#initial ch2 thoughts

[tiredassmage]

what type of villain are you?

your honor, i do love a good uquiz diagnosing the diseases and problems of my fictional characters and also i might be slightly procrastinating a final paper. saw this one from @sasslett and simply could not resist :3 quiz link! for those who'd like.

swtor edition first!

tyr deckard - then let me be evil

You never wanted to hurt anyone, but the world never gave you a choice. You did the best you could with what you had, but every innocent mistake you made was held against you when it counted, every crossroads led you down the wrong path no matter which way you went. No matter what you did, the odds were stacked against you. It wasn't fair, and you are sick and tired of being told what a monster you are for things out of your control. Well, fine. They want a monster? YOU'LL GIVE THEM A MONSTER!

alucren ellery - the betrayer

You like to do things up close and personal. As personal as you can get. You are an excellent actor, and you do adore putting on a smile knowing your worst enemy, the one you hate the most, doesn't suspect a thing when they tell you their deepest secrets. Your only motivation is revenge, and revenge you shall get. Perhaps you loved them once, long ago, but any fondness for your target you once felt has long since warped and twisted into perverse obsession, laced with malice and venom and seething hatred. Good or evil does not matter to you. All that matters is they get what they deserve.

leo ashold - the coward

You didn't have another choice, honest! Have these people SEEN what the heroes are up against? It'd end you in an instant, whether that be a lovecraftian abomination with a hold on your soul, a rampaging monster that's destroying more than a hurricane and an earthquake could in one fell swoop, a shadow organization that has tabs on everyone you love and will end them in an instant, or just a particularly grumpy boss that might yell at you if you don't fall in with his excessively tyrannical methods, you can't go risking your neck for the poor saps that think they can stop it. No way, you're staying on the bad guy side, where it's SAFE.

rhyst delavast - for the greater good

Perhaps you do not believe what you are doing can truly be classified as evil. Perhaps some people will be hurt from the immediate consequences of your actions, but what the masses fail to see is the immense good that will come of your plans. Maybe you act in the name of science, or for your people who have fallen on great tragedy. Maybe you see cracks in a failing system and want to uproot it through chaotic, destructive means to avoid greater tragedy down the line. Maybe you're just in with a bad crowd, but you can't leave them, no matter how unsavory their intentions, because they're your only ticket to your ultimate goals. No matter what, your goals are noble, and you take no joy in wreaking havoc or hurting those in your way, but the evils you partake in are necessary. If you need to play the bad guy to ensure a better future, then you are willing to play that part.

savosta - no moral compass

You are cold, analytical, and you strive to be as objective as a person of flesh and blood can be. Either don't understand the concepts of good and evil, or you understand it perfectly and think it's a load of bull. Some may call you selfish, some may call you unfeeling, but you're just doing what you believe will yield the best results, plain and simple. Why bother with petty ideals of right or wrong when you can do what will actively help those you give a fuck about? Your goals may be selfish or noble or anything in between, but you will not let anyone make you feel like garbage for going after them. You couldn't care less about what people brand you as. You just care about getting shit done by any means necessary.

[mattiesgf]

scribbles - m.r x reader

summary - dash&lily!au, mattheo and reader communicate through a book, and perhaps its comforting to rant to someone without knowing them?

word count - above 2k

a/n - okay omg, this is literally my first fic ever so don't judge? and I really wanted something like an anonymous romance because I think it fits mattheo. enjoyy

ch2

The Hogwarts library was insanely huge—everyone knew that. Its sections seemed to stretch endlessly, shelf after shelf, book after book. And it wasn’t just academic texts; there were novels too, tucked away in those maze-like aisles.

So here he was, Mattheo Riddle, probably the last person you’d expect in front of the literature shelves, fumbling through titles in a half-hearted attempt to find A Farewell to Arms for his Muggle Studies class.

Professor Charity Burbage wouldn’t shut up about the so-called "sappy Muggle romance." For the sake of his grades, he had to find it. After scanning what felt like every spine in the row, he finally spotted it.

“Finally!”

He grabbed the book without hesitation. Staying in the library wasn’t on his agenda—it never was. The place didn’t exactly hold the sweetest memories for him. The silence, so absolute, seemed to lure the worst thoughts to the surface. It was the perfect breeding ground for overthinking, and Mattheo had no patience for that. He much preferred the controlled chaos of the dorms or the common room. Maybe he’d been alone too long. People could be annoying, sure, but they kept the silence—and his thoughts—at bay.

Just as he was about to leave, something caught his eye: a bright red book on the same shelf. It wasn’t a novel, not with that unmarked spine and leather cover. Curiosity got the better of him, and he pulled it out. The journal smelled faintly of Chanel—a stark contrast to the old-book musk around it. Stickers covered the spine, obscuring what might’ve been the owner’s initials. Lana Del Rey. The Smiths. A tiny “A” tucked in the corner.

He opened it.

The first page was written in delicate cursive, the kind that practically screamed “perfected over years of writing essays on parchment.”

“Do you dare?”

His first instinct was to chuck the thing out the nearest window and let it flop onto the frozen lake below. This felt eerily close to one of his father’s tricks. But then again, when had Voldemort ever cared for indie aesthetics or Muggle music?

Curiosity won. He flipped the page.

“Ah, so you do dare. And no, I’m not trying to lure you into the Chamber to kill you. I just figured if you’re in this aisle, maybe we have something in common.”

“I’ve left some clues for you. If you want them, turn the page. If you don’t, put the book back on the shelf, please—this is kind of my one shot at finding a literary soulmate.”

The handwriting, undeniably feminine, had that neat, practiced vibe. Someone who probably spent way too much time perfecting it in their first year. Definitely not him.

“ALSO, if you’re not a teenage boy, I’d suggest putting it back. And if you’re Madam Pince, I’m definitely a Gryffindor. ;)”

Mattheo let out a low chuckle. She was funny. Slytherin vibes, or so he thought.

The next page revealed a string of numbers:

“1111111”

Some sort of code?

“Solve it, decipher it, and it might just lead…”

He sighed, already feeling the time he’d need to spend on this. But he was hooked. What better way to pass the time than chasing cryptic clues from a journal that promised not to kill him, right?

Tucking the book under his arm, he headed for the exit, but of course, Madam Pince’s sharp voice cut through the air like a spell.

“Mr. Riddle, you must check that out before stuffing it in your bag and leaving.”

“Uh, yeah, of course.” He handed over A Farewell to Arms.

“And the other?”

“That’s mine. Just a journal,” he lied smoothly.

“Right.”

He nodded quickly and slipped out before she could've said more.

As he walked away, a soft voice called out behind him. “You took the journal?”

He turned, spotting a fifth-year—a library volunteer, maybe.

“I did. Why?”

The kid shrugged, barely pausing. “Solve the riddles and put it where you get. She’ll answer.”

“Wait—”

But the kid was already gone.

“Wait—”

But the kid was already gone.

So, it was a girl. Cursive handwriting, fancy perfume, and riddles designed to intrigue. Maybe this wouldn’t be such a waste of time after all.

He made his way back to the dungeons, the familiar stone hallways feeling like they were meant for him, even if he wasn’t sure what “home” really meant anymore.

He reached the dorm, the one that was always a bit of a mess, the one he shared with Theodore and Lorenzo. The air had that funny, almost burnt toast scent to it that Mattheo had gotten used to. It wasn’t perfect, but it was his.

But his mind wasn’t on the dorm or the mess. It was on the journal. It had been... interesting. Why would Mattheo Riddle, of all people, take the time to talk to someone who had no idea who he was? Maybe that’s exactly why—someone who wouldn’t judge him for the name or the bloodline.

“Oi, Enzo, give me a hand with something?”

“God, Matt, do you ever think maybe I have my own stuff to do? Maybe Enzo has plans, y’know?”

“Shut up and help. I totally covered for you with Greengrass about your stupid book, remember?”

“Fuck you.”

“Yeah, yeah, come on.”

Lorenzo flopped down next to him on the couch, eyeing the journal in Mattheo’s hand.

“So, let me get this straight. You’re talking to a girl—who could very well not be a girl—and you want me to solve the riddles and help you, because you’re actually interested? AND, you're intrigued by one line? the one line she wrote-?”

Mattheo rolled his eyes. “Yeah, but it’s a good line.”

Lorenzo gave him a skeptical look. “A good line? She could be some weird third-year with a collection of creepy journals. I’m just saying, don’t get too attached.”

“Relax, I’m not getting attached,” Mattheo said, but the words felt hollow even to him.

Lorenzo snatched the journal from his hand, flipping through the pages. “You’re telling me you’re not intrigued by this?” He raised an eyebrow. “I mean, ‘Do you dare?’ That’s some serious mysterious girl energy.”

Mattheo leaned back, watching as Lorenzo scanned the riddles, his lips curving into a smirk. “Just help me solve it, alright?”

Lorenzo paused, glancing over at Mattheo. “Fine. But don’t blame me when this turns into some weird obsession.”

“Alright, mystery guy, string the letters together and let’s see where we end up.”

Mattheo leaned back, watching as Lorenzo eyed the list of riddles. He was already beginning to look like he was about to fall asleep.

“Okay, Enzo, do them for me,” Mattheo said, tapping the page impatiently.

Lorenzo groaned but took the journal from him, reading the first riddle aloud.

“There’s a light that never fades,

Shining bright even through melancholy haze.

Name the song that calls out for comfort and trust,

It’s about heaven, but grounded in the just.”

Lorenzo paused, scratching his chin. “Okay, that’s definitely an old one, maybe like Lana? Considering the stickers?”

Something seemed to have clicked for mattheo, “No, no, no The smiths! SHE LIKES THE SMITHS, ENZO- oh my god, there’s a light that never goes out, thats it!”

Lorenzo kept going, flipping to the next one, sighing at Mattheo. "Once again, same music taste does not equal soulmate- god, do you ever learn?"

Mattheo rolled his eyes, "Alright, shut up, go on"

“If sweets are your craving, step through my door,

From Chocolate Frogs to Fizzing Whizbees galore.

In Hogsmeade’s heart, where sugar dreams thrive,

Name the shop where treats come alive.”

“Honestly, that’s a no-brainer. It’s Honeydukes,” Lorenzo said without hesitation.

“Right, right. You’re on fire,” Mattheo teased, as Lorenzo moved on to the next.

"I’m often served up cold or hot,

A liquid refreshment, I hit the spot.

I come in flavours, both sweet and bold,

What am I? Guess me, I’m quite old."

Lorenzo grinned. “Coffee? Like, uh, lets say expresso? ”

Mattheo rolled his eyes. “Of course you’d get that one first try.”

Lorenzo continued to read, now with a slight smirk.

“An ode to a woman with a celestial name,

Her vibe is electric, not one you can tame.

From the album that rocked the world wide,

Name the track.”

Lorenzo stared at the riddle for a moment, clearly deep in thought. His lips curled slightly, as if trying to put the pieces together.

Mattheo watched, his mind already racing through possibilities. "Come on, Enzo. It’s not that hard."

Lorenzo looked up, clearly struggling to connect the dots. "I dunno, man. Celestial name... electric vibe... It’s throwing me off."

Mattheo’s eyes widened. “Wait... Arabella,” he said suddenly, catching the reference. “It’s got to be ‘Arabella’ by Arctic Monkeys.”

Lorenzo blinked, then nodded slowly. “Oh, yeah. That makes sense. Good catch, Riddle.”

Mattheo grinned, feeling a little bit smug. “I know my stuff.”

Lorenzo looked at the riddle like Mattheo was crazy.

“I’m a serpent, sleek and sly,

With emerald scales and cunning eye.

In the house where ambition reigns,

What’s my symbol? Speak my name.”

“Matt, come on. The locket, duh.”

“Oh, right,” Mattheo muttered, tapping his fingers on the journal.

Lorenzo barely hesitated before moving on to the next riddle.

“I’m the one who guards the goalposts tight,

Stopping the quaffle with all my might.

I block and deflect, keeping the score low—

What’s my position? Now, let me know!”

“Keeper,” Lorenzo answered with a smirk, like it was the easiest thing in the world.

“Should’ve known,” Mattheo grumbled, half to himself.

Lorenzo moved on, flipping to the final riddle.

“I’m a potion that makes truth come clear,

In Hogsmeade, I’m sold with no fear.

A drop or two, and secrets unfold,

What’s my name? It’s liquid gold.”

Lorenzo grinned. “Veritaserum. Honestly, these riddles are too easy.”

Mattheo rolled his eyes, trying to suppress a smile. “You really think you’ve got this figured out, huh?”

Lorenzo raised an eyebrow. “Well, if I’m solving all the riddles, maybe I should be the one old-timey flirting with her through a book. What do you think?”

Mattheo’s eyes widened in mock horror. “What? Absolutely not. I found the book. Plus, you think she could be a possible psychopath—what about that, huh?”

Lorenzo shrugged, unfazed. “Eh, it’s a possibility. But if she’s that crazy, at least it’ll be entertaining.”

Mattheo shook his head, but couldn't help the smirk tugging at his lips. "Not happening."

“Anyway, let me put it together. It says ‘string the first together,’” Lorenzo said, already scribbling down the letters.

Mattheo watched, tapping his foot in rhythm. “Uh, T, H, E, A, L, K, V…”

Lorenzo stared at the letters for a moment before glancing up. “Alright, so… ‘THE ALCOVE.’” He shrugged. “Sounds like the one by the lake.”

Mattheo raised an eyebrow. “Oh, like our Alcove, Alcove?”

Lorenzo gave another shrug. “Could be. Or maybe something else. Who knows? It’s just a game, Matt.”

“Yeah, yeah,” Mattheo said, leaning back with a grin. “I’ll go check it out.”

Lorenzo chuckled, tossing the journal back at Mattheo. “Right, because you’re definitely not getting invested. Go ahead, find the weirdo.”

Mattheo smirked, flipping through the journal and eyeing the letters. “I’ll figure it out. But, uh, if she’s leaving clues like this, she’s got a decent sense of humor.”

Lorenzo raised an eyebrow. “Yeah, sure. Just don’t get too carried away with it, alright? Since it’s just a game.”

Mattheo sighed and plopped down onto the stone steps, resting the journal beside him. He leaned back, his gaze wandering aimlessly around the alcove, still trying to make sense of the place. The stillness of the moment almost felt like an invitation to relax, but he couldn’t shake the feeling that there was more to this. There had to be.

He scanned the surrounding area, eyes tracing the worn edges of the stone, the lake shimmering faintly through the trees. And then—there it was.

That familiar "a".

On one of the tiles, nearly hidden beneath the edge of the stone step, was a small sticker of the letter “a”—it wasn’t much, but Mattheo immediately recognized it. The same letter from the journal. The same one that had popped up in the corner of the pages, taunting him with its mystery.

Mattheo’s heart picked up pace, and a smirk tugged at the corner of his mouth. Now we're getting somewhere. He bent down, carefully peeling the sticker off the tile, wondering what kind of clue this could lead to.

Whatever it was, he was definitely invested now.

Mattheo stared at the sticker for a second, waiting for something to happen, but when nothing did, he was about to brush it off. Then, in a blink, the sticker seemed to melt away, its glossy edges rippling like the surface of the lake on a windy day. Before he could process it, the sticker was gone, replaced by a folded note.

He raised an eyebrow, the corner of his mouth twitching upward. Hogwarts magic, never a dull moment.

He unfolded the note, the handwriting neat and familiar:

"Leave the journal, I'll answer."

The next day, Mattheo found himself walking past the alcove again. The events from the night before still lingered in his mind, but he'd almost convinced himself it had all been some weird fluke, or maybe just a one-off game.

He hadn't returned to the alcove since he’d left the journal there, figuring he’d check back in a day or so. But as he passed by, he couldn’t resist stopping. The place seemed quieter now, the magic of the night before no longer lingering in the air.

But when he got to the spot, he was surprised to see that the journal was still there. Nothing else had changed. Mattheo stared at it for a moment, debating whether to just walk away, but something—curiosity, maybe—kept him rooted to the spot.

He bent down, picking up the journal and flipping through it. 

"Aha, u so could be kinda smart huh? I can’t believe someone’s actually answered, that journal was probably there for a year? And good job with the riddles, I guess? I’m surprised you got the Smiths and Arctic Monkeys one, maybe u have a similar taste Mystery Boy. Your chance now, you give me the dare and I’ll follow through."

- A,

xx

Mattheo leaned back against the wall, grinning to himself. So, she was serious about this. A dare, huh? This could get interesting.

He quickly scribbled in his response, his hand steady as he wrote. "Alright, mystery girl, you asked for it."

omggg, I actually wrote this? I'm very happy about it, and i'd love if people interact w it, also ty @sunkissedscribbles for helping since my first draft looked like a seven year old wrote it 😭 also yes, this will be a series and I'm very open to suggestions and any improvements. (I should probably make a taglist?) - rey

[hollowed-theory-hall]

hiii so the very first time harry speaks to a snake, it’s as if he didn’t even initiate the interaction, besides feeling sorry for the snake inside his mind. reading the book makes it seem like the snake sensed he could understand or he was magical. i know harry is really powerful so i suppose im wondering what your opinion is on this very tiny thing i noticed haha? because from what we know, that was the first time harry conversed with a snake.

do you think the snake simply sensed the ‘strong magical aura’ on him or does harry’s parseltounge draw snakes to him like they did to voldemort as a child, just not as powerful? or could harry just have felt very strongly about the snake being trapped in the cage and it radiated outward lol?

Huh, this is really interesting. I'm going to copy the section here so we're all on the same page:

Harry moved in front of the tank and looked intently at the snake. He wouldn’t have been surprised if it had died of boredom itself — no company except stupid people drumming their fingers on the glass trying to disturb it all day long. It was worse than having a cupboard as a bedroom, where the only visitor was Aunt Petunia hammering on the door to wake you up; at least he got to visit the rest of the house. The snake suddenly opened its beady eyes. Slowly, very slowly, it raised its head until its eyes were on a level with Harry’s. It winked. Harry stared. Then he looked quickly around to see if anyone was watching. They weren’t. He looked back at the snake and winked, too. The snake jerked its head toward Uncle Vernon and Dudley, then raised its eyes to the ceiling. It gave Harry a look that said quite plainly: “I get that all the time.” “I know,” Harry murmured through the glass, though he wasn’t sure the snake could hear him. “It must be really annoying.” The snake nodded vigorously.

(PS, Ch2)

And yeah it does look like the snake just knows what Harry is thinking about/can sense Harry is able to talk to him.

I wondered if other snakes have this reaction too, as in, if it's a Parseltongue thing (more interested in snakes who are not actively getting orders from Voldemort):

“Don’t move, Potter,” said Snape lazily, clearly enjoying the sight of Harry standing motionless, eye to eye with the angry snake. “I’ll get rid of it. . . .” [...] Harry wasn’t sure what made him do it. He wasn’t even aware of deciding to do it. All he knew was that his legs were carrying him forward as though he was on casters and that he had shouted stupidly at the snake, “Leave him alone!” And miraculously — inexplicably — the snake slumped to the floor, docile as a thick, black garden hose, its eyes now on Harry. Harry felt the fear drain out of him. He knew the snake wouldn’t attack anyone now, though how he knew it, he couldn’t have explained.

(CoS, Ch11)

Even with the random snake Draco conjures, this interaction is really interesting. Before Lockheart attacks the snake, the snake is angry at being conjured, but it is standing eye to eye with Harry and isn't attacking. Harry knows it's angry without the snake saying anything. Harry knows the snake won't hurt anyone without the snake saying anything either; he just knows. The same way he can tell what the Boa Constrictor in the zoo thinks about Vernon and Dudley without the snake talking to him at all.

And Tom actually describes something similar when he first meets with Dumbledore:

Taking it, Riddle said, “I can speak to snakes. I found out when we’ve been to the country on trips — they find me, they whisper to me. Is that normal for a wizard?”

(HBP, Ch13)

Snakes find him.

It seems all snakes are able to sense a Parselmouth when one is nearby. And not only that, but they are inexplicitly drawn to Parselmouths and tend to obey them.

It also seems from how Harry can read snakes' thoughts/emotions without them saying anything, that being a Parselmouth comes with an innate understanding of snakes' expressions and body language. And that the draw towards Parselmouths that snakes have is mutual. Harry describes feeling drawn to walk towards the snake in CoS, in PS in the reptile house, Dudley complains the snake is boring, but Harry is drawn to step in front of it, even as it sleeps. Though Harry doesn't seem capable of sensing a snake's presence, the way they can sense Harry's.

Now, the only question that remains is: is it just super magically powerful Parselmouths like Tom and Harry, or all Parselmouths?

My guess is yes.

Morfin (who I don't think anyone would call powerful) is playing with an adder in the memory from Bob Ogden:

Morfin was sitting in a filthy armchair beside the smoking fire, twisting a live adder between his thick fingers and crooning softly at it in Parseltongue

(HBP, Ch10)

While adders are snakes native to Britain, they aren't as widespread everywhere in England, and tend to be more common in southern England and Wales. Little Hangleton is located about 200 miles from Little Winging, Surrey, where the Dursleys live:

Two hundred miles away, the boy called Harry Potter woke with a start.

(GoF, Ch1)

This places Little Hangleton in North England. Adders in England are described as "shy" and "secretive" and try to avoid human-inhabited areas. They tend to flee rather than bite when surprised or disturbed. It means actually capturing one (or finding one in the first place) isn't simple (source 1, source 2). To me, this suggests the snake found Morfin, not vice versa.

So, I don't think it's a Harry thing, it's a Parselmouth thing. Snakes can just sense them and tend to be drawn to them.

[accirax]

Analyzing DRDT's Ch2 Motive Diction

The fuck do I think I am, a time traveler? Why am I posting a theory about DRDT's Chapter 2 motive secrets now that Chapter 2 is finally complete? What's even the point in analyzing a motive that's over and done with?

Well, believe it or not, this is actually a theory I wanted to write before Chapter 2 Part 2 came out, I just never got around to it. And now we have more confirmation as to which secrets actually go where! So, really, it's all according to keikaku.

The point of this theory is to look at the language used in presenting the motive secrets, and see what it can tell us about both the secret's owner, and possibly the mastermind/whoever wrote them. What subjectivity did the writer inject into the secrets' phrasing, and could any of the secrets be better or worse than we originally thought? Put on your best scrutinizing glasses, and we'll take a look!

The usual CWs for Chapter 2 motive discussion: death, suicide, eating disorders, self harm, and implied homophobia/transphobia. Oh, and spoilers for DRDT through the end of Chapter 2, naturally.

Also as usual, I'll be assuming that all of the secrets are correctly attributed as they were in canon, other than that Xander and Teruko have swapped such that Xander has survivor's guilt and Teruko has the killing game is all your fault. I'm gonna look like a real fool some chapters down the line if I'm wrong about that, but I feel like most of the fandom has consensus agreed that this is the case.

I'll be dissecting the words of each secret through the lenses of the three Fs-- factual truth, flavored truth, and forced opinion. If those categories aren't as inherently comprehensible as they could have been due to my want for a snappy moniker, let me explain them further.

Factual truth is just that-- a literal statement that must be taken at face value. Under the assumption that all of the secrets are the truth (and it's not that J isn't actually Mariabella's daughter or whatever), there isn't much to be analyzed here. The writer presented the story with no flavor.

"You are reading a DRDT theory."

Flavored truth comes in two main forms. The first refers to emotional truths. Someone's secret describes that they feel a certain way about a certain event. It's likely base-level true, but do they feel that way due to their own opinion, or were they forced to feel that way due to someone else's opinion? And, what exactly does that opinion mean?

"You were happy to read a DRDT theory."

The other option is for when what's written is factual truth, but overlaid with a weird emotional layer. Said layer might make the truth feel overexaggerated, therefore implying a subjective take on the subject. Basically, it's anything that logistically should have been factual truth, but that subjectively I felt had something more to it.

"You prioritized reading DRDT theories over your other responsibilities."

Combined, purple means fact-adjacent, but with a little something injected into it.

Forced Opinion is content injected directly from the writer's perspective, and it's what initially caught my eye and got me thinking about writing this analysis. There are a couple of instances in which the writer speaks directly to the reader without feeling the need to provide any level of verifiable fact. These statements exist only to convey the writer's desired tone.

"Why do you even enjoy DRDT theories?"

Some secrets use only one of these Fs, some use two, and some use all three. On that note, we'll be examining the secrets in reverse spiciness order, with the most straightforward secrets first and the most interesting ones saved for last. So, who has the most sauceless secret?

Charles

"Your older brother died, but you don't remember him at all."

Okay Elliot fans, don't kill me for inadvertently calling your boy sauceless.

It's not that Charles' secret doesn't contain intriguing information, but that the way in which that secret is presented doesn't tell us anything about the person who wrote it. It's not phrased as "how could you have forgotten your dead older brother?" or anything as dramatic as that. Both phrases are presented in a manner devoid of emotion or judgment. They're just two facts!

Rose

"You took on your talent to earn money for your family. But you've since put them in a lifetime of debt."

"Lifetime of debt" feels kind of accusatory, but it is true when the sum total is in the millions of dollars. I think this could have been written a lot more judgmentally than it was, which is why I ultimately left it as factual truth.

Whit

"Your mother is dead. You always omit that truth."

The use of "always" in "always omit that truth" could be called into question, but based on Whit's behavior so far, it seems to be pretty straight up. Honestly, if anything, I think the bluntness of this statement speaks more to the writer's opinions and goals than anything else.

J

"You hide your name and birthright to pretend that you aren't the daughter of Mariabella Rosales."

"Birthright" is defined as "a particular right of possession or privilege one has from birth," if anyone was curious. With the way our society is set up, J should inherit a large amount of money and soft power just by being Mariabella's daughter, so I think this is legit. It has a bit of an emotional tone of superiority to it, but nothing drastic.

Arei

"Blackmail, rumors, lying, stealing, slander. You did everything you could to ruin your sisters' lives."

Ooh, our first instance of flavored truth. We're welcoming it in with a pretty bland example, though-- one that I went back and forth on for a while with whether it should count as factual or flavored.

Ultimately, I decided that, if we hadn't had Arei spell out her backstory and secret for us, I'm sure I would have been speculating about what "ruin your sisters' lives" really meant, and to what degree it was true. I shouldn't disqualify purple text from being purple text just because it was proven true. However, because this really was proven to be Arei's main motivation, we can basically take it as fact.

Levi

"You're a murderer, and you hold no remorse."

A secret which obviously has both a factual and an emotional component, but is also pretty straightforward in how it presents that emotional component.

When I was originally scheming up this theory (before it was revealed to be Levi's), one of my big talking points was going to be about how the divide in this secret opened up the possibility for it to actually be two secrets in one: that the secret's owner was both a murderer, and, separately, held no remorse. That turned out to more or less be true, which was fun!

Eden

"Ever since you kissed her, you were afraid your sexuality would ruin your friendships."

Eden's secret has a pretty obvious factual part-- that she kissed a girl (and she liked it)-- and a pretty obvious emotional component-- that she was afraid it would ruin her friendships.

Much like Levi or Arei, the emotional component is very likely accurate. In this case it's not very dramatized: they didn't go as far as to say "ever since you kissed her, you knew it was a matter of time before your friends would leave you" or anything along those lines. Still, as an emotion-based secret, so there's always room for debate.

Ace

"Your body is falling apart, but you'll still refuse to eat."

"Your body is falling apart" is (probably) a fact, but it feels really emotional. That "probably" is what sold me on this needing to be purple, though. It's hard to say how much Ace's body really was falling apart prior to his death. I'm sure the situation wasn't great, but we know that Ace was still capable of overpowering Arei, lifting ~60 pounds, launching a slingshot, and cutely climbing up swingsets on top of the running, swimming, and general obstacle-course-ing featured in his execution. Ace surely wasn't healthy, but "falling apart" seems like a bit of an exaggeration, based on the knowledge we currently have.

If nothing else, the "but" and "still" paint a picture of Ace being aware that his body is malfunctioning but choosing to limit his calorie intake anyways, which is an emotional layer far beyond the likes of a blunt "you have an eating disorder."

Nico

"No one accepted you because of your identity. You were constantly mocked by your family, your peers, and everybody else."

Does this highlighting make sense to people? Nico being bullied for being nonbinary is (sadly) the truth, but there's a lot of emotional coding to it that isn't necessarily 100% accurate. Like, is it really true that no one Nico met previously ever accepted them? I'm not going to pretend like there aren't deeply transphobic places out there, but "constantly mocks" further makes it sound like not only did everyone hate them, everyone did so physically and/or vocally, as opposed to simply judging in silence.

The weirdest thing about Nico's secret to me is that the writer took what otherwise could have been a factual secret and turned it into a largely emotional one. The only straight up fact we can garner from this is "Nico was mocked by their family and peers because of their identity." What happened to "people threw rocks and laughed at you because of your identity"? That would have been a (more or less) concrete fact that illustrates the exact same idea. But instead, the writer went all in on dramatizing that everyone was against Nico. Is there a reason for that?

Veronika

"You only took on your talent to distract yourself from your incessant need to harm yourself for fun."

Veronika's secret is kinda like Nico's plus Ace's, so it's nice to be able to put it here. Like Nico's, it interweaves factual truth and flavored truth in a way that makes distinguishing between them uncertain. And, like Ace's, it deals with a factual mental illness combined with its subjective motivations.

The core truth of this secret is "you took on your talent to distract yourself from your need to harm yourself," which is what can be seen in blue. However, that has very different implications than "you only," "incessant," and "for fun" add. Of the three, I would rank "incessant" as the most factual, "you only" as the least factual," and "for fun" in the middle.

I do think that Veronika's need to harm herself did feel incessant, but whether it was really for fun is up for debate. It's even more debatable whether distracting herself from self-harm was her ONLY reason for becoming a horror fanatic, as there are many other potential motivators out there, such as a genuine interest in the craft, or even the generalized boredom Veika describes as opposed to just the self-harm angle. In the end, I don't know how helpful making that distinction is for Veronika, but I'll throw it out there.

Arturo

"Your younger sister killed herself because of you. You never should have left."

Our first instance of forced opinion marks where things really start to get juicy. Although, uh, before you interpret my analysis in a way I didn't mean, just because something is marked as opinion doesn't mean it isn't an opinion I agree with. If Arturo sticking around would have saved Felicity's life, then, yeah, he probably shouldn't have left. However, in essence, "you never should have left" isn't a fact, it's an opinion-- one that prioritizes Felicity's life over whatever benefits Arturo gained from running away.

Again! I would also prioritize Felicity's life over whatever motivation Arturo had, assuming that they wouldn't have just, like, both died if he'd stuck around. However, the fact that I hold that opinion tells you something about me and my beliefs. I'm someone who holds the popular opinion of valuing others' lives. And therefore, from the pink text, we can also surmise that the secret writer values others' lives, or at least is willing to leverage that common opinion in order to make others feel guilty.

The only concrete fact present in Arturo's secret is that his younger sister killed herself. The idea that she did so because of Arturo, to some extent, is probably true, but it's based on the emotions of a person that the secret writer probably never even met. Especially when combined with the pink text, the secret gives the vibes of repeating Arturo's dark thoughts back to him to make him feel even worse about the situation. The writer's embellishments of a simple fact were designed to hurt Arturo.

Hu

"You were quite the hopeless child. Dying once wasn't enough, so you attempted suicide three times."

Hu attempted suicide three times: true. Hu's emotional state while doing so was pretty abysmal: yeah, probably. Dying once wouldn't be enough to counteract what she did: ????????

Much like Arturo's, I imagine that the pink text in this case is supposed to mirror an emotional "truth" that Hu holds in her heart. Still, I can't call it anything close to a "fact," given that it's completely based on individual interpretations of penance and morality. And it's an absolutely buckwild thing to say, especially while providing no context as to why anyone would hold that opinion.

It's hard to know what further motives the writer may have had beyond making Hu feel bad when we don't know what Hu did that made her feel as if she needed to die. For instance, if Hu accidentally killed her childhood friend, then we could use that as a data point that the writer was harsher towards murderers. Or, if it was putting her family into financial trouble, we could contrast how the writer treated Rose's secret versus Hu's. However, as we currently have no leads on what Hu's done that she needs to pay for (as her secret quote tells us), there's nothing more to be gained here.

Min

"You always treated the competition with ruthlessness, but poisoning them to win was a bit too far, wasn't it?"

One interesting facet of Min's secret is that it contains one of the most obvious uses of the writer injecting their own opinion into the secret. Like, the entire secret isn't even a statement, it's a rhetorical question. You can feel the writer raising their eyebrow at Min challengingly.

Once again, the pink text is being used to judge and/or shame Min for what she did. I really can't see any other purpose for the pink text beyond doing that.

Xander

"You're constantly blaming yourself for the death of your parents and siblings. It doesn't matter that it's not your fault, just that you didn't go with them."

An even more interesting facet of Xander's text is that this is the only instance in which the pink text is... sort of nice? I mean, not really, as it's still majorly playing to his survivor's guilt in a way that I'm sure would have made him feel awful had he ever read it.

No, what I'm talking about is the "it's not your fault" aspect. I really struggled with which of the Fs to assign to it. From Visiting Graves, it seems like the cause of Xander's family's death was drinking unpotable water, which was likely infected by the Spurlings. Therefore, factually, it isn't his fault, and should be blue.

However, Xander certainly feels like the weight of his family's death was on his shoulders. His secret quote defines his "feelings of guilt for having survived a catastrophe in which others died," and he says in the Bonus Episode itself that "the worst part of it all was that [he] wasn't there." Technically, Xander's family's death being his fault is subjective-- no matter what Unnamed Student says, we can never know for sure that he couldn't have done something if he was there. He is an Ultimate, after all. For those reasons, I felt like maybe the immense emotional connection for Xander should make those words purple.

But then I thought, if the secret was supposed to reflect Xander's beliefs, it would say that the incident was his fault. The writer breaks form in this secret. As opposed to Arturo, Hu, and possibly Min (we don't technically know how she feels about the incident, but I'd imagine that she would agree it went too far), instead of judging the secret's owner in a way that appears to mirror the way that they judge themselves, the writer goes against what Xander would say of himself, injecting their own opinion. That's weird.

Of course, I could definitely be blowing this out of proportion. It could just be that Xander acknowledges that, factually, the incident was not his fault, and therefore he would actually agree with the "it's not your fault." Furthermore, the writer still follows this up with the "just that you didn't go with them," which matches with their usual judgmental attitude. They can't be that soft on Xander when they're still saying it would have been better if he died.

Still. You'd think that the writer would want to play up Xander's insecurities that he was at fault for his family's deaths. If Xander were alive and the motive had been handled properly, Xander would have picked up a paper that told him that his family's deaths were explicitly not his fault. Is that really what MonoTV would have wanted?

David

"You exist to manipulate others. Everyone else exists to be taken advantage of."

You might be surprised to see David's secret all the way down here, given how relatively simple it is. Just like Charles' secret, it's two pretty blunt statements, and it's all written in one color. The difference is that literally nothing in this secret is objective fact.

Disregarding 1) any arguments of determinism ("David was always destined to be a manipulator because he has no free will") and 2) the possibility that this is a soft confirmation of DRDT being in-universe fictional characters ("David was always destined to be a manipulator because he, as a character, is reading his scripted lines"), there is genuinely no way to historically or scientifically verify anything that's said in these secrets. It's based on emotions and emotions alone.

But, whose emotions are they? David certainly believes this to some extent, given that his admission that he's a "lying, manipulative, scumbaggy piece of shit." The sentence "everyone else exists to be taken advantage of" is really aggressive, and, in combination with his Ch2 heel turn, it's very easy (and potentially correct) to believe that these are David's home-brewed feelings.

However, keep in mind the writer's propensity for intentionally stirring up the secret holder's most hurtful thoughts (like Hu) and things they'd rather forget (like Arturo). There's nothing in the secret itself that tells us that David enjoys being destined to be a manipulator, even if he believes in that idea.

David: You were right. I'm a good for nothing liar. But I call those lies "motivational speeches" and everyone eats it up.

Much like how the secret itself could be David's opinion or someone else's, we don't know which parties hold the opinion that David is a "good for nothing."

Look, I'm not trying to say that David has done nothing wrong in his entire life, even if villain apologism is my side hustle. I just think it's important to ask ourselves what entity is declaring this secret as "fact," considering that nothing about it is actually provable. At the very least, it's sure hard to accurately tell the group the exact contents of your secret when it's not based on anything factual.

Arei: Why did you lie about your secret? David: I'm sorry? I don't quite understand.

(Can you tell I was convinced to finally put this theory to paper whilst working on a David analysis...?)

On that note, though, I'll leave further speculation about David for another post, lest I go too far down the rabbit hole here. I just think there's a lot of room for interpretation when it comes to the manipulator secret.

Teruko

"How could I even select what secret to make your motive? Just about everything you've done in your life is worth killing for. The killing game is all your fault."

And, surprising no one, Teruko's secret is at the very bottom. I don't even know where to start with this one.

We'll start at the beginning, I suppose-- Min's secret has one of the most obvious examples of the writer injecting their own opinion into the secret's text; this is the other. They even both have rhetorical questions! Twinsies :D

The first sentence has legit nothing to do with the "factual" contents of the secret at all. The entire sentence is 100% the writer's opinion. They even refer to themselves with the "I" pronoun!!! And the second sentence isn't much better. What's regarded as "worth killing for" is entirely up to the reader's opinion, and "just about" is incredibly vague. Is what Teruko's done 80% worth killing for? 90%? 100%, with a single exception?

I've also always thought that "killing for" was a weird choice. It should be "killing over," right? Killing for is like, "oh, I'd kill for a sandwich." Generally, it's seen as a positive thing, something you really want. If Teruko's life is worth killing for, that would put Teruko's life in place of the sandwich (lol). AKA, "oh, I'd kill for Teruko's life." Given what we know of Teruko's life-- that she's faced being orphaned, poverty, extreme injuries and more-- it's hard to imagine that anyone would willingly want that for themselves.

However, there are two ways I thought of to explain the word choice that don't involve assuming that the phrasing got messed up. The first is that the writer really covets Teruko's capacity to survive. As Teruko herself told us, she's the Lucky Student, so she can't die. "Kill for" could indicate that, despite all of the hardships Teruko has faced, the writer still believes that Teruko's constitution makes her life enviable and/or desirable.

The other is the more literal interpretation: that whatever Teruko has done has made others want to kill on her behalf. We already saw this once with Min, who felt compelled to attack Xander if it meant potentially saving Teruko's life. There's also our usual throughline from Prologue Hands Guy that ending the killing game and killing Teruko might be linked. Therefore, conversely, if there's anyone out there who's interested in the continuation of the killing game(s)-- XF-Ture Tech?-- it might stand to reason that they would be willing to kill in order to keep Teruko alive.

Both of these interpretations struggle with the lead-in of "just about everything you've done in your life," though. It's because both of them directly relate to Teruko's luck, which to me seems less like what she's done and more like who she is. But, the origins of Teruko's luck are undefined enough that I don't think I can use that to shoot either possibility down.

On to "the killing game is all your fault." I was tempted to make this sentence entirely pink, due to how likely it seems that this sentence is overexaggerated. Teruko is still a totally viable mastermind choice, to be clear. There are a lot of things that become a whole lot more convenient if Teruko is the mastermind, this secret included. However, if Teruko were a self-aware, despair-loving mastermind, why would she put a secret basically accusing her of such into the killing game?

You could argue that, if MonoTV were competent, no one would have seen this secret other than Teruko herself. It's still kinda weird to write that down for herself, though. It would have been a lot safer to just leave the secret off at "How could I even select what secret to make your motive? Just about everything you've done in your life is worth killing for." And, I don't think anyone who happened to see the secret would think too much of it. Perhaps Teruko wanted others to know she was the mastermind? If that were the case, why not correctly claim her secret when David asked her in 2-13?

(Once again, I really hope I'm right about this secret being Teruko's.)

In the end, I decided to just flag the "all" as being the writer's opinion, as an endeavor as grand and complicated as the killing game surely has more than one thing behind it. Every canon killing game, despite having a main instigator, had many other individuals aiding in its creation. And, the writer clearly has a vendetta against Teruko in this secret, so I'd be more surprised if they weren't overexaggerating her involvement to some degree.

However, "the killing game is your fault" remains in blue, even though we can't verify it to be true at the moment. If you recall, at the top, I decided to make the assumption that all of the secrets were true to at least some level, and this is where that kicks in for Teruko. Plus, if the writer (who is quite possibly the mastermind) believes that the killing game is at least partially Teruko's fault, then that's likely the case, no?

What Did We Learn?

Now that we're done with all of the secrets, let's turn it back to see if we can figure anything out about the writer. The ways in which secrets were handled can kinda be broken into tiers, like this:

Charles, Rose, Whit, and J all had 100% factual truth.

Arei, Levi, and Eden had some factual truth and some flavored truth, but the emotional truth was pretty easily verified as correct.

Ace, Nico, and Veronika had a mix of factual truth and flavored truth in a way where it was harder to parse what was feeling or fact.

Arturo, Hu, Min, and Xander had some factual truth, some flavored truth, and some forced opinion, all of which had some elements of assigning blame.

David and Teruko were struggling to present anything certifiably factual at all.

Meanwhile, if we try to categorize the secrets themselves:

Levi, Arturo, Min, and David all had secrets regarding harming others.

Ace, Veronika, and Hu all had secrets regarding harming themselves.

Rose, J, Arei, Charles, Whit, Arturo, and Xander all had secrets about their families, with the latter four relating to dead family members. (Levi also technically counts for this, but it's not explicitly mentioned in the secret.)

Eden and Nico have secrets relating to their identities and the crises they face because of them.

Teruko has a secret that's hard to define :/

What does this tell us? Well, honestly, not much. All of the people in the "straight facts" tier have secrets that relate to their families in non-violent ways, but that may just mean that the lower-stakes secrets were harder to dramatize. Everyone who dealt with a negative effect on a large group of people (Min with the competition, Xander with his large family and by extension town, David with... everyone, Teruko with those in a killing game) is near the bottom of the ranking, but it also follows that those with more grave secrets would face further scrutiny for it.

There's nothing as simple as "everyone whose secret referred to a death was harshly judged" or "everyone who harmed themselves was treated more kindly." Therefore, we can't really assign any of those straightforward beliefs to the writer. Alas.

However, assume with me for a moment that 1) the mastermind is the one who personally wrote out the secrets and 2) the mastermind of the killing game is one of its 16 contestants. Nothing too crazy, but those are both (kind of) assumptions.

(I know that, technically, MonoTV said "the real mastermind is one of you" at the end of the Prologue, which would mean that one of the 16 students has been confirmed to be the mastermind. However, I personally don't believe that's necessarily the case. You can read more about that in Mai's section of my (albeit outdated) Mastermind Ranking, if you wish.)

If the secret-writer is a mastermind hidden amongst the cast, that means that they must have written a secret about themselves. Which category would be the most likely category to find our mastermind in?

Well, the obvious answer is in the top tier, as they're the least suspicious. If you want to fly under the radar, give yourself a secret that won't be the talk of the town if it comes out of the bag. Veronika has already primed us to recognize that someone's secret doesn't have to be the worst thing they've ever done, which could be foreshadowing that we'll later learn that the mastermind's secret works the same.

In terms of the mastermind's specific identity, it's also interesting to consider which secrets had the most information packed into them. Most-if-not-all of these students attended Hope's Peak together as friends for a little while, but some were certainly closer than others. All of the secrets are secret, naturally, but to write a secret like David's, you have to know a lot about how his mind works, which implies closeness. The secrets that include something about how their owner thought or felt-- the "why," so to speak-- include Levi's, Eden's, Veronika's, Xander's, and David's. Conversely, you largely don't need to know anything about how Charles, Rose, Whit, J, Arei, Ace, or Nico thought or felt about their various circumstances, just that they happened. Arturo, Hu, Min, and Teruko are in sort of a weird place where the secret seems to reveal how they felt, but could also just be the writer feeling the same way.

In terms of the ones where you don't need to know anything, the results are a toss-up. You could argue that, if Whit were the mastermind, he could have hurt Charles way worse than he theoretically did, but you could also argue that Charles' secret was left more vague on purpose as a form of protection/favoritism.

However, the fact remains that, somehow, the person who wrote the secrets had to at least get into Levi, Eden, Veronika, Xander, and David's brains in order to transcribe how they felt about doing their various deeds. Who knows those five super well? Honestly, my first thought was Teruko, but it's also undeniable that a talent like David's or Whit's would lend itself well to understanding how others' minds work. And, of course, there's Mai, whose main talent thus far seems to be understanding others.

As a final note, I want to list a couple of secrets that I feel have anti-mastermind energy. Secrets you read and ask, "now, why would that person have written and released this information about themselves?" The level to which this is the case varies, but I'm going to include everyone I had the thought for. These people include:

Whit. Why would he tell everyone about a truth he prefers to omit?

J. Same thing: if she doesn't want everyone knowing she's Mariabella's daughter, why would she make that her secret? Why would she even create the opportunity for someone else to read that?

Eden. Less so than others (as, if she's in a supportive crowd, she might want this secret to get out), but if she's afraid of how people will treat her after learning she's a lesbian, why would she say it?

Nico. Same as Eden, basically.

Arturo. He really seems to want to forget this. Unless he's a mascohist-ermind (Ellis, is that you? /j /ref), I don't know why he'd remind himself, especially with such strong wording.

Teruko. Again, assuming she wants to keep this under wraps, why release that secret into the world?

You could also count Charles and/or Levi for this category. However, I decided that just because they seemingly forgot about the contents of their secret wouldn't mean that they would have no motivation to write it, which is really what I was judging.

Sorry if that wasn't as conclusive as you were hoping for! (/gen) If it were more conclusive, I probably would have made the theory earlier, or someone else would have had the same thought. As we learn more about the secrets in future installments like whether the Teruko/Xander swap thing is actually correct, these are the sorts of questions that I want to be keeping in mind.

And, of course, please take this analysis with a grain of salt! I always assume that everything in DRDT is 100% accurate to real-world logic because I really respect DRDTdev's storytelling. However, much like my note content analysis, I understand that going so far as to say "Charles can't be the mastermind because there's no way he'd know about how Veronika felt about her self harm" is quite possibly going too far. The most important facet of the secrets is that they made for an interesting story development, which they did! Any logic about how the in-universe secret-writer found out this information is just a cherry on top. But inspecting those cherries for quality is what we get up to 'round these parts.

Thank you for reading! And hopefully I'll find the time to write more DRDT stuff in the near future :)

[wanderingblindly]

The new October Birds chapter is lovely (and you are too for writing such a gorgeous fic)!

Any behind the scenes information you want to share about it? Sentences that didn't make it in or oscar POV moments that can't get told from the fic's POV?

- Snippet Anon

(october birds)

oh my goodness thank you so much darling! Chapter two was one that I initially felt very little confidence in (I think I sent it to like, three people to see if the vibe matched the first one even remotely), so the response it's garnered has absolutely floored me. I literally cannot say thank you enough 😭💖

There were fewer things that stumped me in ch2 than in ch1, thank fuck lol. But there's one scene that I really did struggle with, and one key Oscar moment I haven't seen anyone comment on yet!

New Years

Ok so when I was originally picturing the new years scene, I wanted it to be with small fireworks on the beach. Then I rubbed my two (2) braincells together and realized that A) Perth is literally not near the beach at all for the sake of a midnight trip B) fireworks are super illegal in Tas. So that was very fun for me.

That then posed a big question of 'where the fuck are they meant to go?'.

At first I considered seeing if they could reasonably find a viewpoint of the Launceston or Hobart fireworks shows, since those are close enough to be feasible. But then I was like 'fuck, Lando had the anxiety moment about not going into the city, idk if there's really a place that would be isolated enough AND in view of the fireworks'.

After spending a lot of time on google maps, I found a viewpoint that was quite lovely: Max's Lookout in Nunamara, Tasmania. It's about a 40 minute drive away, and I could embellish the details to sell The Fantasy that I was picturing -- delightful!

In terms of the actual Event, the parts that I rewrote the most were the details around Oscar offering Lando his hand. It was difficult to both keep the "swept up in the moment" feeling and emphasize the tentativeness, the hesitation. I struggled a lot with figuring out how Lando would feel in that moment, especially because he'd technically already touched Oscar's hand before in Feast -- was this different enough for him to be affected? Was it similar enough to feel familiar? Was it scary, exciting, unremarkable?

Oh, and I had to google how to open a beer bottle with another bottle + your heel; I knew it was possible, I've just never had beer before lol.

Oscar and Lando's "Anxiety Attack"

Oscar's eyes flick overhead, taking in the fiery orange blossoms hanging from above. His under-eyes are more hollow than usual, the blue tint almost leaning purple in the early-morning light.

Oscar heard Lando in the kitchen.

In a different version of the scene, I actually had Oscar come out and try to help Lando, but then I realized it was far too early. Chapter 2 Lando is only beginning to peek out of his shell -- any intense display of emotion embarrasses him, he tries to talk himself out of them and pretend "it's fine" or that it's something he'll make himself "get over". Having Oscar come in at that point would have been mortifying for Lando, and waaaaaay more vulnerable than he's willing to be.

Of course I could decide that as the writer, but what was Oscar thinking about?

I have a really strong image of Oscar waking up to the sound of Lando's door closing, or maybe him falling against the oven door more forcefully than he thought (Lando's not the most reliable narrator at that point). And as Oscar jumps to go see what's happened, he hears it -- Lando's sobbing, his panic.

His hand would hover over the door handle.

At this point, based on what Oscar knows, Lando's clinically standoffish. He's clearly upset, but he doesn't want to say why -- even though he didn't deny his assertion that he wants someone to ask.

But would going and asking now be too much too soon? Too little too late? If he makes the wrong decision now, is he going to lose whatever opening Lando's worked open thus far?

He chooses not to go because he doesn't want to risk over stepping, but he can't sleep once he's heard it; Oscar gets as little sleep that night as Lando, and that's why he was awake so early. He heard him leave for his run.

There were a few specific things I cut from this chapter that I miiiiiight repurpose later, so I'll keep those to myself, just in case :)

[verfound]

FIC: "Of Kwamis, Soulmates, and Idiots" ch2 (MLB; Lukanette)

Notes: I was struggling with this one, guys. If I had just sat on the initial prompt it probably all could have gone up in one go, but after that month I was a little (lot) burnt out and kept building this up as more than it had to be? I kept thinking there needed to be some kind of big Plot & Substance, but sometimes you just need a little bit of shits and giggles, right? Anyway. I think it’s as done as it’s gonna get, at least for now. 🖤

Marinette had hated to leave practice, but to be fair…it wasn’t actually her band practicing. She could barely play a handful of notes on the flute, and she highly doubted a group as rock-n-roll as Kitty Section would be interested in having something as dorky as a flute in their band. So when her maman had texted her asking if she could come home early — along with an apology, but they had an unexpected rush, her papa was busy with a big order for the next day, and they could really use the help — well…it just seemed obvious.

She hadn’t missed the way Luka’s eyes had followed her as she grabbed her bag and rushed off with a harried excuse, but that was just Luka being Luka. He was kind like that. Still, she was sure Tikki would give her plenty of grief over it later.

Tikki was also kind like that.

Her bag had been left unattended and almost forgotten in the back of the house once she had gotten home. She had tossed it by the door that led up to their family flat as soon as she had run in, only sparing enough thought to make sure it was safely out of the way before grabbing her apron and moving to help her papa fill macarons.

[kingdomsouls-hd-remix]

It appears it's the 3 year anniversary of this blog!! 🥳 Crazy how time flies. To celebrate I thought I'd show things that had been for CH2 and talk about a little about them.

Here's something I'm mildly proud of. This is a turnaround of Goat Sora that I worked on. I was trying to finally have a definitive design for him and hopefully keep how he's drawn in pages consistent with each other (although that would happen regardless..). I do feel a little bad that there's little KH3 influence in this design, but I didn't want to draw plaid. 😅

For this I tried to make clean art of the character and a mock-up health bar! I was surprised with how much I liked having a health bar for this design, especially for being able to have the hair and necklace layered over it.

I found it really hard to decide how to scale Sora and by extension the rest of the Undertale cast. Initially I wanted to go for a relatively short height for these characters, somewhat like the recent official art we've gotten the past few years by Temmie. But it was difficult to make Sora fit that height with his intricate character design, even after drastically simplifying it. In the end, I'm not really sure which style would be best, but I'm proud of what I made regardless.

In any case, thanks for anyone who may have stumbled onto this blog the past 3 years. I've appreciated all support I've gotten from this project, from likes, reblogs, and from close friends. I hope to be able to talk more on this blog soon (hopefully before a 4th year..).

Anyhow, thank you so much and see you all real soon!!

[matty-bear]

VIII. Skincare and Waffles [N.S]

Type: Chapter eight of The Influencer series

Pairing: Nick Sturniolo x Male!OC

Warnings: SFW, tooth rotting fluff

Summary: Finn and Nick’s first morning together is nothing but soft and fluffy as they do their skincare and enjoy breakfast together.

Notes: I have no idea what the summary is. I desperately need to get better at writing them. Anywho, I DEEPLY apologize for the long wait! I hope this fluffy chapter will make up for the days I didn’t post <3 

WC: 4008

CH1 CH2 CH3 CH4 CH5 CH6 CH7

＊*•̩̩͙✩•̩̩͙*˚　 ˚*•̩̩͙✩•̩̩͙*˚＊ ＊*•̩̩͙✩•̩̩͙*˚　 ˚*•̩̩͙✩•̩̩͙*˚＊ ＊*•̩̩͙✩•̩̩͙*˚

＊*•̩̩͙✩•̩̩͙*˚　 ˚*•̩̩͙✩•̩̩͙*˚＊ ＊*•̩̩͙✩•̩̩͙*˚　 ˚*•̩̩͙✩•̩̩͙*˚＊ ＊*•̩̩͙✩•̩̩͙*˚

Finn is the first to awaken the following morning. His eyes slowly flutter open and take in the minimal light in his room, the soft blue LED lights wrapped around his bedroom walls shining over his dark brown irises. A small yawn escapes his lips as he lifts his head up off the surface he’s laying on. A surprised expression spreads across his face in an instant when he looks down and sees Nick laying underneath him. His initial thought was ‘how did I end up on top of Nick?” however that thought immediately vanishes when his gaze focuses on his boyfriend’s sleeping figure. 

He watches as Nick’s chest slowly rises and falls at steady rates, followed by his soft and calm breaths that escape his nostrils. His boyfriend was (obviously) laying on his back and his head was slightly tilted to the side, the left side of his face buried into the pillow he’s laying on and his arm wrapped Finn’s torso. The blue haired boy continued to stare at Nick, a small smile tugging at his lips as he watched him rest. (As creepy as that sounds) 

He takes in every small detail on his boyfriend’s face. The red-head had very clear skin and slight stubble was beginning to appear on his chin. His eyelashes, which were decently long, fluttered a few times here and there. The male's bangs fully covered his forehead and nearly brushed over his eyes. The male just looked so calm and perfectly simply lying there sleeping and Finn couldn’t bite back the large smile tugging at his lips as he continued to stare at him. After a few moments, the taller quick raises his chin off Nick’s chest when the latter abruptly takes in a sharp inhale, his frame shifting underneath him as he stirs a bit. 

Finn waits for Nick’s eyes to open and for him to take in his surroundings before he greets him with a soft “Good Morning, Nicky.” 

“ ‘Morning.” Nick mumbles in response, his hands raising up to rub the tiredness out of his eyes. 

“Did you sleep well?” Finn feels the younger’s chest vibrate as he hums faintly. 

“How the hell did we end up in his position?” 

“I have no clue.” A small laugh escapes both boys as Nick lifts his head up and looks at Finn, a large smile appearing on his lips as he takes in his boyfriend’s slightly messy hair and large doe eyes. “How do you look so good first thing in the morning?” 

Finn’s face flushes as Nick cups his face with one hand and uses the other to run through his messy blue locks.

 The taller simply shrugs in response. “You look really good as well.”

“Bullshit.” Finn giggles when Nick grumbles his reply and rubs his eyes again, a short yawn escaping his lips momentarily. 

“Do you want me to make breakfast? Only if you're hungry and are up for eating of course.” 

“I'd love that actually. Maybe later though, if I were to eat right now that shit would come right up.” 

Finn nods his head slightly and reaches a hand up to brush his fingers through Nick’s hair, a small smile tugging at the corner of his lips when the male leans into the touch. 

“I'ma get up and do my skincare. My body refuses to let me stay in bed for more than five minutes after I wake up.” Finn mumbles softly, removing his hand and carefully pushing himself off Nick. The moment he begins to slip out from under the covers, a sudden hand wrapping around his wrist startles him. “You okay?” Finn asks as he turns around and looks back at his frowning boyfriend. 

“Come back I was comfortable.” Nick replies, his voice deep and soft as he sends a pleading gaze towards the older. 

“And you call me clingy.” A hurtful expression quickly replaces Nick’s pleading one as his jaw drops. 

“Fine. Go do your skincare or whatever.” 

A breathy laugh escapes Finn’s lips as he watches Nick turn on his side and reach for his phone on the nearby nightstand. A small, defeated sigh escapes the taller’s lips before he scoots back over to Nick. He latches onto the male’s side, giggling when the younger flinches, and forces him onto his back again. 

“What are you doing?” Nick asks as he watches Finn lay back down on top of him. 

“I can’t let my boyfriend be all pouty now, can I?” Finn replies as he rests his head on his boyfriend’s chest, the sound of his rapid beating heart causing him to smile. “You nervous?” 

“No… What makes you say that?”

“Your heart’s going a little crazy. I’m afraid it’s gonna jump out of your chest at any minute.” 

“Alright…” A small laugh escapes Finn’s lips as Nick playfully shoves him off and slips out of bed. 

“I’m teasing you, Nicky.”

“Yeah, yeah. Go do your skincare.” Finn smiles softly and slips out of bed. He walks over to where Nick is standing on the other side of the room and gently grabs his chin. He tilts the male's head up and lands a soft peck on his lips before he walks to his bathroom. Nick’s face flushes as he stands there, dumbfounded, and he watches the taller switch the bathroom light on and open the mirror. He quickly walks over to him and leans against the counter as his boyfriend takes out his skincare necessities. 

“Do you do your skincare, Nicky?” Finn asks as he turns the faucet on. 

“Sometimes. If I start breaking out then I pick it up for like a week then go back to doing it every so often.” Nick replies. Finn hums softly as he cups his hands under the warming water. He waits for his palms to fill up with the cold liquid before he shuts his eyes and splashes the water on his face. He does so a few times before he picks up the blue rag next to him and gently dabs his face dry. 

“I thought you do it pretty frequently considering how clear your skin is.” 

“You think my skin is clear?” 

Finn nods and removes the rag from his face to look over at Nick. He raises his hand to cup the younger’s face and gently caresses his cheek with the pad of his thumb. “Really soft too.” Finn smiles softly when he notices the younger’s face flush and he gently lands a soft peck on his forehead before he turns back to his spot in front of the sink. 

“You wanna do this with me?” The taller asks as he grabs a bottle off the counter, his pointer finger flicking the lid open. 

“What? Your skincare?” Finn hums softly and turns his head to look over at the red-head. “Can you do it for me?” 

“Really?” Nicks smiles widely and nods his head as Finn playfully rolls his eyes. “Fine. Just let me do mine first.” Nick nods his head and silently watches as Finn speeds through his morning skincare routine. When the taller finishes rubbing the last liquid into his skin, he rinses his hands and looks over at his boyfriend. 

“Come here.” The moment Finn pushes himself up to sit on the counter and pats the space in between his legs, Nick sends him a suspicious look. 

“You want me to sit there?” Nick asks, pointing his finger towards the male's lap with a raised brow.

“No, silly. Stand in front of me.” Nick’s lips from a small oval before he complies and stands in between Finn’s legs. The moment he does so, the taller wraps his legs around his waist with a small smile. “We’re not making out here, Finn.” 

“Who says we’re gonna do that?” 

“You smiling like that is basically you asking to make out. And this.” Nick gently pats Finn’s thighs which are on both sides of his body. 

“I’m not making out with you, Nicky. We both agreed to take things slow. Buttt…” 

“But what?” 

“Can I kiss you?” At Finn’s question, Nick grabs his face and pulls him in for a kiss. A small sound of surprise escapes the taller’s lips before he melts into the kiss. Nick pulls back seconds later, smiling at his boyfriend who sends him a pout. “That was too short. Can I have another?”

“What’s the magic word?” 

Finn told his eyes. “Please?”

“Atta boy.” Nick leans up again for another kiss and Finn melts the moment he feels the younger’s lips against his. The taller hums and pulls Nick in closer by grabbing his nape pulling him, his fingertips playing with the hair covering the back of his neck. Nick on the other hand tilts his head to the side and wraps his arms around his boyfriend’s waist, his fingers brushing over the exposed skin above the waistband of his sweats. Their lips move in perfect unison for a moment longer before Finn pulls back. 

“Okay, let’s get your skincare done before we get too distracted.” The male says softly as he looks to his side and grabs the first product. Nick hums softly in response and stares at his boyfriend’s now plump lips, fighting every urge in his body to not force them against his lips again. 

“What’s first?” Nick asks. 

“Cleanser. Unless you want to splash some water on your face.” When Nick gently shakes his head, Finn flicks open the cap and squirts some of the product on the tips of his fingers. The male rubs his hands together for a moment before he gently places them on both sides on Nick’s face. As he begins to rub gentle circles on the younger’s skin, the red-head hums contently and shuts his eyes.

Finn smiles at his boyfriend’s happy expression before he pulls his hands back and reaches down to his side to rinse his hands. “You want me to wipe this off you or do you wanna wash it off yourself?” 

“Wipe it off for me.” Finn shakes his head softly and reaches for a clean rag before running it under the running water. He squeezes the excess liquid out before turning back to Nick and gently wiping the cleanser of his face. “If any of this starts burning, tell me immediately, okay?” Nick nods his head softly and watches as Finn removes the rag off his face and rinses it off before reaching for a small box and pair of tweezers. 

“The hell is that?” Nick asks, his eyebrows furrowing in slight fear and concern.

“Toner pads.” Finn replies simply. “Tilt your head up a little please.” Nick quickly complies and tilts his head back, a cold shiver running down his spine the moment Finn sets a single toner pad on his cheek. “Is it cold?”

“Very, yes.” Finn giggles softly and reaches down in the container in his lap to grab another one. He gently sets it on the younger’s other cheek and sets the tweezers down. As he begins to gently rub the pad around his boyfriend’s face, the male hums softly yet again and shuts his eyes. “You like this?” 

“Very much, yes. You’re so gentle.” 

“Well, you can’t be rough with your skin when you do your skincare. You have to treat it as if it’s the most fragile thing in the whole universe.” 

“Did you learn that from Billie?”

“Yes, yes I did.” Nick and Finn share a laugh before the taller removes the toner pads and sets them on top of the ones he used moments before. He reaches for one of the bottles next to him and twists off the cap. “This is toner.” After filling his palm with the said liquid, he gently rubs his hand together again and rubs it into Nick’s skin. Finn proceeds to do the same process for the reminding five products, a cheesy smile glued onto his lips everytime Nick leans into his palms. 

“We’re done.” Finn says as he wipes off the remaining bits of sunscreen off his fingers with a rag. 

“How do I look?” Nick asks as he hovers his palms over both sides of his face. Finn giggles at the male before landing a quick peck on the tip of his nose. 

“You’re literally glowing.” Nick smiles widely at the taller, his face slightly flushing in the process. “Would you like to join me for breakfast now?” 

“I’d love to.” Nicks steps aside the moment Finn releases him from his hold to let him jump down off the counter. He watches as the male grabs the used toner pads and tosses them in the trash before he exits the bathroom with Nick following right behind him. As the two make their way downstairs, the red-head reaches for the taller’s hand and intertwines their fingers. Finn momentarily looks back at the younger with a wide smile before he squeezes his hand and pulls him to the kitchen. 

“Thoughts on waffles?” Finn asks as he opens the doors to the pantry. 

“I fucking love waffles.” Nick replies, earning a small smile from his boyfriend. 

“Alright, waffles it is then.” Finn grabs the box of waffles mix and bottle of oil off the shelf and shuts the pantry doors. “Do you mind getting two eggs and the milk?” 

“Of course!” Nick releases his hand from Finn’s and walks to his fridge. As he fetches the eggs and milk carton, his boyfriend sets the items in his hands on the island and goes to the cupboard to grab a bowl. He pulls the drawer underneath it to grab the measuring cups and returns back to the island. As he sets them on the island, Nick appears right next to him and sets the items in his down. As the male looks up at the taller, the latter gives him a small smile and begins to open the box of waffle mix. 

“You can go watch TV if you’d like while I make the waffles.” Finn says softly as he dumps the contents out and into the bowl in front of him. 

“Can I watch you instead?” Nick asks as he walks behind him. 

“Sure.” As Finn lets out an airy chuckle, he tenses slightly when he feels Nick’s arms slither around his waist. The younger pulls the male flush against his chest and reaches up to rest his chin on the taller’s shoulder. He watches intently as his boyfriend begins to prepare the batter, his gaze shifting from the bowl to the male’s slim and defined fingers. He continues to stare at the male’s hands as they work on mixing the batter, the bones on the back of Finn’s hands flexing and becoming more prominent ever so often. 

Nick gets snapped out of his daze when he feels Finn slip out of his hold to go to the other side of the kitchen. He watches as the male ducks down after opening a cabinet and takes out a dark blue waffle maker. As he walks back to Nick, he takes in the younger’s flustered expression. 

“You okay?” Finn asks as he sets the appliance down on the island and unwraps the wire wrapped around it. Nick nods his head and allows his boyfriend to plug in the waffle maker before pulling him back into another back hug. He rests his head on the taller’s shoulder yet again and watches as he waits a few seconds to allow the appliance to heat up before he pours a bit of batter in. He quickly tilts the bowl back up before it overflows and shuts the waffle maker.

The moment he flips it over using the small handle in front of the bottom side, loud ringing sounds through the kitchen. Both boys jump slightly at the sudden sound before Finn digs in the pocket on his sweatpants and pulls his phone out. He skims over the caller ID before answering and putting the phone to his ear. 

“Hey, Kim! What’s up?” Finn softly greets, a small smile growing across his face. A muffled voice can be heard from the phone and Nick watches as the taller slowly nods his head. “Yeah, I can do that. What time?” More muffling sounds from the phone. “Alright, sounds good. I’ll be there. See you later.” 

“Who was that?” Nick asks as Finn ends the call and puts his phone back in the pocket of his sweatpants. 

“My manager. She said I have a photo shoot to go to in an hour and a half.” Finn replies as he opens the waffle maker, the smell of the fresh waffle wafting through the air. “So..” Nick watches intently as the taller grabs the waffle and transfers it to the plate nearby before continuing, “I’m afraid we’re gonna have to eat and head over to yours right after so I can get to the place on time.” 

“What about the meet up with Matt and Chris?” 

“I can stop by and meet them for a little bit. I can’t stay for very long since I can’t be late for this.” At the sight of Nick pouting, Finn lands a soft kiss on his lips. 

“Hey, we still have about an hour left to spend together.” Finn wiggles his fingers under Nick’s chin, watching with a smile as the younger giggles and squirms away behind him. 

“Can we hang out again tomorrow?” Nick asks softly as he returns back to his spot on Finn’s shoulder. 

“Of course.” The taller lands another kiss on the red-head’s lips before he returns back to focusing on making the waffles for the next 15 minutes. 

~~~~~

“These are really good, Finn.” Nick gushes as he stuffs the last piece of waffle into his mouth. 

“Thank you, Nicky. You were a great motivation.” Finn smiles, the sound of utensils clattering ringing in his ears as he sets his fork down on his empty and syrup littered plate. Nick glances up at his boyfriend for a moment before mirroring his actions and setting his utensils down on his plate. 

“I try my best.” Nick shrugs, the sound of Finn laughing causing a smile to spread across his lips. The red-head watches as his boyfriend gets up from his seat, his plate in hand, before he walks over to him. The male takes his plate and walks over to the sink, soft clattering bouncing around the walls as he sets them down. 

“Ima go get dressed real quick before we head out, is that cool with you?” 

“Of course! Can I come?” 

Finn turns around and halts completely, his eyebrows raising as he shoots a suspicious look at his boyfriend. 

“Nicolas Antonio Sturniolo! Do you wanna watch me get dressed?” 

“No! No, no, no! That’s not what I meant!” Nick’s face flushes and he quickly hides himself with his arms. He hears Finn laugh, followed by the soft pattering of his footsteps as he walks towards him. His body tenses for a moment when the taller wraps his arms around his waist and pulls him against him. 

“I’m teasing. Come on, now. You can help approve of my outfit.” A small yelp escapes Nick’s lips when Finn picks him up and tosses him over his shoulder. 

“Finn!!” Nick desperately grips onto the back of the taller’s shirt as he walks up the staircase. “Finn, don’t fucking drop me I swear to God I’m gonna crack my skull open.” 

“You’re so dramatic.” Finn shakes his head as he grabs onto the back on the red-heads knees. The latter’s anxious giggles filling his ears causes a large smile to appear on his lips as he walks down the hall and enters his bedroom. 

“Can I be put down now?”

“I suppose.” Finn slips Nick off his shoulder and sets him down on the floor, his hands resting against both his sides. He watches as the male in front of him lets out an exasperated sigh and clutches his chest. 

“I thought I was gonna die.” Nick breathes, a high pitched exhale leaving his lips as he brushes his hair back. Finn chuckles and shakes his head before he walks towards his closet. Nick doesn’t follow him and instead sits on the male's bed and scrolls on his phone. As Light Shower by Melanie Martinez sounds from the device in his hand, Finn walks back into the bedroom. 

“Yes or no?” Finn asks. Nick immediately lifts his head up from his phone, his face flushing as he looks at his boyfriend. The male was wearing a black jacket that had small, thin white strips trailing down the side of the arm sleeves with a white collared shirt underneath. A stereotypical black tie was paired with the shirt and reached all the way down to the belt in the hoops of the black cargo pants covering the male's legs. The pants were straight-legged and had multiple pockets on them. 

Not to mention how they hugged Finn’s legs in just the right places (get your mind out of the gutter) and made his legs seem longer than they already were. Down to Finn's shoes, he wore normal black platform boots that added more height to his tallness. A pair of silver sunglasses sat atop his head and he had a single long, dangly silver earring that reached down to his shoulder. A few silver rings littered his long and slim fingers and Nick watched as they reached up to adjust the star necklace around his neck. 

“You look fucking amazing.” Nick compliments, his jaw slightly agape as he shifts his gaze up to his boyfriend’s eyes. 

“Thanks.” Finn shoots the male a small smile before waking to his bathroom. Nick follows the male to the said room and watches as he shuffles through the shelves in his mirror. He pulls out a small, golden vial with light blue liquid. He pops off the top and sprays some of the perfume on his wrists, neck, and back of his knees. 

“Melanie’s?” Nicks asks as he watches the taller put the perfume back. Finn nods his head faintly and shuts the mirror door. 

“I was gonna do my makeup but they’re probably gonna do it for me over there and I don’t wanna waste any products.” Finn says softly as he exits the bathroom. 

“Send me photos of your makeup please!” Finn giggles and says a soft ‘of course’ before exiting his bedroom with Nick following close behind him. 

“You got everything?” Finn asks as he walks downstairs and slips his car keys out of his pocket. 

“Hold on!” Nick exclaims as he hurries over to the living room. Finn watches with an intrigued expression as his boyfriend slips a pair of black headphones out from underneath the coffee table. As the younger runs back up to him, he slips the headphones around his neck. “I almost forgot my headphones.” 

Finn chuckles softly and grabs the red-head’s hand before walking to the door and unlocking it. He pulls his boyfriend out of the house and locks the door behind him before guiding the younger to the car in his driveway. He glances down at his car keys and pushes a button to turn the vehicle on, the loud beep ringing through his ears letting him know that it's on. He pushes another button to unlock the doors before releasing his hand from Nick’s to allow himself and the male to get in the car. 

Once both males get inside and buckle themselves in, Finn lets out a soft exhale and starts the engine, the soft rumbling of the engine coming seconds after. He takes a peek over at Nick who’s looking at him intently before he smiles and pulls the gear shift down to drive. 

“You ready to go?” Finn asks as he drives out of his driveway. At the sight of Nick nodding his head softly, the taller starts their short adventure down the neighborhood, the faint beats of Melanie Martinez running through their ears as they drive down the street. 

[rosiesdisneydrama]

Witch Way Next? CH2: Our Inciting Incident

Fiddleford was worried about Stanford. Well, actually, he was worried about a lot of things. It just happened that the majority of those things connected back to his best friend and college roommate. He was really starting to wonder what it was they were even trying to do anymore

And a single phone call adds more things for Fiddleford to worry about. (And, maybe, a sibling relationship that he could help mend.)

AN: I've never written Fiddleford before, so I hope I did him justice in this chapter. I also spent a lot of time grounding things/talking about background info in this. Like how grants work (which, to me, also explains why Ford was so hellbent on the portal).

I'd like to keep a (roughly) once-a-month update schedule for this story, to give myself more time to write and to give readers more time to ask questions or give their thoughts on what I have. (Mostly writing time tho.)

Please leave a comment and tell me what you think/like about this story and AU. I welcome all comments and questions!

Ao3 Link

Fiddleford was worried about Stanford.

Well, actually, he was worried about a lot of things. It just happened that the majority of them connected back to his college roommate and dearest friend.

Ford was a genius. He was an amazing researcher whose zest for the unknown and impossible had drawn him in years ago and never fully let him go. It had made college a delight, learning and exploring and challenging what people thought was impossible. He remembered the secondhand pride he’d felt when he’d heard that his friend had been given a government research grant after they’d graduated.

Fiddleford had been delighted when Stanford called him to help with his research in Gravity Falls.

Yes, some of their adventures were more terrifying than exciting, but it all felt worthwhile initially. Uncovering the impossible, seeing things that had only ever been in his dreams with his own eyes.

But lately… Lately, something was just- Not right. He couldn’t eloquently explain what was bothering him. But something had shifted from when he’d first signed up to work as an assistant for Stanford and now.

Stanford was very adamant about his self-sufficiency. Getting him to ask for help, or even acknowledge when it needed to be more than just the two of them, was like pulling teeth from a hog. It was like he was allergic to the word “help” for anything more than the phrase “write this down”. And that wasn’t even getting into the man’s tunnel vision when he was working.

Honestly, some days Fiddleford was sure the man would have starved to death if it weren’t for him making sure to put food in front of him.

And that he bathed. Bathing was important, too. Not just for appearances, but to keep things clean enough to avoid contaminating experiments.

(That had always been one of his best weapons to get his fellow science-types to do important self-maintenance.)

And he was so secretive now. More so than he'd been back in college and they were still learning about each other. Getting personal details out of his roomie had been shockingly hard in those days, but now the exact nature of their inventing was just as much a secret at times.

Working with his best friend used to be fun and exciting. A new adventure each day! It had changed from those days. And he didn’t like how it had changed either. Something just wasn’t right anymore.

Not right with the area. Not right with their labs. Not right with Stanford.

But Fiddleford had no idea how to broach the topic. Or even what, specifically, was the root issue.

Well, actually, he could think of one thing. The very thing Stanford had called him to Gravity Falls for in the first place. That damn portal.

It felt… Beyond the reality he knew.

Sure, he made it his bread and butter to bring science fiction into the real world, but the idea of being able to hop between dimensions… It was a lot to wrap his head around, even if he could see it all in theory.

And Ford was adamant that his portal could do it once they finished building it.

He was an engineer, but there were days where he couldn’t fathom the calculations and construction ideas that Ford seemed to pull from thin air for that thing.  And, somehow, managed to make it work, despite it. He went at it with a fervor that Fiddleford wasn’t fully sure he liked. There were times when Ford just wasn’t himself and it made his hair stand on end.

Something was up with that thing, and Fiddleford really wished Stanford would just tell him what it was so he could help.

He wanted to go back to those days. When everything was new and exciting. When they were unraveling the mysteries of the area when they weren’t locked up in the basement. (When he didn't need the memory gun to find peace at night…) Sure, some of the adventures were more scary than he normally would have liked, but… They were finding things that could change the world. Challenging what people believed was and wasn’t real and finding proof to back themselves up. And he’d made so many leaps and bounds in mechanical engineering because of it all.

Now though? Now he was starting to wonder why they were even doing the things they were.

Between them, they had enough things they could publish and patent to set themselves up to live comfortably for decades. All they had to do was write it all down and send it out to the offices and publishers. He’d already sorted out the final and best versions of his general inventions and got them ready for final print.

But the only notes Ford had put to paper this year were either in his journals or scattered randomly on sticky notes and printed papers throughout the house. None of it was properly consolidated into a single thesis or volume that he could send out. Hell, parts of his research weren’t even kept in a single room. He really needed to start gathering things together and sorting them out, the folks giving him the grants were bound to start asking for his results soon.

(His grants were biennial, so he only needed to publish or submit something big every two years. He had to submit something before the end of his sixth year in the area.)

Sure, Ford had the receipts for stuff he’d been buying with his grant money so he could mostly prove he hadn’t wasted it all on frivolous things. (No fancy sports cars or hot tubs or anything like that.) The scientific community needed proof that research was being done. They wanted written papers, completed blueprints, or even finished inventions. No taking the money and running while vaguely assuring people that there was research being done.

The brunt of Ford’s grant money was going into the portal after he’d finished building the house. And his sub-basements. And the bunker, too. The last one was still in progress, technically though. They were still finalizing the security for it but it was just about finished.

And yet, for some reason, Ford had yet to sum everything up all neat and clean for the folks who couldn’t (or wouldn’t) come to Gravity Falls and see it all themselves. At least, not for his upcoming survey in the spring.

Fiddleford would have to start nipping at his heels to get him to start drafting things to show. Waiting until the last minute would just make things harder for him. He certainly had enough projects to choose from for it, it was high time Ford narrowed his options to figure out which one he planned to show off.

(Maybe he could build the whole thing around that odd egg he’d found while they were first building the bunker? It was still in lockdown until the specimen room was finished but it wouldn’t be hard to pull it out of storage and start working with it. If it ended up hatching, then they at least would have a subject for the cryogenic tubes.)

He sighed over his cup of coffee, looking out at the color-changing leaves outside the window. Fall was slowly working its way into the town, painting the forest around the house in beautiful shades of orange, red, and gold. The colors were a warm contrast to the chill in the air.

It was a right pretty sight. He could see the appeal of “leaf-peeping” as folks called it. Taking time to admire the changing seasons.

Maybe he ought to invite Emma-may and Tate up sometime to see it. He oughta’ take a few pictures himself to send back home. He was sure there was a cheap camera squirreled away in his apartment somewhere that he could use.

(He needed to do more for his dear wife. Things were getting rocky between them and… He wanted to fix it. He loved her and he wanted to take care of her and Tate as best he could. And lately, he hadn’t been feeling like a very good husband. He needed to do something special for her.)

He was fairly sure there was enough room in his little apartment for them both to stay without it being too crowded. There wasn’t a doubt in his mind that Tate would love to see the area during Halloween. The folks around Gravity Falls seemed like the sort who’d go all out for it. Summerween had been a gas and Fiddleford was actually pretty excited to see what they would do for Halloween proper.

But those were future plans.

Plans he’d hoped to run by Ford before they set to work that day. He should have known better than to think it would be that simple.

He’d showed up early that morning with the week's groceries packed into his truck since Ford had a dreadful habit of forgetting to do them. It was just chilly enough outside that the box in the bed of the truck where the groceries were didn't need to be refrigerated to keep them cool. He fully planned to make something for the two of them for breakfast once he got to the lab. Maybe discuss a plan for the day before they went off and started working.

But, of course, Ford wanted to hurry outside and check on something that was supposed to only show up in the early morning and had hurried outside before Fiddleford had finished walking into the house.

Which left Fiddleford at the table, by himself, having long since finished eating and waiting for his friend to finish whatever it was he was doing. By now, the food he’d made for Stanford’s breakfast was cold. Ford would have to reheat it when he finally came inside since cold eggs and sausage didn’t taste very good.

He propped his cheek in his hand, staring into his coffee like it could give him the answers to the universe. (If only things could come that easy from a cup of joe.)

And nearly jumped out of his skin when the phone started ringing.

Stanford (to his knowledge) never got phone calls. So if someone was calling his home, then it must be important. Or an emergency.

He scrambled up, yanking the phone off its place on the kitchen counter.

“H-hello? Uh, the residence of Dr. Pines?” Shoot, was that the kind of answer Stanford would want him to use? They never talked about how to pick up if Fiddleford answered the phone before Stanford did… Or how Fiddleford should introduce himself if he did. “Th-this is his assistant, McGucket, speaking.”

"Hello Mr. McGucket. I'm Marsha Jakes, an ER nurse at St. Bartholomew's General Hospital in New Mexico. May I speak with Dr. Pines?” Came the calm, professional voice of a woman he didn’t know. He faltered for a moment when his head finished processing what she’d said.

A nurse? From New Mexico? Why would she be calling Ford?

Fiddleford's eyes flicked to the window. Stanford was still outside and the phone cord was too short for him to take it to the door…

“Um… I'm sorry, he's out at the moment. Can I… I can take a message for him?”

“Well… It would be better if I could speak to him. But if he's out I suppose a message will have to do for now. He needs to come down here as quickly as possible. Are you aware if Dr. Pines has a brother?”

A brother? Yes, Fiddleford was pretty sure he had two brothers. There was Shermie and… an estranged one that he hadn’t talked to in a long time (as far as he knew, at least).

He was pretty sure the fella’s name also started with “Stan”, but he wasn’t entirely sure. Stanford didn't talk about him too much, but he’d mentioned a few things when they shared a room about the guy.

(And maybe a drunken ramble once? They had both been very drunk so he couldn't remember how much had been said.)

Fiddleford could remember a few of those details. Ford’s brother had stopped living at home around the time Ford left for college. The two of them had, at their father’s insistence, taken boxing lessons as kids. They used to play at a beach near home a lot, having the usual treasure hunts little kids would play at that age. And said brother used to have a pet possum when they were kids.

(Fiddleford wasn’t as sure about that last one… Maybe it had been a neighbor kid who’d had the possum?)

So, yes. He knew that Ford had two brothers, at the very least.

“Ah, yes. I believe he has two brothers.” Fiddleford felt his heart sinking as he spoke. If a hospital was calling about one of Stanford’s brothers then… Oh no…

“A man we believe is one of his brothers,  a mister Stanley Pines, was brought into our ER this morning and has been in surgery for several hours now.”

Fiddleford sucked in a sharp breath. Oh god…

"His condition is serious. Dr. Pines is the closest family we could find contact information for on Mr. Pine’s person, in a pocket address book he was carrying. And we’d like him to come in if they’re related.” The woman’s voice remained calm and professional as she spoke.

“I- Of course! I’ll tell him right away, what’s the hospital’s phone number? In case he thinks it’s his brother and decides he needs to head down?” Fiddleford frantically scrambled for a small notebook, hurriedly scribbling down the number the nurse rattled off.

"If it turns out that we’ve made a mistake and they’re not related, please call us back and let us know.”

“We will. Thank you for calling. I’ll try to get him to call back as soon as he can.” He set the phone down on the receiver and then sprinted for the door, clutching the little notebook in hand.

Fiddleford burst through the door, stumbling slightly over the front mat. His head whipped over the yard, trying to spy the sweater-clad form of his friend against the fiery leaves of the trees. He spotted him at the edge of the woodline, hunched over something and scribbling away in one of his journals.

“Ford!” He yelled out, voice cracking slightly from the volume. He could see Ford jump and turn to him. “Y-You got a call! It’s important!”

Ford was quick to cross the distance, lightly jogging across the grounds and up to the porch. If it was because he wanted to know what the call was about or because he didn’t want either of them to strain their voices yelling, Fiddleford wasn’t entirely sure. But he appreciated not having to yell the news into the forest, either way.

“Had- had to take a message since you were outside. You- you have another brother, right? Other than Shermie?” Ford frowned at the question and there was a note of… Something that Fiddleford couldn’t quite put his finger on.

(He wanted to say it was annoyance. And maybe just a little bit of… Bitterness? And something else that was too small for him to puzzle out right then. He could untangle his friend’s expression later.)

“Yes?” was the short, slightly hesitant answer.

“Would his name happen to be Stanley?” Fiddleford asked. The sick feeling in his stomach grew worse when Ford nodded. “Ho boy, that’s- Okay, we might wanna go inside then. The- The call was about him.”

To his immense surprise, Ford groaned in a mix of anger and annoyance.

“Stanley’s gotten himself in some kind of trouble, hasn’t he?” He didn’t wait for Fiddleford to answer before continuing, anger and frustration seeping from his tone as he did. “Oh, who am I kidding? Of course, he has. It’s Stanley, he used to always get himself in trouble. It’s a wonder he hasn’t called sooner to ask for help. Probably to ask for money, or because he needs to be bailed-”

Fiddleford’s jaw worked uselessly, caught flat-footed by the reaction. This was… Not what he was expecting. He could see Ford working himself up (for the completely wrong reason) over what he thought the call was about.

“No! That ain’t it at all!” The words came out at a near-shout, cutting into Ford’s rant and forcing the other scientist to look at him in surprise. (Fiddleford didn’t like raising his voice unless he had to.) “Ford, the call was from a hospital. In New Mexico! Yer brother’s in the hospital!”

He watched Ford’s face freeze.

“A-A hospital?”

“Yes, he’s in their ER. Got brought in this morning, they found yer address in something he was carrying and called to ask ya to come in. It’s- The nurse said it’s serious.” Fiddleford could see the anger on Ford’s face being replaced with concern. Fiddleford continued, “They said you were the closest family member they could find a contact for. An’ if they’re looking for family then…”

He didn’t need to finish that sentence, he was sure. Stanford was a logical fella, he could fill in the blanks himself.

Ford was arguing with himself, Fiddleford could see it in his face and the way he was holding himself. Since he started out being angry, it wasn’t a surprise that he needed a moment to wrestle it aside. He was probably logic-ing his way through the information he’d just gotten. Finishing the sentence and coming to terms with it all in that rapid metal-fire way he always did.

“I- I think we may need to pause our work for a bit,” Ford said, his words hitching ever-so-slightly. “I need to make a phone call. And pack for a trip.”

“O’ course. Don’t forget to grab their address when you call.” Fiddleford passed him the notebook with the hospital’s number.

It took an hour, roughly, for Ford to make the call and confirm that he’d be coming down. And for Fiddleford to haggle his way into convincing Ford to not only use his truck for the drive but to let him come as well.

Because, sure, Ford could make the trip on his own with the local bus service but it was just more convenient to have your own mode of transport. And, with the two of them, they could take turns driving down, which would make the trip less exhausting and boring in the long run. (Going from Oregon to New Mexico was a mighty long drive, after all!)

Plus, he really didn’t want to leave Ford on his own when he knew his friend’s brother was in the hospital.

Ford had caved under the logic, and finally agreed to his friend’s terms and set to packing up a bag for himself. And Fiddleford headed back into town to pack a bag from his apartment.

It took roughly fifteen to twenty minutes for him to get from Ford’s house to his apartment. It was a decent building, not too big and not too small.

His place was on the ground floor, in one of the bigger apartments they had in the building. It was actually, technically, a two-person apartment but he’d gotten his lease at a steal. However, that may have been due to the fact that Gravity Falls was a pretty small town and most of the young folks were leaving town once they got old enough. It was pretty common for young folks to go where there was work and Gravity Falls didn’t have much work.

It wasn’t quite a retirement town but it wasn’t a hopping hub of activity either. There wasn’t much reason for most young people to stick around. Which left a lot of places with extra room and no one to fill them.

But that left plenty of room for folks like Fiddleford to find a place to stay without getting gouged for it.

He jogged inside, quickly grabbing one of his larger suitcases from where he’d left it in his living room, knocking a large number of notes onto the floor as he did, and dragging it to the bedroom. Tossing it onto his bed, he unzipped it and started rifling through his wardrobe to figure out what he wanted to pack for the trip. And the necessities always came first.

Firstly, he needed to pack clothes that were lighter than the ones he was already wearing since New Mexico was undoubtedly warmer than Oregon was. At least one extra change of clothes in case something spilled on him. Then he needed to pack up some of his toiletries from the bathroom, with some extra medications for headaches or if he (or Ford) hurt themselves by accident. A spare change of shoes, since he planned to wear his boots down. He probably wouldn’t need them, but it would be good if he wanted a set of shoes he could change to in a hurry.

He only needed to pack one case since this would, hopefully, be for a week or so at most. At least, he hoped they would only need to be there for that long.

(It would be terrible, for everyone involved, if Stanley had to stay there longer than that. He could feel it in his bones.)

Though he couldn’t help grabbing a small box of tinkering projects to bring with him. Nothing that would require a huge amount of tools to work on, but enough to keep his hands busy. He had a feeling he would need things to keep him occupied during all the times he wouldn't be allowed in because he wasn’t part of the family.

Maybe he could use some of them to help distract Ford, too. He would probably need it since it was his brother who was laid up. (Even if he would probably deny that he was worried.)

Fiddleford knew he would want distractions if it was one of his siblings was in a hospital.

He also snagged a couple of books, to give them both something to keep their minds busy as well. Mostly technical manuals, but he had a couple fiction books too.

Then he packed it all into the back of his pickup, making use of the larger tool crates anchored in the back to keep the cases from sliding around. (He was glad he’d snagged one that was much larger than he’d needed while coming down to Gravity Falls.)

Then he’d hopped back into his truck and made the long drive back to Ford’s place.

Ford was sitting on his porch when Fiddleford pulled up, one ragged-looking suitcase (which was a bit smaller than his own case) sitting beside him and a large leather satchel hung over his shoulder.

“Everything ready to go? Got the address handy?” He asked, looking over the few items Ford had packed for himself. It… Wasn’t a lot. He hoped that meant they were both hoping things would be okay and that they wouldn’t be staying for very long down there.

“Yes, I have everything. I wrote the address down on a notepad that I’ve put in my coat pocket. I’m as ready as I’ll ever be,” Ford said with a sigh, standing up and gathering his case to put in the back of the truck. Fiddleford helped him lock it down in the back, and then they both climbed into the cab.

And then they were off and on the road, all the way to New Mexico.

-----------------------------

Fiddleford didn’t think of himself as a busybody. He wasn’t prone to sticking his nose into other people’s private business. If people didn’t want to tell him things, he didn’t try to force them to. Even if he couldn’t help calling out when he knew someone was hiding something. Though that was less about wanting to know than not wanting people to lie to him.

(He didn’t like it when people lied to him. If they didn’t want to talk about it, that was fine. He just preferred when people said that instead of being dishonest.)

He was a scientist, curiosity was in his nature but he tried to keep it to machines and theorems over people.

Except he hardly knew anything about Ford’s other brother, even after rooming with Ford for four years in college. So it really wasn’t strange that he would ask his friend about the guy. (Especially considering how he’d initially responded when Fiddleford said someone had called about him.) Really, it was only a matter of time until his patience ran dry and his curiosity became too much. 

And it did, roughly an hour into driving them both down the interstate. 

“Soo… Stanley,”  he hesitantly started, glancing at Ford from the corner of his eye. “You’ve mentioned him before. Back in college.”

“Yes. I probably have.” Ford’s response was terse and short. Not angry, but not terribly cheery either.

“You’ve never said a whole lot about the guy. Can ya… Tell me about him?” Fiddleford asked. There was a moment of silence in the truck. “If ya want to, o’ course. It’s fine if you don’t. I just- I’d like to know a bit about the guy before I meet him. Assuming the doctors are right and it is yer brother, obviously-”

Ford cut him off with a gusty sigh.

“No, it’s… I should tell you. Since there is a very real possibility you’ll be meeting him soon.” He let his head fall back, thumping lightly against the back of the seat. “I just- need to think of what I should start with.”

Ford took off his glasses and wiped at the lenses, taking a moment to gather his thoughts before he started talking.

“Stanley is my twin brother. Our parents were expecting only one child but ended up with two. I was born first, then came Stanley roughly fifteen minutes after,” Ford said tiredly, setting his glasses back on his face. “It was a surprise that our mother had been delighted about. She believed having twins was good luck.”

“Really now?” He uttered, keeping his eyes on the road despite his mind running wild. It took a tremendous amount of Fiddleford’s self-control to keep himself from reacting to that. The last thing either of them needed was for him to send them off the interstate or get into an accident before they’d even left state lines.

A twin? His best friend had a twin brother? And Ford had never told him about the guy before! He’d have thought that a twin would have been far more likely to talk about their sibling than just a few in-passing anecdotes and vague mentions. And yet, Fiddleford was only just learning about Ford’s twin brother while on the way to a hospital for the guy.

It was a head-scratcher for him, he loved his siblings and was only too happy to tell folks about them all. But, he had to remind himself, not everyone's family was like his own. And the Pines’ family didn't seem the sort to talk much about themselves unless it was about their livelihoods.

(He supposed this was marginally better than it could have been. At least Fiddleford had been aware that Ford had more than one brother before this conversation.)

“Yes. We’re technically identical twins if one were to ignore… Well.” Ford lifted a hand, spreading out his fingers. He didn’t need to finish the sentence for Fiddleford to understand what he meant.

“Identical twins… Well, I’ll be.” Fiddleford flashed a small grin. “Guess I’m gonna be seeing double for a bit.”

The little joke made Ford let out an amused snort.

“We have the same face, but it’s been a very long time since we looked properly identical. Stanley was more athletic while I was more academic. When we were teenagers, he had continued to take boxing lessons even after I left and ended up far more muscular than I was. I’ve caught up a bit since then, but I rather doubt Stanley has let his skills fall into decay.” Ford said, fingers idly tapping a random pattern on the car door. “He always preferred more… Casual clothing than I did. Simple T-shirts and jeans and such. He had a varsity jacket he’d gotten from a thrift shop that used to wear every fall. It’s probably been thrown out, he’s likely outgrown it by now.”

Fiddleford nodded, smiling as he tried to picture Ford’s brother in his head. He sounded… Sporty. And all he could imagine was a jock version of Ford and that just left him biting back snickers.

(No offense to his friend, but he just wasn’t the type. He was so far from that type that it was hilarious to try and picture it.)

Ford’s smile faltered.

“I… I haven’t seen him in a little over a decade now.”

Wait, what?

“A decade?!” Fiddleford was in disbelief. He couldn’t imagine not seeing or hearing from any of his siblings in a year, never mind a decade.

“He… There was an argument. Around the time our school was being visited by scouts for various colleges, looking for prospective students. I made a special project to present in hopes of getting a scholarship from one of them.” Ford’s voice was growing tense as he spoke. In that way it usually did before he clammed up entirely to avoid losing his temper.

Fiddleford vaguely remembered this story. Or, at least, a version of it that Ford had told him before.

Back when they were in their first year at Backupsmore, his roommate had told him that the school was his emergency plan and not the school he’d wanted to attend. Ford had wanted to go to West Coast Tech but he hadn’t made the cut. He’d never elaborated on it, only muttering about someone being jealous.

 He’d thought it was an angry classmate but had it been…?

“He… He broke my project on the day of the presentations. And refused to take responsibility for it when we found out. Our father was furious with him. I was furious with him as well. The whole thing was… Messy.”

Fiddleford bit down on his reaction. It was a terrible thought, that Ford’s brother had sabotaged him. Except… Except something didn’t feel right.

Maybe it was a sign of Fiddleford’s own hopeful, sunny disposition but he couldn’t quite believe that could have been what happened.

He had shared a room with Ford for years and felt like he’d come to know him fairly well. He had learned some things about his friend, from both actions and context clues he’d picked up over that time. Ford had a habit of jumping to conclusions when it came to people and their possible motives which he didn’t do with his research. He would either be completely oblivious to what other folks thought or felt about something, or he would assume the worst about them without getting all the facts.

(He could remember one, particularly vicious fight that Ford had gotten into with a classmate when he’d thought the guy had stolen his blueprints for a project. It was the nastiest Fiddleford had seen his roommate get and had taken at least three teachers to calm the two down.)

If Ford’s father was the same way, then it was possible that Stanley hadn’t been given the chance to explain himself before the “argument” broke out between them all. And sometimes the reason someone wouldn’t take “responsibility” for something was because they didn’t do it. 

“Stanley, he… He left home that night. I saw it through the window of our room but couldn’t hear what he and Pa were saying very well. But he left with a duffel bag, his car, and the furious promise that he would be richer than any of us when we saw him again. I was- I left for Backupsamore not long after that. It was the only school I could afford without a scholarship to help me.” Ford shook his head, that bitter frown returning as he did. “He calls our Ma, on occasion. I’m not sure if he talks to Pa. Though I wouldn’t be surprised if he deliberately avoided talking to him. He’s never tried to contact me during that time.”

Fiddleford still had that itch in the back of his mind. The one whispering that there was probably more to the story. He was only hearing one side of it, after all. And from one person who felt like the other had wronged them intentionally. (Whether or not it was true.)

“Have you tried?” Fiddleford couldn’t help asking. “Reaching out to him instead?”

It’s what he would have done, but Ford wasn’t him.

“No. I… I don’t have a number for him. Ma told me he… He travels the majority of the time. I don’t think he’s ever given her a number to call. He was always the one calling her.”

Well… He supposed that made some sense. If Stanley traveled for his work and Ford never had a number to call, it would make sense that they would have fallen out of contact with each other. And it would have been harder and harder to get back in contact as the years went on.

And Ford could hold a grudge like no one else Fiddleford had ever met, so the same was probably true for his brother. If the two of them got in a fight, then the chances of them just getting over it and making up on their own were near non-existent. So one or the other reaching out to try and make up probably wouldn’t happen for anything but the most extreme of circumstances. Or if someone on the outside was helping.

As much as Fiddleford wanted to keep asking, to lay some potential groundwork to help Ford move past this grudge, he knew his best friend fairly well by this point. Ford’s patience for talking about someone he was furious over was running out.

It would be better to let things lie for a while and come back to Stanley later. He wouldn’t be surprised if Stanley was the same way if he was asked about Ford.

Hopefully, they wouldn’t start fighting when they were finally put into the same room.

(But Ford obviously cared. He wouldn’t have been willing to make the drive so soon, so readily, if he really, genuinely hated his brother. So there was still hope, in some form, that whatever was between them could be fixed.)

Maybe Fiddleford could help them, then? Acting as a third perspective to help ground them. He couldn’t imagine holding a grudge against one of his siblings for so long… He couldn’t help wanting to help them out.

He could ask for Stanley’s perspective on the matter, and his side of the story, and see if there was a way to help them both. Figure out what had actually happened so they could finally make up with each other, At least enough for the two to be able to talk to and about each other again without things devolving into a fight. Or shutting down and going no-contact.

It would take time, effort, and patience. And Fiddleford had plenty of all three.

[yuri-is-online]

I just wanted to say your posts single-handedly made me like Sho and I made a new account with him as my starter.

I'm still not through with ch2 on my first account (why are the battles so hard I only have 2 SRs to help me and rainbow apples are so limited T-T) so at that point I'd only seen Sho ignore mc and remember getting a short campus event where he literally goes "Oh it's just you, what do you want" or something along those lines so I thought he'd be just as bad as Leo lol. And ngl his design wasn't one of my favorites? But I'm the type who quickly grows on whoever I decide to like so now I love him and his silly bandana and the fact he literally wheels around with Bonnie in fights lol.

I'm especially curious about the Like Dove thing and how it works, initially I thought it was a conscious decision to send (like how Kaito assumed the gossiping girls sent it over for him/Luca) but I sincerely doubt anyone in Vagastrom was popular enough to get one (just bc they're scary) so why did it show up in front of mc and Sho when they barely had talked at that point??? Did he already like her or is it more like a "koi no yokan" thing?? I'm so curious about it. Does it show up in ch3 too? I don't see much mention of it.

Anyways, thank you for your Sho drabbles I love reading them sm!! Honestly I wish someone would upload the whole story somewhere so I can play the game at my own pace bc rn I'm just ITCHING to dump resources and try to get ahead (unsuccessfully)

;-; I am so sorry I made you start another account annon. I send love towards your rolls and ward you against the urge to spend money.

I also thought Sho was going to be just as bad as Leo and didn't like his design. The more he actually talked to MC and just in general the more that changed. He's not that bad of a guy at the end of the day, just loyal to a fault. I even like his little bandanna now, it's cute.

From the way Kaito describes the like dove I personally took it to mean that it was attracted to strong positive feelings towards someone. It can't exactly be sent somewhere because it is a sentient anomalous and independent animal. There are a few explanations for how the writers determine when it shows up, so I'll just work through my thoughts here.

The boring answer: stealing this one from someone on reddit, but the Like Dove shows up when MC starts making progress on getting close to the ghouls in the dorm. It shows up in Chapter 21 of Book 2 because Leo uses MC's enhancement and Sho feels sorry for her. I don't like this answer as much because it does not exactly explain why the Like Dove does not show up until the end of Book 3, as at least 2/3 of Jabberwock's ghouls like her pretty much from the start.

Still boring but slightly more fun answer: the like dove shows up when MC starts to have or accepts having positive feelings towards the ghouls around her. It appears in Chapter 21 and at the end of Book 3 because MC feels like she's really starting to help their dorms. This does not exactly work with Kaito's explanation that the dove comes to you when someone has positive feelings towards you.

"Yuri is doing lines of cope again" crack answer: I think describing it as a "koi no yokan" type thing probably makes the most sense. Kaito certainly seems to think of it as indicating romantic feelings, but he's a bit of a hopeless romantic so I'll take him with a pinch of salt. The Dove in Book 2 specifically appears after 1) Sho sees Leo and MC sitting on the couch together and asks if they're a thing and 2) MC asks about Sho's cooking. I don't think Sho ever really thought negatively of MC, he doesn't seem to have thought much about her at all. He describes Luca and MC as "normies" who he doesn't think Leo should waste time on, so no real hatred just indifference. Indifference that changes to reluctant fondness that same night when Leo forces him to stay behind by lying and MC compliments his cooking. So yeah, it shows up when someone has a sense that they could have strong positive feelings towards her. You could also say that it came due to the positive feelings Leo had about the ring helping him spy on Tohma and Alan, but I prefer to think it was from Sho. Because fuck Leo.

As you might have gathered the dove does show up again in Book 3, I forget the exact chapter but it's around when Haru promises to help MC with her curse. It's also the only dove that has showed up with all members of a house present, which is one of the reasons I like Jabberwock so much, best house fr fr. I will keep my eye out for it in Book 4 and keep you all updated, if you like my anon friend I'll try to make a summary post of the story so you can know what's going on while you try to convince the game to let you through. I am rooting for you!

[unevenpatterns]

Jetko 2024 week: Poorly Kept secrets Ch2

Prompt: Post Canon Rating: T Words: 8058, complete Summary: Jet and Zuko run into each other years after the war and although their initial meeting is just as violent as how they left off, they are both older now. Not wiser necessarily, but good enough to at least have a little talk. And maybe discuss more than just current events...

Oh and then there's the fact that Zuko is a dad now. Izumi just adds to the chaos.

Chapter 2 summary: Is it really an old crush when you old feelings start coming back to life? Jet is out of his depth here and who would have thought he would end up befriending the heir to the Fire Nation.

Nothing is going like he expected it to and he should really have known not to go drinking with Zuko again.

[krispdreemurr]

Curious, do you remember what your main conceptions/theories about Deltarune when we only had Chapter 1 to go off of? I remember people were all over the place because things felt so much less concrete they became w/ Chapter 2.

oh i was a full knightster truther lmao. i did believe in "gaster is remaking the timeline a lot to get Kris to do something they never would" even back then so that's carried forward but back then the thing was specifically killing Darkner Gaster, who otherwise would open too many fountains and then fall into one. his motivation was that he'd been a skeleton on a Halloween decorative banner and fell off behind the cabinet while the other two (his sons) got taken away (into storage) lol

i remember i initially thought Kris was a lot more friendly with Ralsei and quick to accept him as family. got fooled by the player-appeal I won't claim otherwise

when we first started getting ch2 previews I thought Noelle trying to keep everyone in the Dark World was going to be a boss fight so that was interesting. still room for that ig,

oh and I thought the moss was a one off joke and Kris wouldn't do it again. kid proved me wrong abt the appeal of a good running gag

[vwritesaus]

TSC WIP snippets pt. 2

pt. 1

as promised, here's pt. 2 of some more snippets from my wips—this time, from dear christopher and timeless!!! what i failed to mention in my last post is that yes, while i'm still writing, those chances to do so are few and far between bc work has seriously been kicking me in the arse :)

this is another long post, so all the goods hopefully are under the cut! hope you enjoy and please know that i appreciate your patience so much ♡

dear christopher

ch2:

      ‘Be quiet, the pair of you,’ Thomas hisses weakly. ‘You’re ridiculous—’       ‘But to be fair, Jamie, they need to be engaged first,’ Matthew tells his parabatai conversationally, as if he hasn’t just interrupted Thomas. ‘In which I fear Alastair will be the one to propose first lest our darling Thomas stammers himself into oblivion and hides behind a lady’s brise fan to save face!’       ‘That’s oddly specific, Math… and yet I can see it happening just as you describe,’ James muses while rubbing at his chin. ‘Alastair is sensible enough and good at keeping a neutral expression—and he’ll be able to keep calm should Thomas start crying in pure joy.’       ‘You’re awful!’ Thomas exclaims. He’s now utterly certain his face no longer resembles an apple, but rather a beetroot. ‘Both of you—absolutely awful!’       Undeterred by the insults, Matthew gazes seriously at Thomas.‘I’ll be honest with you, Tom,’ he says. ‘It still baffles me how the whole situation between you two occurred, but… oh, you silly sod, I’m happy for you.’       Thomas smiles shyly. ‘Thank you.’       ‘Even Alastair?’ James pipes up.       Matthew scowls, though there is no heat behind it. ‘Yes, yes, even Carstairs,’ he moans, ‘the little bastard.’       ‘Hang on, easy,’ James says, ‘that’s Thomas’s future husband you’re slandering.’       ‘James!’ Thomas protests. ‘Stop it!’       ‘I shan’t, because the thought alone makes you happy, doesn’t it? And besides,’ James adds in a murmur, ‘we could all do with some happiness.’

ch3:

      ‘Whoever decides to be the owner of your heart, Thomas,’ Eugenia whispers, her tone serious, ‘I hope they’ll make you the happiest man alive.’       ‘A wish I also hold for you,’ Thomas tells her earnestly, ‘and not of the likes as those of Augustus bloody Pounceby. You deserve better.’       ‘Augustus was a moment of weakness. I know better than to seek out rats like him,’ Eugenia says heatedly, and then sighs. ‘I never thought he’d do such a thing—but then, I suppose, I have been wrong before. I should have seen it coming, really.’       ‘None of that was your fault, Genia. Don’t ever think that. He’s a smarmy little so-and-so with an ego, and if he ever comes within five feet of you, I’ll do what James did and throw him into the Thames.’       Despite the serious mood, Eugenia cackles heartily.       ‘I don’t doubt that in the slightest, Tom.’ She sniffs loudly and adds with utmost seriousness, ‘But you needn’t worry, for I will not step out with another man for as long as I shall live. I’ll cater to my many cats once I acquire them, and will bother you and your beau until we’re all old and grey.’ ...       ‘Tell me, mijo,’ Gideon starts. ‘How are you?’       Thomas cannot help the soft snort that leaves him.       ‘Dear Papa, I hope this is not an attempt at small talk,’ he says cheekily. ‘You do know how I cannot partake in it, nor can you.’       Gideon laughs and shakes his head. ‘Not as such. I would say it’s more of an initiation into a deeper topic of conversation.’

ch4:

      ‘Thomas,’ she gasps. ‘Bach, I need Gabriel. I need—please—’       He doesn’t hesitate, getting to his feet in a rather ungainly fashion, and launches himself at the door frame. He yells for his uncle, propriety be damned, and doesn’t stop until he hears hurrying footsteps coming up the stairs.       Gabriel flies into the room not even a minute later, his hair a mess and his eyes round in concern. His gaze glides to Thomas, alight with confusion, and Thomas merely glances over at Cecily by way of an explanation. It seems to be enough for he hears his uncle suck in a sharp breath and the softest rendition of his wife’s name passes his lips.       At the sound, Cecily turns her head, and chokes back a sob when she sees her husband. She holds her arms out to him beseechingly, begging to be held, and her cheeks are streaked with fast-falling tears.       ‘Gabriel… cariad—’       The rest of the sentence is pure Welsh, too fast and broken and indistinct for Thomas to understand a single phrase.

ch5:

      ‘Has anyone told you that you are perhaps a little too kind?’       ‘Only every third day,’ Thomas jests dryly, and Grace’s lips curve upwards a touch at that. His voice turns serious then, quiet, contemplative. ‘Look, I’m not here to fight, and I don’t want to fight. I’m not here to forgive you, either. That’s not my place. But today we remember Christopher. We… we tell him goodbye, and we do that together.’       There’s a moment’s pause in which they simply look at each other. Wind blows between them, ruffling the edges of Thomas’s coat and the hem of Grace’s dress. Smoke continues to curl from the stubby remains of the pyre, wispy and faint, like the aftermath of one of Christopher’s former explosions.       ‘Together…’ Grace echoes softly.       A single tear rolls down her cheek. She makes no move to wipe it away, much to Thomas’s surprise. After a second, Grace draws in a shuddering breath and lets it out slowly.       ‘Thank you for the invitation,’ she says politely—a picture-perfect image of a well brought-up young lady; a very small piece of Thomas pangs in sympathy at that thought. ‘I accept it… for Christopher.’       Thomas nods. ‘For Christopher,’ he agrees.

timeless

ch2:

      ‘He’s… attractive, sure,’ she finishes lamely, ‘but to be fair, I don’t even know him!’       Alastair tacks on immediately. ‘Just attractive?’       Hating the evil edge to his smirk, Cordelia scowls. Prick!       She sniffs. Two can play at that game.       ‘What do you want me to say?’ Raising her voice to a higher, mocking pitch, she cries, ‘“Oh my god, he’s sooo hot, I wanna throw him against the wall and have my way with him”?’       Alastair’s face twists in displeasure. ‘Ew, no.’       ‘Then what?’       ‘All I’m saying is people have gone straight to Base Two without exchanging names,’ he declares matter-of-factly. ‘So you not even knowing him is a rather redundant argument you’re making for your defence.’       Cordelia gawks at him. ‘What, are you saying you and Charles…?’       ‘Absolutely not,’ Alastair rebuts. ‘I learnt his name first. I’m just saying that it happens. Therefore…’       He waves his hand in a way that says, rather bluntly, my previous statement still applies. …       ‘He’s so funny,’ Cordelia says through a chuckle. ‘He was funny when I met him in person, too.’       ‘He can be, yeah,’ Lucie agrees with a good roll of her eyes. ‘But good god, he can be a moody, surly bastard sometimes. I’m telling you, Daisy, you’re lucky you’ve met him now. You did not want to know him two years ago.’       Cordelia’s expression turns startled. ‘Oh? Why do you say that?’       Lucie opens her mouth to answer but then quickly closes it. It’s not exactly her story to tell, let alone to someone James has only properly met once. But it’s not as though it’s a state secret… Everyone knows what happened and who James had been on the wrong side of sixteen… but even so…       ‘You don’t have to tell me why,’ Cordelia says, drawing Lucie out of her own head.        Clearly the conflict is bright as day on Lucie’s face.       ‘No, it’s alright.’ Chewing on her bottom lip for a second, Lucie sighs and reveals in a low voice, ‘I won’t go into too much detail, but James had his heart broken really badly in high school. After that, he had a nasty streak. He went wild, and none of us knew what to do. It got so bad even Matthew threatened to stop being friends with him if he didn’t get his shit together, and they’ve been friends since we were all kids.’       ‘Oh, my god?’       ‘Hm… though to be fair, Matthew wasn’t much better. He kept getting into trouble with the teachers because of this and that. But in a way, I’m grateful to them both.’ She reaches across the table and grips Cordelia’s hand tightly. ‘Because if it weren’t for them, I wouldn’t have had the need to bury my nose in my books or the internet to take a mental break, and I certainly would not have gotten the chance to meet you.’ …       Matthew purses his lips at the less than courteous message, thinking of all the possible responses he can send to preserve his honour so James doesn’t have to, as he has done many times before. But they all fly out of his head when both of Mina’s hands land on his calf with a loud smack. She smiles gummily up at him, and his heart melts at the sight.       ‘Does Mina wanna go on an adventure?’ he asks her, already picking her up and pressing her close to his chest. His phone lays forgotten on the floor. ‘But how shall we get there? Hmm… Oh! I know. Are you ready?’       Mina blinks and then raucous, contagious giggles escape her as Matthew—holding her by her middle with both hands—directs her through the air as if she’s an aeroplane while making engine noises. Somewhere behind him, James laughs wholeheartedly and cries, ‘Up and away we go!’ The three of them fly through the Herondale-Carstairs household, James and Matthew providing commentary on all the fascinating sights to Pilot Mina, and Mina’s giggles become louder and louder.       Mediocre dates, be damned.

tagging people who might be interested: @drunkonimagination @astriefer @ibrushmyteeth-donttellanyone @cant-think-of-anything @alastaircarstairsismybff @what-ho-christopher-put-in

let me know if you’d like to be added to or removed from the tag list!!

[accirax]

hey! i was wondering about eden’s emotional cg scenes with teruko at the end of ep14; if eden does happen to be the culprit, how would it affect her characterisation? personally, i can’t help but see it in a negative light, one which dampens her impact on arei, teruko and others with her ‘rational optimism’ and general kindness. if eden believed arei wanted to be friends with her, and was willing to reciprocate it, would eden really kill her in cold blood?? if her tears at the end of ep14 were genuine, would it go against her ultimately being the blackened?

tl:dr: how would you justify eden’s last moments at the end of ep14, if she were the culprit? it felt truly genuine to me, but i can’t help but notice her suspicious behaviour and inconsistencies in regards to the ch2 murder :(

(sorry, i’ve never done an ask before!! apologies if this is worded poorly.)

Can Eden Still Be the Culprit (Again)?

Haha, it figures that, even if I didn't choose to cover it in my Episode 14 Dissection, I'd still wind up analyzing what was going on in that scene anyways. Glad you're curious to hear my thoughts! (And don't worry, you phrased everything perfectly!)

The truth is, I didn't initially go over it because I wanted to post my thoughts on the day after the episode aired I, too, am somewhat confused as to how Eden could say all of that and still potentially be the blackened. However, as someone who still believes that Eden could be the blackened, it's probably a good idea if I figure out for myself what the hell this scene means in the context of DRDT at large if votes for Eden are close at hand. And potentially preempt some of the backlash that might arise if they are.

Just know that I, too, think that some of my points might be a bit of a stretch sometimes. We cool? Cool. Let's get analyzing.

SPOILERS for DRDT through Chapter 12 Episode 14, as well as Chapter 2 of THH and Chapter 1 of SDR2, and a WARNING that we will (obviously) be discussing Eden!culprit throughout this post.

For Eden's words and actions to make sense under the preconception that she is the killer, I think there are only three major roads you can take.

NUMBER ONE: EDEN IS A LYING, MANIPULATIVE, SCUMBAGGY PIECE OF SHIT

This option... is not great. Everybody agrees that it is not great. I hesitate to use the word "bad," because I think that people are way too hasty to call things "bad writing" (especially before they've even happened), but... I'm not gonna lie, it's pretty bad.

Basically, what it says on the tin. Just like David, Eden has actually been a liar and a manipulator the whole time. She doesn't actually believe anything she said about optimism or the power of friendship, and was 100% using that attitude the whole time to get everybody's guards down. A character like that would have no problem saying whatever the hell she needed to say in order to get others to pity and therefore not vote for her.

I don't like this one because it fully invalidates everything that we've seen from Eden so far. For someone like David-- or, say, Nagito-- even in the midst of their big heel turn, there are parts of their previous characterization that are still salvageable. Teruko caught David being a hater on literally Day 1, and it was easy to read into his outbursts of anger and insane nosiness to expect that his personality wasn't really as bright as his stars. Similarly, even if Hajime got along with Nagito, he was still sort of a creepy and off-putting guy, and everything about his love of hope stayed as strong as ever. For Eden to suddenly turn to the dark side would truly come out of nowhere. Other than... I don't know, liking to bake?, I don't think there are any aspects of Eden's former characterization that would remain. Not that her character would remain in the story for much longer, but, whatever.

I'm going to discount this option because I have faith in DRDTdev's writing, and I don't think he would suddenly want to abandon the Eden character he's been strongly developing over the past two chapters. Again, I refuse to call anything bad writing until the Chapter at least, if not the story as a whole, is wrapped up, but there's a reason why everyone's first instinct is to hate this idea.

NUMBER TWO: EDEN IS THE BLACKENED BUT DOESN'T KNOW IT

Basically, Eden is able to be so genuine because she either forgot or didn't know that she was the one to kill Arei, but we'll still be able to convict her in the end because all of the evidence points to her. How would this work? Well, sorastar6 came up with a theory that Eden might have killed Arei but blocked it out of her memory. It could also be something where, like, someone else put her up to it and she accidentally let go of the rope or whatever to kill Arei without realizing it. (That idea is loosely based off of a-student-out-of-time's theory of David manipulating Hu to kill J-dressed-as-Arei-- hopefully if they read this, they won't mind me using their theory as a logistical basis off of which to accuse Eden 😅)

However, I don't think either of these cases are particularly likely either. The murder method is so complicated and clearly premeditated that it would be really hard to trick someone into operating it without realizing it at all. And, if Eden killing Arei traumatized her so much that she lost multiple hours of memory then you'd think she'd just... not do it. I respect the hard work and creativity of both of these theorists, but I'll be passing on this option as well.

NUMBER THREE: EDEN FEELS REALLY, REALLY GUILTY ABOUT IT

Okay, so I maybe-sorta-lied: there are probably other ways that you could interpret Eden's emotional reactions to talking about Arei's death other than specifically her being guilty. However, given that guilt was already the justification I reached for the first Eden mini-breakdown in my Episode 13 Dissection, it may not come as a surprise that I'm staying on theme.

Before, I summarized that what Eden was saying to Levi was basically what she wanted to say or already said to herself. She knows that killing Arei was "wrong," so even though she thought it was the right thing to do, she wants to always remember Arei and acknowledge her faults as a form of penance. Also importantly, one facet of why Eden might be breaking down now is because (under the theory) she only learned that Arei truly wanted to change and be her friend in the Trial when David told her. It makes her feel extra guilty now knowing that she killed someone who wasn't just her bully, but someone who wanted to be better than that.

We're going to keep that rationale in mind as we now look through everything that Eden has to say at the end of Episode 14. The only thing of note that I will have to concede is that, even if Eden isn't a liar or a manipulator overall, any time she says anything along the lines of "I'm innocent!" or "I didn't kill Arei!", it has to be a boldface lie. Sorry, I don't like it either, but there's no way around it (outside of something like option 2). I otherwise want to claim that Eden is straight-up lying as little as possible, but this was kind of a gimme. But hey, that's why I have my doubts that any of this will turn out to be true as well.

Since this is its own post and not part of the Episode 14 Dissection, it means that I get 30 images to use on just this subject, hooray!

This is certainly a softball to start this defense off on. Eden can just be confused/upset that her efforts to evade being the blackened aren't working all of a sudden.

Similarly, this is just her rephrasing/challenging everyone's thoughts. Perhaps I should have cut out some of these beginning statements, but I'm always one for being thorough.

Don't worry, this is the last of these three. I will note, though, something that I actually only noticed on this watch-through. I was aware that Teruko and David both had shots that only showed their mouths and torsos with their eyes obscured in this episode, but apparently, Eden has one too. Of course, this could go either way: these shots could be reserved for the "major players" of this chapter-- the protagonist, killer, and someone who's clearly getting extra focus-- or, it could be more of a protag/antag/support thing. Or maybe DRDTdev just decided to start using this for highly emotional scenes.

Well, given that I'm trying to throw Eden under the bus in this post, it's clearly the first of the three. Don't listen to any clowns (<- me) who might tell you otherwise. (/j)

"Hold myself together" isn't as innocent-coded as it might seem on the surface. It seems pretty clear to me that Eden feels genuine sadness over Arei's passing no matter her role in Arei's death. However, being the blackened and having to keep a secret throughout the Trial might make coping with those emotions even more difficult. Fully breaking down in grief would be bad enough as an innocent, but as a blackened, it would basically be game over. Arei's death is the cause of her discomposure, which can still be equally true if she was the one to kill Arei.

This is quite possibly the line that I have the hardest time justifying in the context of Eden being guilty. I could obviously just say that she's lying here, but as I said at the start, I want to call what Eden says lies as minimally as possible. So, what are our other options?

Nico said earlier this episode that attempting to kill Ace was "the worst choice that [they'd] made in [their] life," so it could be fitting for both of our killers this chapter to feel the same way. After seeing what it was like to kill Arei and have everyone suspect you, Eden decides that whatever her motive for killing was wasn't worth it in the end. However, now that she's in this situation, she still has to stick with her initial plan (unless she wants to just die on the spot) because she can't go back, no matter how hard she tries--

For DRDT to enter its third chapter with the cast at their most hostile and downtrodden but also only having one killer who did so accidentally and two killers who deeply regretted it would be very interesting indeed.

Alternatively (or perhaps in combination), this could also be Eden being somewhat of a pessimist. If you're a blackened, you're generally hoping/expecting that everyone other than you will die. However, only one person's death is actually guaranteed-- your victim's. (Or two people's deaths if you kill two people, but that's not important to this case.) In theory, Eden choosing to kill Arei in particular doesn't really matter, because if she won the Class Trial, Arei would die anyways. However, now that Teruko has accused Eden, reality might be setting in for Eden as her dreams of being the one to escape flit away. In that case, she may be regretting her choice to victimize Arei-- if she's going to die for her attempt, she might at least wish that Arei got to live over some others.

I think the first option is probably the best from a thematic perspective, although both options certainly have their counterarguments.

Eden's (stellar) read on the "Why?" line definitely implies that she's frustrated, which could go either way. It's equally possible that she could be mad that people are suspecting her when she's innocent, or that she's upset that everyone is suddenly hounding her when she thought she was putting up a good front.

As for her leading question, if Eden is the killer, we've already seen her subtly mine for information at least once before. The conclusion of her last breakdown was her trying to ask David what really happened between him and Arei in the Relaxation Room. Now, asking this question might be intended to either shore up arguments she hopes to defend herself against, or force other people to "concede" that there are no reasons why Eden would have killed Arei. A bit of a dangerous gambit, but it's arguably more dangerous to have to come up with justifications about unknown arguments on the spot, especially when emotionally struggling.

Not gonna lie, though, the fact that she immediately followed up "why do you think I killed her" with "I cared about her!" also slants towards an innocent read. If you really were the culprit, I feel like you would start trying to argue against some of the solid evidence that people just presented (such as Levi bringing up the information required to write that note) with evidence of your own. Instead, Eden shoots straight for the emotional defense, even though no one was arguing that Eden never cared about Arei leading into this speech. (Arturo brings up her connection to Arei, but he never directly says it was because she didn't care.) It could speak to the fact that she was fully unprepared to be accused (because she didn't do it and had no idea about the tape).

However, Eden has always been a very emotional person, and it's possible that a big part of her intended defense was to say that she cared about Arei. Another interpretation is that Eden brought this up now because it's something she's insecure about. It sort of goes back to my idea that Eden is still desperately trying to cling to the idea that she's a "good person" despite her choice to kill. If that's true, the way that Eden is perceived as the killer might be very important to her. Like, obviously surviving the Trial itself is the most important thing, but Eden doesn't want anyone to misinterpret her as a monster on her path to the finish line.

I already explained why this line was sus as hell to me:

This distinction-- between "Arei was my friend" and "Arei could have been my friend"-- could be very telling down the line. Eden pauses mid-tear-filled rant to distinguish that Arei is not her friend, not because she's dead, but because they hadn't reached that point yet. Arei is not Eden's friend in death. What can that possibly mean other than that Eden killed Arei?

This is one of the lines that makes me most think that she is the blackened in this monologue. Because, seriously, why would she not have just said "Arei was my friend!" if there wasn't any doubt in her mind?

Alright, I think that about now is a good time for me to drop the thesis I've developed whilst reflecting on Eden's behavior and how to put all of the pieces together. Should I have said it earlier? Maybe, but where's the drama in that?

Basically, for starters, I don't think that Eden fully believed that Arei genuinely wanted to be her friend. As I've said before, Arei saving Eden from Arturo happened mere hours after Arei denounced her entire personality. It's super believable that Eden might think that Arei was just using her usual manipulative tricks to make Eden look like the fool again. However, despite all that, I don't think that Eden hated Arei, either. They were just in the exact same state that they were in before-- Arei as the bully and Eden as her target-- which Eden had never hated Arei for before. Eden wanted to help her and wanted to be friends with her, as she says in this screenshot, but that doesn't mean it could actually happen. Tragically, Eden determined that Arei wouldn't be able to change while being trapped in this killing game.

After that, Eden decides that she needs to kill to escape the school. The exact motives of which have puzzled Eden!culprit theorists for months, with current speculations still being that it may either have to do with her secret, the girl she kissed, or her family, who she told Levi she couldn't imagine living without. We've got time to cook on that in the post-Trial, if Eden is the killer. However, I also don't think that we should discount how scary the killing game has become.

Let's run through the events of Day 6 again, because it's a truly terrible day for Eden:

Eden wakes up in the morning and goes to rouse Teruko, who she has to blackmail in order to even get her to consider attending breakfast with the others. She tries to convince Teruko about the value of optimism, but Teruko only tells her that her worldview makes Teruko even less inclined to be her friend. Speaking of lack of friendship, Eden's chances at a peaceful breakfast-- which she had been hoping to use to bring everyone together-- are dashed when there are three separate shouting matches going on in the Dining Hall. Eden tries to assign her associates to break up the fights, but it goes terribly-- all she does is get Arturo and J mad at her, while Veronika only makes the situation between Ace and Nico worse.

After David's plan causes Charles (who has been making some of the most progress so far) to recall his traumatic past, Eden tries to invite Teruko and Arei to a fun event to brighten everyone's moods and right her wrongs of the past. Except that, when she does, Arei rejects her offer outright and brings up some of her biggest insecurities, causing Eden to run out of the room crying. Neither Teruko, who Eden has been trying super hard to befriend, nor David, who has (theoretically) been acting in the name of harmony and cooperation, run after her to offer her any comfort.

Despite David's lack of support, though, she still decides to support him by following his idea to let Arturo know about his secret. Trying to do so nearly costs her her life. She's just one unarmed 5'2" clockmaker against a clearly agitated 6'3" surgeon with a scalpel, and she's only saved by the bully who just said that Eden "utterly disgust[ed] her in every way." Arei now claims that she'd do anything for Eden, but is that just another setup through which Arei can make fun of her trusting nature in the future...? Eden wants to hope, but it's hard to do so when the person who just saved you was the one who told you you shouldn't.

Anyways, even despite a long afternoon of Nico being outed and a long night of being stalked by probably-Arturo, Eden is still trying to help Teruko pick up her clothes when she runs into Teruko in the Dress-Up Room. But since nothing can go right for Eden today, it's then when she and Teruko hear a loud noise, and they stumble upon Ace's body in the Gym-- the second murder attempt Eden has seen today. Nico is standing over Ace, really making it look like they killed him. Gosh, if only someone had been able to talk to the two of them this morning in a productive way, instead of making things worse. Thankfully, Ace is still alive, but less thankfully, he's now a convert to killing and wants to eliminate Nico. The day ends with Ace saying that this place is worse than death and Levi-- who Eden had just been praising for being kind and reliable-- giving up on his former friend.

Are you starting to see why Eden started planning murder and picked up the tape when she did?

Looking at it through that perspective, I don't even know if Eden needs a reason outside of the killing game to want to be the blackened and escape. If we can accept that Ace's motive would be to escape the situation in which he almost died, it feels like we should be able to acknowledge that Eden could be motivated by the exact same thing.

Obviously, it's harder to believe that Eden would kill than Ace, because Eden generally cares about everybody and Ace (other than Levi, once) didn't really like anyone. However, I, at least, don't think it would be totally narratively unsatisfying for Eden's reason for killing to be that her bandwidth for caring for others was overloaded, and with no one supporting her (and at least one party actively attacking her), her fears of the killing game got the better of her, if only just for a moment.

Getting back on track, Eden's terrible awful no good very bad day has inspired her to kill, but who does she take down as her victim? Well, as we've established before, if Eden wins, everyone will die anyways, so it's not like she's really "sparing anyone's life" by not killing them here. She's already made her peace with everyone as she knows them dying. And after that, despite the care she still has for Arei, she chooses Arei as her victim because of what Arei told her after Arturo attacked Eden. But, I'll reiterate, Eden doesn't hate Arei. Instead, Eden chooses Arei because she thinks Arei is the victim that will make her look the least suspicious.

Just because Eden doesn't believe that Arei really wanted to be her friend doesn't mean that other people won't. In fact, I think that Arturo would definitely believe that the two of them had turned over a new leaf. In this situation, Eden is aware that her best path to innocence is to play up her kindhearted personality in order to lead people to believe that she would never hurt a fly. Therefore, she decides to leave the note behind so that people will hear about the story of Arturo attacking her. In my Episode 14 dissection, I was spinning my wheels trying to figure out why Eden would possibly want anyone to find that note. However, this option would create a reason why Eden would want others to read the note. The mere fact that Arei decided to come to the Playground would serve as evidence that Arei really did care about Eden, and therefore make Eden seem more innocent. Maybe she overstepped a bit on revealing so much about Arturo's secret in the note, but given that everyone seems to believe that the killer overhearing the conversation was possible anyways, it's not a huge deal.

However, there is a contradiction here that you may have picked up on. Why would Eden count on using a note to draw Arei out to the Playground if she didn't believe that Arei would actually listen to her? I raise you a new idea: who says that note was actually real?

For those who believe that Eden isn't the killer, the thought that someone falsified writing that note isn't anything revolutionary. However, if other culprits could plant that note as a fake, who's to say that Eden didn't do the same?

I believe it was demodraws606 who recently raised the question of why Eden would even bother writing a note to Arei when she could have just gone up and knocked on her door. (Apologies, I tried to find the post in which they said that but I couldn't track it down 😔) That excellent question set off the domino chain that made me think... well, maybe she did.

Eden works through the night (14 hour shifts, baby) setting up the pieces of her murder contraption in the Playground and writing a fake note that she "sent" to Arei. However, instead of sending that note to Arei, she goes to Arei's room herself and knocks on her door at, like, 7 AM or something. Eden doesn't necessarily believe that Arei will answer, but, if she doesn't-- that's not the worst thing in the world, right? It's not like she's particularly pressed about the secrets deadline, and she left herself with enough time to put away her murder scheme if necessary. Unfortunate, but assuming that she lives another day, she can try again some other time. However, instead, Arei opens the door (because, unbeknownst to Arei, she really did want to be friends with Eden), sealing her fate.

This also opens the opportunity for the scene of knocking Arei out to be in the doorway of Arei's room, instead of in the Playground. I always wondered how the scuffs on the floor would be so contained to one area near the entrance to the Playground. Like, the whole rope setup must have been at least somewhat set up by the time Arei entered the Playground, right? If Arei saw that, why wouldn't she start running away? And, in the case of Eden as the culprit specifically, would she really be able to subdue Arei in such a small area? If Arei was knocked out in her room, we wouldn't be able to see any evidence of that happening, because no one searched her room. That also leaves open the opportunity for Eden to have tossed any items she used to knock out Arei into Arei's room, where no one would be able to find them. And, hell, let's rope the glove into this, too! If Arei was never even intending to get dressed up to the level of leaving her room, maybe she hadn't yet put on her glove when Eden taped her wrists! It's weak reasoning, but it's a reasoning, at least!

(Also, if you're wondering how the scuffs on the ground could have gotten there if Arei wasn't subdued in the Playground, sorastar6 also recently made a theory that the ground was actually scuffed up after the jugs broke and the turf became wet, and it was the killer walking through a puddle that messed up the ground.)

After that, yada yada, ropes and carousel, Arei dies, investigation, Class Trial.

Eden is trying her best to just lay low and survive the Class Trial, but a wrench is thrown her way when David reveals to her that, after she left the Playground, Arei confessed to David and Teruko that she actually wanted to change. This goes against everything that Eden thought. Part of her reason for murder was that no one was willing to work with her, and now she learns that she just killed the one person who actually was? That's terrible! It can't be! David, please tell me the rest of that story!!!

At this point, you might wonder why, if Eden feels horribly guilty about killing Arei and unsure of her former conviction that the best thing she could do would be to get out of here alive, she wouldn't just confess to the crime already. Beyond her desire to survive herself, I think it could be because she wants Arei's death to have meaning.

If Eden gives up, it means that she killed Arei for no reason. She made the huge, irreversible decision to kill Arei, and then decided to throw it away when things got tough. But she won't let herself brush away the deaths she caused just because it was inconvenient for her.

She won't let her emotions take precedence over the harm that she caused.

She has to acknowledge that Arei's death was her fault.

Which means that, just like Min did, she has to fight like a proper blackened would if she wants to prove that she cared about enough Arei to believe that her life had meaning.

And that's why Eden is so insistent that she didn't kill Arei because she hated her. She isn't someone who believed that Arei was fully incapable of change, and she still cared about Arei a lot. And so, she'll honor Arei's legacy by taking to heart what Arei said to her.

Those are my general thoughts on how to justify Eden's breakdown at the end of the episode-- although, obviously, we still have more to go. That awkward middle placement strikes again, huh? But, I do think it has its benefits, which is why I'm keeping it here. We get to balance some buildup before the point with the lens of seeing some of the dialogue after the point. Let's wrap up the rest of this a bit quicker, shall we?

Since we're a while from the start, let me just issue a refresher that this post is assuming that every time Eden says "I didn't kill Arei" she is just lying. Yes, it assumes that Eden is willing to lie in a Class Trial, but I think that any 18 year old would be capable of pulling that off if their life was at stake, no matter how sweet they may seem.

This could also be another instance of Eden assessing the situation via asking a question.

This line would be tying back to the assumption that Eden's main plan for getting away with the crime (other than possibly framing Nico with the murder method) was to pull the emotional defense that others wouldn't believe that she killed. The tears could still absolutely be borne of genuine fear, but the choice to reach for help from Teruko could be her planned fallback if things got dicey. If she is the killer, then the evidence should stack against her, meaning that "belief" is her best way out of receiving votes. This is her hail mary.

"This trial has been cruel to me" is 100% right if she is the blackened who got jumpscared by knowing that Arei cared. After she initially acted against her instincts to kill for the sake of her life, she then has to face consequences that she didn't even think were possible, all while keeping a straight face. For whoever the killer is, can you imagine how stressful it must have been to have David extend the Trial for so much longer with his nonsense? (Mondo with Byakuya vibes in Ch2, honestly. The THH parallels never rest.)

Again, we're saying "I didn't kill her" is a lie, while "I just wanted to help her" was the truth. Something more along the lines of "I just wanted to help Arei, but she seemingly rejected my every effort, so I killed her but without the knowledge that my help was actually getting through to her" is what we're aiming for here.

I decided to combine these two together because I didn't have much to say about the first one on its own. One interesting thing to note here is what thebadjoe pointed out: Eden says that friends are supposed to help each other out, yet in Chapter 2 Episode 3, she was the one telling Teruko that relationships aren't transactional. What changed between now and then?

Well, this is much more in keeping with Arei's "that's what friends do" philosophy, which could either be a further indication that she was taking Arei's words to heart (for better or for worse) or that she's just desperate enough that she needs to count on Teruko in this moment if she wants to survive (again, whether genuinely innocent or guilty). It could mean nothing, but it could also be an indication of Eden's more manipulative side, if she's making an emotional argument that goes against her own philosophy just because she knows it'll strike a chord with Teruko.

(Of course, you can basically counterbalance this "inconsistency" with the one that one post (yet ANOTHER post I cannot fucking re-find) pointed out with Ace saying "I would never commit a murder of my own" with him previously saying that he was "about to commit a murder of his own" on Nico. They can't both be the killer unless something really weird is going on, so at least one of these "inconsistencies" has to mean nothing.)

Also, while I wouldn't go so far as to say that Eden is faking her tears over Arei (because that's clearly not true) there's also room for Eden to be crying here because she feels bad about manipulating Teruko, but as established before, still feels like she has to go through with it. Her acting doesn't have to be impeccable if the crying is covering up the crying she would already be doing.

'Cause sometimes, the breaks you take in between sniffles can conceal the breaks you would be taking as you struggle to lie to Teruko's face! Hypothetically.

"Please trust me, Teruko. You're my only hope."

In this hypothetical, I think we have to assume that Eden is just genuinely surprised that the super-smart Teruko wasn't able to see through her act. It might come as a shock that the same Teruko who said that Eden's kindness made her want to stay farther away would now see Eden's pleading as a sign to protect her. (Another judgment of character that Eden made incorrectly.)

And now, for the other hardest part to justify...

With the combination of the soft music (the same music that plays during the "kindness isn't weakness" scene, mind you) and the bokeh lights and the line deliveries and everything, this does feel like pretty convincing evidence that Eden is not the killer. But, if we're talking about the world in which she is, I do think that she still feels genuinely relieved here. The hug isn't directly manipulative, it's just thanking Teruko for giving her another shot at life.

Furthermore, it's a confirmation that, in Teruko's eyes, Eden still isn't a "bad person"-- at least not yet. Eden needs to continue believing that she's a good person with good ideas if she wants to have any hopes of fighting back against the cold and cruel world she was telling Teruko about. If she's become just as cold and cruel as the rest of them, then there's no way for her to be optimistic or kind, and therefore, no way to escape the grief that's haunting her. Eden has yet to learn that a good person is not gold, so that's the only world that she sees.

And, that's Eden's last line of the episode! Before we wrap up, though, I do want to talk about how Eden being the culprit would affect the story as a whole, as you touched upon that in your ask. Mainly, I want to talk about the big problem that many people have with Eden being the killer: what would happen to Teruko if it's proven that one of her closest allies is the killer again? We don't want a repeat of Chapter 1, but how do you avoid that after that hug?

As is my M.O., I'm here to argue that there are two ways you can make the situation different: by making it better or making it worse. In terms of making it better, I think that thefandomenchantress argued for it well in this post. If Eden's gotten her most desperate moment out of the way now, she might have room to be a bit more accepting in her final moments, and be able to reassure Teruko that just because she killed doesn't mean nobody is worthy of trust. In fact, Eden is so sad now because she didn't have enough trust in Arei, and look where that landed her! We could end Eden off on at least being happy that she and Arei were both able to change in the ways that the other wanted for them (Arei becoming more helpful and Eden becoming more responsible) and her being happy that at least the other students get to live.

On the other hand, you could make it worse. Venus-is-thinking and I have discussed together before how different Min and Eden's situations are, because while Min only really tried getting close to Teruko after her crime was already committed, Eden has been trying to become Teruko's friend for ages, before the idea to murder even crossed her mind. This death would be even more personal, as it can more so be argued that Teruko's lack of trust is part of what drove Eden to kill, whereas with Min, it was just that Teruko initially trusting Min opened her more up to hurt. You might argue that this would just cause Teruko to pull away even more harshly (which is still bad), but that's not necessarily the case. Maybe her breakdown this time drives her to get in people's faces so that they'll die even faster and she can rip the bandage off. Along those lines, maybe she'd even try to get closer to those she least trusts right now (like David) because clearly, her curse will cause those who she spends the most time with to die. The circumstances around Teruko have changed, which means that we can't expect the same sort of pressure to necessarily yield the same result.

As for your concerns about Eden's impact on Arei and genuine-seeming emotions, hopefully my main dissertation answers how I'd explain that ^_^

If you're wondering how I feel... well, despite everything that I wrote, I'm honestly kinda thinking that it's Ace at this point. Don't get me wrong, I think that the Eden read is still out there, but given how seemingly little time we have until the culprit is revealed, there may not be enough time to unpack anything close to this before the gavel comes down. Everyone keeps posting their polls about who people think is the killer, and I keep flip-flopping on whether I choose Eden or Ace as my answer. I wouldn't be surprised if either of them did it, except that--

Well, let's be honest. At this point, I'm going to be flabbergasted by whoever the culprit is, just because it's them.

Thank you for the ask, and see you on Friday!

[thricewire]

My beliefs about the second DRDT motive (yes, I regularly do forget beliefs that were once semi-coherent and reconstruct them badly, like switching the bobbleheads on decapitated littlest pet shop toys):

David has Teruko's secret.

Xander's secret is most probably "You're constantly blaming yourself for the deaths of your parents and siblings. It doesn't matter that it's not your fault, just that you didn't go with them."

Teruko's is most likely "How could I even select what secret to be your motive? Just about everything you've done in your life is worth killing for. This killing game is all your fault."

However, (to me), this says nothing about whether Teruko is the mastermind. It is consistent with her tendencies to feel guilt for events that most people would normally disregard as "having nothing to do with them", due to the effects of her ability.

There is also a chance that someone else believes that whatever occurred in the amnesia zone leading up to the killing game is all Teruko's fault, but it's explained well enough by Ultimate Luck that I don't feel the need to bring that into the discussion right now.

In my mind, if the secrets were flipped, it's not even particularly a revelation about Teruko. She's extremely open about feeling indirectly and sometimes directly responsible for any and all adverse outcomes suffered by her classmates, and she only reflects consciously on her fatalism after the CH2 trial.

The finished motive scoreboard can be viewed at 15:34 on Chapter 2 Episode 13.

In Chapter 1 Episode 4, Teruko self-discloses to Whit (with Charles present) that she grew up in an orphanage and never knew her parents. "For some time, [her] biological brother lived with her as well", which makes it more likely that their biological parents died at once in the same incident. She says that "one day, he left with some other family, and [she] never saw or heard from him since". As a result, most of her life was lived "without having any family to speak of".

It is possible she was lying there, but Teruko seems to prefer not speaking at all to active lying, most of the time [she does lie efficiently during trials about purely factual matters, but emotionally charged ones seem to challenge her somewhat]. As Xander said, she is bad at acting. I think her self-sufficient and markedly asocial behavior as well as her attachment to the hotel-like conditions of the facility all make it more likely that she was telling the truth, and that she ultimately didn't have anyone she considered a family for most of her life. It is unclear to me if she knows anything about her brother for certain.

It's also of course possible that the family had more than two children and that another sibling died in the incident that killed her parents before she could form memories, something that she would have only learned about after leaving the orphanage. So taking everything in a vacuum, Teruko's life might fit the parents and siblings secret. It's mainly David's behavior that makes me think she doesn't have it.

Xander was evasive about his past, and I'm only concerned with the events that have occurred in the series up until now, so I won't particularly dwell on what makes it more likely that he had the secret and am just going to say it's probably based on process of elimination. To me, it makes adequate sense for everyone else to have what they were disclosed to have.

So... David pressured Teruko for self-disclosure twice that I know of. Once in Chapter 2 Episode 6:

And once during the trial, in Chapter 2 Episode 13:

On many levels, the second one was just an incredibly strange interaction. He's a little bit too smug for it to really just come off as delight at forcing her to reveal something about herself.

In Chapter 2, Episode 9, at the close of the initial secrets roll (after being effectively told to confess by Teruko), David self-discloses:

I at first thought that David had Xander's secret directly, but that it was not that one--it would explain why David seemed to have a lasting gap in his understanding and needed to confirm it with Teruko's claim. However, since MonoTV's understanding of the content of everyone else's secret was adequate, it would be strange for this to be the case for David and Only David, unless there was outside interference/rigging.

I guess it's worth noting that the scoreboards have a ? on them, allowing for the possibility of some error, but it doesn't really change matters by the end of the trial.

Anyway, whatever is the case, I basically think David set a trap for Teruko right at the start by assigning this one to Xander. Things played out heavily to his advantage on that front, because after accounting for everyone else's motives, the one that Teruko claimed was the most innocuous one available.

(I think Min did poison/sabotage "the competition", because Xander's... like... entire gig is refusing to play those kind of social games where people are churned through the machine to reveal a Number One. He has shown himself to be obsessive and willing to do what needs to be done for his ideals without remorse, but he is not, to my understanding, competitive. Teruko isn't really interested in that kind of stuff either, as far as I can tell.

But to stay the Ultimate Student, you wouldn't simply need to be focused on performing; you would need to be able to regularly outperform others in a way that is accepted by authority, under conditions which are only monitored at opportune moments, such as proctored exams. That would indeed encourage ruthless behavior.)

I am only really able to read David's actions as a strategy to end the killing game and the existence of the mastermind, as that was the main genuinely felt sentiment he seemed to display at trial:

and he seems to believe that's Xander's goal/intention as well.

I think David did not "snap" at any point! His actions all seem consistent and to have a rational basis, even if it is impossible to understand that basis as an observer. He has to overcome considerable cognitive dissonance to idealize Xander, and it really seems to piss David off badly whenever Teruko even brings up the subject of Xander. That was true even immediately before the Chapter 1 trial.

[CH1 E7]

Teruko: Hello, David. Can you tell me your alibi from six p.m. to eight p.m. last night? [two dialogue boxes omitted]

David: Pardon my rudeness, but I'm not really in the mood to talk to others right now. Could you please leave me alone? [crying sprite] Xander is dead...

Teruko: Are you upset because you were close to Xander? If Xander were here right now, I'm sure he would say something along the lines of, "don't give up," or "we have to power through this." Maybe thinking of Xander will encourage you.

David: Can you stop that?!

David [regaining composure]: I'm sorry. Forgive my outburst.

(After that, he tells her his alibi.)

[CH2 E12]

David: Xander is a good person. He's the only good person I've ever known. I swear, I'll follow in his footsteps and--

Teruko: And get everyone killed in the class trial? Xander is a good person? Are you hearing yourself right now? What virtuous reason could he have for trying to kill me and everyone else here?

David: I'm sure he had a good reason. I believe that he did. Xander is not the kind of person to do anything for frivolous purposes.

Teruko: You *believe* that he had a good reason!? Hah! Based on what? The 3 days you spent with a fan who was too infatuated with the ideal of you to treat you like an actual human--

David: SHUT UP!

(David then intimates that he remembers Xander from more than a year ago and that everyone else should have as well. Incidentally, Teruko is either consciously or subconsciously blocking out Xander's behavior from Chapter 1 Episode 5, 9:43.)

Therefore, I do not believe that David received a secret which would more or less definitively pin Xander down as the one responsible for the killing game--it would be at least difficult for him to keep his composure throughout Daily Life.

The chance remains that he thinks the entire motive was rigged and is angry someone tried to defile Xander's memory. I certainly don't think it's strange or anything to believe that the motives were all distributed in the manner shown on the final scoreboard, even if I don't at the moment. He seems oddly miffed during the motive roll:

However, he definitely treats Teruko as "different" from everyone else, especially in this trial. I personally thought he wasn't just revealing his demeanor, which at most seemed sleepless and irritable in his introduction, but exaggerating it so that his credibility plummeted among everyone but Teruko, giving him the best chance at manipulating her behavior specifically.

Therefore, I believe that David either has Teruko's secret directly, or he has Xander's secret, with different content, in a way that definitively confirms Teruko's secret when she claims over it. It's more likely that he has Teruko's secret.

There was clearly a serious effort made to make the secrets the thing that everyone was most worried about. At the end of the day, I just think something implying that heavy a burden of guilt is more fitting for Teruko. haha

[storyofmychoices]

Beyond Riverbend: A Kit's Call to Adventure

[Mal Volari x Daenarya Masterlist] [Mal’s Orphanage]

Pairings: Mal Volari x Daenarya (F!OC)

Book: Blades of Light and Shadow (Book 1, Chapter 1-2)

Word Count: ~700

Rating: General (non-graphic description of dead bodies from ch2)

Synopsis: A certain smug adventure has gotten under Daenarya's skin, but she won't let him define her.

As the smug adventurer's words echoed in Daenarya's mind, she felt a mix of anger and frustration bubbling within her. "A Kit, he called me," she whispered to herself. The weight of his condescending tone was not lost on her, nor was the idea that her gender may have determined her worth in his eyes. She had more to offer than being "easy on the eyes." Yet, as she stood there mulling over their encounter, she couldn't help but acknowledge the irony; it was his good looks that had initially drawn her to him.

Regardless, Daenarya refused to let his prejudice define her. Despite what he believed, she was skilled, intelligent, and resourceful. Her expertise in seduction, archery, and medicine were not to be underestimated. They would serve her well in any adventures that awaited her. While it was true that she may not have ventured far beyond Riverbend before, that shouldn't diminish her capabilities or potential.

Not long after encountering the rogue, fate had something unexpected for the hopeful adventurer. Daenarya stumbled upon a weary priestess seeking help and protection from the dangers of the forest.

A smile pulled on her lips. This was her chance—what she hoped would be the first of many adventures. Without hesitation, she stepped forward, accepting the challenge. 

As they journeyed together, the adventurer's belittling words still floated in her mind. However, she refused to let doubt rise within her. She pressed on, remaining steadfast in her beliefs. A fierce determination ignited a fire within her—a passion and need for something new. She didn't need validation from someone who refused to give her a chance. She wouldn’t let the limitations imposed by others discourage her from her heart’s desire.

With each obstacle they encountered, Daenarya showcased her talents. Her archery skills and quick thinking defended Scholar Vash from the owlbear. Her charming personality allowed the priestess to confide in her about her missing bracelet. Together, they navigated the Kromp-infested area to safely retrieve the important trinket, ensuring a successful path forward.

Daenarya guided the duo towards the ancient Temple of Ellara, taking pride in each step she took forward. She decided that the essence of a true adventurer wasn't merely measured by their past experiences or successes, but rather by the fire of determination, the depth of compassion, and the unwavering resilience within their heart. 

As the traveling party finally reached the ruins of the once great Temple of Light, their hopes for a smooth expedition were crushed upon finding a grim scene greeting them. Bodies lay massacred at the sanctuary's entrance, both faces Daenarya knew from Riverbend. Dread filled the air as an unknown threat loomed around them. Danger lurked in those hallowed halls. 

Daenarya cautiously navigated the traps and triggers guarding the sacred space as she led the way toward the chamber that held the ancient relic for which they sought. There, at the heart of the temple, her eyes fell upon the same smug adventurer she had encountered the night before, only this time, he was a captive. 

A faint smile tugged at her lips at the thought of him relegated to the role of the damsel in distress. Maybe if he had accepted her assistance, he wouldn't have found himself in such a precarious situation. But her thoughts quickly shifted to the haunting sight of the bodies still lying at the entrance. As easily as she could have helped, she could have also been among the dead, just another victim to be forgotten. 

Yet, fate seemed to have another plan. It had granted her a chance to prove her worth, not for his sake, but for her own. It was an adventure worthy of bards’ tales. With a playful glint in her eye, Daenarya waited for the adventurer's gaze to meet hers, and as he did, she winked, a playful smirk dancing at her lips. He returned her gesture, his own smirk meeting hers as he winked in reply. This was going to be fun! 

Little did either of them know, in that fateful moment, they had found their equal – their perfect match. This would be only the beginning of a lifetime of adventures, and the greatest of them all: a love like no other.

Thank you for reading. I thought it might be fun to explore Daenarya's thoughts through the beginning of book. She is a strong independent woman and she didn't need Mal's permission to go on adventure. (At least I hope that's how this reads 🙈)