     n   s)

(Then, you   feel  a tug  on your  stomach.)

[LOOPBACK]

(You jolt awake, writhing and rolling around for a second before you realize you aren’t on fire any more.)

(. . .)

(Woah, hahaha! Woohoo!!!)

(THAT WAS AWFUL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!)

(You try to catch your breath. Your body is fine and unharmed, but your brain still hasn't gotten the message, it seems! Stars, it was awful, like every single cell of your body was screaming in agony!)

(That attack was so strong!!! Why was it so strong??? HOW is he so strong??? And, a-and did he really burn you alive on top of that?!? That, t-that feels just cruel!)

(You don't think just buffing your defense with skills or equipment will be enough to survive it. Stars WOULD protect you against it? A Craft Skill, maybe?)

(. . . Mirabelle. . .)

(She's the one who usually heals you all in battle, and she knows healing Crafts you've never even heard of! Maybe she would know something.)

(But, for now? You lay back down in the field with a huff. Stars. . .) 

[You got a MEMORY OF DEFEAT! You'll always remember this.]

[When equipped, Memory of Defeat gives you 3 Memories of Skirmish instead of one when you defeat regular Sadnesses!]

[cyten0]

It kinda irks me when people call Black Mask "Truekechi", because that's not really the case...? Not entirely, at least.

I mean yes, of course, Black Mask IS a part of Akechi's personality, I'm not denying that. The thing is, that it isn't Akechi's WHOLE personality. This kid just went through the biggest crashout of his life, his whole plan he's been meticulously working on for years failed, and the worst part is that it didn't even lead to what he was after, so he didn't even get the revenge he wanted. Of course he's unstable and edgy, I mean, who wouldn't be?

That is not to say that his anger and edginess aren't a part of his "true self"; I'm sure that his glee at taking out shadows is absolutely real, for example, but I believe that it comes from him just being angry in general- at Shido, at Maruki, and at himself. Akechi is rough around the edges, has a short temper and has a tendency to look at others from above, but the situation he's in boosts these parts of his personality as a sort of defense mechanism.

I think that his mementos conversations give a really good insight into this too; Perhaps it's due to my older age compared to the characters in-game, but a lot of Akechi's lines feel so... Forced on his side? He's the one to bring up that other Thieves probably don't want to have him on the team, or that they're unsettled by how he fights, but nobody even said anything about it in the first place...? Even other characters seem kinda done with his act, either that or they accept him being on the team due to their shared goals; Some are even quite nice and friendly, all things considered. This just feels like Akechi's self-loathing twisting itself into this kind of quips because he himself doesn't want to get too comfortable on the team; He's scared of growing closer to the other Thieves, so he tries to keep them at arm's length. He can't just tell them "I think I'm a horrible person" straight up (his pride wouldn't let him), so he has to make himself "unappealing" in other ways.

There's also the other side of these conversations, where you can see him just... Being a kid. He whines about being hungry, or thirsty, or his legs getting stiff in the car, he talks about mundane things with other Thieves like graduation or sports... He's just a teenager as much as his teammates are- it's just that the others weren't hired as assassins at 15 and didn't grow up obsessed with the plan to kill their father. His emotional development and maturation process have clearly been impacted, on top of everything else he had to deal with. So he may act "adult" and more mature than others at first glance (at least before he reveals Loki), but inside he is just as much (if not more, in some aspects) of a kid as the other Thieves are. This means that he is still at the age and mental development level where he is still figuring out himself, who he is, what path to follow etc. It also means that he is prone to being overly dramatic, emotionally extreme, and have poor emotional control- you know, teen stuff.

The key to it all becomes his ultimate persona, Hereward. We all know that Akechi has two personas, but he doesn't get two ultimate personas, he gets only one. I think that it's symbolic of his psyche slowly melding itself into one again. It's not that either one of his "sides" was truly fake or real; Both the Detective Prince and Black Mask ARE parts of the "real" Akechi- it's just that he has been systematically compartmentalizing his whole self into two for YEARS. The awakening of his ultimate persona is him starting the process of healing and allowing these two sides of him to mix and reconnect back into one.

I honestly think that, with enough time and the right environment, Akechi's most extreme traits would even themselves out, and he would stop being AS short-tempered, snarky, and blood-thirsty as he is in the game. He will never be the perfectly plesant Detective Prince, but he also won't be the angry, self-loathing and vengeful Black Mask. He will be something new, something different, a fusion of the two opposite ends of his personality spectrum. Only then he will live as his fully true self.

[cyten0]

not enough persona fics expand on the fact that akechi was supposed to be the navi for sae’s palace and that the reason it was cut is because he literally got so mad at joker all the time that his mask slipped way too early. like im so serious they cut it because he said shit like THIS:

“why are you drawing the attention of all these shadows? trying to make new friends, or something?”

“why are you making this so dangerous??? are you even TRYING to hide?!?!”

“PLEASE— (pissed off inhale,) be more careful. you’re making this more difficult than it needs to be.”

LIKE THEY CUT THIS SHIT BECAUSE HE LITERALLY GETS SO PISSED OFF HE CRACKS. PLEASEEEE PUT THIS IN FICS IM BEGGING. ITS REALLY FUNNY

[cyten0]

goro akechi is about autonomy but even after all these years some of you bitches arent ready for that conversation

[cyten0]

Please Reblog is Your Blog is Safe for Non-Binary People.

If my mutuals can’t rb this then we can’t be mutuals

[cyten0]

The core appeal of Willy Wonka is that he's a nigh-omnipotent maniac who uses his near limitless powers over reality to trick shitty people into killing themselves. You can't make him the protagonist of a whimsical coming of age tale - you have to treat him like Jason Voorhees, or Dracula, or any other horror icon. Give him some new victims and new interesting kills and set him loose, that's all audiences want.

[cyten0]

hi hello the 3 persona fans that look at my art. i have a vision for shadow akira. i love the theatre palaces but in my heart this should take place in a cathedral partially because i am emotionally invested in cathedrals but also because what better place for the pawn of a god than a holy place. can anyone fucking hear me.

anyways look at my shadow akira

[cyten0]

Okay so I have been getting into persona 5 and all the other persona games a TON lately, So I have THOUGHTS about this.

And firstly the design is really great and I love the art.

But the Cathedral is ABSOLUTELY fitting for a joker palace and I'll tell you why.

Edger Allen Poe's "Masque of the Red Death"

The premise of the story is that a lethal plague spreads and the rich and elite hide away in an abby to live in luxery until things roll over. Inside, about five or six months in, they have a masquerade party, that goes well until one unknown figure, somehow undetected all this time, shows up in an outfit resembling the Plague victims. When they try and unmask them, there's nobody within, and EVERYONE dies to the 'Red Death'.

What does this have to do with your lovely Akira (or Ren, depending on source material)? Well, a lot, according to Akira themselves. Namely, their personal theme track, Beneath the Mask.

It's fucking main chorus literally calls him the Red death explicitly, 'A Shapeshifter at Poe's Masquerade', and not to take his mask off because 'there's nothing inside'. He literally equates revealing his actual hollow self as an act that would unleash a life ending plague.

So yeah, his palace being the Cathedral or Abby of sorts that the Masquerade takes place in is VERY on point.

hi hello the 3 persona fans that look at my art. i have a vision for shadow akira. i love the theatre palaces but in my heart this should take place in a cathedral partially because i am emotionally invested in cathedrals but also because what better place for the pawn of a god than a holy place. can anyone fucking hear me.

anyways look at my shadow akira

[cyten0]

Ok, own up. WHO taught Bonnie how to aura farm

[cyten0]

[A: 6 C: 103] - Flowers

[TW: vomiting imagery.]

[Featuring characters, from @neoncityrain and @fungal--wastes, also art from neoncityrain]

(Bonnie) [Crux] <Eight> |Ember|

"Muenos!!!" (You sit up straight and point at him.) "You're Muenos! I remember you!"

(For a moment he froze up at being recognised, before he leaned back against the wall of the cave with a heavy exhale. He takes a moment to catch his breath as you move to sit down next to him.) 

"And you're, you're. . . Y-you had food, you were making chili, one of my saviors. . . (Muenos shakes his head. Err- Bonbon? Or- n-no, it was Bonnie, was it? I am so sorry, there's danger in this- there's someone else here, voices- quiet-" (And he was back to panting; he put a hand to his chest to try and catch his breath)

"Yeah! Yeah I made you chili and gave you a snack!" (You wanted to be excited, but it looked like he was having as much of a panic as you were.) "Voices? Was someone else around here?"

|No no! It's like with Siffrin, remember? When he gets all scared and weird?|

(Oh. Oh right.)

|You flutter over to Muenos and gently land on his nose with your soft, glowing light.| "It's alright, it's just us here, okay? Just breathe. There's nothing bad here, okay?"

"And if there is, I'll beat the crab outta it!!!" (You say with a big grin)

<Why's Muemue here though??? Didn' we leave him with that nice lady? Why's he here?!?>

"...R-right. Thank you, er. . .” |He took a deep breath and kept his eyes focused on you. Good!| “I do believe you, but I- I must insist that I should be the one to protect you both."

(You pouted and crossed your arms.) "Bleh, you'd be surprised." (You wrinkle your nose. What stinks?)

"I heard. . . family. Who would drag me back, and-" (You made a face at the word ‘family’, and Muenos definitely noticed.) “. . . They are dangerous people, and I will keep you out of danger."

|You flutter off of Muenos' nose after a moment and instead land on his hand. Still here and grounding, but now not blinding and in his face.| "We're not going to let them, alright? Even if they are here, which uh, I don't think they are!"

"This place is weird and tries to make you scared. I don't like it." [You peek out from the other side of where Bonnie was sitting, having appeared out of practically nowhere,.] 

"Stupid, crabbing, cave. Stupid, crabbing, world. . ." (Grumble grumble.)

"So this is more akin to a dream, then. That explains... a lot..." (Muenos blinks, looking between you and Crux. Then chuckles and gently reaches the hand Ember was perched on towards you.) "We've certainly started this meeting off on the wrong face, and for that I sincerely apologize."

"No need to be sorry! It's okay!" |You flutter off of Muenos' hand and land on Bonnies head.| "A-apart from, well, all this, a lot’s happened since we last met. " 

"Yeah! ‘N don’t worry about grabbing me, you thought I was your crabbin’ parents." (You nod, and begin to explain your story very animatedly.) "It was really weird. I woke up in this recurring dream I had, then everything went weird and Crux- that's Crux by the way -helped me run away from some sadness! Then we bumped into Ramos and Jasmine and stuff and then we met a GOD!!!"

(Muenos couldn’t help but giggle at some details as you talked.) "I suppose you're right, ye. . . Ah, and thank you, Crux, for saving our sunny friend."

[Your eyes brighten, but then you tug your hat down and hide behind Bonnie! No! Nice to you! No!!!]

"They are definitely not my true parents. Dad would murder them if he knew. 'Least the viscera would be entertaining." (Muenos smiles, a hand in front of his mouth.)

"Your not-parents are’a buncha BATS! Your dad seems cool though." (You go from making pouty face to excited on a dime.) "Uhm, maybe we could meet him once all this crab is over or something?"

<Ew, viscera’s gross though!>

(We've guttedd fish before you crab!!)

<But this' diff'rent!>

(Muenos blinked, confused, then rubbed his shoulder.) "I do recall, er. . . 'Joint custody,' they called it. . ?” (He shakes his head.) “Sorry, it's been a while, my mind is clouded."

"That’s okay, dunno what that is though." (Shrug.) "'Nille just said we ran away from our parents a while ago because they were crabs. I dunno though, I was just a baby."

[You blink. Huh? Did you see that?]

(No? I smell something weird though.)

<Haha Crux's seeing things!>

[Hey!!]

"A-anyway, once we met up with Ramos, we got saved from some sadness by The Dreaming One." |You take over, since those two got distracted.| "T-that's uhm, actually, how we found out we were like Siffrin. S-so uh. . . Yay?"

"The Dreaming One, they are quite kind like that.” (Muenos nods.) “If this is a dream, it's no wonder they stepped in where they could."

"Yeah, Dreamy's real nice!" (You say with a big smile.) "We had a lotta nightmares for a while n' Ramos asked them to help, n' then they started showing up in dreams and helping us out."

"They looked a lot like Ember does actually. . ." [You think to yourself.] “Uhm, where do you know them from. . . ?”

“Oh, they helped me with my own nightmares.” (He looks down and away.) “My family worshiped their mother, and I wanted to rebel. I suppose the Dreaming One took notice.”

“Ooh. . .” [You’re getting distracted. You coulda sworn you saw. . .]

"Oh yeah! Wanna snack?" (You dig into your pockets and find. . . Malanga Fritters!) "Here! Fritters for you!"

[. . . You look over]

"AND for you!" (you turn and give Crux some malanga fritters too.) "I got tons’a snacks!"

[Yay!]

(Muenos nervously reaches out, but takes the hand back.) “Er, that's alright, keep the Fritters, I'm. . . not really hungry. A bit nauseous, if I'm honest. But, thank you.”

"M'Kay! I have tons of food if you want it though. I have onigiri if you want, too!" (You unconsciously pronounce it perfectly.) “Okay.”

"I do appreciate it, my savior." (Muenos says sincerely.)

[H-HUH?!?]

|?!?!?!?! AH?!?!|

<WEH?!?!??!>

(“MY savior” ?!??! Hello?!?! You pout and look away.) "UH-- SHUT YOUR CRAB-HOLE!"

|. . . . Well, it is deserved. We did save them, and we saved Vaugarde. . .|

(Yeah but I don't wanna HEAR IT!!! You rub your nose. UGH. . . Oh yeah!)

“Headmates!" (You gesture to Crux and Ember in turn.) "This is Crux (he/they)! They're a uh, factive? Yeah factive of Siffrin! And they’re really smart! Oh ‘n this is Ember (They/them), who's super nice, too, and helps me feel really calm. Oh! And there's also Eight (They/them) who's an octopus thing but they don't wanna be around right now."

[You wave absent mindedly, but you're more focused on something else. . . You’re focused on the thing behind, next to? Around? Around Muenos. What is that. . . ?]

[It blinks at you.]

"Ah- it’s nice to meet you all, then.” (They wave, a bit awkward.) “I am Muenos, (he/him). I'm not quite a crafty hero, but I have a lot of skill in patching wounds." 

"That's good!! Uhm, hopefully we don't gotta do that but y'never know!" (You nod enthusiastically.) "I'm pretty strong! Uhm, and I can cook, and uhm. . ."

"I can read stars." [You state flatly, still distracted.]

"I can help with uh. . . Light?" |You mumble, unsure.|

<AN I CAN HIT PEOPLE WITH A PAN!!!>

"And Eight can hit people." (You relay, smiling.)

[You're still only half paying attention, too curious about the creature behind Muenos. You slowly blink back. It blinks back again! Friends! Hopefully. You lean in closer to it and talk in a loud whisper.] “Can you speak?

[The shadow responded in the exact opposite of a whisper.] 

"You can SEE me?!"

>>>

(Ramos) [Alex] {Nihil} <Altiare> |Jasmine|

{You circle the stranger, as curious, as, ever. You know this one. You can feel the mind, strong, dangerous, determined. You step around slowly. How to, proceed? You wait. Listen to the stranger. Let the wet mossy smell of darkness lull him.}

“I, I know you are there! Show yourself!!” {The voice is stern now, angry. There’s a sound, and then a flash of light from a craft. Miss.}

{Switch out? But to whom. You don’t care. Others are not here. Maybe a, connection, is needed. You creep closer still.}

{Left.}

{You dodge to the left as another blast of craft dashes the ground you had stood upon. Your foot makes a small crunching noise as you disturb loose rocks.}

{Jump.}

“THERE YOU ARE!!!” {You jump up before you’re struck, and hold there for a moment.}

{The stranger is aggressive, and walking, looking, hearing for you. You wait. You wait until he wanders closer. You reach out a hand, a tendril, reach out to touch. To connect.}

“GODS!!!!!!” {He screams as you brush the cloth of his shirt. You recoil and move as he wildly strikes the darkness.} “Cold, slimy, and, Sweet Blood Diamonds what ARE YOU?!?” 

{Hmm. clothes. Too bad. Right.}

{You dash right as the person lunges. The rush of air, the clatter of metal against the floor. A dagger? A weapon? Fear. Of course. You should help. You circle again.}

“Whatever, whoever you are, don’t get in my way!” {Threats, calm voice, no wavering. Yet, still panicking.} “Unless you want to have your skin parted from your body!”

{Is that a threat? Or an invitation. You move in. The stranger turns, turns again, wild, confused. You reach out, closer, closer, hesitate? Why. . . Something is, wrong.}

“Get AWAY!” {His breathing is picking up. Panicked? Yes, panic.} “I don’t have, I don’t have time to deal with this nonsense! I need to go, I need to get going.”

(Turning and walking, almost running. Keep pace, get closer-}

“I need to find Vixul. I need to find Polaris and Muenos, and then we can look for other survivors!” {Vixul? Polaris? Muenos? You know these names, but he is not talking to you. His breathing is faster, hyperventilating} “Then once we’re to safety, I can, I can study this! I can work with this! All I need to do is just, j-just--”

{The stranger wretches, and doubles over.}

“I-I, I, just--” {Wren, for it must be him, is interrupted by a coughing fit.} “I-I, I need--”

{Something’s wrong. Something’s wrong with him. He is struggling to breathe. Choking-}

<What’s going on? I got kicked out of front, Nihil, what did you DO?!?>

{Nothing.}

<Then stop that and start HELPING HIM! You damp sock of a sadness I swear- >

{You approach. Wren sounds more and more panicked, gasping for breath.} “G-go-- gg-oa-HRK--” {Another coughing fit. You kneel down and go to gently lay a cool, human hand on his cheek.}

{. . . You pause. There is something on the floor. You pick it up.}

{. . . A flower petal.}

>>>

(Isabeau)

“Soooo. . .” (You lean against a wall of the cave, with Vixuls lantern set down between you and her. You were taking a break! Good thing too, because you had started getting light headed) “. . . Have you uh, met other versions of me, then?”

“Yyyyyep!” (Vixul’s writing something down in a big, leather-bound notebook.) “Duplicates are surprisingly common. Hell, I’ve run into other me’s out there.”

“I bet that’s confusing.” (You chuckle.) “‘Hey guys, this is me, and this is my clone from another universe!’ I’d have no idea what to say if that happened to me.”

(Vixul looks up at you, then grins.) “I know what I’d say.”

“Oh yeah?”

“‘We’re dating.’”

“PFFF--” (You have a good laugh.) “Really?!?”

“Nah, hasn’t happened yet. I usually try to keep away from myself.” (She looks off at nothing, thinking.) “Theeere was one or two times where I couldn’t avoid it, but those ended up alright.”

“Is it really that important? To stay hidden, I mean.” (You rest your head on your fist.) “You, theoretically, shouldn’t try and mess with things in the past because it could make a paradox. But how does that work for a parallel world you’re not even a part of. Wouldn’t your actions just create another parallel world?”

“That’s. . .” (She thinks about it for a while.) “. . . That’s. . . A, really good question I don’t have an answer for.”

“It’s a thinker alright. . .” (You look away and rub your shoulder. . . You. . . You, you gotta know.) “Oh yeah! I wanted to ask about, u-uh-”

“You and Siffrin stay together.” (Vixul replies flatly, going back to her book.) “In almost every tapestry of the universe I’ve seen, the threads of your story and Siffrins end up entwined until the very end.”

“. . . Almost?” (You’re thinking too much about it, Isa, stop!) “N-nevermind just- t-thanks, Vixul.”

“. . . it’s alright, Isa.” (She huffs, jots down another note, then closes her book and looks at you.) “I. . . I get it. Having someone you. . .”

“Y-yeah. . .” (There’s a long, uncomfortable silence. Your breathing quickens.) “. . . I. . . I, can’t bear it, Vixul. He, he might be gone. Sif might be, m-might be dead and. . .”

“Hey you don't know that! We’ll get out of here and find Siffrin, okay?” (Her voice reaches your ears, but not your mind.)

“I-I don’t know, I don’t know if it’s even possibly to get out of here I, I-I, I--” (You cough a few times.) “Change, I, how do we even find them?!? This place is a maze and- -cough-”

(You double over, and hear Vixul stand.) “Isa? Are you okay?”

“I-I, I’m--” (You cough again and again, until you start to wretch, feeling something bubble in your throat, your gut. You’re choking, you’re dying, you’re, y-you’re--)

“SWEET ARCEUS-” 

(You cough up a wad of bloody and, a-and something else y-you. You can’t see properly, eyes blurry with tears. You’re gulping in air with your throat clear again. Vixul pats your upper back, and wipes a hand up your forehead, keeping your hair out of your face.)

“Just breathe, just breathe Isa, you’re good, keep breathing- ah fuck.” (She sounds annoyed.) 

“O-okay, I’m okay. I’m okay.” (You take a few steady breaths, before breathing in. . . And out. You straighten up and take a step back, dizziness waning.) “W-what, what was. . .”

(Vixul crouched down looking at something on the floor. You step closer as Vixul grabs the lantern and brings it closer until you can finally make out what it is. A small pile of blood, bile, and. . . And flower petals?!?)

“Now I’m just making a wild guess here.” (She looks up at you, then back to the mucus glob.) “But I don’t think you’re one to eat flowers.”

(You try and think of a funny response, but a word is hanging at you from the back of your brain. Oh what is it. . . Oh!) “Hanahaki? That looks like Hanahaki disease but I’ve only seen that in fiction stuff. Why is- O-oh, right.”

“. . . You’re full of surprises, and flower petals, apparently.” (She grabs her lantern, stands up, and offers you a hand.) “Yeah, that’s Hanahaki, and it’s probably feeding off of your desires.”

“Well, that’s good? At least??” (You chuckle nervously and take her hand. Huh, desires? Like, like, Siffrin?) “Do you, do you think it’s connected to that smell?”

“Crap, so you can smell it too.” (She tugs on the fluff on her head.) “I shouldn’t have ignored it.”

(You heard a semi-familiar voice mumble “I told you so” from somewhere behind Vixul. She winces, you chuckle.) “So, just more of a reason to find the exit, huh.”

“Yeah, fresh air will do some good. Let’s get going.”

“Yes ma’am!”

>>>

(Ramos) [Alex] {Nihil} <Altiare> |Jasmine|

“Easy, easy.” <You shove Nihil out of the way and feel around for the stranger. Eventually, you find his back.> “Easy there, just keep breathing and take your time.”

“What-” <Another coughing fit interrupts him.> “W-who--”

“Altiare. I’ll explain in a minute but I need to know if you’re okay.” <Nihil would you get off your ass and do SOMETHING useful?!?> “What’s six times seven?”

{You sit down, and stare at the flower petal.}

“What-?! O-oh. You are testing, my mind. Forty-two.” <He takes a few more breaths.> “My turn. Who, or what, was trying to attack me?”

“It’s name is Nihil, and it was just being its creepy, curious self. What’s your name?”

“Hmph.” <He starts to stand up.> “You may call me Wren.” 

“Wren?!?” (What?!? You haven’t seen him since, w-well-) “Like uh, with, Vixul and Polaris?!?”

“Yes? Do I. . .” <He snaps his unseen fingers.> “You’re Ramos, aren’t you! I remember your voice from the inn.”

“Y-yeah, uh. . .” (Oh this will be awkward.) “S-sorry, uh, about Nihil, it’s just, we, uh. . .”

“You’re also a system and discovered so after our meeting?” <Wren cuts you off.> “And headmates can manifest physically in this world, I’ve seen it. That would explain why Altiare, and you, have showed up so suddenly.”

“Alright Sherlock, slow down.” <You chuckle.> “Some of us are a bit slow on the draw.”

“H-HEY!” (You pout.) “I said I was SORRY!!”

“Now while I’m sure we could continue this riveting conversation.” (Wren grumbles.) “I, for one, want to get out of here.”

“Agreed.”

“Same, yeah.” (You rub your face.) “We just, need to catch our breath real quick.”

“Good. Now, can your friend see in the dark? It was able to find me very easily.”

{No. I have good. Senses. In the dark.}

“It says it’s just good at sensing things in darkness.” <You huff.> “We’re as blind as you.”

“Prime.” (Wren sighs heavily, waits for a moment, then starts walking.) “Well, just follow me then, and the sound of my footsteps.”

“A-alright!” (You quickly jog to catch up.) “A-and uh, are we, gonna, ignore what happened just now?”

“And what would that be?”

“The uh, flowers?”

“Ah. That.” (Wren pauses for a moment.) “. . . That has happened four times to me already in this cave.”

“O-oh.” (You bite your lip.) “. . . If, you need any help, uh. . .”

“It is appreciated.” (Replied Wren, but by the tone of his voice, your offer was probably filed away as ‘take under advisement’.) 

(Great.)

>>>

(Bonnie) [Crux] <Eight> |Ember|

"HUH!?!??!" (WHAT!?!?!? You jump to your feet. Huh?!? Uhm, what?!? HUH!?!?!?)

[Muenos froze up at both Bonnie and the beasts yelling. The shadowy figure itself just leaned in closer, eyes eager, grinning wide, and wagging its tail like a puppy. After a second, Muenos shook his head free and looked uncomfortably at you.]

"Uh." [He looks at you, then at Bonnie, nervous.]  "S-sorry- yes, um--”

"Yeah!!! Yeah I can see you!!!" [You reply, not picking up on how Muenos was trying very much to ignore it.] "You look really cool, I think. I dunno. I can't see you very well though. . . But your eyes are cool."

|You're flying around all of your heads now, huh! W-well, I was wondering what Crux was looking at. . .|

(I wasn’t PAYING ATTENTION!)

"They’re kinda like a cats eyes. . ." |You flutter a bit closer so your glow can spread to the newcomer too. It looks pretty excited, but then you got close and it makes a lazy swipe like a cat at you|

"Stars, hide your fires; Let not light see my black and deep desires." |That’s a very different voice! Kinda Loop-ish?| 

[You catch a glimpse of its face and it’s not human; its pupils turn to slits, woah. . .]

"You... uh... can ignore that..." (Muenos mumbles, shifting stiffly to the side, a frown clear on his face.)

"Hey! That's not very nice!" |You say with a defiant huff, now insistent on landing on its head. You flutter closer.| "What's your name?"

"'N what are you?" [You stand up and creep forward, hunched down in your cloak, with eyes big and wide and sparkling.] "You look really cool. . ."

|Muenos lunged forward and grabbed the creature by the wrist as it tried to swipe at Ember a bit more directly. You catch a glimpse of fangs, but not much more. You stop in place as it wrenches its hand back and steps out of your glow again.|

"I'm still Muenos, but don't light me up, sunshine, that's not my style.” |It seems very, what’s the word, flamboyant? Flashy?| “Hmm, maybe you could call me Pitch~ Because I'd rather stay in it, you see."

|It winks.|

(You shuffle over to Muenos’ side and offer a hand.) ". . . You okay?"

"S-sorry. Yes, I'm fine, just. . .” (He lets out a heavy exhale.) “Ah. . . I'm unsure how to put it into words quite yet. Are you okay?"

"Uhm, I'm fine, I think. . ." (You keep looking over to check Muenos is okay.) ". . . I got split up from Isa and Ramos and I'm worried about ‘em, but I found you, so that's something?"

 "That would stress anyone out.” (He looks squarely at pitch as he talks.) “If you're looking for them, I'd be honored to help, if you'd have me?"

"Yeah! We should stick together anyway! This place is weird, and dangerous." (You nod enthusiastically.) “Oh yeah, did you show up here with anyone?”

"O-okay! Okay, sorry Pitch! I'm sorry." |You instead decide to move over to Crux's hat.| "Uh, nice to meet you Pitch!"

"Nihil's kinda like that, with not liking light? Same with Mal." [You blink at Pitch.] "Are you a sadness?"

"I am as much sadness as you are, little bug.” [Pitch went back to its curious peeking from the shadows, its tail curled up into a little question-mark.] “Not all that is made of shadow is made of tears." 

[It reaches out with its tail- black and hooked- and playfully taps your hat down over your eyes. ]

“ACK-!!!" [You dramatically scramble with your hat, very clearly playful!] "H-hey!!! Hey!!"

[As soon as the hat is back to its place, Pitch flicks your hat up and 'politely' folds its arms in mock innocence. You make a dramatically offended face and huff, tugging the hat down.]

(It looks like Muenos is being soothed by your enthusiasm and Crux’s playfulness. "Mm, no, I don't know where they are. I've been alone for as long as I've been, ah. . . Dreaming."

(The two of you get up. Muenos hesitates, then leans down to pick the fabric scissors they dropped up from the ground.)

"Well we can find them together! Okay?" (You rub your nose then offer a hand.) "We gotta light and we can help each other, we got this!

|Nose still weird?|

(Yeah, can’t stop smelling this stupid crabbin’ smell!)

|Aw, we’ll figure it out! You make a jingling noise and land on Bonnie's head.| "Okay! We should get going then. Right?"

[Yeah!]

<MMHN!>

(He took your hand and, jokingly, half-bowed.) "Yes, my savior, let's go."

“Crab yeah!!” (Air fistbump! Though this time being called ‘his’ savior felt a bit better?) “Alright gang, let’s get going!”

[You followed along, third in line behind Bonnie and Muenos. Looking back Pitch followed behind you. Its tail moved with little fwipping sounds in the air.] "If any of you need to rest, especially you Ember, I'm not afraid of the dark. I can keep you safe."

"Oh! 'S okay!" |You chirp again, hopping to the back of Bonnies hat to look back at Pitch and Crux.| "I'll be okay, I think. But uhm. . . That's, really nice, thanks. . ."

[You keep hanging back on the edge of Embers light, keeping Pitch company.]

(. . . So uhm. . . . Are Pitch and Muenos, uh. . . Like, us?)

|Maybe, but, let's meet up with everyone first before talking about it. . .|

(M’kay!)

[Yeah good idea.]

[. . .]

[. . . You’re not sure why, but after a few minutes of walking, you find yourself slipping more and more into the shade, closer to Pitch.]

>>>

(Ramos) [Alex] {Nihil} <Altiare> |Jasmine|

(It was surprisingly easy to keep up with Wren, and to keep track of where he was. It should’t have surprised you, really, Wren thinks a lot, and you have nothing to distract you. One plus one equals two.)

(-Obviously a sadness taken form as an alternate personality. As Vixul described it, that can and does happen. Blood Diamonds, and of course it was the strange one that wouldn’t, couldn’t talk to me. Even forgetting that, how can I trust-)

(You were still undecided if you should tell Wren or not you can hear him, honestly. . . You, need some distraction, or, something! Uh. . .) “. . . Wren?”

“What is it?” (He replied, grumbling.) 

(Ouch, overly aggressive but okay.) “. . . How much uh, do you know about wish craft?”

“Hmm, more than you would expect. And considering your traveling companions I assume you also know about wish craft?” (he huffs.) “If only I had a light, I could check my notes.”

“That’s fine!” (You tap you chin.) “I ask ‘cause uh, Perci made a wish, and that caused all this.”

“Why am I not surprised.” (You just KNOW he’s shaking his head.) “It takes a certain kind of person to make wishes as strong as this.”

(Like myself.)

(. . .) “Y-yeah, uh. . . Do you, know any strong wishing rituals? Or researched them? Or. . .”

“I have a few, yes.” (His voice gets more energetic as he starts to talk with passion.) “While it’s not my place to give details, I have been told that many people wishing for a similar thing, despite incorrectly doing a wish ritual, can effectively boost the wish of an individual who does a wish correctly that lines up with the collective wish.”

“Makes sense.” (Isn’t that what happened to Siffrin?)

“What’s more, however, is it takes more than a powerful will, or collective will, in order to make a powerful wish. It also must be combined with a powerful wishing ritual. Do you know what kinds of wishing rituals lead to this?”

“W-well. . .” (Oh boy.) “. . . Perci, cut open Siffrins chest, and ate a star from inside their heart.”

(Wren stops suddenly. (No. . . He ate the star, the same one. . ?) What? (Loop described it as they ate a star. Their wish, it reset the world, of course-) WHAT??)

“Y-you know who Loop is?!?” (You yelp.)

“What? Wait, you’re reading my thoughts!” (You hear a shuffling, then feel Wren kick you in the leg.) “And how do YOU know that!”

“S-sorry I can’t stop it- a-and, Loop, they, t-they showed me!” (You wince, taking a step back.) “S-sorry really! I’m sorry! I legitimately can’t turn it off, it’s, I-I-”

“It’s second nature, isn’t it. Like hearing.” (There’s an annoyed huff before Wren continues walking again.) “Fine. And yes, Loop told me who they are.”

“. . . Why?”

“. . .” (You feel sorrow seeping out of your wandering companion.) “. . . They did not want me to make the same mistakes they did.”

“. . . O-oh.” (There is a long, awkward pause.)

“. . . . . . . . So, Perci wished upon a star.” (Wren continues like nothing had happened.) “That is by far the strongest wish ritual I know, but not the only option. Perhaps someone could make a counter wish? The will of the people who all want to awaken from this nightmare may make up for a weaker wishing ritual.”

“Yeah, we don’t exactly have a star to take a bite out of, do we.”

“Exactly.” (Wren let out a single “ha”.) “There are complex, multi-people wishing rituals, but those require people who know exactly what they are doing. There are ones that take sacrifices, but those are archaic and I don’t know enough about them. There is a rather dangerous one that could work, but that requires stabbing yourself in the heart.”

“What?!?”

“And surviving it for twenty-four hours without help. I haven’t found any records of it actually being done, only its name; Bladeheart Ritual.”

“. . . I. . .” (You shudder.) “M-maybe, that should be a last resort.”

“Agreed.” (Wren hums.) “Now, my turn. Tell me about your mind craft.”(Oh boy.) “Well, it started with me being an idiot. . .”

[cyten0]

That's a fucking novel.