#honestly there are lot of characters I would like to do a set for

[meganegatari]

its been so long and i am so sorry omg…i meant to gush over this properly right when you posted it but MY BRAIN. anyway now it is time.

well, to start, lyss, you are a worldwide national universe-wide treasure in every single way. i could go on and on and on about how much i adore you as a person and your entire existence, but we would break the tumblr word limit if it even exists, three times over. i am here to gush about your writing. i look up to you as a writer so, so much, everything you present reads so silky smooth— it is a DELIGHT. you're able to weave in absolutely stunning prose with stellar characterization of our silly girl, with the most delicately handled and well thought out plot i have ever seen. you really have a gift, and i am not just saying that…you know me and my hater ways <3

i love everything you do, but this fic in particular is SUCHHH a treat. im so glad to see you presenting us with some longer content, and im sure everyone else feels the same!! whenever you ask me…lil ole ME…for some kind of writing advice…bae honored is an understatement. you have such a skill for writing, like better than a lot of published authors i read (and i have read A LOTTTT) i wanna see you keep pushing!! i adore this fic so much. it is just the right amounts of silly, and sexy, and a really really fun time. i adore your introductions, you set the scene so well and paint the most vivid, gorgeous picture in readers minds UGH IT MAKES ME EMOSH….from when you sprouted this idea, to when u showed me the layout and the drafts and released it into the world…omg you ate so hard. thank goodness for modern glasses technology so my blind ass is able to witness this....

“you told yourself it was a coincidence, how often your visits lined up with her shift. you weren’t memorizing her schedule—god, no. you just… noticed a pattern. for advice purposes. obviously. she had the best advice.

and i love this part. your writers voice is so clear and you have so much character when you give us these beautiful stories I CANT STRESS ENOUGH HOW MUCH I LOVE IT AND EVERYTHING YOU CREATE. the feeling is so prominent and it oozes passion for the hobby and the character, bravo.

while the trial and error of gardening took up most of your time, another thorn lodged itself in your side—this one not literal.

and this too like…your brain???? you always think of the most clever little touches to add, i will never not be obsessed. and how you followed it up with a description that isnt anything but flawless….like you suck readers in so good !!!!!

she must have witnessed you struggling in your yard at least a dozen times by now. the tips. the encouragement. her uncanny ability to know exactly what should go where. the conveniently timed suggestions that always hit just right. and not once had she mentioned she lived next door? diabolical, honestly.

AND LIKE HOW YOU ALWAYS ACE HER HEHEHEHAFK. in a sea of mischaracterizaion, i thank you for your faithfulness because everything you write is so so so SO painfully ellie, you might as well be writing the new canon. beyond stellar. everyone gotta take notes.

ellie looked up, shielding her eyes from the sun. and then—she grinned. of course she grinned, like she hadn’t just upended your entire understanding of reality. like you weren’t standing there, tin of cookies in hand, suddenly feeling ridiculous, and very underprepared for whatever this was.

THIS BIT ALWAYS MAKES ME GIGGLE WHENEVER I COME BACK TO IT PLEASE. what a ridiculous goofy goober omg i can see that signature stupid smile of hers THAT DORK ISTG and just before that…how you described her working…oh i am drooling. oh suddenly my phone disappeared…have you seen it? LIKE GODDAMNASDAKSLKDL you seriously write sex appeal and tension so so well istg you could write about…idk a banister a railing and id be creaming my pants BUT THAT IS BESIDES THE POINT your writing is immaculate whatever genre you dabble in.

your role is mainly reduced to handing her tools and keeping her hydrated. water swiftly proves to be necessary as ellie worked diligently, showing off her mastery, the early morning sun rises to a brighter, more oppressive, sweltering heat. you try stepping in to help a few times, but the firm swats from ellie’s palm—quick, pointed, and slightly amused—make it clear she’s not about to let you much of the heavy lifting.

and i love this part because especially the last bit showcases how well you handle flow. it is so natural, the cadence omg. your writing reads like a dance— like a ballet even, every word chosen exactly to convey and fit in with the others like the very last piece of a jigsaw puzzle. and the rest well…..

okok i need to stop myself before i go crazy, but GODSSSSSS. this is stellar, everything you do is a blessing to this mess of a fandom and i beg of you to never deprive us of your gift, okay? you add so so much, both as a mere presence in this space AND as a creator, to lose that would be so terrible. you are amazing. the most talented, genius person ever, and i am absolutely so grateful i get to write for this little ginger loser with you, but even more so to know you as a person. cant wait to see what you write next <33333

marigold crush

gardener ellie!au. what you thought would kick off a petty neighborhood feud ends up turning into something a whole lot hotter than the summer sun above. the reason? it starts with ellie, the cute employee at the garden center—who knows a thing or two about getting her hands dirty. thank you to my @meganegatari for providing input and proofing as always <3

wc 3.1k minors dni - making out, dirty talk, fingering (r!receiving)

with summer rapidly creeping up, you set your sights on a new project—upgrading your gardening skills. it sounded simple enough at first. plant a few things, water them, watch them grow. oh, how wrong you were. you realized, much too late, how surprisingly demanding it all was. soil types, lawn maintenance, what plants thrived where, which ones were perennials, how to keep them alive with proper care like watering, pruning, and mulching. before long, you were making an embarrassing number of trips to the nearby garden center.

not that it had anything to do with the pretty employee who was always ready with a new tip just when you needed one.

miss ellie—as per her name tag—carried herself professionally, politely enough. always eager to explain answers, she sometimes skipped over beginners’ tricks, then circled back to catch you up. everything she suggested, though, ended up helping immensely. you liked that. she was sweet.

you told yourself it was a coincidence, how often your visits lined up with her shift. you weren’t memorizing her schedule—god, no. you just… noticed a pattern. for advice purposes. obviously. she had the best advice.

while the trial and error of gardening took up most of your time, another thorn lodged itself in your side—this one not literal. your newish neighbor had apparently taken up the same hobby, and, enragingly, their results far outshone yours. how was everything so lively? why were their perennials already blooming? their yard looked freshly trimmed and popping with color every single day. yours, a work in progress, wilted a little more every time you glanced at the progress next door. you couldn’t help but sulk from time to time. it was starting to feel personal.

a part of you really wanted to give your neighbor a piece of your mind. in your opinion, there was absolutely no way they weren’t doing this on purpose. ever since they moved in just under a year ago, it had been the same infuriating pattern—everything you did, they somehow managed to do ten times better. halloween decorations, holiday lights, even their progressive political flags had wittier slogans than yours. and the worst part? you’d never even seen them. not once. this silent gardening supremacy—that you weren’t even sure they knew was a competition—was the final straw. how they pulled it off while staying completely out of sight was beyond you.

granted, your competitive streak might’ve been clouding your better judgment, and you were, admittedly, acting a little unhinged—but you had to know their secret. you had to meet them, to understand the method behind the madness of their picture-perfect flower beds.

so, in a move wholly unlike you, you got up early one sunny morning and baked cookies. warm from the oven, stacked neatly in a sewing tin—just a friendly, xenial gesture. no ulterior motives. none at all.

you step out your front door, ready to march up their porch and put an end to the mystery once and for all—only to freeze in place.

imagine the shock when there, in the garden next door, kneeling in the dirt with gloved hands and a quiet hum under her breath, was the very same ginger woman who had been giving you advice all summer.

ellie.

suddenly, it felt really personal.

she must have witnessed you struggling in your yard at least a dozen times by now. the tips. the encouragement. her uncanny ability to know exactly what should go where. the conveniently timed suggestions that always hit just right. and not once had she mentioned she lived next door?

diabolical, honestly. ellie was gradually unfurling under the strain of the heat and her work, of course. her white tank top, drenched in sweat, clung to her like a second skin. she tugged at the fabric to fan herself off. her flushed, freckled skin glistened under the early morning rays, and her auburn hair was plastered to the back of her neck. your gaze shifted to her arms—tense, fit, and tattooed—then to her hands skillfully handling the tools.

“you’ve gotta be kidding me,” you huffed, louder than intended, managing to reach her ears. 

ellie looked up, shielding her eyes from the sun. and then—she grinned. of course she grinned, like she hadn’t just upended your entire understanding of reality. like you weren’t standing there, tin of cookies in hand, suddenly feeling ridiculous, and very underprepared for whatever this was.

“well, hey there, neighbor.” she greets you far too warm, too chipper. 

you stared at her. “you live next door?”

“mm-hmm,” she said, standing up slowly to stretch out her legs and dusting her earth-covered hands off on her thighs. “for, like, ten months now. give or take.”

you glance down at the sewing box of cookies in your hand. despite ellie’s state—sweating, smudged with dirt—you hold it out for her.

“a welcome gift,” you offer. “just… ten months late. give or take.”

ellie breaths a laugh and takes the box, peeking inside, nodding in approval.

“damn. look at you. thanks,” she mutters, setting it down on a nearby plastic chair cluttered with gardening tools. your eyes flicker between your sad little yard and her perfectly maintained one.

“did… did you know? all this time? when i came in to ask questions?”

“yep,” ellie says, totally unfazed, hands settling on her hips. “it was kinda cute, watching you take my advice and, y’know… try it out.” she pauses, then adds to soften the blow, “i thought about coming over a few times. offering a hand. but you looked so determined, hacking away at weeds, replanting flowers i suggested, i didn’t want to interrupt...” she trailed off. 

you blinked, trying to recalibrate. “that’s okay, i just… wow.”

ellie notices your stupor and an idea comes to mind. “well. since you’re already here—i was about to head to the shed. wanna stick around? i could show you a few things. if you’re cool with that.” then, teasing, “no charge. this time. cookies count though.”

you find yourself trailing after her into the backyard—just as immaculate as the front—to a small shed tucked in the far corner of the lot. it doesn’t look like much from the outside, but inside, it’s packed chock-full with every gardening item you could imagine, from seed packets, terracotta pots, and shelves lined with tools. half of them, you didn’t even recognize, which only made the sting of your amateurity more potent. 

thankfully, ellie’s easygoing explanations help ease the mood. she’s showing off her tools, fertilizers, and offering tips, and you’re taken aback by seeing her in this new light. she was always cute, which is why you’d kept timing your visits to the garden center a little too well. but this? watching her work in the summer heat, flushed and confident, completely in her element—it ignited something new in you. here you were, ready to start a petty squabble with your new neighbor, but instead, your stomach was full of butterflies. ellie added a few well-loved, indiscernible tools to a bag, slung it over her freckled shoulder, and ushered you outside before closing the shed door behind her.

“alright, so. show me the damage,” she said, jerking her chin toward your yard.

“my what?” “your flower bed,” she called over her shoulder, already walking ahead. “gotta check if you actually listened to me.” before you can say anything, ellie’s already knee-deep in your garden, pulling up the weeds you missed and fixing the patches where your mulch is spread too thin. you’re not sure what hits harder—the embarrassment from the sheer number of mistakes she’s quietly correcting, or the way her initiative turns you on.

your role is mainly reduced to handing her tools and keeping her hydrated. water swiftly proves to be necessary as ellie worked diligently, showing off her mastery, the early morning sun rises to a brighter, more oppressive, sweltering heat. you try stepping in to help a few times, but the firm swats from ellie’s palm—quick, pointed, and slightly amused—make it clear she’s not about to let you much of the heavy lifting.

still, she doesn’t treat you like a helpless maiden. eventually, she has you kneeling beside her, guiding your hands, her calloused fingers splayed atop of your own, instructing you through the same techniques she’s spent the season explaining in passing. her voice is low, sure, and steady beside you, her skin warm where it brushes yours under the sun. 

she starts with the marigolds, helping you replant them first—their vibrant yellows and oranges thriving in this full-sun corner. from there, it’s onto the petunias, where she fusses over spacing, then the dusty miller and the salvia. her encouragement is doing the opposite of helping. you try to stay focused, to press the soil like she showed you, but your thoughts keep drifting to the feel of her hand on yours.

"no—don’t just pat it down like that, you need to press a little firmer with the trowel. yeah, like this." she shifts closer, her hand curling over yours, both of you bent low over the bed of marigolds. you can feel her breath at your temple, her voice gone a little quieter, more raspy now. "there you go. knew you had it in you."

her sheer determination shouldn’t affect you the way it does, but damn. the moment your thoughts start lingering on the idea of licking the brine off her neck, you know you desperately need to cool off—literally and figuratively. it only gets worse when her hand holds the small of your back for half a moment too long, steadying you as you dug further into the soil. the simple touch sent a shiver through you, making your pulse race. it wasn’t just the heat anymore. did she know what she was doing? there was no way ellie wasn’t this self-aware. given she had let you try and fail at this garden all summer, she was probably more aware of her actions than you could easily wrap your brain around.

the rest of the adjustments come together quickly after that, both of you worn out and damp with sweat, but working in sync. at long last, ellie straightens up with a groan, wiping her glossy brow, appraising your now vastly-improved flower bed with lazy pride. “muchhhh better,” her eyes glint with approval, tossing the trowel practically molded to her hand aside. then she stretches, slow and unbothered, muscled arms rising overhead until they’re drawn taut, her off-white tank lifting just enough to entice your most lewd thoughts into wanting to see more. then she runs a hand through her damp, disheveled auburnette hair, leaving it even more a mess. “may i ask the lady for a drink? and a chance to wash up a bit?” your yes is obvious. you leave your tools just as they are on the ground and motion for ellie to follow you inside. of course she needs a rest, probably dying of thirst—though you’re probably the thirstier one in that moment.

the space is filled with the sound of the rush of crisp water and the clink of glasses as you both scrub dirt off and pour drinks. ellie mutters a soft thanks, taking hers after drying her hands on a dish towel.

she looks hot here. out of place, certainly—sun-streaked and a perspiry mess in your nearly spotless kitchen. but it only makes you want the cute gardener turned hot nuisance of a neighbor-turned... whatever this is... even more.

you swallow your nerves, chasing them with another sip of water.

“you know, i always thought you were cute,” you tease, eyes flicking to hers. “ever since you helped me pick out my first supplies.” you reflect like you’re feeling nostalgic, though you’re definitely up to something.

“yeah?” ellie quirks a brow. she’s smart, knowing exactly what you’re doing. the cute, tentative girl from the garden shop was gone- this was someone confident in every move. her voice dips low, eyes narrowing with a flirtsome gleam. “you still think i’m just cute now?”

“well,” you murmur, voice low, a little shaky, trying to match her coy pitch, “i wouldn’t say just cute.”

she tilts her head, flashing a zealous, lopsided grin. “i’ve got a lot more i could show you. with my hands. can i?”

when she then takes a step closer—your heart seizes.

was this really happening? were you about to get fucked into next week by the cute gardener turned next-door neighbor? your mind races a million miles a minute, the whole scenario unraveling like a scene straight from fanfiction.

well, you were right! just like that, ellie closes the space between you, her hand sliding around your waist as she nudges you back against the cool, angular side of the kitchen island.

the marble presses against your lower back, forcing a half-giggle, half-stunned, shaky exhale from your lungs. you realize you’re probably not hiding the gleeful expression on your face as well as you thought, especially given the cheesy grin the hot dork returns.

her roughened hands trail along your jawline, the juxtaposition of her tough-feeling skin with the most gentle gesture makes you feel woozy. “you know,” she murmurs, voice low and almost amused, “i thought about you a lot. the clueless girl always showing up on my shift, asking the kinda questions you knew i’d love answering.”

your face warms, and ellie clicks her tongue, clearly satisfied. “and here's the thing. i didn’t mind. kinda liked knowing you’d come find me.” she pauses, smirking as a vexing fire ignites behind her eyes. then she adds, “figured you’d eventually need help with the yard. saw you out there, all hot and frustrated trying to figure it out on your own. guess i was right, huh?”

the reminiscent teasing is cut short when her lips connect with your own, tossing the last of your inhibitions aside and letting blind instinct take over. all nerves melt, and your mind goes blank as her teeth catch your bottom lip and tug. you grab at her waist, hands sliding up to her ribcage — one curling into a fistful of her auburn hair, the other slipping beneath her dirtied tank top to caress the warm skin at her side.

time ceases to matter. all you feel is her hands, fervid and searching, and her hot, wet mouth moving against yours — heaven. the soft, immodest moans she lets slip only pull you deeper in. ellie traces your lips with her tongue, coaxing them open, chasing breathless sounds from you. the kiss is messy, to say the least. your front teeth collide with hers, noses bumping, spit dribbling down both your chins— it was clear she wanted you just as much as you wanted her. the waiting paid off. 

but, you feel a pause, and then loss of contact.“fuck i—” ellie huffs. she's breathless, her voice scratchy with need. the voracity at which she pulls away, breaking the fragile strands of spit that webbed across your mouths— it concerns you. 

you open your mouth to inquire, but she cuts you off by grabbing your hips with her muscled hands, and fleetly turns you around so you're facing away from her, and are bent over the counter. its hard surface is chill to the touch- your only reprieve from the heat between you two. 

your mind practically short-circuits. even though she isn't too forceful, the motion still makes you yelp. you want this, no— you crave it, and ellie’s animalistic side takes over, leaning over you with her front pressed flush against your back, one hand perfecting the arch of your back and then finding purchase at your waist. she starts shamelessly sucking purpled marks into the side of your neck and rutting her pelvis against the swell of your ass. pushing your hair further to the side, she bites down on your skin and soothes with her tongue, the acts sending goosebumps all over you.

you were completely at her mercy, no thoughts occupying your head other than everything about her: her voice, her touch— you couldn't get enough.  “ellie,” you moan her name, and she damn near purrs into your ear. you brace yourself against the cool surface, clinging onto it for respite, grounding yourself to keep steady as your legs grow weak. 

her right hand is pawing all over you, stopping to fondle your clothed breast, then snaking down your stomach and into your pants. hooking your panties aside, ellie lets out an unholy sigh at how wet you already are. 

her greedy fingers graze your slit, then begin steadily circling your clit as you mewl. ellie groans like she can feel it herself. her voice breaks, but she mutters against the nape of your neck, “fuck, damn baby. all this f'me?”

you weren't going to last, all the build up was about to bubble over momentarily. but you had to try, because it was all too good to end so soon.

descending further, she pushes her two middle digits inside your eager, sopping hole, curling as she fucked into you, your body gradually rising like a crescendo to a dizzying peak. “come on, cum for me,” ellie encourages, her free hand reaching out and landing on top of yours to share in your pleasure as your orgasm washes over you. she soothes you with a placid squeeze, a silent reminder she's got you. the pressure in your lower abdomen builds, until one last thrust sends you spilling ecstasy all over her fingers. she helps you ride it out, lightly rubbing your twitching clit and mumbling praises all the while. as your body shudders, ellie’s rutting against your ass slows, mirroring your panting and humming some encouragement.

upon coming down from the buzz, you rest your forehead on the counter's surface, trembling whimpers leaving your fucked-out form. the fingers just inside you meet ellie’s lips, tasting you on her like you’re something ambrosial, already addicted to your essence. her hands then run over your form in calming passes as you fully return to reality. “you know…” after some comfortable silence she starts, voice smug, “this could’ve happened a lot sooner—if you’d just said something instead of memorizing my whole damn work schedule.”

“oh, shut up,” you manage, still catching your breath, but content nonetheless.

ellie grins, brushing her thumb along your cheek. “what? i mean it. you're sweeter than anything i’ve ever grown.”

[catboy-beckett]

Someone on the Tokyo Debunker subreddit brought up ships for MC (as in, not just the characters players like/are attracted to, but ones we actually think would go well with the protagonist) and I haven't stopped thinking about it. I find it an interesting question, because my preferences for myself are pretty noticeably different from who I think she would like! So here are my compatibility assessments!

Disclaimer: I have only played through most episodes once, so my memory of TDB lore may be lacking in certain areas. I also have not completed all affinity stories and have not spoiled myself on them. Also note I will be using "you"/"me"/"us"/"I"/etc. to refer to MC interchangeably with "MC"/"her" because that's just how I'm used to talking about video game protagonists. Spoilers avoided for newest episode but only newest episode.

JABBERWOCK

HARU: I honestly think he is MC's favourite! He's the one she's most often happy to see, and in return he is always grateful for her help. MC seems to volunteer at Jabberwock reasonably often and with little prompting; this isn't necessarily because she's infatuated with Haru, but rather I think it shows they have similar priorities.

REN: He's giving a whole lot of nothing. A lot of the opportunities given to him in-story to bond with her, he outright rejects. He doesn't seem interested in getting into a relationship, or even forming a friendship that could lead to a relationship. I'm all for "enemies to lovers" but you've gotta show the attraction from the beginning! Otherwise it just feels like a shoehorned-in plot twist.

TOWA: Very romantic. Very mysterious. Compelling, and they clearly like each other. My biggest complaint here is that Towa is someone who needs more screentime for an arc. He's not a simple character. I also think MC would be a little afraid of him if it ever really clicks for her what he's capable of. (Both power-level-wise and morals-wise.) I know fans love Towa's yandere tendencies but MC shows no enthusiasm for that type of man.

SINOSTRA

TAIGA: My favourite man! Terrible for MC. She is pretty much trembling in her boots whenever he's around. I can't see a romantic future for them. Taiga's ideal wife is Romeo, and MC just doesn't have the backbone to be Romeo. That said, I think MC having an inconvenient physical attraction to Taiga would be narratively interesting (and fuckin' hot), as who doesn't love the tension between a dangerous violent freak and a shivering field mouse? There are a couple of other points in Taiga's favour too: the fact that he's the ghoul who seems to react to MC's personality the most (he's always noticing how timid she is and seems to find that cute/attractive) and the fact that he eats anomalies (😳) set him apart from most other love interests. Taiga is down to fuck but he's not really a viable option to date.

ROMEO: This might be controversial but I think Romeo is one of those ghouls who has his own love interest, and it isn't you. I'm not even sure he likes women. I've never once felt like Romeo had an interest in my character and the only time he flirted with us was to make Kaito jealous. Honestly that felt more like ship teasing between him and Kaito if anything. As for how MC feels about him, I think she's about as intimidated by him as she is by Taiga, though it's slightly easier to get Romeo to Not Murder You than it is Taiga. Romeo can at least be reasoned with.

RITSU: Never shows an ounce of attraction or even warmth. Even when he smiles at someone, it feels more like professional courtesy than a reflection of his feelings. How would someone like Ritsu fall in love? It's a fascinating question, but the game is not yet interested in giving us an answer. He tends to bully MC into doing what he wants just like Romeo does. He uses social pressure rather than violence, which I think she finds preferable to Romeo's method, but not pleasant. There's also the fact that Ritsu is dedicated to becoming Taiga's lawyer, and I honestly think he would continue trying to defend him if MC ever wanted to press charges for, say, the time he shot her, or the time he tried to throw her out of a train. Taiga's romance potential is already shot because of these things; what can we say of someone who would take Taiga's side?

FROSTHEIM

JIN: Oh boy. Okay, this is the "canon" ship. Jin gets all the tropes, all the sparkly panels of heroically rescuing MC, all the jealous NPCs treating MC like she's already his girlfriend, the works. They could not be pushing this any more clearly. And... it's serviceable. It feels a little out of place in a game like this, and maybe that's why I'm not fully on board, but it works when it works. I just think Jin doesn't have enough screentime to really make the "canon bae" thing stick. Does he KNOW how close we've been getting with 20 other ghouls while he's been absent for several chapters in a row? Does he know he's on a 1-year timer for his slow burn bullshit? I like Jin, and he's one of the most shippable-with-MC characters for sure, but I just think it could be better. It should also be noted that MC is scared of Jin in a similar way that she's scared of Taiga or Romeo. I think honestly she would pick one of the men who hasn't threatened her life yet.

TOHMA: Like Romeo, I judge him one of the "does he even like women?"/"I think he's just using me to get to his husband" type ghouls. He has a flirty manner, but he uses it with everyone, so it means nothing to me when he talks to MC with that same expression. That said, he's more of a simp than Romeo, so while I think Romeo wouldn't care if you fucked his husband, I think Tohma wants you to. I think Tohma is into MC in the way that a stalker might be into a pair of dirty socks once worn by their crush. (And, on a less perverted note, he wants MC to pull Jin out of his depression since he realizes he can't do it by himself--especially now that they're fighting.) I don't think Tohma/MC works as a ship unless it's a complicated situationship with Jin.

KAITO: I don't think MC likes Kaito. She might just be very oblivious (very very VERY oblivious), but she's had many opportunities to respond to his advances and she just kind of no-sells them every time. To me, that kills off any possibility of romance. If MC were more of a self-insert avatar for the player, this wouldn't be an issue, as it would be up to the players to decide whether they liked Kaito or not; but TDB MC has her own thoughts and feelings, and we see them frequently during the episode where she meets Kaito, and the lack of reciprocation is deafening. Another, more possibly controversial point: I don't think Kaito likes MC. I think Kaito wants a girlfriend, and he has gotten it in his head that MC Is Girl, Therefore Perfect For Be Girlfriend. He treats her in a way that he's heard you are "supposed to" treat girls. He doesn't even NOTICE her suspicious behaviour when they meet because he's too busy metagaming the situation; he even gets it into his head that she's "nice" while she's lying to him. He never updates this perception of her. There is nothing about the character, or the way that players play the character, that Kaito actually LIKES. He just wants a girl. Any girl. Bad ship.

LUCAS: Another character who never really expresses attraction to the player character or anyone else. MC has a better relationship with him than she does with Kaito; Lucas doesn't freak out or get jealous or play 4D chess trying to get MC to fall in love with him, so MC can speak to him more honestly. That said, I believe Lucas isn't the sort of person to hide his feelings from MC (or even be able to), so I can't help but read his complete lack of flirtation as a lack of interest. I could believe MC has a one-sided crush on Lucas (which would also make for a really funny group dynamic), but that's about a best-case scenario.

HOTARUBI

HAKU: He really is just "the nice, chill guy" of the roster. Normally those don't compel me at all but Haku is really enjoyable. He's also, at unpredictable points, one of the more horny/flirty characters. Definitely has an attraction to MC, which is a big plus. MC never really gets the chance to respond to his advances, which in this type of game is the closest we get to a canonical attraction from her. (Because of course, they don't want to force players into a romance they might not want.) Good ship! Hard to write about or anything considering Haku is such a mysterious character, but I believe the attraction is real and not part of a dastardly plan, at the very least. Haku definitely puts MC at ease and I think she needs that in a partner.

SUBARU: Another "not sure if he even likes women" situation. Subaru doesn't even come close to the way he acts around Sho, when he's around MC. Subaru is a very cute-and-flustered-around-crushes type, and I think if he were into MC at all, we would see it. I think MC likes Subaru okay as a person but that's it.

ZENJI: This is going to be my most subjective one yet, I think. Zenji is very in his own head. What do I mean by that? I think he would compose seven love ballads for MC and none of them would really be for her. I think he's more attached to the artistic value of love than the feelings themselves. This harms his compatibility with anyone, MC included. As for MC, she actually seems to like Zenji more than the average person does! Or at least more than Haku does. Haku seems to mostly tolerate Zenji, while MC shows enthusiasm for his art in campus stories. Note: this ship becomes untenable in the event that Jiro demonstrates feelings for MC, as I don't think Zenji would compete with him.

MORTKRANKEN JIRO: Does not demonstrate feelings for MC. There are crumbs there, but you have to squint and squeeze to make a ship out of them. I could see MC being attracted to tall, gentle, reliable men, especially ones who made her feel secure during a difficult time in her life... but all we know for sure is that she didn't want to watch him undress for the bath.

YURI: I can see this guy as being the #1 strangest relationship she has with any of the ghouls. At times, he bullies and belittles her, like Ritsu or Romeo or Jin do. Other times, he is working tirelessly to cure her condition and taking the curse more seriously than she's seen anyone else do. He is a very confusingly-supportive love interest. I do not think MC would realistically find romance with him; tsundere that he is, she would need to be more active to really get through to him, and she's a pretty passive person. For Yuri's part, he is embarrassingly infatuated with MC. The man goes beet red when she grabs his hand, for fuck's sake. This is very funny as a one-sided ship and would be equally funny if Yuri decided to actually try confessing, but he is not the best match for MC.

VAGASTROM

ALAN: What do you get when you cross two shy people? Nothing whatsoever, that's what! Alan likes MC but has trouble expressing it and worries about hurting her. MC has a tendency to make herself small and placate people. I'm not sure their relationship can get off the ground in the first place, but if it does, I expect them to have communication issues right away. Mutual conflict-avoidance is not a great foundation for a relationship.

LEO: A great ship for MC if you hate her. Leo is toxic for anyone, but he openly hates MC and wants to get rid of her. If they get into a relationship, it will be one of those dastardly plans I warned of in the ancient scrolls (Haku's paragraph). Has the potential to be really hot though. I don't think MC hates Leo, but I think she avoids him because he seems to hate her. She could be easily manipulated if Leo is so inclined.

SHO: Viable! Sho has never been anything but nice to MC, and it shows in the way she greets him without hesitation. Sho in turn seems to actually like MC, in contrast to Leo. I can't say whether there's any attraction, but there's mutual trust.

OBSCUARY

RUI: Easily one of the most viable ships! There's the romanticism of their mutual curses (as is immediately pointed out by Rui), Rui's open flirtation with MC, the convenient excuse for why they can never hook up (because as stated before, when the excuse is botched it just makes it look like one or both characters isn't interested), and in addition to all that, Rui is one of the nicest and friendliest characters, which is something MC responds well to.

EDWARD: Definitely also a viable ship. MC isn't as intimidated by Ed as she is by characters like Taiga or Jin or even Yuri. The fact that he can overwrite her curse by making her a vampire adds to the intrigue. Ed is both openly horny for MC and expresses interest in being with her forever. The only potential speedbump here is that MC doesn't seem to consider Ed's offer a significant option; her default fear is still "I'm going to die/become a kyklos" rather than "I will have to become a vampire".

LYCA: Has a little potential, but once again the attraction is lacking. I could see Lyca growing to have feelings for MC over time, but it doesn't seem to be the case yet. MC seems to trust Lyca even if he is capable of violence.

In summary BEST SHIPS FOR MC: Haru, Rui, Ed MOST INTERESTING SHIPS: Yuri, Leo WORST SHIPS FOR MC: Taiga, Romeo

[honeyhenry]

The Sweet Outdoors

this was sitting in my drafts, then I had a job interview, and now I'm back and have finally edited and uploaded it!! sickly sweet as always, and I want to give baby wayne a name so any suggestions are welcome! also any requests pls send them my way! word count: 1.8k+

“All I’m saying, is that if I had my way-"

“If you had your way, Bruce, she wouldn’t see outside the walls of the manor until she went to school!” You reply, only half joking. The look he gave you in return was one of a furrowed brow and pouted bottom lip.

“You mean we’re not homeschooling?” was his grumbling reply.

The look you gave him suggested that he had most certainly better be joking, and if not, then to start being extremely quiet.

“I think getting out and about will be good for you both. You especially.” You look pointedly at your husband, who is doing his best to disagree with you, although it’s not in his nature to deny you of much at all. “There’s a lot of world for her to see out there and who better to take her around safely to see it than you? If it were me, Alfred or anyone else, you’d worry.”

Bruce had been dead set against hiring a nanny. You never needed to work again, and honestly neither did he. How difficult would it be to raise your little girl all by yourselves, especially with Alfred running everything else behind the scenes? Apparently more difficult than expected. You were currently sending him on some errands in the nearby village - bread, jam, and "actually see another adult who isn’t your wife or butler, Bruce" - with his 4 week old baby, to better socialise her.

Socialise her. Bruce had hummed in great amusement at that. Socialise a 4 week old who couldn’t even hold her own head up. As if you had to train her up for a gala specifically for babies. His baby wouldn’t be going near such an event for as long as he possibly could hold off the idea. Maybe when she turned 18.

Maybe.

And now here you were, his wife, sending the apparent loves of your life away to socialise. Bruce swore that when he woke up this morning, he thought that you loved him. And now, wearing his cotton navy shirt and dress trousers, he was being carted off alongside his daughter to Do Things while you responded to letters and invitations that had been sitting for weeks now, congratulating you on your new addition. (Bruce knew you’d also aim to have a bath, and knowingly laid your favourite towels and soaps nearby.)

“Fine. We will go. If only to give you some peace.” His words of submission to your plan made you beam.

“Thank you honey. I know once you’re out there you will enjoy some time with her! Oh, she won’t be a little indoor hermit like her father after all!” That earned you a playful smack on your ass, before you were being silenced with a kiss from your husband.

____________________

Never one to question things, aloud you had spotted Bruce eyeing up and very nearly becoming entangled in the sling you’d purchased for this very occasion. He didn't speak, but his eyes screamed; “what the hell is this?” and “why does my wife look so thrilled by the whole premise?”

“it’s a baby sling. You get to wear the baby.” You smile, giggling at his expression shift to one of even deeper confusion.

“Wear her? Like a - what?”

“Come here. Look.” You raise your arms up high to pull the first section over Bruce’s head, pulling it down and securing it at the sides. You pull a couple more strands of fabric across his thick, muscular back, and then around his broad chest until it looks snug and secure. You stand back to admire your work. Before Bruce actually says what the expression on his face already tells you, you reach into the bassinet by your bed and bring out your sleeping angel. Carefully, you slot her into the small pouch made in the sling at Bruce’s chest, listening to her quiet grumbles and squeaks as she’s positioned correctly.

“There we are! See, you’re wearing her! It’s perfectly safe.”

Bruce doesn’t speak for a moment, typical of his character, but you decide to check in with him anyway.

”Bruce? B? You can take the stroller instead I- if it’s not-“

He smiles. Gently, but it's there. “No. I-" she clears his throat. "She’s right here. It's good.” He presses a large hand tenderly to her tiny back, utterly besotted.

_________________

it’s not a far walk to the village. You often walked down the winding lane headed in its direction in the weeks leading up to your due date, waddling with Bruce or Alfred for just under an hour to arrive at a small confectionery store, post office, and a small collection of other amenities.

Bruce, with his baby girl close to his chest and snuggled safely beneath his coat, briskly walks there in 20 minutes.

“I don’t know about you, but I’m beginning to think your mother just wanted the house to herself. We both whine a lot. She says that you get it from me.”

Bruce looks down and is met with a wide-eyed stare, hanging on his every word. He decides to continue talking.

“I think this is your first visit around here. What do you think hm?” He asked, before realising quickly he wouldn’t get an answer. “Trust me, this is the nicer part of town. Over there by that cherry blossom, your mother made me stop the car after our fourth or fifth date to take a picture underneath it. I still have that picture on my desk. Which is up there in that tower.” he pointed up and East to the far-away Wayne Enterprises building, its blinking lights glowing in the distance. Some day, he would show his sweet girl his offices, but not any time soon. He figured there’d be a lot of attention, and his girls didn’t need that.

“And over there, by that fir tree?” He treads through the gravel to reach a wide open park, with hedges covered in yellow flowers. “We were on a picnic over there last year, barely anyone was around, and your mother…in the nicest way…she threw up right there on the base of that tree. I had to hold her hair back and pray that no one else in the park had seen because it was bad. Funnily enough, the next day, we found out about you.” He smiled softly at the memory.

“You made your mother sick in public and she was mortified, worried about sullying our name and legacy, as if I could care about anything other than the one she was already growing.”

He stopped and stood at the fir tree, strong roots forming thick branches which gave a luscious green tone to the leaves. A small gurgle and soft kick to the stomach made him blink out of his trance.

“You’re right. We should keep moving.”

_______________

“Oh Mr Wayne! How good it is to see you out!” Doris, the local and utterly harmless post office attendant enjoyed seeing the young man every so often, knowing that his trips down to the village were few and far between. She knew of his kindness and polite nature, and had always taken an interest in the seemingly more human side of him. Less billionaire, more Bruce. He liked her small talk and pleasantries, and the warmth she held in her eyes that extended to the actions of her heart.

“Doris, good afternoon. We’re just here for some jam. Has the raspberry still been popular?” his deep voice questioned, lowly, still in the habit of not arousing too much suspicion.

“I may have put one aside…I know Mrs Wayne enjoys it especially. Is she with you today? Has she-? I mean- I know the jam was helpful with her cravings..” she began to whisper.

Bruce smiled. Mischievously. Doris was indeed privy to the information that much of the rest of the world had yet to discover. Against Bruce’s wishes and supposed better judgment, you’d walked along to the village store early on in your pregnancy and found the most delicious jam, made on a local farm and thoroughly endorsed by Doris herself. You had misspoken, and told her how perfect the jam would be for satisfying your cravings now that you could keep your meals down before you'd clamped your hand over your mouth in utter disbelief that you had slipped up.

Doris had been more than understanding, not even breathing a word to the other workers or locals in the small village. She cared for the Wayne family, and wanted them to feel as normal as possible. Occasionally, Bruce would come in and share a small update, but other than the gift basket of jams and baked goods that she had sent to the manor a few months ago, contact was kind but infrequent.

Which is why now, when Doris had asked for even the smallest update, yet not even daring to ask the question “Has the baby arrived?” in fear of disturbing their privacy, Bruce decided to reward her patience and loyalty.

Opening his coat jacket, he revealed his daughter’s dark tufts of hair and tiny sleepy frame. Her coat, which was adorned with tiny, soft, yellow stars, and the little cream mittens slotted over her hands to stop her scratching, were now in full view.

Doris gasped. She looked to Bruce and smiled, tears glazing her eyes but not daring to fall.

“She’s 4 weeks old. Beautiful like her mother. Tends to be a little grumpy like me. Which is why I think we have been sent away for the afternoon.” He uses his pointer finger to hold her entire hand, making sure she knows he is close as she wraps her fist around his fingertip. “We are grateful for your gifts, Doris, and for keeping our little secret. Just for now.”

With a gleeful smile and having placed their shopping into a paper bag, Doris giddily sent them back on their way.

_____________

“Maybe this whole outdoors thing might work out. What do you think?” He asks again, as he feels the tiny hand grip his finger as tightly as she could muster. “I agree. Your mother will be beside herself. Still, that’s why we love her. She tends to be right.”

As he walks back up the path, albeit at a slower pace, he can see the manor’s gleaming windows and ivy strewn walls. The lights are on in the north facing wing and he’s hopeful you will have had some rest while he has been looking after your daughter. It really had been a privilege to care for her, to quieten her whimpers and keep her safe from any growling dogs or sharp stares from strangers who happened to realise who they were passing in the street.

“Here we are, princess. Home sweet home.” Climbing the steps with care, he pushed the heavy oak doors open to step into the grand foyer. “Darling, we’re home!” Setting the jams down gently, he watches as you rush down the staircase to greet them both.

“Never leave me again, never listen when I say you should go. Please, I missed you both terribly!”

Bruce grinned. You would forever be keeping him on his toes with your strange ideas and passionate declarations - and if he was lucky enough, you and his sweet baby girl would be doing that for the rest of his life.

[nikethestatue]

Hi Nike!! Hope you don’t mind the random message - I’m prettyyyyy new to the fandom but have been on a deep dive as of late & I’ve loved all your fics/ hearing your thoughts on theories, development of story etc. and of course elriel 😂 I’ll not mention this whole shambles with BB/SJM cuz it’s driving me mad lol

But I did want to ask you - why do you think Gwyn is in the BC?

I was honestly shocked after reading the books & the BC at the uproar for Gwynriel. Genuinely couldn’t believe it - I’ve loved elriel since they first met…I a) don’t understand why people wouldn’t want them to be together & b) I can’t fathom that after the slow buildup, the connection/ parallels & they mystery of them that they won’t end up together!! I just don’t understand it!

But anyway. Some of the gwynriel fan art, theories etc have actually managed to get under my skin. And I just would love to hear your perspective as to why you think she’s in the BC? I read one that noted how something does shift between them in that scene - and it’s really got my worried 😔

Thank you!!

And sorry I’m sure many people have come to you for this 😂

Hi, no problem. :)

I think we need to establish a baseline for any argument about Elriel vs Gwynriel, which people tend not to do, but it would save us all a lot of time if we didn't.

Elriel-fact

Gwynriel-emotions

Elriel is based on facts. Facts from the books, facts from ACOSF, and facts from the POV as well. SJM only confirmed and set up Elriel as a romantic pairing. Not Gwynriel. Not in any way, shape or form. SJM had other characters--Nesta, Rhys, Cassian--notice that something was happening between Elriel, and not Gwynriel. These are facts. It's Elain who stood next to Azriel at the dais of the throne in Hewn City. It's the rescue of Elain that Azriel AND Cassian both discussed--something that didn't need to be discussed at all in Nesta's book, since neither Nesta nor Cassian were involved in the rescue. It's Elain and Azriel who held the new baby last, not Azriel and Gwyn, and not Elain and Lucien. Speaking of Lucien, it's Lucien who cut Cassian off rudely and told him that he isn't in Velaris to see Elain. And it's Cassian who noticed that Azriel cooled off towards Mor. Furthermore, it's Nesta who notices how the Elucien bond is affecting Azriel.

All of these are FACTS.

Now, in terms of the POV. Power, is the answer.

Because people very conveniently 'forget' that it wasn't just Azriel and Gwyn who were present in the POV.

We have, in fact, 5 people, who are actively present in the POV.

Azriel, Elain, Rhys, Gwyn and Clotho.

Can we agree that these are FACTS too? And that the whole POV wasn't about Azriel and Gwyn. In fact, Gwyn/Azriel scene was sandwiched between a bunch of other scenes. It's not the alpha and not the omega. It didn't start or end the POV.

The POV begins with Elain, and the entire thread of the bonus is about Elain and Azriel's feelings for her.

We learn about his obsession and his desire for Elain.

Elain then steps into the scene and accepts his gift, and then accepts and encourages his affection. We learn that she feels the same way.

We then have Rhys, who forbids Azriel from seeing...Elain.

We then have Gwyn, who takes his mind off...Elain.

And we conclude with Clotho, who comforts him and offers him a measure of peace, because she sees that he is sad. Over Elain.

So, what do we truly have? 3 people who exercise different types of power on Azriel--a High Lord, who forbids him from doing what he wants, and 2 mysterious priestesses who offer him comfort and assistance...or do we have 'the end of Elriel'?

We have different displays of power. Absolute power, undiscovered/secret powers and daemati power. Let's not forget 'Gwyn's power rumbled in response to Nesta's'. There is a hidden power in Gwyn (it's based on music and song) and that's why she was in the bonus. Just like SJM basically confirmed during a Live--Gwyn is likely a Lightsinger, and for a period of time, she made Azriel forget his sadness and sorrows.

It's no more complicated than that. Like we had an Elriel thread running through ACOSF, we had a Gwyn thread running through the book as well, and it was connected to her singing. We also had a thread of Clotho hearing and seeing things running through since ACOWAR.

Bonuses are there to expand on what we read in the book(s). That's exactly what this bonus did. Expanded on Elriel's situation, on how stressed and scared Rhys was over the pregnancy and its ramifications, the political situation in Prythian, and the powers of the Library priestesses.

It's no less and no more than that. It's not the 'end of Elriel' or the 'beginning of Gwynriel'.

[dommnics]

It’s official…the cast for Carrie has been released…any thoughts?

Very, very exciting stuff! I am so unfamiliar with the majority of these actors, aside from Samantha Sloyan, Amber Midthunder, and Matthew Lillard. But that's a great thing! I'm looking forward to being introduced to them as these characters in this world.

I can't stress how excited I am to see how much more these characters will be fleshed out, and what different directions Mike Flanagan will take for them. The story is stacked with an array of female characters who come from wildly different perspectives and backgrounds, and I'm so interested to see how much more nuanced and complex they can be in an eight episode format vs a two hour film.

Summer H. Howell as Carrie White:

Like many, I'm bummed but not entirely surprised that yet again, we have a thin, conventionally attractive actress representing Carrie for a fourth screen adaptation. Really missed opportunity to set her apart from the past Carrie portrayals visually, and also to connect back to how truly vicious the pig's blood prank is with that context. With that said, it's a new Carrie, and I am very excited for Summer to put her own fingerprints on this character, and from what Mike Flanagan has said about her in a recent interview...

... it makes me all the more excited to see what she'll do with this role. I'm curious how y'all interpret the last bit of this quote? Could she be an angrier Carrie? In the novel, I felt she was expressing (internally mostly) a lot more rage through the story, which was softened in Sissy's portrayal, but I could feel it with Angela and Chloe. I think this is a great opportunity to explore that even further with Summer. I'm also super interested to see how her physical acting will be, especially with the telekinesis. So far, the most unique version in this area has been Chloe's portrayal - using her hands, and even her movement was sort of animalistic and predatory, so I hope they get really creative with how Summer will physically represent her use of the TK.

Samantha Sloyan as Margaret White:

I'm kind of curious who the other runner ups for this role would've been, but definitely no concern here, because we've already had a glimpse of what her Margaret could be through Bev Keane. But because she's already played a similar character, it would interest me to see how Samantha will make Margaret a much different character from what she's already done before.

Siena Agudong as Sue Snell:

While I'm not familiar with her, I'm really happy with this casting due to the fact that Siena is partly Filipina! Being Filipino myself, that's a little win in my book! I really appreciate this character, and the morally grey aspects to her. I've previously spoken about it on here before how the 2002 version had my favourite version of Sue (so spunky and kind, but with bite in a way that felt really natural and authentic), and I am very excited over the potential of how this character can be expanded and explored further. With all the characters, this new take has the opportunity to create a defining version of the character out of all the adaptations. Sue has plenty of areas that the movies did not have the space or time to fully realize, and I hope that what Siena does in this role can place her as being the definitive Sue Snell. What also interests me is how involved she'll be in the final acts of the story. I struggle with picking a stance of whether I like her sneaking into the prom and eventually witnessing the destruction, or being at home, and slowly realizing there's something going down in the town. But I have hope that they'll stick closer to the way the novel's final moments play out, with Sue being an active presence in Carrie's final moments.

Alison Thornton as Chris Hargensen:

Dark haired Chris! That was my first thought when seeing this casting hahaha! I remember being so excited when Portia Doubleday showed up in the Carrie 2013 trailer with dark hair. It's honestly an inconsequential detail, but I just like the visual connection to her book self. Apart from that, I'm unfamiliar with his actress, and I'm looking forward to seeing what she'll do with Chris. I'm not familiar with how Chris is handled or fleshed out in the musical, but so far my favourite interpretation has been Portia's. Despite not having a bunch of screentime in the 2013 movie, I really felt that she managed to give Chris a lot more nuance and even fragility that I didn't get from the previous versions.

Thalia Dudek as Emaline:

This just makes me super curious who Emaline will be in this story. Will she be a version of one of the existing characters from the novel, or someone entirely different? Maybe Carrie won't be a total loner in this, and Emaline could be the one friend she has in the school? Curious what y'all are speculating for this character!

Amber Midthunder as Miss Desjardin:

I loved Amber Midthunder in Prey, and it was cute to see her show up in the live action Avatar series. Apart from those, I haven't seen her in anything else that I've watched, so I'm interested to see what she'll be like in this role. The way that the 1976 movie expanded and re-interpreted this character from her novel self was really well done, so much so that the 2002 and 2013 versions followed suit in varying degrees. I like the push and pull aspect of her character, where she pities Carrie, either from a place of annoyance, and also genuinely wanting to help her. I think that makes her character more interesting than just straight up being a sweet teacher (and she has teeth and means business in all three versions, which I love!), and feels like it nods to her own background a bit - maybe she was a mean girl herself back in her school years, and that could be a really compelling angle to write this character, from school bully to being a teacher (it happens so often!)

Matthew Lillard as Principle Grayle:

I'm actually surprised more at the role that Matthew Lillard is playing, because I was actually expecting it to be announced that he would be Ralph White, when his role was initially hush hush. I'm happy to see in the Carrie universe, and it just makes me curious to see if this character will play a larger role in the story or not. It's also always tickled me to see how each version has done the post showeroom talk in the principal's office, and how Carrie's powers are introduced during this scene. We've gotten Carrie flipping an ashtray, pushing a steel desk, and shattering a glass water dispenser. Makes me curious what she'll do here! Crack a window maybe? Explode a laptop for that modern flair?

Josie Totah as Tina:

Tina coming back makes me happy! I'd have to double check, but I think this character in the novel does not have the prominence she has in the movies, basically being Chris's right hand. Chris being the main antagonist, but with Norma/Tina being the nasty little follow up is something I've really enjoyed throughout the three versions, and they've all had really interesting and unique demises at the prom. I hope that Josie's Tina will have a similar role in this new version. It also makes me curious now how the dynamic of the female bullies will be in a 2025 world.

Arthur Conti as Billy:

I have not seen Beetlejuice Beetlejuice yet, but clearly I have to now, just to see what Arthur Conti is like. Billy's such a gross, threatening, little creep in the novel, and apart from John Travolta's take on Billy, I thought the 2002 and 2013 did a decent job of getting this across. I'm looking forward to his dynamic with Chris in this version, and I hope that Arthur Conti can bring a frightening presence in this that I felt the 2002 and 2013 were able to do with their Billy.

Joel Oulette as Tommy:

I wonder how audiences will respond to Tommy's character this time around. I've noticed that first time viewers of Carrie usually have a hard time following whether or not Tommy and Sue are in on the prank, and what kind of agenda they're acting on, so I hope this version paints a clearer picture of these two characters and where they're coming from. I do appreciate the inclusion of people of color in the main cast so far, so while I'm not familiar with Joel Oulette, I'm happy he's our new Tommy.

I'd love to know what y'all are thinking, and I wanna hear some theories and speculation from everybody too!!

[alpaca-clouds]

Why I just hate the 02 Epilogue

I guess I will just post Digimon fanramblings on Tuesdays now, because why not. (Fuck, my brain really clung back onto the old hyperfixation, didn't it?) And I think today I will just rant about why I hate that darn epilogue so much. Because I still hate it and for the most part I am glad that the post-canon movies are slowly kinda retconning it - dispite Kakudou arguing that this was not true. But c'mon, Hiroyuki. We retconned the Digimon staying around in Kizuna and also realized that "everybody getting a Digimon partner" would be a horrible idea in The Beginning.

But let me rant.

The Jobs

I could have lived with some of the jobs, but I generally hate them all. For two reasons. For once I HATE how pretty much EVERYONE (but some of the women) have a high earning job. Like solid top 3%. And a lot of them were never set up. Going through them it basically looks like this:

Taichi: I could kinda live with him being an ambassador. If it was not in the context of everything else, I could live with it. He was the main hero so to speak, so him being kinda important... yeah, whatever. Especially as he has the charisma to be a politician. I just hate that he is too important.

Yamato: Look, I know that in the novels based on the original concept that they at some point had for Adventure, this was set up. But that was not the version we got. And I am sorry, in the version we got he never cared about space. Also... Well, astronauts need to pass extensive psychological testing, and I am sorry. Someone who is at the very least depressive as a kid and teen, if not has some clear signs of borderline will never get into space. That's just how it is.

Sora: Why? Why the fuck is she a fashion designer? When did she ever care about fashion? Also, again: Why did she has to be a super prominent designer, rather than just... a normal one?

Koshiro: Sure, he is the one character where I have no questions. This fits.

Mimi: I guess her job is based on the running joke that her family has a lot of weird recipes that still are somehow kinda good? But yeah, again: Why did she have to become famous with it? Funnily enough: The German version made her a nutritionist. Which I actually like a lot better. It is a lot more normal.

Jou: His job I hate. Like, his entire character arc in Adventure is about learning to say "no" to his father who absolutely wants him to become a doctor. And then the solution is: "Yeah, he is a doctor, but for Digimon?" Are you serious? Just let him be something else and have his father deal with it.

Hikari: Honestly, given she has probably the most "normal" job of them all, I am somewhat fine with it. It is still not really set up before episode 49, but yeah, whatever. Though there is another reason I hate this. But about that after the list.

Takeru: Look, I do not care that this at some point was intended - or that at least Kakudou claims so (I do not really trust Kakudou, I am honest, because I know certain things where he 100% lied, as several other people have said conflicting things). But yeah, this is is just so very random.

Daisuke: I hate it so much. Like, I would be perfectly fine with him being a chef. While this is based on a one-off joke in one of the later episodes, I am fine with that. You do not need a certain psychological profile to be a Ramen chef in Japan (like Yamato would need as an astronaut) and kids will usually not know what they gonna do at the age. But him becoming the CEO of a fucking chain restaurant? I fucking hate that. Let the boy just make his noodles. Geez.

Miyako: Hate it. It is misogyny. Nuff said. I agree with her voice actor here. I could get behind her being on maternity leave, but if she is not working with Koshiro something is wrong.

Iori: Of the 02 kids he is probably the least offensive. I can somewhat see it? Again, I kinda hate how this is another top earning job, but still. It is not offensively wrong.

Ken: I am anarchist. I am not fine with my little boy being a cop. It is also not set up at all and does not really fit with his character. Especially knowing Japanese cops.

And yeah, there is the general issue to: All four women have C-class jobs. Meaning: Care, Cooking, Clothes. Girly jobs. Pink jobs. Oh boy, what ideas could children get in 2000 if you wrote it that a girl became a scientist or something. Will someone please think of the children?

As I said, I am kinda fine with Hikari. She is kinda depicted as this caring, motherly figure in 02. But the other three? Nope. Sorry. Cannot really see it.

The Kids

I hate two things about the kids: For one I hate that everyone has at least one kid, and for two that most of the kids (who are not kids of two canon-characters, in which case they mostly have the appearance of one of them, but with the haircolor of the other) look like basically a clone of their parents. Like, not all kids look like their parents. The kids in the show (the main characters I mean) do not look like clones of their parents, so why would their kids look like their clones.

I get that the crew probably did not want to put in the effort to create unique designs, but I have a novel idea: Then don't do an "everyone has kids" epilogue.

Also, I kinda find it disturbing that the son of Daisuke, the daughter of Miyako and Ken, and the kid of Hikari seem to be the oldest. They look like about 9 to 11. Meaning that based on this being 25 years post-canon, those characters all became parents in their early 20s. Yes, I guess that this was seen as very normal in early 2000s Japan, due to Japanese society being very conservative and having been a lot more conservative back in the day. But holy fuck. Like, folks, think ahead. This is supposed to take place in the future. It was absolutely foreseeable that this would not be how it would be in the 2020s. (Fun fact: That epilogue takes place in summer 2027 - so like two years from now. I curse you with: "FEEL OLD!")

I also hate the fact that they all just have kids. Sure, you can have a child and be single, but it implies everyone is married and of course in a straight relationship. Look, I do not expect them to go there and say: "Yo, some of them are gay," but leave some of it up to interpretation? I know that at the time Japanese tolerance for queerness basically boiled down to: "Sure, be gay, whatever, but you still need a straight partner and kids. You can be gay as like as side hussle." But man.

And again: Not everyone has kids.

I generally am a hater when it comes to "everyone has kids" epilogues. Some people do not want kids. Other people cannot have kids. Allow for that? Please?

Also I kinda hate how every kid has the Digimon partner of their parent. I know, back in the day there were not a whole lot of Baby II Digimon around that were not the Baby-II-forms of the Adventure/02 main Digimon (like, there were Pagumon, Chocomon, Gummimon, and Tsumemon, I think, but that is it outside of the main Digimon, if I am not mistaken). But man. Mix it up a bit? Would have made the kids seem less like copies of their parents.

The State of the World

I honestly gotta say, I still do not get what has made them decide for this state of the world. Sure, I kinda get that it felt to someone as a natural progression to go from "international chosen children" to "everyone has a Digimon", but... I mean... *gestures widely at the state of the world in 2000*

Look, I get that this came out in 2000 and not in 2001, yeah? So it was in a world before the "War on Terror". But also, this came out in a period when Japan was politically super unstable based on the economic regression in the 1990s. I mean, heck, the entire Hikarigaoka thing was inspired BY AN ACTUAL TERROR ATTACK THAT HAPPENED IN HIKARIGAOKA IN 1995! (Not-so fun fact.)

Not even with going into the idea of giving Americans monsters that can literally just villi-nilli NUKE people... Like, nothing against you, normal American nerds probably reading this, but you gotta agree that MAGAs with Digimon partners would be horrible, right? Like, I mean, I am sorry. But if you went with "every human has a Digimon partner", at some point humanity would probably very successfully erase themselves from this planet. Because again: THOSE THINGS SHOOT NUKES! It is part of the natural "biology" of some Digimon to be able to SHOOT NUKES.

I mean, I am not gonna lie: I would totally be there for a political thriller or something based on the concept of a world where a lot of people have Digimon partners. (Heck, with Digimon Battle Generation I wrote something like that myself.) But do not put it in some 3 minute epilogue and then let it dangle off there like that! Like, I mean... c'mon!

I get that it is a somewhat nice thought. But... yeah, no. It does not work.

I kinda feel the Digimon fandom needs a tag on Ao3 like the HP fandom has: EWE. Epilogue? What Epilogue?

[ayaraki]

Clear the smoke, put out the fire.

[fantasykiri5]

Been considering… Making character charms… and selling them on my Kofi and/or potentially Etsy… because I’ve seen some good brands that can make them and I think it would be fun…

Question is, who would you guys like to see?

[hotsugarbyglassanimals]

even though i feel like i can confidently tell when a piece of art is generative A/I, i really don't feel inclined or really even justified calling someone out for it due to the precedent it sets - especially when artists who DO make their own pieces get caught in the crossfire for being inexperienced or making the choice to be more free-form when it comes to character design / consistency...

[bitegore]

ngl i think i kind of was a genius for being like 'yeah this character is a scary killyou cannibal scary killer who scary kills you' and then realizing that the way my worldbuilding works out is that there's a nonzero chance that if you leave literally any body parts over they can just come back, depending on what they believe in their heart of hearts can kill them. Of course she'd start eating her kills. She probably tried normal stuff first and then realized it didn't work and she had to try harder if she wanted to actually keep them dead.

[twilight-zoned-out]

Milo Thatch, Atlantis: The Lost Empire (2001)

[arolesbianism]

Thinking abt spiraling upwards side characters again. Charredpelt my absolute beloved

[narwhalandchill]

ANYWAY now that ive gotten my firefly rant off my chest and on a more positive note about the story overall; i Really liked it!!!! and character-wise specifically the biggest surprise for me in a huge W way was actually acheron??

& given i was actually somewhat committed to pulling her anyway (well. initially as kafka replacement to pull my first lightning carry after losing 50-50 but. Well. she had mercy on me at the v last moment thank goodness 😭😭) so actually ending up liking her character this much just cemented that resolve for good too. cant wait for her!!! like i am still meh on her base design not bc its that bad by itself but simply bc seeles existence just cheapens it so much like. Why are they so similar. but its not bad lmao

anyway to her actual characterization. first of all. the VAs delivery omg yall beidous english voice is already one of my all time favorites in genshin and shes doing an amazing job as acheron like. she started talking and im just INSTANTLY warmed up to her just from that KDJSKDKJK i love love love her attitude and energy!!!!!

n personality wise too??? like ive seen others mention a similar sentiment but its just the way how. even after getting the warnings from now Two separate characters that shes up to no good. im just like. "nah id win" abt it SHSKDKSI like throughout the story she comes off as so damn likeable and grounded and realistically friendly (as in not like. too open n aligned w the player from the get-go to feel believable for the character as opposed to a plot contrivance) that i just. even if shes bad news im team acheron truly.

she has genuinely funny one liners too ??? like not necessarily jokes outright but the kinda comments she says are just . very realistic in that dry witty way that comes off as natural and entertaining shes so charming!!! i love her. the more contemplative stuff she says too

but also like. girl whats up w the ominous red text ily but are we cool 😭😭 and the whole shredding us into thin slices on first encounter in the dreamscape like. Ok uhhhhhhhh ik i said nah id win and team acheron forever but this is kinda. worrisome

BUT that just means im so fucking excited to see her go apeshit too lmao like. oh shes an emanator here to do murder and spread death? COOL i hope she has fun!!

(and ik i said firefly rant over but. what the actual hell is that post firefly merk dialogue option where the games like very heavy handedly implying ur supposed to be blaming ACHERON for "letting it happen" in some emotional frenzy???? bro what 💀💀 0/5 moment i would never. n even if she plausibly did im just. dude her being cold towards firefly is just a plus for me when the narrative has just railroaded the TB into being sooo charmed by her magical presence lmao i Liked that acheron was suspicious n cold)

overall Definitely wasnt expecting acheron to establish herself as such an instant favorite for sure but. shes here now and im v happy abt it im super looking forward to seeing those more dubious goals of her come to the forefront in the future like. im so curious about whats up w her and her memory and that red text and everything

[gifti3]

honestly i wanna write a paper on MCs relationship dynamics in this game

[sassyfever]

Okay but why is Meet the Robinsons so amazing, like I'm used to finding good movies long after their release but to find a movie of THIS level without even hearing anyone talk about it even a little bit. I was just trying to pass time and stumbled upon a masterpiece.

[barbatos-sama]

this is an ask to the creator of the show this is so ominous. raggattha npc theory real maybe??