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beanswrites · 2 years

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"Negotiating With Death" Asra x MC, from The Arcana

Hey guys!! Here's the long-awaited awesome idea for the The Arcana/Greek Mythology crossover! Requested by @bluhame!!

Also, quick thought before we start: Hades here is written as a villain, just for the purpose of this story. DO NOT get me wrong, Hades is my favorite Greek god, an absolute king and we stan him all the way on this blog. Just to prove that, I will do a story of the Greek Gods!! Especially I'm a big fan of Hades x Persephone!!

Oh, and this is the first story I did from 1. person perspective (meaning MC tells the story)! Not all stories will be like this from now on, I just felt like it fit this one! Tell me what you think!!

Anywho, this is (as requested) a tinsy tiny bit angstier, but it has a happy ending. Sorry, couldn't resist a happy ever after :)

Requests are open! Check out my rules for requesting before placing your request, or just pick something from my prompts list!!

Enjoy!!

Also available on AO3!!

masterlist | rules for requesting | prompts list

Word count: 2205 words

Trope: Angst with a happy ending, Adventure, Comfort

Pairing: Asra Alnazar x gn! MC

AU: The Arcana/Greek Mythology crossover

Warnings: death, mentions of blood

Picture from Pinterest!

It has been two weeks, three days, and four hours since Asra's death.

I didn't know what to do the first week. Maybe I just couldn't process the fact that he is gone. I've spent so much time with him, both as his apprentice and his partner, that I just couldn't imagine a life without him. Maybe I have even forgotten that such a powerful magician could even die.

For those two weeks, I've tried everything to bring him back. Asking The Arcana for help was an option, but I couldn't do it. My magic is not strong enough, at least not without Asra's help. Plus, as The Fool, I have already made my wish. No one from this or the other world could have saved the day.

However, every problem must have its' solution. Once I announced my plan to Nadia six days ago, she almost begged me not to do it. It was dangerous, maybe even not thought through, but I will take any chance to even see Asra again. That is why no one, not even the gods, will stop me from going to the Underworld to save Asra's soul.

I made that decision some time ago, and now it's time to start my journey. I started packing my bag at sundown, ready to leave in the darkest hours. Even though I wanted to be as secretive as possible, I had to tell Julian when I was leaving. Just in case I didn't make it back.

Once the clock struck midnight, I locked the shop's doors, feeling like it would be a long time before I open them again.

'Maybe there won't be another time' The thought circled in my head.

I wasn't scared. How could I be? I have nothing to lose, only to retrieve. I wouldn't mind dying while trying to save Asra. More positive thoughts of the white-haired magician and me returning to our shop together appeared as I made my way through the night.

The road out of Vesuvia was calm, lifeless. Not a soul dared pass at such hours, so the only ones left were me and the stars. The Lyre constellation was right above my head, reminding me that the gods are always watching. Maybe it was a sign or a signal of hope - a reminder of Orpheus, the one who began this journey long before me. However, it could also be a warning of his fate - to always remember that he never returned.

The sun was rising from the rusty mountains when I passed Vesuvia's borders. The entrance to the Underworld was near. I could feel it. They say that the river Styx flows wherever it is needed.

Around lunchtime, I was passing through a small village. It looked like a regular place - the kids were playing, and the elders talking. I approached a young man who was doing harvesting work to gather some information.

"You are looking to find the river Styx? I'm sorry, but I can't help you. None of us locals talk about it. There were way too many mortals who tried to access the Underworld. It's a suicide act!"

He was ready to leave, but I pleaded for an answer.

"Please, there must be someone who knows! Anyone! I need to go! I need to see him!"

The man debated with himself whether he should tell me or not. Finally, he gave in:

"Look, none of the younger folk know where it is. However, if you ask Mama Eucarpia, she might be able to help you. The people say she's as old as the gods!"

I went in search of this woman, hoping she has some answers. However, whoever I asked in the streets either didn't know who she was or said that she had long passed. Just as I was about to give up, a raspy voice called out to me:

"Come, child. You must be starving."

A grandma called out to me from her wooden porch. I obeyed, sitting on the wooden stool she used as a dining chair. She handed me a piece of bread and sat on the stool next to mine. I was hesitant to take a bite, which she noticed.

"Eat, eat. You must be exhausted from the long journey you had"

"How can you tell that I'm a traveler?" I asked, my mouth full of the delicious pita.

She smiled, but her face was still invisible through the shall she had wrapped around her head.

"I can see it in your eyes. The ends of your cloak are smudged with dirt, and the only things you have in your bag are a couple of slices of pumpkin bread and a water supply. I know travelers, child. Many of them passed through these lands, and I watched them all leave, but none came back. Tell me, what pulls your heart to travel to these parts?"

Many things she said were strange to me. How did she know what I was carrying in my bag? Was she hinting about the Underworld?

"I'm looking for someone," I say, testing her wisdom.

She smirks again, leaning back into her chair.

"And this someone, they must be very important to you, yes? No one would travel all the way from Vesuvia to look for an acquaintance."

I nod, still suspicious of how she knew where I came from. But there isn't a way that she could have known where I was going, right?

"Don't worry child, I can feel your doubts. There's still time, Asra is still waiting for you."

I dropped my pita in shock. How did she...?

"You're Mama Eucarpia!" I almost yell out in surprise and relief.

The older woman gives me a small nod. Her vail moves with the gentle breeze of the wind, exposing one of her piercing blue eyes.

"I go by many names, child. I heard you were looking for the way to the Underworld? Well, only walking by the beach of the river Styx will get you there.."

Nodding enthusiastically, I asked her where to find the river.

"It appears not before those who look but before those seeking to find. You have a reason to find, child. Follow it, and you will find your way.."

Mama Eucarpia entered her house but didn't come out. Once I went inside to look for her, to ask more questions, no one was there. Perhaps she truly is some godly creature.

Her words haunted me for the next couple of days. With each step I took, I tried to solve her riddle.

'Don't look, don't look, don't look!' I repeated to myself over and over.

On the brink of my sanity, I was going to give up. In the middle of the night, just a day before I planned to leave and search somewhere else, Asra's voice pulled me out of a dream.

"MC..."

Their voice was quiet as a whisper, but stern and sure. I got up, following it outside of my tent. I followed it further and further until it completely disappeared. However, his voice brought me to a spring, where a small stream was flowing.

The river Styx.

Not as big and majestic as it once was, but it didn't need to be. The souls it carried spoke enough about its' power.

I followed the river up to a dark, ominous cave. The Underworld is inside, I knew. Finally, I will face Hades and ask for Asra.

As I am walking on the shore of the river through the cave, many screeches and faint whispers are echoing around me. Final, last words of the souls are said for the last time.

I walk through the gates of hell that appear before me. Surprisingly, Cerberus, the gatekeeper, is nothing like the stories say. He's not vicious or blood-thirsty, he's too busy for that. He's got very important business with his chewing toys.

The Underworld is unsettling and creepy, but - just like Cerberus - nothing like the myths described. In the legends, The Underworld was a place of death and sorrow, blood and sickness. In reality, it just looked like an endless void - grey and dark.

Hades was the same as his home. As I approached the god, he stood on his throne, tall, dark, and mysterious.

"Why are you here, mortal?"

His deep voice ringed through The Underworld. I wanted to speak, to even mutter out anything - but I couldn't. My throat closed, and it was getting harder and harder to breathe.

"Well? Not many come here without a reason."

Finally, I managed to find my words.

"I'm... I'm looking for someone."

He flashed a grin at me. It looked sinister, evil almost.

"Hah! It's funny how you humans are convinced that you can waltz in here, trying to find a soul! Even if you did manage to find the soul of your loved one in the never-ending sea of souls, what makes you think I would let you leave so easily?"

I swallowed hard, suppressing my tears of frustration. Did I come all this way for nothing?

"I'd do anything to get him back. I'm prepared to give my life."

The god laughed in my face. This was way too cruel, way too crushing! I couldn't stop the hot, desperate tears which glided from my cheeks to my lips.

"I already know of you and your lover! You've been here before, remember? Once that plague finished you, that magician came to beg for your life too, but I didn't allow him. It was against the rules! I advised him to go home, while he still could, to not ruin this! But he didn't listen... That little thief! He stole your soul from me! He used the forbidden power of The Arcana! And now, I have you here, in the palm of my hands... Maybe the right punishment for the both of you is for you to see him die..."

Once he finished his speech, he snapped his fingers, and suddenly, I was in a different place. It was empty, just space everywhere. Maybe eternal punishment was actually to be alone with me forever?

Unexpectedly, I noticed Asra in the same place I was, about 100 feet away from me. He was bleeding out and needed help.

"ASRA!" I screamed, half in desperation, half in relief, and ran towards him. However, with each step I took, they seemed further and further away. Then it hit me - it wasn't Asra. It was an illusion.

Then, the space around me shattered into pieces, and I was now in a much smaller space. It was a small room, with mirrors all around. But not the kind of mirrors you could see yourself in. The kind of mirrors that reflected the worst moments of your past.

In the mirrors, I saw Asra on his deathbed. They were weak, pale, and coughing up blood. He looked in such pain I haven't even imagined, let alone experienced. The worst part was, I couldn't help. I cried out in desperation, sliding down on one of the mirrors.

"Asra... Oh, Asra... I'm so sorry... I couldn't save you, I couldn't, I'm so sorry... Oh, I wish I could just hold you once more... Just to kiss you again... Oh, Asra, please, forgive me!"

My sobs and pleads for forgiveness were never-ending. Once everything else quieted down, I once again heard their beautiful voice calling out to me this time much louder than a whisper.

"MC..?"

It was gentle, the way they called out my name. But with each time they repeated it, it got louder and sterner.

"MC?"

The final time they called out to me was like a yell. Worried and scared.

"MC! MC, wake up!"

I half-opened my eyes, and The Underworld was gone. I wasn't in the dark mirror room, nor the empty void, nor Hades' castle. I was in a colorful, warm room that smelt of lavender and rosemary, on some soft covers.

My room! This is my room!

Someone shuffled on the bed next to me. I could feel their warm arms on my shoulders, lightly shaking me.

"MC, my love, are you okay?"

I turned to him. There he was, gorgeous and cute like always, with one of his white curls slipping from his forehead. His eyebrows furrowed, and his eyes focused, I could tell that he was worried for me.

"Asra..? Is that you?"

They nodded, taking both of my hands in theirs.

"Yes, my star, it's me... But are you alright?"

In excitement, I jumped into his arms.

"ASRA!!"

As soon as I hooked my arms around their neck, they pulled me closer, bringing me in their lap. Out of relief, I started bawling my eyes out on their shoulder.

"Shhh, my love, it's okay... I'm here.. What's wrong? I heard you calling out my name.. Were you having a nightmare, baby?"

I nod shyly, finally starting to feel relaxed and comfortable. His comforting words, and his presence in general, were the best way to recover from this.

"What was it about..?"

I chuckled through my tears as they kissed my cheeks and my jaw.

"Well, let's just say that I was negotiating with death..."

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ryunumber · 2 years

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Ken Masters

Ken Masters has a Ryu Number of 50.

(clarification below)

First things first; yes, obviously, Ken Masters has an actual Ryu Number of 1.

This April Fools’ post is primarily inspired by this tweet from the Twitter account, where Ken’s Ryu Number was maximized to 21 under the limitation of one character per franchise to avoid trivial extensions.

So, naturally, when @jenni-e-doodles sent in the above tongue-in-cheek ask also in August of 2021, I decided to take a stab at it myself with the justification of April Fools’ and the additional limitation of one link per franchise, partially to avoid bouncing back and forth between entries of crossover series and partially just to see if I could.

Admittedly, I did stretch the definition of "franchise", especially with regard to real life people. I generally interpreted that as "sphere of relevance", and even then by far the dodgiest is probably not counting Brock Lesnar and Masahiro Chono under one category of professional wrestling. (In my defense, they had exactly one match together, even if said match was a three-way for the IWGP Heavyweight Championship that Lesnar won as his debut, and Lesnar's brief but notable stint in UFC makes him relevant in the MMA sphere, which cannot be said for Chono, even when that actually was true for some of his NJPW colleagues.)

I also tried to use links that had no noteworthy caveats at all, and came real close: Code Shifter's a bit iffy since all the characters in question are technically data for an in-universe game called Colorful Fighters. The ruling per the Twitter account FAQ is that the eligibility of in-universe media depictions is answered by the question “How lazy is it?”, which probably falls in Code Shifter’s favor since, past the part where it’s explicitly an ArcSys crossover first and foremost, you can outright play Colorful Fighters in Code Shifter.

Still, had I caught this earlier, I probably would have rerouted the whole thing to avoid it. (As it happened, I worked out it that it would probably require rerouting past at least Reimu, which was more effort than I was willing to put in at that point. Oops.)

All in all, I’m quite surprised that I not only hit my initial ambitious goal of 50, but probably had room for a few more. (You might notice a few blog staples are conspicuously missing.) This took an unconscionable amount of effort to plan and put together, but I’m glad it’s resonated as well as it has.

And while it wasn’t my intention in the slightest, I apparently did manage to actually fool at least one person.

So that’s neat, I guess.

In order, the characters used are:

Ken Masters (Street Fighter)

Strider Hiryu (Strider)

Iron Man (Iron Man/Marvel Comics)

Darth Vader (Star Wars)

Taki (Soulcalibur/Soul)

Morrigan Aensland (Darkstalkers)

Etna (Disgaea)

Toro Inoue (Doko Demo Issyo/Sony Interactive Entertainment)

Kratos (God of War)

Shovel Knight (Shovel Knight)

Dust (Dust: An Elysian Tail)

Guy Spelunky (Spelunky)

Meat Boy (Meat Boy)

Sash Lilac (Freedom Planet)

Gunvolt (Gunvolt)

Shantae (Shantae)

Abe (Oddworld)

Cthulhu (Lovecraftian/Cthulhu Mythos)

Hercules (Greek/Roman/Classical mythology)

Baba Yaga (Slavic folklore)

King Graham (King's Quest)

Leonardo (Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles)

Garfield (Garfield)

Nyan Cat (Internet memes)

Link (The Legend of Zelda)

Sonic the Hedgehog (Sonic the Hedgehog)

Vyse (Skies of Arcadia)

Selvaria Bles (Valkyria Chronicles)

Akira Yuki (Virtua Fighter)

Ryu Hayabusa (Ninja Gaiden)

Joan of Arc (French history)

Mario (Mario)

Shaquille O'Neal (NBA/basketball)

Brock Lesnar (WWE/US professional wrestling/UFC/mixed martial arts)

Masahiro Chono (NJPW/Japanese professional wrestling)

Kazuma Kiryu (Yakuza)

Lucina (Fire Emblem)

Abraham Lincoln (US history)

Batman (Batman/DC Comics)

Hellboy (Hellboy)

Negan Smith (The Walking Dead)

Heihachi Mishima (Tekken)

Don-chan (Taiko no Tatsujin)

Reimu Hakurei (Touhou)

Louise de La Vallière (The Familiar of Zero)

Super Sonico (Nitroplus)

Heart Aino (Arcana Heart)

Ragna the Bloodedge (BlazBlue)

Baiken (Guilty Gear)

Haohmaru (Samurai Shodown)

Ryu (Street Fighter, again)

and the links used are:

Street Fighter Alpha 2 (Street Fighter)

Ultimate Marvel vs. Capcom 3 (Marvel vs. Capcom)

Disney Infinity 3.0 (Disney Infinity/Disney)

Soulcalibur IV (Soulcalibur/Soul)

Namco × Capcom (Namco, Capcom)

Cross Edge

Disgaea 2: Dark Hero Days (Disgaea)

PlayStation All-Stars Battle Royale (Sony Interactive Entertainment)

Shovel Knight: Shovel of Hope (Shovel Knight)

Cook, Serve, Delicious!

Dust: An Elysian Tail

Super Meat Boy (Meat Boy)

Indie Pogo

Runbow

Blaster Master Zero (Blaster Master)

Mutant Mudds Super Challenge (Mutant Mudds)

#IDARB

SMITE

Rock of Ages II: Bigger & Boulder (Rock of Ages)

Hoyle's Official Book of Games: Volume 3 (Hoyle's Official Book of Games)

Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 5 (Tony Hawk)

Nickelodeon All-Star Brawl (Nickelodeon/Nicktoons)

Scribblenauts Unlimited (Scribblenauts)

Sonic Lost World (Sonic the Hedgehog)

Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed (Sega All-Stars/Sega)

Valkyria Chronicles

Dengeki Bunko: Fighting Climax (Dengeki Bunko)

Dead or Alive 5 (Dead or Alive)

Warriors Orochi 3 (Warriors Orochi)

Mario's Time Machine (Mario)

NBA Street V3 (NBA)

UFC Undisputed 2010 (UFC)

Wrestle Kingdom (Japanese professional wrestling)

Yakuza Kiwami 2 (Yakuza)

Project X Zone 2 (Project X Zone)

Code Name: S.T.E.A.M.

The LEGO Movie Videogame (LEGO)

Injustice 2 (Injustice/DC Comics)

Brawlhalla

Tekken 7 (Tekken)

Family Tennis Advance (Family Tennis/Family Sports)

Taiko no Tatsujin: Rhythmic Adventure 2 (Taiko no Tatsujin)

Nendoroid Generation (Nendoroids)

Super Heroine Chronicle

Nitroplus Blasterz: Heroines Infinite Duel (Nitroplus)

BlazBlue: Cross Tag Battle (BlazBlue, others)

Code Shifter (Arc System Works)

Samurai Shodown (2019) (Samurai Shodown)

Capcom vs. SNK 2: Mark of the Millennium 2001 (Capcom vs. SNK/Capcom, SNK)

#ken masters #street fighter #ryu number

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wildfluffyappeared · 3 years

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So I had some ideas for my DDLC x Persona crossover fic and I wanted to post them to ask what yall think! This is what i had in mind for if each DDLC character had a Persona and an associated Tarot arcana!!

Monika-- Libitina, Death arcana

Libitina is the Roman goddess of funerals, as well as the namesake for Project Libitina. Libitina reflects Monika's prior role as the orchestrator of death and chaos in the game, as well as being symbolic of her laying that role to rest. Monika receives the Death arcana as a symbol of a new beginning for her, as she attempts to free both herself and her friends from this horrible game. Libitina is a Navigator Persona who cannot use combat abilities, but she enables Monika to communicate with the outside world and the mysterious figures there helping her...

Sayori-- Ophelia, Hanged Man arcana

Ophelia is a prominent character in Shakespeare's Hamlet, who is prominently known for her death scene. Ophelia reflects Sayori's depression and suffering while also reflecting her willpower to move on from it and use that pain and suffering as a weapon to help her friends. Some may think I gave Sayori the Hanged Man arcana as a sort of dark joke, but in reality it's just that it fits her character fairly well, indicative of her willingness for self sacrifice and her goal to help Monika break the cycle. Ophelia's combat abilities involve Zio (electric) spells and healing abilities.

Yuri-- Annabelle, Empress arcana

So Yuri's Persona, Annabelle, is a sort of amalgamation of two different entities. I intended her to be a combination of the subject of Edgar Allan Poe's Annabel Lee, and the haunted doll Annabelle from popular culture and the film of the same name. This reflects both her love for dark and Gothic poetry, as well as the more unhinged, horrific aspects of herself that she keeps in check. Yuri receives the Empress arcana as indicative of her creative mindset, growing and nurturing her internal world while also growing to care for her friends and willingness to protect them, at any cost. Annabelle's abilities include Eiha and Mudo (curse/dark) spells and physical attacks.

Natsuki-- Medusa, Chariot arcana

Medusa is a figure of Greek mythology. A victim of abuse from the gods, she was punished with the curse of turning all who saw her to stone. However, she weaponized this curse to petrify all who would desire to harm her. She reflects the abuse Natsuki endures from her peers and her father, as well as her ability to weaponize this misfortune against others to keep them at a distance. Natsuki receives the Chariot arcana as indicative of her drive to be the best, whether it's at writing poetry or anything else. Her determination and passion to continue driving forward are a shining example of the Chariot. Medusa's abilities include Bufu (ice elemental) magic and status effect/debuff spells.

#doki doki literature club #ddlc #persona 5 #ddlc monika #persona #sayori #natsuki ddlc #ddlc yuri

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