#magicallynormal

[script-a-world]

When creating a Fantasy world, how can you figure out where to use recognizable words and where to make up new ones?

I'm creating a whole new world and I realized that a lot of foods are named after Real Life places. It ended up opening a whole can of worms of trying to think of what words for itens and foods to keep and what ones to replace.

Tex: How far removed is your fantasy world to the one the reader comes from? Who are your readers? Are they from a single demographic (i.e. American, middle class, etc), or are they from varying demographics (Anglophones from across the planet, people of different religions, etc)? What does recognizable look like in your context?

If you’d like to mimic the look of Real Life Places, try introducing the place first, give it a few snippets of personality over a chapter or two, and then introduce the food. For example:

Chapter 1: Protagonist is in Red Door Village. There are very few red doors in this village, however protagonist is busy with Other Plot Things.

Chapter 2: Villager from Red Door Village answers question on the village’s name. “Well you see, ol' Granny Sewer's father couldn't see blue, and this was our only other paint." Mystery solved!

Chapter 3: Protagonist is in a town reasonably far from Red Door Village. They venture into an inn that has a red door, and the server recommends them their traditional dish. It turns out to be smoked herring ice cream. Protagonist learns that Ol’ Granny Sewer’s fifth cousin on her mother’s side who married into Fisherman Smoke’s family used to top all their food with smoked herrings, and did the same thing when ice cream came into town - it’s kind of grown on everyone, and most villagers will grudgingly admit it doesn’t taste that bad.

Voila, a food named after a place! In most instances, this is approximately the same amount of exposure to a food and its namesake place that is experienced in real life. How many people who have eaten New York-style pizza have been to New York? Proportionally, not many, though they’ve probably heard of the place in some aspect (most superficially, “this pizza is popular in New York”). It’s the same concept, you just need to put in a little more legwork on introducing to the audience a place in your world first, and then the food it’s named after.

Utuabzu: Another option is to take advantage of something called collocative substitution, where you can replace a part of a familiar phrase and readers will still be able to infer what it is. You often find this with insults like 'you absolute walnut', where it's clear that walnut is standing in for something significantly more unkind. So if you refer to 'Longish tea', people will infer it to be a kind of tea, perhaps equivalent to Chinese tea.

Otherwise you can also just replace the geographic adjective with a simpler descriptive one - bubbling wine instead of Champagne, spiced tea instead of masala chai, fruit-filled pastries instead of Danishes.

Feral: Unless you plan on creating a conlang and writing your story entirely in that conlang, maybe it’s best not to worry too much about it. “Uncleftish Beholding” by Poul Anderson is a famous sci-fi short story about atomic theory (that’s what the name means by the way) without using any loanwords whatsoever into English outside its German origins. It was an attempt to show just how stupid linguistic purism is, but I think this tumblr post does a pretty good job of explaining how to extend it to fantasy worlds.

[mandareeboo]

You asked for drabbles, and lo and b3hold I do have a few. If you decide to keep asking, I'll send more sporadically if that's okay.

The Centaurs ask Horse what her equipment is and is for. Horse has trouble explaining that it's to accomdate and carry Rider, since the Centaurs don't know what a "Rider" is. They offer to take it off of her, but she isn't ready for that yet. Instead, they offer to take turns carrying it, so Horse doesn't get too tired.

"Rider and I... we're like one of you guys," Horse explained, watching out of the corner of her eye as Glendale bent her hooves to drink from a river. "When we're together, we're like a centaur. This stuff is to help her stay on me."

"So, you, like, piggyback them?" Zulius' eyebrows shot up. "That's a lot of work to try and replicate art. I kinda respect it."

"I run faster than Rider. It's just logical. And, besides- I like being able to keep my eye on her." She shook her head, reins jangling. "Though, I guess that didn't really work this time, huh."

Ched rapped a feathered fist on her chestplate. "Gonna be real, I just assumed these were, like, weird scales. To go with your weird face."

"They come off.... when Rider wants them too." Horse shrugged sheepishly. "Still don't have those opposable thumb dohickeys you all seem so fond of."

Glendale stood up with a jerk, accidentally splashing water her way. "Oh, I could keep those in my tummy for you! I get to hold onto things not my own and feed the gaping portal hole in me, you lose those you hold dear, it's a win-win."

Horse's ears flattened as she turned instinctively. "Absolutely not. Rider's going to need these when I get back to her!"

A soft pink hand on the back of her neck had her stiffening, but Wammawink didn't force the issue, gently patting her. "I'm sure your Rider person will understand if you want to take them off here and there. She wouldn't want your fur to get all matted, would she?"

"I... guess not. She always hatred it when I got rashes because we rode for too long."

She hooked her index finger under the side of her rein. "Let mama Wama carry the burden for a bit, huh?"

"Only if you promise to never call yourself that again."

"No promises," she sing-songed, and Horse rolled her eyes but bowed her head willingly.

Horse hadn't rode with a bit in a very long time now, but it was instinctive to smack her lips as the rein left her face, testing the sides of her mouth. Wammawink carefully wound the fabric around her arm and left it there, almost like a makeshift bracelet.

"Alright," she said. "Chest scales next."

"Ooh, ooh, can I wear them?" Durpleton raised both hands and made grabbing gestures. "I want weird chest scales!"

Horse looked at him, then his broad shoulders. "I don't really think physics is on your side there buddy, but go ahead. It's basically impossible to break these things." She moved to the side and gestured to a latch with her hoof. The plates unhooked and shifted outwards to make it easier to pull over her head. "It's heavy at first, but once you get used to it you'll never wanna take it off, promise."

A hand on her stomach made her jump, but Julius happily continued to unbuckle the saddle. "Gimme. I bet this will make my butt look even better."

"Guess that leaves the back scales for me," Ched hummed. The idea was undoubtedly daunting for the centaur bird, but he puffed his chest out. "Lay it on me, long-nose."

Glendale raised her hand. "Oooor I could wear it. On my body. Not in my portal tummy. Unfortunately."

"Oh thank glitter," Ched said. "Yes, please."

"You- you realize that's part of my saddle, right?" she asked. "I mean you could probably pry it off if you had to, but it's not supposed to seperate."

Zulius held the item up, scoffed, and tossed it to Glendale. "Oh, gross, nevermind."

The gentlest of breezes buffeted Horse's spine, and some instincts just couldn't be ignored. She hit the ground with a resounding thud, rolling and flailing her hooves in the air. Itches aplenty seemed to appear all at once, quickly vanquished with wiggles and whinnies of enjoyment.

"That's the stuff," she sighed, eyes fluttering closed with a smile. "Maybe Rider won't mind too much after all."

Wammawink ran her fingers over the worn leather and hummed. "I'm sure she'll understand."

[jasontoddiefor]

Hi! Really big fan of yours! I read your Omegaverse Batman story and loved it!

Would it be alright if I referenced yoy for inspiration for a story I'm thinking of?

If not, that's fine too! You're still awesome!

Ah thank you! I’m glad you enjoyed it! And yeah, I don’t mind :D

Go ahead and use it!

[rinokumuraegin]

I love looking at your posts on Leon. For some reason, it makes me anxious to think that he could be evil. Someone brought up that his name could still spell him as a fraud since Dandelions are technically weeds, not flowers. I still put my money on Rose, Oleana or this mysterious Raihan character being the real bad guy; or maybe the mythical third Pokemon is the bad guy. I'm just curious about your take in these things.

first off, your anxiety about the chance of him being written as evil/villain is totally understood, relatable, nothing wrong with feeling that way, i dont want him to be either! 2nd, thank u im glad you like my posts about him!!

as for that take people are using...

Dandelions may technically not be flowers but they symbolize a lot of wonderful positive things/outlooks! and it even has health benefits when eating them!

My take overall is that i dont believe he is evil, i dont believe he has any evil intentions!

I think the worst case scenario would be a trope,like, him being manipulated into doing somthing/a plan thats Bad by The Real Villains/is being lead to believe/ genuinly believes its the right thing, that kinda trope.

or it could be he may need to have a view point re adjusted by the player and might have some views of his challenged throughout the game!

Oh and Milo and Bea's names arent flowers either and Allisters japanese name literally means Onion gebkhekherjrjtmrujh

[farmhandler]

*Building off of the idea that the genetics for hair color align with Galra fur color, imagine one of Shiro and Sendak's cubs have black fur or better yet!...BLACK SPOTS! BLACK PATCHES OVER THE EYES, BLACK EAR TIPS HJSJHD- MAYBE EVEN WHITE EAR TIPS, WHITE SPOTS AND ....(GASP!) ALL...OF...THE...ABOVE!!!

How did I miss this..... oh........

[indepthpokemonheadcanons]

Scorbunny are surprsingly useful to Farmers. Their high energy disturbs and chases off bug types that would eat the crops, the stamping of their feet compacts soil quickly, they can run in mill wheels to keep them turning and they can take messeges to and from workers out in the fields. They're also very good company and assist in keeping homesteads warm in Galar's rainy climate. Though it can take time for them to learn not to set their feet on fire in the house.

This is a really nice headcanon! It makes me all the more excited for the new games (when will we get more news????)

[zubat-propaganda]

Can you do the new Starter Pokemon, please?

[pokemon-grooming]

My Sharpedo teeth are looking a little dull. She uses them so often that I'm not shocked, but I'm wondering if I should brush them and if so, do I use a normal toothbrush and toothpaste or something else?

No need to worry too much about the dental health of your Sharpedo! While you should absolutely brush their teeth so that they don’t get cavities or toothaches, their teeth start to naturally dull in response to aging. This signals the body ‘hey, gimme a new set!’, and they will lose their teeth over a two-to-four day process and grow a new set by the end of that fourth day. Keep or dispose of the teeth as you please afterwards.

In regards to brushing, due to the aggression of the average Sharpedo, it’s best to use a long handled toothbrush with big bristles that you can use from a slight distance if your Pokémon doesn’t trust you very much, and might snap at signs of sudden movement. Just about any toothpaste is fine, but enamel strengthening ones are a waste of time due to reasons listed above. Once your Sharpedo starts to trust you more, you can get more intimate and ditch the big brush if you feel comfortable.

[askmorganathegreat]

Cramped, but I got used to it.

[ganymedesclock]

Hi, I've been looking through your Mononoke posts and I was hoping I could ask a question. (I love your Fox design btw! I'm thinking about writing my own story about Kitsune!Kusuriuri, but I'm scared) But anyways, The Medicine Seller says he needs Shape, Truth and Reason in order to draw the sword; I know what the shape is, but what exactly is the Mononoke's Truth and Reason?

To my understanding there’s actually multiple ways you can translate katachi / makoto / kotowari (e.g. I’ve also seen kotowari translated as “regret” rather than “reason”) and I think that’s a minutiae of the Japanese language and its implications that I don’t know enough to even really guess at.

Just looking at the narrative, my two cents on what it all means is...

Form- the “true” form of the Mononoke.

Medicine Seller has an interesting commentary in the Nopperabo arc that a face is merely the “outer covering” of something, and as long as he “accepts” a form as his own, it will be his.

What this implies to me about Form and how it works is that it requires a certain link between the subject and the form. Something that is not a cat, but pretends to be one, is still inherently not a cat. It has to be accepted. Incidentally, this means that a Form can be obscured if the mononoke is actively denying its own form- see both Genkei and Chou.

Specifically for the Medicine Seller, that he talks about how he is easily able to make other forms his own implies that he’s a shapeshifter, however, that thing about acceptance would imply something else about his appearance- that basically, while he might creatively depict only certain qualities about himself, he does not lie about what he is. Creative interpretation of the truth, yes, but not active lying. So Medicine Seller would not, say, turn into an exact likeness of Kayo- not because of the limitation of his power, but because that would be lying. Presenting himself as “merely a Medicine Seller” is not a lie- he actively seeks to cure ills, is impressively knowledgeable about, and does sell medicine.

I think, however, if the Medicine Seller was hypothetically exorcising himself, “Kusuriuri” doesn’t actually count as Form. It’s a form, it’s not his Form. 

The pilot arc tells us why: as soon as Medicine Seller determines that the form of the Mononoke is a bakeneko, he immediately comes to the conclusion that someone, at some point, wronged a cat. This is the case even for the finale arc as well- because the cat on the railroad tracks actively chooses to bear Setsuko’s grudge.

So this would tell us the difference between an assumed form and the true Form is that the latter speaks to the origin of the creature. Going by my theory on the Medicine Seller, his Form would be “Kitsune” because that’s where he came from. And all of his other assumed forms point back to that origin- he always resembles a fox.

The Nue gets some leeway, because the concept bound behind the Nue is specifically that it is easily mistaken for several other creatures as long as you only see part of it- once you see the true creature in full, though, that mistake vanishes.

So in short, Form is the ‘true form’ of the entity, a combination of what it was originally and what it became.

Truth- the objective of the Mononoke.

In the pilot arc, the Medicine Seller pronounces the old lord to be the makoto / truth of the bakeneko. This makes sense- he was Tamaki’s captor and murderer. While others- like Yoshiaki, Sasaoka, and Sato- arouse its ire for other reasons- he’s the crux of the situation- the one person who can be considered, if not singularly responsible, emblematic of the tragedy.

So to me, Truth is, what does it want? What is it trying to accomplish? What’s its focus? Both bakeneko- the pilot and finale arcs- are trying to capture their murderer, though the finale bakeneko also has an agenda in getting others to acknowledge their guilt- ultimately, it’s a kinder creature than the pilot one that just butchered those who were partially culpable anyway.

The Zashiki-Wareshi is seeking a mother, so Shino is its Truth, even though she’s not related to its formation.

Regret- what caused the Mononoke’s formation

Again using the pilot arc, when the Medicine Seller tries and fails to unsheathe the sword properly, it’s because he has the Form and Truth, but not the true Regret.

At that point, the old master told him part of what had happened, but he lied about it, depicted a sugarcoated version- it’s not the true history.

This is significant because virtually always, with some exceptions where the Form only comes at the end (see: Nopperabo, Nue), they progress in this order: first we find out what the thing is, then we gather its objective, then its history. Sometimes other things are switched- for example we hear about the Zashiki-Wareshi’s Regret (the brothel and the involuntary abortions) before we hear about its Truth (it wanted to be born / the lingering grief of the mothers that wanted those children projected onto Shino)

...Of course I could be totally wrong but that’s how I understand it, at least.

[teentitansheadcanons]

6433. Robin had a surprisingly close bond with the bats from the Batcave.

They watched Robin grow up and when he was a child, he would pet them, feed them and even gave them all names.

Batman sends Robin messeges through the bats and Robin can always tell which one it is through the markings they have.

Robin has a special perch and cage he’ll house them in so they can rest and sometimes, if things are especially calm, Robin will even brush them over with a toothbrush!

Once, when the Hive lured the Titans into a trap in the sewer system, they were scared out of their minds when a massive swarm of bats came out of nowhere and attack them.

The Titans looked into it later and, while there is a migration path that cuts through Jump City, it looked like the entire swarm actually diverged from their path to help them!

Despite his best attempts, Beast Boy cannot convince them to tell him any embarrassing stories about Robin.

--

Submitted by magicallynormal

[mandareeboo]

I wonder of there will ever be a 101 Dalmatian Street episode where the puppies see the path Pongo and Perdita took. Maybe meeting with the descendants of the aninals that helped them and maybe even getting back home in the back of a truck like thier ancestors!

That would be rlly cool!!! I’d love for something like that to happen! =)

[itadakimasu-letmeeat]

What anime food do you wish you could have the chance to eat?

um like everything! everything just looks 10000x better!

[notesfrompersona5]

Makoto: Even if we had all the money in the world, we’d never be able to repay him for all that he’s done

[pendulumprince]

@magicallynormal said: By the end of the series, Yusaku will have made friends and understood the jou behind dueling, only to have to wipe his memories again in order to protect everyone.

Whoops guys, looks like I lied! There’s one more! And it’s a doozy.

So... if this actually happened, I feel like it would topple Arc V’s place as having the most controversial ending. This happening would piss a lot of people off. 

But if there’s a meaning behind it, it wouldn’t piss me off at all. It would definitely be a Bittersweet Ending, perhaps even a Downer Ending, but we can’t pretend that we want these things and get upset when they actually happen. 

And what would be the most profound lesson from an ending like this? Just as Arc V is a story about consequence, if done well, this could make Vrains a story about sacrifice. Because regaining his memories and avenging his past are Yusaku’s foremost motivations rn; it wouldn’t suprise me if this were a series-long conflict for him. 

So for Yusaku to then have his memories wiped for some grander purpose, after having learned the joy of dueling and the benefits of friendship? That would be the ultimate sacrifice that he could make. Regaining his memories is the thing he consciously wants the most; subconsciously, I think it’s to find a purpose in life, to not be miserable all the time. For Yusaku to take those things and throw them away would be worse than death for him. If he did it anyway, that would be profound. 

Especially if it isn’t to save the world, but just the people around him?? What if his friends sacrificed themselves to save the world, and he’s the only survivor---and he can bring them back, at the cost of something precious to him. The most precious. His memories. His friends gave him so much, it’s only fair that he return the favor, right?

And now picture this: his newly revived friends finding him again, but this time, Yusaku doesn’t remember a damn thing. Not even his own name. He’s a blank slate. And what do his friends do?

They do everything to rebuild him into the person he once was---flaws and all! They just want Yusaku back. He sacrificed so much to save them, it’s only fair they return the favor.

[captaindeadpoet]

Musings of the Past

Hello, everyone! It's finally here - my first Royal Tutor fic. This is based on a prompt from the stunning, amzing, awesome @magicallynormal . I hope y'all enjoy!

There was a feeling settled deep in the pit of Heine’s belly, as heavy and solid as a boulder. It had been there since the day he was asked by King Viktor to come to the palace and take up the role of tutor. With each day leading up to his arrival at the palace, the feeling grew, swelling until Heine felt fit to burst. When the day finally came, the feeling took hold in Heine’s very core. It rooted itself in his bones, a reminder of why he shouldn’t have accepted Viktor’s offer.

Breathing was suddenly more difficult as he walked the grand halls. The eyes of the paintings followed him, mocked him as he passed by. Heine could almost hear them whisper at him.

Unfit for the palace.

A commoner in royal robes.

Filthy. Disgrace. Leave. Leave. Leave.

Unfaithful. Disgusting. Get out.

Ignoring the chants, Heine kept his chin up and followed the king’s mother to the main commons. Now was not the time to allow his past to consume him. He had a job to do.

“We are so happy to have you here, Heine-sensei. The last tutor quit so quickly; I suppose he had nothing to teach! My grandsons are such smart boys.” She said.

Heine resisted the urge to roll his eyes. From what he had read, it was more likely that the princes had chased him off. Finally, they arrived at the room. The woman opened the door and allowed Heine to enter.

Inside sat four boys, each one appearing poised, regal, and handsome. One was the spitting image of Victor with long blonde locks and sparkling eyes. The others looked more like their mother or a mix of both parents.

“I’ll leave you now. Please be kind to Heine-sensei, my darlings!” The grandmother said.

With that, the door was closed, and Heine was left alone with the princes. The feeling in the pit of his belly reached epic proportions as he stood in their gaze. These boy weren’t dumb; they knew something about him was off. It only made Heine feel worse. What right did he have to lie to their faces?

****

“Heine-chan is really weird, don’t you think, Bruni?” Licht asked, poking Bruno’s cheek.

Bruno glared at his brother, closing his book. “Don’t say such rude things about Master! He is a perfectly extraordinary individual. Unlike some people I know.”

“Hey! I’m extraordinary with the ladies. What do you have? Your books?”

“Don’t fight. You are good boys.” Kai said softly, walking over and patting their heads.

“Sorry, Kai-nii. Heine-chan is weird, though. Don’t you think?”

“Sensei is...nice. He speaks to me. Is that weird?”

“Technically, that is strange. Our past tutors have not tried to talk to you. Master was able to see your true nature with only one discussion.” Bruno said.

“See? And he never went to a university, so how did Father know about him?” Licht asked.

At that moment, the door creaked open, making the trio jump. What if it was Heine? Had he heard what they had said? Licht hoped not; it wasn’t his intention to hurt Heine. He liked the little man after all!

It was Leonhard who peaked into the room. The other three princes let out a sigh of relief.

“What’s going on? Where’s Heine-sensei? He promised that we would have sachertorte!” Leonhard exclaimed, eyes sparkling at the thought of chocolate treats.

“Master has been busy today. We can have sachertorte together.” Bruno said.

“Okay, Bruno! But what is Heine doing? None of us had lessons today.”

“This is what I’m talking about! Heine-chan is so weird! He disappears all the time.” Licht said.

“Licht, come off of it!” Bruno snapped.

“Shut up, Bruni! You know I’m right!”

“Perhaps you would be if the earth decided to rotate in the opposite direction!”

“Know-it-all!”

“Skirt chaser!”

“Stop! Be good boys!” Kai cried.

“Shut up, Kai-nii!” Licht yelled.

“Don’t yell at Kai!” Bruno snapped.

“What is going on in here?”

The boys quieted down to look at the new person in the room. There stood Heine, his face expressionless. Bruno dropped his gaze to the floor.

“I apologize for the commotion, Master.” Bruno said.

“Sensei?” Kai asked.

“Yes, Price Kai? Is everything alright?” Heine asked.

“Do you know Father?”

The air was knocked out of Heine’s lungs. What was Kai asking? Had he figured something out? Did the princes know? Taking a deep breath, Heine prepared his answer.

“Of course. He hired me, after all.” Heine said.

“Heine-chan, don’t play dumb. You know that’s not what Kai-nii meant.” Licht said.

“I’m afraid I don’t understand.”

“Licht believes there is something weird about you. Don’t pay him any attention.” Bruno said.

“There is something weird about Heine-chan. He didn’t go to university and he’s always leaving at weird times. That’s mysterious!” Licht pointed out.

“Please stop shouting. If you would like answers, then ask. I won’t lie to you.” Heine said.

And lie he wouldn’t. He was sick of lying to the boys. He had grown close to them, had come to love them as if they were his sons. Keeping up the charade at this point would be impossible anyway. The boys had already started to put two and two together.

“Why didn’t you get a higher degree, Master?” Bruno asked.

“I was able to receive an excellent education through tutors and books. I never needed a university nor did I feel as though I should attend.” Heine said.

“Then why did Father pick you? There are lots of people with fancy degrees and stuff.” Licht said.

Heine sighed. “I have known your father for a long while. He knew I was well-rounded and intelligent. That is why he contacted me.”

“How do you know Father, though?” Leonhard asked.

“Master has already answered that.” Bruno said gently.

“But are Heine-sensei and Father friends?”

“We actually have a much longer history. I,” Heine cleared his throat, trying to calm his jittery nerves, “I have known him since birth.”

“How? Were you the child of a servant? A courtsman?” Bruno asked.

“Maybe Heine-chan was a childhood friend! Ooo, was it a secret romance? Did you and Father write each other love notes? From friends to lovers? How romantic!” Licht cooed.

“You idiot! Master is more serious than than! He wouldn’t have snuck around.” Bruno argued.

“Sensei...dated Father?” Kai asked, confused.

“No way! Father only likes girls! Him dating Heine-sensei would be like Licht dating a boy!” Leonhard protested.

“Let Master speak!” Bruno pleaded.

The roar finally quieted and Heine continued.

“Your father and I share the same father, but have different mothers.” Heine said.

“You are Father’s brother?” Bruno asked.

“That can’t be right! Father would have said something. If you were our uncle, he would have said so!” Leonhard protested.

“He wouldn’t have. I did not stay in the palace. I was not the son of the king and the queen.” Heine said.

“Yes, but you were of royal lineage. That would have made you a candidate for the throne.” Bruno said

“No. I would have been a scandal. When I was old enough to decide, I left with my mother. I was able to receive a high end education, but otherwise I lived as a commoner.”

“W-Why wouldn’t Father say anything? Why wouldn’t you?” Leonhard asked.

“I did not want to upset you all. Your father did not tell you because he felt he shouldn't. You never knew me to be your uncle and you aren't expected to treat me as such now.”

“Ah! Can I call you Uncle Heine-chan?” Licht asked.

“Absolutely not.”

“How can you be so...so...happy? Why aren’t you mad? Father lied!” Leonhard cried.

“Technically, he didn’t. He never stated Master wasn’t related to us.” Bruno said.

“That doesn’t matter! He kept secrets! And you,” Leonhard turned to look at Heine, “You let him!”

“I understand that you’re angry, but I did not keep anything from you out of spite. I did it to avoid causing a scene. The last thing I wanted was to ruin your father’s or your reputation. I’m sorry.” Heine said.

“It’s okay, Sensei,” Kai said, patting Heine’s head, “I still think you are a good boy.”

Licht sighed. “I still wish it would have been a secret love affair. That would have been way more exciting.”

“Don’t be so crude, you playboy!” Bruno snapped.

“Stiff!”

“Well, I don’t want an uncle. I like having you as a professor only.” Leonhard said, refusing to meet anyone’s gaze.

“Ah. So you accept me as a teacher now?” Heine asked.

“Don’t get used to it! I still don’t like to study! But...I guess I like spending time with Heine-sensei.”

“Aw, Leo is so shy!” Licht gushed.

“Shut up! I am not!”

Heine watched the two bicker, Kai mediating with soft words and gentle touches. Bruno scolded them for being inappropriate. It was as if nothing had changed. He was honestly unimpressed; he had been expecting a little more drama.

****

As Heine walked down the halls, greeting the staff and pondering over lessons, the portraits on the walls no longer seemed to mock him. He felt at ease with his place in the palace. He wasn’t a royal, nor a commoner. He was simply a teacher.

And that’s all he really needed to be.