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wheredidhiseyebrowsgo · 4 months

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I posted 1,977 times in 2022

859 posts created (43%)

1,118 posts reblogged (57%)

Blogs I reblogged the most:

@wheredidhiseyebrowsgo

@hoechloin

@riots-not-diets-ffs

@gnomeshill

@thebestbooksaround

I tagged 1,118 of my posts in 2022

Only 43% of my posts had no tags

#teen wolf - 845 posts

#stiles stilinski - 750 posts

#derek hale - 702 posts

#sterek - 664 posts

#lost fic - 440 posts

#anon - 424 posts

#idk - 94 posts

#magic!stiles - 85 posts

#peter hale - 79 posts

#best followers ever - 68 posts

Longest Tag: 31 characters

#peter hale. stiles appreciation

My Top Posts in 2022:

hiii

do you know about any looong slowburn sterek fics preferably with smut? optional magic stiles👀

hehe thank you❤️

Hi anon. @kevaaronday made this list for you.

Actions Speak Louder Than Words by isthatbloodonhisshirt (25/25 | 434,625 | Explicit | Sterek) “I apologize.” The cop finally looked back up at his face, seeming thrilled. “It’s just—it’s been so long. And we finally have you.”

That was a bad word. Not found.

Have.

Stiles wrenched his hand free and took a step back, but before he could even think up a gameplan, he felt a prick in his neck and jerked away, reaching up to slap one hand against it and twisting in the same moment.

One of the others had come up behind him while he hadn’t been paying attention, and his vision began to swim even as his eyes caught sight of the half-empty syringe the guy was holding.

Put Down in Words by paintedrecs (31/31 | 203,776 | Mature | Sterek) “Oh,” Stiles said, his voice coming out low and breathy, “fuck me.”

“I don’t think that’s on the syllabus, but we can check to see if there’s a spot open in any of his classes,” Scott said, grinning.

“This isn’t an actual professor, though,” Stiles insisted, unable to resist brushing his thumb over the sharp line of the man’s bearded jaw. He was laughing at something off-camera, the shot taken in three-quarters view, his coat collar casually rumpled and opened to reveal a sliver of a simple grey t-shirt. The whole thing was deliberately calculated to lend him a more accessible feel, and god help him, Stiles was falling for it.

When Stiles signed up for Dr. Hale’s intro to history class, he had two goals: knock out the credits his advisor was bugging him to complete before he graduated, and spend a few hours a week daydreaming about his sexy professor’s salt and pepper beard.

Derek, a few months away from turning forty and not sure when his life had started feeling so damn lonely, had never encountered someone like Stiles before. Bright-eyed, sharp-tongued, determined to throw Derek’s carefully cultivated world into disarray…and absolutely the last person Derek should be falling in love with.

Most (Im)Proper Proposal by Welsh_Woman (72/72 | 200,136 | Explicit | Sterek) Stiles Stilinski has not seen his childhood friend for going on ten years when Derek Hale insists on meeting him in a barely reputable inn to make a rather startling proposal…

The Hollow Moon by thepsychicclam (10/10 | 180,079 | Explicit | Sterek) It's the summer after Stiles' first year of college, and he's working a crappy job and dealing with nightmares and anxiety - but he's okay, he swears. He makes it through most days without too much trouble. Then, a certain werewolf comes back into town. Which Stiles doesn't care about, nope, not at all.

After two and a half years, Derek returns to Beacon Hills with his small Pack. Though he tried to move on, something just kept drawing him back to Beacon Hills, he's just not sure what. Now, he figures he can start building something like a life - but he keeps getting distracted by Stiles Stilinski of all people.

Teenage Love Song by HaleHathNoFury (26/26 | 155,834 | Explicit | Sterek) Stiles is sick and tired of how much he fucks up. His dad is disappointed, his step-mom judges and his step-brother can do no wrong. It's not that he doesn't love them, he just gets so tired of being different. Now he's being moved lock, stock and barrel to Beacon Hills aka the town his mom grew up in so they can go live in his grandma's house and his father can get him back on the straight and narrow.

It's going to suck.

B.E.A.C.O.N. by Mythological_Compendium (43/43 | 140,691 | Explicit | Sterek) "What better situation could there possibly be? We'll be pretty much stuck together, we can talk, drink and maybe later even…”

A scoff. “What? Have reunion sex?”

He shrugs. “It's been four years.”

Same Old Song and Dance by Halevetica (91/91 | 125,721 | Explicit | Sterek) Raised in the hunter life after his father was killed, Stiles hates werewolves. So when he lands a contract to kill the alpha of the pack that killed his father, he's elated. Until he runs into complications. The alpha is smart and strong and playing a game Stiles can't figure out. When secrets are revealed and new enemies made, Stiles must decide for himself what side he's on and who he can trust.

Bruises and Bitemarks by orphan_account (27/27 | 121,566 | Explicit | Sterek) Biologically, Stiles is weak. When he presented as an omega, he knew that to be the truth but that never stopped him from running his mouth as a defense mechanism. However, it could only save him so many times before he ended up pissing off the wrong person. After he's attacked in the parking lot outside of school, Stiles realizes he can no longer protect himself with just pure wit and sarcasm. When the attack lands him in the hospital, his dad forces him to pick between two options, report the alphas who attacked him or join a kickboxing gym run by omega rights activist and alpha, Derek Hale, a man Stiles has been in love with for many years.

Strip by Fessst (23/23 | 117,194 | Explicit | Sterek) "Singletail whip. Your favorite, isn't it?"

Red. Stiles felt nauseated as he bent over the bench. Red. The tremble only increased when his wrists and ankles were secured with leather straps. Red. He heard the Dom behind him give a sample crack of the whip in the air. Red. This would likely pierce his skin. So fucking Red.

"What's your safeword?"

Red.

"Stiles?"

See the full post

364 notes - Posted October 23, 2022

I’m in awe of this blog and the amazing people that run it!! Do you know of any Sterek fics where Scott is a bad friend to Stiles and so he spends more time with the Hale pack/Derek? I read one a long time ago on AO3 where Scott walks in on Sterek and he gets mad but I can’t remember what it was called

I sure do!

The only thing I know, came from dreaming. by gunsknivesandplaid

(1/? I 4,660 I Mature I Lydia/Jackson/Stiles)

Stiles just wants to Leave the city where ghosts of his past follow him, He walks right into his soul mate. Problem is he doesn't think he deserves this literal magical phenomenon. Wants to just ignore it, because he's not ever going to get a real break from the chaos. Will He be proven wrong? Will he let himself fall, with the chance of being hurt again?

Stop Crossing Oceans by greenleaf

(1/1 I 11,654 I Mature I Sterek)

“There are no absolutes, Scott! No hard rights or hard wrongs! The world doesn’t fucking work that way and we can’t afford to think like that, because people are going to die! We signed up for that the moment we got involved with all this!”

“We? We?” Scott hisses. “Don’t you think you? Don’t forget that you’re the one who dragged us into that forest the night it all started, Stiles. So if it’s anyone’s fault, it’s yours.”

Something inside Stiles cracks, so strong and so deep that he practically hears it.

(Actually) Magic Bullet by orphan_account

(1/1 I 2,020 I Teen I Sterek)

It wasn't like Stiles was about to saw off his own mate's arm, Jesus...

He used magic instead; of course, magic required a slightly more...hands-on approach. If Derek wanted to include a little makeout session, well. Stiles wasn't complaining.

How Derek’s Brain Works by Warlock_Nerd

(15/18 I 25,934 I Teen I Sterek)

After looking at Derek’s childhood medical file, Stiles finds out that Derek was diagnosed with Autism at the age of eight. So in Stiles Stilinski fashion, he dives into research on how to help understand Derek’s condition and also help Derek understand it himself.

Glowing eyes by 0809m

(16/? I 37,852 I Teen I Sterek)

"If you accept it, the bite will take. Someone so loyal like you, with so much will, you're born to be like this Stiles." Derek says.

Stiles stays in silence a big amount of time. He really wants this, as much as he would like to think, he can't protect himself and he can't count with Scott, not anymore. He wants this.

"Do it." He says, no trace of doubt in his voice.

stuck in reverse by crazyassmurdererwall (smartalli)

(1/1 I 65,656 I Explicit I Sterek)

Look, Derek is the worst. Everyone knows that. Their fearless leader is a total and complete failwolf.

Which means the rest of them? Are kind of the worst too. They’re a ramshackle, slap dashed, sorry excuse for a pack that’s about a half second away from getting one of them killed. And this is a problem, because Stiles would really like to survive high school. Thanks.

Still, nobody deserves what Derek has gone through. Nobody.

And it’s about time somebody told him that.

The Overlooked by HarleyJQuin

(32/32 I 108,266 I Mature I Stackson)

See the full post

386 notes - Posted March 19, 2022

hii do you know any fics wgere the sheriff calls derek son or treats him like one??

Yeah!

Denial by thejoyfulfox for CurlzAbound

(1/1 I 4,924 I General I Sterek)

Scott thinks they're flirting. Isaac's betting on Derek sniffing him. The Sheriff thinks they're dating. Erica and Boyd are rooting for them. Derek's waiting for him to figure it out.

Stiles is the only one in denial.

light returning by lilysaid

(1/1 I 32,993 I Explicit I Sterek)

Derek skips town just after the Nogitsune. When he realizes his mistake, he sets off to find Stiles, make amends, and keep his feelings for Stiles hidden. Two out of three isn't bad.

Pining, bed sharing, highly-suspect platonic touching, and shameless adoration of Derek's beard.

Love Don't Die by Finduilas

(1/1 I 33,459 I Explicit I Sterek)

Derek is nine years old when he discovers the gift that he's been given. A gift that he didn't necessarily ask for. Derek can touch dead things and bring them back to life. But not without consequences and conditions, many of which are heartbreaking.

Many years later, his path crosses that of his childhood sweetheart, Stiles, in very unfortunate circumstances. But now, Derek's gift gives him the power to save Stiles. And damned be the consequences.

The New Normal by midnightcas

(27/27 I 63,392 I Teen I Sterek)

After Stiles gets hurt...again, Derek puts him on the metaphorical supernatural bench. Meanwhile, Stiles tries to have a normal life and make normal friends. But when a new pack comes to town and the Hales start getting threats, things start to get a little....not normal.

AND

@npgirardog and @hokee101 suggested this one!

Sharing Food by aussiebee

(2/2 I 9,564 I Explicit I Sterek)

"Sharing food with another human being is an intimate act that should not be indulged in lightly." ― M.F.K. Fisher

Derek is pretty much absorbed into the Stilinski family, one meal at a time.

404 notes - Posted March 21, 2022

Do you guys have any stories where Derek is the alpha of the pack, but stiles is really the one in charge, like he's the alpha mate, or the emissary and every one listens to him.

Yeah.

To Find Your Home by adara

(1/1 I 14,905 I Teen)

The wind shifts just as he is is about to lay into the trespassers for disturbing this place, this private property, the place where Laura took her last breaths. Alone. The place he had come to look for his own clues in the daylight, to say goodbye to the only family he really had left. His breath catches for an altogether different reason when the shifted breeze reaches him. He stops thinking about Laura for a moment as his brain simply shuts down, taking in the sight of his mate before him.

The More That I Know You (the more I want to) by LadySlytherin

(1/1 I 43,656 I Mature)

When death, in the form of hunters, comes for a family of Kelpies seeking refuge in the Preserve - in Hale territory - the Hale Pack is too late to save them. Before he dies, the male Kelpie presses a precious bundle into Stiles’ arms and begs the Emissary to take responsibility for it, which an initially reluctant Stiles does. When he agreed, Stiles had no idea what the sight of him with a baby would do to his esteemed Alpha, Derek. If he’d known, he might not have been so reluctant to agree.

Came For The Spark, Stayed For The Flame by orphan_account

(15/15 I 54,091 I Mature)

Derek felt the panic build up in his chest as Jezebel held out a hand. He smelled it before he saw it, because who could forget the scent of what destroyed your life? Fire and spark and smoke curled from Jezebel's hands, and the wood stacked at Stiles' feet flared up.

When Stiles and Derek get bonded as Emissary-and-Alpha, hidden attractions become a lot harder to hide, secrets are kept and secrets are surfaced, and an evil teenage girl is planning even more ritualistic sacrifice.

558 notes - Posted October 8, 2022

My #1 post of 2022

Must Read Fics

I asked, ya'll answered. Here's the list. More under the cut cause it's long. Enjoy.

@lovesouthernsweettea

Play Crack the Sky by WeAreTheCyclones

(23/23 I 122,787 I Mature I Sterek)

Excerpt from “Hale Pulls the Plug on the Future of Rock,” Rolling Stone, Issue 1203 – Oct. 2014 “Fans and music industry vets alike are left reeling in the wake of bassist Derek Hale’s sudden departure from Smokes for Harris. At a time when the foursome from Beacon Hills, California seems to be on the cusp of rock superstardom after just one double platinum record, Smokes has everything to lose.”

Excerpt from “Smokes for Harris: Gladiator,” SPIN.com – Feb. 2015 “Smokes for Harris gives in a little to the pop punk of yesteryear in their sophomore effort, but rather than pandering to fans of a lost era they elevate the genre in a way that hasn’t been seen in quite some time. Frontman Stiles Stilinski works double duty as singer and primary songwriter and proves that he can handle the task even without former bassist Derek Hale."

@dereles

Safety in Silence by Survivah

(5/5 I 66,901 I Mature I Sterek)

It's perfectly understandable. Even Derek wouldn't want to be Derek's soulmate.

@ceriat

The Moon's Gonna Follow Me Home by turningterrific

(2/2 I 82,866 I Explicit I Sterek)

Derek doesn’t want to call the window repair guy. He doesn’t want to sweep up the glass. He’ll inevitably miss a few shards and pull them out of the bottom of his bare feet for weeks.

He doesn’t want to try to make this place feel like home when it isn’t.

Derek stayed in Beacon Hills and tried to make it work because he wanted pack, wanted purpose. He gave his best effort and found himself back where he started: alone, with a few begrudging allies. He’s tired, and even though his werewolf body heals quickly, he feels the weary ache down to his center.

He packs his car with the few things he cares about enough to drag them from place to place. He locks the loft and calls a realtor about listing the building he’d bought in a misguided attempt to secure a future.

And then he leaves.

@kitchenisking

A Desperate Arrangement by mikkimouse

(29/29 I 115,506 I Explicit I Sterek)

"I'm sorry, I believe there's something wrong with my hearing," Stiles said. "Because I could have sworn you just told me you set up a betrothal agreement with the Hales. A betrothal agreement involving me. Me."

Scott smiled his easygoing smile and nodded, which told Stiles no, he hadn't misheard a damn thing.

After seven years of lengthy negotiations, the treaty between the Hales and the Argents has fallen apart and the two countries fell into war.

Months later, there's an uneasy truce, thanks to the intervention of King Scott McCall, but it won't last. In a desperate attempt to maintain the peace, the Hales sign a treaty with the McCalls to marry Prince Derek to Prince Stiles Stilinski, King Scott's brother.

In the history of the world, there have been many better ideas.

@minmu

It's Insanity, but... by rosepetals42

(12/12 I 79,678 I Mature I Sterek)

See the full post

593 notes - Posted September 10, 2022

Get your Tumblr 2022 Year in Review →

#tumblr2022 #year in review #my 2022 tumblr year in review #your tumblr year in review

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quill-of-thoth · 2 months

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Letters from Watson, catching up

The Speckled Band: Crimes in Context Inheritance The Speckled Band is the first example we’re getting in this reading order of a sub-genre of Holmes’ cases: inheritance crimes against women, so to understand it we’re going to have to take a look at the structure of Victorian inheritance. Thankfully, it is usually spelled out what each woman in canon is entitled to - unfortunately this is because the law could not be relied upon to guarantee her anything. Modernly, inheritance is something that someone might get when a relative dies: It was a more common concern in the victorian era, where the life expectancy for anyone who survived to the age of five is cited by papers I was able to find as anything from 60 to 75, (Compared to pre-covid numbers of early 80′s - 79 for males, 83 for females - in the UK, according to the ONS [Office of National Statistics], and 79 in the US according to the CDC.) Infectious disease prior to antibiotics, the number of wars that the British empire was waging at any given time, and a maternal mortality rate of around five percent meant that adults dying young, or suddenly, was more common than today. It was also not expected that middle and upper class women would work outside the home: if they did it was usually a sign that the family was not doing well, and in danger of no longer being middle class. A number of Holmes’ clients are women in this specific economic position: with less economic security or control over their finances because they were unmarried, often working as a governess, one of the jobs considered appropriate for unmarried middle class women. The majority of them have some sort of inheritance or trust that they have extremely limited access to until they marry - at which point the money is legally theirs, and they can set up trusts for their children as they see fit. The structure of these trusts and inheritances makes them ripe for abuse by male guardians: while a parent might leave their daughters a hefty sum, they might also leave the money somewhat accessible by other male relatives to provide for the daughters’ schooling, social opportunities, etc. Since the daughters would have no means of securing more money of their own (due to not working) this custodial arrangement could last indefinitely. Helen Stoner’s mother had, either via a trust or inheritance, a thousand pounds (92,000 pounds / 113,000 USD) per year. She was married to an officer, and widowed when her twins were less than a year old (inferring from the two year mourning period.) Likely she didn’t know Dr. Roylott very well at the time of their marriage, but a marriage would mean that she and her children didn’t have to find their own way back from India. Dr. Roylott had an estate but not the money to support it - a thousand pounds a year plus whatever he made while in India, would definitely help in that regard.

About ten years ago Dr. Roylott murdered a member of their household staff in India, and only barely escaped execution for it. Possibly because the man he murdered was Indian rather than British, possibly because the Roylotts were pretty rich by the standards of where they were residing and the murdered man was a servant. Either way, the family returned to England legally and financially in the power of a very violent man, and although the Stoner twins were in their late teens or early twenties at the time they were as powerless to leave the household as their mother, who had signed over her entire fortune to the man until her daughters’ marriage. Mrs. Roylott died in an accident shortly after their return. I can only infer that her husband having sole control of six figures (four figures at the time) except for a post-marriage portion for each daughter was only in effect until her death. Therefore, Dr. Roylott decides to return to his hereditary estates and isolate his stepdaughters there - much less chance of their getting married if they’re removed from London society and all the neighbors are terrified of him. Family Abuse Helen doesn’t go into a lot of detail about Dr. Roylott’s behavior to herself, her sister, and their mother, but based on what we know modernly about men who are constantly committing violent acts in their community, and the evidence that he abused Helen, it is very likely that Dr. Roylott abused his wife. While Watson records Helen as saying that her mother died in a train accident while the family lived in London, he would have had a motive to fictionalize that - if Mrs. Roylott was killed, likely beaten to death like his previous victim, by her husband it would be more scandalous than him beating a servant to death in India, more traceable by acquaintances of the family, and less suitable material for a family magazine. A man murdering his stepdaughters via snake may have felt more appropriate to the Victorian audience than spousal abuse. Murder, and Milk-Drinking Snakes Dr. Roylott definitely murdered Julia Stoner, is attempting to murder Helen, and for the purposes of Watson’s story, the murder weapon is a venomous snake. There are a lot of inconsistencies surrounding the snake. Julia’s autopsy found no trace of poison, but it’s always possible that faced with a venomous snake from India, the coroner didn’t know what to look for. There are no obvious snakebite marks, but it’s also possible to miss those. The snake is apparently trained to respond to whistles and rewarded by drinking milk. Snakes, are, however, reptiles: while you can train them to be accustomed to human handling, training them to enter a vent and return is very implausible. They also don’t digest lactose, and don’t even need to drink very often. There’s also the fact that you can’t just throw a snake in a room with a sleeping person and be sure that it will bite them, and that it will deliver a fatal dose of venom if it does. This is a lot of implausibilities, bordering on impossibilities. It makes a person wonder if one of the alleged “impossibilities” that were previously examined is possible after all. Particularly if one has coincidentally been reading how locks work. The modern door lock is not infallible, but it is significantly more complex than the late victorian door lock: we have better precision machining, so on average there are more springs and pins inside the lock, and more and smaller teeth on the key. Meaning that it takes longer to pick a lock using little tools to press each pin into the correct position, and also that you have to be more precise about the position. Because Stoke Moran is an old manor that was uninhabited for approximately twenty years while the Roylott-Stoner family lived in India, and the family fortunes were low since the regency, it’s unlikely to have modern (for the era) locks. At a guess, the latest the locks could have been updated is the 1810′s. It is extremely possible for a doctor, who presumably has some skill with surgical tools, and who has plotted for several months to murder his stepdaughter to prevent her marriage, to spend that time learning to pick a by then obsolete lock, instead of importing and training a snake. It’s equally possible for him to have access to a variety of poisons, whether they were thought to have any medical use or not, since the Victorian household used a lot of poisons as pesticides. Then too, he receives goods from India regularly - it doesn’t have to be a common poison. It could even actually be snake venom: though the first process of milking snakes for venom in order to test antidotes was published in 1891, it’s possible that there were significantly earlier, unrecorded attempts. Especially considering how many people throughout history have wanted to poison each other. A more plausible scenario is that Julia was murdered in the following way: Dr. Roylott looked through the vent, which must be large enough to try to see through if a decently sized snake can squeeze through it, to check that she was asleep, making a slight noise and shedding just enough light that he could see if she was lying awake in the dark or not, and on the nights that it did not wake her, he opened the door, possibly by picking the lock, possibly because the doors to his stepdaughters’ bedrooms were never actually secure, administered some kind of poison, possibly by injection, and left her there to die. Julia woke up as the poison ran its course, tried to light a candle, screamed, and was found by her sister. Dr. Roylott gave her brandy, knowing that it would do nothing, and waited. When the time came to murder Helen, he first attempted to intimidate her. “Livid” bruises, or bluish black ones, are two days to around a week old. Dr. Roylott, if the housekeeper leaves once Helen is gone, cannot maintain the family home on his own - as a landed gentleman he would not know how, and when he attempted to hire servants they left immediately. Helen is doing some, possibly still a full half, of the work of the house that keeps him comfortable. She also worked her hardest to keep the family name in acceptable shape whenever he attacked another person in their community, it’s possible that made life much easier for him. And a coroner faced with two mysterious deaths in the same household in two years is going to be suspicious, even if the official cause of Julia’s death is basically listed as fright. Maybe he tried a similar tactic on Julia, maybe he didn’t: both twins were slightly old for a first marriage, with Julia dead at thirty and Helen now thirty two. If he could scare either into calling it off, the chances of their marrying would decrease every year.

The intimidation of Helen failed - he had her moved into the bedroom he could most easily access. He checked whether she was asleep. She wasn’t: she lit the lamp immediately, but he had plenty of time. He was already going to london on business in the morning, possibly even to make sure he would have no trouble accessing her inheritance (though likely under the pretense of checking in on it so it would properly be distributed to her upon her marriage). If he’d managed to administer the poison that night, an early morning trip to the city might even give him an alibi - of course he hadn’t seen her since a decent hour the night before, he was up early to do business in town! He assumed the dear girl was still asleep. She works so hard, you know, and with her wedding coming up - and remembering her sister’s tragic demise only two years ago - she must be exhausted. Either the housekeeper would discover her death at some point in the day while he was gone, or he could “discover” her death quite late upon his return, leaving even less for the coroner to conclude, but that won’t stop him from trying again tomorrow night, since he can always adjust his story, with only the elderly housekeeper able to deny it. Imagine his surprise when he finds that she’s gone to London - to see a detective, no less! She has no evidence, and even if Holmes sees her bruises it’s not like he has any standing to intervene, but Roylott rages and threatens him anyway. And when Roylott finds Holmes and Watson on his estate at night, investigating, with his stepdaughter missing, he attacks them: one of them shoots him in self defense. It’s also possible that he did meet his end because of one of his exotic pets, loose in the night, while pursuing them. Nearly a decade later, perhaps immediately after successfully publishing a dramatic tale regarding he and Holmes coming to the aid of a young woman connected with exotic crimes in India, Watson recalls the adventure, begins to write it up, and realizes halfway through that it’s a simple tale of greed and cruelty. Eventually, he inserts the snake for a dash of the fantastic, obscures Helen’s identity further, and publishes it anyway, because although Helen is dead, he’s still proud of the work he and Holmes did saving her life, freeing her from her abusive stepfather, and allowing her to spend her too-brief married life in relative peace. If he had to, he’d do it again.

#Letters from Watson #inheritance crimes #murder #inferred racism #financial abuse #physical abuse #familial abuse #crimes in context

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we-are-inevitable · 2 months

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Your ask box is my kingdom, I am taking it over

But anyway I so badly want your thoughts on Jack and Davey in my college prof au please please please I know I haven't spoken about it on tumblr yet except from a little bit but I love your Javid so yeah

-has watched high school musical thank you very much

ok ok @roideny obvi this is your au but here are my Very Important thoughts bc i love them Very Much ugh. in love w them

David Jacobs-Kelly:

44 years old, born in ‘79

Undergrad: majored in English, minored in Creative Writing

Masters: Poetics and Theory AdvC- NYU

Doctorate: English and American Literature, thesis is over gender and sexuality in Shakespeare

he’s been Dr. Jacobs-Kelly for about seventeen years by the time the story takes place!

as a prof, he teaches a comp class, an honors comp (Critical Analysis and Writing), and some creative writing/poetry courses! he’s a very busy man.

he meets Race, Albert, and Finch because they’re students in his comp class!

when he’s not teaching, he’s really involved in the local queer scene. i feel like he’s a staple at drag brunches and pride celebrations; he’s not a huge club fan anymore but he still loves being Involved. growing up during the aids crisis is traumatizing at the least, and im sure he lost a few friends, so he stays up to date in the queer stuff to sort of honor them.

he marries jack in 2011 when gay marriage is legalized in new york!

he’s a huge shakespeare fan, as seen by his phd studies. he has a hamlet-inspired tattoo because he’s gay

tbh he probably has a cat named after shakespeare (they have two cats im calling it now. shakespeare and bryan, name courtesy of jack)

he and jack don’t have any kids, but he’s a loving fun uncle for Les and Sarah’s respective kids!

Jack Jacobs-Kelly:

45 years old, born in ‘78

Undergrad: Studio Art! but he dropped out after a semester <33

he just decided that college wasn’t for him. why pay money for something he doesn’t need?

he goes straight into a set design apprenticeship that medda helps him get! medda is his adoptive mom, so he’s been around queer spaces and theatre since he was around 15. he loves it, it’s his home

that being said he probably sells his own paintings and maybe does mural work on the side, he likes to keep busy and is invested in the art scene, and he meets davey when davey moves to New York for his masters! he’s the reason davey stays in NYC <33

he’s very eccentric, and very much doesn’t give a fuck. he’s a black queer man- the universe already nerfed him, so why worry about anything else? i can see him being the really go-with-the-flow husband to davey’s more tight-strung academic vibe. they really balance each other out

again, they don’t have kids, but i feel like this jack is very much For The Youths? i can see him volunteering a lot, working for organizations that help troubled kids get into the arts— i feel like it’s his passion project that makes him feel better when davey is busy at the university all day. in another life he’s a foster parent, but he and davey just don’t have the lifestyle to foster, so he focuses his energy elsewhere!

whenever davey “adopts” some freshmen he’s always on board. he really hits it off with Albert!

not as involved in the queer scene as davey, but his career is literally in musical theatre set design, so even if he’s not in the queer scene he’s In The Queer Scene

i don’t wanna talk about him losing medda but i can see him eventually inheriting the theater!

he loves his nieces and nephews! he’s a big family guy

Extra Thoughts:

jack and davey are a pair. they rarely go anywhere outside of work without each other, and they’re so, SO in love.

jack pretty regularly comes to see Davey while he’s at work; he’ll bring him lunch to office hours and pop in to watch him lecture from time to time.

davey attends the opening night of every show jack works on <33

their apartment is always a mess LMAO. davey has papers and books everywhere, there’s paint on the floor, brushes all over the place— it’s what happens when you cross a tired academic and an adhd creative. shit happens.

they actually stay pretty hip and on-trend? idk how it happens but jack is rlly good with youth culture and davey is on top of gay culture so like. yeah they work.

over summers and breaks, they travel a lot! not anything crazy expensive— they love international travel, but they’re also a big fan of road trips and rental cars!

they are my FAVORITES and i love them so much

#ugh el ily thank u for letting me contribute #jack kelly #davey jacobs #david jacobs #livesies #newsies musical #newsies #ask a jac !#elliot tag #prof davey au

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opedguy · 3 months

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Democrats Get Nothing From Trump’s Tax Returns

LOS ANGELES (OnlineColumnist.com), Dec. 30, 3033.--Democrats finally got the dirt on 76-year-old former President Donald Trump with the Supreme Court and House Ways and Means Committee releasing five years of the former president’s tax returns. Since Trump announced for president at Trump Tower in Manhattan June 17, 2015, Democrats and the press hounded him to release his tax returns. Seven years later, Democrats and the press finally get what they want in the most anti-climactic news event imaginable. What do middle class reporters know about any billionaire’s tax returns, other than feeling green with envy over the incredible wealth of certain lucky individuals. Democrats and the press got what they wanted Nov. 8, 2020 when Trump was bounced out of office. But releasing his tax returns did nothing to discredit the former president, or, for that matter, preventing him from running for president again in 2024;

Trump’s tax returns show his fantastic wealth but, more importantly, he uses IRS tax laws to his advantage as real estate investor. Trump fought releasing his tax returns over the last seven years thinking that ordinary people would hold his clever tax strategies against him in any future election. While Democrats and the press salivate, the public yawns about the release of Trump’s tax returns. “The Democrats should have never done it, the Supreme Court should have never approved it, and it’s going to lead to horrible things for so many people,” Trump said on his Truth Social network. Whether it leads to any consequences to ordinary citizens is anyone’s guess. Trump refers to the invasion of privacy, something that goes with the territory for politicians and celebrities. But with Democrats releasing Trump’s tax returns, they’ve accomplished nothing, most voters could care less.

Trump’s political problems in the 2020 campaign stemmed from Democrats and the media’s relentless demonization, blaming him for everything wrong with America. In 2020, Covid-19 was ravaging communities around the country, with hospitals and clinics slammed, with ordinary citizens dropping like flies. No one knew what to expect other than death-and-disease with no end in sight. Democrats and press made sure that Trump was blamed for the Covid-19 global pandemic, at least the U.S. response to the health crisis. Washington Post’s 79-year-old journalist Bob Woodward of Watergate fame and 82-year-old Dr. Anthony Fauci, heading Trump Covid-19 task force, teamed up to blame Trump for mishandling the crisis. Woodward joined the Democrat Party effort to blame Trump for the Covid-19 crisis, with Fauci giving nonstop interviews to the anti-Trump press.

Adding to the perfect storm against Trump, the May 25, 2020 death of George Floyd and months of race riots that followed was also blamed on Trump. Added together, Trump was so demonized by the time the election rolled around, 80-year-old President Joe Biden benefited from confluence of events. Trump didn’t know what hit him until Election Day, handing him a crushing defeat. Trump was in such disbelief that he lost to Biden, he thought the election was rigged or some type of massive fraud took place. No matter how much anyone looked for voter irregularities, nothing was ever found by election officials or courts of law. Trump insisted he was robbed of his second term, prompting Democrats to call his claims of voter fraud the “Big Lie.” But the “Big Lie” was not, as Democrats and the press said, a crime, only Trump’s expression his own eccentric opinion.

House Democrat spent 18 months and millions of dollars on the Jan. 6 House Select Committee hearings, in the most partisan and biased government hearings in U.S. history. House Democrats interviewed one thousand witnesses all with intent of blaming Trump from the Jan. 6 Capitol riots. Democrats, led by Rep. Jamie Raskin (D-Md.) failed to convict Trump in the U.S. Senate of “incitement of insurrection” Feb. 13, 2021, following up with the Jan. 6 House Select Committee. Democrats tried to prove Trump planned, orchestrated and colluded with right wing groups, the Oathkeepers and Proud Boys, to overturn the 2020 election results. All the Committee showed was that certain groups and individuals broke the law Jan. 6, 2021, vandalized the Capitol and paid a draconic price with long jail sentences. Democrats and the press conflate Jan. 6 rabble-rousers with Trump.

Democrats and the press have spent years trying to frame Trump on a variety of spurious charges. For his 2016 presidential campaign, the FBI, under Obama White House approval, tried to frame his as Russian asset, claiming he colluded wit the Kremlin to win the 2016 election. Former FBI Director James Comey, 62, spent years trying to frame Trump using former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton’s fake Steele dossier, totally fabricated paid opposition research. New York Times and Washington Post won Pulitzer Prizes for fake reporting on Trump’s alleged ties to Russia. Trump’s team exposed a monstrous conspiracy at the DOJ, FBI, CIA and National Security Agency [NSA] to frame Trump as a Russian asset. Not one Democrat or media organization ever admitted apologized to Trump for their fabricated Russian conspiracy stories. Trump is left shaking his head with what happened to him.

About the Author

John M. Curtis writes politically neutral commentary analyzing spin in national and global news. He’s editor of OnlineColumnist.com and author of Dodging The Bullet and Operation Charisma.

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tr-central · 8 months

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Tumblronpa Awards 2022: Nomination List

(as of: August 6, 2022; GMT+8)

If you haven't nominated anyone/anything yet or wish to go through nomination again, vote here.

Here is a list of the nominees so far:

Games Category

Favorite Game:

The Ultimate Academy: Class 79’s Killing Game (@mentally-ell)

Danganronpa V5 (@danganronpav5 )

Danganronpa: Virtue’s End (@dr-virtues-end)

Danganronpa: Shining Stars (@dr-shining-stars)

Favorite School:

Hope’s Peak Academy (The Ultimate Academy)

DanganTown (@danganrompav4-duality)

Aldersflugel College (Virtue’s End)

Hope's Peak Academy? (@dr-hidden-paradise)

Favorite Storyline:

The Ultimate Academy

Virtue’s End

Favorite Headmaster:

Monokuma (V5)

Second/Einar (Virtue’s End)

Monojishin and Monohanikamu (V4)

Monosame and Monosaru (@academy-of-despair)

Favorite Mastermind:

Elsa Oldenburg (The Ultimate Academy)

"Third" (Virtue’s End)

Favorite Ship:

Elsa × Aya (The Ultimate Academy)

Batto × Keith × Rose (The Ultimate Academy)

Aliza × Yuraih (The Ultimate Academy)

Kaori × Cherrie (Virtue's End)

Norman × Cherrie × Akio (V5)

Phenya × Suzume (Virtue's End)

Favorite Case:

Chapter 4 (The Ultimate Academy)

Chapter 5 (The Ultimate Academy)

Chapter 6 (The Ultimate Academy)

Chapter 2 (Virtue's End)

Favorite Talent:

Ultimate Politician

Ultimate Journalist

Ultimate Hostess

Ultimate Polymath

Ultimate Butler

Ultimate Cult Leader

Ultimate Vulture

Ultimate V-Tuber

Characters Category

Protagonist Award:

Elsa Oldenburg (The Ultimate Academy/V5) (@mentally-ell)

Kaori Suzuki (V5/Virtue's End) (@castleofsweetanxiousness)

Soo-Min Kang (The Ultimate Academy) (@k0rek1yos)

Haruhi (The Ultimate Academy) (if you know his last name, hmu)

Yuraih Makoneru (The Ultimate Academy) (@joficeandwind)

Maki Kuromoto (Shining Stars) (@ultreservecoursestudent)

Support Character Award:

Kaori Suzuki (V5/Virtue's End)

Hestia Pendragon (V5) (@kantah)

Batto Nise (The Ultimate Academy) (@jesskass)

Catherine Lewis (Virtue’s End)

Soo-Min Kang (The Ultimate Academy)

Hayami Fujiwara (Virtue's End) (@velvetyshu)

Cherrie Moreau (Virtue's End/V5) (@shadestar413)

Antagonist Award:

Phenya (Virtue’s End) (@ohlookitsnormannn)

Norman Costaluz (The Ultimate Academy)

Deserved Better Award:

Aliza Saphree (The Ultimate Academy/Virtue’s End) (@alizachan)

Sophia P.K. (The Ultimate Academy) (@herr-aka-somecutenerd)

Dasha D.F. (The Ultimate Academy)

Kaori Suzuki (Virtue's End)

Kenneth Luck (The Ultimate Academy) (@ultfanboy)

Suzume Saihara (Virtue's End)

Best Drip Award:

Elsa Oldenburg (The Ultimate Academy)

Akio Sunobu (V5)

Soo-Min Kang (The Ultimate Academy)

Jonathan Robert (Virtue’s End)

Norman Costaluz (The Ultimate Academy/V5)

Suzume Saihara (Virtue's End)

Wholesome Award:

Rose Anderson (The Ultimate Academy)(@starsaver94)

Soo-Min Kang (The Ultimate Academy)

Aliza Saphree (The Ultimate Academy)

Cherrie Moreau (V5/Virtue's End)

Yami Beok (Hidden Paradise)

Spouse Material Award: (formerly named Cool Spouse Award)

Aya Kawaragi (The Ultimate Academy) (@newdanganronpaanotherv3)

Katsu/Azamuku Saihara (The Ultimate Academy)

Kaori Suzuki (Virtue's End)

Rose Anderson (The Ultimate Academy)

Darcy King (Shining Stars)

Norman Costaluz (V5)

Suzume Saihara (Virtue's End)

Character Development Award:

Rose Anderson (The Ultimate Academy)

Batto Nise (The Ultimate Academy)

Katsu/Azamuku Saihara (The Ultimate Academy)

Norman Costaluz (The Ultimate Academy)

Elsa Oldenburg (The Ultimate Academy)

Kaori Suzuki (Virtue's End)

Phenya (Virtue's End)

#tra 2022

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lewishamil10n · 1 year

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Foreman appreciation FTW! I have this headcanon that Foreman was significantly older than Cameron and Chase(5 to 7 years age gap),and he got into med school a bit later in life. Omar was born in 73, while Jennifer and Jesse were born in 79. Not only that,but maybe Foreman being poor and not having nearly as many opportunities as Allison "probably middle class" Cameron and Robert "at the very least upper middle class" Chase delayed his being a doctor. On a less dramatic note,it would be pretty funny to see 31 yo Foreman being done with 25 yo Chase and Cameron,lol.

hell yeah eric foreman stan club!!!

oh i definitely think he's older, if we're going by the actors' ages. plus we know he's had jobs before house, he's got a mentor in LA (the guy in 1.09 - DNR) and one in NY Mercy (dr. cofield from 8x11 - nobody's fault) so at least two jobs. meanwhile for chase and cameron the impression was always that they're kind of new to this, especially chase. so i don't quite know if he got into med school late, but i think that his being a bit older than his colleagues can also be due to the fact that unlike them, he's not fresh out of med school. my personal headcanon re: his education is that he got a full scholarship to undergrad, but he worked as much as he could anyway to save money for med school and minimize the amount of loans he'd have to take out.

oh yes hahaha foreman's very Tired around these kids lmao he's always like "man do all people in their twenties have this much energy" and chase is like "my guy you're 31 not 41...." it's not his fault though foreman was just born with Tired Dad energy.

#eric foreman #house md #non spn #asks #anonymous

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holdmecloser-gandydancer · 1 year

Note

okay bestie.. 79 (Staying by their side when they've been hospitalized) I’m gonna let u pick th characters though

This is absolutely a follow-up to this one-shot I wrote!!

Taako feels too fatigued to open his eyes. He’s undoubtedly awake, but the whole getting his body to catch up with his mind feels like a lot of work at this point. He hears pages turning quietly in a head to head showdown with an orchestra of electronic little beeps. He feels a thin, scratchy blanket caught in his grasp. The pillow under his head is sad and a little flat. He’s got cottonmouth something awful and that smell—all antiseptic and artificial oranges—it’s enough to make him want to crawl out a window.

Though, as he shifts and feels his ribs scream in protest, he has a feeling that crawling might be out of the question for a while.

“Taako?” A soft voice asks.

His eyes flutter open and he blinks in confusion at his surroundings before his gaze lands firmly on the inhabitant of the uncomfortable looking chair next to his bed. “Kravitz? What’re you doing here?” Taako’s voice is still more of a wheeze but he can see Kravitz visibly relax.

“Uh. How much do you remember?” Kravitz looks sheepish and for a moment, Taako can’t figure out why. He’s more focused on trying to figure out why Kravitz is even here. Kravitz can’t really stand him so why’s he here in the hospital, sitting in a chair, reading a book, seeing Taako? Moreover, why’s Taako in the—wait a minute.

“You hit me with your fucking car!” Taako exclaims, a disbelieving grin on his face.

“And here I was hoping that I was able to knock that little detail out of your noggin,” Kravitz says drily though a smile fights its way to his face. He sets the book he’s been reading down on his lap and gives Taako his full attention.

“Am I dying?”

A snort escapes Kravitz. “Decidedly not. Just a few bruised ribs. They were worried about internal bleeding –“

“I feel like internal bleeding would be a good thing. That’s where blood’s supposed to be.”

“—but they think you managed to dodge it,” Kravitz presses on past Taako’s quip.

“Where’s Lup?” Taako leans to the side in an attempt to grab a glass of water. He exhales sharply when he leans too far. Kravitz wordlessly grabs the glass and holds it out to Taako.

“She’s down getting a coffee with Barry. They’ll be back in about ten minutes. Just needed caffeine and some air.”

Taako chugs half the glass in a few seconds before holding it out to Kravitz.

“How long have I been asleep?”

Kravitz glances at his watch as he returns the glass to Taako’s bedside table. “Mmm, four, maybe five hours?”

Taako gapes at Kravitz. “Why the hell are you still here, dude? I know you’ve probably got some sick plans. Maybe a long night of organizing your stamp collection?”

He shrugs, ignoring the slight dig. “I dunno, I still feel really bad about the whole hitting you with my car thing. And I didn’t want you to wake up alone and freak out.”

The snappy retort Taako was getting ready to make dies in his throat. This kind of compassion isn’t something he ever expected to receive from Kravitz. Not because he though Kravitz wasn’t capable, but because Taako was uncertain that he’d ever do anything to deserve it. And he’s still unsure that just being hit by Kravitz’s car qualifies him for the treatment, but he’ll take it nonetheless.

“Besides,” Kravitz says quickly, “Gives me time to work on some reading.” He holds up a book Taako recognizes; it’s one he absolutely should have started for class but is assuredly sitting under an empty coffee mug back at his apartment.

“So glad that this whole ordeal’s given you a quiet place to study,” Taako says wryly. He’s a little delighted to see Kravitz duck his head in an attempt to hide his smile.

“Well, Taako, this whole thing has done nothing but benefit me.” Kravitz deadpans. “I mean, quiet place to study, Dr. Queen’s given us an extension on the project, and I get to see you not completely put together for once.”

“And you’re happy about that?”

Kravitz shrugs. “Reminds me that you’re human.”

“And slamming into me with your murder machine doesn’t?” Taako asks, a smirk settling onto his face.

“Not quite.”

Taako breathes out a laugh before wincing as his ribs punish him for finding anything in this situation amusing. “Well,” he points to the book in Kravitz’s hand, “What’s Yuval Harari’s verdict on what makes us human?”

Kravitz raises his eyebrows. “You wanna turn your hospital stay into a Socratic seminar?”

Taako nods. “Yeah. I mean, I got a captive audience who’s actually done the reading. I can just piggyback off your points and make myself sound smart.”

“You don’t need my points to sound smart, Taako.”

In spite of himself, a smile twists onto his face. “Yeah, I know. Just wanted to make you feel good about yourself.”

“That what that was?”

“Sure was. Did it work?”

Kravitz thinks for a minute. “Think so.” He glances back at Taako before glancing back at the book. “Uh, Lup is threatening to kick my ass, though.”

Taako bites his lip and looks like he’s contemplating something major. “I guess I could ask her to not.”

“I mean, I’d owe you.”

“Don’t think I won’t collect on that.”

“I know you will.”

“Anything I want?”

Kravitz opens his mouth to answer but sees that mischievous glint in Taako’s eye. “Within reason,” he says at last.

Taako rolls his eyes fondly. “You’re no fun.”

“Getting hit by a car isn’t fun?”

“You know what? How about I return the favor and you tell me!”

Kravitz sucks in a breath. "Hmm, gonna have to pass, I think."

Taako scoffs. "Loser. Stop changing the subject. Educate me."

Taako gets comfortable as Kravitz launches into a lecture about the author's view of early humans.

Getting hit by a car sucks but this part? Secretly, Taako could get used to this part.

#listen if nothing else I think it's cute #taz #taz balance #taakitz #taakitz au #taako #kravitz #the adventure zone #tazb #reese writes #prompt fill #car accident tw #hospitalization tw

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putaindeplagieur · 3 months

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Danganronpa: Characterization and Evolution across Perceptions and Interpretation.

Okay, so basically, this was supposed to be a reblog of a discussion of characters, but I felt the need to give my piece of mind. For context, view this one,

https://www.tumblr.com/vergilsama922/704831097102598144/if-you-want-a-more-analytical-take-on-queen-of

Since I’m in a talking, since everyone is giving their opinions on everything, why not join?

Fair warning though... this is gonna be long. Hope you have some pop-corn.

I’m not going to add anything about the ambiguous characters because everything was said... except for Junko and Mukuro.

I think I need to remind everyone that while all of those points about Junko and Mukuro are valid... every character is supposed to be a parody of certain stereotypes of characters. The average goody-two shoes protagonist, the violent brute with a moral code, the honorable warrior, the arrogant rich boy, the mysterious girl, the fat otaku, the manipulaitve lolita, ect.

And for Junko and Mukuro? Those are supposed to be the Ultimate Bad Guy and Lackey, respectively. People who parodies evil bad lords in fiction and those who mindlessly support them.

Now, that doersn’t mean that excuse what they’ve done, quite the opposite. Just knowing that those you hate parodies of stereotypes doesn’t mean you have to like or dislike them. Those who hate Junko and Mukuro has very good reasons to do so. You can find a person entertaining (Celes), interesting (Monaca), have soft spot for them (Hiyoko and her backstory), BUT! Ultimately, the choice of liking or disliking them is up to you.

I’m simply saying that, all characters have various level of depthsdepths, depending of the support they appeared in as. For instance, in my opinion, Toko Fukawa is not that great of a character in Trigger Happy Havoc, despite her having the niche of a double personality and being a survivor. But her time in Ultra Despair Girls (her bonding with Komaru and her evolution alongside Syo) really managed to elevate her as one of the best characters. (And God knows she needed it).

The thing is, there’s a lot of factors that needs to be taken account. A visual novel game and a novel has a lot more time to developp some characters than an anime or a manga. Which is why the formers are overall considered as better than the latters. But it also depends of the context same support has. Hope vs Despair, Truth vs Lies, Present vs Future, Killing vs Saving, Talk vs Action, ect.

Aaaand it also depends on the author, who might like or dislike some characters and thus decides to either not give them that much material or backstory compared to others, or get rid of them first. Looking at Sayaka and Leon who were the first one that Kodaka designed, and were among the first victims because he was sick of seeing them.

Ouch. Way to please those who liked them.

An author is not perfect, as you can see. An author is, last time I checked, human. And every decision they make impacts their support no matter what they do. As a result, some characters ends up having the short end of the stick... or no stick at all. Looking at Bandai who barely got any character at all.

And let’s not forget that Koda isn’t the only scenarist in the DR Team. Just look at DR3, Killer Killer, the novel Togami, the visual novel Kirigiri Sou... yeah, sometimes, they make very, VERY questionnable tropes No spoilers, but look at the official wikias... you’re in for a doozy.

But nonetheless, it inspires others to make their own stories with their own goals in mind... and thus, they are bound not just to make the same mistakes, but to make their own.

FINALLY, we’re talking about LINUJ and his storytelling skills.

Now, I will say, LINUJ was able to use canon and make his story fit very well with the lore. Class 79 escaping the school, showing the Tragedy and its effects. The Ultimate Despair’s influence, who aren’t brainwashed this time around (even though in a realistic way, I do think that the brainwashing could have been good if it wasn’t the ONLY reason Junko gained her lackeys). The Divine Luck theme, which I believe is an interesting take considering luck has always been a stample of the story. Not to mention, the murders. Jesus, say whatever you want, but at least LINUJ knows how to surpass DR when it comes to gore.

Now, for the negative traits. To me, some characters are just... level DR3 when it comes to development. not kidding, Kizuna could have been interesting to work with despite her attitude. She could have been a Ruruka better developped. But no, that didn’t happen. Same thing for Nikei, who turns ourt to be just a manipulative bastard with an inferiority complex.

And the whole thing about Kanade. @a-student-out-of-time already explained why her being who she ended up was shitty, so let’s not beat what would be, at this point, a dead horse.

As well as some murders not being necessary. Poor Kanata deserved better, MUCH better than what she got. All because LINUJ wanted to copy the formula.

See what I mean? Everyone has a different approach with a different cast of characters. For me, I would never be able to write a killing game, because it would mean I would never make anyone suffer death by murder, even though I dislike some.

Like Haiji, Mitch, Kyosuke, Juzo, Ruruka, Kanade, Hiyoko, Byakuya, Kaito (the Japanese version), Kokichi (the American version), and so many others.

The one who can choose whatever you think of someone is yourself And if you’re an artist like a writer or on koihatsu... well, you can use your skills to show the portrait you’ve made of this character.

Whenever this portrait is good or bad is another debate entirely,.

Now, I know I’ve been on a long-ass tangent now, but let’s talk about my personal opinion on certain characters.

Makoto Naegi, for instance, is my favorite protagonist, if not my favorite character. Because he’s kind, understanding, and most of all, he didn’t give up in adversity. He’s someone I can relate to because of those traits and more. Not to mention, he can be shipped with many, MANY people because of his traits. That’s why people like myself or my good friend wesst1 on fanfiction, @vergilsama922 and @pyropsychiccollector works on either fanfictions, or in the latters case, an entire AU, with him paired with a MASSIVE amount of girls.

Yeah, I should probably go back to writing by now. Not just my fics, but this is for another time

Right. But with all of this said, I have to admit... he’s not the best protagonist in the franchise.

That title would belong to Hajime Hinata. Because he, in my opinion, is much more developped that Makoto. A talentless guy who craved to have something to be proud of, and being pressured by his inferiority complex to join a project dehumanizing him to make him represent something toxic... only to be used to represent the opposite. This, and many other factors, help him rise to the top.

At the opposite side of the spectrum... Kyosuke Munakata and Juzo Sakakura.

Those two were preszented as people who wanted to get rid of the corruption at HPA... and decided to kill all despairs during the Tragedy. In itself, Kyosuke especially, pose a potential good foil to Makoto, as he seems more realistic, and thinks that sometimes, in order to save people, you need to take another life. Which in itself is pretty messed up, but in a world when the people have no problem killing anyone, is not that morally grey and sometimes necessary in this context. Legitimate defense and such, even with brainwashing in play.

My problem with those is that, for the latter... well, he chose to save his own secret over the lives of billions. Even though he swore to help Kyosuke... and he lashes out at anyone because of it, specifically, the one who stopped Junko in the first place. Not to mention, what he did with Hajime.

And Kyosuke, well... we don’t see him kill Despairs because it was necessary. We see him killing his comrades. Yes, he was manipulated into hating the Despairs, and Chisa’s death set him ablaze... but his disregard of Makoto and co’s trauma due to the killing game and his inability to understand hope and despair (who are at the core human emotions), makes me question: what did he really want for Hope’s Peak Academy? Did he really wanted the good for everyone, or did he just wanted to sit on the headmaster’s chair, like he said in DR3 Despair?

"For the sin of laying a hand on my school, you will pay the price."

That... that is pretty arrogant in my opinion. And with all of that, wesst1 and I took it into account, and decided to make those two bad guys.

Those two can be good allies, like @a-student-out-of-time is most likely gonna do. It’s a matter of approach.

Everyone has their likes and dislikes, and everyone is going to use a character differently from another writer.

The most important thing, for me... is to manage to use those traits, to help build up a good story.

...I think I said everything I needed to say for now. But perhaps you want to hear my opinion on other matters regarding Danganronpa?

I’ll most likely do it anyway, but your opinion is welcome.

#danganronpa #mod talks #makoto naegi #hajime hinata #danganronpa another despair academy #kyosuke munakata

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hopeymchope · 1 year

Text

An overview of the “Danganronpa S: Ultimate Summer Camp” AU

There are some interesting divergences from the other timelines within the reality of Danganronpa S — and I don’t just mean the obvious main plot in which the characters are about to graduate when they attend a VR summer camp. Some of this stuff is backstory that is only explained via specific character scenes you can get on Friendship squares. Some of it is just some throwaway dialogue casually referenced between unrelated characters. Some of it is blatantly stated during story cut scenes. And some of it is changes to the characters which... I can’t help but wonder if it’s caused by this writing team not “getting” the characters right, or if these are intentional deviations.

So - without any significant spoilers - I’m going to run down 10 most noteworthy aspects of this new Danganronpa universe as revealed through “Development” mode and the progressively unlocked story chapters.

1) The casts of DR1, DR2, and DRV3 are graduating from Hope’s Peak concurrently in this reality. Ultimate Talent Development Plan portrayed them as classes 78, 77-B, and 79 respectively, but in DRS, they are all the same age and are simply in separate classrooms within the same year. (Which number class of Hope’s Peak are they in this reality? That’s... not specified as far as I’ve seen.)

2) Monokuma is a robot created by Junko, of course. He is not controlled directly by her as he was in DR1, however; he operates independently here, just as he did in UTDP and V3. And we learn that Hope’s Peak has let the little bastard run amok on campus for three straight years because they consider his presence/influence to be part of how Junko is developing her talents. *facepalm*

3) Usami is a robot (implied to have been created by Gekkogahara, althought she’s never named) to serve Hope’s Peak’s students... who the Monokuma robot forcibly converted into “Monomi” immediately on her first goddamn day of service. Because of COURSE he did.

Not even Kazuichi and Miu’s combined power can restore her Usami-ness.

4) Maki Harukawa is legitimately dual-talented here! Her “cover story” talent from the main V3 canon and from UTDP is now a legit, confirmed talent she has in addition to her secret one. She doesn’t fully understand why she has it or necessarily want to have it, but she still demonstrates that talent whether she intends to or not.

5) Some of the playthroughs you have to do on the “Development” board game are absolutely non-canon, even within this AU. Specfiically: Izuru Kamakura, Usami, and Junko Enoshima. Do you have to complete playthroughs with them in order to reach the end of the canon story? Yes. Does anything you see in their cut scenes or Friendship Square scenes actually count as canon within that story? Absolutely not. These characters are definitively established in the main storyline to NOT be present within the Neo World Program. Funnily enough, however, some of these characters do share events with each other that can be encountered in either characters’ playthroughs... so I guess they share a bubble sub-universe?

*WAVES HANDS FRANTICALLY* THIS IS NOT REALLY HAPPENING. IGNOOOOOOORE THIIIIIIIIIIIS!

6) As was the case with Ultimate Talent Development Plan, there are some story threads that run across multiple character playthroughs in the “Development” board game, so you can gradually build a more complete picture of what goes down during everybody’s time in the Neo World PRogram. I always liked that aspect of UTDP, and it’s cool to see it here once more. You can gradually piece together the story of various characters putting on a play, the mystery of the photos Mahiru doesn’t remember, These include the the characters putting on a play of “Momotaro,” the mystery of the photos that Mahiru doesn’t remember taking, the odd rivalry between Masaru and Gundham, and more.

7) Much weirder, there are some cut scenes/dialogue that are DIRECT FOLLOW-UPS to scenes from Ultimate Talent Development Plan! Even though this clearly isn’t the same AU as UTDP! For example: Hagakure has a scene where he’s talking about “Atua” and recommending that a character go to Angie to sacrifice some blood for Atua. Given that he shares no scenes with Angie in the entire game, this makes no sense unless you take into account the scenes from UTDP where Angie convinced him to believe in Atua. Furthermore, Tenko actually references this dialogue exchange from UTDP at one point. And Kaede seems to be doing her best to befriend Izuru Kamukura in a way that harkens back to their interactions in UTDP. As I said, it’s all kind of weird.

Tsumiki has sacrificed enough already, but thanks.

8) If you’re wondering “Does character x still have that one part of their backstory/personality that some fans didn’t like/wanted them to get over in the DRS universe?” Sorry, but the answer is almost universally YES. All the kids from Ultra Despair Girls still have the same experiences, they all still despise adults, and they remain determined to never grow up, and they remain completely worshipful of Monaca. The culprit of V3′s third chapter is exactly the same as they ever were, so if you didn’t like the reveals about that person’s nature? Sorry; it’s exactly the same here.

There is ONE exception to this: The mastermind to DRV3, who has a secret side that is kept merely ambiguous throughout any given run on the “Development” board. This might be a world where they aren’t psychotic.

9) If you’re wondering “Is there a Despair plot in this universe?” the answer is “Yes.” The Despair plot isn’t unveiled until the final chapter that you can only unlock after completing Development mode with all 62 characters, though, so I’m not going to really get into it here. Suffice to say that it’s not the same one seen in UTDP, further cementing that this is a separate universe in spite of the references I mentioned under point #7 above. (And as I already stated elsewhere: Don’t start the last chapter without building up a strong team of characters in the Despair Tower. You’ll regret it if you don’t.)

10) Sadly, some characters seem to be more squarely fixated on one specific aspect of their character than ever before. A big example here is Toko Fukawa/Genocide(r). Toko and her alter ego are more obsessed with Togami than ever before (which is really saying something). The characters are very near to graduation in this game, and yet Toko is still silently following Togami around like it’s Chapter 2 of DR1, constantly stalking him from the sidelines. The fixation is even more noticeable in Genocide Jack’s scenes, though, because almost ALL of them are centered around her non-stop obsession with her “White Knight.” She had a much broader range of behaviors within DR1, UDG, or UTDP, but the DRS universe pretty much narrows her down to being a Togami simp and little else.

(...................... And this is just my two cents, but I legitimately suspect this is the current writing team desperately trying to insist that Toko and Jack/Syo are absolutely, completely straight. :-/)

She’s only got one thing on her mind now, and it’s not even murder.

Questions Without Answers:

- It is completely unclear what the Monokubs’ role within Hope’s Peak is. Who constructed them? Why? It is often referenced that they are supposedly “Monokuma’s children” (...so did Monokuma build them?), and for that reason, many of the students inherently distrust them. But they also are directly working in the interest of Hope’s Peak to serve the intention of this incarnation of the Neo World Program (...did Hope’s Peak staff build them?), so for that reason, many students have befriended them. Ultimately, the latter group is correct; they are genuinely trying to be helpful through most of the story But we still never learn where they came from or why they behave how they do.

- Shirokuma and Kurokuma are here because...... why, exactly? Who built them (...Junko, I presume? Unless it was Monaca doing it for “Big Sis”?) and for what purpose? I mean, Monokuma is already here. And Junkuro, too. Is there anything that Shirokuma and Kurokuma need to contribute?

#dr1 spoilers #danganronpa s #danganronpa s: ultimate summer camp #danganronpa au #danganronpa #drs #danganronpa s au

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hummingbird-of-light · 6 months

Text

Against All Odds

Part 79

McCoy

McCoy woke up with a plan. He grinned to himself as he got dressed and left the room quietly so Spock could finish his meditating. He was early for breakfast so he made his way to the main hall between the dining halls.

Christine was standing with a group chatting, but came over when she saw him.

“Well?” she asked for his ears only.

He nodded. She smiled back. He was glad they had become friends and could understand each other.

“Come on,” she said and held his arm. She brought him over to the group she had been standing with.

Classes drug on, but McCoy was engaged. He missed Dr. Boyce’s easy way of teaching, but he was getting used to each instructor’s style. He hated to admit that it was a nice change.

After his last class, he took his things to his room. Then he began a slow walk to the pool. McCoy couldn’t help the smile spreading on his face again. It wouldn’t exactly be a lie. He did want to be in the water again. He missed afternoons racing against Leah.

McCoy was disappointed when Archer said the pool wasn’t open, but he did get a surprise when the teacher asked him to stay and help. Scotty was fighting a smile where he was sitting on the pool deck behind Archer.

He hurried to the change room. He pressed his mouth together tightly to avoid a joyful laugh. They could be together right in front of Archer! He’d never know and he was the one who suggested it.

“If you’d like to take a lap or two first your highness,” Archer said when McCoy returned, “please do.”

“Please sir, call me Leonard.” McCoy said it with just a touch of despair. Just a touch. He’d said it to the man so many times already.

Archer nodded. It was something. McCoy dove in and swam a lap and back. He pulled himself up on his arms at the edge near Scotty and Archer.

“Would you please show Mr. Scott an easy back float… Leonard?” Archer asked.

McCoy felt his mouth trembling trying not to smile. He could see the struggle on the teacher’s face as he used McCoy’s name. He pushed gently off the wall and laid back in the water. He closed his eyes for a moment and took a deep breath.

“Any way you can keep yourself up is good,” Archer was saying to Scotty. “Dog paddling, floating, whatever. Just not panicking. Getting more comfortable in the water will help.”

Archer asked McCoy to swim a forward stroke. He made Scotty practice the arm movements where he was sitting. McCoy couldn’t help a smile. Archer was a good teacher, even if he had some wrong ideas about McCoy. He could see the care he was putting into this private lesson.

“It may seem tricky at first,” Archer continued, “but it becomes second nature.” He paused again before he got McCoy’s name out. “Leonard, will you show us how to turn and breath as you go? A slow demonstration, please?”

McCoy swam halfway and back.

“Now, Mr. Scott, do you think you would like to get in and try?”

McCoy watched Scotty nod nervously.

“I’ll stay right by you, if you like,” he offered. “Until you’re comfortable.” He smiled pleasantly at Scotty.

“And I will come in too,” Archer said. “If at any time you don’t feel safe, let us know.”

Scotty nodded again and came to the edge of the pool. Slowly he lowered himself in, holding tight to the edge.

“Let’s do a float first,” Archer said. “It may feel strange to have your ears under, but we will be right here.” He nodded to McCoy, and McCoy nodded back.

Slowly Scotty let go of the edge and McCoy had his hands close to Scotty’s back, to help him into his float. He could see the flash of fear in Scotty’s eyes, so he reached over and squeezed Scotty’s hand reassuringly.

“You’re doing great,” he encouraged him.

Part 80

Scotty

His whole body was shivering when he got into the pool. Scotty loved water. He really did. He loved the rain. He loved to watch the sea or the lake.

But to feel himself covered in the wet element was always a strange sensation. The pool wasn't too chilly, the water was fine. So that wasn't the reason he was trembling. It... was the fact that he was scared. He couldn't stand in the pool.

But... he trusted Leonard. And, though he hated to admit it, Archer too. They were close by.

Archer was watching from the edge while Leonard helped the Scotsman into a float.

The water touched his head and he unwillingly flinched at the odd feeling. Fear made his chest tighten. But he wasn't alone.

Leonard quickly grabbed his hand and squeezed it.

"You're doing great."

Scotty moved his eyes to look at the prince's face. He didn't dare to move his head completely.

"Just relax."

Leonard's voice was so soothing. Carefully Scotty followed his advice and one by one his muscles relaxed.

He... was floating. He was lying in the water!

He lowered his head a bit more and the sensation Archer had mentioned earlier set in. His ears were underwater. At first it scared him a lot. He couldn't hear anything but the water. It filled his ears.

But eventually when he felt Leonard's hand on his back, he knew he was safe. He closed his eyes for a moment... and suddenly his body moved.

Scotty's heart stopped for a moment but when he opened his eyes again he saw that everything was fine.

Leonard was swimming and pulling him along.

There was a soft smile on his face.

"It's okay. I'm here."

He could hear it. Leonard's voice was fade but he could make out the words.

Scotty nodded and let the prince guide him.

He didn't know how long they had been floating in the water, but out of nowhere Scott heard another voice.

"That's enough for today!"

He felt Leonard moving a little bit faster and soon enough they were back at the edge.

Slowly, Leonard helped Scotty back into an upright position in the water.

The Scotsman looked up to to see Archer standing outside the pool.

Right... he had been here with them. Scotty had forgotten about that.

All he had thought of was Leonard carrying him through the water. Them floating. To be honest, it... had kinda felt like flying.

"Come on, Mr. Scott."

He looked at the outstretched hand of Archer and took it gratefully. With his and Leonard's help, Scotty managed to get out of the pool.

His body felt kinda strange after the time in the water. Archer helped him over to a bench where he sat down.

"Are you alright, Mr. Scott?"

He nodded slowly.

"A-aye, I am. Thanks."

Scotty's eyes moved over to Leonard who got out of the water all by himself.

"Thanks Leonard."

For a moment Scotty was scared about how Archer would react to him calling Leonard by his name, but by now the head of the house seemed to understand that it was the prince's wish.

"It was my pleasure, Scotty," Leonard replied with a smile.

"I think we'll resume the training next Wednesday," Archer suggested and Scotty nodded.

"Aye, I... would like that very much."

Leonard looked from Scotty to Archer.

"Would... you mind if I'd be there too, sir? If you allow it, I'd like to help more."

Scotty was surprised to see Archer nodding. He... was okay with that?

"Of course. I believe that you are a great role model... Mr. McCoy."

Now that was new. But Scotty supposed that it didn't feel right to Archer after all to call Leonard by his first name. So he chose to use his last name like he did with every other student.

It made Leonard smile even brighter.

"Thank you, sir."

They fell silent for a while before Archer cleared his throat.

"Well then... you should change and get ready for dinner."

The two boys nodded and quickly made their way to the change room.

There was nobody there. Nobody... but them.

#star trek #montgomery scott #leonard mccoy #scones #au #against all odds #archer #swimming lessons

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spontaneousglitterbees · 1 month

Note

It's been mentioned that Kokichi has some phantom pains and he has clear mobility issues (love that btw as someone who uses a cane), so I was curious how the rest of the class is doing in that regard. Does Kaito ever struggle to breathe or have coughing fits? Do Rantaro and Angie get migraines?

[Talent Acquisition Pilot Program AU Masterpost]

This one. This one got away from me.

tl;dr: Absolutely, Anon, we are on very similar pages! This ask really got me thinking about how the whole TAPP!cast is doing fresh out of the Killing Game. Every student in Class 79 is going through something, about now, be it physical or mental; in fact, it’s usually both.

Also: for sure, I want to try and be relatively true-to-life with their struggles, especially Kokichi’s. I write from personal experience living with chronic pain, but haven’t used a cane before. Apologies if I miss the mark at any point.

Obligatory disclaimer: I am not a healthcare professional of any kind and the AU’s premise is largely sci-fi, so there may be inaccuracies. That said, I am fascinated with biomechanics and always looking to learn, so I’m trying to keep things at least semi-plausible.

Full spoilers for Danganronpa V3 (and some for the end of SDR2) ahead!

Very Long Loredump (~6.2k words) under the cut:

HOW COULD THIS HAPPEN?

Everyone is traumatized. That much is obvious, sure, but the Talent Acquisition Pilot Program (TAPP) is a virtual reality simulator based on the bones of the Neo World Program (NWP). In much the way SDR2’s NWP is purported to replicate death in the simulation in the players’ real bodies, the TAPP simulation is built to alter the brain chemistry of its participants. TAPP builds muscle memory and ‘burns’ new neural pathways to a participant’s Default Mode Network (DMN), a collective term for parts of the brain responsible for letting us “autopilot” common tasks like riding a bike or typing on a keyboard. The V3 cast’s experiences in the simulation impact their real bodies in a very literal sense to ‘speedrun’ them through orientation at Hope’s Peak and mainstream them in the curriculum as quickly as possible so its researchers can start collecting useful data on the merits of HPA for investors.

The problem is, nobody programming TAPP anticipated they would start killing each other.

Class 79 were the first human test subjects for the program with zero peer review or board approval, of course, because HPA is morally dubious and can pass off “dude, trust me” as genuine credentials to several world governments. Even if this massive oversight was not noticed until after the fact, V1 of TAPP did at least include one quasi-safety feature: if any player became “significantly injured”, that player would be ejected from the simulation. Everyone else would be locked in the simulation (in case one of them was involved and tried to evade consequences) until an administrator could come and manually assess the situation. In theory, the physically-unharmed student could rejoin the simulation once the conflict was resolved.

But TAPP was built to write data to the brain. It was not built to identify what data it’s actually writing, and cannot differentiate between playing the piano and getting smashed in a hydraulic press. Data is data.

It does not help that Team Danganronpa (the group of Reserve Course kids, including Tsumugi) are foolish teenagers entirely unaware of this, assuming that “none of it is real, so none of it will actually matter! we’re just scaring them!” While skimming through the code and thoroughly Knowing Not What They Do, they manage to remove any defined cap for what constitutes ‘significant injury’ before player ejection. The only flag that can set it off is a lack of any other player flags. Virtual death.

This is where Rantaro earns the title of “Ultimate Survivor”. The shotput ball put him down too quickly for the damage to be fully reflected in his physical body, so he managed to get ejected with post-concussive symptoms, short-term memory issues, and persistent migraines instead of fully dying. Were his method of death much slower, he’d likely have been screwed (and wouldn’t have Komaeda’s luck cycle to save him).

Time scales differently in TAPP than in the physical world; while Rantaro’s been at the virtual Academy for several days, the students have been strapped in their pods for a few hours at most. Between the Responsible Older Sibling Energy seared over the person he may have been before and an extant knack for escape room puzzles, Amami is The Man with the skills and motivation to call in backup.

It’s a good thing he did, too! Their “observer”, having tired of watching a bunch of students play the piano and run around outside, only figures out something has gone horribly wrong the moment Rantaro practically busts down the door. The next tense hour-plus is spent doing damage control and imposing limits on the code of the simulation to prevent TAPP from letting the students actually die. Unfortunately, the TDR kids and their takeover took a sizeable chunk out of the spaghetti code holding the whole thing together in their haste. TDR, with proposed talents like Ultimate Cosplayer on their side, are primarily concerned with artistry and are only competent-enough programmers. As a result, there is no obvious way to manually override the lock completely and just let the students out without significant defragging, even as TDR members are still actively messing with the code, and who knows how long that will take. (About 6-ish chapters)

Instead, for now, they’ll have to settle for putting as many programming-adjacent talents as possible on the case and exploit a loophole that panicking overseer managed to write: if the remaining students are systematically ejected, the program will bypass the lock and let them out. During the rescue operation, the main objective is first to minimize the physical damage TAPP can inflict by lowering the tolerance required to eject the students (which is easier said than done) and by dampening its neural-carving functions, then to get everyone left out of there.

It is a very good thing they sprung into action as quickly as they did, as it doesn’t take long for Kaede to arrive.

KAEDE

The first thing Kaede notices coming out of the simulation is that she can’t hum the notes to get back on-pitch after the worst rendition of Der Flohwalzer she has ever heard. The second thing she notices, because it is far easier to be angry about something trivial than face the slow-dawning realization you are having, is that she can only barely speak. It hurts.

I think Kaede learns to sign early on, but still finds herself trying to speak aloud anyway since she’s so used to having her hands busy already playing piano. Shuichi often reminds her to take it easy, treat it like a vocal rest, and steadily she begins to improve. She is as exuberant as ever, with determination fitting of our protagonist. Kaede is the Class 79 representative, though with his renewed confidence Shuichi often accompanies her. Not only are they best friends (though it is strange, at first, to see her alive after spending so long grieving. Kaede last saw him, like, yesterday.) and Kaede will inevitably tell Shuichi all about the meeting anyway so why not cut out the middle man, but Shuichi initially came specifically to speak at meetings so Kaede wouldn’t strain her voice. She is immensely proud.

RANTARO (PT. 2)

Rantaro doesn’t hold the shotput ball against her; desperate times, and all. It made sense her proactive attitude would make her first to act for the ‘greater good’. She aimed to end the whole thing, not just comply. Even if she swung and missed, he (an older brother with faint recollections of failing to protect the people depending on him and guilt knowing he doesn’t have the stomach to take a victim and thus will be failing people in need of protection again) can’t fault her for swinging. She is confused when he asks her how she launched the ball that hard, though. Odd.

TENKO

Tenko has neck pain issues like Kaede, but hers are more acute. The seesaw effect was heinous but relatively precise; as the magnum opus of TDR’s homebrewed serial killer, they un/fortunately made him pretty good at it when he has a plan. Tenko has some of the least devastating lingering physical injuries of the class. Given the severity of her classmates’ injuries, though, that still leaves her with minor vocal strain, susceptibility to sore throats, and severe neck pain, among other things.

A lot of Tenko’s lingering trauma is mental: she isn’t quite as willing to immediately throw herself into the fray to help her friends, and certainly doesn’t want to leave her back exposed (a tendency she shares with Kokichi, of all people). While it did numbers on her perception of men again for a while, hearing about the trial left her with a lot to reconcile. In a ‘cool-motive-still-murder’ way, she does not forgive Kiyo (nor is she obligated to) but doesn’t hate him as much as she expected, either. Processing the idea that a girl could be horribly abusive, especially to a guy, and catalyze a cycle of violence… gets to her. She’s more wrapped up in the tragedy of the entire situation than the righteous indignation that’d fueled her for so long. Everybody lost that day.

She’s pleasantly surprised to see Himiko trying to lift her spirits now. Those two have a lot to talk about and boundaries to set, yes, but Tenko is still touched Himiko took her words to heart and seems to be benefiting from it.

ANGIE

Angie had bit more complicated situation than Tenko, getting KO’d before the fatal blow. Her migraines come on more often than Rantaro’s with high light, which is a special kind of awful for the SHSL Artist, but they’re generally closer to a dull ache. Once she gets going on a project she sets out to grin and bear it; Tenko and Himiko often check up on her. She does her best to stay just as upbeat as in the simulation, and if anything it seems more genuine now. She can actually relax, rather than mind-game her way to relative (unsteady) peace under duress.

(Angie is really interesting to me for many adjacent reasons to Kokichi, since they’re both willing to get morally gray and manipulative if it’ll keep everyone from killing each other. Angie-Kokichi compare contrast essay when?)

She hasn’t “forgiven” Kiyo either, but isn’t hostile while she evaluates whether or not his conviction in getting help and being better is genuine. She was pretty heavily affected by TDR’s “character rewrites” as well, after all, and empathizes with the feeling you’ve been used as a glorified dress-up doll. To some unknowable extent, she is a different person now, and it is frightening.

She’s trying to step back and re-analyze her sense of spirituality, particularly how it relates to her art. It’s existentially harrowing, having been made to toe the line between faith and fronting to either get people to either listen to her or not see her as a threat. She’s not even positive “Kami-sama” (not going with the localization here, my understanding is the Japanese version was deliberately more generic and at least a bit less disrespectful towards real people and their beliefs) is the same deity she’d believed in before TAPP, but it’s difficult to try and reconnect with your roots when none of you have any information on your previous lives.

They do, at least, have a resident anthropologist that might have a clue how to even start looking.

Hah. They sure do, huh.

I think Angie is the type to nominally forgive and never, ever forget. She holds the kind of grudge that lives beyond logic as all the compartmentalized emotions you don’t want to admit you have. A grudge that co-exists with an active desire to move on and seeps into her art.

KOREKIYO

Kiyo got burned.

Alive.

Also dead, somehow, an extension of the Ultimate Placebo Effect we have going on in the simulation; Kiyo was so certain ghosts were real and he’d be one that, through earnest conviction, the simulation made it so. I think this is how Komaeda’s luck works in SDR2 as well; the original Neo World Program was developed for therapy, and in doing so assesses whether or not it would be completely devastating (do more harm than good) to actively disprove something about the patient’s worldview at that time and adapts the environment accordingly. Hence you get a reality-warping luck cycle and ghosts are Definitely Real. Is either true in the outside world? No idea! Komaru talks to a ghost in UDG, once, but considering it’s unclear if Kiyo’s sister was ever a living person to begin with there are bigger fish to fry.

Or not. He’s pretty damn-well aware much that hurts. Or at least being boiled and seasoned does. Going by that kind of simulator-logic, I think in a technical sense it was the salt that killed him, not the torture. There’s probably something to unpack there I haven’t fully explored yet.

Rumors start going around campus that Kiyo is a vampire. It makes enough sense for watercooler gossip, the mask covering up fangs and an aversion to lingering out in the sun; Class 79 knows it’s actually because sunburn, for him, is a new brand of Unfun. He prefers to hole up in the library or his lab anyway, so it could be worse. He’s honestly kind of into becoming a school cryptid. It helps transition him from “avoiding my classmates and other people because they hate me, i also hate me, and we are all correct to do so. i am an extension of her so it does not matter what i want” towards “i am not my past, i cannot make up for what ive done but i can move forward and be better, i am forging a new self and it is mine this time and it always should have been”.

(Kokichi is particularly proud of having kickstarted the cryptid thing. Of course Shinguji would love to watch the evolution of new local lore in real time! Now he doesn’t mope in the corner half as much. He’s still in the corner, granted, but its probably reading while Rantaro sits next to him on his phone instead of moping!)

Kiyo’s also in therapy now. They all have therapy scheduled into their school weeks, but Kiyo has a session besides. Fabrication or not, everyone’s backstories are functionally now ‘real’ and need to be dealt with. Kiyo, Maki, and Kokichi got hit particularly hard on that front. Those scars run deep, but are starting to heal.

Of the students with whole-body injuries, Kiyo probably has the most manageable physical symptoms at this stage. He has to have long sleeves and generally keep as covered as he can so that he can subdue the part of his mind that expects the skin is still raw and flaking (it isn’t, but phantom sensations suck). Overheating pushes him toward a panic state like the end of his trial, which doesn’t exactly gel with the first point, but he’s working on it. Rantaro and Kokichi, occasionally Shuichi, tend to notice and start to defuse the situation. Part of me wonders if he’d have a black lace parasol on sunny days to lean in to the ‘mystery’ around him, plus for the sheer Aesthetic of it.

KIRUMI

Speaking of full-body injuries: Kirumi. She has similar ‘got-to-keep-covered’ issues to Kiyo, particularly wearing heavier work gloves now just to minimize any potential for cuts (and, in the back of her mind, ropeburn). Breaking several bones on impact was rough, though fast enough that she’s had remarkable improvement in a relatively short period of time. She started out on crutches, which made it difficult for her to keep up with her workaholic inclinations, but unlike some of the other students she has at least an idea of “when to quit” as not to make things worse. She’s still genuinely lost some bone density resulting from her treatment and coping methods, finding that she really does need to lean on her friends on occasion, but she is still resolute she is a care-giver, damn it. On both physical and mental fronts she’s dealing with reclaiming her agency and independence.

Kirumi is one of the few, with Maki, whose talent courses actively discourage the kinds of behavior they need for personal growth and mental health maintenance. Kirumi is still reconciling her “rewrite”, the encoded passivity in her and clash of her “selfless devotion” against her own will to live and thrive, a nightmarish reminder that You Are Not Your Own. The “Ultimate” maid needs to be agreeable, to follow orders, and hasn’t the tampering just improved her proficiency at her craft? Why be so upset? Never mind having to reconstruct her proper ability to tell people “no”, having to re-learn it’s okay to do things for yourself; according to her programmed instinct, her classes, those very things are antithetical to her talent. And everything relies on that talent, doesn’t it?

Kirumi and Kokichi are the two in Class 79 who were discharged with mobility devices that got students in the other classes… more than mildly concerned about what the hell happened to all of these freshmen (well, first year at HPA anyway), but luckily for HPA administration they’re also probably the two people least likely to offer details.

THE RIBS

There are enough students who have chest pain and associated issues that they made a club about it. It started out as Miu, Ryoma, and Kaito all independently concluding there was no way in hell they were making it through a mile run and sitting on the bleachers. Once they’d had an opportunity to gather themselves again, they do as teens are wont to do and started talking to each other. Hypoxia is an oddly effective experience to bond over. They call themselves the RIBs, standing for “Respiratory-Issue Beleaguered” (students), mostly because it made Miu laugh and for as irritating as the sound could be they’d missed it.

Kaede, Tenko, Gonta, and Kokichi also stop by from time-to-time, meaning precisely half of the 14 active Class 79 students revolving-door through this unofficial student group. HPA took notice. Class 79 has its own gym class, now, taking into account the state of everyone. One could argue that should have been the case from the onset. They would be correct.

RYOMA

Ryoma is fairly elusive. He generally keeps to himself and remains a Fairly Chill Guy with a cool temperament everyone wants to emulate (he doesn’t see what they see in him) and some Complicated Feelings now knowing he hasn’t killed anyone in the certified Real World and, by logic, should not have to have the memories of a hardened prisoner. He still does. The persistent rasp in his voice now surprises nobody, but it took a few days for everyone in the class to stop flinching a little hearing it. He frequently hangs out in the animal shed with Gonta, Gundham, and Peko to take care of the cats.

MIU

We’ve seen quite a bit of Miu in the AU so far, but to recap a lot of her deal:

She loathes having to “take it easy” but will do so reluctantly

She tries to talk less to stretch out her working time as much as she can (even if she can’t resist just a little banter when Kokichi swings by)

She’s trying to approach her death with a sense of humor. A choker with a huge heart-shaped buckle replaces her usual necklaces with full awareness of the irony. Ha-ha, a choker. It’s a dare for anybody to bring it up, ‘I’ve said it before anyone else could’. The first thing she did waking up was try and make an autoerotic asphyxiation joke. It did not make her feel better like she thought it would.

Miu spends most of her time in her lab, now. Granted, she did that already, but she’s particularly fixated on re-creating a certain Ultimate Robot, ground-up if she has to. Fortunately, she has a team assembled (re: two upperclassmen and the Ultimate Supreme Shit-for-brains). We’ll see how this pans out soon enough.

When not re-building Kiibo outright, she ““takes a break”” innovating in other areas (re: prototyping potential features for kIIbo, usually testing them on a bored Kokichi. He usually complies because Miu is one of the few who doesn’t look at him with a patronizing amount of pity she’s Not boring. Mm-hmm. All there is to it.)

Miu does not resent Gonta (or Kokichi, for that matter) for killing her. There's a small extent to which she's a little relieved she was stopped from going through with her plan to kill Kokichi, and a much bigger disconnect between her idea of reality and her memory of Chapter 4. Miu died in a VR game within another VR game. Having messed around with the programming and guts of the nested simulation personally, it still seems fake. She didn't really die, no matter how real it felt; they were in a simulation. Logically, she's well aware of how it works and the consequences, but it doesn't feel like it was more than a glorified fever dream on an emotional level. Both Gonta and Kokichi are more outwardly traumatized by her death than Miu as a byproduct of how she's processing it. She's not "better off" or "less impacted" so much as "disassociated from the whole thing and very much wanting to put it behind them before it catches up with her", thus burying herself in work and trying as hard as she can to bring back the one person she wants to comfort her.

Kiibo's absence is not great for her abandonment issues. It is hard to blame him when he never had a physical body to begin with, though.

GONTA

Gonta is also with the RIBs, and reeling from it the most visibly of everyone on account of just how. Much, his death was. An allergic reaction blocking off the air, puncturing at least one lung for certain, and living long enough to feel the shrapnel of the laptop lodge into the wound alongside the scythe, the fire quickly eating away any oxygen, any hope of gasping another breath… yeah no he acts as much the gentleman as ever but he is not okay. As Resident Buff Nature Boy Gonta tanked it better than anyone else in the class could have, but the sheer excess of the thing gets to him. Fond memories of setting a campfire in the woods with his adoptive family are overwritten, vespidae in general… hitting differently. But Gonta is kind, to a fault. More resolute than ever to make himself into a kind of person not perceived as ‘too intimidating’ to be friends with, acknowledging the capacity he has for violence is difficult. Somewhere deep down he knows that everybody does, especially in their circumstances, but still acts as though his case is exceptionally bad (nobody else does. This does not deter him, becoming a little less gullible when its least helpful).

He is also not as disconcerted by the occasional spontaneous sensation that your insides are going to lose structural integrity, even with no stitches to pop, that with only the damaged wake and no piercing sharp pain to focus on and blame for the mess could potentially be perceived as a bizarre, abstracted kind of crawling feeling from the inside-out. Things in motion, displaced from where they are meant to be. He knows it isn’t bugs, isn’t glass and metal and plastic, that it isn’t anything but himself. A teeny-tiny part of him wishes it were. At least being shelter for a hive of some sort would be helpful. Aren’t gentlemen helpful, they improve life for people, make things better and how could anyone even look at you again knowing what you’re capable of, who in their right mind would talk to you, you’re going to end up alone again talking to stray cats in the alley since not even the wolves would stay—

Gonta also has extra therapy. He already had to work out self-worth issues, but the game pushed them to interfere too much in daily life not to actively work on.

KAITO

Kaito has made several background and supporting appearances without much central attention just yet. It's not that I don't like him or anything (I do!) but I guess because it seems like well-worn territory in V3 fic to me? Kaito is endlessly proud of Maki and Shuichi (Himiko too, less personally) for "winning" in the face of the killing game, and the training trio of them meet back up again regularly. Only.

It's different, now.

He's no longer sick and dying, but his lungs 'top out' at a certain level of activity and refuse to take in more air, this burning sensation that leaves him only able to huff and wheeze and brings his training regiment to a dead stop. He treasures those last moments in his failed execution where he got to see the stars, because a lingering anxiety in the back of his mind won't let him forget that he never will again. Not the way he'd dreamed of, the way he'd planned to, the way he'd centered his identity around. There is no way, as things are, that he will pass all the physical exams to become a proper astronaut.

The drawn-out deterioration of his health during the simulation chipped away at his physical lungs at a rate too gradual for the countermeasures the rescue team implemented; TAPP did more overt physical damage to Kaito than anyone else. It could certainly be worse and he is gradually improving, but some degree of it is permanent. It haunts him. He's trying not to think about it.

It does, though, drive a wedge between him and his sidekicks; the survivors are planning their futures, and Kaito is not too far from a slight tailspin without any idea what his might look like for the first time he can recall. Space has been the dream since he was a kid (as has getting there in this specific role) and it almost feels like a rejection. Like he got too cocky, and the cosmos decided it didn't want him.

It starts to make a little more sense, then, that he starts willingly hanging out with Kokichi. They went through the hangar together, of course, but even besides the traumabond (and a need to, after he woke from his coma, make sure the little brat is still alive, damn it, you can't run away anymore it counts now) but. If anyone else gets having such drastically shifted circumstances that life as you'd imagined it no longer makes logistical sense, it's probably the leader without an organization. There's no need to explain the feelings of inadequacy, or the aimlessness, going through the motions of classes and formal education because what the hell else am I going to do, right now? It's familiar.

Kokichi needs someone willing to chase him, no matter how circuitous the route becomes. Kaito needs someone willing to shake him by the shoulders and snap him out of his own head, so sure it's all-or-nothing and that if he can't be the Luminary as he'd dreamed of it whatever happens next is immaterial in comparison. Kaito needs to adapt and roll with the punches, Kokichi needs to double back from his logical leaps from point A to point Q and articulate his thoughts clearly to other people (at least some of the time.) The two of them concoct little daily and weekly rituals, like Kokichi stealing Kaito's notebook and drawing in it, just because the consistency of company reminds them both that they aren't the only one going through this.

None of the other students quite get it, but have come to accept it.

KOKICHI

Then there’s Kokichi.

Ah, Kokichi, whose whole deal in this scenario inspired me to write about this AU at all (and who manages to weasel his way into every comic and a other entries in these notes) . I’m biased, I know, but there are also a few reasons he’s singled out in-universe as well:

A) So a hydraulic press does not slam down quickly. The pause-and-play of the video deliberately makes it look much faster than it was; watching enough of the hydraulic press channel makes it abundantly clear that it was not instant. Kokichi was impaled with two crossbow bolts (the one in the back being bad enough already), poisoned by those bolts, and then pressed. He had to have felt non-zero of the Pressing, which, considering it already had to be agony before bones started breaking… the rest of the class might not have been fond of him, sure, but he’s right there with Gonta on “sheer level of excess.” Not even Maki is at a point of wishing that on him. Not after finding out how drawn out and excruciating it was. Veering into headcanon, I’m going to add “sleep deprivation” on the pile as exacerbating the whole thing, given his conspiracy whiteboard and everything after the concussion, honestly.

Combined with the World’s Worst Placebo Effect, King Horse takes the crown for top “my entire body hurts most of the time” severity. It’s not a desirable one, but when your previous life is all but erased there is exactly one choice available between Big and Home. Let it be said Kokichi Ouma has never half-assed anything he’s set his mind to, ever.

B) Ouma is paranoid and distrusting, which adds the psychological angle of “you literally shot me in the back” to a poison-laced crossbow bolt in his mind. TAPP will very literally never let him forget the bolt burying itself in the muscle of his back, barely kept from severing his spinal cord; he won’t forget the shivering and shaking from the poison, or the bile rising in the back of his throat handing Kaito the antidote. (He still wanted to live. He forfeit the right, he thought, after getting Gonta and Miu killed, but he still wanted to. That was all the more reason to quadruple-down on the press idea and making their three deaths mean something, damn it. Three, because Kaito could live. If the killing game ends there is no execution. It’ll be over. Can’t take back the past, but at least one of the pair of you has to walk out of this forsaken place!)

(… Can you really believe that? Or is it just another lie.

A lie you want, with all the heart they’re so sure you do not have, to blithely believe. There has to be a cure for whatever the hell has gotten into Kaito once the game ends and they can look for it, it might even stop cold the moment the game ends. That dumbass space cadet can go back to his sidekicks and he better appreciate it, the comradery you’ll never have, because he is the designated Hero and Heroes get happy endings. You want-want-want-want to trust in that lie, to trust him with the collected thoughts and notes and pieces of you spilled across reams of paper that have been so pointlessly important for you to keep secret this whole time. For once in your life, you want to believe you will not be betrayed. You want to believe in the closest thing you have left to a friend.

It will, in fact, be the last thing you do.)

C) Ouma is paranoid and distrusting. Again. Only this flavor has more to do with his persistent denial anything is wrong, in turn making things a lot worse for himself. Mental trauma and impressions of physical sensations can have physical effects. Clinging to his persona and trying to keep bouncing around like nothing ever happened turned a very difficult but potentially manageable condition into small amounts of permanent nerve damage within the first day of waking up. It screws with his coordination; just what he needed at a school that prizes talent above all else, when he is a leader with no organization and proficiencies in sleight of hand, forgery, lockpicking, and generally evading anything that might threaten him because he can’t take very many hits.

Whoops.

D) Kokichi was last of the class to wake up from the simulation, even after the survivors. They thought he was actually dead for a bit. Just when they were thinking of giving up on him Kokichi Ouma, SHSL Stubborn Son of a Bitch, refuses to stay down for the count.

HPA already knew Class 79 would need accommodations on account of their negligence, but it became much harder to sweep things under the rug when they thought they’d actually killed a student. Even worse, thirteen witnesses have been actively fraternizing and scaled the flashback-gaslighting required to cover it up to easily exceed what their current technology is capable of.

Half the class was positive Ouma was playing dead specifically to fuck with them and light the fire under them to act. He and Kaito are the only ones to know without a shred of doubt that he was not. He still gladly takes the credit, though.

E) Class 79 as a whole already adapted to Ouma Being Ouma, so when the definition of ‘Being Ouma’ expanded he’s still pretty distinct. He hangs out around the people closest to him often, particularly Miu, Kaito, and Rantaro, but the entire class knows now that he’s pretty much beyond the point of perfidy. Even if he were to lie about being in more pain than he is at a given moment, there’s constantly enough underlying truth in how vulnerable he is that it’s not strategically worth trying to use as a manipulative tactic. It’s too real. Plus, he knows better than to boy-that-cried-wolf his way out of help from his classmates after getting lost on campus once and fainting before he found his way back.

K1-B0

K1-B0, as far as has been established, is being re/built. Miu is spearheading the project. Presumably, he is currently hanging out on at least one computer in the school, somewhere. Per the AU, though, Chapter 6 did go a bit differently than canon, so we’ll catch up with him soon.

TSUMUGI

Nobody is exactly certain what happened to Shirogane. Or, at the very least, nobody in the class knows. Admin is certainly not about to tell them. Wouldn’t it be just like the Ultimate Cosplayer to Theseus her way back into their lives following a single loose thread…

THE SURVIVORS

Shuichi, Maki, and Himiko each emerged from the simulation minimally physically harmed in a lasting sense beyond initial fatigue from being hooked up for so long. Each is still moving forward on their established character arc: Himiko is finding her motivation, Maki is learning to open up, and Shuichi is becoming more sure of himself and his detective abilities.

I think Himiko begins embracing the 'stage' side of her magic, considering that TAPP was blocking my mana, and you know what? I survived a killing game, and I didn't even need it. What else can I do without my mana? As time goes on, she'll likely value her own practical skills more rather than relying on her want of more fantastical powers. Not to say she'd disown them, but more that she could admit to herself it's more for fun than a need to affix something exceptional to her identity. She is enough as she is.

Maki enters HPA and immediately requests transfer out of 'Ultimate Assassin' classes. She hates fighting, per canon, and after going through the simulation she is no longer afraid of any authority figure that may deny her because she has certifiably seen worse. She initially tries to pivot and become the Ultimate Child Caregiver, for Real This Time; she is genuinely pretty good with kids. After a little incident nearly choking Kokichi, though? It confirms what she'd been afraid of all along: her patience is too thin, her instinct to defend too heavy on the trigger. She talks to Peko about it, among other people, Mukuro and Sakura chief among the other classes. She'd made their acquaintances during combat training in the first few days at HPA. She especially confides in Kaede, who carries a more-domestic-less-battlescorn perspective on it she can't help but appreciate. Kaede takes her to not-Claire's, playing with accessories and make-up and generally reclaiming some of the girlhood Maki has effectively never been allowed to have. In the whole process, Maki realizes she wants more than anything to protect the ability to have that kind of frivolity, that freedom: she changes tracks again, to become a SHSL Bodyguard.

Shuichi is a difficult one to place for me, exactly. He's in a state of becoming significantly more confident in the wake of the simulation, but the deviation from canon has turned the main conflict away from ending a destructive cycle and towards fighting the idea of predetermination by an external force. Shirogane was predetermined to stay in the Reserve Course despite her skills and aspirations, and railed against it; Kiibo was predetermined to be an AI helper and not a person, but embraced the role so hard he developed a soul of his own; Maki denies her talent and changes her destiny, Himiko embraces hers.

I suppose Saihara must fall somewhere in the middle, then. An observer steadfastly declaring that yes, there were aspects of life shaped for them beyond their control (entry into the simulation if they wanted a taste of success, the killing game, the "character rewrites" overriding the people they were before...) and yes they cannot control everything. What happened has happened. There are always going to be things you can't control (like how severely you burn in the sun, or whether you get headaches with the lights up too high, or even if your dream life rockets away too fast for you to catch unless you want to lose what you still have) but you can adapt to it. It's tempting to give in, to consider it all a lost cause, to submit to the forces you feel are puppeting you, but see. You keep living anyway, because you have to. The only way forward is through. Even if you were a puppet, you're still an independent you, and that means something. Maybe you can't snap your strings, but you can sure as hell stretch them out and bend them in a way you like better than this one.

Not having total control doesn't mean the control you do have doesn't matter.

So Shuichi is taking up cases as a detective, now. Seeing how he likes it. If not? Well. Skills are transferable.

He'll be okay.

They all will.

----

(The first screenshot I took of this ask to begin drafting vs. the last one:

I'm sorry I am bad at timely responses but I hope they are Good.)

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