#masq speaks

[doggerell]

I wanna go to more shows at Aisle 5 purely because of how fun Chat Pile was. I was like really a Masq forward girl until that show and I was like no way man………… smaller and smaller venues for life

[girldraki]

WAIT SPEAKING OF THE VICTIMS OF COMMUNISM MEMORIAL ythink they updated that in broken masq or.

[raven-at-the-writing-desk]

hello, so sorry if this isn't the kind of ask you usually answer. I'm just very confused about the new giving guest room key function in jp and I can't seem to find any information on the error (?) I'm seeing

I'm trying to give a key to one specific card (masq azul) but he doesn't show up in the list of cards you can give the key to. none of his cards show up, except for his R pe card, to which I obviously don't feel the need to give the key to (as I believe the key is for the card to get bond lvls for without you having to invite them manually?)

I was wondering if you could help me clear this up, as I'm really confused right now and I do not speak jp ;;.;;

The option is not showing up yet because it's something you have to unlock for the particular card you want to gift the Spare Key (in your case, Masquerade Azul). You must uncap a card's maximum level (aka you use the SSR perfumes or get a dupe of the card) in order to achieve this.

The recent update in TWST JP added a number of card uncap/limit break bonuses. Most of these are SSR exclusive, such as new furniture items at first uncap, a third magic spell at third uncap, and stat bonuses at fourth uncap). I'm not going to go into detail about the new features here. I would recommend twstgameplay's post if you'd like more information on those. The uncap you should concern yourself with is the second uncap, which is required for any card you want to give the Spare Key to. Please note that this also requires a Room Rank of at least 12, and that you cannot give the Spare Key to multiple cards of the same boy (so, for example, you wouldn't be able to have Masquerade Azul and P.E. Uniform Azul in the Guest Room at the same time). Most likely, you're able to gift the key to P.E. Uniform Azul because that's a R card (and therefore more common to pull), so you already have him uncapped to meet the aforementioned requirements. This would probably not true of Masquerade Azul, who is a SSR and also limited (so it would be hard to get dupes; I hope you have SSR perfumes saved up). However, I wouldn't really be in a rush to uncap Masquerade Azul, especially if you don't actually have the resources to do so. The Spare Key is just a cosmetics/"for fun" feature; it does not actually give a passive increase to your bond level with the character or any other benefits (unless you count the happiness you'd gain from seeing your favorite boys always be in your Guest Room).

I would ask that you try to direct your gameplay related asks to a more appropriate blog in the future; when I talk about gameplay on here, it’s usually in reference to personal thoughts on new features or updates.

[marukrawler]

Masq.: Technically speaking, it is, in fact, NOT stealing; but rather, I'm returning a series of beloved artifacts back to their place of origin. Therefore, I don't deserve all this backlash and instead, I should be hailed as a hero. Alice: Please, I'm begging you, just give back those Fabergé eggs to Klaus.

[movedtosalamoonder]

All y’all’s headcanons are wrong this is what Minkowski looks like

[arcaderot]

GOES BALLISTIC WHY ARE PEOPLE PRETENDING TO BE ME!! -ableism anon

WHO ARE YOU

[senotsuri]

how would you have written Masquerade’s darkus trial? The show had to keep the spoilers low but it would have interesting to bring up Alice’s past and Masquerade having to deal with that (and not get distracted during the battle)

This one is tricky to answer on account of Masquerade having no obvious flaws to draw from. Instead, I'm going to make the trial a little bit sideways, but it will come back to a flaw.

We're never shown Masquerade's mask in anyone's possession until his reveal, and the flashback of Alice hiding it to wear it, out of sight as possible.

So, hypothetically speaking, must he be worn by Alice?

(This will get stupid long, bear with me.)

A little bit of context before I continue, though. It's my own interpretation that Masquerade is a parasite, not a preexisting trait that got supercharged. This lends itself to the hypothetical trial better than the idea that Alice is cruel and self serving deep down, until Masquerade lets himself out of his Alice shaped hideout. Also it's straight up less interesting than the parasite idea.

Anyhow, the trial revolves around Masquerade's autonomy. Is he stuck to Alice, who he fundamentally disagrees with on her brawling stance, her kindness to his enemies, and how frail she is (though it's highly implied that his attempts to get out are causing her fainting spells). If it weren't for her knowledge on the game, he'd find someone else to latch onto.

He never says Alice by name, and Alice's face is blacked out with scribbles. Hair is blonde, like his, and for additional fogging on who Masquerade's host is, she's wearing her pyjamas, not her day to day clothes.

Regardless, Masquerade's mask is placed down, and picked up by someone else. We'll go in trial order here;

Now would be a good time to mention that I mix up the order between Marucho and Julie constantly when it comes to the trials,

Julie. He's leaning defensive in the sense of using a shield to charge enemies with, and... his strategic knowledge is drastically worse than before. He feels decently free from his shackles, sure, but his in battle performance isn’t up to his typical, strategic standards. He loses a test fight against Exedra, who simply comments that perhaps he should try something closer to what he prefers.

Marucho. His strategics are back in full swing, that’s excellent for him, but he’s not able to get the battle to go in his favour; it’s too slow and reliant on having teams, or, worse, an attribute changer. He doesn’t do these things when he’s on Alice’s face, and doesn’t have attribute changers!! He loses a test fight yet again, and Exedra comments on his lack of team versus his team-based strategy, or at least a strategy based on multiple elements on his side.

Shun. Masquerade feels spiteful joy here, since he failed to recruit Shun early on, around episode 13. He joined Dan to Masq’s face. Strategies aren’t a problem; he made the rules, and plays a high strategy attribute. If Masquerade wanted to be more hands-on intimidating, Shun’s knowledge from Grandpa Kazami’s teachings on how to restrain an enemy (should he encounter someone) can be put to use. It’s just... Shun’s so, so indirect with his brawling. Blow Away is likely a favourite card, and it is aggravating Masquerade, even though he’s still brawling darkus. He wants to be in his enemies’ face to intimidate them into hasty, anxiety driven decisions, and this indirect combat doesn’t let him do that. He wins the third test battle, but Exedra notes his frustrations. His trial isn’t over yet.

Runo. Runo is certainly in her enemies’ face, and while strategically she’s not the best, her more direct brawling is a good change to previous. Of course, Haos is not a trap-based attribute like Ventus and Aquos can be, and is instead a weak mix of Pyrus’ offense, and Subterra’s defense. The best attribute for a newbie. It doesn’t work, Masquerade can’t set traps like he usually would, Runo’s brain just won’t let him, and Exedra notices how his strategies are falling flat.

Dan. Masquerade feels itchy, in the sense that everything feels off. If he was on Dan’s face, then his greatest adversary would neither exist, nor be able to fight him off without having to take turns. Pyrus’ offense is a great thrill ride, but there’s little strategy to work with, pyrus cards aren’t aligned for that, and are mostly direct damage with some shields. Exedra notes that he can fight like that, but he looks... bored. His brain looks unstimulated.

His old posse he tries off screen. Chan, Billy, Julio, Klaus, Komba... The best he gets out of them is Klaus (only he and Chan were able to clear the test), who has his giant collection he can throw to the doom dimension in one go and super charge Naga’s silent core with all the entropy...

No, nothing feels right. He’s placed back on Alice’s face, and he wins the test battle yet again. Exedra asks why he’s so comfortable on that face in specific.

“They’re the weakest link in their group, and the weakest link in me.” he explains, “changing the link is too painful, it doesn’t work... for me.”

“You’ve been distracted by your weakest link being replaced by stronger ones?” Exedra asks. Masquerade bristles.

“They were not stronger. They were...” Masquerade doesn’t want to admit nothing felt right. He wants to be stronger, but he can’t just let go of his weakest link, even with better links who can give him everything his old one did, and more.

He doesn’t outright say what he’s figured out, keeping the spoiler up, but Exedra clearly understands what he thinks. Cut to the end of the fight with Druman and Centorrior. Alice receits it instead (paraphrasedly);

“I am only strong in battle. Outside of that, I am weak. I must strengthen myself outside of battle, or else I am unbalanced and could easily crumble.”

[perfectpaperbluebirds]

@sicktember Prompt # 28: Missing Out

Title: Unforgettable

Fandom: N/A

Based on this post as well as an ask box prompt. The prompt: “I’m currently dying for something set in a big house (any period) and the young master of the house has a party to attend but he feels awful and is trying to hide it and be a good host but keeps having to sneak off to cough/sneeze. Until maybe one guest notices and that’s how he meets his future wife.”

A young heir attends a Christmas party with his childhood friend as his date. They find themselves in an interesting position when he falls ill.

CW: Vomiting. 

(Author's note: Never written this time period before, but I would like to again in the future! I really enjoyed this prompt. And yes these two are definitely in love and will be married someday.)

The year is 1927, and two young men are seated in the back corner of a jazz club in New England, talking little as they sit, enjoying the music. As the band finishes their opening set and prepares to take a break, the older of the two men takes a deep drag from his cigarette, then glances at his companion.

"All ready for your parents' big Christmas shindig next weekend, Jesse?" 

Jesse rolled his eyes and scoffed, tapping a cigarette of his own out of the pack. "Sure John, of course. It's such a thrill to be a captive audience as they get smoked and strut around peacocking for their friends. Highlight of my whole year, that. Masquerade Ball, my ass. What drivel."

John chuckled, reclining back in his chair and taking another drag. "You're expected to bring a dame too, yeah?"

"Naturally. It'd be too bad for the heir of the Hamilton fortune to attend without a looker, wouldn't it? Shame all the women in this town are abhorrent."

John shook his head with another chuckle. "That attitude is why you're a perpetual bachelor, hombre. But I have some news that may interest you. Did you know Miss Greenwood is back in town?"

Jesse's interest was piqued in spite of himself. "Lillian Greenwood is back?"

"The very same. Home from university for the holidays."

Jesse leaned back in his chair, trying to look unbothered. "So what if she is. What's it to me?"

"Well I dunno, only that you might like to invite her to the Masq’. If memory serves, you never found her particularly abhorrent."

"We were kids!"

"You were damn near inseparable. You don't *have* to do anything, Jess. But as your oldest friend, I'm asking you to think on it. You'd enjoy the party more if you had company, and I'm sure she'd like to see her old stomping grounds again. Just something to consider is all."

Jesse made no reply as the band resumed the stage just then, but he did indeed think on it very hard.

***

John's information was proven true only a day later. Jesse was just exiting a drugstore he frequented with a fresh carton of cigarettes when he caught the eye of Lillian Greenwood, who was just about to enter the same store, and looking very fetching in a blue fitted coat and hat. Both their eyes widened in surprise upon seeing each other, and for a moment they were speechless. 

"Jesse?" Lillian finally said, a slow grin spreading over her face, so familiar to him. "It's been at least an age!" She seized his hands in hers, reaching up on tiptoes to peck him on the cheek. "How are you? I've missed you!"

"Lil!" He wrapped her in a hug. "I've missed you too! What are you doing back in this dump, accomplished University woman that you are now? I'm surprised you didn't run in the opposite direction from here a long time ago."

"Well I haven't graduated yet, silly. And I couldn't miss another Christmas at home. I missed everyone here so much. Oh Jesse, it's so good to see you!" She hugged him fiercely again. "You must tell me everything you've been up to! Come inside while I shop before we freeze."

He willingly followed her back in, looking fondly at the soft brown hair brushing across her shoulders. He was so sick of the horrid bobs all the girls were wearing, and he loved that Lillian was still wearing hers longer.

He trailed her through the whole store, gamely answering the barrage of questions she directed at him, but mostly content to enjoy her familiar presence. Eventually she stopped short, turning to face him.

"Are you all right? You're very quiet. You've hardly said anything."

"I'm sorry. Just worn out I guess. Been working extra before the holidays."

"You are looking a bit peaky. I'm sorry. I didn't mean to jabber your ear off."

"No it's fine, honest. I'm just happy to see you."

"Likewise." She gave his hand a little squeeze, accompanied by a warm smile. Knowing he wasn't going to get a better opportunity, he took a deep breath.

"Lilli, do you remember that big bash my parents host every year for Christmas?"

"Oh yes!" she said, her eyes lighting up in pleasure. "It was my favorite part of the holidays!" 

"No kidding? Well anyway, they still throw it. The last few years they changed it to a Masquerade Ball, but otherwise it's still just like it was. It's a week from Saturday. I know you just got into town and all, and maybe you already have plans… but what do you think about going with me as my date?"

Lillian's grin was immediate, and she clasped her hands together joyfully. "Oh Jess, I'd love that! Just like old times."

Jesse rubbed the back of his neck, attempting to smile. "Yeah, I guess. Same old dumb party. Like I said, if you're busy, don't worry about it. But you're welcome to come… if you want and all."

She looked confused and a little hurt at his abrupt backtracking. "Of course I want to come. I'll be there."

"Great. I better get going though. I'll call you in a few days to give you the details. It was great to see you, Lil." He pecked her on the cheek. "I'll see you around, kid."

He strode out of the store with hardly a backwards glance, leaving her shocked face in his wake. He hated himself for behaving that way, and he wasn't even sure why he did it. Perhaps it was because the "old times" she was referring to included the present he was stuck in, while she had clearly moved on. Perhaps it was the realization that he had resorted to asking his childhood best friend on a date rather than finding a real date to avoid the embarrassment of attending his parents' party unaccompanied. But whatever the reason, speaking to her had made him equal parts thrilled and miserable. Surprisingly, when he called her a few days later as promised, she again agreed to accompany him, despite his rude behavior in the drug store, and continued to insist she was excited for the party, despite his constant negativity towards it.

***

The Saturday before Christmas dawned bright and snowy, and the Hamilton estate was in an uproar all day with last-minute preparations. Every surface was bedecked for the holidays with ribbons and garlands and tinsel and wreaths and holly and candles. A Christmas tree stood in every room, making the whole house aromatic, each twinkling and topped with a star. When evening rolled in, so too did the guests, all as twinkling and bedecked as the house, filling every room in no time. The Masquerade Ball had begun.

Lillian arrived promptly. Jesse met her in the foyer. Even wearing a mask, she was easily recognizable. She looked stunning in a sparkling gown that accented her figure perfectly. Her eyes were a color that would be easier called unique than pretty, her nose a touch irregular, and her teeth a touch crooked, but Jesse had always found her beautiful. Yet he was in a foul temper, and had been the whole day, and seeing her gave him little pleasure. He noted she had pinned up her hair so it appeared “bobbed” like everyone else's, and even such a simple thing soured his mood further. Upon seeing her initially, he took her hand and kissed it, then gave a sarcastic bow. 

“Welcom, Lillian dear. It’s a pleasure to see you again,” he said, trying to keep his tone civil

She curtsied daintily, smiling warmly. “The pleasure is all mine. You look very dashing and alluring in that mask.”

He chucked coldly. “You’re looking spiffy yourself, kid. Well, shall we get on with it?” He offered her his arm, which she took, almost hesitantly.

“Are you all right?” she asked. “You seem… not yourself.”

“Fine and dandy. Ready to cut a rug and show a girl a good time. Let’s not keep the evening waiting.” He didn’t bother to keep the sarcasm out of his tone, but continued to tug her toward the dining room, albeit gently. She reluctantly followed, casting him worried glances. 

The young Master Hamilton performed his part admirably through the whole evening, however, donning the persona of the host as easily as he did his mask. He chatted and danced and flirted with the appropriate people, giving Lilli adequate attention as required as well. His mother must have been pleased, for the night was a smashing success, from the dinner to the dancing to the decor. Everyone was raving the whole evening about what a splendid party it was. The best one yet, everyone said, just as they said every year. 

Jesse, however, was utterly miserable. The bodies packing every room made him too warm, the lights were too bright, the music and din of talking made his head throb, the food smells turned his stomach, and the aroma of pine everywhere left him feeling on the verge of a sneeze all night, especially since his nose had been on the verge of dripping since he awoke. He could only nibble the rich supper. He was barely able to swallow even small sips of Christmas punch without feeling the urge to gag. 

In order to keep his sanity, whenever Lillian was occupied talking to someone and he wasn't otherwise engaged, he would duck into one of the unused side parlors. In this sanctuary, away from the lights and sounds and smells, he removed his mask and composed himself. He would first allow himself to sneeze unhindered, finally able to stop his incessant stifling and sniffling, each time surprising himself at how wet and messy and ill they sounded. Then, if he hadn't been gone too long, he would rest his face against the icy window pane, breathing slowly and deeply as a halo of condensation spread out from his hot forehead. Inevitably though, the time would come when he was forced to replace his mask and reenter the ball before he was missed. He counted down the hours desperately, willing himself to last until the end of the party.

The evening began to wind down, and Jesse found himself ducking away more and more frequently. His stomach was in knots and his nausea was gradually rising, so composure was getting harder to maintain. He always checked to ensure Lilli was involved in a conversation before he did so, however. Imagine his surprise then, when moments after he snuck into his sanctuary yet again, he heard the door open after him and Lillian appeared just as he had given over to a violent sneezing jag:

Hiihhh'GEHSSSH'ieeew! ESSSHH'yuuh! Hrrr'USH'IIEWW! Kuhh-hhiiih-ISSSHYUUH!"

"Bless you, Jesse! Heavens, that was a fit! Are you alright?" she asked, approaching him and removing her own mask. "Have you been sneezing like that all night? You keep disappearing."

He flashed the most winning smile he could muster even as he wiped the mess from his face. "I'm just ducky," he said, swallowing thickly as his stomach also decided to give a nasty lurch. "All the pine in the air gets me sneezing. Must be a bit allergic. Sorry for worrying you. Let's go back out before we're missed. I think I owe you a dance or two."

She ignored his rambling and came to stand directly in front of him with a searching look. She lifted a hand and brought the back of it to his sweaty forehead. She clucked softly.

"You're sick, aren't you? You're not feeling well at all."

The thin facade that was holding him together finally crumbled. He limply leaned against the wall, nodding mutely. 

"Why didn't you say something? You should be in bed. You look awful."

"I didn't want to spoil the evening," he mumbled. 

"Well we need to get you out of here. You look like you're about to collapse."

"I am about to collapse," he said ruefully.

"Come on then. No one will miss us anyway. Let's go up the servants' steps over here so we're not seen."

"I don't want you to miss out on the ball. You looked like you were having fun."

She caressed his cheek fondly. "I came here tonight to spend time with you. I'm not missing out on anything."

They shared a smile, his first genuine one of the night. Then she took him by the hand and led him expertly along the least conspicuous route to his bedroom. The pair of them had spent hours exploring every inch of this house from top to bottom as children, every cupboard, cranny, and corner. He hadn't forgotten those times, and clearly she hadn't either. 

It was strange bringing her back to his room. They had spent hours together here too during their growing-up years. He couldn't help but imagine it through her eyes--what was different, what was the same. He realized bitterly that the only thing that was really different was the lack of toys and games everywhere. His room was a reflection of his life--boring and stagnant.

If she was thinking along those lines, she gave no indication. Instead she led him to his bed with a hand at the small of his back, guiding him into a sitting position and helping him remove his jacket and tie. His shirt clung to his back with sweat, and heat rolled off of him in waves. The drier air up here made him begin to cough as soon as he sat, the sound hoarse and desperate. She made a sympathetic sound as she carded her fingers through his damp hair, then dug through his dresser, pulling out a set of his pajamas and tossing them over. 

"Make yourself more comfortable, and I'll do the same." She headed to his en suite bathroom. "I'll be right back. Try to relax, Jess." She gave him a little smile, which he attempted to return, a hand going to his sore stomach even as he did.

Once the bathroom door was closed behind her, he slowly changed into his pajama bottoms and managed to strip down to his undershirt. All at once, his stomach had had enough, and he knew he was going to vomit. With the bathroom occupied, the next available option was the balcony off of his room. He dashed outside to the railing, emptying the contents of his stomach onto the ground below, heaving until he had nothing left. As the spasms slowed, his vision began to go gray and wobbly. He sank to his knees weakly, unable to do anything else, clinging to the railing in the freezing cold, which at first felt pleasant on his fevered skin. 

He wasn't sure how long he knelt there, and it would have been even longer had Lillian not come out to find him. By the time she did, he was shivering so violently that his teeth rattled in his head. She was speaking to him, but he couldn't register what she was saying. Finally she pulled him bodily to his feet and helped him inside, her arm wrapped around his waist as she supported most of his weight. She again led him to his bed, making him lie down this time and bundling blankets over his icy cold skin while she sat at his side. His consciousness solidified and the world stopped spinning, and eventually he noticed that while she was still wearing her party dress, she had removed her makeup and unpinned her hair, looking more like her old self. The thought made him marginally warmer. 

"Let me go fetch some tea for you, and some medicine," she murmured, stroking his hair. She stood and tried to pull away, but he quickly grabbed her wrist, his grasp surprisingly strong. 

"Don't go," he rasped, choking back a cough. "I don't want tea or medicine. It'll only make me vomit again. Just stay."

"Stay…" she repeated. "Right. I suppose I could stay."

She went to pull a chair to his bedside, but he stopped her.

"No, come lie here with me."

"Jesse…" she began. "That's not--"

"Why shouldn't you? You were my date. It's what everyone is expecting anyway," he said, a glint of humor in his eye.

She laughed in spite of herself. "I suppose there is that." Against her better judgement, she crossed to the other side of his bed and slipped under the blankets, trying to be mindful of her dress as she got comfortable. He immediately rolled over and nestled against her, and she wrapped an arm around him and began to rub his back soothingly.

They passed the night exactly like that. He was exhausted and very ill, and was clearly miserable the whole night through. However, he refused to let her leave the bed to fetch him anything and only wanted to lie against her all night as he slipped in and out of sleep. She vaguely recalled him being the same way when they were young, but she certainly hadn't expected such behavior tonight. Then again, she hadn't expected to be sharing his bed either. 

He slept fitfully, his symptoms keeping him from true rest despite his weariness. Away from the pine trees his sneezing was less, but the congestion and coughing was worse. He was achy and nauseous and too hot or too cold. He also wanted to be touching her at all times, so she slept even less, for between his tossing and groaning and his sweltering fever heat, she could not get comfortable. Yet she knew he needed her this way tonight, and was glad to be able to help her oldest friend. 

The morning dawned gray and cold. Lillian lay awake still, while Jesse was at last sleeping beside her, his face tucked into her side. She was trying to decide how best to convince him to let her go home and change when an opportunity for escape presented itself in the form of his mother.

Lillian heard her well before she saw her, for her best shoes clattered loudly on the stairs, and her inebriated giggling and whispering was impossible to miss. It was almost certain she hadn't gone to bed after the party. Lillian quickly slipped out from under Jesse's arm and slid to the floor, ducking under the bed. Just because Jesse seemed to think she was expected to spend the night with him did not mean she wanted to be caught in it, especially by Mrs. Hamilton, regardless of what did or did not happen. 

Mrs. Hamilton attempted to be stealthy as she peeked into her son's room, but only his fever-induced slumber prevented him from waking. However, even while intoxicated, what they say about a mother's sense is true, for she apparently noted something amiss and crept closer to her son's bed. Lillian could only see her feet and legs, but she assumed she Mrs. Hamilton reached out to feel her son's forehead, for the elder woman made a little sound of dismay and began to shake him awake. 

"Jesse, you're burning up! Oh my, what happened? Are you sick? Did it start at the ball? How long have you not felt well? Oh you're so pale! And you're shivering! My poor baby! What can I do?..." It seemed she had no end of exclamations and questions. Lillian couldn't help but roll her eyes.

Meanwhile Jesse made sounds of waking, sounding very irritated and confused at first. He didn't realize what was happening initially, and Lillian heard him say her name more than once. Thankfully his mother did not notice over the sound of her own constant flow of verbalized concern. Eventually Jesse realized who was speaking to him and began to give appropriate answers, leaving Lillian out of most of it, which the young woman appreciated. 

Mrs. Hamilton didn't stop speaking the entire time she was in the room. Eventually though it became clear she intended to fetch a doctor, tea, medicine, and one hundred other things for her son's illness. Jesse spoke only as much as he had to, his voice weak and hoarse and congested. He did not argue with her about any of it, knowing it was futile. Finally the well-meaning woman left, still talking even as she shut the door behind herself. 

Lillian gingerly rolled out from under the bed, startling Jesse when she appeared beside him out of nowhere. However a grin split his face when their eyes met.

"I thought you left me without saying goodbye," he rasped. 

"Well now you see I haven't. I do need to leave now though, before your mother returns with an army of doctors and finds me here. I would also like to change my clothes at some point and freshen up. Perhaps take a bit of a nap."

He looked devastated at this, but perked up as she continued:

"I'll come back soon though, as a proper visitor. I don't fancy ducking under the bed whenever anyone comes up the stairs."

"All right," he sighed. "I'll be waiting for you, then." 

She approached him, pressing her lips to his hair as he hugged her fiercely. 

"Be well, Jess. I'll see you soon." She moved to the doorway, her eyes twinkling in a smile. "And thanks for a great night. That was a date I'll never forget."

[inexplicifics]

I can only speak somewhat from Gwelds perspective, because my life long best friend came out at trans masq a year ago at this point and he just.... looks right now. Its a spectacular thing, knowing a person and watching them become themself. Serrit is lovely and I wish her all the best! Also, for your consideration... Milena making Serrit a full length swishy skirt with a scale embroidery boarder.

I love the idea of Serrit with a long swishy skirt embroidered with scales. I think she’d probably love it, too.

[athena1138]

So i just wanna talk about Muriel's progress.

I mean. Firstly.

At least thrice in this chapter, we see him explicitly putting himself in front of others to protect them. Considering where we started the game, this is a huge improvement.

Secondly,

I forgot to screenshot it but the bit where it says that since the Masq, he seeks out the MC's touch far more easily. This goes along with the increased kisses, only one of which he felt the need to ask permission for (in the "make the most of tonight" paid option.) He's not... forcing himself into this, not that i ever thought he was, but this relationship is becoming comfortable to him, second nature even given how he seems to hover near the MC and touches them so frequently (arms on shoulders and the like.)

Thirdly,

Selflessness I mean. He gave up his only home, the only place he has ever felt even a modicum of comfort, for the greater good, to give... well the entire fuckin city a place to stay, to weather out this storm. Like, he couldn't get any more selfless if he tried. Then he even agreed to once again go face danger (which i understand had to happen for the story but come on now)

Fourthly,

Socialization. Like. He's been exposed in as many ways as he possibly could save for physical nudity. People know who he is, they know what he did, they know where he lives, this poor man has literally no privacy left anymore. Any lesser man would've run away and hid, but he stays, and not only does he stay, he makes an effort to connect to people. Sure, it's at the behest of his countess and his beloved, but he does it nonetheless, and he seems to do it well. Plus, the kid? How many children do you think Muriel has spoken to since he himself was one? Not many i would wager. But he seems to do very, very well at speaking with Nachin, and like.. that's just incredible. He's been living alone. In the woods. For 3+ years. With only Asra for rare company. And here he is soothing the fears and worries of a people who aren't really even his.

Just.

I'm so unbelievably proud of him you guys.

[doggerell]

why did I take a million photos tonight

[autumnslance]

Just finished MSQ 5.3 and Gunblade daughter. No way are they leaving it they already hinted Y'shtola would research a way to bridge the worlds so I will not be surprised if we have a MASQ and an older gunblade wielding Ryna shows up to lay the smack on whatever we are fighting.

We’ll likely still Ryne as her teenaged self for Eden next patch. I do hope we get a means of travel between the shards; not just the First, either, but others, too. Also I find it...kinda weird to go back to the First with no Scions there now. And I really want them to be able to visit the friends and families they made along the way. Thancred’s not the only one who left someone behind, after all.

Also yeah, I kinda wanna see take up the gunblade someday, no lie. Wouldn’t be the first discipline she picked up from Dad.

SPEAKING OF though, I was thinking earlier that if the WoL is also a GNB, then those NPCs are hanging out in Revenant’s Toll now too, and I kinda wanna introduce Thancred to the old lion and see what sort of paces he gets put through and if they get in contact with his old teacher again and I maybe need to add that to my pile of WIPs...

[girldraki]

broken masq doesn’t necessarily mean everything about the foundation is public reasonably speaking but let us deliberately misinterpret it so we can imagine callout posts for the o5 council that put -Founder literally says slurs? :/ above all the other war crimes

[turtleskele]

So I thought I’d give some Mafia Skeleton Characters a try-mostly for my own amusement. But if anyone wants to ask questions about them my ask box is open: Disclaimer I do not own any Undertale characters:

Mafiatale Sans: Faux (likes it pronounced as Fox rather than Foe, for reasons)

Much like Undertale Sans, Faux is very laid back in personality and it takes a lot to rile him up (or even to do anything really: aka a lazy bones). He loves telling puns and corny jokes, much to the annoyance of Wolf. But like his name suggests, do not let his permanent smile fool you. Just like how his name is pronounced “Fox”, Faux is very sly, cunning, and always one step ahead of everyone. And just like the literal meaning of “Faux” (foe), his smile is anything but genuine. Because of his line of work Faux has a hard time trusting anyone and despite his laidback persona, is riddled with anxieties and paranoias that keep him up at night. He is always tired and can be found napping almost anywhere. Because of this basis of fear and distrust, Faux is rarely able to actually feel any emotion, except for his brother Wolf which is about the only person he does trust. He’s dated multiple people but most of them end after a couple of dates and leave him in a self induced drunken stupor. When he finally does come across his S/O, they are the first person that is able to see behind his front and actually make him feel. They lead him to begin to open up- a little bit at a time and learn to trust people again.

Mafiatale Papyrus: Wolf

Just like Undertale Papyrus, Wolf has a very genial personality. He has high moral standards despite being in the mafia and hates to see innocents hurt. He loves to cook but like the OG; his cooking leaves something to be desired (meaning it’s only somewhat edible). But as his name suggests; do not underestimate him. Despite his kind tendencies and seeming naïveté, he has a very cunning and tactical mind. He ALWAYS knows what’s going on and knows how to play a scene to his benefit. This includes the ability to manipulate feelings effortlessly. He is very comfortable with who he is and knows how many people look up too and think he is very cool and he flaunts it~ Cue a string of admirers and causal relationships. When he finally does meet his s/o he is surprised to find out that they can see straight through his facade and confronts him about it. They end up being the catalyst for him to be his true self.

Mafiafell Sans: Pierce

This Sans was given his name for his “finishing” bone attack during “disputes”. But he also likes to think that it refers to his ability to make anyone fall in love with him. Pierce is a smooth talker and very flirtatious. His tactics have been known to make people swoon. Just like Cupid he’s able to ‘pierce’ their hearts. He loves to joke around make people laugh with his bad puns, corny jokes, and pickup lines (which DO work 98% of the time). But despite all his success, he hasn’t found anything or anyone who’s willing to go beyond a week with him or who isn’t intimidated by his job. Because of having grown up on the streets Pierce’s biggest fear is losing everything he’s gained, or having it taken from him.This has given him a bit of a complex. Those he has dated before, describe him as being possessive, clingy, and very controlling. If Pierce does not have control he falls into fits of anxiety that he expresses through explosive bouts of anger. He reacts on a whim until he feels safe or until the threat to his control has been “taken care of”. It is during one of these bouts that Pierce meets his S/O who was unfortunately involved. He is impressed by how they are able to handle and calm him helping him refocus his anger. As they grow closer his S/O begins to help him loosen his grip a bit-though it is a long process in the making. They are unwilling to bend when it comes to his anger and help him to learn different ways of expressing his anxiety when plans go south. Pierce learns that letting someone else have control doesn’t mean they will take away from him but rather add something more.

Mafiafell Papyrus: Merlot (mer-low)

Just like Underfell Papyrus, Merlot has a very surly personality which scares most and intimidates the rest. Out of all the mafia skeletons (excepting Cabernet), Merlot is the most elegant and refined, taking pride in his appearance; three piece suits, leather shoes- all specially made. He loves to cook (almost more than Wolf) with a preference towards Italian and Asian cuisine and has taken every avenue to ensure that his cooking is impeccable- I.e: His cooking is edible and actually tastes very good. Though being in the mafia has hardened him and toughened his bones, the truth is Merlot still has a very soft heart; though he’ll never admit it and will act like he doesn’t care. He has a deep longing to be able to share with someone who would reciprocate his feelings back; thus he has had a wide variety of relationships in search of this. Sadly he has found that most were only trying to benefit from his status or were merely too intimidated by him to refuse him. This has left him calloused and hardened. When he finally( and literally) bumps into his S/O he is astonished to find how open and up front they are in expressing their emotions-good and bad. They encourage and slowly help him to be open and share with them as well; finally finding the connection he has longed for.

Mafiaswap Sans: Masquerade (Masq for short)

Much like Wolf, Masquerade has a very genial and high spirited personality. He loves cooking but again it leaves something to be desired. Like Wolf he loves to flaunt his inherent coolness and strives to impress everyone he meets. But as his name suggests and much like his Tale counterpart Faux, Masq is not as he seems. In his striving to be perfect and make everyone love him, he has lost his ability to truly connect with anyone. Much like Faux, his permanent smile is never truly one of happiness despite what he wants others to think. Because he seeks to uphold his seeming perfection, he falls into cycles of anxiety, extreme stress, and finally depression when he messes up or fails. He tends to overthink and beat himself up over small details and has been known to act upon instinct during “business endeavors” if things do not go according to plan, which he regrets later. Though he is no stranger to the dating scene many of his past partners described him as clingy and smothering and were unwilling to find out the reason behind it. When he meets his s/o for the first time, in the midst of one of his “episodes”, he is floored by their calm demeanor and ability to talk him off the cliff. As their relationship grows they help him to embrace his imperfections and to simply let go. He begins to learn about the importance of self care what it truly means to connect with people.

Mafiaswap Papyrus: Pokerface (Poke for short)

Much like Underswap Papyrus, Pokerface (Poke) has a very laidback and nonchalant personality. His go with the flow attitude and tendency to procrastinate is a source of frustration and irritation for his brother Masq, who tends to call him a lazy bones. He loves to crack jokes and puns much to the chagrin of his brother. But despite the persona he shows, many leave an interaction with Poke knowing next to nothing about him. He is very good at keeping his true emotions and thoughts to himself and has been described as very distant and standoffish. Unlike most of the other mafia skeletons, Poke is one of the only ones not actively looking for a relationship. Because of his past and his years in the mafia, he has learned to keep to himself and focus only on what matters: doing his job and keeping his brother safe. He is not a risk taker and likes to keep things simple. A partner would only confuse things and just get hurt because of him. But what happens when he finally meets someone he would gladly take a risk for? An S/O that makes him want to open up-even just a little bit?

Mafiafellswap Sans: Cabernet (Caber for short)

Cabernet (Caber) shares a striking likeness with his namesake wine. He is durable and thick “skinned”, able to weather anything that is thrown at him. He is relentless despite the elements around him and like a stone, is immovable, unflappable, and seemingly unfeeling. Because of this inherent tenacity, his territory is the furthest reaching and deeply staked out of all of the skeleton mafias. Much like Merlot, he deeply enjoys cooking and also has taken tremendous efforts to make sure his cooking is flawless. He enjoys Latino and Mediterranean cuisine and is always looking for new dishes to try. He is the pinnacle of high fashion (seconded only by Merlot), and ensures that he has an endless supply of new and expensive clothes at his disposal-all monogrammed and all specially made for him. Much like Merlot, Caber, when he is comfortable and has built up trust, can be charming, sweet, and very soft. Despite the rumors spread about him, he is very sensitive to the plight of others, and often has been known to let witnesses go as long as they don’t speak a word about what they saw (with minor intimidation for good measure). He too longs to be able to find someone he can connect with, but years of being the head of the mafia and several failed attempts at relationships have left him hardened and unlike Merlot make him come off as cold and unfeeling. When he finally sees his S/O for the first time, he is instantly attracted to their vulnerability, but not for the reason most would think. He admires and cherishes the way his S/O can so clearly express what they are feeling and how it sparks positive feelings in his own soul. Slowly as they grow to know each other, they work to help him soften his stony heart.

Mafiafellswap Papyrus: Shadow

Just like fellswap papyrus who shares many traits with swap papyrus and fell Sans, Shadow shares many traits and behaviors with Pierce and Poke. He loves corny jokes and bad puns and will most likely be the only one laughing his ass off if you tell one. He is flirtatious as well but mostly on the down-low. Much like Poke, he likes to keep to himself and is the quietest out of all of the mafia skeletons. He has a very laidback personality, but many leave interactions with him feeling somewhat on edge. Almost as if he is surrounded by a cloud of anxiety. He received his namesake from his brother Caber because of his ability to stalk and follow people without being noticed. But many believe that it has a second meaning that is left unsaid between the two: that he will always live in Caber’s shadow. Because of the pressure to do better from his brother and the uneasy and untrusting nature of his job, Shadow deals with a lot of anxiety and depression. He is a perfectionist, but if he is unable to get it right, would rather not try at all or puts off doing it until he is forced to. He has a lot of self hate and self depreciates often. He doesn’t believe anyone understands him or would want to put up with him. Like Poke, he is not actively looking for a partner; his job and world are dangerous and a partner would complicate things. He also believes he is not good enough for a partner-that he would never be able to fulfill their needs or ever be good enough for them. He doesn’t necessarily meet his S/O, rather he encounters them when he’s on a job. They are trying to comfort a monster child who has gotten lost and by the end of the conversation even Shadow feels uplifted. This is a very rare feeling for the quiet skeleton so he follows them to see more and begins to feel...calm. Maybe someday they’ll uplift him in person~

[marukrawler]

bakugan battle brawlers liveblogging episode 40

- for whom do the bells toll

- oh snap we’re in russia i think

- OHHH alice has an aunt. . .wild

- idk the idea of alice w relatives outside of her grandfather is lmaoo p unreal

- ok but why have ur niece sleep in a barren attic 🤨 maybe this is why alice doesn’t visit yall

- surprisingly cheery all things considered. woww

- yeah i was gonna say those houses looked v european but idk russia like that so i didn’t want to assume it wasn’t russia lmaoo

- so ig this is how she eventually meets klaus (let👏 klaus👏 speak👏 german👏 pls)

- ok so her parents are dead

- alice staring in awe at the 2d pigeons

- when did we get the budget for those

- im surprised the weather is so calm in germany. . .i thought the world was ending EVERYWHERE

- woww even the mention of bakugan sets her off. makes sense since repressing traumatic memories can only do so much.

- ow????

- time to rob klaus

- WAIT isn’t this going to be super special awkward since masquerade beat klaus and sent his wife to the shadow realm

- well time to deliver the finishing blow by stealing all his riches uwu

- literally no security in that castle either, he’s asking to get robbed

- oh wait i thought this loser was talking to himself askadsdjsdkj I COMPLETELY FORGOT EVERYONE GOT THEIR BAKUGAN BACK

- if we can ship spectragus w the master/minion dynamic then why not ig

- love how klaus and alice both are like ‘ahh the world is so beautiful and peaceful’ whY IS GERMANY SOMEHOW EXEMPT FROM NAGA’S GLOBAL WARMING????

- oh wait im a dumbass, i was like ‘why does the water look like that’ bUT ITS ICE

- ohh they don’t know that dan and co. got all the bakugan sent back from the doom dimension

- thanks bro

- alice: i’ve committed so many sins, there’s no way i can remedy all of it. i should never be involved w bakugan ever again

klaus about to propose a battle: inch.resting

- alice put on ur burglar’s mask and rob this man

- yOU TELL ME

- ah that’s why there are no guards. the clap of their ass cheeks would’ve fucked this whole place up

- wait. is this allowed.

- love how alice’ gate card is multicolored bc she’s not fighting using just ONE attribute

- *points* is he allowed to combine dan and sellon’s fav words like that

- also EL CONDOR MY BELOVED

- wait. klaus’ gate card was blue but he’s using haos el condor and now and pyrus knight??? WHATS GOING ON

- why is peacemaker a thing. how does it help anyone

- this dude is really forcing alice to fight against her will in order to earn his forgiveness. we hate to see it

- he’s even laughing during the commercial break screen, why is he an antagonist again all of a sudden lmao

- can alice tell that her eyes can see power lvls or does she assume everyone can do that lmao

- WHY ARE THERE GATE CARDS THAT SEND BAKUGAN BACK TO THEIR OWNERS LIKE THIS

- shun we’ve found someone who knows how to prolong a fight better than you

- oh damn its almost like she doesn’t uhhhh wanna do this

- i wonder, is it possible for someone to leave the field mid-battle

- omg shut up

- its one thing to battle in a cowardly way but you’re literally fighting someone who clutches her head at the mention of masquerade and CLEARLY is showing she doesn’t want to do this

- idk how else alice is going to get over this besides uhh lots of therapy and space away from bakugan as a whole but clearly that’s not going to happen

- don’t talk about klaus’ feelings like we care about his story. bc we don’t

- ALICE GEHABICH, QUEEN OF RUNNING AWAY

- SHE NEVER WANTED THIS KLAUS FUCK OFF

- ohh i noticed she hasn’t used her darkus bakugan yet

- shut uuuuuuuppppp

- ig there’s a point to be that since alice knows everything about bakugan, it would be foolish of her to give it up when the world needs her the most or smth like that BUT YOU CAN SAY THAT TO HER YOU KNOW??

- also whoa, the way darkus centipede just starting. glowing with minus energy??? is that saying that alice/masq has that effect on darkus bakugan specifically???

- EL CONDOR MY BELO-

- klaus saying that its not right for alice to give up on the fight bc centipede still believes and fights for alice even tho its about to lose. . .ok that’s nice and all but what about THE BIGGER PICTURE??? this battle is kinda significant I GUESS but how about weaving in some long term stuff??? some fate of the world stuff???

- i hope alice isn’t JUST getting serious bc her kawai centipede is about to lose, in a battle she never asked to partake in.

- WHOOPS IG WE WEREN’T SUPPOSE TO BATTLE AT SUCH A DELICATE TIME HUH

- the field opened a screen so they could conveniently see dan and co. jump into the hole in the ocean 😂😭

- not alice using oregano murder to turn the battle around

- if she somehow whoops klaus’ ass w only CENTIPEDE, im. gonna be mighty happy bout it

- bruh klaus was lucky alice didn’t have hydranoid with her. a basic centipede can only do sm 😔👌 he did his best tho

- there’s no way in hell im crediting alice’ recovery to klaus, his approach BLOWS. SHE DID THAT BC SHE SAW HER FRIENDS WORKING HARD TO SAVE THE WORLD

- but ig his dumb little spiel about the attribute circle needing to be complete or whatever isn’t totally. bogus.

- but um. how is this going to stop masquerade from taking over whenever he wants?? except. i’d say he’s p much done w that at this point, isn’t he?? lucky for alice, all those sweet abilities are free real estate now

- there was no need for this dude to turn off the lights like that, i just realized it.

- ig this was alice finding her own identity??? as a battle brawler?? idk

- this battle also made me realize that um. there’s nothing stopping you from using 3 different attributes and switching them up in every battle and abusing tf out of the attribute correlation chart. why aren’t more people. doing that.

[movedtosalamoonder]

so minkowski grows up in a subdivision. not a particularly nice subdivision, not really an unpleasant one either. it’s been around for a while and there are a lot of families with small children. now, when they first moved, minkowski wanted little or nothing to do with them- she’d rather be doing homework or reading or working out, or honestly just finding excuses to hide from the kids at school who occasionally walk past her house to get to the park. but one day she’s outside, reading on the porch, and she sees a kid about four years old trying to climb her fence. and of course she can’t just leave him like that so she runs up and pulls this kid off her fence, dusts him off, and tells him to go play with his siblings. and that’s the end of it, right? she goes back to reading.

only the next day there are more kids, in her yard, and they’re playing hide and seek. it’ll be hours before her parents get home, and they’re unsupervised, as far as she can tell. so she goes out to read again on the porch, warily looking up every five seconds to make sure none of them are dying or anything. then one of them trips and goes sprawling in the dirt. there’s no blood as far as she can see but there is a lot of screaming, and her immediate reaction is to run over and then- stand. what does she do? what do you do when a kid falls over but hasn’t visibly sustained any lasting damage?

“hey- uh, don’t cry,” she says awkwardly, and the kid looks up at her, interested, but continues to wail.

“hang on a sec,” says minkowski, on a sudden stroke of genius, and runs into the house to get a bandaid.

“they’re magic,” she tells the girl, who sits quietly while minkowski unwraps one and smooths it carefully over her knee. “see? all better.”

the girl smiles and runs off, and after that it’s all over. the neighborhood kids are intrigued by her but somewhat frightened, and this results in a lot of children running around the yard when she gets home from school everyday. she’ll sit on the porch and read and one of them will run up, poke her shoe, and then dart away, giggling. it becomes a game, and before she can process what’s happening she’s got parents asking her to babysit right and left. she doesn’t get a whole lot of pocket money and she’s never had a job, and well, why the hell not?

so minkowski starts babysitting the neighborhood kids. she helps them with their homework; she breaks up fistfights, she talks to them like equals, because these kids get ignored and put down and they deserve to have one person- at LEAST one person- who understands that small though they might be they are still people.

as the years wear on she becomes like an older sister to them and listens to complaints about inattentive boyfriends, awkward coming outs, old pets dying, new pets arriving, new siblings, friends leaving for college.

when it’s finally time for her to leave for college a dark cloud seems to wrap itself around her. yes she’s excited; of course she is. this is her dream and she’s finally going through with it. and yet.

and yet this community is something she built with her own hands from the ground up. they are her only friends. she doesn’t want to leave them.

on the day she comes from a last minute shopping run before leaving that afternoon, she lets herself into the house. everything’s dark, but the darkness is charged with an inexplicable energy of excitement. and before she can puzzle it out the lights flip on and every one of her former charges jump out from where they’ve been hiding and yell “congratulations!”

she’s not crying, there’s just something in her eye.