#riddle is pretty straightforward i think | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

twstjam · 11 months

Text

And if I were someone else (would this be easier?) - Part 1

If you woke and I was gone From the house that we made our home Would it bend you, break you, overtake your heart Like it did my own? (Easier by the Crane Wives)

Ship(s): Friends to Lovers Malleyuu

Word count: 3k

Summary: Your fae friend Tsunotarou had cursed the King. If you want to live, you're going to have to kill him.

Or: Actually, this one is pretty straightforward I think.

Masterlist

AO3 Link

Tsunotarou is fae.

You'd known this the moment you set eyes on his pale face. The sparkling magical lights lingering around him had made your unexpected company visible to you even in the inky darkness of the abandoned manor's grounds. Despite what he evidently was, you didn't turn him away.

Curious about his presence, you had greeted him like anyone would a stranger. You knew of course the conflict currently going on between the humans and the fae, but you also couldn't imagine that just saying "hi" to someone could hurt anyone.

"Hi." led into "Who are you?" , which then turned into "Good evening." s, and then "How are you?" s, followed by "Did you know that gargoyles have a function as drainage spouts?"

You probably should've stopped before things got to that point, but the world didn't end the day after so you didn't see any reason to. In fact, you only saw more reason to keep meeting up with Tsunotarou. As a fae, he had interesting views you were unused to hearing and seemed equally intrigued by yours as a human. He was also significantly much more intelligent than you, but instead of looking down on you, he eagerly taught you anything you didn't know. His knowledge was all book-smarts though, and when it came to something like social cues, he was suddenly the oblivious one.

Despite how objectively terrifying he should be as a tall figure draped in all black that seemed to manifest out of the shadows, you found yourself being endeared to him more and more with each night. You always ended up returning home with a big smile and a skip in your step. Even with your line of work restricting you to the grounds of the Rosehearts estate, Tsunotarou helped the world feel just a bit bigger with his unique mind and boundless knowledge.

But of course, as everybody knows; nothing lasts forever. You shouldn't have been foolish enough to think this would be an exception to that rule.

---

Tensions between humans and fae inevitably rose and with it your responsibilities in helping manage the Rosehearts estate. Things became busier and more hectic than ever, pulling you away from being able to enjoy leisure time and with it, nights with Tsunotarou.

That wasn't the only thing that slipped from you, though. At some point during all the chaos, wagons of rations caught fire— blue fire. In your overexerted state, you'd gotten too distracted to keep watch on Grim. Being beheaded by Riddle became the least of your worries when your menace of a monster cat was subdued and caged at the king's orders.

A part of you wanted to leave him to his fate. He got what was coming to him. But the softer and undeniably bigger part of you twinged painfully at the thought of standing back and doing nothing to try and save your friend.

Curse you and your bleeding heart.

So you'd requested to meet the King. Though the mere thought made you want to hurl, once you were before him you got on your knees and touched your forehead to the carpet that no doubt cost more than everything you've ever owned combined.

And then you took the blame.

There, on your hands and knees before the king, you spun an impassioned plea from the heart, strung together with all the fancy sophisticated jargon you could possibly dig out of your brain.

The King wasn't swayed.

But of course, he was swayed by something a king like him could never miss nor pass on: opportunity.

Even from afar as you entered the grand room you were able to notice it. Sickly pale skin, bloodshot eyes, sunken cheeks, and glowing green veins beneath the King's skin that were most definitely unnatural. All of it stemmed from a bandage wound around one of his arms, stained an unnerving black and glowing green.

You'd heard about it of course—Everyone had. It was the sole reason for the drastic increase in tension between human and fae relations after all;

A fae had cursed the King.

And just like how he wasn't willing to forgive Grim's transgressions so easily, the King was hellbent on hunting down that fae. And so came his demand—and at his words your heart had sunk with realisation.

"Kill the horned creature. Avenge me... and you and your pet shall be pardoned."

Your fae friend Tsunotarou had cursed the King. If you want to live, you're going to have to kill him.

---

The King's words rewound in your mind—Over and over and over, like a broken record. Your eyes look ahead of you, but you don't realise you've reached the old ruins until your feet come to a stop on their own. After your audience with the King, you had returned home to the Rosehearts estate and pondered your options. Though you hadn't enlightened them on your new dilemma, even Ace and Deuce had left you alone when you'd asked them to, so you really must have looked like you'd seen Death himself when you showed up at the estate again.

You had a choice to make—Tsunotarou's life, or yours and Grim's. After what felt like hours of holeing yourself up in your room and thinking restlessly, you finally gave in. The King's terms had begun to repeat in your mind then, as if to remind you of the betrayal you've been ordered to commit despite it having been branded into your brain alongside the faded smile of an old friend from the dark.

The shadows of the mansion's garden welcome you with its fingers of overgrown weeds and branches that form ominous reaching shadows in the moonlight. The familiarity brought a strange sort of comfort, but the King's voice in your head chased it away as soon as it came. The light of both the moon and your lantern help guide you to the worn pavilion of crumbling stone where you and Tsunotarou have spent countless nights talking about anything and everything.

The lack of green lights around the area is apparent as you swivel around to find them. You can't help feeling a bit disappointed even though the rational part of you knows that even Tsunotarou wouldn't come and wait for you after so many times of being stood up. You hope he isn't too mad at you.

You set your lantern down on the bench so that you can cup your hands around your mouth and call out.

The name you call him by is a nickname. He'd seemed amused by you not knowing his true identity in an unexpectedly endearing, childish way, so you'd indulged him. At this point though, it's hard to imagine him having any name other than "Tsunotarou", but still, using it now leaves the taste of bile in your mouth each time you force it out of your throat.

"Tsunotarou!" you yell hoarsely. " Tsuno —"

"You return."

You startle at the sudden deep timbre of Tsunotarou's voice. You swerve around and sure enough, your fae friend stands there, tall and proud and dressed in robes of night as always. His black hair shimmers like silk in the moonlight and his reptilian green eyes pierce you as he looks down at you impassively, face glowing an ominous green as the glitter of magic lingers in the air. Even in all his tall, sculpted, flawless fae glory, Tsunotarou wouldn't be complete without the long horns that curve proudly atop his head like an onyx crown.

"So. How is life with the humans?" His tone is as stony as his gaze, giving off the impression that he holds complete disinterest and was merely being polite. You can tell though that he's upset by the slight downturn of his lips that hint at the beginnings of a pout.

Fondness suddenly swells in your chest and an unwelcome smile tugs on the corners of your own lips. You resist it and refocus on the matter at hand.

"I came to warn you," you begin, straight to the point. "The king's after you, Tsunotarou, because of what you did to him. He won't stop until you're dead."

You watch his face closely for his reaction. It doesn't change much in response except for the slight raise of his eyebrows.

"I see." He sounds more thoughtful now. He's even looking at you instead of through you, and whatever goes through his head softens his gaze to something that you're more familiar with. "This was something I foresaw when I cursed him. Regardless, it was inevitable that that foul man would search for a reason to slay me like a common beast, and yet..."

His expression eases into something warm, changing completely from its stoic countenance into something you might call affectionate. Tsunotarou steps forward and reaches for your hand. You allow him to hold it and the tension in your body unwinds, unbidden, at his touch.

"...you still came to warn me of the potential threat." His smooth, thin fingers rub over yours carefully, as if he is feeling the exact construction of your fingers down to the flesh and bone. An amused chuckle, a sound not unlike the darkest of chocolates, escapes his smiling lips. "My dearest child of man... I assure you that I am in no danger. Do not despair. I will ensure your journey here wasn't for naught."

You blink up at him dumbly. His smile lifting further contributes to your confusion.

"I..." Stunned as you are, it takes you a bit longer to string words together. As you struggle, Tsunotarou gently guides you to sit down next to him on the bench as if the past few minutes didn't just happen. As if the past few weeks didn't just happen, when you'd stopped seeing him without a word despite being his friend. "...You're not mad at me?"

"Mad?" Despite the question, Tsunotarou doesn't sound surprised, the easy smile remaining on his face. "Whatever for?"

His expression stays unexpectedly at ease, but it occurs to you then that, for whatever reason, your friend has a tendency of (badly) hiding his hurt feelings behind a facade of contentment for politeness . You once again feel that immense guilt weighing in your chest.

"You don't have to act like you're not upset," you sigh, gaze looking downward shamefully. "It's alright. I want you to be upfront with me. I don't blame you if you're mad. I'm sorry I stopped talking to you and didn't tell you anything, I—"

You cut yourself off with a squeak when Tsunotarou's hand on your back suddenly pushes you towards him, giving you a faceful of his built chest.

"Hush now," he tuts, fingers threading through your hair while the other rubs your back as if he was soothing a fussy child. "As I have said, please do not despair. There is no reason to. I admit that I was... disappointed in your constant absences, but I understand that you have many responsibilities as I do, so I forgive you."

Tsunotarou's embrace is unyielding and borderline suffocating, but you smack his chest (to which he is completely unfazed by) and he lets you up to breathe and also look up at him in disbelief.

"You do...?"

You'd thought you'd be happy to hear those words from him, but instead dread further eats a cavity inside your chest to be filled with heavy, unwavering guilt.

Tsunotarou's smile is tooth-rotting, soft and sweet like cotton candy, completely oblivious to your inner turmoil as he ghosts the backs of his fingers over your cheek.

"But of course," Tsunotarou hums as he eases back on the bench. He pulls you along with him and this time you find yourself half-sprawled on top of him. "We are friends, are we not? And friends forgive each other."

His words are genuine. Innocent. The fondness in his eyes even more so. Nothing about the fae sitting beside you indicates he was a horned monster you were meant to kill.

You don't meet his eyes as you swallow and force yourself to relax against him, to which he makes a pleased sound and rests his head atop yours.

"Yeah. Friends."

---

The two of you remain sitting in the pavilion together in that position, your head tucked beneath his as he holds you and talks the night away like he always does. The days you spent apart fade into nonexistence, and things return to how they were before.

Or at least, it was easy to imagine they do.

Tsunotarou's dark robes are silky soft beneath your fingers. His hands' motions combined with how comfortable you feel against him and listening to him speak would be enough to lull you to sleep if your mind was calmer.

Tsunotarou clears his throat and you startle out of your thoughts.

"Ah, I apologize," he says with a slight rasp to his voice. "I appear to be losing my voice. Heh. I hadn't realized how much I've spoken."

He carefully runs his fingers through the tangles in your hair. When you look up at him, your gaze is caught by his hooded one. You feel yourself go pale. Not out of fear—You don't think you could ever be afraid of him, even if you've seen proof that he can easily decimate you—but a sick feeling that twists your gut at the unrestrained affection on his face.

"Time seems to fly by even faster when I'm with you," his voice is quieter, the softest puffs of breath from his lips fanning over your own.

You sit up. Tsunotarou leans after you as you pull away. Your fingers fumble with the satchel you'd brought before pulling out a waterskin.

"I brought some water. Here."

The contents of the waterskin slosh quietly as you present it to Tsunotarou. The fae blinks, his hooded eyes widening as if stunned by your offer.

"Ah." He recovers quickly, his smile creeping back onto his face. "Thank you. You're quite vigilant."

Your fingers are stiff as Tsunotarou accepts the waterskin. You smile, strained, as he uncorks it and takes a swig.

"Hm," you hear him hum, brows furrowing slightly. His eyes linger on the receptacle so briefly that you think you might have imagined it. His smile is the same as ever as he returns the waterskin to you.

You don't resist when he pulls you close again completely unprompted. He shifts slightly so he's able to comfortably lower his head onto your shoulder. One of his horns bumps the side of your head and his pale cheek squishes against yours.

Tsunotarou's touch is as careful as ever as he embraces you, his long sleeves draping over both of you like a blanket as he huddles in close. With a lump in your throat, you hover your arms awkwardly, unsure where to place them before reaching up and tentatively trailing a hand down the side of his face. His eyes droop closed. You can hear your racing heartbeat in your ears.

Your friend's weight grows heavier against you. He turns his head ever so slightly and his face is buried into your neck. You tense at the indentation of his fangs behind his lips resting right against your pulse.

You wait for something that doesn't come. Instead, Tsunotarou sighs, heavy and slow—content—and completely eases against you.

A beat passes. Another. Tsunotarou doesn't move.

"Tsu—Tsunotarou...?" you whisper shakily. You shove his shoulder. "Tsunotarou!"

He doesn't respond.

The cavity in your chest widens further. You feel hollow as you lift the fae off your shoulder and he's limp in your hold.

His head is a bit heavy, no doubt from his horns, but you manage to lift him up enough to respositon him so that he's instead lying on his side. You rest his head in your lap. An apology is caught in the tightness of your throat, instead spoken silently through fingers lightly brushing dark hair out of a peaceful, sleeping face.

Your fingers linger on Tsunotarou's face and you quickly pull away before you indulge yourself too much. Instead, you reach into your satchel again for the iron dagger you'd brought. It glints in the moonlight and you can't help but feel like it's taunting you.

If it could speak, you imagine that it'd be calling you a coward. It doesn't say anything though, and instead the only sounds that accompany you are your own rapid heartbeat, Tsunotarou's level breathing, and the squeaking of bats hiding in the night.

Another apology goes unspoken, instead coming out as a choked sob. Your fingers tremble around the hilt of the dagger as you raise it high with the blade pointing down. You resolutely do not look at Tsunotarou slumbering in your lap, blissfully unaware of your betrayal, but the effort proves to be useless.

Your hands shake. You scream. You bring the dagger down and it skids the side of the bench's seat as you fold over Tsunotarou in your lap, your shoulders shaking with unshed sobs.

Bats screech and take off into the night sky, but all you can hear is your own deep breaths as you try to calm your racing heart.

"I'm sorry," you whisper breathlessly into your friend's chest, who remains unaware of what his trust had led to— almost led to. "I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry—"

The dagger falls to the dirt with a thud, deceptively harmless. Tears finally flow from your eyes as you hold your friend and weep quietly. You're no doubt ruining his fine silk robes, but it's hard to care when you've come to terms with the fact that you'd just attempted to kill your friend to save your own skin.

What were you thinking? How could you have even considered killing Tsunotarou, who, despite very well having the ability to, (the King's ailment being clear evidence of this) never laid a hand on you or attempted to hurt you? How could you have been at the receiving end of his earnest smile and affectionate gaze and still almost gone through with the King's horrific demands?

You feel overwhelmingly ashamed of yourself. You cry harder into Tsunotarou's still sleeping body, uselessly rambling apologies between your sobs.

Your tears don't ease up, especially not when you realize that you're fully resigned to accepting the King's full punishment and that, as a price, this is the last night you'll have with Tsunotarou.

---

Come dawn, Malleus wakes up alone.

#twisted wonderland imagines #malleus draconia #twisted wonderland au #twst yuu #malleus draconia x reader #malleus draconia x yuu #malleus draconia x mc #malleyuu #twisted wonderland x reader #twst x reader #matcha writes a bit

214 notes · View notes

riongeee · 21 days

Text

Okay, so I've seen a few people play around with different dorm allocations. For Sebek, I've already explored Ramshackle. What about the other dorms?

Heartslabyul- hear me out. Sebek would THRIVE in heartslabyul. Like???? The whole focus is following rules, Sebek would probably be delighted by how clear cut the expectations are?

If we're talking about sticking to the original plot... Sebek could still reasonably fill in for Ace. Like maybe not punching Riddle but after realising how strict and unfair the rules are, Sebek would be critical in his loud Sebek way. So Riddles Overblot could still reasonably happen. Also, I'm pretty sure it's canon that Sebek admires Riddle as a senior (for his grades and manner I think but dont quote me) so seeing him be all tryrant-y would make him feel betrayed.

Riddle would also like Sebek, like 'a first year who doesn't break all my rules?? Is in my club??? And LISTENS to me?????'

Savanaclaw- This one might be a bit more tenuous but still possible. Like, Sebek is pretty strong, he'd fit in. Maybe the other dorm members would be wary at first because he's Malleus' retainer. However, come on, if any dorm would understand Sebeks loud brand of Sebek it's Savanaclaw. Half the words out of the people in that dorm are yelled.

Leona would also be similarly put off by having Sebek around but he'd probably warm up to him? Like a stray cat that you fed once and keeps coming back. With this one, Sebek would definitely be able to play Jacks role in the overblot. Like cheating and causing harm against wakasama!?!?!?!? Not on his watch. After the Overblot it would be awkward between them but they'd get over it. (Leona planning to steal Malleus' loyal retainer for himself lowkey)

As for Ruggie, he'd probably make use of Sebeks earnest nature and get him to help with tasks around Savanaclaw or tasks to do with Leona. (Lowkey that friendship would be kinda cute somehow???? Like Ruggie and Sebek trading tips on getting Leona out of bed??)

Octavinelle- had to think for a bit about this one as canonically there is no octavinelle first year that plays a role in the story. However, considering Sebek would probably not be expecting to be sorted into Octavinelle at all maybe he'd fade a bit into the background. Maybe Azul would be interested in having a deal with Malleus' retainer but quickly lost interest because of how straightforward and blunt Sebek was. Maybe getting closer with his seniors would happen more during the little photo hunt.

Sebek probably wouldn't approve of the contracts and would help out the first years a bit causing tensions between him and his seniors and leading him to be in the overblot battle. Maybe after the battle Azul begins talking with his employees better and getting to know Sebek a bit better. My personal headcanon is that Sebek can cook quite well, so he'd work kitchen duty since waiter duty wouldn't be a perfect fit.

As for the twins, Floyd would've been interested in the loud Sebek but lost interest due to how strict Sebek was. He occasionally teases Sebek but no more than anyone else. As for Jade, I think he'd be the senior Sebek gets along with the best. Like Sebek would hear about Jades passion for mushrooms and feel kinship because of his passion for protecting Malleus???(special interest buddies?!?!) So instead of Riddles club he'd joing Jades club and they'd fo hiking together leading to a closer relationship.

Pomefiore- Okay. As for Pomefiore.... yes! First of all, Pomefiore also has explicit rules and expectations on what to do, Sebek would maybe hit a stumbling block with the beauty aspect but would ultimately learn how to find beauty in both his fae and human side in Pomefiore. He'd also expand his style and taste to range from things that aren't Malleus and the diasomnia 3 focused. He already was outed as knowing obscure operas so he would thrive in the dorm of drama kids.

As for relationships with Vil and Rook. Pretty good most likely! Vil appreciates hard work and dedication and Sebek has that in spades. He might not fully like how loud Sebek can be but he'd probably end up like an exasperated mother saying 'inside voices' all the time. Sebek would definitely be a favourite first year!

With Rook...well....Sebeks half-fae. Rook would be interested for sure. Also, Rook would help Sebek find beauty in the human aspects of himself also. Also, Rook could teach Sebek the bow and arrow since hes already trained in other stuff, no?

Scarabia- As for Scarabia I don't have much to say? I don't think he'd end up there. If he did though he would probably also blend into the background? Maybe helping Jamil out with tasks and other stuff. Otherwise, I don't really see Sebek in Scarabia sorry :(

Ignihyde-I also can't see Sebek in Ignihyde? Maybe Sebek ends up appreciating the engineering of Ignihyde and begins to involve himself more. There's not a lot of opportunities for him to play video games so maybe his friendship with the Shroud brothers could be based on them introducing him to video games? Eventually they become fond of the loud first year that somehow got sorted into their dorm.

So yeah, these are my thoughts on Sebek in different dorms :3

#sebek zigvolt #twisted wonderland #twst sebek #diasomnia #twst ramshackle #lillia vanrouge #riddle rosehearts #leona kingscholar #azul ashengrotto #octavinelle #savanaclaw #scarabia #heartslabyul #pomefiore #vil schoenheit #silly little ideas about my silly little favourite character :3 #honestly Diaosmnia was expected but it would've been so much more fun if Sebek was elsewhere

38 notes · View notes

marshmallowprotection · 3 months

Note

hi!! i know that we have the canon valentine day’s event for the characters, but how do you think saeyoung and saeran would spend the date with their mc’s?? i specially have a hard time thinking about it because my oc doesn’t know how to be romantic lol

Saeyoung is pretty straightforward with his idea of a valentine. He wants to create some sort of elaborate spectacle. Now, he wouldn't do that sort of thing if you made it clear that you weren't okay with it, but he loves to make things for you. He wants to challenge you. He wants you to fall in love with him all over again through an arduous puzzle.

He likes the satisfaction of seeing you at home or riddle that leads you to him. You don't have to do the same thing for him. You don't have to match his level. You could give him a kiss and he would be fine with that. You don't have to be a major romantic to be with him, you know. He already knows what you feel for him so whatever you do is already going to be more than enough for him.

It warms his heart enough just to be loved by you.

GE Saeran is a romantic cliche. If you don't know what you're doing for him or how to do something even more astonishing than what he comes up with, don't worry about it. He likes doing everything for you and he's not bothered if your ideas for Valentine's are simple. This day isn't about being over the top and outdoing your partner. It's a day in your lives where you show one another how much you meant to them with a smile on your face. For Saeran, that means making you a nice meal, sharing the sky, doing new activities together!

Frankly, all he needs to be happy is you. Go ahead and put a bow on your head because that's the only Valentine he could ever want. Don't worry about not feeling like a romantic if that's something that comes hard to you. Even if he does everything in his power to give you a spectacular Valentine, he doesn't expect something of the same level in return. Similar to his brother, the best gift he could ever receive is a smile on your face.

He's grateful to be loved by you and to know what it feels like to be loved.

#mod kait #ask #mystic messenger #anon #mysme #saeran choi #mysticmessenger #mm #choi saeran #saeyoung choi #choi saeyoung #ge saeran #character analysis #saeray #saeran #seven #luciel choi #choi luciel

33 notes · View notes

kimbap-r0ll · 2 years

Note

Have you played the tsum event because I plan on having the twst characters react to their tsum counterpart making a beeline for Yuu and just clinging to them, cuddling, acting extra touchy, etc. and getting flustered because “this plush pillow version of myself is more bolder and straightforward with their feelings than me!”

Hi! Sadly I haven't played this one (I'm on the English version haha) but I have seen it! My character limit is only five ppl and there's more characters than five I think for the event, so I just chose five of them, hope you enjoy!

Leona, Riddle, Sebek, Jack, Epel react to their tsum versions interacting with Yuu

Leona

That little shit

He's so embarrassed by it, even though he tells himself that the tsum isn't him at all, well, it basically is. The fact that it's cuddling next to you and all just makes him want to throw it off of the school's highest tower

He blushes a bit when you tell him the tsum!Leona is super cute, and that you enjoy it's company. Of course, Leona will say that it's just more expressive than he is.

Doesn't mind the tsum that much, but he does find it a bit irritating that you tease him about how much he probably wants to hug you. Will cave in and hug you, only to find the tsum still glued to your shoulder

Riddle

Similar reaction to Leona except he almost screams

Tells the tsum to get off, trying to tear it off honestly but only to get it pouting and clinging to your shoulder like it's the end of the world

Says that he's sorry for the rude behavior of his tsum, but he turns even redder than he already is when you say that it's fine, and honestly that you like how cuddly it is. Will try to stop the tsum from kissing your cheek but it fails haha

In the end he cools off a bit with the help of Trey, but he still finds himself flustered around you when you mention how you learned a bit more about Riddle through the tsum (he's touch-starved plz give him cuddles)

Sebek

"I DEMAND YOU TO HALT YOUR HUGS!" he basically shouts at you and his tsum (himself?) from having some comfort ;-;

This boy loves the idea of hugging and cuddling with you, but his ego of being a tough and strong student makes it hard for him. The fact that his tsum seems to have no troubles with this makes him a bit jealous of it but also a bit relieved that it can convey his feelings towards you for him

You tell him it's fine, and that you like how the tsum is super cuddly. He gets flustered, only saying that if it makes you happy, he won't step in but you can tell he's a bit glad it doesn't bother you.

The tsum may turn towards Sebek and pull him to embrace you instead. He'll stiffly wrap his arms around you as you hug him back. He's absolutely loving this but will refuse to acknowledge he needed help from a cute bean version of him

Jack

He's a cuddly person when in privacy, but he finds it hard to convey his feelings to you sometimes. The fact that the tsum has no problem with this makes him feel a bit strange.

It's embarrassing to Jack that it tries to reach for a kiss by climbing on your shoulder and all, but when you peck it's head Jack looks away with a blush on his face.

He won't say much, but you can tell he's flustered by how bold the tsum is. The tsum may try to get Jack to kiss you as well, but Jack stammers that he's fine but you just kiss him instead. He might've almost fainted haha

He likes the tsum too, thinking it's a pretty adorable thing but he has no idea where it got all of it's courage to cuddle with you. He might thank it for giving him more motivation to give you random hugs throughout your days together

Epel

He's also pretty chill with things like pda, but he doesn't do it a lot because Vil might comment on you two. But the tsum seems to have no problems with showing pda

You throw it up in the air and play around with it, at some point you slept with it resting next to you, right next to your head. Epel doesn't get too flustered, but he does find himself feeling butterflies in his stomach when he thinks about how it's kind of like you're doing all of this with him

The bean Epel has no issue getting Epel and you two hug either. Vil might walk by and see the tsum pushing Epel to kiss you and he might find it honestly a bit cute, will tease Epel lightly about it

He likes the tsum! Nothing much more to say other than that he's glad the tsum can be bold.

978 notes · View notes

raven-at-the-writing-desk · 1 year

Note

I think I'm late to the party because I JUST finished chapter 6 on EN (the jamil/leona tower took me a while) but we got a lot of interesting lore about merfolk there. then I randomly wondered, are there any "freshwater" merfolk? like the ones we know so far are all from the ocean. but do you think it's possible for some to live in lakes or rivers? like nymphs, I suppose

Oh yes, I believe the Azul-Riddle route is where we get to learn about transformation potions and merfolk schooling! Very interesting stuff~ (asbilhdyodVVQW I'm even more late than you are with episode 6 in EN; I've been busy lately so I haven't had the chance to play past part 67ish...)

I think the answer is pretty straightforward (at least in my mind it is lol)! Merpeople are essentially half fish, right? Well, there's salt water fish and fresh water fish. If fresh water fish exist, then the possibility for there being salt water merpeople and fresh water merpeople also exists.

SPEAKING OF WHICH 👀 I wonder if there's a strained social relationship between salt water and fresh water species??? The example I keep thinking about is Lagoona Blue and Gillington Webber from Monster High; Lagoon is a sea (salt water) monster whereas Gill is a river (fresh water) monster, so Gill's parents disapprove of them dating. A large part of Gill's character arc is learning to stand his ground to his parents and their prejudices.

I have an obsession with the OG Monster High characters and lore, and I will take any chance I can to include it in the conversation—

We already know that some discrimination already occurs between the other races (most notably fairies towards humans), as well as in subspecies (such as the various kinds of beastmen struggling to unite) and even regular people vs mages (ie Rollo, Riddle insulting Yuu and their parents being magicless, etc). There's also mention of Azul being bullied in his childhood due, in part, to his octopus traits (crying ink, his bulky tentacles taking up a lot of space and impeding his swimming), so the sea water vs fresh water merfolk thing wouldn't be all that different from what we've already seen.

#twst theory #twisted wonderland theory #twisted wonderland theories #twst theories #twst #twisted wonderland #disney twisted wonderland #Lagoona Blue #Monster High #Gillington Webber #Azul Ashengrotto #Riddle Rosehearts #Rollo Flamme #Rollo Flamm #Yuu

126 notes · View notes

twistedwonderlandshenanigans · 4 months

Text

"Interview" With NRC Students

Last set of my December Drabbles posts. Written after Chapter Four / Scarabia Chapter, burnt out and taking no shit Yuu. Word Count: ~5k ----------------------------------------------- You read over the set of questions Crowley had provided to ask for end of year interviews. Technically, it was supposed to be Dire's job to check in on all the students, but yet again the task was passed onto you. As you looked over the questions, you felt your eyes glaze over but a certain burning in your chest. None of these had anything to do with checking in with mental health, which was clearly what the students needed. You're no therapist. You're no faculty member, you're not someone who should be doing this anyways. You flip the paper over and think over a question you could ask. Just one. You have so many people to get through, and your emotional capacity and mental tenacity are nearing their limits. As the first person walks in an the two of you get to chatting, you finally settle on a question, maybe seeking some wisdom for yourself, and a glimpse into the way your friends, enemies and acquaintances think "What advice would you give someone who's looking to improve their day to day life? Or just advice in general?"

---------------------------------------------------------------------

Riddle is slightly taken aback by the question, before smiling assuredly. "I've been learning quite a bit myself what improvement can mean from one person to another. As you know, the standard for improvement and growth has always been set very high for me, but I think...I think that perhaps the best advice I can give is to learn to set a high standard for yourself rather than....someone else's approval.....it's not advice I've learned to follow, but I received it from a close friend this year and I believe it's sound. At least if you are disciplined enough to do so for yourself." -----------------------------------------------------------------------

Trey laughs a little bit in response, grabbing at his glasses frame and tipping them up slightly, before crossing his arms and leaning back in his chair, sighing a bit. "Advice, huh? Well, I can't say anything for sure, but I guess...don't sweat the small things. It's old advice, but there's a reason it's been said." "Did you want to elaborate on that?" "What else would there to be elaborate on? I thought that was pretty straightforward." "Maybe it has a little more of a personal meaning to you?" "I mean, I've got a bunch of younger siblings, and as vice housewarden I end up looking after a lot of people in the dorm, including Riddle. If I had to worry about every single thing everyone shorter than me was up to or doing, I'd have grey hair by now." He had a shit eating grin on his face as you stopped writing and looked up at him unamused. "You're not funny." "I like to think I am." ------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Cater's face almost falls a bit when he hears your question, but he keeps himself smiling. "Could...could you repeat that please? Cay-cay's um....I need to make sure I heard that right." "What advice would you give someone who wants to improve their day to day life?" He looked almost haunted, though he was trying to maintain his happy disposition. "Did...do you want a different question?" "Ahah um well no! No, it's ok, I got it I just...need a minute I guess! It's...I guess nobody's asked me for advice...ever. I've given it just never asked...specifically, y'know? Ahhh, never mind, can you forget all that and we can take it from the top?" You can't hide your concern and confusion all that well, but you nod a bit and smile reassuringly. "What advice would you give someone who wants to improve their day to day life?" Cater lights up as if the emotions he was conveying a moment ago had never existed. "That's easy! Cay-cay's got you covered! Find something to smile about everyday, because if you don't-...just find something to smile about everyday. Even if it's just one thing that'll keep you going, you're still going, and that's what matters." His smile falters just slightly. "That's all you needed from me, right? I can go now?" You give him a small smile and nod, and watch as he leaves the room, an awkward tension still sitting in the air. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Deuce looks like a deer in the headlights at the question. "Why would you ask me that?" You gave him a knowing smile, cocking your brow a bit and he cleared his throat awkwardly. "I think you have plenty to contribute to this, Deuce. We both know you've undergone a lot of personal growth to get to where you are now." "Well yeah but it hasn't been easy! And you were there when I've had.... when I've flown off the handle and just gone right back to who I was before." "But you're not the same as you were before. You feel regret, which was what made you want to change in the first place, because before you heard your mother on the phone, you didn't. I wasn't there when you were a delinquent, but I've known you for a few months now and can say with confidence you're doing a good job Deuce, you're making a lot of progress towards your own goal. If you could just share a little bit of insight on what's made it easier, or what's been a motivator other than seeking your mother's approval, I'd really appreciate it." He thinks it over for a moment, nodding slightly as the words slowly come to him. "I...I don't really know, but I guess....I've never stopped trying my best...and I give myself room to be angry when I need it. I think a lot of people either try their best most of the time, or don't put very much effort forward at all, so I think the second thing might be the advice I would give someone. To give yourself room to feel your emotions, big or small, just make sure you have a safe place to do it where you won't hurt other people too." ------------------------------------------------------------------------------Ace looks stupidly unamused and kicks his feet up on your coffee table, blatantly ignoring the look you gave him for doing so. "You're bein' so formal. We're friends why are you acting like that?" You couldn't help but huff a bit, amused but not wanting him to know that. "I have to do this for Crowley, it's not like I want to. Just answer the question Ace, then get out, I have so many other people I have to get to today." You regret the second part of your sentence when you see his shit eating smile from across the way. He settles even deeper into the seat and sighs deeply, happily and puts his hands behind his head. "So I get your full, undivided attention until you get the answer you're looking for? Cool." "Mmm, mhm, you get my full undivided attention until you waste my time and I throw something at you and the countdown is starting my patience is paper thin right now Ace, do not test me." He scoffs and sits up properly, groaning out of boredom. "Fiiiine, but is it really wasting time if you're hanging out with me? You owe me an hour after thi-" "Sure, yeah, whatever, shut up and get out, or answer the goddamned question and get out." "Sheesh, ok, fine, the best advice I can give is for you to loosen up, Great Sevens you're tense." "NO SHIT SHERLOCK." ------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Leona didn't even come to you for HIS interview, you had to go track down the lazy lion yourself. He mumbled something when you knocked at the door, but you didn't hear nor care if it was to come in or to go the fuck away. You let yourself in, sat at the end of his bed and waited for some sort of response. "I will throw this clipboard at your head I know you're awake." Clearly, he thought you were bluffing, as a few seconds later a very angry cat was growling at you, and your clipboard had bounced off his head and sat on the floor. You remained unphased, tapping your pen against his nose once, lightly. "You don't scare me, now what advice would you give someone who wants to improve their day to day life?" "The fuck kind of question is that to wake me up from my nap from?" "The kind that if you don't answer I'm calling your sister in law and asking her to make you because I don't have time for this shit either Leona. Answer the question. And before you say anything about me not having your family's contact info, I do have both your phone and password so tread lightly." It hadn't been hard to get, Ruggie was an open book for the right amount of Thaumarks, and Leona's phone had been on the floor, but Leona looked mildly impressed for a split second before remembering he was annoyed, huffing and laying back. "You're lucky I don't eat you alive for throwing that piece of shit at me, herbivore.” “Are you going to answer the question?” “Yeah, I just woke up, give me a damn minute.” “Mira, set one minute timer.” Setting one minute timer. “Oh for Great Seven’s sake, is that how petty you’re being? Fine. If you can’t sleep it off, get something to eat. Now get out of my room, before I decide to eat you.” ------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Ruggie didn’t even bother sitting down, he recognized the set up from the year before and laughed a little. “Shyeeheehee if these are the same questions from last year, can’t y’just hand over the paper and pen and I can pretend to write something that Crowley won’t read?” You couldn’t help but snort a bit. While it was tempting, your curiosity for what the hyena boy had for advice outweighed your want to be a little lazy. Besides, at this point it wasn’t for Crowley, it was for you. “Not this time. I’ll be honest. I have a question for everyone, I’m just trying to maintain my sanity though, this isn’t about the headmage anymore, this is me holding on by a thread and looking for some hope for the future.” You laugh weakly, and Ruggie smiles a little, concerned, but it was understandable. You had a lot on your plate, and he was kinda happy that you were that honest with him. He finally sat down across from you and slung his bag from over his shoulder to sit on his lap as he dug through it. “I’m not great with advice, but my gramma always said something about if you wanna go fast, go alone, if you want to go far, go together. So surround yourself with people that are gonna getchya to the end of the school year, ok? Or until Crowley can send’ya home. The other freshies are doin’ a pretty good job from what I can tell but if y’ever need a lil pick-me-up y’can let me know. Might even do it for free.” He grins and winks at you as he finally produces an apple from his bag, rubbing it gently with his sleeve before offering it to you. “I don’t got much, but you’re doin’ a good job prefect. Hopefully y’can pretend that’s like…a bigger prize or somethin’. And I wasn’t kiddin’ when I said I could be a part of that group if y’want me to be.” ------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Jack’s ear flicked a bit at your question, his rather stoic expression making you question exactly what was going through his mind. “That’s a pretty broad topic…but my grandparents and parents always say that ‘we will be known forever by the tracks we leave’…so…don’t do anything you wouldn’t want to be remembered for.” “Is that all you want to say?” He simply nods once, happy with his answer. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Azul pushes up his glasses and chuckles a little. “That isn’t something Crowley had you ask, now is it? If advice is what you’re seeking, then perhaps scheduling an app-“ “Azul. I would love to hear you out but frankly I don’t have the time nor the fucks to give about your business deal you’re about to offer, so if you won’t answer the question, I’ll just inform Leona that you refused to co operate and I know how to push his buttons in just the right ways to do so.” An awkward silence filled the air before Azul cleared his throat a bit. “That won’t be necessary. Wisdom that had been imparted on me by my nonna goes as follows: chi non fa, non falla. In other words, he who makes no mistakes, makes nothing. The path to greatness is full of obstacles but can be paved as you learn how to get rid of them. In my case, I recognize that I was fortunate to have seen the road paved by my nonna, and learned from her mistakes so I wouldn’t have to make my own. On the other hand, not having had that example to follow would have allowed me- er…and individual to learn on their own so that they understand and appreciate just how much effort is required. As long as you’re learning, you’re not failing, and sometimes that’s enough.” ------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Jade looked rather amused at your question, folding one arm across his chest and holding his chin with the other. “Tried and true advice is the best advice I have to give. Keep your friends close and your enemies closer, you never really know who you can trust.” He smiled a bit at you, but you weren’t quite sure how to feel about it. “I’ll be going back to the lounge now. If you require anything from me, I’m simply a call away.” Did having his number make you a friend or an enemy? Did you really want to know?? ------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Floyd giggles as he turns the chair around to sit in more comfortably, rocking a bit, before your question finally processes and all his excited movement stops and he slumps in his seat. “Awww but that’s so borin’. It’s not like under the sea where if y’don’t like someone you can just y’know…” he draws his hand in a slitting motion across his neck, tilting his head, and making a wretched squelching noise. “Soooo I guess the only advice I can give ya is if someone’s bein’ stupid to ya, call me! I’ll squeeze ‘em reaaaaal good for ya shrimpy!” He rocks in the chair a bit before he gets up. “I ain’t answerin’ any other questions, so ya better be happy with whatchya got.” It was good enough. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Kalim was bubbly as ever, but tilted his head like a confused puppy at your words. “Oh um, I don’t really know. I did hear this one saying though that I thought was really pretty and it was like..um well it went like ‘don’t let the shadows of today take away tomorrow’s sunshine’.” He sat, expression rather blank but happy. He looked rather expectant though, as if he was awaiting praise. You smiled a little bit at him and decided to dive in a little further. “What does that mean to you?” He looked a little surprised, but really thought it over for a moment. “Well, everything can’t be great all the time. Things are usually ok at best for a lot of people, most of the time. But dwelling on the mistakes we make isn’t going to make us feel any better, so why hold onto them when we can let them go and be happy?” ------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Jamil frowned, shaking his head a bit. “You’re asking me this now? What question are you going to ask everyone else?” He looked rather haggard, but you couldn’t decide if after the whole hostage situation, you thought he deserved it, or if you felt bad for him. You ignored your feelings on the matter for now and sighed. “Everyone’s getting the same question.” “Very well then. My advice is don’t fucking overblot.” You looked up to see a somewhat smug expression. “Ask stupid questions, you get stupid answers. I’m going back to my dorm prefect.” ------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Vil was poised and ready as ever. “That’s easy. The only way to ever improve is to practice. Most people say practice makes perfect, but that’s simply not true. If you don’t put your full effort into practicing, if you take short cuts, then you will never reach the level you hope. Perfect practice makes perfect. You must be persistent in achieving greatness; persistence is what sets apart the greats from everyone else. Regardless of what you’re practicing for, whether it’s a role in a movie or to develop patience, the saying remains true.” He smiled a bit and sat up more in his chair. “Was there anything else you wanted to ask me?” You smiled back a bit, finishing writing his response best you could. “Nope, that’s all for now. Thank you Vil.” ------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Rook tilted his head a bit and smiled. “Ah, mon trickster, is that all you are looking for? Surely the head mage would not be asking a question of this depth.” He hummed a bit to himself, not really looking for an answer from you- he already knew. “I don’t so much have advice as I do a saying I learned in my time in Pomefiore. There is no rainbow in the soul if there have been no tears in the eyes. Isn’t there such beaute in that? Your soul only grows more beautiful as it does strong when you face hardships, so do not despair when the clouds blur your vision and a downpour slows you in your path. I could simply go on for hou-“ “You really don’t have to Rook, I got the gist….I think. Thank you for your time.” He smiled and tipped his hat politely. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Epel was more prepared than you may have thought, but it was appreciated. "You don't ignore the fuel gauge on a blast cycle when it says its empty. You don't ignore the flashing lights and alerts that let you know when your bike needs something. So apply that to yourself. You need fuel too, so don't wait until you can't go anymore to eat. Don't go until you're so exhausted you break down. Sometimes circumstance makes it difficult, but don't ignore the really big signs that's something's wrong and assume its gonna get better." As if on cue, his stomach rumbled, and he flushed a bit. "That bein' said, my dorm ain't exactly a picnic. The servin' sizes barely fill me up and peanut butter can work miracles, but not that big. Jack sometimes brings me leftovers from the meals at Savanaclaw, and Deuce sneaks me desserts but it ain't the same as one home cooked meal a' comfort food, y'know?" You nodded apologetically. You refused to get actively involved, but you could offer a fellow freshman a hand. "If you bring ingredients, you can use my kitchen. Just don't get caught. And make me some food too." He looked surprised, then absolutely beamed and laughed softly. "Y'betchya! I'll make sure it's the best damn food y've had in yer life!" ------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Idia’s tablet floated in front of you. There was a drawn-out silence, and you wondered if he was even paying attention behind that screen or not. Finally, he responded. “Just advice in general? Lol why would you ask me? You want gaming advice, reqs, strats, sure then yeah, you could shoot me a text or something I guess but this is just p. stupid. I literally don’t leave my room and I’m a nepo baby what relevant and useful advice could I possibly give to a normie?” “Just give me an answer I can write down Idia, it really doesn’t matter.” “Fine then. Avoid middle schoolers at all costs. I can absolutely destroy newbs in game, but IRL? Those guys can pin down your biggest insecurities in two seconds flat and won’t be afraid to call you out on it.” “You took that from a comedy sketch.” “….shut up, I tried, ok? I guess…..read all the tips on the loading screen of a game when you get the chance. Does that work?” You sighed softly, before giving him a tired smile. “Yeah it’s good enough.” ------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Ortho let out a sad sounding beep. “What’s wrong Ortho?” The little robot kicked his feet a bit in his seat, processing. “I’m not human. I could give advice, but it might not apply the way I think it does. I could search for it, but it would not be my advice to give. Even if I said something as simple as ‘do your best’, I don’t know, really, what that means. If I give 100% effort in something, I’m pushing the extents of my hardware and software. I run the risk of overheating. I might hurt myself, and in doing that, waste my brother’s time in making him repair me over something that could have been avoided. I have my “best” programmed into me. A human can push past that discomfort, past that risk if they so wish, and in theory, achieve giving more than their best, or something that would be recorded as an anomaly or outlier in a research setting. I have no advice to give.” He lets out a sound like a sigh and sits cross-legged. “Even when I try to give big brother advice, when he follows it, things seem to go wrong. I don’t think I should be who you ask.” You looked over his defeated looking figure. You couldn’t help but feel empathy for him – clearly this had been on his mind for a while. You set aside your clipboard and held your arms open. “You look like you need a hug.” The little robot looked up surprised, then visible relief flooded his features as he nodded a bit and floated into your arms, hugging you tightly, but took care to not let his hair get too close to you. “Doing your best, regardless of who or what we are is all that matters Ortho. My best on a day-to-day basis fluctuates. Sometimes my best means I got out of bed in the morning. Sometimes my best means I finally do those tasks I’ve been meaning to do for weeks. Sometimes my best means I’m on top of everything, getting things done, and feeling great. Everyone’s best looks a little different, sometimes even within the span of hours. You’re doing great. You have people that care about you and will pick you back up if you need a little self help. While some of your capabilities are limited by programming, your actions are not. You still choose to help where you can. You are kind when you want to be. I think that’s when you’re at your best.” Ortho pulled away, nodding a tiny bit. “I think I understand. Thank you, prefect. I appreciate it.” Even though his mouth was hidden, the wrinkles around his eyes told you he was smiling again as he went on his way. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Malleus seemed intrigued, but a little surprised at your question. He shut his eyes gently as he thought it over. “For the fae, years pass by like seconds. To give advice that would only aid you in growth for the next year seems rather near-sighted, though I suppose for you, that is plenty of time to develop your character.” He hummed softly, trying to think of something he could give you, that wouldn’t be overwhelming. You gave him his time, rather happy in the comfortable silence the two of you were able to sit in. “I suppose I’ve always taken the passage of time for granted. Perhaps that is something I will work on as I set my own goals, though with that comes the advice I wish to impart upon you. Your time is precious. However, the only thing more precious is how you spend it. I only wish for you to be happy, healthy, and successful Child of Man. Ensure that the time you spend with others lifts you up, encourages you, and allows you to grow into your potential. I hope that one day, I will see you grow into your full potential.” He smiles softly, hoping that you catch on that he hopes you’ll include him in that circle of friends that will help you continue growing. However, it’s the wording he used that has you wondering if he has had something to do with why you haven’t been able to go home yet. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Lilia giggles softly. “Asking for advice from your elders, hm?” He settles in his seat on the ceiling, enjoying the fact that you couldn’t hide a tiny smile from forming from his antics. He pouts thoughtfully and taps his chin. “There’s a lot I could say. Learning to change with time, to live everyday to it’s fullest, to learn to not be afraid to take risks, that there is value in re-evaluating who you’re friends with, that you should follow your heart until your mind screams no, icicles are ideal weapons, you can train crows to sound like humans and then send them after people you hate, develop your vocabulary to the point where if someone makes you mad you make them feel stupid in your response, that you should never swim on an empty stomach, but never go on a roller coaster with a full one, don’t stick metal where it doesn’t belong, never trust where a toddler’s hands have been….I was going somewhere with this.” He paused, spacing out for a moment before shaking his head and coming back to earth to finish what he needed to say. “Truth be told, I think the most important advice I can give is learn to tell others how you need to be loved. Nobody will ever know what you need, so even if you can’t tell the full extent of what you need, someone close to you will do their best to interpret what you mean to get you what you want. The second step to that then, is to let yourself be loved. You are the only person who sees you in as harsh of a light most people see themselves in. Let other people in to make it better.” He beamed and turned right-side up again. “Will that suffice, prefect?” ------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Silver looked very concentrated, but needed you to repeat the question. He closed his eyes a bit as he thought, but seemed to startle when he opened them again and sighed. “Be grateful for what you do have, what you can do, instead of being upset at your incapabilities…you have other talents…and other traits than mistakes and shortcomings.” He sighed softly, mumbling something under his breath. You couldn’t make out much, but it sounded like something he had heard many times before, himself. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Sebek puffed his chest out, looking disproportionately proud at being asked for advice, though as soon as he opened his mouth you realized you forgot to set a very important boundary and interjected. “It can’t be about Malleus. At all. Or any specific person for that matter.” Sebek’s shoulders fall a bit and he looks a little annoyed. “You did not specify that BEFORE HAND HUMAN!” “Well I did now, so deal with it.” “FINE! I will share with you something that has been shared with me often. It’s-“ “Please your inside voice?” “THAT WAS NOT WHAT I WAS GOING TO SAY.” “I bet you hear it a lot though.” “THAT IS IRRELEVANT. NOW BE QUIET SO I CAN COMPLETE THIS TASK, BENEATH ME AS IT IS, THAT I MAY LEAVE YOU TO YOUR PATHETIC UNDERLING WORK FOR THE HEADMAGE!” You didn’t justify that with an answer, just gestured with your hand for him to get on with it. He cleared his throat a bit and tried to calm down a little. “I was going to say…the more challenging a conflict, the more glorious the triumph. You mustn’t forget to allow yourself to be proud of what you have achieved. While your conflicts and mine may vary in how difficult they are, it does not change the fact that on an individual basis, we must acknowledge the effort we put in to overcome them.” ------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Grim sat across from you, his tail swishing curiously side to side, his head tilted and eyes wide before he grinned widely. “Course ya want advice from the Great Grim? Now listen up hench human, ‘m only gonna say it once so ya better make sure y’write it all down, got it?” You nodded a bit, trying to downplay your smile a bit at the toddler-like energy your companion emanated. He stood up on his chair, pacing back and forth a little bit like a drill sergeant. “Never eat expired tuna. If you’re really that hungry, no YA AIN’T. If ya need something from the tallest shelf, climbin’ on the counter is sturdier than any chair in Ramshackle. Sneaking food from the cafeteria works real well if your cheeks are big enough to store it!... And if ya don’t eat it as you’re tryin’ to make a break for it. Ace’s most ticklish area is behind his ear, which is why he always pushes me off when my fur rubs up against him when I’m on his shoulders. If ya ever need me to bug’m, let me know! I think that’s all I got for now.” He stopped and placed his paw on his chin in thought, before one more thing came to mind and he hopped over to you, pushing his face gently against yours. “Oh yeah. ‘Nd don’t forget t’tell the people y’care about they mean somethin’ to ya, in one way or another, 'kay?” ------------------------------------------------------------------------

#this was hell to write I hope the 12 people who see this like it #v talks #twst #twisted wonderland #twst heartslaybul #twst savanaclaw #twst octavinelle #twst scarabia #twst pomefiore #twst ignihyde #twst diasomnia #twst headcanons #twst interactions #twst fluff #december drabbles #I fucking did it guys I wrote shit for an entire month #WOO #happy new year

51 notes · View notes

fascinatedhelix · 11 months

Text

Some Bionicle headcanons, illustrated. Details below the cut!

Basically this whole doodle page is about Spherus Magna's mostly organic residents, specifically the Agori and Glatorian. Going clockwise...

The ear shapes are kind of my personal solution to the "how do these guys differentiate species/class just by looking, when they're not really built all that different besides height and armor?" Agori and Glatorian are pretty straightforward; Agori have short pointy ears, and Glatorian have long pointy ears. The Bone Hunters have more of a butterfly shape, with a more pronounced "shell" and points at the tip and lobe of the ear, and the Skrall have a sort of lynx tip situation going on. With the Skrall, I wondered how they might tell apart classes from birth, so I went with giving the classes different coloration. Soldier class males and all females would simply have the tip of the ear in black, Elite class males would have more of the hardened cartilage darkened, and the Leader class males would have a distinct bright stripe marking their ears.

I'm using Berix and Gresh as examples of what I think the Agori and Glatorian look like without their helmets. For Berix, I kept in mind that his face is exposed most of the time, and he gets his ass kicked for "stealing" every other Tuesday, so he's covered in scars. The looping ponytail/bun thing is a Water Tribe tradition, marking an unmarried young adult. For Gresh, he's still a bit green and his face is thoroughly covered by his mask, so most of the scarring is localized to the tips of his ears (which chafe against the helmet). He ties his hair back very tightly, because it gets tangled in the breeze and in tree branches all the time.

The eyes don't glow, but they do reflect! I kinda modeled them after the eyes of a cat, with big irises, vibrant colors, and reflective retinas. It'd make sense to have better night vision on a planet riddled with nocturnal monsters and very long nights, and also it's fun.

Magnan hair tends to grow very quickly in childhood, but slows down a great deal as they age. As such, the regular cutting of the hair is strongly associated with children, and the growing out of the hair to the point of being able to tie it up is seen as an important mark of adulthood. However, the cutting of the hair as a gesture of grief, particularly among widows and widowers, is one of the socially acceptable reasons a Magnan might cut their hair. Hence, here's Gresh struggling to brush out some wind-blown knots in his hair, while Ackar teases him for not being totally used to the care routine that comes with it. Ackar, meanwhile, has a bit of gray in his old widower hair (not quite a recent loss, but enough to still be noticed; nobody asks him about his husband anymore).

Malum demonstrating what it looks like when these guys are mad to the point of snarling. I imagine that, if the bones are metal, then so are the teeth. It's actually kind of interesting if you think about the implications of that. Metal teeth would likely be way harder to break down by bacteria, and they likely don't consume nearly as much sugar as we do. At the very least you don't have to worry about your teeth rotting out in the apocalypse.

Kiina demonstrating the telltale signs of a Core Wars veteran, namely the old scars, the clipped ears, and the back brace. Scars are self explanatory, but why the ears and brace? Given that the Elemental Lords seemed to have degraded from their original mental state since their transformation, it makes sense that they'd probably be less than kind to their soldiers. Clipping the ears not only removes another potential area for infection, but also acts as a sort of hazing ritual; those too squeamish to face the shears wouldn't be fit for the army. The brace is a response to deteriorating spinal implants from the war. Glatorian tend to develop back problems later in life anyways simply because they're so tall by nature, but the spines of soldiers were reinforced en masse to make them tougher and more capable of handling the strain of carrying equipment and supplies over long distances.

And a cute little doodle of Mata Nui watching ants, because that seems like something he'd do. Imagine going on walks with that guy; he'd be like JRR Tolkien on a nature walk, he'd just be staring at a bug for like 20 minutes.

#bionicle #my art #headcanons #kiina #berix #gresh #ackar #malum #agori #glatorian

64 notes · View notes

mysteryshoptls · 1 year

Text

SSR Idia Shroud Bloom Birthday Personal Story: Part 3

"Happy Birthday"

(Part 1) (Part 2) Part 3

[Ignihyde Dorm – Birthday Party Venue]

Riddle: So now, here is the final question.

Riddle: “What would you like to do in the coming year?”

Idia: …Go out.

Riddle: EH!!???? I DIDN'T JUST… MISHEAR YOU THERE, RIGHT?

Idia: Nooope. Thanks for the predictable response.

Idia: Ortho gathered some data that the hamburger shop down in town was real good.

Idia: Looks like they got a limited event going on too… So I'm thinking I wanna go ASAP.

Riddle: Is it really that good? I don't really see the appeal…

Idia: Ah, how like you. Didn't expect anything else.

Idia: Also, I bet I could chill at Whistle Park near the port all day long. That is, until my energy and stamina depletes.

Riddle: You'll be outside all day long!!?? …Apologies. What would you do at Whistle Park?

Idia: I mean… Obviously I'd be gaming.

Riddle: YOU'D GO ALL THE WAY OUTSIDE JUST TO PLAY A GAME!?

Idia: YEAH, SOOOOO―!!!!!!!!

Idia: When I heard that a new game for my favorite series was going to be released, I jumped online to access their site, and…

Idia: YOU CAN'T IMAGINE THE IMMENSE DEPRESSION I FELT TO LEARN THAT IT WAS A LOCATION-BASED GAME!!

Riddle: …A-A location-based game…?

Idia: One of those games that rely on the location information from your phone. There's been a ton popping up recently trying to get everyone to get up and move around.

Riddle: Ah. So are you really going to that hamburger shop to get something to eat, or…

Idia: Obviously I'm going because it's a designated spot to get game items, and battle others, duh?

Idia: And speaking of which, Whistle Park is one of the best places on Sage's Island with a ton of those spots. It's the most efficient place to make my rounds.

Riddle: Ah, that's more like it. But for it to even drag you outdoors… That game must be particularly invigorating.

Idia: I mean, not really? It's got a pretty common gameplay, and I planned on ignoring it, 'cause it's not relevant to a shut-in like me.

Idia: But then Ortho was all, "Hey, let's play together, Nii-san!" and started looking up all the hotspots on Sage's Island…

Idia: Looked like we could have more fun with it than I thought, so I said fine, I guess…

Idia: …I guess it wouldn't be terrible to be able to adventure with Ortho while we're here for school.

Riddle: The interview has now concluded. Thank you for the interesting conversation.

Riddle: The only remaining task for you is to simply fly on the Birthday Road. Here, please take this broom.

Idia: You just say "simply fly" like it's nothing… And on top of that, I gotta use a super fancy broom like this? I'd only draw attention to myself.

Riddle: Is that bad? It looks to me to have a tranquil and classy feel about it… It suits both you and the outfit you are wearing today.

Riddle: I am certain that Ortho is impatiently waiting for you to come out, as well. You should hurry and go, at least for him.

Idia: Hiee! There's that signature Riddle-shi straightforward praise like it's nothing! I can't stand it… I'll just have to run away to the venue, I guess.

Idia: Become one with the wind, I'm becoming one with the wind, I am one with the wind… Grit my teeth, and go!!

(Part 1) (Part 2) Part 3

#twisted wonderland #twst #idia shroud #riddle rosehearts #twst idia #twst riddle #twst translation #twst birthday #mention: ortho

94 notes · View notes

twstwonderlandstuff · 2 years

Note

hii, can you write the dorm leaders being jealous of mc?

love uuu, take care!

hi, anon, sure! I adore jealousy tropes, let me tell you.

I am also going to assume that the dorm leaders (separately) has a crush on MC, and MC is unaware.

oh, and some people I simply don't understand. thanks!

Riddle Rosehearts.

Riddle, as much as he doesn't want to admit it, gets jealous faster than he should. His starved childhood leaves him with a want for attention, even if he tries to hide it.

He becomes stricter, harsher with the rules, much like how he was back before his overblot. He'll schedule a tea time with you to calm his nerves down, and even then, a red blush and pout will emerge from his face.

Leona Kingscholar.

Can you even read this man? I think he'll be a little difficult to spot if he's jealous. He'll act all normal, but then his tone gets a little gruffer and his orders become more pointed.

Azul Ashengrotto.

baby bottom boy bottom bottom bottom [if you know, you know]

Azul, is we all know, is a top business man. He's got no time for this silly, non-sensical emotion, of course not!

But he feels it- he does, and it eats him alive. I think once you break down his walls, Azul is easy to read. His small differences in body language. He presses the edges of his papers, maybe his practised business-smile is rearing a lot more than usual, things like that...

Kalim Al-Asim.

I can't see him being jealous- I am SO sorry, but I simply cannot. Look at him, he's just so... sparkly? So, bright...?

But alright, alright. Say he does get jealous. I think it's gradual and I'm pretty sure even he won't notice he's jealous- until Jamil points out that he's grumpier than usual, and that he keeps staring at you. THEN, he realizes. It probably only lasts a short while, knowing him. Kalim is pretty good at being straightforward, after all.

Vil Schoenheit.

Like Kalim, I think Vil's jealousy is pretty gradual. He's a famous influencer, of course he knows what it feels like to have your attention being spanned towards seperate people, but sometimes...

he can't help himself, you know? You're his little potato (in his mind) and he wants your attention on him.

Won't you indulge your Queen?

Idia Shroud.

ALRIGHT, ALRIGHT, PACK IT UP. He'll simmer in envy in his room, hands itching to text you to get your ass over to his room right now and play some games with him-!

But he can't. What if it comes off too clingy? I mean, y'all aren't dating so why would he, like...? Won't he be annoying?

It takes Ortho to push him out of his shaky confidence and into your text messages.

Malleus Draconia.

Ah, yes, dragons, known for being possessive. Malleus is similar in this aspect. He is but a lonely mage, and when your companionship leaves him, it plagues his mind with insecurities? Are you bored of him? Does he finally frighten you?

Soon, these feelings turn to jealousy and he'll be sprouting a pout in no time, so now, you get a brooding dragon that's sulking, walking behind you without saying anything.

#twisted wonderland #stuff hits the fan #malleus draconia #riddle rosehearts #leona kingscholar #azul ashengrotto #kalim al asim #vil schoenheit #idia shroud #twst x reader #twst headcannons #requests!#LETS GO

774 notes · View notes

batmanisagatewaydrug · 11 months

Note

Do you think there's a connection between the 80s and 90s comics mostly only mentioning him offhand without actual appearances and modern comics like Twojar or One Bad Day making him more violent and increasingly taking away his gimmick ? Because I feel like it's two different approaches to the same idea of wanting to have a villain whose thing is being 'smart' on hold in case they want a story where Batman shows off his mental capabilities but not wanting to deal with everything else that comes with the character like the goofyness or having to come up with riddles that don't suck

oh man okay this is such an interesting question and I'm so excited to be able to revisit it when my reread gets into the 2000s and have more perspective to offer

for the time being I do think that it's fair to say that making the Riddler a central antagonist in a story is challenging because he has, like, a relatively narrow gimmick compared to a lot of other rogues and having to actually come up with riddles is a tall order that a lot of writers simply don't want to fuck with.

personally I think the best way to embrace this is to just acknowledge that the riddles are going to be balls to the wall stupid and let the audience understand that Batman is equally unhinged for being able to solve them at all. Batman '66 is frankly great at this, best exemplified in this scene from the movie that no other Batman adaptation has topped yet:

youtube

what are any of you talking about! you sound crazy! they are right though, and that's what living in Gotham does to a motherfucker.

for the record I think Batman Forever also actually does this really well without being quite as unhinged. the riddles are actually pretty solid and straightforward; Bruce solves them easily but the real challenge is in putting them together at the end to figure out who's actually behind everything. (it's Jim Carrey, serving cunt.) it's maybe the only part of the movie that actually shows any restraint at all, and I respect that.

the thing is that this approach kind of falls apart if you want to do a more grounded take on Batman that presents the Riddler as the legitimate threat despite being a man who on purpose calls himself the Riddler. I dog on Batman 2022 a lot but at least there you can (charitably) read Paul Dano's shitty little puzzles as being intentionally messy owing to the fact that his Riddler is, you know, a sopping wet miserable catholic redditor who's really just trying to kiss Batman. I do genuinely like that his master plan is incoherent enough that Bruce doesn't crack all of it and misses vital pieces, it's a nice spin on an inexperienced Batman + the complexity addiction that Riddler schemes are so known for.

and like, to be clear, I do still think that Riddler sucks, but other attempts to make him a serious antagonist are so much worse. you mentioned War of Jokes and Riddles and One Bad Day, the latter of which I do think is just. appallingly misguided on literally every imaginable front and betrays an embarrassing lack of understanding of what people actually like and find entertaining about the character in favor of scrubbing him down to a bog standard Hannibal Lecter-flavored evil genius serial killer manipulator.

which is a fine stock character, where would comic books be without easily recognizable bad guy archetypes, etc, but god, not the Riddler. where the fuck is the fun in that? he's just a silly little guy in a leotard. please, stop trying to make this guy scary.

for god's sake. he's just a baby.

anyway I get why it happens though and it's Marketing, and I think specifically the very online and instantaneous nature of fandom in the 21st century. detective comics comics needs people reading their comics and, maybe even more importantly, talking about their comics, and that means leaning really heavily on well-established characters the people give a shit about. most readers are going to be more interested, even passively, in the Riddler than Random Smart Guy Murderer #623, because he's been around for a long time and he's a very ingrained part of the lore.

but everything has to be a fucking event with high stakes now, again because attention is currency, so it can never just be, like, "oh no, the Riddler has Batman trapped in a giant hamster maze," it's the Riddler and the Joker beefing and also the Riddler murdering Kite-Man's son for ??? reasons ??? idk man look how fucked up he is! this guy's serious! he has a question mark scar on his chest! please take him seriously!

and also, back to the first point, it's frankly just easier to write a generic egomaniac smart guy than it is to come up with riddles that are even a little bit good or interesting enough to carry an entire plot. I bet Tom King really thought he was doing something when he settled down to write One Bad Day and decided that the riddles were actually just a fucking power inhibitor the Riddler was putting in place to stop his massive brainmeat from killing everybody he came in contact with, but I think it's actually the sign of Tom King being a lil punk bitch, actually. just admit you don't have the sauce to come up with a riddle and pass the gig onto someone else!

anyway this is why most of my favorite Riddler appearances have him in a supporting role rather than serving as a primary antagonist (think Batman: Unburied, King Tut's Tomb, the Long Halloween/Dark Victory/When In Rome triptych), and his best antagonist appearances have him working with WAY lower stakes that's mostly just trying to get Bruce to pay attention to him (Vol. 2 of the Batman Adventures and Strange Love Adventures 2022).

tl;dr stop trying to make me take this man seriously

#edward riddlehands

31 notes · View notes

theimperiumchronicles · 2 months

Note

Happy STS! Today I have a riddle: what comes first? The title or the story? 🤭 To expand, I'd love to hear the creation order of one (or several) of your stories. Did you think of characters first? Plot? World? What was the final piece?

Hi sweetheart!!

I can tell you that title ALWAYS comes last. Characters ALWAYS show up first and they tell me the plot...their names sometimes are known when they show up, and sometimes not.

Now for a few of how they showed up....

@theimperiumchronicles

The name has changed...uh...ummm...five times on this one...

This one has a LOOOOOOOOONG history....

Way back in 2001 my friends and I were roleplayers. We did multi-paragraph roleplay in storyform. It would read like a story, not just actions of the characters. Brie was born then. She was a lot different back then. Then in 2014, "Sanctuary - The Society" was formed. Brie, Cruz, Talon, Dez, and Talia were part of that group along with a few others who I don't write. Except for Brie, the others were written by my friends. I continue their characters w/their permission. This is when they started morphing into their current form.

In 2018, they left roleplaying...I continued. I changed the name of the story. I changed it again in 2019. In 2022 when I came here, I changed it for the final time to The Imperium Chronicles based on the name of the realm where most of the stories are based. The stories you are reading now can be traced alllll the way back to those started back in 2014. Those stories are the canon backstory of today's stories.

*****

@the-andromeda-effect

I watch a lot of crime family dramas. The idea for the plot came with the characters. The characters even showed up with their face claims. When it came to their names, they knew what they wanted them to mean, we just had to go find them. I love mythology and symbolism. As I was thinking about the story and the plot, it reminded me some of the story of Andromeda and Persius.

@devil-in-the-details-ay

This one started with a prompt

Now, the quotes here will never be used, but it got me thinking...."what if Death was in a relationship?" Then all of a sudden POOF...I had Death and his wife....and they came with the whole scenario of how they got together. Then came the symbolism in all of it. The name is also a play on words. The old saying "The Devil Is In The Details", and that is true for the story. While the literal Devil/Lucifer includes details in the contract of their forced marriage, there are details of Yara's life that will not only indict Lucifer and those who helped him...and also who indicate who she truly is. @battlegroundofdreams

For this one the name is pretty straightforward and game straight out of the plot. Once again the characters showed up for this one with their plot in hand and it came from mythology and from working on some other things and researching. And a "what if" that I started thinking on. The characters even came with their names this time, so all 3 happened at the same time.

@magical-mistakes-vm

This one was pretty easy. Again this one started with a prompt.

I did rephrase this in the first chapter of the story. As soon as I read the prompt, Vollrath and Mahala appeared in my head...again, their names would come later. The whole story started playing out...and the name of the WIP came at almost the same time because they make a serious of mistakes....

@behindthesemasks

This wasn't the first name of this WIP. The chapters I'm posting now were written a few years ago and I made changes much later in the story that require me to fix earlier chapters, which is why it's taking longer to post them. The characters, FC, and names came back in 2018. The name came recently and is because they repeatedly reference the reality of who people are behind the figurative masks they wear to hide who they truly are.

@princess-of-thieves-id

Obviously this one kind of got turned on it its head. She hates Diyan, and loves the knight that helped her escape. Although the pirates on Diyan's ship eventually fall in love with her. There is still the possibility of a thrupple, but Arik growls whenever I consider this and Inara rolls her eyes. So, at the moment that is a hard NO... Inara is a Princess and the pirates are thieves...so the name was pretty obvious.

@tapperhet-em

Meeri and her boys showed up with their story just randomly as I was working on something for Imperium. I originally considered incorporating them into Imperium but they did not like that idea. They are too human and did not want to be paranormal/supernatural. Meeri and Einar had seen their names in my Pinterest and knew them, the others I had to find. Lorcan knew his FC and Melba knew her name.

Tapperhet in English means Valor. It is Finish, which is the same language that all of their names are from. Since all of the guys were knights it just seemed to fit and I felt it was perfect

@whileyouwait-dm

This one came out of a screw up in automation of something at my work. It was nothing serious, but with all of the talk of AI and the "rise of the machines"...and for some reason my OC's happening to deal w/the afterlife and magic...my brain went to "what would happen if there was an algorithm that sorted souls when they died". Then "what if it fucked up". Then "what would happen to a pure soul in hell". And...here we are! LOL The name obviously is a reference to Djall finding something for Miriana to do while she waits for him to find out where she was supposed to go...or at least how she ended up there really.

@mystsoftime

This was part of Anna's backstory from Imperium that got dropped when I brought her to Imperium. It was part of her story as a roleplay character with my previous partner. However, most of those elements have been changed other than Anna (now Renata) being the reincarnated wife of the male head of a supernatural group. Everything else I have revamped into something new. Names, the location, the pantheon, what the group does, the relationships of everyone, everything else changed. But this was an idea I was in love with exploring. I originally had not intended for Renata and Dante to be a thing, but as I started writing, they decided they were...and I'm just the one with actual fingers. Since nothing else resembles that original story now, it only makes sense. The first and last names all have meaning in the story. As I was putting it all together, the name just kind of fell into place.

#ask answered #answered ask #my stories

4 notes · View notes