#but idk i feel some level of pity for any woman in her position

[bcofl0ve]

also random but do any of you keep up with the royals? i’m half british so it’s unfortunately in my blood to be interested in them even if i have my ethical issues with the monarchy LOL

[qourmet]

for All intents and purposes, 90% of anything that i say do or create for the birthers of the canon mdzs generation are either speculative or headcanons. idk if i'm going to Stop with the lan & jiang sects or if i'm going to go all out & include the nie, jin & wen sects & all their affiliates, & really the only characters i Truly Want to draw are the last Nie clan leader & his 2 wives & lan furen. Clan Leader Nie is slowly giving me uzui tengen vibes, if for no other reason than I Like to Think that Nie Huaisang's Mother is a crybaby like Suma & Mingjue's mother like hinatsuru

all that being said, i'm gonna log some headcanons

Wei Changze is an unfortunate only child, though there's a high chance that he's milk-brothers with Fengmian. wcz's only living relative is his mother, a small woman with no spiritual power to speak of who is nervous in the presence of men. the wei family in general is Small, & any extended family that still lives are so estranged from wei changze and his mother that they may as well not exist at all. while the jiang family was well-off and in no need of any new servants, a young man came by some few decades ago and bartered his sister off to the family in exchange for money and some supplies for travel. the then-clan leader took pity on the woman being sold off by her own flesh and blood and let her work for them, but within a month it became obvious that the reason her brother didn't want her was because they were going to happen on another mouth to feed and no man to claim a bastard. despite her reservation towards men, wei changze grows into the type of person who's unreasonably gentle with his own mother and he's one of the extremely few men that can exist in the same room as her alone without her breaking into an awful fit of trembling. his mother ends up being one of the midwives that helps bring jiang fengmian into the world.

knowing that she was raised on a Celestial mountain under an immortal, & knowing that xiao xingchen's name has multiple instances of the Sun radical in it, i have hcs that cssr's Name has moon radicals in it. i've tried thinking for sun & stars but i dont like it so the yue radical is in there, most likely under Radiant. she's a feral child, less in the sense of being a creature that acts impulsively and lashes out, and more in the sense that she just refuses to be tamed, by her master, by the sects, by the world at large. she's living life & enjoying it, "ain't nothin gonna break my stride, nobody gonna slow me down" kinda girl. she's level headed, very much likes to think things through, but she knows definitively what she does not want.

fengmian has an instant crush on jiejie, though to be wholly fair cssr descended on them like a celestial being herself to wreak havoc on lqr Immediately. wcz is enamored, but knowing he has no hope and lives with expectations of finding a nice subservient wife to fulfill his nice subservient life, he makes no move towards her & instead enjoys the light that jfm's eyes give.

cssr doesn't see the jiang disciples again for another year at Least, after the cloud-recesses incident that ends with her yanking Qiren's goatee out. she spends time in each sect as she wanders around, making friends in each one and by the time she's around yunmeng, her closest companion currently being the nie heir. like a boy in love, fengmian is intent on spending as much time as he can with her, learning her quirks and likes and dislikes, and she can see clearly that he's looking at her with rose-tinted glasses but makes no move or indication that she's intent on returning the feelings, mostly because she's not interested in him but also the idea of being a sect-leader's Wife, a position that would put her in the very proximity of the politics her master held such disdain for, was wholly unappealing

nie zhongzu was a trailblazer. he was very much a man who did not care of other people's opinions and very blatantly lived in a righteous way. if he wanted to do something that didn't affect the people around him in any direct way, he'd do it (like promoting a concubine to the status of Wife when doing so was highly frowned upon). he'd be a himbo if it weren't for the fact that he was a master of the 5 arts, extremely well read and the heir to a clan knee deep in sect politics raised with the expectation of taking this mantel. that aside i like to think he had sisters that carried that big beefy nie blood.

nie furen was a tall woman, her husband was just taller. the man was built like mingjue, a bull. she gives off willow-tree vibes, is probably a strong cultivator, collected in nature and relatively subservient. she doesn't want for much and has accepted her roll in being the political tie to the nies and behaves accordingly. really the only person that can make nie furen flustered is her husband's concubine, and not even in the competitive way. nie furen is gay & she enjoys huaisang's mother Very much as both company and eye candy.

concubine xiao laopo is nie zhongzu's childhood friend. well really she's one of the nie servants that got promoted to concubine after nie zhongzhu announced that he was going to marry her when they were children and the elders rushed to put a stop to his insanity. she's not a cultivator, and because she's not, she doesn't have much of an eye for either the education they receive nor a true understanding of the work they perform outside of "important" & "helpful to all" & "spiritual." that being said, her heart is still moved by whatever arts are presented to her. she's bubbly and quick to make friends with nie furen when the furen is married into the clan, and takes solace in the idea that their husband is a pretty open-minded man to bypass any shame she would otherwise feel behaving towards the recognized wife of the nie clan. xlp has an equal interest in men and women and was Probably present when nmj was conceived. i wanna name her Bu but i feel like thats too on the nose for the Me who recently got into cdramas

wen-sibling parents have the classic shounen + love interest dynamic, borderline main character & his tsun girl who berates him for his recklessness, except roll reversed. their mom is a physically strong woman, tall, wonderful cultivator, probably only shorter than nie-zhongzhu ((honestly she herself might be a nie descendant)). she's a bit on the stoic side and pretty headstrong, meanwhile their dad is a relatively small man who constantly gets into spats with his wife because she'll often have another wound that needs tending to whenever she comes back from hunts. he's Technically a cultivator, but no notably strong golden core and rather spends his time studying the flow of qi & how to best clear blockages in meridians. honestly before they're even married it's highly speculated that she gets hurt just to be doted on. she'll bite back but let him win arguments, and on distant night hunts she'll bring him back bushels of herbs that can't be found in qishan. more often than not she won't present them with any fanfare, but rather just leave them in a place he can find. they're awkward around each other before marriage & argue for the sake of filling white noise afterwards.

wen daifu is wen ruohan's third cousin. he doesn't wear his hair with any real embellishments or guans that denote status in the clan or even allude to his affiliation with the clan, despite the fact that his robes would give it away regardless. he has a gnarly scar on his body courtesy of the main family's children, and is often bullied onto nighthunts with them because he is the best practicing doctor of their generation. despite being brought on as a healer for the longer nighthunts and ruohan taking special interest on keeping his cousin by his side, wen daifu is pretty adamant about healing anyone from any sect that is injured in front of him. he's not taller than 5'7"/170cm, but his curt and clear way of speaking makes up for any attention he'd fail to garner just by existing.

wen ruohan is the middle of 3 boys and quite fond of playing weiqi. his older brother has no patience for sitting and playing board games with his younger brother, being a relatively active kid that enjoys pushing his weight around with other cultivators from his generation. his younger brother is half his age and takes a great deal of satisfaction in imitating their eldest brother but still looks to ruohan for approval. despite his attempts at imitating the eldest son, the youngest brother often finds himself on the receiving end of his peer's fists whenever their squabbles get out of hand. despite his penchant for being all-smiles, ruohan is fond of neither brother.

jin guangshan is the only boy in a family of daughters. all of the jin children are spoiled, and many of his older sisters made it a point to spoil him rotten. his father being elated that they finally have a boy to inherit the clan dotes on him and gives his boy anything he asks for, pardons any misgivings, and creates an environment that caters to his son's every whim. when he meets his future wife at the behest of his parents, his response is lackluster and despite being a beautiful boy, crushes her hopes with the weird faces he makes in response to being introduced to her.

qingheng-jun is every bit as quiet and intimidating as his youngest son grows up to be. he's a leader that gives off a cold and impenetrable aura that makes it extremely difficult for anyone to challenge his logic as sect-leader-to-be, but really quite enjoys it when someone is bold enough to challenge him. he's not the Most expressive person, but he is more than wangji. he just finds that there's not much worth having an expression over, certainly not in excess, and is adept at handling his tasks with the same grace his eldest will exude.

lan furen is a non-cultivator who was raised on horseback, traveling between the central plateaus and the eastern oceanfront. she's adept at living off of the land and while she isn't an inherently kind or social woman, it's easy to see that her heart lies calmest racing across the continent under the wide expanse of sky. she's an excellent marksman and roams with a band of for-hire escorts that keep cargo and people from harm on long treks. despite being a non-cultivator, she probably has the budding of a strong golden core that just isn't focused on in her daily life.

yu ziyuan is a girl about as demur as any other when she's sent to yunmeng jiang as a means of formal introduction to jiang fengmian. she's doll-like in both appearance and personality, but her chaperone comes with gifts from meishan yu to help push along the betrothal process. the gifts in question are resources forged through meishan yu, crystals refined in such a way that can react to and absorb spiritual power, much like how zidian functions. her meeting with cssr turns her bitter towards the prospect of marrying jfm but she is too proud and too filial to let feelings disrupt the process of their betrothal.

[eventual-ghoste]

TOG rambling

Hello! This post has to do with Andy and some revelations at the end of Force Multiplied. Spoilers I give aren’t super specific but they’re there, and I can’t promise they won’t bite.

This is also in response to a TOG discord question I couldn’t stop thinking about, regarding Andy’s history as compared to Nicky’s, as posited by Em | salzundhonig:

But Nicky's past as a crusader and his growth from his past was well received, surely that'll be the same with Andy right?

I apologize if these ramblings sound like a rant but I swear my intentions are in the spirit of debate/discourse, and they are not an attack on any individuals.

The TL;DR is: Andy has work to do. Hopefully Hollywood and Rucka don’t fuck that up.

Feel free to check/correct/call me out if I’ve misspoke anywhere here (I realize I still have a lot to learn) but IMHO, I don’t think a semblance of Andy’s growth will be well received. Or, at least, I’m not so certain it should be because, in the comics, I genuinely don’t think Andy has grown. At the end of Force Multiplied, she still defends her actions with the “this is how I grew up” argument, and says it was “a long time ago,” and as much as I love love LOVE Andromache the Scythian for her badassery and how she’s a vision of female empowerment, I can’t help but think about how I hear those words all the time from people defending themselves against racist and/or sexist comments from so-called bygone eras.

Wanna know a sad difference between those people and our beloved Andy? They apologize for what they’ve done, or who they were. As hollow as the words will sound, however unforgivable their actions, however self-serving the apology will be— Those Asshats apologize. Comic!Andy never does, not even when confronted by Nile, an African American woman who likely descends from slaves, and has undoubtedly experienced racism and discrimination on a regular basis. It’s been thousands of years and Andy doesn’t even know how to say sorry (if she ever does, kudos to whoever finds a timestamp/panel, and let me know!). Instead, Andy buries the truth of her actions with a load of justifications to the point that she becomes self-deprecating, calling herself “vermin,” concluding she’s no better than the apathetic, selfish, evil POS they hunt. She may have spent the past millennia with TOG, trying to make things right but then—

But then she gives up. She’s tired. She resigns because she doesn’t have it in her anymore to fight the injustice she once willingly and self-servingly participated in. So, on top of being incapable of apology, Andy also doesn’t vow to do better. She doesn’t accede to change.

If there is one reason for why “The Old Guard” is a fucking absolutely shitty title, is that it refers to people who refuse to accept new ideas and progress. We are in a fandom that has four canonically queer characters, three people of color, and two female leads! Maybe the irony is intentional but damn, why is it that Andy, PROTAGONIST #1, hasn’t completely caught up with the program?

And that brings me to why I think Andy’s reckoning will not be on the same level as Nicky’s. Because as popular as Kaysanova is, neither Nicky or Joe are the main protagonists of TOG.

We don’t follow Nicky or Joe (or Booker) into scenes. The men are strictly back-at-the-ranch, supporting characters. We follow Andy or Nile (who also have the most screen time, I believe, but fact-check me). Filmically speaking, we ought to value them with a measure of precedence. Their words and actions matter the most, especially Andy’s by nature of how everyone looks to her for guidance.

So, with all that in mind: How does one reconcile a beloved protagonist with a despicable past in slavery, of all things? In the wake of an international racial reckoning, how is a celebrated, white South African actress going to fulfill that role? How is production going to balance fantasy with reality? How are Rucka and other involved writers (Theron, Prince-Bythewood?) going to alter the original IP, while retaining the nuance of this moral quandry?

Forgive me for the overkill but: How is it going to happen?

I’m well aware that my thoughts are going down a rabbit hole, and I am definitely overthinking this, but as somebody who’s genuinely curious about whether Victoria Mahoney and the rest of the TOG crew will have the guts to confront the issue head-on, or if they’ll take the easy way out. Excise the bits that no one wants to talk about, much less watch in a feel-good film that TOG has become for many fans.

Whatever production ends up doing, I hope that 2O2G doesn’t end on a cliffhanging “pity Andromache” note because, damn, I’m gonna feel real uncomfortable scrolling through fandom posts, reading people defending slavery and giving the same “the past is a foreign country; they do things differently there” spiel, in order to protect a fictional character played by a conventionally-attractive cis heterosexual white woman.

(Also: If the past is so different from the present, why are there still calls for social justice? Why do ALL industries still lack diverse and equitable representation?)

Now, this is where I’ll go back to the original question and say: While I think Nicky functions well as an example for change/growth/redemption, I don’t think his change serves as a good comparison to Andy’s. I say this, even while I’m aware of double standards in gender, and even between the reception of gay characters vs lesbian characters vs etc. (re: I’m open to critique).

My line of thought stems from the fact that, canonically, Nicky always had Joe. The two have seemingly been inseparable from the moment they first killed each other. It’s likely that Joe would check Nicky whenever he said or did something wrong and offensive, and perhaps this symbiosis was mutual.

(I also have a feeling that many people easily disregarded the Christian/Muslim conflict because A) lack of knowledge in BOTH religions and B) the onscreen couple appear very much in love, especially when one is giving a beautiful monologue on the nature of their relationship. When we meet Joe and Nicky, we meet them at their best. Shout-out to interfaith couples who know more about this than my single (and secular) ass does, and might have more to say about this.)

On the other hand: Andy never had someone who was like how Joe was for Nicky. No one ever calls out Andy because A) she’s the oldest, B) she’s the lead, and C) her business card says ANDROMACHE OF SCYTHIA, WAR GOD. Yeah, she had Quynh/Noriko but— at the risk of yelling at Rucka for vilifying a queer woman of color (or praising him for not leaning on the stereotype of Asian passivity? idk, anyone got thoughts on this?)— Noriko is clearly not encouraging good behavior. Neither will Quynh if Netflix lets 2O2G be as faithful to the comics as TOG1 was.

Which means the Law 282 conversation might be…unavoidable? Somewhere along the line, we still end up in the hotel room with Andy, on the floor, pleading for her crew to not abandon her, even though she is the one who abandoned their cause.

This sets up a circumstance in which Fade Away might be spent trying to redeem Andy/Charlize Theron, bring her back to the “good side,” teaching her to be better— thereby highlighting her experience and “salvation,” rather than making a point of her past, and the reality of her actions. In other words, a “pity the white woman” fest.

(Because I’m crossing my fingers that TOG production/Netflix know better) In an effort to prevent that from happening, I wonder if Rucka will combine Force Multiplied with Fade Away for the 2O2G script. Given the series’ track record, I think it is feasible that FA’s release coincides with 2O2G’s, and that it finally resolves Andy. Whether by revitalizing her energy as a do-some-gooder, or finalizing her vulnerability by putting her 6,000 years to rest, thus handing off the reigns to Nile and a new generation of leadership.

The last thing I want to leave off with is: I don’t hate Andy. It’s a credit to Rucka and fellow writers (from film and fandom) that I don’t.

I might not love her character as enthusiastically as I used to, but that doesn’t mean I’m not amazed by her creation. She’s a female lead whose sexuality is not exploited by the male gaze; whose emotional vulnerability is not considered a hindrance to, nor an explanation for, her battle prowess; and whose unabashed queerness is not reinforced by cookie cutter stereotypes. Andromache the Scythian is AMAZING.

That doesn’t mean I’m going to excuse or ignore her most glaring and contemptible flaw. More than anything, I’d love to sweep her past under the carpet so that 2O2G can be problem-free. Like many people, I just want to enjoy a movie without getting triggered.

I want to see Quynh and Andy kiss and make up. I want to see Joe rocking Those Shorts, and a cheeky shot of Nicky appreciating his ass. I want to see Nile welcoming Booker back to the family again. Some form of group therapy would be chef’s kiss.

But something about glossing over/removing slavery from Andy’s narrative reeks of dishonesty, and reminds me that the (Hollywood) movie industry is full of people who do not want to be tainted with negative perceptions. Understandably, appearances are their livelihood— but that particular truth is something they still have to reckon with.

[dorkshadows]

Mazm anon: Big Agree on your thoughts about Erik orz. I also feel like this game was largely insensitive to his position which was weird because they made it so much worse, like iirc they outright tried to claim that the Shah is the only person who treated Erik really badly based on his appearance and Erik just deluded himself into thinking everyone else would act the same like I'm sure everyone in Victorian France was just as welcoming as can be to a corpse-man -yeah-. (1/3)

Mazm anon: Why give him such a terrible backstory, even worse than in the original, just to turn around and say it doesn't matter because they also made him such an all around awful person? Or is it purely to justify how awful they made him? something idk dfkgfdsk like you said it's not a great message and they don't replace the original idea with anything hopeful instead. They even had Hatim take advantage of his PTSD to make him behave like fgksdfkgskd?? (2/3)

Mazm anon: Also yeah, disappointed that they decided Christine needed to stop being compassionate as character development, made me sad cause I loved it when I read the book and saw how novel Christine was actually pretty assertive in addition to how kind she was. Being kind is hard, it's not a weak character trait unless you're a bad writer imo she was in a hard situation! I did kind of like the alternate ending where you don't go with Raoul? but it also felt weird that they put that in.. (3/3)

Hi mazm anon! Glad you agree XD And ugh yes, HARD agree with your thoughts too. It felt like the game was backflipping on Erik in like, the worst ways. For example, I think we could accept his “character” more easily if the backstory wasn’t so bad and he was just a bad person who had some understandably bad circumstances. Not... that level of personal tragedy. It really was Awful.

Them claiming the Shah and the Shah alone treated him badly is BS because Hatim clearly mentioned the abuse Erik went through at the circus, complete with an illustration. That’s not even getting into the whole ptsd thing Hatim pulled on Erik, or how Hatim himself was awkwardly villainized too. 

I think you’re right with what they were doing- they didn’t want to just make Erik a villain for evil’s sake (but it probably would have been better that way, if only by a little), so they chose to justify his “awfulness.” Except instead of balancing it out, it just made it so much worse asdjfasdfas. I was genuinely uncomfortable with the backstory and how it played into Erik’s “arc” (like, individually those two things are OK but put together, wow). It felt like the game wasn’t just doing it to make you pity him, but like you said, they were doing it to “make sense” of his terrible behavior and on some level, even imply that he deserved it (maybe that’s not their intention but it felt that way sometimes...).

re: Christine: same here! She’s one of my favorite characters of all time because of how special her arc is (to me anyway lol). She’s one of the rare characters who was assertive and kind at the same time, and YES, being kind isn’t a weakness- it’s HARD. Christine didn’t have to lose her compassion to become a strong independent woman TM. She was already a strong independent woman! At least Raoul grew more compassionate in the game; our boy carried the entire ending on his back.

I also liked the alt. ending with(out) Raoul. It’s interesting and one of the only actual changes the player can make to the story! It’s a bit strange since you don’t get any similar choices in other parts, but I do like how both Raoul endings connect him as some sign of hope.

[fantranslatorbychoice]

Kakuriyo no Yadomeshi Volume 6 Intermission 2 - Akatsuki, and a Letter from Utsushiyo

T/N: Heck yeah it's time for the two spider siblings to shine lol we haven't heard from Suzuran for a while now, well, spoiler alert she has left Kakuriyo and hasn't appeared yet since Volume 1 ended, or in the anime when she chose to live on someone's grave. *cough, Shirou, cough* Well, I guess that’s just that. I hope you enjoy reading this short one.

Also if you like this translation, you can heart it, share the link, reblog, I just respectfully ask that DO NOT REPOST ELSEWHERE. This is my contribution to the scant English content of this fandom, and I worked really hard to finish this thing, it’s not like I just copy-pasted everything. I even had to build the kanji in Jisho one by one. Try it and you’ll see what I mean.You can rave about this, rant about this, but if possible please link back to this page. If you’re unsure how to do that, just copy the web address of this page. If you’re on a blogsite just insert the web address as a hyperlink as a link back to here. Honestly if this light novel was officially-published in English, I wouldn’t even be doing this right now... And if it did, I’d take this offline to support the publishers and Yuuma-sensei. Creators support creators, is what I believe in. As previously-mentioned in earlier chapters, if you stumbled upon this one, the two seasons of the anime covered volumes 1-5, so other than the extra details, you didn’t miss much stuff.

OK Here we go-- P148 "Thank you for coming to Tenjin-ya, we look forward to seeing you again." I am an earth spider, a Tsuchigumo named Akatsuki. I am Tenjin-ya's head receptionist. The waitresses and the Gesokuban** has sent off the final guest for today with a smile, and my work as the head receptionist has ended. The moment that the last guest gets sent off, I always breathe a sigh of relief. The front desk's work ended before evening, and the day before the entire inn is closed on a break, we all soak in the feeling of liberation. The young Ogre bellboys were shouting "It's rest day! It's rest day!" and were running around the front desk. The Bake-Tanuki Gesokuban Chiaki-san gathered the ogre bellboys together and assembled in the lobby, and called them one by one in sequential order. Many of the ogre children were orphans, and not only does Tenjin-ya go beyond in providing them work, but also the day before the inn closes for a break, apart from their salaries they also receive a bit of pocket money, and the very first in the line gets freed off from work. "Alright you lot, return to your dormitories like adults, so you won't cause any trouble during work." "OK-- Gesokubanchou**-sama!" As the ogre kids were lining up one by one, Chiaki-san encouraged them to return to their dormitories quietly. "If you run your pocket money gets forfeited. Oh, and greet the head receptionist too." T/N: Gesokuban= doornan, in charge of the guests' footwear. Sorta like bellboys too. Gesokubanchou=head of the doormen P149 "OK--. Goodbye, Bantou-sama!" "Ohhhh..." It's impossible for me to take care of those brats... It must be difficult to be in charge of the footwear. It's better to be a receptionist. "Whew, it's finally over. Ah, Akatsuki, after this, won't  you come with me to Gintengai to have some drinks?" After sending off the ogre children back to their dorms, Chiaki-san called up. He always has this soft smile and voice with a subservient attitude, but he is my sempai as he started a bit earlier than me in working for Tenjin-ya. Among the management staff he is the most recent to join, and considerably has a lot of assigned duties and tasks. "Oh, but tonight you're also going to Aoi-san's place to have dinner, don't you?" "No. Apparently today only the girls got together, they seemed to be having a weird meeting or something." "That's also what Kasuga said. She says that Aoi-san is very friendly to everyone in Tenjin-ya. Ah, Waka-danna sama, are you free tonight? If it's fine with you, would you like to go out and have a drink with me?" "Oh, that sounds nice, Chiaki." Chiaki-san also called up Waka-danna sama. It's weird that he's up for it. Chiaki-san, he seems to have an air of softness and limpness that I don't have, and sometimes I don't think he's appropriate for the reception desk. But the person in question is, among the management staff is said to be the number one outlier with having the position of Gesokubanchou, as he said previously that he likes his job. T/N: Bantou=head receptionist P150 "Ah, uhm... Akatsuki-sama, Chiaki-sama, Ginji-sama.." "Do you have any plans for tomorrow?" "If it's fine with you, would you want to go out and have fun with us?" There were three waitresses, they seem to choose at their own discretion when to talk to us. Lately, I have been invited to go out a lot. But for me, I want to get some rest on a rest day. "That sounds nice. But tomorrow I'm called to go back home to my parents' house. I hope you can invite me next time." Chiaki-san rubbed the back of his head, he seemed to be used to it by now and was resolute. Waka-danna sama seemed to be puzzled by the invitation, and flatly refused by saying "I too, have other scheduled appointments." I just decided and told them "That's a no-go" because it's too much of a hassle. "Oh, I see..." It's easy to understand that the waitresses got disappointed as their shoulders went down. "If that's so, then are you free the next time the inn closes for a break?" "Uhm...." The waitresses weren't discouraged. Why did Chiaki-san and Waka-danna sama looked at me over here? At most, you're always free and going out during resting days, it seems. Are you pranking the kouhai? "Hey, wait a minute you lot. Tomorrow the famous Kabuki lead actor named Yukinojou from Youto is coming to the Kabuki Troupe in Kimon**. T/N: Apparently this is what 鬼門 reads so I apologize if I wrote it as Onimon before, I was too much of a dumbass to correct everything oh well at least I learned it before finishing this volume lol P151 You're going out with those guys? You'll just keep screeching and screaming out." Suddenly, O-ryo appeared behind us. The waitresses seemed to lap up what O-ryo brought about, and went "Really?--" "You're kidding, is that true O-ryo?" "I have to check the bulletin board!" "Yukinojou-sama--!" Just a while ago they were disheartened and now they went off somewhere. The girls' high-pitched voices were ringing out, and they didn't even look back as they left us. "As expected of you, O-ryo san. You saved us." Waka-danna sama gratefully spoke to O-ryo, but she just raised an eyebrow and laughed at us. "You three, you were targetted by the waitresses. Among the management staff, you had the lowest difficulty levels. You got cornered, weren't you?" "Is that praise or is that disdain?" "Akatsuki, I saved you, you could at least thank me for it." O-ryo pointed her finger at me, and forced me to say thank you to her. She's surely shameless, an impatient and distasteful woman. P152 "O-ryo sama!" It's the Bake-Tanuki waitress, Kasuga has come and pulled the bottom of O-ryo's kimono. "Let's go now to Yugao. Aoi-chan's waiting." "OK, OK. Those group of single guys seem to be going out for drinks, but aren't we going to a glitzy girls' night-out? Awww, what a pity, you can't go with us--, you have no means to--" "O-ryo sama. They're also having that in secret. It's the same level as ours." As expected of Kasuga to point that out. She's merely a waitress, but her wit and cleverness is effective, and she is a hard-working Tanuki girl. I also unintentionally asked her to do errands and what not here and there. "Ah..." Kasuga turned her head towards us again, but stopped whatever she was about to say.. No, not really, but when she looked at us, it seemed that she looked at Chiaki-san who was beside us. Chiaki-san didn't seem to move a bit, but he just lazily smiled.

Inside Gintengai, the riverside were lined up with food carts, and it was the busiest corner. It was the place were middle-aged men gathered after work before returning home. The fowl grilling place had three open seats, and we each ordered our favorite liquor and had them heated and poured for us**. "Ahh, it's nice to have some barbecued fowl every now and then in these food carts." T/N: Yeah I know it's weird but sake or rice liquor is actually drunk either warmed up or at room temperature, I don't know why though, maybe to help the alcohol evaporate IDK because normally beers and wines are chilled then served, but hey, it is what it is lol. Also I just translated the fowl, or poultry from the generic term 鳥=tori because it can range from chicken to duck to turkey to exotic birds like guinea fowls and peahens. Like the offal hot pot, we can only guess what they were grilling here. I'd call duck and chicken lol P153 "Yeah, I agree. Waka-danna sama, whenever you're free you always go to Yugao, don't you? Every now and then let's get together, please?" "Yes, well, I'm here now, am I?" After seeing that the Waka-danna sama seems to be in good spirits, Chiaki-san requested to the Oyaji** "Ah, I'll have the chicken wings and scallion skewers. Everything plain salted." "I'll... Have the gizzards with scallions, plain salted, as well as some liver with dipping sauce, please." "I'll have the parson's nose** and some chicken meatloaf, with the skin. With dipping sauce." While the liquor bottles were being heated, we had a chat. The barbecued chicken that they were cooking soon gave off a delicious smell. "To be honest, it was a good thing that Waka-danna sama has returned to Tenjin-ya. During the time that Waka-danna sama was away, Tenjin-ya was in trouble. Akatsuki, somehow everyday acts like a little girlfriend running around saying 'We need you Waka-danna sama, please come hooome--'. That image has been burned inside my head." "What?" "Wait, Chiaki-san!" Well, the Waka-danna sama's usual workload isn't run of the mill, it's like it left a void. However suprised the Waka-danna sama looked, his blank face looked at mine. "Uhm.. That is..Somehow, the front desk's work is sustained by the Waka-danna sama, and I happened to experience that personally." T/N: Oyaji=usually the dude who owns the establishment, they normally cook and grill and stuff. Their waifus handle the cashiers. Also srsly these dudes know their fowl well, especially Akatsuki. I mean, chicken butt/parson's nose is full of that fatty cholesterol-filled goodness, as well as the skin wahhh now I want some of these too T__T P154 I was muttering my embarassing thoughts as my greasy sweat overflowed. That busy time has been pardoned already... speaking of, when the grilled skewers were done, I ate them hungrily. Ah, even the cartilage tastes good. "Akatsuki... It's unfortunate to have experienced those troubles, wasn't it?" "Ehrmm.. yeah." Waka-danna sama seemed to have gotten quiet, and I was so embarassed I couldn't say anything. I drank the sake bit by bit. "Well, anyways.. Waka-danna sama is awesome though. It's because while planning activities and managing Tenjin-ya, you were also said to be assigned to the internal affairs of Kimon. You were also looking after anything that troubles the Odanna-sama's fiancee. If it was me I couldn't handle it. I already find it hard just taking care of the ogre kids." While Chiaki-san was talking, the topic shifted to Aoi. "Ah, ahahaha. I wasn't looking after Aoi-san, I just let her do what she wanted, I think that's the right thing to do.. And because Aoi-san is a dependable person, it came to the extent that she helped me. Even now, with the souvenir products that Tenjin-ya asked Dr. Saraku to make, she's still doing her best to help with it, it seems... She's really awesome." Waka-danna seemed to have remembered something, and silently laughed, before ordering another bottle of sake. That guy, isn't he a bit harsh... P155 "I don't normally work with Aoi-san so I don't understand but, she's somewhat special, that granddaughter of Shirou's." "Yes, that is, Aoi-san is an amazing person. Aoi-san's cooking. Say Akatsuki. Somehow in the beginning Akatsuki was harsh with Aoi-san, but now you're part of the Yugao gang, aren't you?" "Eh? No, uhm...." "Oh, you're pausing with your words, you're hesitating. You weren't objecting that time, Akatsuki.." "..." Someday, when you make fun of me again, I'll be prepared. But, I need to think how can I deal with this now... When these guys bring up that topic again after a while, I'll change to make quick and sleek comebacks. "Certainly I go eat Aoi's cooking since it's a great way to end the working day, but compared to me, O-ryo goes there to a greater extent, doesn't she? To think that she tried killing Aoi before!" "Ah, ahaha. For sure, O-ryo san has now become less snappy and harsh... She goes to Yugao and pesters Aoi-san a lot. After that Kasuga-san also goes a lot to Yugao too." After that, instantly, it seems that Waka-danna sama remembered a lot of things about O-ryo and Kasuga. "Speaking of Kasuga-san, until now she still calls O-ryo as O-ryo sama? Even though she has already lost the position of Waka-Okami she still calls her as such." P156 "It's because Kasuga likes O-ryo. It's because ever since Kasuga started working in Tenjin-ya, she always bothered O-ryo san to look after her because she doesn't know anything." "Really, is that so? Isn't Kasuga-san and Chiaki relatives?" "Uhm, yes, yes we are..." Good, the topic has changed smoothly. Being tipsy, Waka-danna sama and Chiaki-san started talking about Kasuga and O-ryo. I was relieved, and added an order of thighs and chicken meatloaf from Oyaji. I really love meatloaf... "Oh, right, Chiaki-san, aren't you about to say something about that Kasuga?" When I asked him about it, Chiaki-san's face got all stiff for a moment. It was weird, for that person to have that face. But immediately after that, his usual sloppy face went back. "Ah, it's probably due to tomorrow's stuff." "Tomorrow?" "Tomorrow, we have to go back home. Also, it's something important." Oh, it's true, because they were going back home, he didn't lie to the girls when he was invited. But it's weird how he said it. Could it be that he doesn't want to go back home? P157 "Isn't Waka-danna sama going back to Orio-ya?" "What, why?" "But that's what going home means, right? When you don't have a village to go back to. Don't you have an older brother?" Waka-danna sama only waved his hands in front of him, with regards to Chiaki-san's unsophisticated question.

“No, no, that, uhm.. Right now it's a bother to go home. Right, Akatsuki?" "Why is the conversation swayed to me?" When it comes to a home, I have no such place. I have been born and raised in Utsushiyo, my only living relative is in there right now, my younger sister... "That much- How is my nose stupid?" In an instant, the drunk and wasted middle-aged Tengu nearby started making a racket, and he hit me with a hot sake bottle by mistake. "..." What the heck is this? As I was staring fixatedly, I got lost in time. While looking at the Tengu who got caught in the moment, my former boss Hatori-san, the current head receptionist of our rival inn, and previously when the Tengus became violent in the front desk I recalled the memories, and I got angry. I wanted to tear out all of the feathers of the middle-aged Tengu, but Waka-danna sama and Chiaki-san P158 pacified me "Woah, woah there, Akatsuki", and nevertheless I peacefully settled down. I went back to drinking in desperation. When the other sempai noticed it they just start talking. It’s mainly due to Hatori-san. A lot of things happened, and the night grew late.

"Tch, I drank too much. Waka-danna sama is too tough..." Upon returning to the males' dorms, while my drunk head was spinning around, I entered the men's baths. I splashed on water to wash off the liquor smell, then opened the sliding doors to my room and burst inside, and collapsed on the futon that I kept lying around. My room is at the top floor of the males' dorms. As the head receptionist I was given my own flat, and I wasn't roommates with anyone. Ah, the cool breeze feels great. I went and opened the veranda's door, and I looked at Kakuriyo's faintly darkened evening sky. "Hoo-hoo. It's the hoot of the underworld's night owl." "Hmm.. what?" From the veranda a single owl feather flew inside, and somehow plopped down, and I went inside the room again. "What is this.. A letter for me?" It was a momiji-patterned stationery. I haven't received a letter for a long time. P159 A red stamp was attached, this was exclusively used by the underworld's postal service that goes between Utsushiyo and Kakuriyo. The sender is... "Suzuran" In one breath, I got sobered up. This was my younger sister, Suzuran's letter. I stood up and pulled out a pair of scissors, and cut the seal.

"Akatsuki-niisan, it has been a long time. Are you busy everyday? I'm worried about niisan, don't work too hard and neglect taking care of your health. Are you eating nutritious food? Are you sleeping enough?"

What the, her opening was only about her worries. Don't worry Suzuran, about your brother. That detestable Shirou's granddaughter's food, I eat those everyday and get healthier. It's full of nutrients as well as delicious. I'm not miserable.

"Akatsuki-niisan may be blunt and crude, but he's really very sweet, are you on good terms with Aoi-san right now? Did I guess that right?" P160 "What the heck." That woman Suzuran. I don't understand why she's on good terms with Aoi, but for sure, she's saying nice things about her because they bonded during the time she stayed here. My sister by blood, she forsees just about everything.

"While I was taking care of Shirou-san's tombstone, I was also looking after the businesses of the people in Utsushiyo. When the Ayakashi living here come and wreck Shirou-san's tombstone, I grow into a larger body, you know? Everybody flees, when they see my Jorougumo** form."

"Oh, goodness, so that's it..." Even I was, when she powerfully threw me out of Tenjin-ya, her powers were quite strong...

"I love niisan, who works his best as a receptionist at Tenjin-ya. But please, don't be too excessive. Take some time to rest. Because niisan dislikes taking a break. You also dislike having fun with girls every now and then."

"Stop it. Leave me alone." T/N: So while Akatsuki is a spider demon- a tsuchigumo=土蜘蛛 that burrows underground like a tarantula, his sister Suzuran is an orb weaver spider demon, a jorougumo=女郎蜘蛛 that hangs on trees. No wonder Akatsuki's mini-form looks so pudgy and cute gwahahaha especially the cute skull on his abdomen. Try searching for that image, when Suzuran beat the crap out of him and he got weak AF wahahaha poor bean P161 "Suzuran always thinks of niisan during the dawn**. Please take care."

After reading the letter, I suddenly laughed at my younger sister's noisy wordings. The letter you sent had composure, as such, from where you are, you're also in good health. While protecting the tombstone of Shirou, whom you love. "..." Instantly, from the edges I saw a reddish ray of light, and as I opened the sliding screen, I looked at the early morning sky. Oh, I get it... The wonderful early morning sky. She said dawn, as it was my name. "Today... That's it. I'll write back Suzuran a very casual letter." Since she has left Kakuriyo, I'll write up everything that has happened in here since then. Also, while by tired body already had its rest, it's fine to do my best at work again. T/N: Akatsuki's name is literally "daybreak", not like them Orochimaru peeps lol

End of Intermission 2, Volume 6. Previous - Chapter 4. Next - Chapter 5

References:

Wonderful site for the youkai references

Other stuff I used to do this: Kodansha Kanji Learner’s Dictionary (you can buy here, I’m not sponsored btw). I was about to buy the older edition but then the newer one came out 2013 so I bought that instead. Worth buying since I was able to find nearly all of the words I needed just by stroke pattern alone.

Merriam-Webster's Japanese-English Dictionary (the red-covered 1996 version is apparently out of print right now). This is what I have been using for a very long time, I bought it when I was still a fetus (yes I am old so what lol), and after so many years, when compared to newer editions, I still prefer this one since its entirety is Japanese-English, the English to Japanese gloss are just 16 pages tops, so you get more Japanese words for your buck. But that’s just my opinion, maybe other people prefer the Jap-En x En-Jap IDEK.

Basic online dictionary, Jisho. Knowledge of verb conjugations  and other words are necessary since not all have entries.

If you can read Japanese, you can buy the whole set in Amazon Japan, they’re shipping worldwide now, I think.

[sobdasha]

Why do you think Shigure dated Mayu?

Ihave kind of answered this question before but then when I went backto look for it, it turns out the post is like 2 years old! Already!And I have had plenty of Thoughts in the meantime.

Ifigure Shigure dated Mayuko for any combo of these reasons:

Firsttwo hypothesis: Shigure may be a ~complex character~ but he seems tohave two basic boiled-down motivations for doing anything

1a)This somehow furthers Shigure's plans for Getting AkitoThiswas a thing I mentioned in the original post, but the more I think onit the more I think it's a bit of a stretch. I can still 100% seeShigure deciding for some reason that Kana was unsuitable and,desiring a failsafe, having seen that Mayuko alsolikes Hatori...saying he'll date Mayu so she'll realize how miserableshe is dating anyone other than Hatori and thus making her move onhim. I think that's not unreasonable for Shigure.ButI just can't justify how you'd look at Kana and somehow decide shewas destined for a mental breakdown? Or too fragile to be trustedunderpressure?Or how you'd decide that Mayuko had a greater level of determinationwhen she isn't, unlikeShigure, doing anything to sabotage Kana and Hatori's relationship soshe can move in?I'dlike to like this theory but I think maybe it's me being tooself-indulgent.

1b)This somehow furthers Shigure's plans for Getting AkitoIpersonally don't put much stock in this one but I have seen otherpeople propose that Shigure dates Mayu to make Akito jealous.Idon't really see that because Shigure puts zero effort into therelationship and Akito never brings it up (though you could arguethat yeah but why would you bother bringing it up when it'scompletely overshadowed by the fact that heslept with Ren,that right there is murder and arson combined and a month fake-datingMayuko is just jaywalking). Plus Shigure seemed on board with Hatoriand Kana keeping their relationship a secret, I know I say Shigurehas no morals but it still just doesn't quite feel like him toexplain to Mayuko that what Hatori and Kana are doing is reasonableand smart and then parade Mayuko around in front of the family to getattacked.

2)Shigure's literally just bored, like he saidDogsare known for being dumb, fun-loving goofballs, right? I'vebeen thinking about this very recently. (I'vealso been thinking, "dogs chew on things, right??? that's athing??? I bet Shigure chews up all his pencils. I bet one time inschool he chewed on his pen so much it exploded in his mouth and hehad to walk around all day like that but he's a Souma so he justlooked cool somehow anyway")I know people love to harp on the "omg Shigure is a dog and dogsare loyal!!!"thing while I'm always like yeeeaaaahhh…because when you think of dogs and loyalty you think of man's bestfriend and notemotionally destroying the hand that feeds you??? Anyway. Seeing moreof Shigure post-manga, like the Mabudachi Arc, where he's much moreharmless and puppy-looking, is helping to convince me that plenty ofShigure's silliness is not just an act to cover up his machinations.Thepoint was I'm pretty sure that when Shigure isn't doing things ForEnd Goal Of Akito he mainly makes decisions based on: eh it soundedinteresting at the time!(Istarted off like "it sounded like a good idea at the time"and then I was like no that's not right and I tried "it soundedlike a good (?) idea at the time" but even that was too sensibleso…)SoHatori's bringing Kana around, Kana's bringing Mayuko, Mayuko ispining, Shigure is bored, why not date??

3)Shigure likes MayukoHesays that, that he really did like Mayuko for herself, which I thinkwas a perfectly honest sentiment on Shigure's part. The problem isthat, as Mayuko calls him out on, Shigure doesn't even treat thepeople he claims to like as human beings lol so. Shigure liked Mayu,maybe he was even attracted to Mayu, but the fact remains that whilethey were dating he put in zero intimacy--emotional, physical…Itmay have been enough reason to start dating, but it didn't sustainthe relationship. But hey! Maybe post-series they willbecome……………fr…iends……???????AlsoI want to bring up again that Takaya did a sidebar about Mayuko andhow she'skind of a butch lesbian icon???Shigure possiblywas attracted to her because Mayuko might be a bit disappointed tohave been born a woman. Perhaps that's part of what first caughtShigure's attention or interest, that in Mayu's complicatedrelationship with her femininity/gender identity/genderexpression/idk she reminded him of Akito? And because Mayu remindedhim of Akito, who he loves more than anyone, that endeared the ideaof Mayu to him.(Butstill, not enough to like actually giveany of himself into a relationship.)

4)Shigure's pity-dating Mayu isn't for her/justfor her, it's also his own pity-partyThisis another more recent thing I have considered! That theKana-Hatori-Mayuko triangle is a bit similar to theKureno-Akito-Shigure triangle, or that Shigure saw it that way.Shigureloves Akito, but Akito went and chose Kureno because he's ~kinder~ toher. Even though Mayuko likes Hatori, she can't date him becauseHatori is with sweet and kindly Kana.SoShigure maybe felt a bit sympathetic to Mayuko's position, because itfelt very similar to his--neither of them are with the person theylike, and neither of them stand a chance to steal that person awaybecause their opposition is so very kind to the object of theiraffection. And thus, pairing the spares in a pity date becauseneither of us can get what we want.

Ithinkthat's all I've come up with? And as I said, it might be any one orany combo of these, or maybe it's something I haven't even ponderedyet. Who knows!

[usermaha]

Queendom 2: FANtastic Queendom Review

some ppl interpreted this round simply as ‘fan-favorite/recommended by fans’. others made the stage centered around the fans as a display of gratitude. imo both routes are not incorrect as long as the actual performance is something memorable. 

i got surprisingly introspective as the round went on, it made me think about the unique relationship between any fandom and their artist. Yes it can be quite surface-level, but sometimes i feel something genuine, and i can’t place whether its my imagination. There is more give-and-take than we realize. We need our idols as much as our idols need us. 

Hyolyn: her Position Unit performances didn’t do it for me, and in the preview i saw summer concept again and neon, which turned me off. but the full thing i rather enjoyed. see sea is an actual vibe. she was back in her element with her own song, her signature stage presence was overflowing. adding the Street Woman Fighter dancer and incorporating that storyline was so cute.

VIVIZ: okay maybe bop bop isnt too bad of a song. the queen bee concept was fun, once again i enjoyed it more than anticipated. but in every performance their weak vocals becomes a glaring issue, they just don’t sound that good. 

Brave Girls: now ppl are not going to like me for this. I can imagine how disheartening it is to work for years with no recognition or progress, how terrifying it is to stand at the edge of losing your career, it can be hard to forget. but from where i see it, it seems like they earned this first place by emotionally manipulating ppl to pity them. legit display it on a projector?? this performance i felt like took ‘FANtastic’ a bit too far. the song in particular... idk about the lyrics ‘cause they kept saying the lyrics were very moving. but i didnt feel anything when i heard it. it was your average Brave Girls performance; light on dance, vocal heavy, cluttered in terms of stage direction. the glass heel plot i didnt get. i didnt like the outfits maybe this is where its coming from. 

WJSN: the outfits were so pretty!! THE PURPLE!!! the sequins!! i had acknowledged their visuals, but this performance i couldn’t look away. I am not aware of who Miss Bona is but she is GORGEOUS. WJSN really has a discography. they could really just pull out a B-side to set a performance of this grand of a scale. the drama, the effects, i loved all of it. this is the kind of thing i was expecting from WJSN this competition. 

LOONA: this is where i started getting emotional. Bc when they talk about orbits i actually understand. I know how far and wide orbits have reached to get loona’s name out there in the blackout, this insane cult following might truly be the only reason they are still here.

Of course it had to be Butterfly, what else could have it been? Butterfly is a song which has so much history and sentiment attached to it. To me it represents LOONA at their best, at transcendent, their legacy. The lost potential, their tragedy. I still hear ppl in kpop community talk about it, the title with no wins, the last song before they plunged into darkness for an year. This song represents the hope orbits held on to in that time that we will hear from them again. The little montage made me feel so proud. it hit me: oh my god. They didnt disband. They are still here. They are on an mnet survival show, with more exposure than they ever had. And im so glad. 🥺

As for the actual performance i wasn’t quite satisfied. I love the respect they showed to the original, but then changed the choreo. The original choreo was perfect, she was iconic, she was everything. Unfortunately Butterfly is not a song that supports a good vocal performance. Not a fan of the outfits. I think ive seen every Butterfly stage ever and ive seen ones that hit harder.

Kep1er: im not even that familiar with 2nd gen, but i have to say it: they dont make music like this anymore. first up everyone looked so pretty in black??? Xiaoting with her wavy red hair??💯 moving to the actual stage: the witches in the dark forest…? What does that have to do with anything? To think of it, kep1er vocal weakness has been on display on this show since day 1 😬. I should have felt much more cool and badassery than i actually did. The dance cover on weekly idol was giving more imo. But Youngeun center and that head tilt, iconic.The biggest win for Kep1er is me begrudgingly respecting Youngeun, yes she was born for this i suppose.

Ranking: WJSN > Hyolyn > Kep1er > LOONA > VIVIZ > Brave Girls

[archivesdiveronarpg]

Congratulations, MADZ! You’ve been accepted for the role of MACBETH (with a faceclaim change of Tom Ellis). Madz, you have no idea how happy I am to entrust Macbeth into your hands once more. You give him this darkness that drips off of him so subtly it makes me sigh a bit because I’m not entirely sure whether I want to feel bad for him or cheer him on in his duplicitous endeavors. The way that you capture his voice, his tragic spiral, and his all-too-devilish charm is something that I’ve always loved and now I have the pleasure of watching it in action again. Welcome back into the family, my dear! Please read over the checklist and send in your blog within 24 hours.

                                                                             WELCOME TO THE MOB.

Out of Character

Alias | Madz

Age | 20 years young, my dudes.

Preferred Pronouns | She/Her

Activity Level | I should be around a decent amount, probably about a ⅚ because… well, school.

Timezone | EST

In Character

Character | Macbeth; Mikael Falco (fc change to Tom Ellis perhaps ;-) )

What drew you to this character? | I wanna play a bad guy. Honestly it’s as simple as that for me at this point, I want to play a bad guy. Mikael Falco is what people consider a bad guy, but that doesn’t mean he’s necessarily a great bad guy. Sure he walks the walk and most certainly talks the talk, but deep down, there’s something in him that restrains him from really unleashing the full extent of power that we want to see in a bad guy. That something is obedience. The trait that was ingrained in him as a child in boarding school, something he now cannot stand. It will be his downfall, the very thing that will inevitably bring him to his knees, and he knows it. Mikael’s  been trying to overcome this deadly habit, but with such a strong desire for power and his willingness to prove himself to the Capulets (though not without his own power hungry agenda), his progression towards independence is slow and rather unsteady. Though his obedience at one time had been blind, he’s now beginning to use it against anyone who stands in his way. A true con man, Mikael’s ability to lie in the face of those superior to him has gotten him far. But it’s not far enough for the man who was meant for greatness. He wants the crown to rest upon his head and his alone, and he’s not afraid to do anything it takes to get it. His bad guy image isn’t helped by the fact that he’s completely whipped by his devil of a wife. He’d always dreamed of dancing with the Devil, but he hadn’t pictured the Devil stepping on his toes and getting in his way. But she has this sick, twisted power over him, one that chokes him tighter than his extremely well-tailored Armani suits, one that he initially loved but has quickly turned to despise.

What is a future plot idea you have in mind for the character?

Of course I cannot wait to plot out Lucrecia and Mikael’s relationship. I think for what it is, Macbeth and Lady Macbeth are one of the best duos in literature. Their relationship is complex and it’s dark and it’s dirty and all the things I love to see from killer couples. I hope that Mikael could break the chains from which he’s weighed down.

So I think a really fun plot would just be his descent into madness. I think this was probably my favorite aspect of Macbeth’s story when I originally read it, and I think it’s a central part to his character that’s going to be fun to expand on. He’s got inner demons that he battles day in and day out, and I think writing a character who is so determined to get power but is also held back his struggle with himself is going to be interesting.

And lastly I think his struggle with his position in the mob would probably be one of the main plots I’d develop while writing him, because the Devil isn’t placated unless he’s calling the shots himself and doesn’t have to answer to the so-called “Gods.” Mikael has been trying so diligently to prove himself to the Capulets, doing anything and everything they ask of him, killing anyone who could possibly get in their way in attempts to show himself worthy of a better position. And I feel like Mikael will definitely be plotting different ways to achieve this higher status, through whatever means he deems necessary. ESPECIALLY WITH THE SPADES NOW IM SURE HE’S GONNA TALK WITH THEM AND TRY TO MOVE HIS WAY UP THRU THEM IDK BUT IM EXCITED

In Depth

The following THREE questions must be answered in-character, and in para form (quotations, actions written out if applicable, etc). There is no minimum or maximum limit for your response - simply answer as you would were you playing the character.

What is your favorite place in Verona?

Mikael could all but hold back his laughter as he sat against the cool metal chair, legs spread distinctly as to exude an air of power. “You call this an interrogation?” He remarked snidely, rubbing his thumb and index finger along his sharp jawline. In all the years he’d been working for the Capulets, Mikael Falco had his fair share of visits to this all too familiar interrogation room. The walls were grey, water dripped from a corner where a dark black circle seemed to expand twice its size each time he’d returned, and there was only a metal table barricading him from the other enemy – the law. He’d spent enough time running from the Montagues that it only aggravated him more when they managed to catch onto his business affairs. And with the wound still healing from the murder of Alvise, many were pointing fingers at Mikael, who hadn’t decided if he was going to use this as an opportunity or shut the rumor mill down. “Everyone knows how I adore The Tempest,” He replied finally, after spending some time analyzing the unfamiliar face scribbling notes before him. “I hear they’ve even taken to engraving my initials into the table I frequent, which of course I said was unnecessary but completely welcome.” He ended this statement with a charming smile, one he’d been perfecting for years, one that satiated any uneasy feelings anyone might of had when interacting with him.

What does your typical day look like?

“First, I’d wake up, and reach over to my wife who I haven’t fucked in ages, hoping to spark any kind of flame that lingered from our younger years, only to be shot down with a shrug of her shoulder when I managed to touch her skin. Then, defeated, I’d get up and get ready, making sure my suit was in perfect condition and everything about my appearance was pristine. The Capulets expect an appearance of superiority, because we are superior. Then, I’d mumble some sort of goodbye to Lucrecia who’d ignore me, leaving my confidence at a low, but that’s besides the point. I’d make my way over to the cathedral, able to smell the irony of our headquarters practically miles. There are no Gods in Verona, not yet at least.” Not until I take over. “Assignments for the day are posted routinely at 8 a.m., and I’m usually less than satisfied by my orders to patrol the shipping docks we use to smuggle our weaponry, but I’d head there with whomever else I’ve been assigned to work with. We’d make all the right small talk, and I’d be lucky if I left work any type of happy. On a good day, I’d be assigned something better, something more… exhilarating. It’s the little tastes of pleasure like getting to off another Montague solider that make me rest easy at night, though I know I can do more. It’s just a matter of time until everyone will witness the extent of my power, and then they’ll either give me the power I deserve, or I’ll pry it from their limp fingers. Then I’d make my way over to The Tempest, where I’d drink my troubles away while listening to some young woman with wide eyes and naive dreams talk to me about God knows what, before returning home. Lucrecia might be there, or not. I’ve come to expect her absence. I’d climb into bed in my drunken haze, and drift off into a slumber.”

“It doesn’t look like much,” He replied, almost too easily. He wasn’t stupid enough to give him any sort of information, not even a white lie was safe in the hands of the law. “I do my job, just like you.”

What are your thoughts on the war between the Capulets and the Montagues?

Mikael’s intrigue was spiked by this question, the first that pertained to the very being of who he was, and he sat up almost instinctively. From the outside, the feud between the Capulets and Montagues seemed to be about nothing more than territory and old family rivalries, fickle matters with which Mikael rarely found himself concerned with. Sure, the territory each family claimed for their own indicated a sense of power, but Mikael knew that the real power came from within, and he wasn’t one to get too involved with the affairs of the families from which he didn’t spawn.

“Someone once asked, “War, what is it good for?” and then proceeded to answer “nothing.” Mikael stopped speaking for a moment to laugh quietly before fixing his posture and returning to his calm demeanor. “I pity the fool who believes that sentiment, for war is but a necessary evil for those who desire to conquer. And I… Well I desire nothing less.”

In-Character Para Sample: From the moment he was born, Mikael gravitated towards grandeur in all things he did. The Falco insignia was adorned in gold and blood, though it had not always been this way, as those who had come before him shed blood, sweat, and tears in their efforts to build an empire from the ground up while oppressive forces tried to hold them down.

Tugging tightly on the cuffs of his tailored suit, Mikael carried himself proudly through the streets of Verona, a silk crimson handkerchief peaking out slightly from his front pocket. There was a certain determination in his step as he walked, an image of no particular significance to those who did not know the man. To the untrained eye, he looked just like any other wealthy and power hungry man, but for those who learned to fear the man’s unique tune he whistled as he walked into back alleys, this wasn’t a leisurely walk. Mikael had a destination, a target rather, that he was headed to, one that hadn’t been officially assigned to him.

His lips were pursed tightly and he begun to whistle his tune, shoving his right hand into his pocket, sliding it over the cool metal of his knife. His fingers skimmed over the serrated edges of the blade and made their way to the elegantly carved golden handle. It was his favorite weapon, the one with which he had the most practice with and the one that made a name for himself.

Mikael arrived at a corner and turned it quickly, giving himself but a fleeting moment to glance at the man who was about thirty paces behind him. It wasn’t the first time he’d been followed, and it surely wasn’t going to be the last. Mikael knew that killing him would be clumsy, and that wasn’t his business. But he wanted to send a message, something he was particularly fond of. Sparing people wasn’t something he did often, but he instilled a fear equivalent to the fear of God in those whom he chose to spare, always able to make an impression.

There was a gap between two equally beautiful buildings, and Mikael turned quickly into it while he was certain the man following him hadn’t seen him. He waited against the cool exterior of the building, hand still resting on his knife, the other one flexed open. Hearing shuffled footsteps approaching slowly, Mikael readied himself. The footsteps came closer, and began to slow, and without a moment’s notice, Mikael reached his left arm out from the alley and pulled the man into it by the collar. His grip was tight, and the man grunted as he was thrust harshly into the wall. “I understand you’ve been sent to follow me,” He said in a hauntingly calm demeanor. It took him a moment to notice the man he had in his hand wasn’t much of a man at all, and was more of a boy. Typical Montague behavior. The young boy shook his head in fear, obviously new to the job, and he squirmed underneath Mikael’s grip before he tightened it. “Stop fidgeting, boy.” He spat, looking over his shoulder to make sure that no one was able to see this interaction take place.

“I’m going to give you one try, and I want you to be honest with me, do you understand?” The boy gulped in fear, and nodded his head after a moment of deliberation. “Great. Who sent you?” His question was concise and straight to the point, games were for children and Mikael found himself relatively tired of the games people liked to play. “I’m not going to ask you again,” He threatened, raising his voice and drawing his blade from his pocket. “Now, I don’t know about you, but I wouldn’t want to have to use this on you,” He said, raising the blade to the boy’s eye level, which he noticed changed the boy’s attitude. “M-M-Matth–” “Matthias. Of course. Now, I want you to tell Matthias that I’m tired of his games, I’m tired of his tactics, and frankly I’m tired of this feud he has with me. Make it very clear to him that the next time he sends someone after me, this knife,” taking this time to slide the cool blade gently across the boy’s cheek, leaving a small nick at his jawline, “Will do more than leave a scratch.”

Extras: If you have anything else you’d like to include (further headcanons, an inspo tag, a mock blog, etc), feel free to share it here!