#just to know she isn't a solitary creature in this world would mean so much to her

[yuri-is-online]

Notes on the Prophecy: Tokyo Debunker

Right so the concept of the Prophecy Darkwick is in charge of keeping comes up in the Hotarubi Episode and a few other places. I want to sort of go over a few things about it that I've dug up after re-reading the story so much for my Clash post since it isn't really related to it at all, but still is something I want people's opinions about. Let's start with the text of the prophecy:

"The whisper of the new moon shall lead the champion to the Academy on the solitary isle. So long as the champion resides there, the world shall be sheltered from profound tragedy..."

So, is the Prophecy true?

Yes. It has to be assuming we are following Japanese folklore; Cornelius refers to this actually really pretty looking creature as a kudan, which is a yokai whose entire myth is that it gives prophecies that always come true. I am taking my information about kudan from the yokai guy's public patreon post about it, which is an easy read and I encourage you to check it out but there were two things that stuck out to me. Firstly, the kudan dies immediately after delivering its prophecy. This is likely why it is in a "memory pot" that Hyde has to bring out for the Entrance Ceremony, I don't think what we see is the actual kudan that delivered the prophecy but rather some sort of magical recording of it. Secondly, kudan occasionally give more than one prophecy, meaning that there is a chance that this particular kudan gave more than one prophecy about the Darkwick ghouls, but this one is either the only one preserved in the memory pot or the only one Darkwick makes public. The prophecy does not end with a period, but a set of ellipses which typically is used to indicate a voice trailing off or that there is more to be said but it is being cut off. I think this could simply be a stylistic choice so I don't want people to place too much emphasis on it, but I do wonder if there is more than one prophecy that Darkwick is in possession of.

Do we know what it means?

Kind of. I missed this the first few times I read the Prologue, but Cornelius specifically says that "The whispers of the new moon refers to the tidings that alert us to the birth of a new ghoul." Which is why they know the text of the prophecy is about ghouls and presumably why they assume that it is about the ghouls as a whole but what I can't wrap my brain around is why they made that leap? The text of the prophecy to me suggests champion (singular) as in only one champion. A chosen one if you will, not a chosen group. The way I read it, a ghoul will lead the champion to Darkwick, and so long as that Champion stays there the world shall be sheltered from profound tragedy. If anyone knows the Japanese text for the prophecy I would be interested to know if that helps clear up why Cornelius might think it's about all of the ghouls and not just one person.

Conclusion

I think the prophecy is missing some context on purpose and that's why Cornelius references doing research on it in the Prologue. Maybe Darkwick knows they're missing a part of it, or maybe they are actively searching for this "champion" and holding off on revealing all of it until they find them since they think it is sensitive information. In my cracked head I think there's a chance it could be about the MC, even if she doesn't seem very champion like right now since I don't think her abilities with the Sage's ring come from the curse. I think that's just cope from Cornelius and Hyde... or maybe me who knows. She was lead to the school by Haku after all, and she is currently unable to leave the island.

Anyway I am interested in what you all think about this, please do let me know!

[yanderes-galore]

I would like to request general headcanons for Erix and Bakarne (separate of course) during their times at the facility.

Their behavior in the facility is mostly pre-yandere. They really get bad out of it.

This also doesn't 100% revolve around any Darlings, mostly just them.

Y'know, lore purposes-

What do I call this? It isn't really general Yandere HCs as they were rather tame in the facility. Also you made it sound like you just wanted to know how they lived there, so I went with that?

I guess I can call it, Facility Arc! Erix + Barkarne?

I'm making this too complicated, lol, I'll get into it now. Have your chimera lore! I just kind of threw down thoughts like I do for all of my OCs

Art for headers done by @nny-girl2

Mentions Caretaker AU, but this is not the Caretaker AU

Yandere! Erix + Bakarne Behavior/Lore

Facility Arc

Possible Trigger Warnings: Violent behavior, Murder, Self doubt, Manipulation.

- Overall, In this time period Erix and Bakarne are rather calm.

- That can both be because they're naive, or souped up on medications to keep them docile.

- They were born twins by combining DNA of a few animals.

- In both you can note Cow, Deer, Cat, Bat, and Human as the most prominent ones.

- They were the perfect prototypes. Despite having the drawback of not being able to breed.

- The fact the two lived was a miracle enough.

- Or it could be a curse....

- To study both hybrids separately, they were settled on opposite parts of the facility.

- This allowed both to develop their own traits.

Erix

- Erix is the more solitary and cautious.

- Erix is also an observer.

- He likes to watch people, figure out what they're thinking.

- He's clever and able to outsmart others easily.

- These traits were noticed when he was young and were seen as sinister.

- Something that could jeopardize the experiment.

- This leads to Erix receiving the medication he'd be taking during experimentation.

- A concoction of drugs that weakened his strength enough to be bearable, while blocking such aggressive thoughts.

- This left him disoriented for the longest time.

- The medication that suppressed his brain slowed down when he matured into a more adult stage.

- Now, Erix is calmer.

- That does not mean he enjoys humans, however.

- Experiment after experiment, medication after medication, pain that seared into his mind.

- This place was disgusting.

- A hell that birthed him for the intent to cause harm...at least that's what he thought.

- Why else would they do this, other than to play God.

- They must all be foul.

- All humans must be like this. To want power and the ability to cause mass amounts of destruction.

- He eventually gets knowledge of the world outside, either from passing assistants or other means. (In the Caretaker AU, it was by his Darling.)

- This fuel of knowledge made him forget his act.

- They bred a monster, he'll show them a monster.

- He goes from docile to violent quickly once he gets the chance and is prepared.

- Blood and death is left in his wake.

- The liquid coats his skin, he thinks nothing of it.

- He's nothing but an animal free of his chains.

- His goal now only consists of the sweet taste freedom, nothing more.

- Until he meets you, at least.

Bakarne

- Bakarne used to just be a female version of Erix.

- Which meant she would have the same personality as her counterpart.

- But over time is shaped into something of her own.

- She's much less violent, to many comes off as the sweetest thing.

- She's much more extrovert than Erix, including compliant with tests.

- Medication is not needed in her youth for behavior as she never rebelled, but strength suppressors were given.

- This allowed the chimera much more freedom.

- This does not mean Bakarne is ignorant of her surroundings, however.

- She knows what they're trying to groom her into being.

- A creature made for murder.

- But unlike her brother she doesn't accept such role of rage.

- She knows she'll have to leave soon before they notice her deviation.

- Yet, she's such an obedient creature.

- This is her home... but also her prison.

- She's much more hesitant to leave through violence.

- Then experiments got harsher.

- They backed her up into a corner like an animal, took her strength medication away to try and encourage her to be more violent.

- It seems they got what they wanted when Bakarne accidentally caused bloodshed.

- Now she knows she can't escape what she truly is.

- A monster created for their pleasure...

- There is not rage, only fear and sadness.

- She then flees, knowing the truth of the facility's intent and what she had become.

- She thinks lowly of herself and goes into hiding.

- Maybe when she meets you things will be better.

- Or she'll slip further into the role of monster....

[your-stoat-stands-unopposed]

Love Lost, Love Found.

Pairing: Leshy x Able (an OC belonging to @justgivemefoodplease)

Warnings: None.

Summary: It isn't like himself to feel lonesome, Leshy insists. (He has still not succeeded in convincing himself of that.)

It isn't like him to feel lonesome, Leshy reminds himself. He is a solitary creature by nature; much like the beasts he presides over, he does not want for much, does not ask for much, does not require the company of people much.

...This is what he tells himself, at least.

This is what he tells himself even as he stands by the door of his cabin, gazing forlorn out into the woods beyond; this is what he tells himself even as his mind is far from the present, dwelling instead in the days when his life wasn't quite so empty.

This is what he tells himself even as memories of one who used to stay with him refuse to leave him be.

His days had been brighter with her around, he couldn't deny it. When she had stayed with him and played his game, he had smiled truly; he had felt a warmth with her that no other had ever managed to draw from him before or since.

He had loved her, it was true. And in those times, he had been sure that the feeling had been a shared one...

But she is gone now. And he cannot afford to be plagued by memories of a sweet past; his duties as a Scrybe will wait for nothing, will wait for no-one, will not wait even for the pain of his own heart.

It isn't like himself to feel lonesome, Leshy insists.

(He has still not succeeded in convincing himself of that.)

------

Days upon days of this mental haunting have driven the Scrybe of Beasts to an undeniable conclusion: he is, in fact, lonely.

It isn't that he's simply lonely: the company of the talkative Prospector, or the laconic Angler, or the crafty Trapper and Trader would never be enough to fill this void in his heart...

No, this void is in the shape of one person alone; this longing can be sated only by her company.

This fear can be calmed solely by knowing that somewhere, somehow, she lives still.

------

Across the length and breadth of the world, many people can remember her, but few people had seen where she'd went. There are only few accounts Leshy has to go on: Rebecha claimed to have seen her wandering to the north, the Angler recalled warning her not to stray into the forest, the Mycologists regaled him with myths and stories of lands beyond their own...

This is all he has to go on.

It will have to be enough.

Stepping onto the boat docked by his cabin, he sets out to the north, in search of any mythical land beyond where maybe, somehow, she might just be waiting somewhere.

------

Perhaps he'll have to trust those strange scientists more often, because as it goes, they weren't wrong: there is an island all the way out here, settled neatly in the midst of the deep sea.

A smile graces the Scrybe's lips as he is met with two graceful deer on the shore, tentatively approaching to inspect his outstretched hand. The trees are full of singing birds, of slithering snakes; so many creatures, both known to him and not, roam the land free and undisturbed...

In his heart, he hopes that if fate has not taken her, she has found herself here: here amongst nature, here where she will be safe.

But he does not dare to hope, yet.

Finding this land does not mean that he has found her.

------

There is a temple atop the highest hill on this island; and the more Leshy had gazed upon it, the more he had been sure he could see something moving up there.

Whether he had been driven forward by fate, or a sense of hopefulness, or his lonesome heart's demands, his steps had taken him up that hill and to that temple.

And at that temple... he found her.

She is tall; taller than he had ever known her to be, rivalling his own height as they stand before one another. Her shape is different, two extra arms adorning her form.

He doesn't know her, at first.

Not until she steps forward, and she reaches for him, and she says his name.

"Leshy...?"

"...Able."

His eyes widen. Every memory of their bright days together seems to flash by his mind at once; the pain of every lonesome day without her company seems to melt away in her presence.

"...Why?" He doesn't mean to sound accusatory; he doesn't mean to allow his voice to tremble. "Why did you leave...? And why... why did you never return?"

Her own eyes are wide and soft, her head shaking slowly. "It wasn't on purpose..." Two hands reach for Leshy's own, her gaze meeting his own. "I wandered too far, and the sea swept me away... When I awoke, I was here, and I was changed; and as hard as I tried... I could not make my way back off the island."

She hadn't wanted to leave... She had tried to make her way back...

And above all else, she is here, and she is breathing, and she is with him...

His heart lurches and warms all at once, sinks and pounds in tandem. She has been alone for so long, just like him; she had been taken away from the place she loved, and when she had wanted to come home, she couldn't...

The Scrybe of Beasts wraps his arms around his beloved challenger; and as she immediately returns the embrace, he feels as though a weight he had tried to pretend was never there has been lifted from his shoulders.

"How I have missed you, my love... How glad I am to hold you once more, how happy I am to see your precious face..."

"I feel the same way, Leshy... It's been so, so long..."

A comfortable silence falls over them, as they hold one another as they had back in those warm and sweet times.

And now that they are together once more, they know... they need never feel lonesome ever again.