#born to be a 21st century ninja

[k1ngtok1]

FINALLY DONE!!!! Stained glass piece inspired by @xynczachrome as a belated birthday present for @weekend-whip!!!! (and as a propaganda piece for Olivia in @original-character-championship) Happy birthday, Ren! Have our dorks!

[weekend-whip]

Behold...the Elemental Compass! Everything my Legacyverse lore precariously rests upon until the Crystalized season prolly blows it out of the water! 

C’mon, it’s me, you knew this part was coming! There are some very light spoilers for, well, a couple of things, so if you’d rather wait to learn things naturally in The Ninja Legacy Whip, turn back now! Otherwise...I guess you’re getting a little sneak peak ahead of time! But really, I just needed all this info in one place lol OKAY HERE WE GO

Backstory: 

Long ago, before time had a name (yet), the FSM journeyed across the other realms in search of a new home where he could live in balance. During his travels, he encountered four magnificent beasts, each possessing a Core Element. From Chima, Ruamoko, the Earth Gorilla. From the Never-Realm, Eirlys, the Wolf of Ice. From Djinnjago, Tawhiri, the Lightning Octopus. From the Realm of Madness, Vulcanell, the Golden Lion of Fire. Recognizing the FSM’s potential, these creatures taught him how command each respective element, enhancing his ability to create (and destroy).

Later on, he happens upon the Realm of the Endless Sea and all its infinite potential (after dealing with a whole Wojira situation), and decides it is perfect for becoming his new home. The FSM ascends up the only land above water in the entire realm, that being the Golden Peaks. From there, he uses his newfound gifts to forge the Four Golden Weapons, allowing him to harness the elements and the essences of life to build a new world, eventually to be known as Ninjago. He then brought to life creatures in his own unique image, eventually to be known as humans, and attempted to pass on his messages of inner balance...which had worked, for a time.

While the FSM had found balance within himself, there was none throughout the realms who could match his power (even if he did use it with benevolent intentions). Due to the presence of this imbalance, the cosmos conjured up something that would keep the FSM in check: that being the Overlord, who began launching attacks on Ninjago almost immediately. Realizing that his people were heavily underprepared for the unexpected threat, the FSM discretely traveled back home to obtain help, and found it in the form of a Dragon named Genesis. 

Genesis did their best to protect all the people of Ninjago, but the Overlord’s might was too great, so the FSM used everything in his power to seal the Overlord on half of the island. Genesis held the Overlord in place as this occurred, resulting in them being trapped on the Dark Island as well. The FSM then split Ninjago in two and sank the dark half into the Endless Sea, where the Overlord would continue to persist, but without threatening the people left on the Light Island. This incident also resulted in the creation of the Element of Time, and could be called “Where Time Got Its Name”, or, “When Time Began”. 

Now understanding how weak the people were in comparison to him, the FSM took several measures: firstly, bringing in his four creature friends from other Realms to help watch over the island with him. He gave Eirlys jurisdiction of the Northern Province, Tawhiri the Eastern Province, Vulcanell the South, and Ruamoko the West. Second, he established the Monastery of Spinjitzu to train people in his ways, giving them methods to protect themselves from other unforeseen threats. Third, he began experimenting with the Elements, combining them in various forms, until he came to discover and master twelve of the Derivative Elements. And then, by combining all four Core Elements, he discovered the most powerful element of all: the Green Element.

Not wanting to keep all that power for himself, especially now that he possessed the Green Element, the FSM sought out sixteen individuals encompassing the traits of the Elements themselves, and passed his knowledge off to them, forging the First Generation of the Elemental Alliance. These individuals were given the task of assisting the FSM in protecting the people, and beginning the grand tradition of Elemental Inheritance for centuries to come. 

However, there were still four other Elements that the FSM had never come to personally master: Time, Water, Wind, and Amber. These Elements were passed on independent of the Elemental Alliance (although the FSM manages to persuade a few of the later inheritors to his cause). These elements were still derived from the Core Four at their heart, albeit faintly. The FSM devised a mechanism to keep track of all these connections, and to pass on the knowledge to generations long in the future. 

The four Outlier Elements received symbols relating to how the FSM discovered them*; the Derivative Elements received symbols based on the Element itself; the Green Element received the symbol of Genesis to honor the dragon’s life-altering sacrifice...and, to honor the Guardians that had gifted him this knowledge in the first place, the FSM made the symbols of Earth, Fire, Ice, and Lightning match those of the Guardians he’d learned them from. 

And that...is how the completed Elemental Compass was born.

(*Amber’s symbol is subject to change depending on what Skylor tidbits we get in the Crystalized season)

General Info:

The Elemental Compass is divided into three tiers: the center piece, the inner ring, and the outer circle. The center represents the Green Element, as it is compromised of the other twenty elements. Directly derived from the Green Element are the Four Core Elements: Earth, Fire, Ice, and Lightning. 

They make up the inner ring, and are the Core Elements because they can come together as one to be equivalent to Green, or divide further into four Derivative Elements each. The outer ring represents these Derivative Elements, each of those directly associated with (at least) one Core Element. 

When combined, the sixteen Derivative Elements have equivalent might to the Core Four...which is also equivalent to the Green Element all by itself. However, the Derivative Elements have never been successfully combined in such a way, due to certain Masters of the Outlier Elements being cut off from the compass. 

Base Compass:

The Base Compass encompasses only the five main elements, and with this, you don’t actually need any of the other versions. This is the most common and easily understood version of the compass—your average individual can find this version used on maps, signs, and other forms of public information. After Wu removed all Elemental info from the world, the public generally just believes this compass reflects the Provinces and their rumored Guardian (which, while there is a kernel of truth there, they’re missing so much of the full story). 

The Green Element is comprised of its four derivatives: Fire, Earth, Ice, and Lightning. While the Green Element can take on any attributes of the Core Four at will, the Core Four cannot utilize the Green Element unless in harmony with one another (via the Tornado of Creation). 

Fun fact, this is also the compass that exists on the floor of the Temple of Light!

(...there’s actually another alternative for this specific version of the compass as well, but that’s not going to make any sense until Season 5, so we’re not gonna talk about it! :3)

Consecutive Compass:

This version is called the Consecutive Compass because it includes all the Elements that the FSM personally mastered, all just from learning and understanding the Core Four Elements. Each Derivative Element exists by combining a dominant Core Element with a bit of another Core Element. For example, adding a pinch of Fire to dominant Lightning will give you the Element of Speed, buuuut adding a pinch of Lightning to dominant Fire will give you the Element of Light (don’t think too hard about it just roll with it). There is one Derivative Element for each potential combination in this manner. 

Earth Sector Derivatives:

Posion (Inheritor Color: Lime): Dominant Earth + Fire; there are many hazardous contaminants out in the Earth + breathing in fire smoke can be noxious. 

Nature (Inheritor Color: Brown): Dominant Earth + Lightning; both are generally seen as forces of nature 

Metal (Inheritor Color: Gunmetal): Dominant Earth + Ice; Ice is water taken solid form, Metal is the same way for Earth (...?)

Ice Sector Derivatives:

Gravity (Inheritor Color: Maroon): Dominant Ice + Earth; gravity keeps us chained to the Earth and Ice...floats? (Listen there’s a reason I want to switch this with Nature—)

Form (Inheritor Color: Violet): Dominant Ice + Fire; both Ice and Fire can take various shapes, sizes, and forms in their existence 

Mind (Inheritor Color: Tan): Dominant Ice + Lightning; Ice already had the Elemental Ability of seeing the future, and someone once said Mind could be related to Lightning due to electrical impulses and neurons or whatever...so, here we are!

Lightning Sector Derivatives:

Sound (Inheritor Color: Teal): Dominant Lightning + Ice; ...not gonna lie, this one kinda got left over, but I connected it to Lightning due to, y’know, thunder

Surprise (Inheritor Color: Pink/Fuchsia): Dominant Lightning + Earth; for similar reasons as Nature, both elements have a capacity for being unpredictable

Speed (Inheritor Color: Alabaster): Dominant Lightning + Fire; both Fire and Lightning are associated with being fast

Fire Sector Derivatives: 

Light (Inheritor Color: Yellow): Dominant Fire + Lightning; again, both Fire and Lightning are known for being sources of Light

Smoke (Inheritor Color: Gray): Dominant Fire + Ice; Ice...gives off a steam...when it is melted...by Fire...?

Shadow (Inheritor Color: Lavender): Dominant Fire + Earth; Fire casts shadows on the GROUND! ...thank god this is the last one...

...anyway, fun fact, this is the compass that Master Chen uses in his Anacondrai ritual come Season 4! This is (partly) why he did not need every single Element in existence present to complete his spell; he just needed all of the ones that are directly connected to the Green Element. 

Completed Compass:

And finally, the Completed Compass! Called that obviously because it’s complete (As far as we know) and includes the Outlier Elements! The Outliers are technically Derivative Elements as well, due to being connected to a Core Element, but their sources originate from places other than the Green Element, and persist outside of the FSM’s intervention. 

Ice Outlier—Water (Inheritor Color: Cyan): The Element of Water is connected to Ice, as a practiced Master is able to manipulate frozen water. While its speculated to have originated from Wave Wojira, who used the element to create the Realm of the Endless Sea in the first place, the first Elemental Master of Water was a Merlopian. This Element happens to be the easiest one to enter NRG Mode with, but also with the highest risk of becoming trapped within it. 

The jewels around its sector are representative of the Wave Amulet. 

This element has not been cut from the Elemental Compass.

Lightning Outlier—Wind (Inheritor Color: Jade): The Element of Wind is connected to Lightning, as both thrive in the thick of a storm, and a Master of Lightning has demonstrated to have utilized wind abilities. This element has also been speculated to originate from Storm Wojira, hence its symbol being reminiscent of Wojira’s head. 

The jewels around its sector are representative of the Storm Amulet. 

This element is currently cut from the Elemental Compass, as its last Master died without letting it inherit to another person, or willingly giving it up to another individual. (This is also what almost happened to the Element of Ice) 

Fire Outlier—Amber (Inheritor Color: Orange/Amber): The Element of Amber is connected to Fire, due to being artificially forged. Amber’s origins are still somewhat shrouded in mystery, but the image of a phoenix was chosen due to the element’s constant ability to reinvent itself. 

The jewels around its sector are reflective of the Essences of Creation and Destruction; as one cannot persist without the other, Amber cannot absorb others if there is no one to absorb. While its potential is incredible, its opportunities for use are also limited. 

This element has not been cut from the Elemental Compass. 

Earth Outlier—Time (Inheritor Color: Power Dependent): The Element of Time is connected to Earth because...that’s what was left lol. It originated when the FSM first freed the Light Island from the clutches of the Overlord, marking the first opportunity humanity was allowed to thrive as just itself. 

The jewels around its sector are representative of the fact Time has experienced an Elemental Split, meaning that its capabilities have been divided. The Red, Blue, Green, and Yellow jewels are all indicative of one divided aspect of Time. (Fun Fact: The Time Twins have heterochromia because of it!)

This element is cut from the Elemental Compass, as its last master(s) abused its powers, and was sealed off from being passed on by becoming trapped within Chronosteel. 

(These four Elements, due to their rather...disruptive properties, have been ironically nicknamed the Four Core Elements of Destruction.)

This version of the compass is the one that was present in the catacombs of the Monastery of Spinjitzu, and can be found within a few pocket-sized versions of the compass (for anyone fortunate enough to happen upon one...)

[the-ninja-legacy-whip]

.:Chapter 52: 'Cause You Were Born To Be a Ninja:.

Summary: In the wake of the Great Devourer's defeat, the status quo changes for everyone. And yet, somehow...everyone is optimistic regardless.

. . .

And that's fin, everyone!!! Thank you all so, so, so, SOOOOOO much for the encouragement during all of this!! The hype and excitement around each chapter and the universe itself really helps with the push to carry on, especially with all the different ways you all have shown your support, and I hope the experience will be just as fun as enjoyable come the sequel! :'3

[asher-hyperfixation-hell]

oh no, it’s part 2 of my ninjago legacyverse as tiktoks-

READ IT

Part 1

[virgodrago]

Let’s be honest, this would be Lloyd in the opening of Season 2 Ep6. Folding my homies with ‘talent.’

[berryblu-soda]

All it takes is reading an incredibly well crafted fic rewrite of a show youve already seen   and suddenly you feel like an old immortal whos seen the cycle of life and death across thousands of lifetimes, you look at the characters with pain in your eyes despite the fact nothing´s gone wrong yet, you know their fate is written in stone, everything that will happen was supposed to happen since the beggining, you can´t change it (and you wouldn´t if you could)

doesn´t make it any less painful.

[flutteringfable]

no time to explain!

[traffic-light-eyes]

Bawling over Born to be a 21st century ninja

Who gave them the right to make Zane's True Potential chapter (chapter 30) so sad?? Genuine tears streaming down my face. Poor Zane. I love his and Cole's relationship, though. Super sweet <3

Can't wait to see Cole's True Potential chapter. If the author made Zane's backstory this sad, I can't imagine how much I'll cry over Cole's. His'll hit closer to home.

Also, I haven't seen Lloyd in a while. Kinda worried. Poor baby :(

Edit: @weekend-whip

[21st-century-ninja]

Best Non-Whip THE FOLD song!

aka I finally have polls and I am gonna make that everyone else’s problem :D

So everyone has their favorite Whip, but what about the other FOLD songs?

Anyway no bracket as of now bc I’m at work and also there’s an odd number of rounds so I’ll figure the next stuff out later. For now, round one!  

ROUND ONE:

A-W-E-S-O-M-E vs The Ninja Roll

Ninja-go! vs After the Blackout

The Time is Now vs 21st Century Ninja

We Are Ninjago vs Spinnin’ Out in Color

Full Digital vs Eye of the Storm

Bring on the Pirates vs Day of the Departed

Back to Ninjago vs Born to Be a Ninja

Close the Circle vs Enter the Tournament

We Are Ninjas vs Rise of the Vermillion

ROUND 2: 

The Ninja Roll vs After the Blackout

21st Century Ninja vs Spinnin’ Out in Color

Full Digital vs Day of the Departed

Born to be a Ninja vs Enter the Tournament

Rise of the Vermillion vs Bring on the Pirates

ROUND 3:

After the Blackout vs 21st Century Ninja

Day of the Departed vs Enter the Tournament

Bring on the Pirates vs Born to be a Ninja

ROUND 4:

After the Blackout v Day of the Departed v Bring on the Pirates

[abstinencesupreme]

welcome!

hello! my name is Aby (she/her), but I also go by Bucca. either name works. I've played FFXIV since 2021, and I have made many a blorbo, so this sideblog is where I will post gposes and bits of writing about them.

twitter || bluesky

endwalker spoilers up to patch 6.55

tw: mentions of a cult and human sacrifice

[UPDATED 4-14-2024]

Suki Mihata

Warrior of Light and Eorzea's Favorite Errand Girl

Nameday: 21st Sun of the 2nd Umbral Moon Age: 24 Height: 5'2" or 158cm Hometown: Kugane Job: Ninja (Aby mains WHM//BRD//DNC) Pronouns: She/Her Orientation: Ace/Aro

Atsutsune Mihata

...her twin brother

Nameday: 21st Sun of the 2nd Umbral Moon Age: 24 Height: 6'10" or 208cm Hometown: Kugane Job: Samurai Pronouns: He/Him Orientation: Bisexual Relationship Status: infuriating slow burn with G'raha Tia

Backstory

Suki and Atsutsune were born in Kugane, but spent much of their childhood in Yanxia. Their parents wished to raise the twins humbly, as the Mihatas are an old, wealthy family with a lot of influence in Kugane. They're also part of a cult that sacrifices young women to keep their centuries-old cult leader immortal <3 (more about that coming in another post) When they became teenagers, the twins were brought back to Kugane to complete their upbringing: Atsutsune as a samurai and Suki as, uh...

When things inevitably got dicey, Atsutsune helped Suki escape Kugane and sent her on a ship to Limsa Lominsa, where she takes up with the Rogues' Guild. The rest, as they say, is history...

Personalities

Suki is a cool and calm woman of few words, which tends to be mistaken for sullenness and apathy. (Her unnerving lizard stare doesn't help.) She is deeply loyal to her loved ones and has a steadfast sense of justice. It's difficult to truly anger her, but annoying her is a surefire way to set her off. She also has an unexpected tendency for mischief, and loves being involved in plots ranging from messing with people to full-on sabotage.

Atsutsune is a gentle, shy soul who prefers the company of animals over most human beings (notable exceptions being his sister and the Scions). He's glad to be his sister's sidekick, preferring to help from the sidelines and take orders. Make no mistake, however, Atsutsune is a seasoned warrior and would take any measure to help and protect his twin.

Notable Relationships

Suki and Atsutsune: In stark contrast to Suki's beloved Leveilleur twins, Suki and Atsutsune are perfectly in sync at all times. Atsutsune can often predict what Suki will do next with perfect accuracy or what will set her off, and vice versa. Oftentimes, it feels like they are two halves of a whole person. Atsutsune tends to be the emotional center of the two: while Suki is often the "calm" one, she has difficulty processing her emotions, and Atsutsune is one of only two people in the world who can break down her walls and get her to talk about what she's going through.

Suki and Jacke Swallow: As her Rogue mentor, Jacke was Suki's first friend upon arriving in Eorzea and remains one of Suki's closest allies. The two are thick as thieves, keeping in constant contact and each calling upon the other for various romps and general mischief.

Suki and Haurchefant: Probably the closest thing to a romantic relationship Suki has ever been in. She trusted him completely, and was deeply grateful for his patience as she figured out her identity and orientation. Haurchefant was just as glad to be Suki's friend as he was to be her partner, and his death left a hole in her heart that may never fully heal.

Suki and Aymeric: Aymeric is the other person who can break down Suki's walls and get her to be vulnerable. She leaned on him a lot in the aftermath of Haurchefant's death, and House Borel is the closest thing Suki has to a home base. Although her feelings for him are completely platonic, if she ever did get married to anyone, it would be Aymeric.

Atsutsune and G'raha: Atsutsune and Suki didn't reunite until Stormblood, so Atsutsune never met G'raha during his Crystal Tower days. He met the Crystal Exarch when he was taken to the First during G'raha's WoL russian roulette, and landed shortly after the twins arrived. He spent the intervening year getting really into Amaro breeding in the Crystarium and finding excuses to learn more about the mysterious Exarch. Since Atsutsune is usually glued to his sister's side, he and G'raha spent a lot of time together during Shadowbringers and Endwalker, but neither of them have been brave enough to make a move—much to Suki's chagrin.

Other OCs

Apollo

Race: Viera (Rava) Age: 200+ years (Nearing 300, though he has long since lost count.) Height: 6'4" (193 cm) Job: Bard Occupation: Retainer, trader, adventurer/traveler Pronouns: He/him Orientation: Bisexual Relationship Status: @caerbannogs's Valoren's soulmate

Suki's retainer

Sketchy drug dealer vibes: Apollo is very good at acquiring things, and it's probably best not to ask him where or how he gets them...

Super cheerful and youthful, and purposely hides his age to fuck with people

Eternal wanderer who never stays in one place for too long

I mainly rp as Apollo, here's his carrd!

Sage

Race: Viera (Veena) Age: 19 Job: Rogue Occupation: Thief, transient Pronouns: He/Him Orientation: Demiromantic/Demisexual Relationship status: Single

Fresh-off-the-boat vibes due to having left the Wood relatively recently

He's currently traveling all over the world in search of his mentor, and pickpockets to get by

Not necessarily naive but also incredibly eager

Has a passable understanding of the common language, but communicates best in his mother tongue (Vieran)

WILL latch on to any Viera who will tolerate him

He's an adult with an adult understanding of things, he just doesn't understand Eorzean social customs, which sometimes makes things awkward

Accidental necromancer: he can raise living beings from the dead, but he revives them in the condition that they died in (no matter how mangled or fucked up) and he cannot control this power

Also can't die: he just wakes back up after a couple of days, usually having lost his memory of the events leading up to his death

J'rhafi

Notable Sharlayan egghead and Archon

As a leading expert on birds and birdlike fauna, J'rhafi was tapped for preparing the Forum's Final Days contingency plan

Erenville's boyfriend <3

The hornbill Erenville asked Suki to catch when the two first met was actually requested by J'rhafi

Quite high strung and anxious, although that's not exactly rare among Sharlayan scholars

[k1ngtok1]

"I wish…to be able to give myself the strength…to let me just be happy."

This has been a long time in the making! Jay’s birthday party scene in chapter 32 of @weekend-whip’s fic: Born to be a 21st Century Ninja! Jay’s character arc is executed much better here than in the show, and I encourage everyone to read the series! This was my first time ever making a gif, and it was pretty fun!

Tumblr destroyed the quality, so please click on it for the full image!

[weekend-whip]

So I'm reading your story and am a little confused how does Lloyd look like in the story? With a bowl cut or already more grown up? And after child's play will he look like his teen self or does he already look like it?

He currently has a bowl cut! It’s not directly mentioned until the end of Book 2 Chapter 20 (because he has his hood on all times previous and it was more of a ~dramatic reveal~ in my head haha)

And yes, after Child’s Play he does start to look more like his teen self (although he won’t actually be any older; still 14)

[the-ninja-legacy-whip]

.:Chapter 50: You Could Be a Ninja (Just Like Me):.

Summary: Day of the Great Devourer, Part 3!

and i'm sorry again

[asher-hyperfixation-hell]

yall- Way of the/Born To be a 21st Century Ninja are easily my favorite Ninjago fics and I've gradually been building up a video of the fics as tiktoks in my free time cuz it's fun,,

Except now I've just realized it's become 20+ minutes long which is kinda insane.

So, idk, do yall think it'd be fun if I posted it on here in separate pieces or as one big thing or smth?

[friends-to-lovers-tournament]

Friends to Lovers Tournament: Round 1, Side A, Match 7

propaganda under the cut!

Sasuke/Mai:

THE MOST FRIENDS TO LOVERS EVER. Mai is the MC of Ikesen which is a dating sim/otome game. Originally from the 21st century, she's accidentally time travelled to the Sengoku Era where she unknowingly rescues Oda Nobunaga from his historical death thus changing the course of history forever. She reunites with a fellow 21st century dweller Sasuke whom she'd briefly met right before the accidental time travel, who is now a ninja. Though they're on opposing sides, they're friends in all the routes as Sasuke promises to protect her and bring her back to the 21st century safely. Regardless of which route you're playing, Sasuke will always be your friend and he's the same smart yet silly goofy guy, making references to 21st century events and slang and memes which have the other warlords scratching their heads in confusion. Sasuke's route is the ultimate friends-to-lovers + slow burn + mutual pining combination, as they both gradually develop feelings for each other, yet it's also kinda frustrating (in a good way) bc Sasuke is SO clueless to her feelings and his own for a good majority of the route while Mai was down horrendous for him. The pay-off in the end is really sweet (i legit cried when sasuke finally confessed to mai lol) and spicy (ikesen is uhh a bit of a mature game), which makes the achingly slow burn really worth it. Also Sasuke's just a really nice fucking guy, like real boyfriend material, no red flags, the perfect golden retriever boyfriend frfr

Fuyupoly:

Submission 1:

they're from the winter troupe of the mankai company, and unlike the other troupes they're all adults. that said, they all have varying degrees of trauma and emotional stuntedness. it takes them some time to fully open up to each other bc they're all very cautious of each other's boundaries and don't want to cross any lines which initially led to some issues in the group's formation. over time they've learned to bridge the gap while still being mindful of hard boundaries. at one point they have a discussion about what exactly their relationship is (gay) cuz they were talking about how the other troupes have clearly defined dynamics (spring=family, summer=besties, autumn=rivals & teammates) but they don't,, and homare deadass says they're "people bound by a common destiny" which in and of itself sounds very Gay (like why are you as a man bound to other men by a common destiny), but it goes even further because homare starts spouting WEDDING VOWS: "In sickness and in health, for better or for worse, we shall share our laughter and our tears as those with an intertwined fate... How beautiful we are!" THIS IS A DIRECT QUOTE FROM THE GAME AND THE MC EVEN REMARKS "i can already hear wedding bells in the distance..." 

gradually they become closer, in individual sub-units based on who's paired up as co-leads for a play, and as a troupe overall. also two of its members are childhood friends who had a messy 'divorce' in their young adulthood and it took the game breaking its genre to introduce a timeloop for them to finally make up if that means anything to you. one of their troupe songs "precious to us ~bokura no kisetsu" has some pretty beautiful and fruity lines: "The many kindnesses born in me here / Never fail to breathe life into my chest / Even all the pain and bitterness / Have now become dear to me (Ah…Stay with me)", "No matter how many times our season passes / Let us keep living together / Holding our hands, without ever letting go / Let us open up the curtain of tomorrow", "There is no need for words, because once our gazes meet / Joy sparks a light in your eyes", "Our journey, may it be a brilliant one / As our breaths overlap as one"

a lot of their plays has a LOT of homoerotic tension between the two leads too. their first play has tsumugi and tasuku play angels, and it's heavily implied that tasuku's character has an unrequited crush on tsumugi's character. their third play has azuma play a vampire and tasuku play Just Some Guy and it's generally agreed in the fandom to be one of the gayest, if not THE gayest, play A3 has ever written. obviously the vampire thing is very fruity, but there's also how the vampire was longing to bite the human but was holding himself back, and when the vampire left the human in the end, the human was absolutely HEARTBROKEN over it and was swearing they would reunite one day. the stage play of this takes it even further by having the vampire embrace the human from behind and BITE his neck. the fourth play is a watered-down adaptation of Phantom of the Opera where they genderbend Christine into Chris among other things and change the relationship between Chris and the Phantom to one of friendship.... ostensibly so, because there's still a lot of homoerotic undertones in their interactions. i could go on but this should be enough of a sampling taste 

Submission 2:

the writers rlly said "let's take 2 normal guys who are childhood friends and have been into theatre since their school days and have them go through a pre-canon messy divorce, an eccentric poet with a potentially controversial haircut, an amnesiac sleepyhead who can only be awoken with marshmallows but is also somehow extremely athletic despite doing nothing but sleeping and eating marshmallows all day, a man who is so beautiful and mysterious he breaks gender, and a supposed android from a fictional south asian country, and throw them into a blender, oh and for good measure let's throw in some theatre and angst and gay and angst and gay" and the end result was marriage. i mean it took them a lot of awkward fumbling around and conflicts to get there but they got there and thats what matters. ok *technically* in-text they're all rlly good friends and kinda found family BUT they are found family via marriage papers i do not make the rules chief

Submission 3:

The reason why they are so friends-to-lovers to me is because their relationship is founded on quiet and unconditional acceptance of each other—regardless of how flawed they may be or how heavy their burdens and trauma may be. When the troupe first formed (sans Guy who was in another country at the time), they didn’t have any major clashing personalities at the very beginning and generally they were mindful of each other’s boundaries, unlike the other troupes that came before them. However, it’s BECAUSE they were too mindful of said boundaries that it was difficult for them to break down their walls and bond as a team—and there were a LOT of walls to break down, as all of them had varying degrees of emotional baggage and trauma.

In fact, it’s only three plays in that they finally truly start opening up to each other, with Azuma getting the ball rolling by opening up about the deep loneliness that haunted him ever since his childhood. It’s during this conversation that they also discuss what their relationship as a troupe is, because the other troupes have defined their relationship as a team (Spring is family, Summer is best friends, Autumn is rivals & teammates), and Homare goes on to declare that they’re “people bound by a common destiny” and goes on to spew wedding vows: "In sickness and in health, for better or for worse, we shall share our laughter and our tears as those with an intertwined fate... How beautiful we are!" I mean… it can’t get any more obvious than this, really. They are married.

But anyway, Tsumugi says he wants their relationship to be one where while they respect each other’s need for space, they’ll also be there for each other and share their pains and burdens—or in his words: “supporting each other when our burdens become too heavy to bear on our own”—which I think is really sweet because it carries this idea of quiet, unconditional acceptance; they don’t push each other to share more than they’re comfortable with sharing, but with whatever they ARE comfortable with sharing everyone carries the load and pain because pain is easier to bear when you’re not bearing it alone <3 

A later part of the story focuses on Hisoka, a mysterious amnesiac, being terrified of regaining his memories and facing some “sin” from his past that has led to another character, Chikage, trying to take revenge on him. When he confesses this to the rest of the Winter troupe, Homare asks, “How heavy is this sin you bear?” and Azuma suggests, “Perhaps it’s just heavy enough for the five of us to carry together.” (at this point Guy hasn’t joined yet). The stage play adapts this scene into a song called Key to Memory. The key (pun unintended) part is 1:27 where there’s a back-and-forth between Hisoka and the other Winter troupe members (sans Tasuku because he wasn’t in that particular play)

Hisoka: “I’m scared…”

Tsumugi, Homare, Azuma: “It’s okay.”

Hisoka: “My unforgivable sin…”

Tsumugi, Homare, Azuma: “Let’s carry it together.”

Hisoka: “I might not be me anymore.”

Tsumugi, Homare, Azuma: “It’s all right. We understand and we accept you, so let’s go together.”

And it ends with Hisoka singing: “I was afraid to open the door of my locked memories. But if everyone is here, I believe I can do it.”  In both the game and stage play, Hisoka fully regains his memories and reconciles with Chikage (long story). He tells Fuyupoly he can’t go into detail about his past with Chikage because it’s dangerous but he’ll tell them when the time is right, and they accept this saying that no matter what his past is, they know and love him as their Hisoka which obviously is a very sweet thing for friends to say, but it’s also very Marriage-coded to me.

Later, Guy is introduced as an android from Zahra (a fictional South Asian country) and joins the Winter troupe as a temporary member—because he’s stuck in Japan for the foreseeable future—until they find a permanent member to replace him. The other Winter members have a conversation among themselves and agree that regardless of whether he’s really an android or a human they’ll accept Guy for who he is and help him improve his acting, which again harkens back to the idea of ‘unconditional acceptance’. Eventually it’s revealed that Guy is in fact a human who has forgotten his memories of the past and his emotions. He recovers his memories all at once which shocks his system and causes him to pass out. When he wakes up in his room, he finds the rest of the Winter Troupe asleep around the room—which I believe is symbolic of their whole theme of “quiet acceptance”: they don’t want to push Guy to share beyond what he’s comfortable with, but they’re always there to listen to him and share his load if that’s what he wants. He opens up about the memories he recovered, and they don’t treat him with pity like he’s a lost child, but still extend gentle empathy and understanding. They also emphasise that it genuinely doesn’t matter to them whether he’s human or android because he’s Guy first and foremost. It’s at this point that Guy truly lets himself become part of the Winter troupe/Fuyupoly and not just as a temporary stand-in member, because he’s found a place where he’s found himself again and people who will accept who this “himself” is, whether that be an android devoid of emotions or a human brimming with vivid beautiful emotions.

[Mod note: There’s a LOT more but we’re afraid of crashing the post. I (Deli) summarised it the best I can since I’m familiar with A3, but if you want to read the full thing you can check it out on this google doc)

[berryblu-soda]

the insane venn diagram of my fav fics of all time and people having buildings dropped on them <3 (it´s a circle)

guided evolution 🤝No cause for concern 🤝born to be a 21st century ninja