#reiji route

[fruit-of-infidelity]

♱  DIABOLIK LOVERS: Haunted Dark Bridal ー Sakamaki Reiji | Selection  ♱

Reiji: Hoh… So, you decided upon me? I truly must commend you, seeking to be disciplined from someone like myself.

Yui: Th-That’s not why I chose you, but…

( No matter who I picked, nothing would have changed, right…? )

Shuu: Whatever happens, just don’t end up killing her. Not that it worries me.

Reiji: … …

Yui: ( …It doesn’t seem like these two get on. You could cut the tension with a knife… )

Kanato: …We’re not to kill her? Why not?

Shuu: Like I’d know. It’s just what that guy said, to “take great care of your guest”.

Yui: Honestly, you should have spoken up sooner about that…!

Shuu: It was a bother.

Yui: A b-bother…!?

Ryuuto: Meaning, you didn’t intend on doing so to begin with?

Pray tell, is there anything else you intend to rattle off to let it be known that her not choosing me was a mistake?

Shuu: Haa…

Ayato: What’s that bastard thinkin’? What’s with takin’ care of this lame human chick?

Laito: Hmm. Maybe this runs deeper than we thought?

I wonder if that guy is actually up to something, with our “guest”?

Reiji: It appears he wouldn’t be the only one.

Ryuuto: … …

Kanato: What are you saying? That there is something unusual hidden underneath this girl’s surface, perhaps?

Laito: Who knows~? There’s just no telling what that guy’s thinking, sometimes.

Yui: Y-You’ve lost me.

Ayato: Shuddup, titless! This’s our family’s problem.

Yui: ( …Is this “guy” they keep mentioning the one that Father said was related to the Church? )

( So, these Vampires living here must somehow be connected with him too… )

( But besides, where are those relatives I was told would be here…? )

Shuu: Anyway…

We’re supposed to make sure she doesn’t end up dying, end of story. So, don’t do anything too reckless.

Reiji: Hmph… No matter. I shall take it upon myself to train you into a lady, befitting of this household.

Yui: …!!

(  Somehow, someway… I need clarification on this; I need to contact Father. Then, I can focus on getting away from these people… )

( And hopefully I’ll do so unscathed… )

─────── ≪ °♛° ≫ ───────

←  [ ✥ Prologue ✥ ]⎥[ ✥ Dark Prologue ✥ ]  → 　　　　　　[ ✥ Dark 5½ ✥ ]  

[duckdachi]

chillin

[midgardianqueenreturns]

“Um, actually, it’s technically not canon that Edgeworth was adopted by the von Karmas 🤓”

[yuikomorii]

Who in DL do you think needs better routes?

// ✨Everyone✨

This is merely my opinion but while DL got some really enjoyable moments, no route was above average. I suppose this is my way of thinking because I've been through so many otome games that my standards have become waaaay too high. I don't just mean it because of the love interests, since I can think of over 10 games with LIs meaner than the Diaboys were in HDB/MB, but I feel like no route has anything that good to it and they're frequently flawed and poorly balanced.

The development feels way too many times really forced or it barely lasts. I mean, there are some characters who truly seem to have evolved throughout the route but in the last chapters or good endings, their development proves to be completely useless or even worse: it gets erased, which is really sad.

Another thing I’m not particularly fond of is how they turned Yui, in the later games, more into an emotional support rather than the heroine of the story because there are several routes where she’s written to be of no great use and it makes no sense since she’s supposed to be the MC?? I do understand that the love interests need to get the spotlight but the heroine has to be just as active as them. ://

I dislike how some routes attempt to redeem Karlheinz. We already know the reasons behind his actions, and he feels no remorse for those he has harmed, so he does not deserve to be portrayed positively.

DL is already messed up as it is but toxic forgiveness is often portrayed as a sign of kindness, although it’s actually creepy and when it comes to the Diaboys, that’s heavy on Ayato. I understand forgiving someone for yourself because YOU don’t want to hold any sort of grudge or hate in your heart (like Laito did in DF) but forgiving someone after they treated you extremely badly AND still caring for them or being written to befriend them afterwards, is way over the top and if you know such people irl, please check on them because they’re not okay.

The endings are getting so poorly written and I don’t get why. HDB and MB had some unexpected and genuinely interesting endings, but they became less impactful later on, and I swear, some Diaboys have the same endings as others, just slightly modified.

I'm not trying to sound ungrateful because I still love DL; after all, I'm part of this fandom; it's just that I wish the writers would put a little more effort into the routes. I understand how difficult it is to write for 13 different characters, but there are more writers, each with their own ideas, and it is also their job so expecting the Diaboys to get good routes is actually understandable.

[diabolikpersonals]

one, like, recurring scarlet house problem is that reiji’s in charge but he’s ultimately unable to make & commit to decisions. he’s working super hard, but it’s all just reseach and strategizing, research and strategizing, research and strategizing……..and nothing ever actually gets done. they’re really driving home his lack of leadership skills and I kinda love that. the people who rely on him get upset because, despite all his effort, there are no results. reiji isn’t meant for this position. isn’t that so sad??

so for that reason I think his labyrinth end is especially good. he’s like, sisyphus-style stuck in the planning stage, doomed to make no progress forever, while everyone around him starts to hate him more and more for it. like whats wrong, reiji? I thought you were going to save us, reiji? what do you mean you still need more time, reiji? we’re all stuck here forever as long as you’re in charge, aren’t we, reiji???

[taintedevesayori]

Diabolik Lovers More, Blood - Sayo's Route: Masterlist

A spin-off story that takes place with Sayo in the setting of the More, Blood game. Will be updated as chapters come out. CGs made by Rejet, edited by me

Dark

[Prologue]

[01] [02] [03] [04] [05]

[06] [07] [08] [09] [10]

[Epilogue]

Maniac

[Prologue]

[01] [02] [03] [04] [05]

[06] [07] [08] [09] [10]

[Epilogue]

Ecstasy

[Prologue]

[01] [02] [03] [04] [05]

[06] [07] [08] [09] [10]

[Epilogue]

[Brute End] [Manservant End] [Vampire End]

[After Story]

[otomehonyaku]

Reiji's route has been fully translated but not by the same people. @tournesolia should have links to the chapters in their masterlist

thanks, anon! I just looked it up on their account and the translations can be found here.

[bubblespalace]

Let's Play Haunted Dark Bridal!

Hi guys! Today I actually decided to play Haunted Dark Bridal for the first time! Let's load up the game! Wait... What's this?

Aren't we only able to play as Yui?? Who is this girl? And why is she glitched out? Well, I'm curious. I might as well choose her.

[sakamakis-estranged-uncle]

Route; Full Masterlist

II GAMES II

001. DIABOLIK LOVERS Haunted Dark Bridal [WIP]

002. DIABOLIK LOVERS More, Blood [WIP]

003. DIABOLIK LOVERS Vandead Carnival [WIP]

004. DIABOLIK LOVERS Dark Fate [WIP]

005. DIABOLIK LOVERS Lunatic Parade [WIP]

006. DIABOLIK LOVERS Lost Eden [WIP]

007. DIABOLIK LOVERS Chaos Lineage [WIP]

II DRAMA CD II

001. DIABOLIK LOVERS Do-S Kyuuketsu [WIP]

002. DIABOLIK LOVERS VERSUS I [WIP]

003. DIABOLIK LOVERS VERSUS II [WIP]

004. DIABOLIK LOVERS Character Song [WIP]

005. DIABOLIK LOVERS More, Blood [WIP]

006. DIABOLIK LOVERS More, More Blood [WIP]

007. DIABOLIK LOVERS Limited V Edition [WIP]

008. DIABOLIK LOVERS Bloody Bouquet [WIP]

009. DIABOLIK LOVERS Eternal Blood [WIP]

010. DIABOLIK LOVERS Para-Selene [WIP]

011. DIABOLIK LOVERS Grand Edition [WIP]

012. DIABOLIK LOVERS Zero [WIP]

013. DIABOLIK LOVERS Born to Die [WIP]

014. DIABOLIK LOVERS Daylight [WIP]

II MISC.II

001. Official Tweets [WIP]

002. OTOMATE PARTY & REJET FEST Mini Drama [WIP]

003. DIABOLIK LOVERS Visual Fanbook [WIP]

004. DIABOLIK LOVERS Anime Official Fanbook [WIP]

005. DIABOLIK LOVERS More, Blood Official Fanbook [WIP]

006. DIABOLIK LOVERS Vandead Carnival Official Fanbook [WIP]

007. DIABOLIK LOVERS 5th Anniversary Book [WIP]

008. DIABOLIK LOVERS Short Stories [WIP]

[mino-diabolik]

DARK FATE — Mystic 「Dark 06」

[ Dark 05 ]

[ Location: Guestroom — Eden Castle ]

Mystic: ... ... Uuh... ugh...

( What the…?

Damn, it feels like my skull’s getting split open. I didn't drink that much, did I? Are all Vampire drinks so foul? )

Mystic throws the bedsheets off him. He clammers out for the bedframe and shakily crawls to his knees.

Mystic: Huh?

( That's odd... even my legs feel numb. )

That hasn't happened in a long time...

( Then again, I did drink something completely new. )

Oh, I'm gonna kill those triplets...

Mystic drags himself to the edge of the bed. His knees tremble as he stands. The floor is littered with discarded garments and a few cushions or pillows. Mystic pays them no mind. He hurries to get dressed up and exits.

—Fade—

[ Location: Living Room ]

Mystic inhales deeply when he catches the smell of something sweet. He pokes his head into the room.

—Clink—

Mystic: Ahh, that smells nice!

Reiji: Jomei, good evening. How have you——

... ...?

Reiji pauses mid-sentence, puzzled, as though he had picked up on something.

Mystic: ( Hm? Why's he staring at me all of the sudden? )

Ruki: ... Mystic.

Mystic: Ah, you're here too Ruki.

What're you brewin' there? It smells like—

Reiji: Turmeric milk tea.

Mystic: Yeah! But isn't that a fairly sweet drink?

Reiji: Oh, I wasn't planning on having tea at this time. Ruki requested that I pointed him to a set. That is all.

Mystic: So that's how it is...

( Odd. I thought Ruki didn't like sweet things either. )

Reiji: Well, if that was everything you needed, then I will be taking my leave right now. Please return everything to its rightful place after you are finished with it.

—Footsteps—

Ruki: ... How are—

Mystic: ——Didn't think you were the type to enjoy sweet drinks.

Would you mind if I stole a cup from you? Smells swell.

Ruki: I was preparing it to bring it to you. But you beat me out of bed.

Mystic: ( For me? )

Ruki pours Mystic a cup. Steam still twirls off the beverage.

Ruki: I wasn't sure just how sweet you wanted it, so I didn't add any honey.

Here, so that you may add as much as you palate.

Mystic: Oh, um... thanks?

( What's he acting all caring for all of the sudden? )

Ruki: Are you feeling alright? You seemed to have had a hard time yesterday.

Mystic: ( Yesterday?

No way... did he see me blackout drunk? )

The red dusting over Mystic's cheekbones came from the thought of being seen in such a disgraceful state, but it was interpreted entirely wrong by Ruki. Mystic chuckles bashfully.

Mystic: That's... I'm fine.

I'm used to it. You'd be surprised how often it happens.

Ruki: ... ... Often?

Mystic: Yeah! So, don't sweat it. It's not a big deal.

Mystic is unaware the cold silence from Ruki's part as he stirs two spoonsful of honey in his teacup.

Ruki: What do you mean by "often"?

Mystic: Hm? Ah, well... depends.

Not so much these past few months. Haven't had any free time lately.

It used to happen like... three to four times a week? Somewhere around there.

Ruki: Considering your carefreeness, you pay it no mind at all.

Mystic: Nah, not really. It's not a big deal to me.

( Not like drinking until I'm numb so often would kill me. )

Ruki: ... Unbelievable.

Mystic: ... Hah!

Oh, fuck off. Who do think you are to be judging the way I live?

It's been like that before you even came into it. Why should I change it now that you're here? What're you gettin' your panties in a knot for?

Mystic’s comments manages to dig under Ruki’s skin, unaware that they weren’t talking about the same subject.

Ruki: Doing as you please. All the time…

Mystic: What’s your problem, eh?!

Ruki: ... I've got something to take care of. Enjoy your tea.

Ruki stands. He walks away. Mystic looks as though he may chase behind him.

Mystic: You——Oi!

Tsk... What's his problem?

( Why does he care so much that I get drunk every once in a while? )

Mystic: ( Did I... do anything wrong while I was blacked-out? )

「 Dark 06 — End 」

[ Dark 07 ]

[fruit-of-infidelity]

♱  DIABOLIK LOVERS: Haunted Dark Bridal ー Sakamaki Reiji | Dark 3½  ♱

⌜ Scene: School Hallway ⌟

Teacher: Please wait here, Komori-san. I’ll fetch it for you right away.

Yui: Thank you very much.

ー The door closes. ー

( I wasn’t sure where would be best to ask for a fresh uniform… But, thankfully, the office was the right place! )

( I thought I planned ahead, but I guess my period came a little earlier than expected… )

ー There is a brief flashback. ー

Ayato: …Sniff, sniff.

Where’s that smell comin’ from?

Yui: Ayato-kun, please don’t lean in so close.

ー The school bell chimes. ー

Teacher: Please do your best to revise these terms by our next lesson.

Ayato: Oi… Chichinashi, stand up.

Yui: Wait… Just a moment, I’m not ready to go yet.

Ayato: Don’t care, get up. I’d recognise that smell anywhere…

ー He yanks her to her feet as students file out. ー

Yui: A-Ayato-kun! What on earth are you…

Ayato: …Heheh, looks like I was right.

ー He leans in to whisper. ー

Take a look; Reckon you might wanna take a detour to the bathroom?

Yui: E-Eh…?

ー Flashback ends. ー

Uu… How embarrassing!

( Bleeding right through my skirt like that… I don’t usually have such a heavy flow! )

( At least I haven’t heard anymore about it from Ayato-kun since that class. And, in a way, thankfully he pointed it out… )

( Now that it’s the end of the day though, I simply came back to collect my skirt, and… )

( My panties… )

I hope the limousine driver doesn’t mind waiting a few extra minutes.

Reiji: I do hope you took me into consideration, too.

Yui: …!!

R-Reiji-san…

Reiji: Why are you stood out-front the office? Do not tell me you have caused noticeable trouble in your first week, alone?

Yui: That’s not it, at all. You see, I’m just collecting something…

Reiji: Is that so?

Yui: Yes… I’ll only be a few more minutes, I’m sure!

Please don’t wait up for me, I’ll meet you and the others in the limousine.

ー The office door opens. ー

Ryuuto: I believe these are yours?

Yui: E-Eep!

ー Ryuuto appears, holding Yui’s skirt and panties. ー

Reiji: Oh my?

Yui: R-Ryuuto-san!? H-How did you…

( H-He’s holding my panties and skirt like it’s nothing! )

ー She snatches them from him. ー

( How embarrassing!! )

Reiji: Care to explain why Ryuuto was in possession of these?

━─┉┈◈ Selection ◈┈┉─━

　　❈  It's not what it looks like! ( ♥ )

Yui: W-Wha…!

R-Really, this is a big misunderstanding!

Reiji: You understand how this looks for you, do you not? Then, you would understand why I find you hard to believe?

Ryuuto, do you care to comment?

Ryuuto: What can I say? I am simply returning to her what she left behind.

Reiji: “Left behind”? Good grief.

Yui: Pl-Please, it’s really not what it looks like…!

　　❈  How should I know!?

Yui: “C-Care to explain”!? R-Ryuuto-san should be the one explaining…!!

I don’t know why he had my… th-things!

Reiji: Is this why you just insisted I was not to “wait up” for you?Yui: No, it’s not like that!

━━─┉┈┈◈◉◈┈┈┉─━━

Yui: ( There’s no way, I’m going to die of embarrassment at this rate…! )

R-Ryuuto-san… What w-were you doing with my clothes?

Ryuuto: You had left them in the office, hadn’t you? When I heard you had dropped by, I thought I’d return them to you like you ask.

Yui: D-Don’t say it so suspiciously!!

It was a teacher that I asked to return these to me, anyhow!

Reiji: A teacher? This hole is being dug deeper, by the second…

Yui: ( Not in that way!! )

Reiji: What’s more, with the lingering scent of blood...

Yui: That’s b-because… Well…

( Uu… This is awful…! )

Reiji: Go on.

Yui: ( I don’t have a choice! )

Because I’m on my p-period!

Reiji: Does that exclude you from such relations? I think not.

Ryuuto: Whilst you clear the air, I’ll take my leave.

Although, do place your faith in your prey once in a while, Reiji. You may be surprised how far it will get you, fufufu…

Take care now, Yui.

Yui: Wait, you can’t just leave…!

ー Ryuuto teleports away. ー

No way…

( I’m done for. )

Reiji: …Good grief. It appears you need stricter training than I first thought, should this situation truthfully equate to what it seems.

If not…

Yui: … …

Reiji: Well, let us prepare for the worse-case scenario, shall we?

From the top, I’ll have you explain once more.

Yui: ( Uu… What a terrible misunderstanding… )

✥ TO BE CONTINUED ✥

─────── ≪ °♛° ≫ ───────

←  [ ✥ Dark 03 ✥ ]⎥ [ ✥ Dark 04 ✥ ]  → 　　　　　[ ✥ Dark 7½ ✥ ]

[dethroned-demon-princess]

Route Masterlist; Ray Tsukinami

II GAMES II

001. DIABOLIK LOVERS Haunted Dark Bridal [WIP]

002. DIABOLIK LOVERS More, Blood [WIP]

003. DIABOLIK LOVERS Vandead Carnival [WIP]

004. DIABOLIK LOVERS Dark Fate [WIP]

005. DIABOLIK LOVERS Lunatic Parade [WIP]

006. DIABOLIK LOVERS Lost Eden [WIP]

007. DIABOLIK LOVERS Chaos Lineage [WIP]

II DRAMA CD II

001. DIABOLIK LOVERS Do-S Kyuuketsu [WIP]

002. DIABOLIK LOVERS VERSUS I [WIP]

003. DIABOLIK LOVERS VERSUS II [WIP]

004. DIABOLIK LOVERS Character Song [WIP]

005. DIABOLIK LOVERS More, Blood [WIP]

006. DIABOLIK LOVERS More, More Blood [WIP]

007. DIABOLIK LOVERS Limited V Edition [WIP]

008. DIABOLIK LOVERS Bloody Bouquet [WIP]

009. DIABOLIK LOVERS Eternal Blood [WIP]

010. DIABOLIK LOVERS Para-Selene [WIP]

011. DIABOLIK LOVERS Grand Edition [WIP]

012. DIABOLIK LOVERS Zero [WIP]

013. DIABOLIK LOVERS Born to Die [WIP]

014. DIABOLIK LOVERS Daylight [WIP]

II MISC.II

001. Official Tweets [WIP]

002. ΟΤΟMATE PARTY & REJET FEST Mini Drama [WIP]

003. DIABOLIK LOVERS Visual Fanbook [WIP]

004. DIABOLIK LOVERS Anime Official Fanbook [WIP]

005. DIABOLIK LOVERS More, Blood Official Fanbook [WIP]

006. DIABOLIK LOVERS Vandead Carnival Official Fanbook [WIP]

007. DIABOLIK LOVERS 5th Anniversary Book [WIP]

008. DIABOLIK LOVERS Short Stories [WIP]

[koumeowkami]

artists i associate to the diabolik lovers characters

(+ explanations/headcanons!)

this is gonna be a long post since i absolutely LOVE talking about music. you may take this as a music recommendations post lol. also check my DL playlists out if you want to! 💗

SHU — WITHIN TEMPTATION

let's start with some nice symphonic metal! it's pretty obvious since shu likes classical music. he's relatively calm (maybe too much) but there's a storm inside of him: his double side fits this band a lot imo. moreover, within temptation are powerful but also ethereal, so even though they're "heavy" i think he would give a chance to them :D he would occasionally cover their songs on violin if he feels like it.

REIJI — APOCALYPTICA

staying on the symphonic metal side, we have apocalyptica. this band is so peculiar since it's only formed by three cellos and drums, but i can assure you they're metal lmao. they're neat, polished, elegant and mature: all of these are basic reiji traits! (shu likes them too but he listens to them secretly lol)

AYATO — PARAMORE / HALESTORM

here he comes. my lil punk boi. i think about too many artists when it comes to ayato, cause honestly just every pop punk artist does it for me, but early paramore music gives me HUGE teen emo vibes (both angsty and romantic) that represent ayato so well!! i already stated it in my rocker!ayato headcanons post, but he would blast the RIOT! album at every hour of the day.

regarding halestorm, they represent his "darker" side. they're heavier and more aggressively free-spirited. now tell me if he wouldn't sing Love Bites (So Do I) to yui "jokingly" lol.

KANATO — THE BIRTHDAY MASSACRE

how could i NOT associate kanato with the band that basically gave birth to the creepy cute genre, the birthday massacre? their particular goth/industrial sound blending with the vocalist chibi's cute, almost ethereal voice gives so many kanato vibes!! not to mention that the official color of the band is purple lmao. he'd find their album covers very aesthetic, i'm sure of it :D and i also think his fav album would be Violet, the creepiest of them all.

LAITO — LADY GAGA / THE PRETTY RECKLESS

basically laito's two personalities lmao. lady gaga doesn't need any introductions: her provocative and sexy persona shocked everyone and basically all of her songs could potentially be in laito's sex playlist.

the pretty reckless are also indeed sexy, but sexy-depressed??? sexy-angsty?? some of their songs are about embracing one's "dark" side, some others are about dealing with depression (especially in their latest works). i like how they both use the "sexy" façade while actually having more to offer. considering how much laito is broken inside, their music fits so well.

SUBARU — BRING ME THE HORIZON

i'll keep saying this: emo music isn't enough for this guy. this dude listens to metalcore and whatever is heavier than emo pop punk. i actually had issues with picking a band for him cause most of them are casual listens to me but!!! in the end i chose bring me the horizon. angsty emo. pure rage. that's simply subaru for you! sometimes he would sing to their songs in his room but never admit it lol.

RUKI — HIM

honestly, this guy would love gothic rock. i just know it. HIM is the perfect band for him! their dark, elegant, kinda sad sound reminds me of him a lot. and the lyrics too!! they're really poetic, mostly about love and death with a few mentions to eden (pun intended?); the vocalist ville valo often takes inspiration for his lyrics from the books he reads! ruki would definitely dedicate Vampire Heart to yui btw.

KOU — AVRIL LAVIGNE / ICON FOR HIRE

LISTEN. i've been headcanoning this ever since my first DL post ever but kou would be a huge avril lavigne fan. it would mostly represent his frivolous idol persona, but also some of what he hides underneath.

his realest and deepest side is represented by icon for hire. they're heavier, aggressive and talk a lot about sensitive topics. kou has one of the worst pasts among the DL characters and has dealt with pretty much everything going from depression, to abuse, to drug addiction, to suicidal tendencies. i think he'd find some sort of comfort in their songs.

YUMA — P.O.D.

i always pictured yuma as a hip-hop kinda guy, so i think he would like nu metal. being part of the angry and bothered trio with ayato and subaru, he's relatively the calmest one but that means nothing since we're in DL lol. p.o.d.'s passive-aggressive style reminds me of him so much and i swear i ALWAYS think about him when i listen to Youth of the Nation, it's like it talks about him and his brothers specifically.

AZUSA — EVANESCENCE

there are two types of emo: the angry emo and the sad emo. azusa obviously belongs to the second one. i can't really associate him to one genre in particular, it just depends on the ~vibes~, but i chose evanescence for him cause their lowkey eerie, slow style fits azusa a lot. fear of abandonment and selflessness are some of the themes they've covered and Lithium is the song that makes me think about azusa the most.

CARLA — NIGHTWISH

carla has that gothic royal-ish attitude that reminds of the first nightwish era (with tarja turunen as vocalist). i mostly tend to associate the deep, elegant lyrical vocals with carla's deep voice lol. it's just a matter of ~vibes~ again :D

SHIN — FROM FIRST TO LAST

this little shit would only listen to post-hardcore. nothing reminds me of shin more than a cringy "i'm angy >:(" music genre. i actually do enjoy some post-hardcore and from first to last is the exception. i think shin would fit especially in the Dead Trees era, aka FFTL's villain arc™: very silly, angsty and full of villanous vibes but more mature than their previous works.

KINO — AMARANTHE

gamer boi coming through with electronic metal!! amaranthe's futuristic mix of edm and metal + their in-your-face attitude is a perfect match with kino. PvP is THE kino song. the music, the lyrics, the game concept just suit him so well!! slay.

[vampire-bite]

azusa is seventy years of sleep coded

[mp3minded]

i've finished Reiji's Haunted Dark Bridal route not too long ago (minus the Heaven scenarios, but i'll get to those in time), and uwu it wasn't perfect, but not as sour as i felt it'd turn out, from some points either 👀 so while i'm glad i didn't end up hating him by the end of it sjshshsjbs, i also wanna "test" myself, and see how those feelings compare to the others.

even though i did already complete Kanato's route.. i felt like i was rushing the experience, just to get to Reiji, plus i've been getting nostalgic of him, so i think a refresher is needed there too—i'm gonna play all their routes at once! 🤪

[taintedevesayori]

Sayo's Route: Dark Fate Prologue

This is a sequel to Sayo's More, Blood Route. This route will contain content that some may find upsetting. Check out the linked masterlist for the full disclaimer and trigger warnings.

Sayo's Route Masterlist

“They are not long, the weeping and the laughter, Love and desire and hate” “They are not long, the days of wine and roses Out of a misty dream Our path emerges for a while, then closes Within a dream.”

Vitae Summa Brevis Spem Nos Vetat Incohare Longam - Ernest Dowson

Monologue 

A few months have passed since I moved into the Mukami’s manor.  Returning was hectic at first.  After a few days, I insisted that I needed to see the Sakamaki brothers, to let them know I had returned and was living with Kou and to apologize for leaving the way I did.  Everyone was opposed at first, but I pointed out that it had to be done if I was going to return to school. Plus, they deserved that much, despite the ups and downs we’ve had.  Kou and Yuma came with me. It was a chaotic reunion.  Reiji and Subaru were glad I had returned. Laito and Ayato weren’t very happy I brought Kou and Yuma. Shu was indifferent and Kanato was pissed at my “betrayal” for leaving them.  Everybody was unhappy when I told them I would be living with Kou.  But at this point, we had more or less moved past it. We at least were able to interact normally at school.  The Mukami brothers made me feel right at home. They teased me for leaving over a misunderstanding but things had pretty much gone right back to the way they were before that.  I was making it up to Kou for weeks, but things were good between us.  And it’s continued to stay that way. For the first time since moving away from my hometown, I was able to say I was genuinely happy with how life was going. 

-Sayo is sleeping in her room at the Mukami manor. As she’s half asleep, she rolls over. Instead of her bed, she rolls onto something. The impact causes her to wake up

Sayo: Hm…?

-She rubs at her eyes, trying to see what’s on her bed. When she sees the mop of blonde hair, she realizes it’s Kou

Sayo: Haah…Really, Kou…? You have your own bed. You don’t need to keep sneaking into mine. 

-He wraps an arm around her, mumbling half asleep 

Kou: I wouldn’t have to if you would sleep with me to begin with…

Sayo: I do sleep with you…

Kou: It’s not enough~ I want you with me every night…

Sayo: I’ll think about it…but I want to sleep by myself every so often, you know? Don’t you feel the same? 

Kou: Not since the first time we slept together. 

Sayo: I see…

Kou: Go back to sleep, Sayo-chan~ We don’t have to be up for a while…

Sayo: Alright, alright…

-She snuggles up against him and tries to go back to sleep

*Timeskip* 

-Sayo is in the kitchen, helping Ruki prepare a meal for everyone. He is staring out the window

Sayo: Is something wrong, Ruki?

Ruki: …Not really. It’s just the eclipse. 

Sayo: Oh, yeah…I forgot that was happening.

-Sayo joins him to see that the moon is indeed red because of the eclipse

Sayo: How pretty…

Ruki: I suppose that is all it is to humans. An eclipse is not a very welcomed event by vampires. 

Sayo: Why is that?

Ruki: Our powers weaken during an eclipse. We must exercise caution because of that. I imagine the Sakamaki brothers have worried more over it, considering how many enemies they must have.

Sayo: I see…How strange…The eclipse weakens your powers, while the full moon strengthens them…

-Ruki moves to check on the food

Ruki: This is just about done. You may join the others if you would like. I can handle the rest. 

Sayo: I can stay. You’ll need help carrying it to the table, won’t you?

Ruki: Thank you.

-After the food is ready, Ruki and Sayo bring it out to the dining room where the others are gathered at the table

Kou: It smells delicious~

Azusa: Yes…It looks good…

Yuma: Thanks for the meal. 

-The two sit down with them so they can all eat

Sayo: I was thinking…I want to go visit the Sakamakis.

Kou: What?!

Yuma: Why would you want to do somethin’ like that?

Sayo: I haven’t visited them since I first came back…and that obviously didn’t go super well. Now that things have cooled down, it would be nice to see them outside of school. At least for a little bit.

(Not that long ago, I never would have thought I would be saying something like this. Guess it shows how much we’ve all grown…)

Ruki: Didn’t I just tell you about what the eclipse does to our powers?

Sayo: Doesn’t that make it the best time to go? I don’t think they would try anything, but even if they did, they wouldn’t be as strong. 

Yuma: Guess you’ve got a point…

Kou: I still don’t think it’s a good idea…

Sayo: Don’t pout. Think of it like a visit to old friends that I don’t talk to much anymore.

Kou: Only those old friends are vampires and two of them were interested in you…

Sayo: Haah…You know the only one I’m interested in is you. They know that as well. You have nothing to worry about. 

Kou: …Alright, fine…I trust you.

Sayo: Thank you. It will only be a short visit, I promise. You can come and get me if you get worried I’m gone for too long. 

-Kou nods in resignation

Monologue 

And so, later that night, I went over to the Sakamaki mansion. I was admittedly a bit nervous.  Sure, I saw them around at school, but we didn’t talk much anymore.  I don’t know who I expected to answer when I knocked on the front door, but I was shocked when it finally opened.

-The front door of the mansion opens, revealing a blonde girl around Sayo’s age. The two stare at each other in surprise for a moment. They both find their words at the same time

Sayo and Yui: Who are you…?

Yui: U-Um…! I’m so sorry! My name is Komori Yui. It’s nice to meet you. 

Sayo: You don’t have to apologize. I’m Makina Sayori, but please call me Sayo. It’s nice to meet you too. Sorry to ask such an abrupt question, but…are you living here…?

Yui: Yes, I am…

Sayo: So then…you must be the next bride…

Yui: Y-You know about that…?

Sayo: Yes…I was supposed to be their bride before you. 

Yui: …! 

Sayo: Should we go somewhere else to talk? The garden is a nice place to walk around and chat?

Yui: Yes…I would like that. 

-Yui follows Sayo out to the garden

Yui: So…you were one of the prospective brides? What happened? If you don’t mind me asking, of course…

Sayo: Well, it’s a long story…but to keep it short, I ran away. I’m living with a different family of vampires right now. 

Yui: You ran away?! And they didn’t…kill you? But why would you come back if you got away? 

Sayo: Fufu…No, they didn’t kill me. They weren’t able to find me. You see, before I ran away, the brothers and the family of vampires I live with now were…fighting over me, I guess is the word. I was dating one of them. Since I was supposed to be their bride and technically their prey, the brothers didn’t like that, and tried to keep us apart. It didn’t work, though. I ran away after a misunderstanding. My boyfriend was the one who found me and brought me back. I moved in with him. The brothers tried to fight that decision, but in the end, they gave up. I just came to visit them today. 

Yui: You…would come back and visit them…? Even though they’re-

-She stopped herself. Sayo could tell Yui was probably wondering how she was treated back when she lived with them

Sayo: At first, I thought living here was hell. I hated them all. We fought all the time, sometimes even physically when they tried to take my blood. But after some time, my relationships with them improved. Although I don’t think me and Kanato will ever get along. I do consider Reiji and Subaru my friends, though. 

-Yui stares in surprise, unable to comprehend a bride having a good relationship with the brothers considering her experience so far. But if Sayo’s experience started so horribly and got better, hopefully hers would as well

Yui: I see…

(This girl seems too sweet to do some of the things I did…I feel bad another girl has to be put in this situation. I didn’t think about the fact that another bride might be chosen when I left…)

Sayo: I know it’s a scary situation to be in…I’m sorry you have to go through it too. 

Yui: It’s alright. I honestly feel relieved to meet someone that has experienced the same thing…I haven’t been able to talk about this to anyone before now…

Sayo: Well, if there’s anything you want to talk about, I’m all ears. Let’s be friends, Yui. 

Yui: Yes! I would like that very much!

-The two sit down to continue talking

*Timeskip*

-Sayo and Yui are still out in the garden. Over an hour has gone by

Yui: I don’t think I’ve talked to someone like this in a very long time…Thank you, Sayo. This has been fun!

Sayo: It isn’t often I get to do this with friends, either. I’m surprised nobody has interrupted us. I figured the brothers would have sniffed me out by now. 

Yui: They’ve been a little off today…

Sayo: Oh, I guess that makes sense. It might be because of the eclipse. 

Yui: So you know about it as well…? How it affects them? 

Sayo: Yeah. We were talking about it earlier back home. That was one of the reasons they let me come here. They don’t trust the brothers much, so they weren’t too keen on me visiting. 

Yui: I see…

-The two suddenly hear footsteps coming closer

Sayo: Guess we’ve been found out after all?

-The two girls stand. When the figures turn the corner, Sayo is surprised to see two men she’s never met before

Yui: You two…?

Sayo: Hm…? You know these guys?

Yui: They’re transfer students…I was asked to show them around yesterday. Why are you here…?

Shin: Isn’t it obvious? We’ve come to pick you up. We can’t exactly leave you here with these guys. 

Yui: What…?

Sayo: Let me guess…vampires?

Yui: Well…

-The two men glare at her

Shin: Che…You dare call us vampires?

Carla: Do not lump us together with those lesser beings. We are First Bloods….Founders.

Shin: And because of that, nobody can oppose us. We need her because she’s got the heart of the daughter of the demon lord. So stay out of the way unless you want to get hurt. 

Carla: Shin…don’t you think there’s something strange about that one?

Shin: Hm…? You think so?

-Suddenly, Carla is right in front of Sayo. She tries to stumble back, but he grabs her arm to stop her. He leans down to inhale her scent

Carla: I see…

-He turns back to Shin

Carla: She has a seal placed on her. It’s faint…but I can smell Founder’s blood within her. 

Shin: No kidding?

-Shin walks up to her as well, sniffing her neck

Shin: Huh…How lucky is this? We didn’t even know this one existed.

-Sayo finally manages to yank her arm out of Carla’s grip. She takes a few big steps back, pulling Yui with her

Sayo: The hell are you two going on about?! 

-She pulls out her pocket knife, pointing it at the two

Yui: …!

Sayo: Yui, run and find one of the brothers. 

Yui: O-Okay…!

-Yui runs off towards the mansion

Shin: Haha! You’re just a human with that seal on you. Do you really think you can defend yourself?

Sayo: Beats not doing anything. 

Carla: She’s useless to us with that seal anyway. You know what to do, Shin. 

Shin: Don’t hate me too much for this, okay?

-Shin pulls out a knife and rushes her. She’s barely able to block his attack 

(Shit! He’s fast…!)

-She jumps back to get some distance 

Shin: Guess you’ve got a little bit of skill after all….That would have killed most people. 

Carla: Shin. Stop fooling around. 

Shin: Sorry, Nii-san. Wish we could play around some, but guess I’ve got to end this quickly. 

-He’s suddenly right in front of her again

Shin: We can play again after you awaken, okay?

-She attempts to parry his attack, but he grabs her wrist to stop her before stabbing her in the heart

(No…way…I can’t…die like this…?)

-She falls to the ground, coughing up blood for a moment before going still

Shin: What about the other one? 

Carla: She has most likely made it inside the mansion. We will wait to make an attack. It wouldn’t do to drag around a dead body while trying to hunt her down as well. 

Shin: Guess that makes sense. Are we taking this one back then? 

Carla: Yes. I’ll put you in charge of transporting her. 

Shin: Alright.

-Shin transforms into a wolf, picking up Sayo’s body in his mouth before following Carla home

-Sayo finds herself standing in a place she’s never seen before. It looks like the inside of a castle. There are two people standing in front of her…a man with red eyes and her green hair and a woman with brown hair and her golden eyes and freckles. She knows instinctively that these must be her parents, their names Ryuu and Yori 

Ryuu: Sayori, we do not have much time, but if your true identity were to ever come to light, we wanted you to know a few things. 

Yori: We didn’t want to give you up…and we are so sorry that we had to. But we did it to protect you from a disease that was killing our people. We didn’t want to possibly lose you to it…so we made a deal with a powerful vampire, Karlheinz Sakamaki. 

Ryuu: You are half Founder and half human. He was to seal your Founder’s blood and hide you in the human world as a human. As long as you were never killed, you would go on living a normal human life. But if you were killed, the seal would break and you would live again as a true half breed. You are seeing this memory now if that has happened. 

Yori: As much as we wish to see you again, we hope you can live a peaceful life. Because of the disease, we are going into hiding to try to protect ourselves. One day, if your seal breaks and we are free of the threat of disease, we hope to be reunited. 

-She reaches out for them, but everything fades to white

-Sayo’s eyes shoot wide open. She is lying on the bed in one of the Tsukinami mansion’s guest rooms. She immediately searches her skirt pockets for her pocket knife, but finds nothing

Sayo: Shit…!

(I’ve been kidnapped…You’ve got to be kidding me. And…I guess I was killed?)

-She gets off the bed and glances down at herself. Sure enough, her clothes are bloodied

Sayo: That guy with the glasses is gonna pay…

(I can think about the mess that is dying and not being human later. Right now I need to get out of here.)

-She goes over to the door and tries to open it, but it’s locked

Sayo: Seriously…?

(Is there anything around I might be able to pick the lock with…? Not that I really know how to do that…)

-She searches the room but comes up empty handed. She goes back to the door with a sigh

(There’s only one other option…)

-She slams her weight against the door, hoping to break it down. When that doesn’t work, she tries kicking it in

Sayo: Dammit…! 

(I’m not giving up…)

-Even though neither worked the first time, she keeps at it

-Meanwhile, back at the Sakamaki mansion, the Mukami brothers have gone looking for Sayo. Reiji is the one to answer the door

Reiji: What are you lot doing here?

Kou: Sayo-chan hasn’t come home yet. We’ve come to get her. 

Reiji: Sayo? She isn’t here.

Kou: Don’t play dumb…! We know she came here.

Reiji: I assure you I am not playing dumb. I have not seen Sayori. So unless one of my brothers has her hidden away somewhere, she is not here. 

Laito: Hm~? Sayo-chan came here? And she didn’t even say hello? How cruel~

-They look up to see Laito and Ayato leaning against the banister upstairs

Reiji: So then you two have not seen her either?

Ayato: Nope. Now that I think about it, Chichinashi has been missing for a while now too…Wonder if they ran into each other?

-With perfect timing, Yui runs into the room, out of breath

Yui: S-Someone! You have to help!

-They were all surprised to see her so distressed

Reiji: Help with what? Spit it out already.

Yui: Th-They’re attacking Sayo!

-Multiple boys made exclamations of confusion at the same time

Kou: Where?! 

Yui: This way!

-Yui begins running back to the garden, everyone following after her. However, when they reached where Sayo and the two Founders had been, all they saw was a large pool of blood. Yui screams, clinging onto Ayato

Azusa: After losing..so much blood…can she really be okay…?

Ruki: I do not know…

Kou: Why did they take her?! Who were they?!

Yui: They…They’re new transfer students at our school…They said they were Founders…

Reiji: Founders…? Why would they come here?

Yui: They wanted…me…but then they said there was something strange about Sayo…I think they said she had a seal on her? One of them said they could smell Founder’s blood within her. 

Laito: Eh…?

Ayato: Founder’s blood?!

Ruki: What does that mean?

Reiji: If what she’s saying is true and Sayo has a seal placed on her, then she is not human…or at least not fully human. And if they smelled Founder’s blood, that means she came from the Founder’s bloodline. One of the ways to break a seal on someone’s demon powers is to kill them. That is most likely what happened here. 

Kou: So you’re saying…they killed Sayo-chan…?

Reiji: If they did, she is not actually dead. Her seal will have been broken and she is no longer human. That is why they took her. 

Kou: We have to get her back!

Laito: …

Ayato: …

Kou: Why isn’t anyone saying anything…?

Laito: Founders are stronger than us, more so on an eclipse like tonight…It isn’t a good idea to go against them right now. Especially non purebloods like yourselves. 

Yuma: So are you sayin’ you’re just gonna abandon her?!

Reiji: We-

-Before they can say anything more, they are interrupted by a bunch of wolves howling

Ayato: That isn’t a good sign…

Reiji: Let us continue this discussion inside…

-As they move to head back to the mansion, they are suddenly surrounded by wolves

Laito: I think they’ve come back for Bitch-chan…

Ayato: Chichinashi! Stay by me!

Yui: Kyah! Ayato-kun!

-One of the wolves has already grabbed Yui. It starts to run off with her before she can do anything. Ayato moves to chase after them, but the other wolves begin attacking them to prevent them from following

Ayato: Shit…! Yui!

-To be continued