#no demons were summoned in the making of this artwork

[wire-smith]

A circle for summoning pentagons

A few months ago I needed a pentagon so I used ruler-and-compass construction to make one. But then I kept walking past the cardboard where I'd drawn it going "wow, this is a really cool design, it looks like an arcane sigil, I should really make something based on it." Two weeks of obsession later, here we are!

A few in-progress photos. For once, all the design changes were for aesthetic reasons not functional ones! Made for a nice change of pace, really.

Initially I had planned to use thin wire to make little arcs representing the compass marks, but it felt too crowded so I eventually got rid of them entirely.

[mochatsin]

WHEN MC CAN DRAW

Drawing and the arts is one of the things you’re most passionate about. There’s a lot of things, and certain demons, that are out there to give you inspiration to draw. How will the brothers react when they find out you’re a great artist?

literally in the middle of drawing when I thought about this and i'm wondering why it took me this long to think of an Artist!MC prompt damn. Enjoy reading!

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Lucifer

He already had a vague idea that you have a keen eye for the arts when he took you to a gallery once. You’re familiar with a lot of paintings in the human realm, but none of them could quite compare to the styles down here in Devildom.

Lucifer wanted to teach you more about the cultures of Devildom through painted histories and stories which is why he took you to the gallery, and he notices how observant you are of the details on the artwork. He assumed maybe you’re just very educated with the arts up in your world.

Though one day he found you in your room trying to draw a piece with the styles similar to the paintings you both saw the other day. The linework and colors are very on point, Lucifer would have assumed this wasn’t done by your own hands if he saw it displayed on the walls. 

“You’re quite talented if you drew all this after just one art gallery tour.” Lucifer says as he moves closer to further inspect your art. If you ask him how to improve it or how the method works, he would be happy to give you some tips or pointers. 

“As impressive as this is, I would like to see something you’ve made in your own style.” Lucifer would want you to show something that speaks more about you, not about Devildom. He’s curious to see what makes your art style original. He wants to see you take pride in whatever you create of course. 

He’d love to have one of your artworks be framed somewhere in the house. You can use his office for that peace and quiet so that none of his brothers would disturb you while you worked. Lucifer wanted it framed in his room for him to enjoy, though after his brother’s protests and one heated dinner discussion, the piece was placed in the living room instead for everyone. 

Mammon

Mammon doesn’t really have the best sense of boundaries when it comes to your room, so he ends up barging through the doors to see what you were up to and maybe try to whisk you away for a bit of gambling for the evening. Though he finds you on your desk doing some homework, papers scattered on your bed.

You tell him you’re busy working on a project so he whines but stays with you in your room. You have homework about summoning circles so you had several discarded drafts resting on your bed. Mammon can’t help but go through the papers while he waits out of pure boredom. 

Mammon eventually spots under the pile a few of your own personal artworks you’ve made. You forgot to keep them away since they got buried underneath all those papers. “EY!! This ain’t part of a class project right?! This looks freakin’ fantastic!” 

You can tell he’s being genuine about his compliments just by seeing the look on his face. “I-I'm not just sayin’ that cuz you’re my human! I know a gold mine when I see one yaknow?” Mammon says while he goes through the pile to see if there are more works out there for him to admire. He might be tempted to steal one of them just so he can piece of something you’re passionate about so close to him. 

He would definitely urge you to sell some of them for profit, put up commissions online or advertise it on RAD. At first you wondered if this was part of his money-making schemes… he admits it was at first but he wants you to succeed in this if it’s something you genuinely want to do.

“You gotta cut me some slack sometimes ya know? I bet you’ll make bank outta this. I know my old plans for quick grimm haven't worked out, but this one I'm SURE won’t fail” his enthusiasm is almost contagious. Regardless of your decision, Mammon is happy enough to sit back and enjoy your artwork. 

Levi

He is going to be so ecstatic knowing that you’re actually really good at drawing in any form of medium. Levi found out one day when he asked to borrow your notes for class and you lend him your notebook. He was flipping through the pages until he noticed that you’ve been doing little doodles at the back. “I-is that…”

Your peaceful little afternoon got chaotic when you heard an excited scream from down the hall, followed by rampant footsteps that got louder in a matter of seconds until your door opened. Levi has your notebook in hand, with the biggest grin plastered on his face. 

“Y-YOU COULD DRAW RURI-CHAN?!” Levi doesn’t even give you the time to speak when he shows you the doodles and starts going on a rant on how you captured the details of her outfit so perfectly. Even the magic staff is actually on point! 

There’s times he would be peeking by your door while you’re doodling something in your room. Levi wanted to ask if you could draw his favorite characters but he’s too shy to do so, but he’ll be the happiest when you agree to it. 

“I-if you need the references i have a few!” He would say ‘few’ but ends up giving you what’s almost an entire album of art references that you could use. If you want, he can even take the figurines of said characters off his shelf (which is rare) so you can have a better look at it from all angles. 

Levi would definitely have it posted on the walls, keeping all your artworks like a new collection. He would gush about how he wishes he could draw because it’s another way of expressing your love for something you care about. Would definitely commission you for certain things because he doesn’t want to keep asking you for free art.

Satan

Recently he got you hooked on this detective novel series, and you both spend a lot of time together just talking about your favorite parts. Satan loves that chase scene between the detective and thief since it was written so well, it’s almost like you can play the scene in your head.

He’s with you in his room, sitting on the couch with the book propped up by your knees. He assumes you’re just rereading the book and does his own thing. He likes that about your company where the silence is comforting, though there are times you ask Satan what he thinks the detective or the thief looks like in his head.

By the time Satan had to answer one more query that he realized you’re not actually reading the book. He sees that you’re holding onto a pen as you scribble something behind the book, so he decides to sneak behind you while you’re distracted out of curiosity.

He’s surprised to find you drawing on a notebook, looking at the chapter of the book with the chase scene that he mentioned the other day. “You’re… drawing the scene?” He asked, the corners of his lips tugging into a smile. He’s impressed that you got the compositions so well too. To him, you brought this scene to life. 

“Is this why you were asking me all those questions? Well, I’d say you perfectly captured the scene and-” He’d talk about the details you’ve drawn and how it matches what’s written in the book, like a professional critique. He’d love to see the piece once you finish, and even see all your other works you’ve done in the past as well. One cat drawing would make him excited for sure. 

One time you made him a bookmark by using your art for the designs. The brothers know that Satan doesn’t use those as often because he tends to finish books in one sitting, but he began to have that cute little bookmark pressed between the pages of his current book. Not only is the design so perfect, it’s from his precious human too.

Asmo

Asmo is adoring the attention he’s been getting from you recently whenever he would make a little fashion show in his room with all the new outfits he’s bought. He loves the awe he hears from you and how you eye him up and down after he strikes a pose. 

He even saw you buying a magazine with him on the cover, and he just can’t help but feel giddy at the thought of how much you probably adore him because who wouldn’t? You must really love how he looks, right? Asmo even thought of giving you a private show just for your eyes. 

Though he found out eventually that you’re using the poses in his magazines as reference when he saw that you’re trying to copy the pose he made on the cover. “I’m rather offended that you didn’t reference me, the source material itself! I’m always ready to be your model, hun!” 

Asmo would make the perfect model because being in model magazines, he’s used to holding on poses for periods of time without complaint. He’s not shy about his body either so you can ask him to be in any sort of pose for you (but you have to stop him from being not so family friendly when you try to fix his position).

If you’re good at designing clothes then Asmo is going to fall for you even harder. He would admire all the designs you can do, and if you’re open to suggestions then as someone who works and shops frequently at Majolish, he would have a lot of good ideas. He’ll have the connections to make your designs come to life and model it for you.

“I just know if you posted these fine works on Devilgram, it’ll get you tons of views for sure! Especially if the muse is me” Asmo says with a wink as he admires your art. If you made an account then he’ll be loud about it on his social media, wanting people to feast their eyes on it.

Beel

He does a lot of home workouts so often you spot him doing a lot of stretches or lifts around the house. There’s even times you offer to help like sitting on his back while he does his push ups or just being his little moral support. 

Though he noticed all the attention you’re giving on his muscles recently. You offered to wipe off the dirt and sweat he got from his Fangol practice, and Beel sees how much you’re staring intently at his muscles while you wipe him dry with a towel. “MC… is there something wrong?” 

It's only then you realize that your eyes have been glued to him for so long so you decide to explain. You tell Beel that you’ve been sketching recently with someone of his body type but you can’t seem to get the muscles correctly. Hearing that makes Beel smile though. 

“Well, if you want me to help I could. But I want to see your works, if that’s okay with you” Beel said. He’s not much of an artist himself (Satan notes that Beel’s art still haunts him to this day), so he’s very supportive knowing that you can draw.  

He has this awe in his face like how he looks when the restaurant serves him the biggest platter of food as soon as he sees your artworks. Beel is happy you’re sharing such talent with him. “This piece is so colorful. It reminds me of the rainbow layered parfait we had the other day… oh, now I'm hungry.” Even if Beel can eat books and things that aren’t exactly food, he never once tried that with your artworks. 

He’d invite you more often to his little home workouts so you can study his muscles more closely. Beel would love it if you sit on his back while he does push ups as you draw. The sound of the pencil scribbling would bring him to focus.  

Belphie

There’s an upcoming event for RAD that requires a lot of decorations. Since a lot of people are busy with their own tasks, you and Belphie were paired up to think of possible decor for the stage.

Belphie complained how Asmo or Levi should’ve been here instead but since they’re both in charge of the outfits, then he’ll settle with this because at least it requires minimal work. You both were trying to discuss the backdrop designs and the props but he fell asleep midway. 

Belphie wakes up in a few minutes later to the sound of scribbling pens when he saw you creating the designs. You asked him to pick from one of the sets you made but he’s too stunned to even decided when all of them are so good. “You made all of that while I was asleep?” Belphie is in a state of disbelief. 

The one that struck him the most is the starry sky landscape. For someone who loves to watch the stars, this one was particularly mesmerizing for Belphie. So out of personal bias he chose that one.

He never stopped bugging you about your art, always wanting to see what you’re drawing when he spots you on your notebook. He’s not much of a ‘draw me next’ kind of person, but he’d be absolutely happy if you did. More so if you drew him and Beel together. 

Whenever you’re drawing, Belphie wants to take a nap by your lap while you do your work. He likes the look you make whenever you’re trying to figure out something in your art before he drifts off to sleep. His favorite part is waking up to see that you’ve already finished your piece so he gets to admire it first.

[slayfics]

We're not Just Friends

Series featuring Muichiro, Obanai, and Reader

You train with Muichiro.

Chapter links

Chapter 2

You stood up and prepared yourself to train with Muichiro.

"Ready"?" He asked.

"Yup!" You said enthusiastically nodding. You were determined to be better than the last few times you had trained with him. You always found it impossible to keep up with his speed, but you wanted nothing more than to make him proud and prove you were a worthy opponent.

In your inner thoughts, you were barely conscious of, you acquainted being a worthy sparring partner as being worthy of Muichiro's affection. A part of you may have even believed that if you could keep up with him it would show him you were a worthy mate.

However hard you tried and tried though Muichiro seemed to beat you in no time at all. Today you didn't even think you did as well as the last time. Muichiro quickly disarmed you, winning the spar.

"Try again," he said, motioning for you to pick up your sword. You followed the Hashira's instructions and took your stance ready to try again, even though you felt your confidence shaking.

Within the same amount of time, maybe even shorter, Muichiro had disarmed you in the same way yet again.

The Hashira let out a big sigh and rubbed his forehead, "Try again, and remember what I told you last time. Don't be fooled by your opponent pushing so hard that may be exactly what they want you to focus on so they can get you with a surprise attack."

"Right ok!" You said and grabbed your sword again ready to spar once more. Although, you were confused by Muichiro's words. Don't focus on him so hard? What did that mean? You didn't have the courage to ask though so you prepared to try again.

This time he disarmed you even faster than the last time.

"No," he said. "That is the problem, you aren't listening. You have to get better if you ever want respect in the Demon Slayer Crops."

You felt Muichiro's words slice your heart in two. Did that mean he didn't respect you? Just as you were starting to think you two were getting closer.

These must be his true perceptions of you, and you must have been foolish to think he was starting to warm up to you and enjoy your company. He must think training with you was a waste of his time.

You didn't know what to say but you swallowed the lump in your throat and opened your mouth anyway knowing you had to say something. Just then Muichiro's crow appeared on a branch above you two announcing he was being summoned for a mission.

"Alright then, I'll see you later," He said and turned to follow his crow. You nodded but did not respond.

For the first time, you found yourself thankful for an abrupt ending to your time with Muichiro. Now you didn't have to worry about holding back the lump in your throat and the stinging in your eyes at his harsh words.

You followed the path in the woods back to your place feeling warm tears begin to drop. The more you thought about Muichiro's words, the more painful they became. Should you even stop bothering the Hashira to spend time with you? After today it seemed clear he would never feel the same way you did about him.

Why would he? The voice in your head tormented you. He is an amazing, beautiful Hashira, and you're nothing in comparison.

"What's wrong with you?" You heard come from above. Blinking away tears, you looked up to see Obanai resting in a tree.

Amazing artwork done by @valartsstuff!

Tags~

@sakurasunkiss @aeolia18 @unofficialmuilover @demonslayeranimex @yandere-kou @snowmist-hashira

[alexanderlightweight]

I posted this to ao3 for someone i know who doesn't have a tumblr, but I'll share it on here as well.

this is a follow up and expansion into Magnus/Alec's battlelust date in portugal when the rifts open

-

Magnus stops his art to admire his canvas, enjoying the tilted face and closed eyes, the long lashes trustingly resting on high cheekbones that Magnus is brushing over.

“I adore you,” Magnus can’t help but whisper and his breathe fans over the glitter he hasn’t yet set, spreading magic across Alexander’s face.

“I love you too,” Alexander murmurs back. “But if you keep doing this, I’m going to ruin your hard work by kissing you.”

“I wouldn’t mind.” Magnus freely admits, perfectly fine with the passion he has for his boy, “I can start over.”

Alexander peeks his long, gloriously thick lashes open and squints suspiciously at him.

“Babe, you’ve restarted three times. I thought we were going to that flower festival somewhere?”

“You and your flowers,” Magnus teases lightly. However, he’s pleased more than actually upset, delighted at how much Alexander has opened up with and for him, how the keeps trusting pieces of himself with Magnus and then entrusting even more.

“Yes, my flowers.” Alexander says smugly and wrinkles his nose, like a bunny. “Now hurry up, I’d like to have time to watch you pick your clothes.”

It’s a charming habit that Alexander enjoys watching Magnus find them both the perfect outfit.

Magnus finishes his artwork, the petals carefully drawn out and set with shimmering lines of magic that won’t be smeared or lose their sheen.

“Now, then—” Magnus announces and uses magic to throw open their closet doors. He’s about to start when a fire message comes his way, he reads it and his smirk grows. “Change of plans, lovely! A dozen rifts have open in the south of Portugal, coordinates to come. Shall we take a detour, go to the festival tomorrow instead?”

Alexander grins, a matching expression of gleeful delight. “Sounds nice.”

“Oh—” Magnus can’t help how his expression falls, “I’ll have to do something about this.” He murmurs and reaches out, magic sparking on his fingers and Alexander captures them, kissing the magic away.

“Don’t you dare, Magnus.” Alexander says, voice low and eyes amorous, “this is a date, not a mission. Are you trying to take my flower crown away, babe? I thought you liked them on me.”

“Never,” Magnus says in delight as he magicks a small cluster of flowers over from the vanity and he snaps them both into their battle-gear. “I have a matching boutonniere, my dear.” And once it’s tucked into the pocket of his vest, he cups his boy’s face. “I was merely worried about the shine of the glitter affecting your vision.”

Instead of melting at the concern, his darling boy huffs in disbelief and his face twists into a scowling pout.

“I’ve killed demons half blinded by ichor before, Magnus.” Alexander grumbles as he summons his weapons and makes sure his boots are tight enough.

They are.

“Honestly, Magnus. Glitter is annoying and can be uncomfortable sometimes but it doesn’t literally sear you raw and take out your sight. Your priorities, babe. Sometimes they make no sense.”

Magnus stares in utter shock as he gets the last of his own outfit ready. “Alexander, did you really just try that with me? Do you not remember your own priorities? Or that time you tackled a demon off that resort balcony — while naked? On the fifth floor might I add!”

“It was trying to steal our breakfast Magnus and there were strawberries with the waffles. What was I supposed to do, let it win?”

Magnus stares at this ridiculous, hopeless man who he has so ardently dedicated himself too and been met with devoted to in turn.

“Oh, lovely how do I ever try to resist you.” Magnus says and he crosses over and pulls his boy into a passionate, hungry kiss.

“I didn’t know you tried.” Alexander murmurs, voice low and hoarse and his lips chasing Magnus’ own.  They kiss, unhindered or distracted for a few minutes before Magnus pulls himself away with a slick pop and forces himself to make a portal. 

“Your battleground awaits, my love.” Magnus says holding out his hand for Alexander to take before he steps through the portal and he exits first, using his magic to keep the portal open as he helps Alexander out, a warrior descending from his chariot.

His love is magnificent, a circlet of plum blossoms crowns his brow and the outline of a peony in full bloom across his face, the lines a soft peach that shimmer in the dying sun.

Alexander looks like a god of war, come to scatter petals for the dead and destroy whoever dared stand before him.

Magnus personally chose his clothes, a leather jacket woven with abyssal silk and studded with demon pearls, every single one imbued with a different array of protection or spell of endurance, each the red of Magnus’ battle-magic.

The only adamas Alexander has ever allowed on his battle-gear after he met Magnus, is the steel tipped toes of his boots and the tiny spikes of adamas on his soles.

Magnus wears dragonscale shoes in return, just in case they want to dance after a battle and Alexander steps on his toes, again.

A graceful warrior his shadowhunter may be, but a graceful man in the face of Magnus’ delight he is not.

Magnus’ own outfit is as dark as Alexander’s but threaded with spidersilk harvested by moonmoth fairies. They spin the webs on willow branches in the light of the moon until they shine with the same glow. It also is the same glow as Alexander’s blessed weapons and witchlight. Magnus wears a circlet of magical platinum, pure grade and harvested in the mines of the Spiral Labyrinth.

Perhaps it’s not quite as charming as his Alexander’s own crown, but the magic stored in it is what helps Magnus tames Edom’s magic and harvest what his flames devour to renew himself.

Together, they step onto the ravaged earth and look across. There are shadowhunters and warlocks working together across the plain and Magnus casually disintegrates a demon that scuttles too close.

“Oh dear,” he murmurs, and he surveys it with a friend. “I’m sorry darling, I fear I expected a bit more. Is this too boring? We can still make the festival.”

“But Magnus.” Alexander is looking at him with feral delight, his eyes huge and wondrously amorous, “it’s been so long since we’ve danced.”

Then Alexander is ducking under the sweeping but lumbering tail of a demon, gloved hand touching down, his bare fingers brushing the earth as he lashes out with his foot.

The demon explodes in a burst of ash and ichor as the spikes on Alexander’s boots and the force of his kick crush it’s orbital bones into its brain.

“You are a delight.” Magnus admits and he sends a spear of magic through a demon thinking it might sneak behind. “Well, then, a waltz to begin?” And Magnus ducks under Alexander’s arm as his love draws his bow, notching an arrow and plucking a demon from the sky.

“If we get closer to the rifts, we might get around to a tango.” Alexander, his charming boy chuckles, dark and hoarse and alite with the thrill of a brutal, deadly dance.

—

Alec lets himself settle into the rhythm and delight of a good battle with Magnus at his back.

There’s a simple joy in it, in the harmony of their backs pressed together, of knowing when to duck and trust or when to take the lead and protect. There’s an indescribably beauty and Alec knows the luxury he’s been gifted.

A king’s ransom that other shadowhunters would kill to experience.

Magnus changed, after Edom and Alec is certain that now, that in the entire world there is no one more powerful than Magnus.

Alec is still stunned by it, in awe of it and flustered by it.

Magnus is still Magnus, despite all his power and glory and Alec adores him all the more for it.

Like how he spends his time painting flowers in a prism of magic across Alec’s face or grows entire trees just to gather blossoms for Alec’s crowns.

Each time Magnus wreaths him in magic and flowers, Alec feels his heartbeat thud as if he’s meeting Magnus again for the first time.

It’s with a smile that he shoves his fist through a demon’s maw and rips out its jaw, hissing at the sting of ichor.

No sooner has he felt the sting than it’s soothed, the flower petals on his brow glowing softly as they imbue him with healing and Alec can’t help the small, tiny smile that it brings him.

“You can’t smile like that,” Magnus bemoans and Alec knows he’s just teasing so he smiles a little broader, hopelessly charmed by Magnus’ teasing. “Alexander, my heart. How can you tease me so in the middle of such a dance.”

“How can I not smile when I look at you?” Alec asks, “when I think of how much you love me. How amazing your magic is and how I’m covered in it. What am I supposed to do, Magnus? Pretend I’m not awed every day at how much you love and want me?”

Magnus makes a mournful sound and then his magic explodes, bursting out of him in a shockwave that disintegrates every demonic being within three-hundred yards and sends two dozen shaowhunters flat on their asses.

Magnus grabs him and dips him, kissing Alec with a fervor that ignites Alec’s battlefever and his lust. He chases the kiss, but Magnus pushes him back with a smug, laughing smirk.

“Oh, the things I’m going to do to you when we’re done.” Magnus promises and Alec lets a laugh of delight and draws another arrow, waiting for the demons to recover and ignoring the ache of his hard cock against the seam of his pants.

“I can’t wait.” He promises because it’s true.

—

“Commander!” Alec hears and he mutters a scathing remark that has Magnus tittering and blasting a demon with a bit too much force as he tries to stifle it.

“What?” He asks as he avoids ducking and instead stabs the approaching demon. Ichor splatters across his face and Alec can’t help it. “Fucking demons better not stain my goddamn flower crown.”

He turns to see a shocked, frightened, and clearly worn hunter.

“Commander, are you reinforcements, what should be done? I’m not sure what formation to send them out in.”

He’s asked Alec rolls his eyes because he’s honestly disappointed.

“You’re a ranked shadowhunters, you know what to do or you wouldn’t be here. Focus on your own people and let us be. I’m on a date, not here to save you.”

Alec leaves the gawping hunter to return to Magnus’ side, irritated about the absence even though it lasted mere moments.

In a battle, mere moments can decide victory. It’s with an extra vicious kick that Alec accidentally knocks the demon’s head clear off, the toes of his boot severing the spinal attachment and sending it bouncing across the field. It rolls for a moment before it explodes, as if the body had only just realized it was dead.

They fight until they’re bored, dusk turning into twilight and Alec is ravenous for a different kind of battle, a different kind of fight where he has no intention of winning and every intention of absolutely enjoying his loss.

[alpaca-clouds]

Remembering Digimon Alpha Generation

(Commission done by mel0dy)

Given it is still Digimon month, I cannot help but be kinda nostalgic about the fandom. Because, again, it was my longest hyperfixation. I had other hyperfixations, yes, but not a single one lasted me as long as Digimon did.

And I just wanna ramble about my Digimon fanseries that I wrote back then.

The year was 2006 when I created a goggle boy named Yuki Denrei for what was originally meant to be an RPG maker fangame, on which I was writing. But the team around that fangame kinda broke apart so by 2008 I was kinda like: "Hey, maybe I gotta make something else with this character." And then: "Hey, doesn't it kinda suck, that Digimon Tamers never got a sequel?"

So I sat down and started writing on my own sequel for Digimon Tamers. It was called Digimon Alpha Generation. The idea at the time came from the fact that we did have the Card Game Alpha (that did not last quite that long) happening at the time. And so I just made the hook that the main characters here were using Digivices to scan the Card Game Alpha Cards, rather than those of the original card game.

Now, my own writing back then was still kinda a mess, but the story went something like this:

The year is 2008, when rebellious teenager Yuki Denrei gets a mysterious invite to a card game fight. The girl who had challenged him is a weird one, though. As they talk she wants to find out which is the card he trusts over all others. And when he is unable to give a proper answer, she summons a Digimon on him. A real Digimon! The only reason Denrei survives this encounter is, that suddenly a card from his deck materializes into Dracomon. Soon enough, Denrei finds out that there are other Digimon Tamers around. Teenagers like him, who have Digimon partners. But again and again that mysterious girl keeps showing up, challenging and the other tamers into fights...

Again, my writing back then was messy as fuck. It took me years to complete the story (that ended up with about 250k words) and I did not have a concrete plan where I was going with it the entire time.

All I knew at the beginning was, that I wanted to have the demon lords as antagonists and wanted to have a more international story happening. Which is why the entire middle arc has the tamers world travelling.

It was an interesting experience as a writer, though.

I knew from the very beginning, that the main trio for this story was gonna be Denrei, a lone wolf character named Shoji, and a now 14yo Shiuchon. Due to Shiuchon having her partner from the very beginning, she is in fact the first one out of this trio reaching the Ultimate level (in the half-way final).

But it was interesting as given I had only rough ideas plotted out, I could kinda react to what the readers at the time were thinking. For example, the peopled fucking adored Shoji (he ended up as the fan favorite character out of all the Digimon Tamers stuff I wrote), so I gave him more scenes. And folks started shipping Denrei and Shiuchon, so I gave the two of them more scenes together and had them end up together in a later story.

I personally loved Denrei, because man I wrote a lot of my parent related anger issues into this character. But I also had so much fun writing Shiuchon in this as a type of character we really never quite got in Digimon. A female, very straight forward character who just says it as it is. And also... is kinda flirty with everyone. xD

At times I still wanna translate the story into English. But then again: 250k - and the sequel story has anther 250k. So a total of 500k - and that is without all the side stories.

And again, it was kinda a mess. So the temptation would be there to rather do a rewrite of Alpha Generation. I don't know. Just thinking.

Might talk about the sequel, too, in the coming days.

(Commission artwork by mel0dy.)

[veskscans]

Shin Megami Tensei II PlayStation manual art by Kazuma Kaneko and Megumi Shiraishi, 2001. Scanned at 800 DPI, 4898x4829.

https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1kJiHHbLIkKuUhZGpi8au_0A-kDFxcnpO?usp=share_link

As already stated, this piece was drawn for SMT II’s PlayStation manual cover. It also predates the game’s release by a year, so it was probably done during the latter half of 2001. Onto the characters, this piece features bust-ups of Aleph, Beth, Hiroko, Gimmel, Daleth and Zayin. The brush used for them is quite thick, unlike the thin one used in this game’s individual character and demon artwork. Before anyone goes making Gorillaz comparisons, take note that this predates their Demon Days album by a whole four years, lol.

Since there isn’t any commentary for this piece, or anything interesting I can observe, I’ll be providing some general character and design information below. Take note that there’ll be some major spoilers for SMT II. All of the information is sourced from Kazuma Kaneko Works II and III, translated by myself, so apologies for any mistakes.

Aleph, meaning 'one' or 'bull' in Hebrew, is the amnesiac protagonist of SMT II. At the start of the game, he was the only warrior belonging to the Okamoto Gym, where he was given the name 'Hawk'. During training inside a virtual battle, he is given the demon summoning program by STEVEN.

After becoming champion of the colosseum, he is informed of his true name and purpose of being a messiah. He follows orders until he meets his creator, Dr Mekata, and learns that he is an artificial human created by the Centre. He then begins to follow his own path.

Aleph is actually very young, probably 8ish, but appears older. He is well-liked by women, possibly due to their innate maternal instincts, and is very attractive overall. However, the only person in Aleph's heart is Hiroko. Notice the pretty significant COMP redesigns for the PS release. Aleph had a unique, goggled one in his SFC design, whereas Daleth had more of an SMT I one. Now they both have these visor ones.

Beth, meaning 'two' or 'house' in Hebrew, is one of SMT II's main characters. She is a female Temple Knight belonging to the Centre and was artificially created as Aleph's ideal partner. She wears white and blue, colours symbolic of Messianic faith, and is adorned with cross symbols. After Aleph is recognised as the true Messiah, she devotes herself to him and stands by his side with full support, but inevitably loses her life while shielding him from Daleth. Her actions go beyond the scope of command and were done purely out of love for Aleph. Her soul can later be found in the Chesed area of the Demon World.

Beth's design is very similar to the Heroine from the first game, whom Beth is in fact a reincarnation of. Her death is what causes the SMT I Hero statue to weep.

Gimmel, meaning 'three' or 'camel' in Hebrew, is one of the main characters of SMT II. He is the most intelligent of the humans created in the Messiah Project, a trait which is reflected in his design. Both his lyre and laurel headpiece are inspired by Apollo, Greek god of poetry and art. Gimmel is the administrator of Arcadia, a virtual city in cyberspace that was modelled after the Millennium Kingdom. There he is worshipped as a saviour, but in reality, his actual appearance is a stark contrast to that of Gimmel’s perfect virtual body.

Daleth, meaning 'four' or 'door' in Hebrew, is one of the main characters and antagonists of SMT II. He was created as a counterpart to the Messiah, Aleph, and fights him for the title of true Messiah. However, during battle, he accidentally kills Beth, who defended Aleph at the cost of her own life. The 'door' meaning of his name represents an ordeal through which Aleph must pass. Fleeing after his defeat, he meets the fairy Hanoun, who falls in love with him. Daleth also falls in love with her, after being afflicted with the Fidelity Sap. He then abandons his desire for vengeance and lives with Hanoun.

The way Kaneko Works describes it, neither Aleph nor Daleth were strictly destined to be Messiah, but they both had the potential. That is to say, it’s not as if there is a strictly true or false side between Daleth and Aleph’s battle. As such, Daleth's design draws heavily from the Hero's design from the first game, and as Daleth and Aleph are counterparts, they too are similar in design.

Zayin, meaning 'seven' or 'weapon' in Hebrew, is a law-abiding man and the final prototype of the Messiah Project. He is powerful Temple Knight and proudly displays a cross on his chest, under which he is wrapped in a sarashi (bleached cloth). He is characterized by his eyes, which show the strength of his will, and by his angular, long face and hair. He carries out his orders of monitoring Aleph, but begins to doubt the methods of the Center. After being defeated by Aleph, he acts on his convictions and exposes the atrocities of the Center while freeing citizens from concentration camps. However, he later turns himself in after the Center threatens the lives of innocent civilians. Later on in the game, he fuses with Seth to become Satan.

It might be a little confusing as to why the names jump from ‘four’ (Daleth) to ‘seven’ (Zayin), but there’s a few possible explanations. Firstly, God created the world in seven days, so seven is often seen a symbol of completeness. Zayin is the final and most complete prototype of the Messiah Project, so that could be why he was given seven. Secondly, five and six may have been left out because they are are heh and vav, as in Yod Heh Vav Heh, YHVH (thanks to Kid Capes for pointing this out to me). Finally, and most simply, Heh and Vav would suck as names, so ATLUS staff could have skipped over them since Zayin is (objectively) way cooler.

Last one. Hiroko is one of the major characters SMT II. Unlike the other characters, she was not born from the Messiah Project, so her name doesn’t come from the Hebrew alphabet. She does take part in the project, however, and is an elite Temple Knight and daughter of one of the project's leaders, Dr Mekata. She is forced to undergo artificial insemination and becomes the surrogate mother of Aleph, but her memories were wiped once her fertilised egg was removed. She begins to remember her child and eventually comes to meet Aleph, not realising who he is until she reunites with her father, Mekata, and he tells them the truth. Hiroko is the only character to stick by Aleph's side until the very end, no matter which ending you choose. Hiroko's position, design and strong character suggest the image of Lilith, Adam's first wife. The whip wrapped around her body is likely symbolic of a serpent.

P.S., all of the character art was seemingly drawn down to the waist, but cut off much higher for the final piece. Here’s a scan from the SMT II Official Perfect Guide.

[yukidragon]

I put this as a reply to your incubus AU head cannon post, but I thought I should send it as an official ask. Out of curiosity, what does this AU look like if it took place in a modern setting (kinda similar to your Alice as a half-vampire chapter)?

I saw your reply. I was going to respond to it, but I appreciate that you sent it as an ask. That makes it a lot easier on me to answer it. I’m glad you like the fantasy version of the incubus Jack AU so much. 💕 I think I could probably come up with some ideas that are more contemporary fantasy for a demonic Jack similar to the vampire AU.

Let’s start with the regular universe as our base like in the vampire AU. As always with these more specific scenarios, I’ll be using my version of the MC, Alice. Things go pretty similarly to Sunshine in Hell when it comes to Alice’s background - she’s human, broke up with Ian after a failed attempt to make their relationship work after he cheated. Then everything changes when Jack arrives.

Jack will be the one whose background is most changed from the game universe, I’d wager. Though it would be kind of funny if all that’s changed is that instead of being the star of a kids TV show, he was a movie actor and died while in the role of an incubus.

Then again, with a costume like this, Jack would probably be acting in a porno given how it’s a bit too revealing for a mainstream movie in the 80′s.

I mean, it’s tempting, and it’d fit the spirit of a smutty sex demon, but let’s stick with Jack being an actual incubus, shall we?

As always, all credit goes to Sauce for their fantastic artwork that they’ve freely shared with us publicly on the their (now gone) twitter, as well the official Sunny Day Jack twitter and the official Sunny Day Jack tumblr.

Remember, don’t repost anything privately posted on the SnaccPop Patreon. Let’s do our best to show them our support for all their hard work with these fantastic games, shall we?

Now, back to the AU crafting.

Since we’re sticking with Jack being an actual incubus, let’s use the setup I came up with for the ‘cubi race in the fantasy version of the AU to start as our base. However, let’s have a few little changes to fit with the theme of a contemporary fantasy in a modern setting where, overall, people have no idea supernatural things like demons (sexual or otherwise) actually exist.

I’ve got to admit, I went back and forth on which direction I wanted to go with a modern version of the setting. I was torn between Jack being a natural born ‘cubi, or if he was transformed into one due to a ritual. Instead of being turned into a ghost(?) through a murder while filming, he would be transformed into a ‘cubi through some ritual.

If I were to go with that route, the questions then is who did it and why. Imagine if it was a failed attempt by Joseph (reinventing himself as Jack Haberdae after he ran away) to find love. He was so desperate for love that he participated in a magic ritual that supposedly would grant his desire, but instead was transformed, enslaved, and trapped. If someone tricked him, then it was for nefarious purposes. If he did it out of ignorance of what would really happen, then it would be a tragedy.

While that is tempting, let’s just go with the simple classic natural born ‘cubi background. ‘Cubi are supernatural entities from a different plane of existence who can be summoned to the human realm to feast on sexual energy. They have a pretty simple system in place - humans who know their ritual summon them for sex, and the ‘cubi get their desire-based energy in return. Both parties are consenting and both of them get something they want out of the transaction.

Like the fantasy version of the AU, the default for ‘cubi is that they are aromantic pansexual. However, like in anything, there will be exceptions, and Jack is one of those exceptions. Unlike other demons, he craves love. If he didn’t know that’s what he wanted, it would be a wordless feeling of want in him. He tries to fill that want with sexual energy and learning amazing sex techniques, but, ultimately, it’s all empty. He is fed, and the sex is good, but there’s a hole inside him that is never filled.

I imagine eventually Jack figures out that what he’s missing... though that doesn’t necessarily help him find it, especially not in a place full of demons incapable of love. It just makes him long for it all the more, and envy the humans who can find real love, and not cheap lust.

It doesn’t help that the demon realm isn’t exactly a pleasant place. Jack doesn’t exactly get along with other demons, even other ‘cubi. He struggles to make connections, though he is charismatic. When he was younger he had a really hard time and had to become tougher as a result. He might be an excellent lover, but he knows how to shed blood if the situation calls for it.

So, yeah, Jack has a bit of a devilish side to him, you might say.

(Yes it was an excuse to flash this gorgeous incubus Jack pic by Sauce again and make a pun. What of it?)

Now let’s switch over to Alice. On the night Ian confessed to cheating on her, she drowned her sorrows in alcohol. In the regular SDJ universe, this led to her getting seriously injured. In this universe, well... I did mention she was a pastel goth during her college days, didn’t I?

Alice has an interest in “witchy” things, stories of supernatural entities, rituals, and other stuff like that. In this universe, one of the books she got her hands on was a lot more real than she ever expected. While intoxicated, she got the “brilliant” idea to summon an incubus. After all, if Ian could cheat then so could she!

It really is a wonder that Alice actually performed the ritual correctly in her drunken state. Jack was only mildly surprised, as he wasn’t a stranger to drunk college students trying to summon a sex demon for thrills. It was disappointing, as he wasn’t about to take advantage of someone intoxicated and unable to consent. A shame too, since this one was so cute...

Alice, however, panicked when the ritual worked, since even in her alcohol-addled brain, she didn’t actually want to call for a demonic hook up, it was just a strange train of disjointed logic that didn’t actually make sense. Jack fortunately knew how to handle a drunk college student and calmed her down, promising not to do anything to her that she doesn’t want him to do.

Jack surprised Alice by being so friendly. Why was a demon being so nice? Why was summoning a sex demon the first ritual to ever work for her?

Why did Ian cheat on her?

Alice broke down crying and poured her heart out about what she just went through with Ian, as well as other issues with the relationship that plagued her for a while. Jack comforted her, got her some water, and listened as best he could despite how being drunk made her story a bit hard to understand at times. Still, he picked up the basics - boyfriend cheated on her, claimed to love her even after cheating, and boyfriend has a habit of hurting her then offering apologies.

Jack insisted that wasn’t love. What Ian felt for her couldn’t be love. How could it be? Love was this beautiful, glorious thing. He dreamed every day to finally experience it for himself. He wanted it so, so badly. If he found it, there’s no way he would ever let that go.

No, what Ian felt was lust. He lusted for Alice and, without her around, he found someone else to lust for. Jack has seen it far, far too many times.

Alice protests - Ian only ever wanted her because he loved her. She’s fat and ugly and gross and no one would ever lust after her.

Jack is more than a little surprised at the assertion then frowns. He asks if Ian told Alice that, now liking Ian even less. She answers no, but Ian said that he told her she was the only one he wanted to have sex with. What they had is special...

Of course, saying that just makes Alice burst into tears again as she wonders what is wrong with her, why wasn’t she good enough, why did Ian lie, etc.

Jack does his best to comfort her. He asks if Alice would want a hug, and she nods.

It’s a surprisingly warm hug. Alice buries her face against his gently glowing chest, right at the center of the heart marked there. Jack can’t help but marvel at how nice it is to hold her.

Jack tells Alice, once she’s calmer, that whoever told her those lies about her is wrong. She’s so beautiful, and so soft... Her heartbeat quickens at the praise, but she doesn’t believe it. He goes into more detail about things about her that he finds appealing, and as a sex demon he is an expert at sexual attraction. It gets to the point that it starts being overwhelming for her, but at the same time she needs to hear it right now.

Eventually, Jack manages to calm Alice down enough that she starts to get sleepy. He carries her off to bed. He was going to leave her to sleep it off after putting her safely on her side, but she clings to him, tears still in her eyes, as she begs him not to leave her alone.

Jack feels his heart squeeze at the request. He wasn’t exactly planning on leaving the apartment in the first place, since he stays in the human realm for as long as the summoner doesn’t send him back - why would he stay in that hellish place otherwise? Still, it’s an invitation he can’t refuse. He cuddles up with her in the bed, stroking her back and hair and speaking in soft soothing tones until she falls asleep.

Her desire, purely platonic, feels so sweet but has such a sad note to it. Still, Jack finds it strangely filling, even when compared to full sexual encounters.

The next morning Alice doesn’t remember much, hung over and in pain. Naturally, she’s pretty shocked by the presence of an incubus in her bed, though quickly she pieces things together. What helps is how sweet Jack is being, getting her water, medicine, and even making her breakfast. Is he really a sex demon?

Jack gave Alice a sultry smile and struck a sensual pose as he asked if she wanted him to prove it. Now that she was sober, it meant she could give her consent.

Alice, naturally, rejects the idea with intense embarrassment, lamenting that she was so stupid as to summon a demon while drunk. What’s weird is that the book was torn up in places, probably damaged while in her drunken state. Or at least that’s the implication. Jack got rid of the parts of the book that would show how to banish him back to the demon realm. He would rather not go back, thank you very much.

Still... for as shocking as it was that Jack appeared, he’s surprisingly kind and helpful. When Alice asks him not to flirt with her or use innuendo, he stops and sincerely apologizes for making her uncomfortable, never doing it again (at least not until they get together as a couple when she gives him permission of course~) He can even transform to pass for a human. They wind up rooming together, as Alice is responsible for summoning him and that summoning did create a temporary bond between them until the summoning is undone.

The two become friends and get close far faster than either expected. Jack picks a random last name (Haberdae, after a district in the demon dimension or some place he found ironic) and takes on a fake identity as an exchange student. Magic helps a lot with making fake identification paperwork.

Between Jack’s gentle advice and experience, plus Shaun and her other friends offering their input, Alice breaks it off with Ian despite the apologies Ian keeps bombarding her with. She moves to a new place and Jack goes with her as her roommate. She’s still amazed at how quickly they become friends despite the strange situation, but he really is just so sweet and kind to her it’s hard not to like him.

Alice still gets the job at yogurtopia and so does Jack. He has more fun getting into the role of yogurt-slinging clown than she does and has a way of charming the customers into buying more. He also has a way of talking the boss Barry into not pushing so much overtime onto either of them. The job is still cringe, but it feels less awful with a friend working shifts with her.

Jack doesn’t exactly have much in the way of a goal beyond staying with Alice at the start, but that changes over time. The more he’s around her, the more he finds a sense of fulfilment that no one else has ever given him. She’s not looking at him like a piece of meat to pleasure her... though, to be fair, he would enjoy it if she did. She’s so kind, caring, and sweet... he just can’t help falling in love with her.

Alice makes Jack feel love. Finally, after so, so long aching for it, he finally found it... and he will not let anyone take her away from him. Soon he finds that all he wants is to stay with her, always.

Unfortunately Alice doesn’t love Jack, not in the way he does for her, at least not yet. Still, he’s patient. He’ll do whatever it takes to keep basking in his sunshine’s warm, happy light and make her so satisfied that she won’t ever even think of getting trying to send him back.

Someday Jack wants their bond to be so strong that he leaves a soul mark on Alice to bind the two of them together... forever. But only if she wants it. He just has to do everything in his power to entice her into wanting forever with him.

Over time, Alice starts to fall for Jack despite herself. His status as a sex demon is very intimidating, but he’s always so sweet and kind. He never forces her to do anything she doesn’t want, and he always reminds her that he won’t ever do anything she doesn’t want. He respects her boundaries and puts her comfort first. It’s just hard for her to find the courage to change their relationship after Ian hurt her so badly.

The same can’t be said for other people interested in getting together with Alice. When a certain customer asks her if she has a boyfriend, she seizes up with fear. Fortunately, Jack is right there, not as an invisible entity, but as a big imposing man with a friendly smile that has quite a sharp edge to it.

Unlike the game, Jack can’t exactly sweet talk Alice right in front of Nick without Nick overhearing, so that tactic won’t work. He can’t coax her into saying yes then and there. He can, however, say that actually he and Alice have a movie date tonight.

This is true. Alice sometimes calls their movie nights after work a movie date. Jack doesn’t say a single lie, but through “pleasant” conversation, he manages to imply very strongly that they’re dating. Nick, dejected, leaves, as he gets the hint that he’s been rejected.

Alice is relieved in the aftermath, but flustered by the implications. She thanks Jack for pretending to be her boyfriend to help her out of that situation, but he says it doesn’t have to be a lie.

This leads to a bit more of a conversation between them on the topic of the two of them dating, and Alice, though terrified of being hurt again, takes the plunge and accepts. Jack, naturally, is absolutely thrilled by this, and of course melts when he coaxes her into admitting that she loves him. It felt even better than he imagined.

It’s not a quick jump to sex, no matter how much Jack would enjoy that. Still, he easily accepts Alice’s request for them to take things slowly. It’s absolutely fine, because her love is so much more filling than any sexual encounter he’s ever had... but oh, how he looks forward to finally making love to his sunshine.

Naturally, when they finally do make love, Jack has the most amazing meal he’s ever had in his life. If he wasn’t addicted to Alice before, he is now, and if someone tries to get between him and his sunshine, well... there’s going to be hell to pay.

@channydraws @earthgirlaesthetic @sai-of-the-7-stars @cheriihoney

[pinkiepiebones]

I'm feeling down because my ghouls are so weird compared to the rest of the fanon.

-My ghouls are not born, grow, age, or die. They are entities constructed by the forces of Hell for the purposes of servitude.

-The ghouls in the church were initially summoned to assist in building the church, tending the land, watching livestock, etc.

-All ghouls are nameless because it is far easier to summon a nameless entity than on you need to know the true names of.

-Ghouls do not rank on a scale of demons because they have no lineages or histories.

-Ghouls have no muscle or bone or organs or nerves and no need to eat or sleep, which makes them very handy for menial labour. This is also the reason ghouls were chosen for the band project.

-Ghouls have elemental tethers which bind them to Earth. The elements are denotes by the tips of their tails- Fire Ghouls have triangles (think stereotypical devil artwork), Air Ghouls have fluffy tufts of feathers, Water Ghouls have a shape that strongly resembles a whale's fluke, Earth Ghouls have slightly concave spades, and Aether Ghouls have five-point stars.

-No ghouls are multi-elemental.

-Fire Ghouls radiate heat and can touch flame/ be consumed by flame. Air Ghouls can cause things to levitate and generate air currents. Water Ghouls can endure immense water depths and replenish vessels almost without end. Earth Ghouls can "kickstart" plant growth and heal damaged plants. Aether Ghouls can detect the strength/ purity of magical items and hear the cosmos.

-Upon first arriving from Hell a ghoul must commune with it's tether. Fire Ghouls self-immolate, Air Ghouls launch into the clouds, Water Ghouls head for the lake, Earth Ghouls dig "graves," and Aether Ghouls are typically seen falling backwards onto the ground, directly under whichever celestial body is giving off the strongest cosmic radiation at the time. Similarly, ghouls must occasionally recharge with their elemental tether, or they begin to exhibit withdrawal symptoms (dull feathers, peeling skin that falls off and leaves oily stains, inability to shapeshift or glamour, etc. )

-All ghouls have two horns, two ears, two solid black eyes, two hands resembling the talons of a bird of prey, two wings, two humanoid legs with cloven hooves taking up approximately half the length of the foot, and one tail.

-Ghouls are sexless and genderless by default. Some choose to change this. -Ghouls can vary in height and width and tail length.

-The horns and ears of a ghoul can vary wildly, but a ghoul will have identical accessories, i.e., no "one curled horn and one straight horn" or "one long ear and one short ear." A ghoul's horns and ears may become damaged, but that does not fundamentally change the fact that their horns and ears are pairs.

-Any damage- such as a notched ear or a broken horn- can only be repaired by a ghoul willingly returning to Hell and bathing in the primordial ooze from which it was initally summoned.

-To order a ghoul back to Hell is to unmake them. It is not death, but something more cruel in it's finality.

-A ghoul's wings a vague upon summoning due to the aforementioned lack of bones/ muscle/ etc. A ghoul can decide whether or not to make them look more appropriately wing-like. Most choose a bat-like structure.

-A ghoul's skin is usually a dark matte grey, with a pebbly look to it upon close inspection, but they feel quite smooth and cool to the touch (with the exception of fire ghouls).

-A ghoul's hair is actually very thin feathers. It just happens to exist on their heads and strongly resembles human hair. These feathers are typically black.

-All ghouls have a stony structure refered to as a "face plate." It resembles the Meliora ghoul look in that it is a largely featureless face, save for the black eyes.

-A ghoul's glamour and shapeshifting are not infinite; they are more like the camouflage abilities of a cuttlefish in that they are able to manipulate the colours and textures of their default forms. The band ghouls have been coached over the years in using their inate glamouring and shapeshifting abilities to create the illusion that they are humans in costumes and masks. Some of the costuming is real fabric, the rest is the ghoul.

-My ghouls communicate telepathically; however, their telepathy just so happens to hit the part of the human brain that causes panic and nausea. Thusly ghouls do not typically consort with humans out of politeness. Much of the clergy staff/ religious figures (bishops, cardinals, etc) are chosen because they don't seem to be affected by ghoulspeak.

-The nameless ghoul called Special has, for whatever reason, a broken telepathy that tricks the human mind into processing it as audible stimulus. It's the main reason he got his job as spokesghoul.

-The nameless ghoul called Special also coaches the band ghouls in shapeshifting. In the Prequelle era Special had to teach them not only how to form convincing teeth/ tongues/ mouths, but also how to form a rudimentary of "vocal chords" through which telepathy could be "bounced" so as to safely provide backing vocals.

-The nameless ghoul called Special has been identifying as he/him for thirty or so years and has created what he obnoxiously refers to as a "humansona." This behaviour is not encouraged in other ghouls.

-The nameless ghoul called Special is Copia's best friend (and more). This is the first instance of human/ghoul companionship in the church in centuries.

-The Air Ghoul from Papa Nihil's first band attempt is the very same nameless ghoul called "Sunshine." No one can explain how a ghoul unmade over fifty years ago came to be reformed. The Devil's machinations are at times hard to puzzle out.

-The "core" band ghouls from the Opus era (one of each elemental tether) are the same ghouls we see today. Sister Imperator thought it would be easier to keep training the same group instead of unmaking a group and training a new group for every album.

-Ghouls can walk up/down walls and stand on ceilings. Very useful when you need stained glass scrubbed or cobwebs dusted.

-Ghoul tails are entirely prehensile due to the lack of bones and muscles.

-When not actively engaged in tasks, ghouls tend to cluster in groups on ceilings or in corners and converse with one another on wavelengths humans cannot detect.

-Ghouls have a body language all their own- for example, it has been observed that a ghoul gently shaking it's folded wings against it's back is a sign akin to laughter. A ghoul with it's arms crossed is not angry or pensive, but curious. A ghoul flicking it's tail about is not anxious or joyous, but listening intently.

-While ghouls do not have families they do often collect in groups of about a dozen or so, all of the same element, in the same general areas.

-Ghouls sometimes collect things- animal bones, broken glass, incense ashes. Now and then a congregant will have a baby and ghouls will be seen leaving these trinkets in it's stroller. As of yet no one has been able to determine why.

-Only in the past decade or so has the church begun to treat ghouls more as equals than as wretched servants.

... That's all for now.

[snippychicke]

For the Sake of a Smile | Ch. Eighteen

Fandom: Welcome to Demon School, Iruma-kun

Pairing: Balam Shichiro/Reader

Summary: Hell on earth was your motto for your job. Granted, you were pretty sure earth really was hell, considering the shit you had seen. And the fact your coworker was a child. Suzuki Iruma, in fact. A kid who’s life was decidedly worse than yours, but smiled despite everything.

And you’d do a lot for his smile. Including summoning a demon and signing your life away.

But as it turns out, hell (The Netherworld, actually) was a lot better than living on earth. Demons were more humane than a lot of humans you knew.

And Iruma’s smile wasn’t the only one that would change your life.

Masterlist | Ao3| mairimashitai! Simps Discord

Before we get to Chapter Eighteen, I want to thank @mac-kd8 who was kind enough to offer to draw Reader-Chan for me! Granted, their artwork (here!!!) is my own interpretation of how the reader looks. But I will continue to be as vague as possible so don't worry if you have your own interpretation.

The artwork is absolutely gorgeous and I am highly indebted to them for that! And I am super excited for their own fanart and maybe upcoming oc/Balam fanfic??? (pwease?)

Anyways, on to chapter 18!

It was late in the evening, with everyone retired to their rooms for the night. Kitten was happily curled up in your lap as you read Shichiro's gift to you (for probably the hundredth time - though each time you swore you loved it more) when suddenly his head perked up; his little nose twitching in the air. Before you could react, the kitten jumped from your lap and dashed out the room and down the hall. 

You quickly followed him, surprised by his behavior. Yes, he usually developed 'the zoomies' in the evenings, but nothing like this. The way he was darting down the carpeted hallway - body low to the ground - made you think he was stalking something. 

Something that was apparently in Iruma’s bedroom. Kitten was able to slip silent through the partially-opened door before you could catch him. You had just barely reached the door when you heard a scream from inside.

No. Two screams - only one which you recognized. Startled, you slammed the door open before freezing. A dark - as in an unnatural black as a shadow - person(?) was in bed with Iruma, sitting unusually close to the boy.

You barely noticed Kitten clutching to the shadow-person with his claws and teeth. Not when a feral snarl spread across your lips before you launched yourself at the person. You used every tactic Opera taught you as you tore at them, your maternal instincts in a rage at this bastard who dared to be in your son's bed. Iruma was a child, and whomever - whatever - this thing was, it was not one of his many friends.

Yet it felt like punching an overly soft pillow, or even a cloud. You could feel your fists make contact but yet there was no substance to crack your knuckles against. 

"Mom! Mom, stop!" Iruma's voice broke through your rage as your boy wrapped his arms around your body, trying to restrain you. 

"What the fuck?!" You snarled, at whom you weren't sure. The creature you had pinned beneath you, or your son trying to defend the bastard. "Who the fuck are you? What is he doing in your bed? What the hell is going on!" 

"Ma'am, I'd be happy to answer your questions if you get your cat off me." The being spoke, acting more bothered by Kitten's continued attempts at gnawing his hand than your own assault. 

"Give me one good reason why I should," You shot back, hand still gripping his… top? It looked like a coat label but felt like unearthly fog between your fingers. Like any moment it would slip away through your fingers.

"Ali's my friend - my partner," Iruma answered. "It's okay, I promise." 

"Fucking devibullshit!" You snapped at without thinking, part of you hurt that he would lie to you. Or maybe that this asshole had convinced him of such a thing. "You would've introduced him if that was the case!"

"Well, to be fair, until now no one but Iruma could really see me," Ali tried to defend, earning your harsh glare. Instead of being intimidated,  he tilted his head towards Kitten. "Please, the cat?" 

You hesitated, your mind trying to advise you to give the one-eyed creature a chance to explain, while your heart continued to demand that you rip him to shreds.

Except - you hadn't really been ripping him to shreds, or even ruffling his suit. Against your better judgment, you gripped the kitten by the scruff and pulled him off Ali, causing the kitten to whine as if you stole him away from his favorite toy. You shifted into a sitting position while holding Kitten in your lap. "Now. Either you tell me what's going on, or I will release Kitten again." 

-----

About an hour later, your mind was still trying to comprehend what was going on. 

Apparently, Iruma's magic Gluttonous Ring was haunted by Ali - or rather - Alikred. Who had been helping Iruma from the literal shadows since before you even arrived in the Netherworld; he only seemed to grow in strength and sentience as Iruma himself grew stronger. 

Some part of you felt distrustful of the being (spirit? demon? Something else?), but you weren't sure if it was intuition or just paranoia and suspicion of a magical being that was closely linked to Iruma, which was causing your mother-hen instinct to balk. 

One thing was sure; Kitten was determined to attack Ali. During the whole conversation, he squirmed and yowled more than he ever had before, confusing you until you recalled Shichiro stating something about his kind eating lost spirits in the wild. 

Ali seemed very cautious of Kitten in return, his one eye drifting to the ball of fluff in your arms with suspicion evident. So no matter what, you did have a weapon against him should your fears become reality.

"Do you understand now, mom?" Iruma spoke softly once he finished his story, his big blue eyes pleading like a puppy's. "Ali is harmless."

"Ow," Ali muttered quietly with a pout despite not having much in the way of facial features. You weren't sure how that worked. "Iruma my boy, do you really need to call me harmless?" 

You glared at Ali. Iruma was your boy. And if Ali wanted to continue to be Iruma's 'partner', he'd better be harmless. 

You turned back to Iruma, your expression softening. It was hard to remember how strong and independent the young teen was despite his soft appearance. He was so used to facing the world by himself; not asking for help. 

Which was probably why he never mentioned this before. 

But - he did know danger and avoided it like the plague, so… you could trust him on this…. 

Right? 

"I'm always going to worry about you," You said after a moment, reaching forward to cup his face tenderly. "That's just a part of who I am. But I will trust you about this, because I know you're so strong and responsible. But I want you to know, to feel, that you can talk to me about anything. Please, don't feel like you have to carry these burdens by yourself."  

Iruma's own worried expression softened, tears forming in his eyes as he nodded. "Of course, mom. And I will, I promise."

----

"Are spirits that possess objects anything to worry about?" 

Kalego held up Kitten by the scruff. Who - for the hundredth time that week - had wandered off and went to attack Ali. Or as everyone else saw it - play with Iruma. "Did you not hear what I said? You need to control your cat."

"Are you not a teacher?" You replied back without explanation as you crossed your arms. To be fair, you had tried to keep Kitten from stalking Ali - but it seemed that instinct to hunt spirits was stronger than anything else you tempted him with.

You had planned to speak with Balam about it, but seeing as Kalego was right here, and he was quite intelligent as well plus didn't get off on tangents as Balam was known to do. 

"Are you not a librarian surrounded by one of the largest collections of books in the Netherworld?" Kalego shot back, unamused. "Besides, it's common knowledge that spirits who possess objects are rarely a danger for a demon beyond aleph…" He trailed off after a moment, realization lighting his dark eyes. "Except - you're considered rankless, aren't you?" 

"Which does not mean I'm powerless," You quickly defended, realizing the possible unintended consequence of your inquiry. "But… you're right. I can do my own studying." 

Besides, he had answered your main concern; sort of. You didn't care about Ali's danger to you, you just cared if he was a danger to Iruma. And yes, while Iruma wasn't exactly a demon, he was strong…

Thanks to his ring; which was possessed. Oof, this would require more research. It probably wasn't a question you were going to get a simple answer for either.

 You recalled creating a section for magical artifacts, and tried to remember any books on possessed items of power. 

"And this?" Kalego interrupted your train of thoughts as he held the kitten out for you to take.

"... He's a work in progress," You admitted as you struggled with Kitten as he fought against your hold until you gripped his scruff firmly like a mother cat would. Even then, you knew he would take off as soon as you set him down. You hated the idea of locking him up in a room, but honestly couldn't think of any other options at this point. 

"If you can't control him, then he shouldn't be allowed at Babyls," Kalego rebuked as he crossed his arms, his typical disapproving scowl gracing his face. "What kind of example are you setting by allowing him to run wild in the halls?" 

You huffed, sufficiently chaisened as you held Kitten closer. "I told you, I'm working on it. So, unless you have any pointers or tips, you can go let me continue my work in relative peace."

A smile spread across Kalego's face. Not a pleasant kind smile that you would never expect from him anyways, but the sinister smile that the Misfits often spoke about. The one that promised pain and misery. "Actually…" 

In a blink, an electric-like crackle filled the air as Cerberion appeared. Both you and Kitten flinched, feeling the magic and fierce nature of the beast bear down on you. "He's not that different from a familiar. Rankless or not, I'm sure you can control the fuzzball with my… guidance." 

----

Cats and dogs were two very different things on earth, so you had assumed feline and canine creatures of the Netherworld were just as different. After all, there were a lot of parallels between Earth and the Netherworld that you and Shichiro enjoyed having long discussions about. And while there was an undeniable vast difference between the two, there was a growing list of similarities as well.

But while Shichiro knew creatures inside and out - along with some of their social behaviors - Kalego was the expert when it came to asserting dominance and creating a bond.

Though for Kitten, Kalego asserted that the best way for a bond to be forged was for him to understand the fact that you were safe. As long as he stayed near you, Cerberion left him alone.

Simple, in theory. Except it meant that in practice Cerbrion would randomly appear out of thin air with a thunderous growl whenever Kitten tried to test his boundaries, spooking not only Kitten, but yourself and whomever else happened to be in the Library at the time.

Thankfully, for you and the rest of Babyls’ population that was tiring of one heart attack after another, Kitten was a fast learner. The next step was teaching Kitten how to accept guidance - which was tricker. 

Usually, familiars reacted to their summoner's mana more than physical or verbal commands. But considering your 'unique' situation, that was nigh impossible. 

You eventually reached out not just to those you felt most comfortable with (Kalego, Shichiro, Opera, and Sullivan) but to the other Babyls staff. Furcas was especially interested in the challenge, tearing through the library in an uncharacteristic whirlwind, leaving you scrambling to put it back in order.

But with her help, you were able to create a sigil that both looked and acted somewhat like a summoning seal. Soon you had it traced upon the back of your hand, using it to focus your mana as well as communicate your intents to Kitten. 

"Now the little fluff won't be disrupting my classes," Kalego stated with a very vague hint of approval in his voice as he watched Kitten fetch the small stuffed toy. You were still amazed that a feline was behaving more or less like a well trained dog. "I also suggest you stop telling students he isn't a familiar." 

"But he isn't," You defended as you took the toy mouse from Kitten, scritching between his ears as well as sending mana to the sigil as a form of praise. 

"That may be. But it's drawing attention and raising questions that I doubt you want." 

His words made you pause. Kalego had dropped hints that he knew something was up, but he didn't care to dig deeper into the truth. It still sent a shiver of fear whenever he implied he knew about your origins. "I don't like lying," You answered slowly.

Kalego huffed and crossed his arms. "Lying and allowing people to believe what they assume to be true are two seperate things. Especially when it could possibly put you in danger. Being unranked is unusual enough - alongside being unable to perform magic without the use of sigils. But having a creature following you around that is not a familiar will have others start to take notice." 

You still couldn't figure out how - or why - demons didn't quite have the concept of pets. Just like the lack of the term friendship. 

"As part of Babyls staff, you are considered one of ours," He continued. "But too many flags will still raise suspicion." 

"... I suppose you're right," You sighed. 

"Of course I am," He snorted, sounding offended yet a glance showed a small smirk on his face. "You may be surrounded by books, but it's obvious you still need education on the finer aspects of our culture." 

You paused again, shooting him a suspicious look. How much did he actually know? Did he know the truth, or was he just referring to the backstory of you and Iruma coming from a different region of the Netherworld? 

He caught your gaze - and the expression behind it - and raised a brow, challenging you. Part of you wanted to take the bait. To just bluntly ask how much did he know. Yet you knew you shouldn't in case he didn't know anything and he was either baiting you to spill the truth, or it was all a misunderstanding on your part. 

So instead, you forced a smile as you teased. "Aw, Kalego, I knew you really do like me, deep down." 

There was a brief look of surprise on his face before he scoffed and rolled his eyes. "Don't flatter yourself. I only do this because you are a part of Babyls staff as well as the fact you are Shichiro"s Intended." 

"Mmm, no. This is more than that. We're friends now, aren't we?"  

"There's that ridiculous term your son and his classmates are spreading through the campus…" 

"It's not ridiculous. It's very important for people of all ages to have friends. You're just going to have to deal with the fact that I see you as one of my friends. And there is nothing you can do about it." 

He grumbled as he pinched the bridge of his nose. "Devi. I will never understand why Shichiro decided to choose you." 

------ short-----

Balam enjoyed spending time with Iruma; especially after Poro's insinuation of being the boy's father. It wasn't true, of course. 

But… he could be fatherly towards the boy and pretend at times. And Iruma seemed to love the attention as Balam carefully clutched the boy's feet with his own, allowing him to stretch out his back while they talked. It was something he remembered his father doing when he was smaller, and was happy to do the same with Iruma. Granted, his father had done it partially to help him strengthen his then-new wings, which Iruma didn't exactly possess. But the human seemed content to just hang upside down for fun. 

Shichiro felt bold enough to share the story of how he received his scar with Iruma - glossing over the worst part of the memory - as well as the fact that you reminded him a lot of that mother bird in a way. How protective you were of your 'chicks', ready to take on whoever or whatever threatened them without regard for your safety. 

That moment had changed his life, given him a new passion. Just as you had changed his life once more, giving it a whole new aspect. Romance, love, maybe even a family of his own.  

The last part he didn't share, though it was certainly on his mind. Brought up to the forefront after Poro's words, and fueled by his time with Iruma. 

Shichiro wondered what the boy would think of the situation. After all, demons didn't always get along with their half siblings when those types of situations occurred. But humans were so much more accepting, caring for those outside their family as proven by Walter Park. 

Would Iruma's compassion extend to your possible future children? Would he look upon them as siblings, or more like cousins? Or maybe rival for your love and affection as some demon children were prone to do when new children were born into the family... 

(He tried to keep his thoughts from straying to those of you carrying his children, or how wonderful of a mother you would be - which was rather difficult. But Iruma deserved his undivided attention, so he would give it to him) 

"When is your birthday?" Balam asked Iruma after a while, gently lowering the boy to his chest after his face started to turn pink from being upside down too long. Shichiro thoughtlessly ran his hand through Iruma's wild blue hair as he thought

 Did humans even celebrate their birth - their life - like demons did? After all, their world wasn't as dangerous as the Netherworld. More human babes probably survived to adulthood than their demonic counterparts, so perhaps they didn't revere and cherish life as they did. 

 It was also one topic he had yet to discuss with you; not when there were far more fascinating topics to talk about. 

Iruma smiled. "October fourth!"

Balam beamed, caught up in the prospect of learning something new. "What do humans do to celebrate birthdays?" 

"Well, most have parties where all their friends and family bring presents," He started, his smile faltering slightly. "But, well, before it was just mom and I, since neither of us really had friends or any other family." Just as quickly as it faded, Iruma's smile returned fondly as he recalled the birthdays he had shared with you. There had only been a few, but they meant so much to him. 

He couldn't remember any time his biological parents even acknowledged the day, after all. 

"Mom would make as much food as we could eat, including sweets while we played games all day. Or one time, we went to town to see a movie and even bought popcorn at the theater, and then went and got ice cream afterwards. Then, at the end of the day, we'd give each other our gifts. Things got kind of crazy this year with coming to the Netherworld, so I guess we both kind of forgot." 

The last sentence made Shichiro pause as he recalled the date. Oh. 

It was October twenty-fifth. 

Had you truly forgotten Iruma's birthday?

[bee-snail]

11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 21, & 23 from the TTS ask meme! (LOL that's a lot)

Ty for the ask! I really like being able to rant about TTS so don't worry, this was just perfect hehehehe

11. What is a major change (rewrite) that you would make to the canon?

Hector. My guy showed up in one (1) episode and then went "welp, I've been defeated. Guess I can't do anything about the strangers trying to steal the relic I was desperately trying to protect just one episode ago. I'll just have to chill uselessly in the forest until I'm needed for the plot again."

It would've been SO FUN if Hector continued to chase them down until the very end. We could've had a "Team Rocket"-esque kind of episodes with him, where he shows up to try to destroy them, is defeated, and they escape. That would've honestly been a BILLION times more entertaining to me than like 3 episodes in Tromus' place, plus it would've given us a really more interesting finale AND we would've gotten to see more of Adira, because if Hector continuously tried to chase them down through the mid-final episodes of the season, Adira would most likely travel with them to be ready to defend them whenever Hector showed up.

12. What is the biggest loose end or question that you still have?

Demanitus and Zhan Tiri's relationship.

Canon offered us a really contradictory story of them, where in one episode we hear Demanitus himself say "my pupils betrayed me and summoned the Great Demon Zhan Tiri" and in the finale, we see Zhan Tiri herself say in their flashback that "this quest for the Sundrop and Moonstone was both of ours", so... Which one was it?! Were you immediately enemies or were you partners?! Or did Demanitus initially believe Ziti was evil (assuming his pupils did betray him and summon her behind his back), only to convince her (or be convinced by her) to look for the Drops together... Only to act surprised when the literal demon did morally bad things and then did a 180, pretended he was a perfect little angel who would never ally himself to a literal demon, and sent her off to acid hell?

TELL ME. WHAT WAS IT?! WHAT HAPPENED, SHOW?

13. Would you want a TTS spinoff? If yes, what would it be about?

I don't think TTS would ever get a spin-off considering TTS itself is already a spin-off in a way, but I'd love to see Zhan Tiri and Demanitus' journey until the finale when he sends her away!! We'd get well-deserved lore on both of them (as well as clarification, finally!), as well as more insight on Gothel's motivations and past, and finally some focus on Sugracha and Tromus !!!!

14. What merchandise for the series would you have liked to see?

Zhan Tiri and Demanitus merch 💞

Brotherhood merch would be so cool too!!!

15. What are your feelings on the possible live-action adaptation of Tangled?

Bro, I'd definitely be down for it. I take whatever crumbs I'm given, regardless if it'll be a "bad" adaptation like Mulan or something, just because I'm that thirsty for content lmao.

21. If you're a content creator, what is your favorite piece of content you've made for TTS?

My Ziti redesign is my favorite artwork(s, since I made soooo many doodles of her ahwhehhe) and my favorite fic is Moonrise :]

23. Share an unpopular opinion about the show or the characters.

Most of the time I walk into a fic, I'm already biased. There's a select few characters I love so much I'm willing to ignore all their wrongs, and a few characters I hate so much I'm willing to amplify every little wrong thing they do by 1.000.000x. Varian, Rapunzel and Cassandra are often beloved by everybody and put into that former category I described, but for me it's a little different:

Cassandra is one of the characters I truly hate. The only characters I hate more than I hate Cassandra are Frederic and Demanitus, but even then it's by a very thin line. Rapunzel and Edmund come in a little more softly in my hatred scale, but I'm still very biased towards them and am unwilling to feel anything truly good about them unless they prove themselves worthy in the particular work I'm reading.

Regarding Cassandra: if she were to die, I'd say "Good riddance!", Because you really can't pin most of the things she did in season 3 on "Ziti's manipulation". Cassandra chose to nearly kill Calliope. Cassandra chose to Mindtrap the Brotherhood. Cassandra chose to attack Corona, even though she had absolutely zero reason to do so. Cassandra has been a true Frederic-level dickhead during the entirety of season three, and the fact she didn't receive a single, even minor punishment in the end, all because she apologized to Rapunzel, is ridiculous.

Of course there are exceptions to this "rule", but I always walk into fics with this bias of mine. There is not a single Frederic nor a single Demanitus I actually like, although Edmund, Rapunzel and Cassandra often "redeem" themselves in my eyes in a few select works. Most of the time though, they could die and I would not care less. Good riddance, pricks.

[krys-loves-otome]

4, 10, 11 👀

Give Me A Number OC Meme!

4. Any Villain OCs?

Technically speaking, he's more of an antagonist than a straight up villain, but in his early days, Haiiro did have some villain qualities, if tame ones, as shown from this old, old comic page when I tried to make a comic of about Takashi (his half brother he's talking about) and his adventures. Forgive the artwork for it is old and creaking and I do not know how to comic (it does read left to right tho!).

-----

10. Favorite OC Design

I was doing the Christmas color scheme long before Hideyoshi von IkeSen came into my life, lol

Here is Skyler, who is a vampire. He was from an era in my life where I loved giving character two-toned hair (him, Takashi and his waifu Arianna) because I thought it looked cool (you can also tell I was a YGO kid because of this). He's had eras of cutting his hair but it's always with black bangs while the rest was green.

Runner up after Skyler would have to be Houki, because her design is easy for me to remember: straight center part in her hair, round glasses, green eyes, blue and pink kimono.

------

11. Would you consider yourself nice to your OCs?

...I'd be lying if I said the answer was a resounding yes.

A short list of my OCs troubles and ills: -Takashi is a Fallen Angel, accused of a crime he didn't commit. Not to mention, whenever he summons his wings, they tear through his back, blood spattering included. It's quite painful, so he only calls on them out in a dire emergency. If one was to see him without a shirt on, they'd see the two long scars his wings emerge from.

-He also met his waifu at a bar where she was going to sell herself to support her family, but Taka tricked everyone with paying for her in key rings rather than actual money. He then swept her family away on his adventures rather than facing an angry mob.

-Haiiro is a magical test tube baby, a mixture of angel and demon dna. The means to collect specimens from his parents were... well, not ethical, to say the least. It's why he and Takashi are half brothers as they share the same father, technically speaking.

-Skyler sells his venom to make ends meet as he lives in a polycule with a dragon friend and a wizard that took in his nieces when their parents died.

-OC in the tube comic, his name is Bara (it was a time before I knew the connotation of that word, I just wanted to name him Rose, but in a different way), he gets his memories taken away frequently so he could become the perfect hunter of magical creatures. (He eventually gets to have romantic feel-feels for one of Skyler's wizard boyfriend's nieces, so good for him)

-Thea never knew her birth father and she'd liked to keep it that way, after seeing how he affected her mother.

-Maddie was bullied when she was young for being 'a weird kid'.

-Abby and Miri came from abusive homes.

Thanks for the ask!

[the-blind-geisha]

Tome of Ashurbanipal Chapter 24

Chapter 24: Modern day MC - Bring me my Soulmate

You stifled your laugh, shaking your head and swooping away from the post. It all read like some teenager high on a dream. Nothing more.

The one thing devils and demons of any kind hated was being bound to anybody or anything. This sounded like just some roundabout way to do such a thing. Besides, summon your soulmate? Who said anybody’s soulmate was a devil in disguise?

“I wish that were me though, not going to lie,” you muttered to yourself, making it back to your bedroom to relax.

However, upon lying down and trying to find more stories and artwork pieces to relax to, you kept thinking back on that post. It was like a damn brain worm that wouldn't leave you alone.

You growled to yourself, rolling your head back in your computer chair as the thought wouldn't stop. How nice it would be to just summon your soulmate to have him take you away to a far better life.

Damn, that’s a dream.

----------

A/N: The request for Tome, asked by Kittykat-Kai I believe the name on here is now. ♥ I flipped it to modern day for just funsies. It felt it would be easier to do. X3 Enjoy.

[rabbithub]

Control (Pact!AU, 6/???)

(In today's episode of Summoning Demons Dos and Don'ts: Pillow talk (no not the sexy type dammit tumblr would eat my face and probably set fire on me while they were at it)

Also, I'll try to work on more of the plot, but here's some fluff with slight exposition.

Also Murder and Arson mention. Just in case.)

Diavolo looked over his notes, reading over the tome as the demon slept in the other room. As he had observed with the demon's natural behaviors, he discerned that demons needed to feed of off malevolent energy, which fueled their own magical capabilities. It also seemed that demons had subspecies, and much stronger demons seemed to attack and oppress their much weaker brethren. (This was base knowledge for him, granted, but the tidbit about subspecies was new to him.)

It also seemed that demons had natural magical capabilities (again, something obvious) and it seemed to very from individuals. 'It makes some sense, as he was able to recognize the rites of the binding spell and use it against me.' he thought, flicking a page as he continued to research more. 'Perhaps he was studying magic on his own before I had summoned him... but how much does he know?'

Tiredly, Diavolo closed the tome, rubbing his eyes. He could figure out how to ask when the time comes, but for now, he could fall asleep. As he approached the bed, he notices the demon asleep, twitching every so often.

While Diavolo was familiar with the overall shape of the demon's body, he hadn't really noticed too many features the past few days. Curious, Diavolo carefully approached the demon, watching him sleep, not wanting to rouse him.

The fur on his limbs was somewhat deep pink, dappled with spots. Diavolo carefully reached out and gently touched the demon's arm, surprised that the fur was soft rather than coarse. Diavolo held the demon's hand, rubbing the back with his thumb. It twitched as the demon slept, making Diavolo freeze.

For a moment, it seemed like the demon would rouse himself from sleep, but he didn't. Diavolo bit back a sigh of relief at this, letting the demon's hand slip from his grasp.

'It almost fits in mine...' Diavolo muses, blushing faintly at the thought. He shook his head as he continued his silent observation.

Diavolo faintly notices the demon's tail move slowly, the scales a pale sort of pink and shining faintly as the light touched it. A dark line of fur ran along the back of it, with a tuft of fur at its tip.

At this point, Diavolo was nearly clipped by the demon's wing- it definitely matched the bat-like depictions some old artworks used, but faintly....fuzzier up close. Carefully, he trailed his fingertips against the membrane, noting how warm to the touch it was.

The wing seemed to fold against the demon's back, twitching slightly. Diavolo decides not to continue in the event the demon woke up and lashed out at him. Carefully, he laid down on the bed, sighing and closing his eyes for a moment.

The demon, unbeknownst to Diavolo, raised his head and propped it on his arm; it seemed he was somewhat unamused by something. "Didn't anyone tell you it's rude to bother someone while they're sleeping?" He growls, annoyed.

Diavolo's eyes snapped open as he realized he fucked up yet again. He barely sits up before he feels the collar around his neck, dropping back onto the bed against his will. 'Fuck fuck fuck.' he screamed in his head, somewhat frightened.

The demon eases his posture slightly, chuckling a bit. "You could've asked to touch me, you know." He murmured, scooping Diavolo up and wrapping him up in his wings. "I don't think you would've like me doing the same, hm?

Diavolo went limp in the demon's grip, at a loss from the response. He hadn't really gotten used to how capricious the demon's moods were; tempting and alluring one minute, then fierce and at his throat the next.

However, it was... nice; being held like this. Diavolo wanted to nod off, but he was also tried to stay awake.

"It's a shame about the other day." The demon muses, his voice thoughtful. "I wonder what sort of fucked up things you did to literally be drenched in sin-"

"It's like you're implying I'm the scum of the earth." Diavolo hisses, nearly spitting the words out. "I have no obligation to tell you anything."

While not the right thing to say, the demon didn't even flinch, gripping the chain causally. "I can make you tell me, you know." He said, his voice icy. "I have my ways."

Diavolo barely spoke a word before he feels his head go foggy, which was... not good; he could barely think a coherent thought, let alone at all.

"Don't worry- all this will do is make you incapable of lying." The demon spoke, almost cooing. "I'm not going to torture any words out of you."

Diavolo remained silent, unable to protest. After moments of cloudy thoughtlessness, Diavolo finally spoke. "I killed my family as a child." He said, not really able to say anything else.

"That doesn't sound bad- unless, there's more to it." The demon answered, curious.

"It was only meant to be my mother- a woman I barely knew, but I made a mistake and she didn't die immediately." Diavolo explained. "So I foolishly her body underneath the floorboards, but my adopted 'father' found her."

The demon blinks, a bit shocked. "Okay, that's- a bit extreme." He said, sounding wary. "How could you not know your own mother, for one-"

"She was in prison." Diavolo answered. "I was adopted by a priest- he was rather nice, but that wasn't important."

"You didn't... kill him, did you?"

"Couldn't really leave any witnesses. I wasn't sure how many others I killed before setting the fire."

The demon sat there for quite a bit, silent. Eventually, he spoke with a somewhat grim, quiet tone. "... that's just fucked up." He fell silent for a moment. "How old were you when this happened?"

"Around nineteen." Diavolo answered. After that moment, the fog around his thoughts cleared. Shit. He just told the demon his past (under pressure, albeit, but still a stressful experience really) and now he couldn't kill him without getting eviscerated himself.

The demon just sighs and looked a little dejected. "I don't know who or what fucked you over as a kid, but that being a solution is a bit fucked up." He mumbles, stroking Diavolo's hair gently. "I won't ask that, but now I'm definitely not leaving."

Diavolo felt his heart sink. "And why would that be?" He asked.

"Other demons will flock to you just to feed off you, and even if I'm not stronger than some of them, I can't let you get killed." The demon hisses. "Plus, if I leave you behind, I can't guarantee you wouldn't cause any trouble. It's best I stay to keep you out of it."

Diavolo was at a loss now. His original goal might as well be very compromised at this point; the demon was quite willful and capricious, and any attempts to shift the dynamic might be deadly.

However, he refused to give up his plan. 'I will become the King of kings, I just have to overcome these obstacles...' he told himself, drowsily closing his eyes. 'I just have to build his trust...'

Diavolo would wake up hours later, still wrapped in the demon's wings. As much as he wanted to get up, Diavolo found himself not wanting to; the hold was warm and he swore he could hear the demon was... purring?

Diavolo sighed, reluctantly nuzzling his head against the demon's neck. This was... admittedly comfortable. "...damn you." He mumbled sleepily, holding the demon's face. "I can never figure you out, for fucks sake... Your moods are like a storm that calms or intensifies, and I can never tell which is coming next. Yet, when you're asleep, you're almost... charming.

Just as Diavolo finished his thought, the demon woke up slightly. "You... you think I'm charming?" He asked, grinning rather dumbly.

Diavolo blushes, embarrassed from his own tired rambling. "I... damn it." He mumbled. "Forget what I said. Right now."

The demon laughs, amused. "No. I'm going to keep those words in my mind forever." He said, laughing softly. "Maybe you aren't as awful as you act...."

"Just... just shut up."

"No."

[hellfire010]

⊰ HEADCANON ⊱ ◦ TATTOOS.

A little trajectory and semi-break down of Eddie’s eventual full-body tattoo. This post doesn’t include his details on his canon tattoos—i.e. the cloud of bats, the demon face, the puppet master, the spider, or the wyvern—even though he does have them before his eventual shift.

BEFORE THE HUNT. ◦ 010. Received from Hawkin’s Laboratory during his nine year stay. After his escape, his PTSD-induced memory loss and the lies he was told by Wayne throughout his life made him question why he had it to begin with. None of what Wayne ever mentioned made any sense. It isn’t until the events of season 1 begin that his memories and nightmares start to worsen that he starts piecing it all together. However, he opts for drugs to reduce said memories / nightmares, and they aren’t fully awakened until Vecna’s powerful resurgence in season 4. Post-S4, the tattoo is slightly altered from scarring inflicted by the demobats. ◦ Sigil of Asmodeus. Keeping up with his freak status, Eddie had dabbled here and there with the occult, even though he’s not fully into it during his school years. He read about the Seven Princes of Hell, and decided that getting Asmodeus’s sigil on the left side of his chest was the most rebellious, as he is the embodiment / representation of the sin Lust. AFTER THE HUNT. Despite clearing his name, there are many who are still suspicious of Eddie, thinking he may have been able to find a loophole in the law, is a Satanist leading a cult, etc. Instead of fighting against it, he leans heavily into the rumors, deciding to transform his body into a work of art for the false deity that placed him on this path in life. As ex-Corroded Coffin / now-Des Cultes takes their hiatus to figure out their re-branding, Eddie is also pouring himself into the occult and designing the layout of his eventual bodysuit of tattoos. Most of the money he makes working for Rick or doing odd jobs goes into removing all of his current tattoos in order to have a blank canvas. Eventually, he decides to use Ars Goetia / The Lesser Keys of Solomon as his muse. ◦ 72 Sigils of the Evil Spirits. King Solomon was said to have made pacts with 72 demons of Hell, and wrote down ways to summon each of them, along with creating their sigils. The entirety of Eddie’s arms and legs are covered in sigils, ranging in size in order to fit every single one. ◦ Devil’s Trap: Placed on the center of his chest. Solomon created this symbol in order to control and immobilize demons he’d summoned. It’s similar to a circle of salt, however, more powerful and persistent due to its permanence. Eddie sees it as a means of protection; not from demons, but from those who wished, and still wish, him harm. ◦ Magical Circle & Triangle. Covers entire back. This collection of symbols was in the evocation of the 72 spirits. In the little story Eddie goes along with (especially in the lore created for Des Cultes), he uses his tattoo as both a summoning circle and a conduit to receive energy from the demons littering his body. ◦ Seal 13: Beneath Devil’s Trap tattoo. Out of the 44 Seals of Solomon, Eddie used this one in combination with the Devil’s Trap, as it’s meant to protect the wielder against harm. I could not find an image of a real person who had the bodysuit I had in mind. All the ones I saw were sigils mixed with unrelated tattoos or scattered willy-nilly all over the place in an aesthetically displeasing way. However, I found this lovely artwork created by Twitter user @ ObAngye that fit with most of what I had in mind, so I’m using this as a reference. Apologies for not using a real-life pic!

FAVORITES; Just an extra little tidbit! I mean, out of 72 different demons, he’s bound to have several favs. Below are the demons, ranks, and a brief explanation of why he likes them.

◦ Asmodeus: King. Primarily nostalgia-based, due to his former tattoo. Aside from its rebellious nature, it’s said Asmodeus grants invincibility to his conjurer and can answer any question they may have. It co-aligns with Eddie feeling invincible after barely escaping the witch-hunt, as well as Des Cultes’ lore that Eddie’s character is a representative of Satan and can grant knowledge and wishes. ◦ Beleth: King. Considered one of the most dangerous of the evil spirits. He grants knowledge to all who summon him, and can make anyone fall in love with his conjurer, even multiple people until they’re satisfied. As related to Des Cultes, Eddie wishes to ❛ seduce ❜ more people into following the band. Side-note: In another grimoire not written by King Solomon, it’s said one must wear a silver ring on their left middle finger in order to speak with Beleth. In keeping to that, Eddie can always be publicly seen with said ring. ◦ Phenix: Marquis. Extremely obedient to those who have the strength to summon him. He expresses a desire to return to Heaven some day, but he’s eventually deceived by those around him. Eddie sees this as being similar to his desire to clear his name, but understanding the events before the Hawkins earthquake will most likely follow him for most of his life, if not all of it. ◦ Stolas: Prince. A teacher of astronomy, history, and all things related to herbs, stones, and poisonous plants. Stolas is considered a pacifist, yet is also one of the most dangerous demons to cross at the same time. He often presents himself as an owl with elongated legs, a raven, or a gaunt young man. It’s said by those who’ve summoned him that he’s extremely talkative, and loves to relay his knowledge and gossip with like-minded individuals. Eddie feels he basically is Stolas, due his penchant for rambling and taking people under his wing.

[hervygervy]

I always talk about how my favorite genre of video game is the monster-collecting RPG, but I’ve never actually played the game that started it all: Shin Megami Tensei. My good mutual once reblogged a post about it, so it got me thinking: can I really call this genre my favorite if I haven’t even played the original monster-collector? Thus I bought the latest game on Switch. And I gotta say, really enjoying it so far! Definitely satisfying my need to fixate on something lest I start getting depressed again.

I really like how all the collectible monsters are based off of folktale or mythological figures. It kinda warms my heart to see all these various beliefs coexisting together. There are also monsters based on Judeo-Christian lore in the game, which I think is especially neat. Like you can recruit the demon Legion, based on the one of the same name that possessed a bunch of pigs in the New Testament. Anyway, I’m getting off topic. What I want to talk about is one specific monster. I’ve reached the point in the game where I can recruit a nekomata. Now that’s a classic Japanese folklore monster! It’s a youkai that takes the form of a bipedal cat with two tails. Their skill set varies, with shape shifting, summoning fire, possession, and necromancy being some possible abilities. You’ve probably seen one in media before—it’s just that iconic. In monster-collectors, Jibanyan and Meowstic from Yo-Kai Watch and Pokémon respectively are easily recognizable as nekomata thanks to the fact they stand on two legs, have two tails, and exhibit a variety of supernatural abilities.

Obviously a lot of contemporary Japanese media likes to depict them as a lot more humanoid. The nekomata units in Disgaea are a good example of that, basically being female heads attached to beastly bodies. But they still have the two tails at the very least. Now the nekomata in Shin Megami Tensei?? Who let the artist cook??

Content warning: artwork featuring scantily clad/nude women below the cutoff. Please proceed at your own discretion. Thank you!

Like what is this?? I don’t like the Disgaea version either, but at least it had enough animalistic elements for me to perceive it as a monster. This? This is a lady wearing crappy cosplay. Where even is the second tail??? That’s like the whole point of a nekomata! The only thing this lousy design has to convey the concept other than the ears and tail is a black skin blow the eyes and claws so it looks ever so slightly less human. And then it’s also wearing like a fur jacket or something. I am not buying it. This sucks. My disappointment is immeasurable, and my day is ruined.

I looked up if there were any other iterations of the nekomata in the SMT series out of curiosity because frankly this design frustrates me to an irrational degree. And the older designs are so much better, there isn’t even a contest:

The first one lacks the second tail and still has some dumb top on but at least it looks more like a cat thanks to the nose and consistent skin color rather than a lady in a cheap Halloween costume. I prefer the second of these two since it looks even more like a cat, with a calico pattern and everything. As for the tail… it’s still technically not correct. That’s the tail a bakeneko would have, or the creature that represents a regular cat transitioning into a nekomata form. Did the artists have something against a proper second tail? Lol. Neither of these designs are perfect, but they’re leagues better than the modern version. That design makes me upset and makes me want to draw my own version.

[casspurrjoybell-31]

The Consort's Fate - Chapter 3 - Part 2

*Warning Adult Content*

Finn

I'm told the renovated, Secondary fortress is much different than the underground layer it used to be.

Only three years ago, the entire Secondary population lived within the confines of the mountain.

They were barricaded within, with rocks as their walls and dirt as their flooring.

Mr. Primary has yet to allow me to visit.

'It's now a monument of war' he explains. 'Out of respect, it should remain unbothered. Besides, the demons of war still reside in there, the souls of the damned trapped and ready to prey on all who dare enter.'

Glass vines hang suspended from the ceiling.

Glittering lights serve as their leaves, shimmering overhead to create a soft pathway of illumination through the hallways.

Douglas' footsteps click across the marbled floor.

It's been recently waxed and my fair complexion bounces back to greet me in the reflection.

I try to imagine a dirt floor as we travel deeper into the fortress.

Mr. Primary and his staff have quite the penchant for the finer things.

Envisioning them in a dingy, dirty fortress seems unreal.

Another world entirely.

Many tell me it is a gift I am rid of my memories.

Still, often times I find myself wishing I could find my way back to them.

All I get are bits and pieces from Mr. Primary, coupled with the hushed rumors of the staff 'which they don't think I'm able to hear'.

The details never align.

According to Mr. Primary and his Secondary warrior, Tegan, the war almost killed me.

Near the end, an enemy and prisoner of war injected me with a venomous poison just before making his escape.

The venom traveled to my brain, successfully wiping away my memories before putting me into a coma.

He claims I was a hero, though and that my sacrifices helped end the war.

"Here we are, Mr. Secondary."

Douglas ushers me into Mr. Primary's chambers, bidding me goodbye with a parting bow.

He takes his place outside the door, positioned alongside Mr. Primary's personal guards until I make my return.

I walk along the familiar route to Mr. Primary's meeting room.

The vibrant, clear light of the hallway is replaced with a dim, crimson hue.

It bounces against the grey walls and highlights the abstract artwork hanging from the walls.

They're all angular bodies of glass, with varying shades of sand swept across their surfaces.

Every piece is frozen in time.

The same artwork lines the walls of my chamber as well, yet it can be found nowhere else in the fortress.

Just our chambers.

I was not consulted with décor choices but even if I was, my preferences would inevitably be denied.

The purpose for the matching display is more than preference.

It is a silent statement.

Mr. Primary expectantly waits for me at the head of his mahogany table.

He is flanked on either side by Tegan and Leo, the man in charge of public relations with the human population.

They glance up as I make my entrance.

None of their expressions give away the purpose behind the summon but as I near Leo and Tegan, I sense a hint of excitement.

"Finn," Mr. Primary addresses me as I take my seat beside him.

My name is whispered with a tone laced with optimism and pride, a dangerous combination.

His piercing blue eyes study every inch of my face.

He does this often, studying me, searching for the answers to a question that's yet to be unveiled.

"Mr. Primary," I say.

I use his formal title to keep distance between us.

Just like my preference for Douglas to address me as Finn, Mr. Primary prefers I use his informal name as well.

Reyo.

Given our surrounding company, though, he doesn't correct it.

"It's good to see you again, Mr. Secondary," Leo greets with a nod.

Tegan throws him a warning glance as a flash of irritation passes over Mr. Primary's face.

Even if he publicly speaks of us as equals, I know Mr. Primary's true view on humans.

It is detestable.

Is that the cause for such an unfavorable reaction?

"You as well, Leo," I say in returned greeting, purposely pushing the envelope of Mr. Primary's irritation.

I tap my slender fingers against the surface.

"Now, what's all this about?"

It's not often that I'm included in meetings with Tegan and certainly not with Leo.

Mr. Primary straightens and a genuine smile stretches across his thin lips.

"For three years, Finn, I have asked you to be our nation's second King. To stand beside me as my equal and build an empire with me. An empire in which the Secondary Era will thrive for centuries to come."

By now, I know any offer or deal that is posed by Mr. Primary comes with hefty strings attached.

He does not give charity, especially at his own expense.

Still, the prospect of more freedom pulls at my deeper desires.

Despite my best efforts to keep a neutral reaction, I curiously raise a brow.

Mr. Primary's eyes gleam.

He knows he has my attention.

"I've designed a tour of sorts," Mr. Primary continues.

"You'll be taken to the largest towns and markets all across the country. You'll be able to see the land, to meet the people and to get a taste of that freedom you so desire."

He makes a sweeping gesture to Leo.

"Leo will be making public addresses at every stop, building rapport and camaraderie amongst our citizens."

His hand turns towards Tegan.

"And Tegan will be traveling one step ahead throughout the tour. She'll assess any security pitfalls and mitigate the risks prior to our arrival. As you know, Finn, you are still a major target after the war. There are still vultures out there who would try to steal you. Torture you."

His gaze sharpens.

He wants me to hear his words and feel their weight.

I give a nod of understanding.

There's a mixture of emotions emitting from both Leo and Tegan but I hold Mr. Primary's attention to keep from any distraction with the conversation at hand.

Mr. Primary reaches over and pulls my hand into his. His thumb traces over my knuckles.

"Your role shall be the one that has been waiting for your acceptance for years. To agree to be my King. The other proper ruler to this nation. You say the word, Finn and Tegan will leave tomorrow. Say the word and the country is yours. Do you accept?"

I think of the raindrop.

The flicker of lighting.

The looming gray clouds.

'Fate itself is ready for a change.'

"Yes," I say with finality.

"I accept."