#I could see someone with a bad faith take assuming I meant that it was part of the problem

[secondbeatsongs]

for anyone too young to know this: watching The Truman Show is a vastly different experience now, compared to how it was before youtube and social media influencers became normal

before it was like, "what a horrifying thing to do to a human being! to take away their autonomy and privacy, all for the sake of profits! to create fake scenarios for them to react to, just to retain viewership! to ruin their happiness just so some corporate entity could harvest money from their very humanity! how could anyone do something so evil?"

and now it's like, "ah, yeah. this is still deeply fucked up, but it's pretty much what every influencer has been doing to their kids for a decade now. probably bad that we've normalized this experience"

[ooctlt]

I really like this blog most of the time, but sometimes you take reasonable earnest asks that are trying to be thoughtful, and are such a dick about it.

Like if it's the characters being dicks, fine. But you could say something in the tags or post to indicate you're not just viciously mocking someone for trying to engage.

I still haven't submitted an ask since seeing your response that led to comments along the lines of "anon should go die in a hole" for asking, pretty reasonably, why harrow would want to stay with people she didn't seem to like or want to be around or interact with.

(i know, because she does like them and does want them around but doesn't know how to show it) but it's an ASK blog. How do we hear that from her unless someone ASKS

i understand it might be surprising and a bit hurtful to see an ask answered with the characters being mean/flippant, and for that i do apologize that it wasnt made clear that it would be a common thing in this blog. id like to issue the disclaimer: there is always the possibility that the characters here will not take your question well. they might answer rudely, and instigating behavior is not only encouraged but expected on both ends. this does not reflect my personal opinions as the artist; there are over 250 asks even after i constantly compile duplicates, and i will answer the asks that i personally like.

i will assume you are referencing the two most recent posts where gideon acts rudely and i repost an old panel: for the former i thought anon was really sweet for being so heartfelt and encouraging, but gideon isnt the kind of person who needs to be told shes brave for doing that by a stranger. it was a simple act of survival. and harrow is still very much in the passive deprogramming phase. the latter response was meant to kickstart (spoilers) what i will call the "dicks last resort" arc, where i clean out the inbox and share more simple, low effort, but potentially rude responses*. this is because i have roughly drawn almost daily for 87 days straight, and would like to recuperate without being burnt out because i love this blog and i love art.

this leads me to my next point: some of these answers will be curt and short and rude, because they are easy to draw. if i only prioritized the "good" asks or to make certain ask responses kinder, or longer, it wouldnt be a daily blog. it would be a monthly blog where 5 asks get answered among 100s. i didnt anticipate people asking about harrows piercings, and i considered shutting it down by just having harrow say she likes them etc. but i did want to give more insight into harrows character even if she wouldnt say so herself, and that took roughly 3 full unemployed nights. if i treated every ask in good faith the same way i wouldnt have time for anything else, because they take more effort and have to be seriously considered for the future. i can retcon their favorite ice cream or play off griddlehark fighting - it takes more to keep track of a narrative about people talking Around their issues

* by rude responses i mean "this will affect the 679ers negatively, much like making your sim 🧑‍🤝‍🧑➖➖ someone" there are a few asks planned to hurt in the same way one drafts a bad end in a visual novel, and this type of interaction is encouraged. of course if you dont want them to get worse dont send asks telling gideon she should flirt with MILFs (you cant send this ask now i already said it), but i encourage the banter.

TL;DR this is the "characters think you are weird for personal questions" blog. i am sorry i didnt warn of the ask-response banter, because i also enjoy drawing these characters being dicks. i do like when aggravation and conflict leads to character development. "how do we get earnest answers unless someone asks" sometimes you will never explicitly get that from them, and thats what the dead ends are for: to let you know to try something else and read between the lines

[loveforsatoru]

Our Blue Spring- Satoru Gojo x Fem Reader (Chapter 6: Christmas Eve Party)

He thanks the old woman over and over before running out of the cafe, sprinting down the street. She waves him goodbye, knowing how this is going to go because she’s been in a similar situation. Love can always prevail if it never died down in the first place.

Satoru’s brain is swirling, it almost doesn’t feel real. He rushes back to his apartment to get himself ready, swinging the door open and immediately going into the bathroom to take a shower.

The next couple hours were spent by Satoru making sure he looks his best. Almost an hour shower, blow drying his hair, brushing his teeth, scavenging his closet for something to wear and digging out old boxes to look for fancy accessories.

He checks himself in the mirror one last time, fixing the collar of his shirt. He clutches the locket you gave him the day you left, almost wishing on every shooting star that this will go well.

Suddenly, there was a knock on his door. He walks over and opens it. Behind it was Megumi. Satoru opens the door wider and motions for him to come in.

“What's up, kid?”

“Nothing. I was just on my way back from a movie with Yuji. He still feels bad about the camera, you know.”

Right, the camera.

“Tell him not to worry about it. It broke anyway.”

“Broke? Are you serious?”

“Yeah, it slipped off my desk.”

“Sorry.. I knew how much it meant to you.”

“It’s nothing for you to worry about. I’ll be okay.” Satoru spoke with glossed eyes behind his glasses, he doesn’t want to think about the camera right now.

“I actually came by to give you something.” He then proceeded to pull something out of his bag. It was a framed picture of the 3 of you the day you went to the zoo when Megumi was 10.

Satoru takes the picture frame in his hands and scans it. He was holding Megumi up on his shoulders and you had your arms around his waist with a smile that could light up an entire city. It looked like you guys were a real family.

“Why are you giving me this? I appreciate it, but don’t you want to keep it?”

“You probably need it more than I do.”

A smile made its way onto Satoru’s face, fighting the urge to give the boy a hug.

“Do you think y/n will ever come back?” He suddenly asked, a hint of desperation in his voice, like he was itching for Satoru to say yes. It was obvious what he came over for. He wanted his hope to be reassured because unbeknownst to everyone around him, Megumi too had faith that you would return.

The question made Satoru’s eyes widen a bit. He had never outright asked about you.

“She’s back in town.. I’m actually on my way to see her right now.”

A glint of happiness sparked in his eyes. He would never tell anyone about how much he missed being around you, but Satoru knew.

“Did you guys get back together?”

“No.. not yet. She doesn’t know that I’m aware of her coming back. I only found out a couple hours ago. I’m assuming she didn’t want me finding out in the first place. It just happened to be a coincidence that I walked into the same cafe she did, the owner told me she was in town and we were both invited to the same party tonight.”

But was it really a coincidence? Satoru wasn’t the type to believe in fate or the stars aligning, but this seemed too surreal to just be a coincidence.

“Don’t you screw this up. Get her back and keep her here.”

Having said that, he began to walk away, but Satoru didn’t let him get far, stunning him with his response.

“You miss her, right? It’s okay to admit. I promise I’ll make things right with her and if I don’t, kill me. I’m sure she misses you just as much.”

Satoru is certain of his statement. There’s no way you don’t miss him. You both clicked instantly and formed a special bond, one Megumi never had before or after you. Making sure he was safe, had food in front of him, a place to stay whenever he needed, and most importantly, someone to confide in.

Megumi simply nodded, but Satoru swears a tear rolled down his cheek before he continued making his way out.

Checking his watch, Satoru decided it was time to go to Utahime’s. He’s already late.

He sets the picture frame on the kitchen counter, grabs his things and walks out. The streets are extra crowded tonight. The area is illuminated by Christmas lights and decorations. Couples and families of 3, 4, 5, and 6 fill every corner. He hopes he can have that someday, but he only wants it if it’s with you.

Laughter and talking fills the air until he steps inside the train and it dies down. He takes an empty seat next to a little boy who looks no more than 6 years old. Is he really all alone? Where are his parents?

“Hi, mister!” The little boy fervently exclaims.

“Hey! What’s your name?” Satoru replies, giving the boy a fist bump.

“Jonah! What about you?”

He’s very hyper, seems like a nice kid. He reminds Satoru a lot of Yuji.

“My name's Gojo.”

“Cool!”

Satoru gives Jonah a small smile before turning his attention to his phone, looking down at it to check the time. It’s 8:45 pm. The party started at 7. Hopefully this train hurries up. He doesn’t know how much longer he can go without seeing you.

“That girl on your wallpaper is pretty. Is she your girlfriend or something?” Jonah asks, staring at Satoru’s wallpaper, trying to get a better look at the photo of you.

“Ahh, no. Unfortunately we broke up a couple years ago.”

“Why? Does she not like you anymore?”

“I don’t know. I guess something happened and she decided to break up with me.” Truth be told, Satoru can’t really give the boy a proper response. He himself doesn’t even have the answers as to why you broke up with him and it’s been eating at him for the last 7 years, but he plans on changing that.

“Well, if she’s not your girlfriend anymore, then why is she on your phone? Do you still like her?”

“Love her.”

“My mommy says love is a strong word.”

“It sure is.”

“So how do you know you love her? What does it feel like? I’ve never loved somebody before.”

His response makes Satoru chuckle, finding his curiosity adorable.

“Don’t worry, you’ll find someone. You’re still young. Love feels like a lot of things. You’re willing to do anything for that person, no matter what. Just the thought of them makes your insides feel warm and you get butterflies. You admire everything they do and they make you happy, happier than you’ve ever been. You’re both there for each other whenever you need it. They fill a hole in your life, like they were the missing piece and you’re not complete without them. That’s how I knew I was in love with her.”

The boy sat and listened, taking in everything Satoru was saying. He’s pretty smart for his age. Satoru had never met a kid this interested in the concept of love before.

“I get it. Did she feel the same way about you?”

“I’m pretty sure she did, yeah.”

“Do you think she still does?”

“I hope so. I would be very sad if she didn’t.”

“Hmmm… Why don’t you ask her?”

“That’s what I’m planning to do tonight.”

“Awesome! Are you going to save her from an evil dragon in a castle and then live happily ever after?”

Satoru had to hold back his laughter at the mental image Jonah had going on.

“Something like that.”

“I believe in you, mister Gojo! Go save your princess!”

“Alright, I will.” Satoru ruffled his hair and gave him a lollipop from his pocket.

He happily accepted, quickly unwrapping the candy.

“Thanks! Bye bye now! My mommy’s calling! I’ll see you later!”

Satoru watches as the boy exits the train with his mom, jumping up and down while waving before the train doors close, heading towards the next stop.

Shortly after, the train stops at its next location and Satoru gets off, walking to Utahime’s place. Kyoto is far less populated than Tokyo, making it easier to get around. It feels like a breath of fresh air.

Utahime doesn’t live far from the station, so he quickly found himself in front of her house. The music is blaring and could be heard from a block away.

He walks inside and is nearly shocked by the amount of people attending. She threw these parties every year, but never one this huge. If it weren’t for you, he would’ve walked out as fast as he came in.

He squeezes past people, attempting to find someone he knows amongst all the unfamiliar faces.

After being pushed, shoved and bumping into people, he finally finds Shoko, but she doesn’t look pleased to see him.

“Shoko!”

“What the fuck are you doing here?!”

“What do you mean? Utahime sent me the invitation!” He had to speak loudly over the music, so Shoko pulls him upstairs where it’s quieter.

“You have to leave. You can’t be here.” She spoke sternly, already planning to yell at Utahime for inviting him.

“What the hell are you talking about?”

“It doesn’t matter, you just have to go.”

“No way! I came here to see y/n and I’m not leaving without talking to her.” Satoru stubbornly held his ground against Shoko’s insistence. He was firm on seeing you and nothing would stop him.

Shoko’s eyes widened and she nearly spit out her drink.

“How do you even know she’s here?!”

“I figured it out this morning. And how come you know about this? Does everyone know where she’s been besides me? Have you all been keeping this a secret from me for this long?”

“It’s not like that. I’m the only one who knows how she’s been doing, but she got into contact with Utahime not too long ago and she invited her at the last minute. She must’ve forgotten that she sent you an invite because I specifically told her you and y/n couldn’t be in the same place.”

Satoru shot her an exasperated look, scoffing at her response.

“Do you know how miserable I’ve been since she left? You watched me cry over her and you didn’t have the courage to do me a solid and at least give me her contact info? Nobody needs you sticking your nose in other people’s problems, especially mine. This entire ordeal is between me and y/n. You had no right to keep something this big from me for years.”

“You need to understand that y/n personally asked me to not bring her up to you. I couldn’t go against her wishes. It’s for your own good that you don’t find out.”

“I’m here now and I don’t intend on leaving without seeing her. You don’t get how desperate I’ve been, how long I’ve been waiting for this. I’m not going to let this opportunity go to waste.”

With that, he quickly ran down the stairs, pushing past people, not caring who it might’ve been. There’s nobody else on his mind besides you. The only problem is, the place is huge and it’s completely packed.

He begins going around, asking if anyone had seen you. Everytime someone said no, a piece of him crumbled away.

He decides to take a break, going to get something to drink, where he sees Nanami.

“You look roughed up.” The younger, blonde male said, taking a sip out of his own drink.

“Yeah, shitty night so far.” Satoru grumbles, opening a bottle of water.

“Already? Didn’t you get here 30 minutes ago?”

“Yup.”

Nanami was surprised at Satoru’s odd behavior. Every time he saw him, he was always cheerful, talkative. Sure, he heard that he was going through something, but he didn’t know what and didn’t think it would affect his mood this much.

“What happened?”

“I’ve been trying to find y/n all night, but it’s no use. It’s impossible to find her and everybody I’ve asked hasn’t seen her either.”

“Y/n? She’s back?”

“Yeah, I heard it from the manager at a cafe I used to take her to. Shoko basically confirmed it too, the moment she told me I couldn’t be here and had to leave.”

“That must suck. You don’t seem like yourself.”

“I haven’t felt like myself for years.”

“Over a girl?”

“She’s not just a girl. She was everything I had and I lost her in the blink of an eye.”

Nanami nods, sympathizing with the man he would usually describe as arrogant, annoying, and egoistical, but this conversation alone is enough to prove him wrong.

Out in the distance, Nanami could make out a familiar face.

“Is that her?” He asks, pointing to you. You were standing in the living room, talking to a couple people.

Satoru turns his head around and immediately locks eyes with you.

You’re absolutely gorgeous, more than he remembered. Your hair is longer, your features matured, but you still hold the same warming aura.

He tosses his water bottle aside, and makes his way toward you, but the moment you see him, you begin running away.

“Y/n!” He calls out, practically stepping over people to get to you.

You keep running, not looking back, but you’re a fool to think you can outrun Satoru. He is the strongest sorcerer, afterall.

He grabs a hold of your wrist, spinning you around.

The both of you are speechless. You examine his features, how handsome he is and how different he looks. He’s taller, more muscular. His sunglasses are long gone, stuffed away in his pocket, giving you the chance to look into his cerulean eyes that you’ve missed so much, but they hold so much sadness. It makes your heart break knowing it’s all because of you.

Despite that, you’re adamant on keeping a distance between the two of you, emotionally and physically.

You slip from his grasp and dart outside, regretting it the moment cold air engulfs your body like a blanket.

“Stop running from me, please! It’s been so long! At least talk to me!” He calls out as he follows you outside.

Every step he takes towards you, you back away. This feels too much like the night you left.

“I can’t! You were never supposed to see me!”

“But I did! I found you again! Don’t you see it? It’s fate!”

“It’s not fate! Fate was never supposed to cross our paths again!”

“Don’t say that! You know you don’t believe it! Haven’t you thought about me at all since that day? Haven’t you thought about this?”

As much as you want to shout “no” and shut him out, you can’t because the two of you know you’d be lying.

“Don’t do this to yourself! Stop chasing after me! Stop hoping that we’ll be together again because we won’t!”

“Why? What we had was real! It was never over for me!”

“Satoru, I’m engaged! Why do you think I’ve been hiding from you?!”

He stops and he stares at you, his soul and his heart shattering before you could even finish your sentence.

It started to pour rain, but you’re both frozen in place. Satoru has a lump in his throat. If he tries to speak, sobs will be the only thing to come out.

“I’m so sorry.” You say, taking a couple steps towards him, close enough that you won’t have to shout, but far enough to keep a distance.

“Are you happy?” He croaks, unable to fight back the tears falling from his eyes.

You don’t reply to his question right away because you’re not. It was a marriage of convenience. Your fiance was by no means a bad man (at least that’s what you tell yourself), but you just weren’t happy. You’ve always felt that something was missing, and maybe it was Satoru. It was definitely Satoru. Every moment you spent with your fiance, you secretly wished it was Satoru. But you couldn’t find the strength to go back to him. You still had your motives and fears to hide away.

…

“No, I’m not.” You spoke with ache and affliction. Your heart longed for him in ways that you couldn’t describe.

“How long are you in town for?” He asked, unable to keep his eyes off of you. He doesn’t care about his spilling tears. You’re too beautiful to look away from even with your hair and clothes soaking wet.

“10 days.”

“I swear I’ll win you back before then. 10 days is all I need. I haven’t been able to go on with my life without you. I haven’t dated, haven’t slept with anyone else. I would rather spend the rest of my life alone than with someone who isn’t you. The only thing that got me by was the hope and small possibility that you’d be back. And now that you are, I won’t let you go again. I regret not fighting harder 7 years ago. I want to be with you for the rest of my life. I promised myself and Megumi that I would get you back. I don’t plan on breaking that promise whatsoever. I’ll hop on a plane and move to the other side of the globe if I have to because you’re worth it. You’re worth everything in the world.”

He spoke through tears and an unsteady voice, but he meant every word and you know it.

You’re left speechless. All you can do is run into his arms and kiss him. Your fiancé, the life you built while you were away, and your motives for distancing yourself all leave your mind the instant your lips connect. He held you up as your fingers tangled themselves in his hair like they used to. Your tongues collided, molding perfectly together along with the rest of your bodies like a puzzle. You two are meant to complete each other. You’re each other's missing pieces.

It was a kiss that was filled with every emotion the two of you have felt since the breakup. A kiss that said more than words ever could. It was your way of telling him that you’ve missed and thought about him just as much.

[jq37]

Here's my conspiracy theory for the Ratgrinders and Buddy Dawn: He was always meant to be a disposable pawn. They wanted the Bad Kids to go to the Last Stand and have Buddy be the cleric so they could kill him and leave the Bad Kids to die. And they wouldn't have to worry about failing because (and here's the crazy part):

They have a body double of Lucy prepared.

That would explain why Ivy wasn't shocked to see Fig disguised as Lucy (Ivy already knows there's a second Lucy around) and why the Ratgrinders specifically asked for someone from another school (they could write him off as "not technically part of the party" and thus, his death doesn't affect their grade)

It's really making me crazy that they haven't chased the "Ivy noticing Fig as Lucy" thread harder. I've been obsessed with it for so long at this point. It could just be a matter of Ivy clocking that it was someone in disguise as Lucy because she has high Passive Perception or something, but if not then it's a huge loose end! We've had body doubles on this show before (Lydia had one made by Aguefort I believe) so it is something that we've seen can be done. Still doesn't explain why she'd be so chill with seeing the double just casually at Fabian's house party.

I think Buddy is def a pawn. The only question is to what end. Killing Buddy to leave the Bad Kids to die is def possible--insane overreaction but that's kind of the nature of this season. I don't think they'd be able to claim that Buddy isn't part of their party--he's a transfer but he is a student--but I think they would be able to take The Last Stand if they wanted to and didn't want to go pass fail. Also, iirc, they didn't ask for a transfer. They asked for a *Helioic* cleric. Assuming I'm remembering correctly, that would mean there was something about that specific faith that they were interested in. My OG theory is that they were trying to create another Kristen they could control--like if you wanted to create Batman so you found a rich kid and killed their parents after a screening of Puss in Boots 2.

Even if they have a double of Lucy to swap in once Buddy is axed, I believe the rule is that if your party comp changes at all, you're cooked. And I think swapping your cleric would be a change in party comp. But who knows. Maybe there's something in the bylaws that can combat that? They really need to read those bylaws.

[genericpuff]

This isn't meant to be a hateful ask, but you should probably stop saying you've 'fixed' Rachel's art whenever you redraw comic frames. At first, I could see why your posts were titled that, considering they were just edits made onto a frame, trying to keep in mind the style of the comic alongside it (and let me say, you absolutely nail colors when it comes to your gLOw series, I use your notes for my own art all the time). But it seems like for your more recent posts, you're redrawing panels in your own style and saying that you've 'fixed' the frames. I'm not saying that you can't do that, redraws are a core part of the LO community. But it feels as if you're putting Rachel's art style down in favor of your own. For example, your recent post. Smaller necks and 'googly eyes' (big eyes with small pupils) are usually apart of LOs more cartooney style, they aren't something as bad as LOs men's shoulder to head width, or awkward hand and feet positions, etc. The point I'm trying to make is that you should probably start titling frames you redraw in your own style as that, a redraw, not 'fixing' someone else's art style

EDIT: oh god I totally went off with this, BIG apologies for the essay dump in response to a very simple ask, it's just a topic I'm very passionate about and am willing to talk about at really extreme lengths. I appreciate your takes on this even if I do disagree with them, I just don't make shit easy and I apologize for that 😖 😂

Oookay, so I'm gonna try and answer this as best I can, with as little curtness as possible, because I know you're asking it genuinely, but please understand that this is a topic that comes up a LOT in artist/LO spaces and I'm sorta exhausted with having to talk about it. Often times because it's approaching the argument with a very misconstrued idea of what 'style' is.

Ironically enough, before I get into this, I actually do have a post queued up for tomorrow already that's called a 'redraw' because unlike the panels I'm assuming you're calling out, I actually painted the upcoming ones for tomorrow entirely from scratch. I'm still trying to replicate the LO style, of course, but it's not trying to remain quite as faithful as my edits tend to be because it's meant to be a redraw in the true sense of the word like you're referencing. My edits are often just a normal layer on top of the original that I paint over, which is what the last few posts have been. My redraws are drawn from the ground up, backgrounds, faces, poses, etc. often times with the goal of re-compositing the scene entirely. The ones from the last couple days were not drawn from the ground up, simply altered over the originals - but the unfortunate reality is that some of them simply can't be accurately edited entirely due to the original composition being such a visual mess. That includes this one which was a struggle to edit faithfully without my own anatomical stylizations bleeding into it due to how janky the original was (IMO). Like, the original panel didn't even "look like LO", it's godawful, and it's a stretch to say I'm dissing Rachel's "style" when I'm fairly certain Rachel didn't even draw any part of that original panel, it's INCREDIBLY obvious two different people from her team drew it and there's no way of knowing whether or not Rachel was one of them. I did not touch Hades because he's not the problem with the panel. Hades as you see him in that panel is exactly how he was in the original, I merely tried my best to edit Persephone to look more consistent with Hades and less creepy.

Disclaimers over, let's get on with this.

So here's the thing - if it were a simple matter of "style", I'd agree wholeheartedly with you. I'm not about pitting artists against one another, we're all different people with different takes and inspirations making our own thing.

However, there's a difference between style and execution.

With full disclosure, I do not accept the argument that because LO has a more "cartoony style", then it's "fine" for it to very blatantly lower its quality in technical execution or turn into a cheap copy of what it once was. LO was never 'cartoony', it was more akin to storybook art, like something you'd find in old Disney concept art pieces or in children's illustration books. 'Cartoony' as in 'not realistic', sure, but definitely not cartoony in the way most people envision it or market it (like what you'd see in legitimate cartoon shows). The use of color was vibrant and had thought put into it, compositions were dynamic, lineart was only used where needed to create depth, and overall, there was a vibe to it that many of you can still recognize, it's what a lot of my blog talks about.

When I do these panel "fixes", my goal isn't to go "hey, my style is superior to Rachel's! Fuck Rachel!" Far from it. My goal is to analyze what made the original LO art so special and unique, and help preserve those elements in newer panels through key elements such as color choice, glow layers, composition, texturing, etc. many of which are elements that are outright missing from S2 of LO onwards.

Because, full bluntness, LO has zero effort being put into it anymore.

LO never had perfect anatomy and it's always struggled with creating a cohesive visual narrative, but it hid its issues well with a good balance of color choice, mood/tone, and lineart-less rendering. It wasn't meant to be some hyper-realistic comic, what set it apart were the colorful panels and vignettes and use of 'cutout' style backgrounds and foreground elements.

Stuff like this:

I have spent literally hours dissecting LO's art style, researching and hunting down its brushes, crawling the best and most recognizable color palettes, drawing and redrawing old panels in attempts to replicate Rachel's style and techniques as best I can. I'm not doing all that just to try and be like "I can do it better", more so to preserve what once was and could have been. Because I genuinely miss how old LO looked and so do many others. It's my own way of participating in a fandom that's being torn apart each week by the new episodes that only seem to further degrade the comic's original presentation and why people liked it.

Trust me, if I wanted to just draw LO in 'my style' as some sort of self-gratifying flex (because everyone in the art world nowadays thinks the only point in creating art is to have a "style" that they can pit against other "styles" as if styles are collectables like fucking Pokemon lmao), you wouldn't even recognize it.

THIS is my "style", y'all. The only elements that I've purely taken from LO is the background and how I did the lighting effects along the side but everything else is my standard 'style' when I draw anything that's NOT LO, especially with my own comics and my day job.

"Style" is not a tangible thing, at least not in the way people nowadays tend to define it. Style is an accumulation of everything that's influenced an artist over years of practice, learning, refinement, and mastery. It is not something any one person can 'own' nor is it something that can or should be 'fixed' in and of itself. Just like how Rachel has adopted elements of her style from inspirations such as Glen Keane and Mary Blair, I've gotten my stylistic inspirations from anime, manga, video games, and other webcomics. Our styles and why we create art and who we create art for are completely different.

I have zero issue with Rachel's 'style'. At its core it's actually freaking gorgeous, when she puts in the effort. Not even just LO, take a look at her even OLDER art that's still available to sift through on her DA:

The issues I'm bringing up have to do with the execution of said style, how it's blatantly obvious Rachel doesn't put any effort into the art anymore and often has her assistants picking up the slack in a very disorganized manner that leads to disjointed, bland, weird ass art that often can't even maintain consistency between SINGLE PANELS, like this:

The magic is gone. These are not reflections of Rachel's capabilities in the slightest. She is far capable of so much more, this is beyond being a 'stylistic choice' and falls more under the implication of laziness or lack of care.

What's wild is that she's outright stated that she's "streamlined" the LO creation process to make it easier for new assistants to acclimate - which would be fine, if it weren't for the fact that 'streamlining' shouldn't mean 'downgrade'. There are plenty of ways to streamline the LO art style that can still retain the original charm of LO that drew people to it in the first place without cheapening it. It's not like LO is the only webtoon under strict deadlines, Rachel has more assistants than most working for WT and yet everyone else on the platform seems to only improve in their comic's production workflow and its presentation whereas LO has only declined.

(The Kiss Bet, 2019-Present)

(Tower of God, 2014-Present)

Not every comic needs to make improvements this drastically, and technically LO didn't even have to make improvements in its original execution - but it's so far gone in the other direction that it begs the question, "Why do other creators and comics with less prestige and as many or less assistants compared to LO seem to make such bigger strides in the technical execution of their work?" Regardless of whether the style is erring more towards anime or cartoon or realism, 'style' doesn't make up for poor technical execution and lack of consistency. That's the same energy we get all the time from newcomers to the craft who reject any form of criticism towards their technique and understanding of the fundamentals with "THAT'S JUST MY STYYYYLE". Even many animators who predominantly work on cartoon productions still understand their fundamentals and utilize them in the creation of stylized pieces of work. This isn't even me questioning how much of the fundamentals Rachel knows because, again, she clearly has understanding of it in her older work, she just seems to have stopped caring or isn't doing a proper job directing her team.

I criticize the stick necks and googly eyes the same way I do the inconsistent body types, refrigerator shoulders and same-face syndrome because they're all things that are detracting from and lowering the quality of LO's art as a whole. They didn't always shade whites in the old episodes of LO, but they did often tint them to make them less jarring against the more vibrant colors. They didn't always color in the irises back in 2018/2019, but at least when they were just solid black pupils, they were actually drawn EQUALLY, vs. the solid pupils nowadays which feel like they're each on their own schedule and are never the same size or facing the same direction. They didn't always draw perfect necks and faces, but nowadays it feels like the heads are being stuck on sticks and attached to separate bodies that aren't even consistent with the characters' body types. All of these things are issues, there's no 'hierarchy' of problems, they're each a part of a much bigger lackluster whole.

When it comes to my own panel fixes/redraws/whatever you wanna call them, if they don't look enough like Rachel's 'style', that's either because we're failing to recognize what makes Rachel's art unique due to it being so watered down over the years, or because I'm just not doing a good enough job replicating it. Undoubtedly a little bit of both. I'm still 'adjusting' to a workflow that accommodates the LO style and how it looks. It's not exactly easy to just jump from one style (my style) to another without my own usual biases bleeding in (trust me, I'm not happy that there are people who know my usual art style who can still 'see' it in my LO art, because that completely defeats the purpose of what I'm trying to do lmao)

All that aside, we can't pretend that S1 LO's signature style is still being executed to its fullest potential in S3.

If I can be really brash here, there are WAY more egregious panel 'editors' out there who straight up are drawing stuff legitimately just in their own style. And they're still all great in their own right and get to the point of what they're trying to say even if they don't fit what you would define as a "fix". Don't bug me about mine.

Rachel's style in and of itself is gorgeous and unique. It's the lack of effort in the execution as time goes on that is the topic here. I can never hope to fully achieve that 'vibe' that so many people miss about 'old' LO because that was all Rachel and I can never fully capture the spirit of her work because it's hers, it's the accumulation of everything that's inspired and influenced her in her artistic journey.

What I can do is point out and design alternatives to the many errors, inconsistencies, and technical issues that tries to get it closer to that original look and feel of S1 LO that better reflected Rachel's original efforts. It's what it could potentially look like if modern LO art wasn't so disjointed among its scattered assistants and rushed with as little visible effort possible. It's what could have been if it didn't feel like Rachel has essentially given up.

Does it really matter how I specifically word my posts between 'edit' and 'redraw' in this context when both things are attempting to accomplish the same goal?

[opinated-user]

Catching up on stuff I missed and that whole debacle with Batman’s food just doesn’t make reasonable sense no matter what way you slice. Why do you need to show a receipt for buying cat food? Does this person not know what a receipt is for? It’s mainly for being eligible to return an item if it wasn’t satisfactory to your tastes, but you can’t just do that with food, because you have to have ruined the packaging in some way in order to use it. No store is going to take back a cereal box someone opened up because the cereal turned out to be stale. You keep receipts for shit like buying clothes in case the clothes might not fit, which is actually what happened to me a few weeks ago when buying new jeans so there’s an example right there.

And second, this has to assume that Courtney wouldn’t, you know, feed her cat, like she said she was going to. What kind of person would just intentionally starve their cat, if they weren’t already abusive to their pets? The fact that she considered pawning off her laptop, which is going to have long term consequences in any capacity, just to feed the poor guy shows she clearly was really to take the long term hit just so she doesn’t have to lose her cat.

And third, how the fuck does this relate to Lily using money that was supposed to go to Mikala (not sure if that’s spelled right) immigration fees to buy a new desk. This is a giant stretch to put those on the same levels of seriousness. I can reasonably understand that Courtney’s current situation could mean that she can use some of the money meant for cat food to buy other things, since I can reasonably assume that her Ko-fi was made for that purpose, and Courtney’s character means she would probably be upfront if that’s something that happened, and good on her for doing that anyways, she seems to be tight on money as is. Meanwhile, Lily committed actual fraud. I’m not sure if this could count as charity fraud, but even someone like me, with no law experience, clearly knows taking money meant for something big and spending it on something else is legally questionable.

THERE WAS AN ENTIRE CONTROVERSY LATELY WITH THE COMPLETIONIST HAVING DONE EXACTLY THAT, WHY DID NO ONE QUESTION THIS

Sorry if this is long-winded and redundant at this point, but I saw that whole thing when catching up on the LO drama and I just needed to vent my whole frustrations with that.

i have to thank you, anon, for putting everything i have felt about that particular situation so succinctly. after everything was said and done, i have a strong feeling that sparky was behind those messages. just like i'm almost sure that he was behind all the "apparently" messages that LO is getting with archived links of our posts. why? because that's exactly how he used to talk to me just to hear my response. the only times we talked at all was when he wanted to bring some new thing that LO had said or done. that without even bringing up he confessed to Brittany he just likes to stir the pot to see what happens. that's his way to try to sympathize with you, to show you that he is on your side. "i bring you all this stuff that you can use against the people you dislike, so that must mean that i'm good in your eyes, right? only a friendly person would do that!" nevermind that even back then, i'd find weird the frequency with which he did it because... sometimes he'd share completely innocent and small messages from LO and i'd have genuinely no idea of how to respond because they were completely useless to prove anything. that's the exact same thing he is doing with LO, but he has upgraded now to just completely lie or intentionally misrepresent everything to self that distorted version back to LO. LO's being played like a fiddle, just like he played all of us for a while until he revealed his true colors. i have no doubt in my mind that only an individual acting in bad faith would seriously try to take me trying to talk about LO scamming her audience, literally going out of their way to copy my words, spamming me with multiple messages even after i blocked their IP by using a VPN, as somehow Courtney being the one to scam everyone because she didn't show the receipts for cat food. but of course that LO only cares about having something, anything, against the sibling that is dennouncing her, so she won't bother to use reason, logic or even check if the allegations are true before just publish them for her audience to stick only with whatever she tells them. they already believe that a 6 year old can be blamed for the abuse perpetrated by an adult after all!

[summitclan-chronicles]

On the evening of the halfway mark of November, I thought it would be good to go over the expectations of SCC. Expectations are meant to define the community & how it is meant to behave; a simple guide to ensure everyone knows what is appropriate behavior with each other. These are barebones, non-negotiable. While they fill the same niche as rules, I like to call them expectations since I tried to make them as positive/pro-behavior wherever I could, and remove the aggressive, restrictive, negative feeling of a "rule." However, if I need to start using rules ("no [thing] allowed!"), I will.

All Members are 18+. As a baseline this roleplay will only be open for those over the age of 18. While nothing inappropriate happens, it just is a very daunting task to manage a space with both minors and adults in it. Considering there are other roleplays going down to as low as 13 being allowed, and with the intent of the roleplay getting into the "gritty" end of being a warrior as much as the joy, I thought SCC could sit comfortable as an adult space.

What if I'm a minor? I hear you and I understand how hard it can be to wait for a roleplay you want to join. However, it's better for everyone if you wait! There are lots of places you can go in the meantime. You're also free to follow the blog, read our posts and send in asks. And here's the thing: SCC is designed to last beyond myself, the current admin. The idea is that if I cannot head the roleplay, someone else can, and systems are in place to ensure Summitclan does not lose its way. If all goes well, SCC will be there when you are old enough to join!

Behave in Good Faith. In today's climate it's very easy to fall into sand traps of assuming everthing everyone says is the worst version of itself. With a world growing so thorny, it's important we cultivate trustworthy spaces where we can break down those defensive walls. By promising to take everything we see in good faith while participating in SCC, we foster a community that can be truthful, calm, and curious about one another.

Welcome the Unpredictability. The reason SCC is a roleplay is because players bring a certain home-grown, organic feel between characters that can't be replicated by a single writer. In many roleplays I've found myself caught in a web of complex plans among other complex webs, and I thought this would best be left behind in SCC. The true "draw" of a roleplay is not knowing what the future holds - so unpredictability is explicitly encouraged and welcomed. Planning is of course allowed, but try to let the unknown in!

Be Light, for Light's Sake. It can be exciting and fun to write an angsty character, and not everyone has a perfectly peaceful life. But in the same way, not everyone is having a nightmarishly bad life either. Why not have a character with a close relationship with their mother? Why not have their whole litter live to adulthood? Why not give them a constructive rapport with their mentor? Tragedies and joys come in equal measures, and it's the mark of a well-rounded character (and writer!) to have highs and lows balanced.

Understand, And Be Understood. SCC is a roleplay made by an English-speaking person with an English community in mind. We welcome all people from everywhere, of course! For ease of moderation, please come with the expectation of English usage - if you choose to send a message in a different language, it's best to provide translation so you're not misunderstood!

Take it Slow. SCC is, majorly, a story about characters & the many ways their lives can intertwine. In order for big, defining moments to hit right, we need to establish the small, sweet, soft moments first. The day-to-day grind of cleaning dens, sorting out bad prey, border patrols, telling stories to kittens and celebrating holidays can create complexities we don't even write - allowing characters to become creatures of their own, somewhat outside even their writer's control!

Uphold Your Wellbeing. Not every conversation will be for everyone - some topics may make us feel afraid, anxious or unwell. In these moments it's important to realize that it truly is just a discord server. You won't ever be judged for taking a step back - muting the server for a period of time, or a specific channel/category, can do wonders. If a member is struggling to remove themselves from a highly stimulating scenario, we have gentle measures in place to give people space to feel those emotions without having access to other members, avoiding brash decisions and protecting staffs' ability to study what went awry and how to better manage it.

Speak and Share Freely. Not every idea can be used when it is said, but we have a dedicated list for suggestions & who brought it up (and who contributed, if anyone). Should the staff need inspiration for a plot or fill in a hole, they refer to the list and pluck ideas from what people have said before! You never know - a year and a half from now your totally random 2am idea might define a significant point in your character's story!

Appreciate Members & Characters. In a roleplay where each member has only one character, it's extremely important to remember that a character does not and often will not directly correlate to a member's behavior or views. A character that is a huge jerk likely has a member that is perfectly kind and gentle (especially in a roleplay where those traits are encouraged!). Likewise, a character that is very good should not stop you from reporting bad behavior and holding others accountable for their actions and choices.

Always Act In Kindness. Like all the other rules, this ensures other members can trust you, and you can trust other members. Rest assured that in this roleplay you will be among friends, and if any act in an unfriendly way, they will change their ways or find themselves quite unwelcome. This does require some effort - in order to trust others one must be trustworthy, and prove as such continually, which I plan to do as a member of my own roleplay. As long as the community puts in the effort to uphold these expectations even when no mods are present, it will run strong and noone will have to worry about whether this is a good place to be.

What about staff? Staff are given hard rules, which correlate to what have been listed. While these are not shared publically, staff are handed scripts & methods to use in order to diffuse and redirect tense conversations, open up curiosity where there might be room for aggression, and promote positive, patient interactions. They will inevitably be held to a somewhat higher standard than typical members as the intended authority and role models, but should things go sideways we use the same tactics on members and staff alike!

On this lovely night I hope you have all eaten well, done something kind for yourselves, and learned something new. As we draw closer to 2024 and our follower count grows little by little, I find myself even more excited to meet everyone and see your applications roll in - be that now or in the future when that big birthday hits!

Goodnight... or morning!

[alyjojo]

Thinking of You - April ✂️ 2024 - Sagittarius

Whole of their energy towards Sagittarius: King of Wands

Feelings: Ace of Wands

Intentions: 7 Swords

Actions: 5 Pentacles, The Hermit, 2 Wands

Well if nothing else, this person is extremely attracted to you, they find you to be the center of attention & a commanding presence, you do it for them in that regard. This could be a fling or side piece sort of energy, they see you moving towards a new beginning, one full of passion & sexual desire (I assume with them). It’s not going to last though, and I’m not sure on which side that’s to blame, you? The oracles here being Calm & Self-Care could have you or them focused on peace in yourselves, not necessarily planning a future. Maybe just some temporary fun. At the bottom, they’re unsure from the get go 💯 If you two get together, it’s purely impulse & attraction.

Their feelings do hope to grow, but there’s issues at the bottom. A bad cycle, bad karma, bad timing, something is off with this or someone just isn’t ready. They do have romantic feelings for you, though it doesn’t seem meant to be. They’ll flirt, date even, try to, maybe even feel some kinda butterflies, it’s very possible this is a 3rd party situation - this most likely being the 3rd party. If so, they know, that could be the bad karma I’m seeing, and if this is a crosswatching read - you being the lover - that could be what you fear. This person wants you bad 💯

They intend to dance around issues, hide whatever they need to hide. If they’re a side chick/dick, they could be aiming for more, but they’re not trying to cause drama. Or if it’s switched, then this person knows you want more and they’re ducking & dodging accountability left and right because they don’t want the drama. No intention on there ever being committed, lasting, long term love. Just sex. In action, they feel left behind, not important or prioritized, like you don’t really care about them (because you don’t 💯 or switch). They’re staying to themselves and trying to move forward, hoping you’ll come around again and take this leap of faith with them, with The Fool clarifying your energy. I don’t see it, they have to worry about themselves. It’s possible they love you, they definitely feel something more than just passion. Or know you do.

Messages:

Their side:

- Sneaky Messages

- Love at Work

Your side:

- I am DAMAGED 🤕

- Lighter skin tone

Oracles:

Peace. It starts with releasing the bullshit 🕊️

Calm ��🏻‍♀️

Inner Peace - Simplicity - Meditation

Self-Love 💆

Self Concern - Self Healing - Independence

Possible signs:

Aries, Aquarius, Cancer & Virgo

If you’re dealing with:

Page of Pentacles can be many things, but most of all they’re a good friend, it’s the “friend zone” card for romantic readings. This is someone that won’t say something they have no intention on following through with, they’re a planner and a studious person, could be focused on school or studies, planning a future and lining up their steps to apply effort to. Not flighty with others, maybe just this person. Someone could be apologizing as well, or you are.

Aries - feels pressured to be nice even though they’re disappointed in you - or switch it

Taurus - overcoming something shocking and life changing successfully, with grace even

Gemini - holds back from you because they have several options and they’re waiting for clarity on the one they want? The one that makes them happy or idk - it’s a competition with them

Cancer - feels bound and unable to reach their happiness because of family, someone else’s decisions - or it’s just taking forever

Leo - expecting financial blessings as a reward for their hard work, or yours

Virgo - talking to a couple of different people and not sure which is the right one, or simply getting advice from others because…help

Libra - seems to have suspected something of you and they’re turning out to be right 💯

Scorpio - could be married to them or in a deeply committed relationship, that’s currently in the process of a major change - positive ones

Sagittarius - coming back around and you don’t even care, or that’s switched, there’s no real communication or deep bond going on here

Capricorn - could start working at home or you form a closer relationship with them at work, could be literally working on a home - or the relationship

Aquarius - passionate messages back and forth, could be someone new you’re seeing, they see lasting future potential with you

Pisces - loved you deeply in the past and loves you still, nostalgic & always thinking of you

[broodwolf221]

okay banter practices to try and get my new inky's voice down a little bit and it's still elusive but this does help

also ajkfjkalf this is so long? over 1k of just banter. so. under a cut it goes

Valyris: Solas. Solas: Yes? Valyris: You seem contemptuous of the Dalish. Solas: I understand why you would believe that. Valyris: Are you saying I’m wrong? Solas: I do not hold them in contempt. Pity, if anything. They are wrong, but they do not realize. It is... tragic. Valyris: You do realize we don’t want your pity? Solas: [laughs] Oh, I am quite aware.

Solas: Your clan taught you your magic, I presume? Valyris: Yes. Solas: Your Keeper taught you well. Valyris: I’m surprised you dare compliment anything the Dalish have done. Solas: [sighs] If I offended, I apologize. Valyris: It is not your words which have offended, but your opinions. Solas: Hm.

Solas: I wonder, what would you have me do? Valyris: What? Solas: For the Dalish. What would you have me do? Shall I go and tell them their entire history is wrong? Tell them the truth I’ve seen? Valyris: [laughs] You’re so arrogant. Why not listen? Solas: [pauses] They are wrong, my lady. Valyris: [sighs] It is faith, Solas. Belief. You may think it is wrong, but we do not. You could learn a great deal if you sat and listened with an open mind. Solas: And swallow all I know to be true? Valyris: You say you’ve seen our truth in the Fade? Solas: I have. Valyris: And you say that the Fade alters things, that each memory is changed by observing it, that each is real - but none is the only truth? Solas: I... take your meaning, my lady. Valyris: Then perhaps, someday, you will also take my advice. Listen to the Keepers. Choose your own beliefs only. Ours are not a matter for debate.

Varric: You’re quiet. Valyris: I’m concentrating. Varric: No, you’re just quiet. Concentrating was what we were doing ten minutes ago, killing those demons. Now we’re just walking. Unless you have to concentrate on that? Valyris: What would you have me say? Varric: Anything? Valyris: You talk too much. Varric: [laughs]

Cole: Armor all the time, the old memories, Herald but I don’t believe- what will my people think? Valyris: [sighs] I do what I must, Cole. Cole: You do. It doesn’t make you bad that you’re angry about it, though. Valyris: I... thank you.

Vivienne: So, Herald, I assume your clan taught you magic? Valyris: They did. Mostly my Keeper. Vivienne: Correct me if I’m wrong, but aren’t you meant to take on that role? Valyris: Yes. When our current Keeper... when she passes, I will take on that role. Vivienne: Ah. Valyris: I do what I must, Madame de Fer, but I am still of my clan. Vivienne: Of course, my dear.

Sera: Herald of Andraste. Valyris: [sighs] Please don’t call me that. Sera: It’s your name, innit? Valyris: It’s not my name. It’s not even my title. And I don’t believe in Andraste or the Maker. Sera: Sure, sure, elfy gods and all. You got that all over your face. But... Valyris: But what, Sera? Sera: Well... what if it was Andraste? Who saved you, I mean? Valyris: I don’t believe it was. Sera: But what if? Valyris: Then she made a bad choice. Sera: [snorts]

Iron Bull: We gotta work on your wicked grace face. Valyris: My what? Iron Bull: It’s a game. Valyris: Okay, and...? Iron Bull: It’s about not showing your cards all the time. Valyris: You’re not making any sense. Iron Bull: See, like that! You’re showing your cards all the time. You’re way too expressive, boss. Valyris: What? Iron Bull: [laughs]

Valyris: Bull... Iron Bull: Yeah? Valyris: What did you mean, before? Iron Bull: About what? Valyris: Wicked grace...? Iron Bull: Oh, that. You try to keep yourself to yourself but you’re doing a real bad job of it. No disrespect intended. Valyris: Meaning? Iron Bull: Meaning... your reactions are as plain as the nose on your face. Valyris: Fenedhis.

Dorian: So... I’ve never spoken with a Dalish before. Valyris: And I’ve never spoken with someone from Tevinter. Dorian: New experiences all around, I guess. Valyris: Hm. Dorian: Look, I just... I hope this won’t be an issue between us? Valyris: I care deeply about my people, Dorian, but my focus is on their future, not their past. What is done is done. If you are truly committed to restoring the peace, to stopping Corypheus, then I see you as an ally. Dorian: That is most gracious. Valyris: Not at all. We need all the help we can get. Dorian: There is that.

Blackwall: I, ah... Valyris: Yes? Blackwall: Well. I am... very curious about your people. But I don’t know how to ask anything without sticking my foot in my mouth. Valyris: [laughs] Blackwall: There I go. Valyris: [still laughing] No, it’s alright. Ask your questions as you will. Blackwall: Ah. Then I suppose I will, my lady.

Blackwall: What we were talking about before... Valyris: Yes? Blackwall: Do your people truly travel all the time? Valyris: Not all the time, but frequently. We will often stop for a season or two in a particular area. Sometimes she- ah, humans will come and drive us away earlier. Blackwall: Damn. You’d think we’d give it up after all these years. Valyris: You’d think.

Blackwall: May I ask about the markings you wear? Valyris: Yes. They are called the Vallaslin. We use them to honor our gods. Blackwall: And yours...? Valyris: Honors Dirthamen, the god of secrets and mysteries. My magical talent was discovered when I was quite young, and I’ve always asked too many questions. My Keeper thought it an appropriate marking. Blackwall: She was more right than she knew, looks like. Valyris: [laughs]

Cassandra: Your clan must be proud of you. Valyris: For what? Cassandra: Well, you’re closing the rifts. Helping people. Valyris: I suppose. Cassandra: Do you disagree? Valyris: I... no. But I want to be with them, Cassandra. I’m not supposed to be here. I’m supposed to be at my Keeper’s side, learning our history, our magic. I’m supposed to be in training to be the next Keeper. Cassandra: Surely they will understand? Valyris: Would you understand? What if your Andraste had allied herself with another group? What if that group had oppressed yours for ages? Cassandra: I... do not know what to say. Valyris: [sighs] I apologize. It is not your fault. Cassandra: You must miss them. Valyris: All the time.

Cassandra: I take it you plan to return to your clan, then? Valyris: As soon as I can. Cassandra: The Inquisition will not be the same without you, I fear. Valyris: Perhaps not. But I have been away too long as it is. Cassandra: I cannot in good conscience ask you to choose us. Valyris: But you hope I do. Cassandra: I believe you were sent to us. I pray that you are able to fulfill your purpose... and that you are able to find your peace, wherever it is. Valyris: ...that is kind, Seeker.

[seidenbros]

I would like to request from your song prompt list. Mcfly, the heart never lies "if you wanna fight I'll stand right beside you." With Jaskier x reader 🥺❤️

Thank you two so much, because you made me take a trip down memory lane, especially when I figured out that the song came out 15 years ago and that I am OLD. I still remember listening to it for the first time, seeing the video and all the times I've seen/heard that song live. It ended with watching a few McFly videos and crying my eyes out, which is probably the reason why this turned out so angsty - that wasn't my initial intention. I still hope you like what it turned into <3

(Taken from this list and here are some other prompts, but feel free to request anything <3)

Warnings: blood, death, angst, hurt/comfort Word Count: 1668 on AO3

_________________________

“You don't need to do this,” Jaskier said, pleading with you as you. You'd talked about this before, because you'd always been a fighter, always someone to protect your family, your loved ones, and he knew that. He'd known you long enough to know that you wouldn't step down from this, that you would put your armour on and fight. People always assumed that you weren't one to fight when they looked at you. Delicate hands, not buff like your brothers had been, a sweet smile... You looked like someone to pick flowers and songs if they were honest, but that was most definitely Jaskier's part. Well, the songs at least, but he also loved his flowers, though he didn't necessarily walk around picking flowers every day.

“You know I do,” you said, running both hands over your face, through your hair. It wasn't that you wanted to fight, but you had to. Your brothers had already fallen, there were only your younger siblings and your mother left. They were looking up to you, putting their hope and faith in you. They'd never said that outright, but you knew it. There was nobody else to protect them.

“I just wish... it were different. I don't want to lose you.”

You knew that, he'd told you that again and again, making your heart swell more with every time he'd said these words. But never more. You were friends, had been ever since you were children. You'd even travelled with him and Geralt, seen a little bit of the world, which had been good for you, since you'd been able to hone your skills with Geralt's help. You'd been able to wield a sword before because your father had taught you well, but Geralt had helped you perfect your skills, and that had helped you a lot so far. He'd even given you pointers about your armour. If he were here now, he'd help you, stand with you, but he wasn't. He'd gone back to Kaer Morgen weeks ago like he always did.

“Well, I don't want to lose you as well, and I don't intend on dying, so relax.” You grinned at him, tried your best to reassure him that nothing would happen, that everything would turn out fine, even though you weren't convinced. Every time you fought, you could end up in a puddle of your own blood and you knew that. You'd seen your brothers fall, you were there and hadn't been able to protect them.

“You're not gonna lose me.” Jaskier looked confused for a moment before he reached for your hand, gave it a little squeeze.

“I know, because you're gonna stay right here, you understand me?” You turned to face him, tried your best to smile at him, but it didn't work. He was NOT going out there to fight, you wouldn't allow it. He wasn't bad with a sword, even better with daggers, but knowing he was out there, would make you distracted and put both of you at risk. You fought better when you knew that he was safe.

“Ahhh and you think you can make me?” Jaskier tried to lighten the mood a little, grinned at you, while he turned your hand in his to interlace your fingers. He'd done that a million times, and it had never meant anything. You were friends after all, right? It was just that you'd fallen in love with your best friend somewhere along the way. You couldn't even say when it had happened or what had been the one thing that had brought that change about. At one point, you'd simply looked at him and your heart had started beating rapidly in your chest, your stomach doing somersaults over and over again until you felt kind of dizzy. At first, you'd just ignored these feeling, had thought you'd eaten something that had upset your stomach. But then... you'd figured out that you were in love with Jaskier. Of course, you hadn't told him, because you didn't want to lose him as a friend, but with everything that was going on, maybe, tonight was the moment to tell him, before you didn't get the chance anymore.

“I'll chain you to the bed if I have to.” Your look was stern, because you would definitely do it, if it meant that you could keep him safe.

“Kinky,” he said with a chuckle. “But that's something we can try out some other time.” He was joking of course, but the words still managed to make you squirm, thinking about all the things you could do. Not the time and place to think about it, but Jaskier had put that image in your head right now.

“Didn't know you were into that kind of stuff,” you said, trying to keep the lighter tone going, but you didn't manage to do so as well as he did.

“There's a lot that you don't know about me.” Jaskier winked at you, grin still in place, but he realised that your smile was faltering. He scooted closer, took your hand in both of his now. “Y/N look at me...” His tone was serious again by now, so was the look he levelled on you.

“Jaskier...” you whispered, not sure whether you wanted to hear what he was going to say.

“Listen... If you wanna fight, I'll stand right beside you and if you fall, I'll be right behind you, pick up the pieces and put you back together.” Tears were already welling up in your eyes. He was a poet, not only in song, but sometimes in words as well, and he proved it to you once more right now. You had to cast your eyes downward, because you didn't want him to see your tears. You were brave, you were strong, but in moments like this, you felt your walls crumbling down around you. It usually happened with Jaskier, but he was also the one to wrap his arms around you and just hold you.

“Look into my eyes,” he said quieter now, bringing his fingers to your chin to lift you head up so that you had to look at him. He took your hand and out it right on his chest. “You know that the heart never lies, my love.” You bit your bottom lip, trying to keep yourself from crying, but it didn't work. Tears were falling down your cheeks, wetting his hand, but Jaskier didn't mind.

He let go of your hand, to pull you into his lap, hold you tight against his chest. Your couldn't stop your tears, and he let you cry, simply held you. You cried out of fear, but also out of love for the men who held you in his arms, because you loved him, because you couldn't stand the thought of losing him.

You didn't know how long you sat there in his arms, your head buried against his shoulder. His scent was soothing to you, made you calm down slowly. Jaskier ran his hands through your hair, settled it in the back of your neck and rubbed his thumb beneath your ear again and again. It felt good, intimate in a different way. Maybe this had a little bit to do with what you did next. Slowly, you raised your head, brushed your tears away and looked at him. Your other hand was still resting on his chest, feeling his heartbeat beneath your fingertips.

For a few heartbeats, you looked into his eyes, before you leaned in to kiss him. You closed your eyes, revelling in the feeling of his soft, warm lips against yours. His hand on your neck stilled, but the hand on the small of your back pulled you even closer against his chest, your hand now trapped between your bodies. It was a sweet kiss that lingered a little, but then you pulled back, not sure whether it was really the right thing to do, doubt kicking in all of a sudden.

“Gods, do you know how long I've waited for this to happen?” Jaskier asked with a laugh, leaning his forehead against yours.

“What?” you whispered, trying to comprehend what he'd just said, but his words already made your heart beat even faster.

“I've tried to tell you that I'm in love with you for I don't even know how long.” Jaskier pulled his hand from your neck and cupped your cheek with it. “And you were apparently oblivious to it. It thought you didn't react to any of my advances, because you didn't feel the same way and didn't want to hurt my feelings, but...”

“Jask, I had no idea!” You pulled back a little to look at him. “And here I was scared to tell you, because I didn't want to lose you as a friend.”

“You'd never lose me one way or another...”

It was bad enough that it took a moment like this, impending doom, to make you take that step and finally realise that you were both feeling the same way, but at least, you now knew that your feelings weren't unrequited.

“And if I die tomorrow-” You started, but you were immediately cut off.

“Don't!” Jaskier said, brushing his thumb across your cheek, looking into your eyes. “Let's not think about that, because you won't. I won't allow it!” His serious tone made you smile despite the situation. “Besides... there's no time like the present, right? So let's just enjoy this evening together, and then we'll face tomorrow together. Okay?”

You nodded, because you didn't want to think about what awaited you the next day. Enjoying your time with Jaskier was far more appealing than thinking about anything else. And so you found yourself kissing him again, this time not stopping until you both had to part for air... You had a long night ahead of you.

[kurisus]

Chapter 101 thoughts

I found this chapter to be kinda uneventful (which is great for me seeing as I'm still reeling from the last two), but I still have a few things I wanted to talk about. Spoilers under the cut.

It seems like Kazuma has calmed down and shaken off GGS for the time being, but I don't think we're totally out of the woods yet. His numerous death flags aside, he got smacked at the end of a pretty big chapter. Not only was it the 100th, it was the start of the final arc. Plus Mizuchi said she meant business when she got him, which also means...She wasn't aiming to kill when she attacked heaven? Even though she's covered in blood from that? She put her hand through a whole guy.

I think Kazuma's bought himself some time, so while I'm less worried I'm not ready to be optimistic about his future. Because in thinking about it, more occurs to me: Whatever happens to Kazuma at the end of the series may likely indirectly affect Yukine and Nana, as well. They're all hafuri, they're all nora, they've all been hit by GGS. If Yato has to unname Kazuma to save his life, what will happen if trash dad revokes the name of Hagusa? The name Yato gave Yukine is cracked through, so it follows he'd also have to release Yukine to save him. If Nana isn't impervious to GGS like we previously assumed, Bishamon would have to unname her to save her life.

For now, it's kind of looking like the three of them will all share the same fate, whether that's a good or bad thing. I can't explain it, really, but they're all pretty similar to one another and all going through the same thing. In any case, I'm 99.9% confident Yukine won't be dying (again) in this series as it would serve no purpose, narratively or otherwise, so with any luck neither will Kazuma :^)

Anyway, considering trash dad's reaction to Mizuchi implying she was holding back, can't wait for him to find out she's been getting the Hiyori Therapy Treatment. I'm sure he's going to be thrilled to hear that. Kick his ass, girl.

"This has been quite a day" "And it's about to get worse" reminded me that the events of the last, like...15 chapters have all been happening in a single day, and probably the rest of the series will continue to happen on this day. Oh, boy. That makes me exhausted to think about. Everyone needs a nice, long nap. Even trash dad! But his can be in hell <3

Speaking of, more Father backstory crumbs, and they're just as confusing as the last few times. It looks like Kaya was someone who helped heal him after he nearly died, and he returned the favor to the rest of the village after coming back from Yomi, so they all started worshipping him.

I guess the thing that's confusing me is that this story is being told by someone who (a) wasn't there for any of the events he's describing and (b) views Father in a much more positive light than the rest of the cast. How do we know that this is true, and not just what Father has made them believe?

I know we're all pointing and laughing at bald Father but I really do wonder why he didn't have hair. Did he shave it because of his faith? Yet it doesn't seem like he really believes in Buddhism, despite dressing the part. Maybe it was just a way to make himself seem harmless/trustworthy, yet he seemed to have dropped the disguise at some point anyhow because he was shown with a full head of hair in Yomi.

Anyway, Take has finally grown bored of listening and wants to hit things with his sword. (Relatable.) I think either he will be physically stopped, by Ebisu or the gravekeeper, or his attack will trigger some kind of booby trap. They're in a very weird, liminal space, and I would not at all be surprised if Father had something in place to prevent people from killing him once they found it--after all, a previous incarnation of Ebisu visited there and died.

I also wonder if Father could be alerted to someone trying to attack his grave and make his way there. Guess we'll see!

[msfbgraves]

hey <3 it's funny how different people tale things isn't it. i've been following the ~discourse~ and i find the pearl clutching over terry "cheating" rather bizarre. you've mentioned before it could very possible that super affectionate daniel would cheat(?), which is more unusual to me, as i interpret omega biology and nature to be very faithful for various reasons (most notably safety). terry processing his feelings (which is already a challenge because he's an Alpha) via sex makes a lot of sense to me as a seasoned a/b/o writer and reader.

fanfic is writing, writing is art, art is meant to challenge us. i think this sort of issue comes about in fandom/fanfic because a) the world is a garbage fire and people want to escape and soothe via stories - understandable - and b) there's a small but significant part of fandom communities that is very puritan and demands perfect morals/ethics in all fics at all times. i mean sure, write your extremely pure, ethical fics if you wish, but imposing that on everyone else...? no. absolutely not!

i'd rather read the messy, the complex, the nuanced stories - and yes, the dark stories - personally. i'm defo weak for softness and fluff too. but two things can be true, right? right. terry can deeply love daniel, he can also be selfish and cruel sometimes. that's reality, and that's what the best fanfic does - weaves the surreal (say, a/b/o) with the real (complex, difficult relationships).

Storm's over it seems, but I had no idea it was such a sensitive topic. I've always seen it as a sorry fact of life. Regrettable, but circumstance and intent matter. And omegaverse is a free for all. There are no rules because well, they don't exist. Shoking, I know!

And yes, for unrelated reasons I have seen so many mafia movies with the men being despicable, unapologetic, sexist brutes that I kind of assumed that a mob boss could at least be capable of it in my fic too? For a seasoned Don to think, this guy is bad news, uh... to only see him be sweet and loving could make you think "what was Don LaRusso afraid of?" Let there be consequences to selling your child to a dangerous criminal. Let's see what happens when you marry someone who has never had to take no for an answer! I actually find it interesting to see what it does to Terry, going through life with that Alpha and mob boss entitlement and finally understanding the cost of that to others and himself. For him to change, to need to change for love. That's the good stuff, baby. To see what entitlement can wreck. And maybe, unlike so many mobsters in films, to understand they have to change their ways before they're too old to throw a punch. And what heroism it takes for others to stay long enough for that to happen. What sacrifice. Knowing how much he owes his mate. That's my fantasy. To see that before they're 80 and on wife nr 3 because the first two couldn't take the abuse anymore.

Of course people also want escapism and no one should have to read what doesn't give them joy. I also understand the fun in essentially collaborating with a story in real time. But even though influence is welcome and valuable, I still think that an author should have the final say on their story. The idea that protagonists can never be unlikable, not even for a second, is strange to me. People fuck up, that's interesting! Martin Luther King jr. cheated on his wife, that does not negate the good he's done!

Of course I understand to want a fantasy world of fluff too... but then I'd recommend, and I mean this sincerely, The Babysitters Club. I read the hell out of that for precisely that reason. My protagonists mess up and deep love is both the force that keeps people alive but does not - and again this fascinates me - solve everything.

[noco7]

Why are you so invested in Total Drama if you find it so atrocious and hate all of its creators to death?

Look, anon, it's hard to take your question in good faith. There is an interesting question at the root of your ask, "If you consider the media bad, why do you still engage with it?" and that's a question I've actually grappled with before in previous fandoms. BNHA and Kpop alike, and well - the answer was that I LEFT those fandoms. Haven't done that with Total Drama yet, and I have my reasons. But that's not the question you asked, anon. You asked: "Why are you so invested in Total Drama if you find it so atrocious and hate all of its creators to death?" And thats a very different sounding question! Because it sounds like you hate me when you ask it! And maybe you do - which is okay, I'm not mad at people for having Feelings. I'm not the Thought Police. But I can be mad at you for your actions, which in this case... is assuming and lying about me. So instead of answering the question you meant to ask, I’m just going to point out what’s wrong with the question you did ask. "if you find it so atrocious" Okay, I'll admit I've bashed the TD writing plenty of times. But I've also praised it? In the Emma post I've talked about liking a specific plotline:

In my Noah post I've praised an epiosde

I've repeatedly mentioned liking Courtney, Noah, and my profile pic is Cody so like. I do like him too, lmao. I enjoy watching Total Drama the series. Maybe you should have asked me "Do you even like Total Drama?" before assuming I hated the thing. Sure, I dislike a lot of TD writing. But to reduce my views on the show to just that, to just the negatives - "you find it so atrocious," is misrepresentation. Besides that, no one has asked me "whats your favorite plot point," or "whats your fave TD moments" so like. I answer what I've been asked, including this one. If you want to see more TD positivity from me, which is okay, then ASK me for TD positivity! Do that instead of jumping to accusations, I beg you. But the worst part of your ask is this actually this: "hate all of its creators to death" Fuck you. I don't do that, I've never EVER did that. I've never threatened or thought that the writers should be dead. Because I don't actually hate the writers! Thinking someone is bad at their job does not equal personal hatred. I understand taking criticism a little too personally sometimes, I've done it before. But unless you're a TD writer yourself, you should not be taking it personally, because it's not about YOU. And even if you are a TD writer, as a human being you have a responsibility to like... not LIE about what someone else said? Because lying is bad!  So ask me "Could you be less mean about the writers?" or "What is your opinion on the TD writers?" But you didn't! You just jumped straight to "critique = deathly hatred." Which is again, false. I don't want these people dead. I don't even want them fired. Because jobs are important in this economy! Writing a slightly mediocre children's cartoon episode once or twice should never be followed by a real world punishment. No death threats, no harrassment, nothing. Because it's never that fucking serious. The only reason I could ever hate a public figure is because like... they are advocating for terrible LAWS or have committed REAL CRIMES. And I've never checked for the TD people, but I sincerely doubt they are doing either of those. And even when a public figure does that, I'd rather just do my own activism, or block and move on. So like, the TD people might as well be innocent saints to me, lmao. I don't "hate them to death," they're just people who made silly mistakes that I write about sometimes. That's IT. tl;dr: never send me asks this accusatory and downright wrong again. I do not hate the writers, and sometimes I do like the TD writing. Anon, please do better next time. Because any other asks like this will not be answered.

[venus-haze]

Elvis Ask Tag

I know multiple people tagged me to do this, and I want to say thank you so much! I appreciate y’all🖤

When and what was your first exposure to Elvis Presley? My family (especially my mom) have always been huge Elvis fans so pretty much since I was born

And what was your first impression? Annoyed😅 Some days all my mom would play was Elvis and I’d be like god can we listen to something else. To be fair I was in elementary school and was more concerned with like Backstreet Boys. Oddly enough she doesn’t listen to him much anymore

Lace shirts or jumpsuits? Both!

You can steal one of Elvis/Austin’s outfits, what’s it going to be? Pink suit from the Trouble scene, it’s iconic and I want to see a drag king’s take on it so bad

C’mon, we know you’ve been watching/reading old interviews and random footage of the man, so what’s your favorite random Elvis quote? “I’ll be so horny I could die” Beautiful. Moving. Eloquent. 

Did you find Austin Butler’s lips distracting despite them being in a movie about the King of plush upper lips? (Be honest now) Yes, that’s why I mention them in my fics so often!

What’s an aspect of Elvis’s character you wish people appreciated more? I think how religious and also charitable he was, but his faith meant a lot to him, like it was something that gave him hope when he needed it. As someone raised in a religious household I would have loved to pick his brain and talk with him about Christianity and his beliefs

You meet Col. Tom Parker for the first time, forewarned with the knowledge of what a scumbag he is, what do you do?: A. nothing, you’re a coward who doesn’t care about abused golden-hearted men B. you give the Colonel a stern telling off C. you encourage Elvis to leave him and break the contract E. you slap a legal document against that fat suit and declare "Mrs. Claus is bringing you a lawsuit" F. you waste no time with formalities, it’s a letter opener to the jugular for that piece of trash: I would go full Andrew Garfield in The Social Network “lawyer up asshole” scene. Prada at the cleaners, fuck you flip flops, the works

What was your favorite aspect/scene from the Elvis 2022 movie? The Vegas Rehearsal scene was magical, seeing everything come together for the opening night. Amazing work on Baz’s part!

You can choose only one song or piece of media to convince someone to become an Elvis fan, what is it going to be? I would honestly say Elvis (2022)

How many children would you give Elvis Presley from your own -or theoretical- womb? (listen to the beast in ya, your feminism won’t serve you here) None because he was apparently weird about having sex with women who’d given birth? Not setting myself up for that but also this is why we need accessible and comprehensive sex ed

Where are you hanging out with EP, his bedroom with the teddy bears, Club Handy, his private jet or Graceland? Graceland would be so fun🖤

What is the peak Elvis era? warning, this says an awful lot about you… Comeback Era to when he did (what he assumed would be) his first Vegas residency, he was on top of the world then

How long have you been an Austin Butler fan (be honest now, God is watching) Since the movie came out. Before then I only knew him as Vanessa’s boyfriend, sorry Austin

What kind of Elvis chick are you? -a 1950’s prospective wife material that he’s already sampled, a 1960’s filmset fling or a Vegas torrid backstage affair? Vegas torrid backstage affair if I have to choose from the provided options, but I really would have liked to be there for him, even as a friend, toward the end of the career and try to seriously get him help and make him know he wasn’t alone and he mattered

Is Austin Butler an honorary southerner now? Answer options: A. hell no, California can keep his sweet cheeks. B. hell yes, he’s practically been possessed by the soul of the King of the South: He’s a Cali boy and there’s nothing wrong with that

Pick your poison in the fan-fiction realm: angst, fluff, smut, fluffy smut, angsty fluff, angsty smut?…or is reading about Elvis Presley an acknowledged health hazard? Y’all already know how I deal🫠

Spit or swallow for this man? (And if you don’t understand this question move right along) Swallow but shotgun once in a while to keep him on his toes🤭

Would Gladys approve of you? Take your above answer into consideration. I think we’d clash at first, and have a mutual tolerance for each other at best. I’m not the type to baby people so I think she’d take the most issue with that in regards to if I were in a long-term relationship with Elvis lol

Which of Elvis’s cars is your favorite? Pink Cadillac of course!

What are your odds of beating him at karate? Absolutely none

If you could meet Elvis and have enough composure to tell him something, what would it be? That his career was lasting and meaningful, and so many people still love and are impacted by him to this day. Also to hire a good lawyer and a forensic accountant

What’s a hobby or pastime of yours you wish you could share with Elvis/Austin!Elvis? Travel! It seems like he went to so many places, but was so overworked he never got to be a tourist anywhere which is a shame

What’s the Elvis 2022 quote you’ve been mumbling to yourself ever since you heard it? Any time one of Elvis’ songs comes on inevitably one of my friends goes “he’s hwhite!?” because of that absolutely insane scene at the very beginning of the movie so probably that

What are your top three go-to Elvis songs? Angel, Surrender, It’s Now or Never

If you could spare him one tragedy, what would it be? His mother’s death, I think that really opened him up to being taken advantage of in his career because it seemed like she was the only one willing to be blunt with him who he’d actually listen to

Is there a modern artist that sorta scratches for you the itch that Elvis’ absence leaves? Bruce Springsteen! He’s cited Elvis as a huge influence on his own music which you can definitely hear, and I mean his stage presence is incredible (especially all the moments with Clarence Clemmons🥲 I wish Elvis had someone the way Bruce had Clarence, ya know?) There’s a reason his concerts are still selling out stadiums all over the world. Also during the Born to Run tour in 1975, Bruce and Stevie Van Zandt got drunk as hell in Memphis and hopped the fence at Graceland because they saw the lights on and thought Elvis was home so they could meet him…he wasn’t.

How did you react at the end of the movie when In the Ghetto started to play: A. I got up and fixed a snack because I have no soul, B. I left feeling alarmingly horny, C. I was impressed but didn’t realize how affected I was until days later when it was still with me D. I cried buckets they had to bring in a mop E. I may have appeared emotionless but in fact my soul was leaving my body and I don’t think it’s returned quite yet: B obviously!

I tag @munano-theprophet @mpmarypoppins @positivitylane112 @holy-minseok @emmymaehereeeeee @ninebluehearts @crash-and-cure and whoever else wants to do this!

[hgsn-moved]

i mean that ask was kind of what I meant. I agree with you on calling out pedophilia and antisemitism, its just that you + your mutuals sometimes take relatively innkcent asks and immediately assume its mean-spirited (ex. I asked you why you wanted people who followed certain blogs to block you, asking if the blogs had done something wrong, and you jumped to poking fun at me saying I was demanding a callout post when you could have just said no to my genuine worry)

well first of all sorry but you have no idea how many bad faith asks get sent on anon specifically due to the obvious reasons of it being consequence free. also it's hard to read the tone of anons correctly because I literally don't know you or your mannerisms, nor can I reliably ask for clarification because anons can dip out of a conversation at any point.

also, it doesn't matter if it's meant to be rude because... sometimes things are still rude! hell, one of the meanest fucking anons I've ever gotten

^ opened with "you're a nice guy but" as if that made it less of a completely horrible thing to say to someone. anyways.

the ask you're referring to I assume is this one

which I didn't want to give a serious public answer to (the question of "why I don't want to be in the same mutual circle as these users) because I would once again be accused of "making a callout" for them when that... is not what that post was. at all . because callouts by nature should include an accusation (preferably with evidence. obviously) of wrongdoing.

also I think you have me and fox confused cause I don't remember saying you were demanding a callout post. neither did he actually

(^ replies on that post)

also he's my friend and not my pitchfork brigade or anything.

and honestly the ORIGINAL ask, this one:

does not really apply to you because once again anons are literally anonymous and unless you choose to come off anon I will never know who you are, nor will this conversation have any bearing on what I think of you, the user who is (presumably) my mutual, because this is a conversation with an anon, who could be literally anyone.

and I think the original ask seems to be referring to me "turning on people" like some kind of tumblrina terminator who could at any second see a longtime friend as an enemy and publicly attack them with everything I've got. and I hope you can understand why i found that hurtful.

[danganronpasurvivoraskblog]

Zen Katagiri.

...

Akeru.

Hm?

*Everyone returns to the camper. Toko and Komaru have already tucked Akeru into bed.

Are you ok?

...No, not really...But I’m doing better than I should be.

I wanted to meet Seishi Yodogawa for a while now, but I never thought it would be like this.

Akeru...

...

404...

*Toko stands up.

Who...is that guy?

Pardon?

That bastard we saw in the holograms. Zen Katagiri. Who IS he?

Hm...Well, he’s bad news. That’s the be-all-end-all of it.

But...if you want the FULL origin story...Ask your boss.

Huh?

I had a feeling...

*Makoto turns around.

...

Kyoko. You know who Zen Katagiri is, don’t you? You’ve been dropping hints about him for a short while now.

...I might...

That’s not an answer.

*sigh* Ok, yes, I do. But his files were secret. I signed an NDA with the Samidare Detective Agency after they investigated the case.

Well, in case you forgot, Samidare’s dead now, so balls to that NDA.

Kuripa!

WHAT!?

...!?

*Hina bites, but Kuripa bites back twice as hard. She backs down immediately.

...

You are right...but you could stand to be a little less insensitive.

Not my style Bosswife. Normally I wouldn’t be like this, but in case you forgot, I’m PISSED OFF!

Whoever or whatever Zen Katagiri is, he deserves to HURT. And the sooner we take care of him, the better.

*He looks over at Rantaro.

Assuming that Agent 404 here upholds his end of the bargain, and helps us track down our BIGGER enemies.

I fully intend to.

Oh, that’s right. This was part of the deal.

Honestly, I’d be down to stomp Katagiri in the dirt even if it wasn’t.

But we’ll need more information before we do, so SPILL! IT!

...

Fine...Although I must warn you, the actual amount of information I have is far more limited than you might think.

We’ll take whatever we can get.

Alright. I suppose first things first is that I know of the relationship between Seishi and Zen.

They were classmates at Precepts Peak Academy. They attended the same year, and I believe they were somewhat close.

So Katagiri was an Ultimate too?

Makes sense. It takes a genius mind to come up with something like this. A DISEASED mind, but a genius one nonetheless.

So let me guess. Katagiri was the Ultimate Programmer, or something along the lines? It would explain why he was so good at tech.

...No, not by a long shot.

Then what was he...?

The Ultimate Hitman.

I’m sorry...the WHAT!?

HITMAN!? He’s an ASSASSIN!?

It’s all true. Zen Katagiri...Precepts Peak Academies Ultimate Hitman.

Famous for using his aptitude with technology to commit his bounties. Automated AI drones and turrets that make killing quickly, security cameras that gather information...He could do it all.

So right from the early days, he was using his technology to kill. Why am I not surprised.

How could Yodogawa trust someone like that!?

Seishi’s faith was indeed misplaced, but...let me turn that question back on you.

Why did YOU trust Mukuro Ikusaba. She’s a mass serial-killer/terrorist, right?

...!

...

Sorry, we were just talking about not being offensive to the dead...I just needed an example, that’s all.

No, it’s ok. You’ve made your point.

Mukuro was a valuable classmate to us. Back then, pre-killing game we might not have known her history, but we would have known she was a soldier. And we still got along with her.

However, we were unknowing that she and Junko were in cahoots at the time, and that she was unknowingly against us.

I see...Our situation with the Despair Sisters isn’t too dissimilar to Yodogawa’s with Katagiri’s.

And because Katagiri was skilled, when Yodogawa was suffering, he went to him for protection.

Protection from what?

From the people hunting him. Yodogawa did have altercations with the Yozora Clan before Shinitani’s death, in case you forgot.

...Right.

So he was under the impression that the Yozora Clan was still hunting him.

It’s not like he could have known about Shinitani Yozora’s untimely demise.

It disgusts me though...He sought out his old friend for help, only to be used in such a horrifying way.

But you see now what I meant? That’s the extent of what I actually know about Zen Katagiri.

All I know is that he was the Precepts Peak Ultimate Hitman, and he and Seishi knew each other, hence why Seishi would have gone to him for help. 

Also, according to what information I read, Katagiri vanished and hasn’t been seen in years. This was concerning, but no crimes reported in the years after matched his modus operandi. Everyone was willing to think that he might have given up killing, or that he’d died.

I see now the truth, but the problem is most of Katagiri’s past isn’t on file. So there’s nothing I can really share aside from that.

Actually, the information IS on file. You just need to know where to look.

Huh?

Allow ME to fill in the blanks for you ma’am. I’ll send you a file complete of all of the information I was able to dig up on Katagiri.

None of it is really essential to my cause, so it’s not worth mentioning right now. Really, it’s just nitty-bitty parts of his childhood.

How did you FIND that...!?

Let’s just say that Agent 404 is a title I deserve.

The biggest problem, and I mean the BIGGEST problem, is that I’m missing the most crucial piece of the puzzle.

Katagiri’s location.

Exactly.

I KNOW he’s here in New York. Given the circumstances, he can’t exactly leave...

What do you mean, “given the circumstances?”

Togami. We’re the only people in this country that know Seishi Yodogawa is Zen Katagiri in disguise. Unless Katagiri somehow found a way to steal Yodogawa’s body, he can’t exactly go out in public.

But if no one recognizes him, what’s the problem?

Didn’t you hear the part about Katagiri having gone missing for years? I think he’s trying to keep it that way. General public might not recognize him, but he’s gotta be on some sort of government list.

Fair enough.

Besides, his company is here, and he kind of needs to hold it down here to run it properly.

By the way, if I had nickel for every corrupt tech company that I tried to take down in the last few months, I’d have two nickels.

Which isn’t a lot but...y’know, it’s weird that it happened twice.

...

*Akeru suddenly sits up straight.

I might know where Katagiri is.

What?

Huh!?

Excuse me!?

...

*Akeru reaches into her pocket and takes out her phone. She hands it to Rantaro. Makoto peers at the screen.

What’s this? A text message?

It’s from Dad...

What...!?

Before I shut him down he...he sent me a thread of text messages. When I tried to reply to them, it didn’t work.

He...He agreed to send me Katagiri’s location if I deactivated him. I did, and before he vanished, I got sent this.

...

Wha-hey!

*Kuripa snatches the phone. He looks at the text and starts to read it aloud.

“Akeru. I must apologize that we didn’t have much time to talk after you discovered the mansion...”

Woah, hey, why are you reading it out loud?

Should I not? Better than passing the phone around to everyone one by one.

Besides, isn’t hearing Yodogawa out the entire reason you ditched the FF and came to the USA in the first place? If you don’t want Akeru to hear this, then cover her ears.

But I think she should listen. This message is for her after all.

...

...

...

*Toko and Komaru don’t take action. Akeru just sits still and listens.

“Due to what he did to me, my vocabulary as an AI was very limited. Zen didn’t feel it would be important for me to use words that weren’t relevant to the role as his housekeeper. Hence why I felt the need to send this written text to you before I passed.”

“Zen had a bad history, but to be betrayed by him like this still stings. But this isn’t about me, or him.”

“Truth is, I wanted to apologize. I know I haven’t been a good father, and I can make no good excuse. All I will tell you is that I had no idea that my daughter had survived. I left Shinitani and her clan behind shortly after she became pregnant, and knowing her, I thought she would abort the child.”

“But after seeing how strong and healthy and brave our child became, I’m eternally glad that she didn’t.”

...

“No, in fact, I have no right to call you my child anymore. Whether I was running from the Yozora Clan or not, or whether I was suffering from my disease or not, I should never have abandoned you. My unborn girl.”

“This does not make up for any of my misdeeds, but I must repay you for finally putting an end to my misery. You had no right nor reason to deactivate me like I asked you to, and had you refused I wouldn’t have blamed you. Nevertheless, you did what I asked, so I will return the favor.”

“I do not know where exactly in the institute he’s hiding, given that it’s an open area, but Zen Katagiri has a secret facility hidden in Central Park. THAT’S where he’s concocting his experiments and the development of AETHER.”

Central Park...! YES! That’s what I’m talking about!

A PARK? He’s not using some sort of building or facility...!?

No, and that’s why it’s so clever! If you’re looking for a lab, you’d naturally look at every famous building in New York. Central Park would be one of the LAST places you’d check, even if you were to do a city-wide scan of the entire Big Apple.

“I apologize, but this is the last time I’ll be able to speak with you. So before I go, I just want to say one more thing.”

“If this message ever reaches the ears of Akeru’s new parents, I just want to let you know something.

...!

...!

“I have nothing but gratitude for the both of you for making my daughter so happy. You did what I could not.”

“Believe me, you and I both know that despite being the victim, I am hardly the good guy in this situation. So you have no right to answer any of my requests.”

“Nevertheless, Akeru seems genuinely happy to be with you both. So please...Keep up the good work.”

...

That’s it.

...

...

...

*Toko, Komaru and Akeru don’t know what to do. They just sit and snuggle.

Right...That’s that then.

Woah, hey, where are you going?

Sorry, but I think I’ve overstayed my welcome.

After hearing all that, you Naegi’s need some time to recover. I wouldn’t want to come in crashing your family time.

Besides, now that Yodogawa’s given me a place to look, I need to find out how Katagiri was able to mod Central Park.

AND I need to find a way to access it. Give me some time, and I’ll be back later with my results.

Alright. Good luck out there.

And please. Next time you need to contact us, don’t do it through your creepy website.

Haha...I got it. See you soon.

*Rantaro exaunts.

...

...

...

...

*And Makoto just quietly watches his sister and her family as they mourn together...