#thread: two of a kind

[unifybullseye]

Akechi in third sem + his engine room death

I'm actually so sick at how Akechi purposely tried to keep Ren at arms length in third sem and allowed no vulnerability to slip through not only for Ren but for himself too. To not give himself the time to start to dwell on the fact that he's dead and will not get to have this. Nor to give himself the time to regret his suicide/sacrifice.

Maybe regret isn't the right word but. Dejection? Sorrow? The "what ifs" of if he got out of there with them? I think a lot about how Ren's desire is not flattering but sickening to Akechi not only because he believes Ren wanting him here is illogical and that he deserves nothing but death or cold, lonely atonement, but because of the fact that it was his one desire that was so strong it was the thing Maruki used against him, aka using Akechi as a puppet. He indirectly made him live yet again as a puppet, the torturous life that he freed himself from in the engine room. That he gave him more time to think about what happened in the engine room, that he gave him this will.

I refer to his death in the engine room as a suicide because it really is one to me but just can you imagine what it's like, willingly letting yourself die as a sacrifice, not wanting this death but accepting it, and then suddenly you're alive, and you're forced to be able to grieve yourself? He thinks his death was righteous, and he'd choose it over and over again- however, he's still a human boy who had the childish wish that he just wanted to play chess after school with ren. he still *wanted* in third semester. he wanted to live in the "what if" of if he and ren could just. be alive. together. But the thing he and Ren have in common is that they are both strong enough to put aside their personal desires for the justice they believe in. In every timeline Akechi would destroy Maruki's reality and Ren will let Akechi go to destroy it.

Wrapping back around it just devastates me thinking about the fact that, in Yusuke's words “he fought all this time, knowing he was going to disappear." The entire third sem he kept his head onto the goal ahead because indulging in anything else would be too devastating. He can't let himself feel the same sentimentality that Ren does because it *hurts.* It hurts so much that he's dead, and he's scared. He didn't want to die. He died as the lost player in a game by God, his every action leading up to his death ending up meaning nothing. He didn't want to die, he wants to play with Ren. Ugh. there's a reason why "no more what ifs" is his song. He wanted and was ready to be freed from everything. that everything- the revenge plan- was exhausting. but. he still had desire to live. his wish proves that. his refusal to be vulnerable too. just has no desire to live as a puppet- which was his only choice if he chose to live.

it hurts much more when you have the same perspective of the engine room scene as I do, which is the fact that I don’t see it as his last grand gesture of fighting back. I hate the interpretation that his sacrifice was this great good deed, that he died with fight for justice. he died in the palm of someone, still controlled by god. yes his sacrifice was inherently good but he did it cause he lost everything not out of kindness. it shows his character, how he falls, the contrast between the acts of him and the PTs, how easy it is to fall, etc; but is not a grand conclusion to his morality. He also went into it sorta knowing he was going to lose. He just selfishly didn’t want to be the only one to.

I was reading a post once about how if Akechi lives that it undermines his actions in the engine room, that he died being a great sacrifice who came to justice, and i couldn’t disagree more. He didn’t die a hero, nor die in just; him and ren were pawns to see who wins and he lost. he didnt win against fate. passing off the act of justice to ren was an act forced upon him, not willing. he realized then, that everything was for nothing, and if he was going to die, then at least he can selfishly give the job to someone else. He was forced to give up.

I really fail to see how death is meaningful in that moment for him. The engine room scene is powerful, but not in that way to me. Ren and Akechi were put in a “who will prevail and who will fall” situation by God, so then following that exact line of fate is meaningless, when the theme of p5 is fighting back. Akechi’s sacrifice also didn’t mean shit about fighting back LMAO. shido didn’t gaf and the PT’s were going to change his heart either way.

Akechi passing it onto the PT’s was also his desire for his actions to mean something. While I’m glad the beta third awakening was scrapped, I do wish they left some showing that Akechi is bitter about the engine room. He wanted to be the one to revenge Shido, more than he cared about the act.

So all in all, you are basically forced in a situation to commit suicide/make yourself a sacrifice, dying as a puppet where you failed your mother, you failed yourself, at least satisfied with the fact that it will all be over, but then you wake up again, with no memory of how you survived, lost and confused and why aren’t I dead I should be dead. Please let me rest. But the boy who should hate you the most wished for you to be here, and that’s so, so aggravating, it’s the most aggravating thing in the world, and yet you can’t help but to also wish you could be with him. You want to stay. You want to stay where you can be with him with your own free will. But you can’t. So the desire is meaningless, a sickening pit in your stomach. And you’re scared, you don’t know what will happen when it’s time for you to disappear. Will it hurt? You don’t want to die. You want to die. But you don’t want to die.

Grieving yourself and what you could’ve been must be a weird, weird feeling.

[opera-ghost]

phantom of the opera + twitter

[magisolsmiles]

After receiving the heal, Denning managed to immediately strike a heavy blow on the masked humanoid. “Awesome, Way to go Denning!” Ewan cheered, waving at the wyvern rider. Having taken so much damage the Maddest Hatter changed tactics, this time pulling everyone into his crazy game.

Ewan 10/10HP crits Dordice with Aura [Roll: 19]

Ewan 10/10HP rolls D10: 3

Ewan 3/10HP receives Card Suite: Broken Heart!

Though he successfully struck the dice with an Aura spell, it landed only on a 3, in no way close enough to beat his opponents 9. “Aww, Too bad for you~” The Maddest Hatter spoke in a mocking tone. With a snap of his fingers, an ominous red spotlight shone on the mage, blinding him for a short moment. “Ouch, too bright!” He shielded his eyes, but right when he finally managed to adjust he was greeted by a hefty torrent of coins pouring down on him.

Maddest Hatter 25/25HP crits Ewan 10/10HP with Tea Time’s Over! [Roll: 19; -7HP, Ewan 3/10HP] [Cornucopia d2: 1; proc]

“Kyaaaa-!” He cried out as he was buried under the pile of gold. With them crashing on him head first, pain and specks of red blinded his vision as he collapsed under its weight. Even worse, as he fell over he felt his ankle bend at an unnatural angle, causing even more intense pain. Unable to move due to his dizziness, he missed the sounds of battle, and his allies getting attacked with him.

He needed to help and quick, but his body refused to move under the heavy pile. It’s a miracle he was even able to breathe at all, though this was likely thanks to the battle being an illusion, ultimately. The pain of getting pelted on his skull definitely felt real though, and it wasn’t until after a long struggle that he finally managed to emerge from the pile.

…only to come face to face with a dice that went unused, and the smirk of a masked opponent. Once again the red spotlight shone, and Ewan knew now what was coming. “Oh no. Nope nope nope..!!” Trying to get himself away as fast as possible he scrambled out of there, but at that point it was already too late. He could only take one step out before he fell over from the pain in his sprained ankle.

Maddest Hatter 20.5/25HP hits Ewan 3/10HP with Tea Time’s Over! [Roll 13; -5.5HP, Ewan 0/10HP]

The coins came crashing down once more but there was no way of getting up, no escaping it. They covered him up to his torso, with his arms and upper body sticking out from the gaudy pile. With a hurt ankle and his body covered in bruises, he knew he was done for this fight. Frustrated, embarrassed, sad and in pain, his shoulders trembled as he tried to fight off the coming sobs and tears. Despite everything, he was still but a boy, after all.

“Ouchie, This is way too much! I give, I give!” He cried out. In response the weight of the coins were lifted from him, his opponent seemingly knowing his fight was over. Finally he could stand up, though he had to be careful not to put too much weight on his injured leg. “Aw… sorry guys, I can’t help out anymore... Phooey.” Not wanting them to see any tears, he quickly turned around. “Good luck, though! Kick that golden foppy yahoo to next week for me!” With one last encouragement, he limped to the sidelines to watch from there.

Ewan has been defeated!

two of a kind // team 6 silver round

[shungyo]

can't believe ka.edehara ka.zuha is STILL getting mischaracterized in 2025.

[books-apples-socks]

(...) Silver had terrible hard work getting up the knoll. What with the steepness of the incline, the thick tree stumps, and the soft sand, he and his crutch were as helpless as a ship in stays. But he stuck to it like a man in silence, and at last arrived before the captain, whom he saluted in the handsomest style. He was tricked out in his best; an immense blue coat, thick with brass buttons, hung as low as to his knees, and a fine laced hat was set on the back of his head. “Here you are, my man,” said the captain, raising his head. “You had better sit down.” “You ain’t a-going to let me inside, cap’n?” complained Long John. “It’s a main cold morning, to be sure, sir, to sit outside upon the sand.” “Why, Silver,” said the captain, “if you had pleased to be an honest man, you might have been sitting in your galley. It’s your own doing. You’re either my ship’s cook—and then you were treated handsome—or Cap’n Silver, a common mutineer and pirate, and then you can go hang!” “Well, well, cap’n,” returned the sea-cook, sitting down as he was bidden on the sand, “you’ll have to give me a hand up again, that’s all.” (...) Silver’s face was a picture; his eyes started in his head with wrath. He shook the fire out of his pipe. “Give me a hand up!” he cried. “Not I,” returned the captain. “Who’ll give me a hand up?” he roared. Not a man among us moved. Growling the foulest imprecations, he crawled along the sand till he got hold of the porch and could hoist himself again upon his crutch. Then he spat into the spring. “There!” he cried. “That’s what I think of ye. Before an hour’s out, I’ll stove in your old block house like a rum puncheon. Laugh, by thunder, laugh! Before an hour’s out, ye’ll laugh upon the other side. Them that die’ll be the lucky ones.” And with a dreadful oath he stumbled off, ploughed down the sand, was helped across the stockade, after four or five failures, by the man with the flag of truce, and disappeared in an instant afterwards among the trees.

[coollyinterferes]

The unmistakable sound of footsteps approaching begins to fill the air. Whoever is coming seems to have brought some company along…

They are getting closer… and closer… and closer…

…and closer…

……until..................

"Goooooood evenin'!!" Comes the loud greeting from a certain blond man. A big smile on his face and all.

"We beg your pardon for our prolonged absence. It was completely beyond our control..." Then adds the gentleman standing by his side, apologizing on behalf of both, offering a genuine smile along with the apology.

"...BUT! We're back!" And hopefully for good this time…

[rohirric-hunter]

I also want to make a post appreciating the culling in Umbar. It's an extremely big, extremely ambitious city, and although it is kinda laggy, it functions really well. While playing normally I've had moments where I would whip my camera around fast enough to just barely see something load in, so I knew they were doing a lot of culling to make it work, but it wasn't until I saw the city from above that I realized just how extensive it is and how well the illusion works. I wish I had taken some screenshots to show just how much of the city is not loaded in at any given time to demonstrate it. But it's overall really effective use of the tool to build the illusion of a really big city.

[warrior-of-storms]

One of the funniest parts to me of threadverse Carrie Kelley initially being from whatever the equivalent of 1610 is that the DKR Dick Grayson is the Joker. She gets picked up by Tim in the main universe and is just giving Dick a vicious side-eye the whole time. Dick cannot figure out why she doesn't like him while Carrie's pulling Tim off to the side and being like "keep an eye on him in case he goes evil"

It gets even funnier when you factor in her meeting Gwen/Terry/someone from the universe Bruce gets lost in during Everybody's Gonna Hear Me Out because they also had regular Nightwing back in the day.

Basically I just think the idea of Carrie realizing that actually, her terrible universe was the outlier here is really really funny

[allthepandasintheworld]

just so yall know: the more people change the arcane wiki notes on vander and silco's relationship the more im laughing and shipping them

also, guys. the wiki isn't always correct. what the wiki says doesn't equate what canon says. at the end of the day, fandom wikis are deeply subjective to the people who contribute to them

[gravesung-moving]

@hvnlygojo liked x for a starter.

❝ AHH... I CAN'T BELIEVE i lost. ❞ it was a dumb bet, but not unusual for them — who can take down more curses in a minute — and really, he's lying. suguru can easily believe he lost. as much as the two boys like to tout that they are the strongest together, he isn't any more deluded than anyone else. suguru shoves his hands in his pockets and heaves a long sigh, though the smile on his face betrays how little he actually laments the situation.

how could he? the summer sunset paints a warm orange glow over the grounds, the night is young, and he walks beside his best friend. ❝ alright, i'm a man of my word. one favor, as promised. cashing in now or later, satoru? ❞

[spotlightlover]

just so you know i have two prediction posts in my drafts rn that are just like this basically

[guardiandamned]

"IV."

Ryouga greets IV with a curt, unimpressed voice, and lips curled into an irritated glower. In other words - everything is just the same as one would expect... or at least, it should be.

But in reality - things couldn't be further from that truth. Because Ryouga knows something that IV doesn't... that no human knows, in fact. And that's Ryouga's true identity as the Barian Emperor Nasch; the enemy to Yuma and Astral and the Astral world along with them.

He hasn't told anyone. Soon, the war will begin, and Ryouga knows by then it'll be too late to play pretend any longer. But for now... he's made the decision to act human for a while more - all in the name of collecting information and forming a plan that'll defeat Yuma for good. Of course, that means he'll have to pretend around IV, too - that nothing's changed, that they're still on the same side together against the Barians...

Does it hurt, to take the place of a traitor? To turn his back on the people he cares about so much? ...More than anything. But he can't let it stop him - so he'll drown out that pain with another, worse pain, and keep moving forwards. Luckily... he doesn't have to act all too differently around IV compared to the others - after all, they never really got along.

"You're looking as obnoxious as always. What do you need from me, anyway? Want me to kick your ass again?"

@eternalxloyalxspirits ( starter for iv / thomas! )

[scorchedmizar]

The Lord wakes with a jerk. His flames flare, high and bright. He claws at the sheets, ripping them off to sit up and breathe. He stares at his lap, artificial breathes short and shallow, eyes wide. The nightmares have only gotten worse over the years. Maybe it's stress. Maybe it's Moon's ghost come to haunt him. Maybe it's someone else he's pissed off. Who knows?

Subtle movement against his thigh has him flinching. Alcor peers up at him from the dark, concern in his pale white eyes. There's little more that he hates than that look. Pity. It makes it all the worse when he finds himself giving in without even a grunt. Soft murmurs from his cherished servant are all it takes to soothe him back down and into his arms. They aren't as bad as when he's alone. Paranoia and insomnia keep him from falling asleep and then the nightmares wake him up when he's successful, go figure. But sweet Alcor... he has to put up with it every night, sacrificing his own rest to help his Lord. If only he hadn't spoken up that one time long ago, admitted the weakness, admitted that he couldn't even let his body fall into unconsciousness without another close by. Not just any body of course.

His golden eyes glow faintly against the lower half of Alcor's face, illuminating a gentle smile that the Lord is certainly unworthy of. He huffs weakly at the soft lips on his forehead, more like certainly unnecessary. Either way his servant does what his servant will, and if it keeps him happy by giving forehead kisses then so be it. And back rubs... maybe the Lord can return to sleep after all. The thought has the Lord disturbing the moment and twisting around to check his backside. Nothing. Just like always. This time anyway. Alcor is right, he should try putting his bed against the wall, one less side to be snuck up on... Alas, Alcor is used to the movement and has no trouble pulling his Lord back in again to comfort and reassure him. It's just the two of them here. He can relax, he can rest. For him? Please? He promised. And even after all of that it's often the servant who ends up asleep first. But he's still held close. It's peaceful, it's quiet, and he has the one he loves (loves?) in his arms.

[jasminepaolini]

kinda bums me out that the common sentiment around the coco/aryna match-up is "coco forces aryna to play down to her level." i feel like it ignores how what frustrates aryna about playing coco is that it's almost impossible to hit through her. so of course aryna's game is going to look worse against coco because she can't hit as many winners as she usually does. it's less aryna losing to herself with errors, and more coco giving her no choice but to go for riskier and harder shots because that's what you have to do to beat her.

[tacitusauxilium]

((…so, if I see the doctor today and start to feel better, I MAY get back to some old threads? That is if anyone still wants to continue them?))

[threadcosplays]

I was going enter a small event cosplay contest but I also don't have motivation to leave my house tomorrow orz

Felt cute tho