#too since i did name him specifically XD

[teecupangel]

I've been replaying Nobodies and in the middle of the second game I thought "Hey this guy talks like Desmond!" then I thought it would be pretty funny if Desmond became a murder cleaner lol

Nobodies: Murder Cleaner is available for Android, PC (via Steam) and Apple if you want to try it. It’s a point and click game where you play as a member of a secret government organization and your job is to clean up after other members have killed the target.

So we have two option for this idea.

Option 1: Canon ‘Verse where Desmond becomes a Cleaner instead of a Bartender

In this one, the only thing we have to tweak is what Desmond’s history becomes when he left the Farm. Maybe he saw one of the Cleaners doing their job in Rapid City and the Cleaner didn’t want to kill a kid to cover his tracks so he makes Desmond his accomplice, helping him clean it up, all the while teaching him the ‘craft’. After that, Desmond tags along because the Cleaner says that’s the only way he’ll survive and maybe Desmond’s upbringing mess him up enough that he thinks this is okay. That this kind of life is actually better than the life he had back on the Farm. The Cleaner keeps a close eye on him and notices how ‘unique’ Desmond’s upbringing is. He even thinks Desmond has what it takes to actually be one of the ‘messy ones’ but Desmond preferred to clean. It feels… more distant to his life before.

We get our timeskip and Desmond is one of the best cleaners out there. His identity is ironclad because his Cleaner mentor gave him a new one and their organization made it official since they do have a bit of leeway with the government. In exchange, Desmond will be in their service which he doesn’t mind because the organization pays for everything he needs (other than the equipment and items he might actually need when it was time to clean up because having such equipment with him when he gets to the scene would be security guard bait).

At this point, the organization has an idea that Abstergo is very sus and there’s a shadowy organization that does questionable things against Abstergo most of the time. They don’t know the full story though but Desmond believes that his parents’ cult is actually an ecoterrorist group. He keeps it to himself though since he doesn’t want to be anywhere close to them.

With the backing of the organization and his more honed skills and espionage, Desmond is actually more or less a ghost even to Abstergo. They know Desmond Miles exist but they also know that he disappeared nine years ago. Desmond’s government records are all fake data but authenticated by the government itself. Hell, he even has an SSN and tax records. (Your call if he keeps his Desmond Miles name or he changes to like Desmond Miller or full on fake name like Derek Milton or something XD)

If you still want Desmond to be part of the Animus Project or to kickstart the main plot, Desmond gets caught because the organization has traitors and one of them took him while he was cleaning a scene that turned out to be a trap. However, Desmond knows how to play the game and his childhood training only help him become better at his job.

If Vidic kept the same ‘security’ in AC1 (cameras only, no visible guards), Desmond would find a way to kill Vidic and (maybe) Lucy before the guards even get there. Once he gets access to the computer (thanks, Lucy), tampering with the security feed would be easy because he’s done it before as a Cleaner. He’s also used to using items and devices he sees on the ‘scene’ so yeah…

Before the even finishes Altaïr’s memories, he’d most probably already made his escape after cleaning the scene.

And that’s when…

The Bleeding Effect starts…

Option 2: Full Spy AU where every Assassin is messy and Desmond has to clean after them

Okay, this one plays loose with the lore.

In this one, the Brotherhood is a secret organization that has the capital and the influence that a usual Hollywood super spy organization has.

And Desmond is the poor son of a high ranking member of the organization. He was being trained to be an operative but he didn’t want to be an operative like his father.

So… he became a cleaner instead.

In this one, I think it would be fun if Desmond is just some poor cleaner who has to clean up for the messiest of the operatives because he’s one of the best cleaners.

So the setup could be Desmond appearing on the scene and deducing which of his messy ‘regulars’ did this one and he all have nicknames for each of them.

One of them is super good at his job that Desmond just have to take care of the body most of the time. That one he calls “the light of my life” because it means a quick easy job then Desmond can just chill somewhere and see the sights until he’s called again.

Another one is someone who always has to chase their target and dear god, Desmond wants to strangle this operative so badly because Desmond has to clean up multiple places and that includes CCTVs used by the local government for the roads and such. That one he calls ‘the bane of my existence’.

The funny thing?

Both operative are the same person: Altaïr who seesaw between absolutely the best or having a bad day that can only be summed up as “the universe is conspiring against him to get some cardio today”.

Of course, there’s a lot more operatives that Desmond cleans after.

There’s one that liked to actually steal shit and Desmond just usually make that a burglary gone wrong most of the time.

There’s another operative who may or may not have a dog that he uses to rip apart his target and Desmond always prays the scene is somewhere outside so he can just make it look like a wild animal attack and always hate it whenever it happens in an office building or anywhere indoors to be completely honest.

There’s another one that tries to be sneaky but that only makes Desmond’s life harder because he has to make sure to look everywhere just to be sure that the sneaky operative didn’t miss or fuck up somewhere.

In other words, Desmond has a lot of complaints for his regular operatives XD

[gaoau]

i've been thinking a lot about Suo and i need it to stop, so i wanna analyse him a little bit and say things into the void. normally i like to psychoanalyse characters in fics but i've seen that side of the fandom and i do NOT wanna go there, so i'm saving myself by pulling the same thing i did with Nanao ig.

disclaimer: this isn't necessarily a theory about his backstory as much as it is what i personally wanna see happen. see, if i were writing him, i'd do very specific things that could go in various directions, but since i am not, unfortunately, writing him and he's not my character to fuck with, all i can do is yap. which, also, probably won't be very eloquent.

manga spoilers for literally the whole manga up to date btw.

i don't think we won't be getting a backstory on him, to be honest. with a character like him, yeah, the mystery is part of the charm, and having this much anticipation can suck ass if once the secret gets revealed, it doesn't stick the landing. but i doubt Nii Satoru doesn't have something planned for him. why would bro be leaving Suo's room illustration out of the fanbook if there wasn't something there to talk about? what is in his room to talk about? but that's not what this is about.

anyway i'm gonna be so fr Suo's built like a dog. he's clearly full of shit, and yknow, that's fine, good for him, but there are things that are so painfully obvious he's just straight up lying about. after his fight with Kanuma, which is deadass the first time we see him fight, he says he "doesn't usually get so emotional," which ?? shut the fuck up? that's not true.

i know a liar when i see one. we've seen him fight five times? six if i wanna be generous; in three of those he got crazy emotional (Kanuma, keel, and Endo), and just a tiny bit miffed with the gymnast guy idr his name fuck that freak. which, listen, to be fair, if someone touched a single hair on Nirei's head in front of me, real me too i'd kill a guy. but look me in the eye lil bro don't lie to me. real talk, though, he was more than ready to kill the keel dude, and was going to. he wanted to. he was shaking while Sakura held him back, don't play with me. he wasn't gonna stop just cause someone was interjecting.

bro was itching to kill, side-eyeing Sakura, spitting snark cause how's the hot-headed mf who jumps head-first into a brawl without a second thought staying more rational than him, the rational one? Sakura's talking to him the same way i talk to my dog after she tries to kill my cat. i'm ngl my dog has better self-restraint than this kid. he also just straight up xd's his way out of it? like "oh whoopsies! mb gang! i was just feeling silly goofy! 🤪" like he forgets he's not supposed to glare at people with murder in his eyes.

speaking of murder! this is where i want him to have killed someone before Bofurin. he's, like, 15? so there's not much time to work with, but the same way Kaji was going feral at idk 8 years old, i can see a world in which Suo actually went overboard when he was a younger kid. (i'm not saying this is what things are pointing at, but i want this to be the case. i would do this myself.)

he is emotional, i don't think that's up for debate. i understand why he gets so emotional and i do think it's very noble and cool and swag of him, that's a good person, somewhat, he cares about his friends and it pisses him off when they get hurt. i fuck with that. that's great, get him an ice cream (if he even eats fucking weirdo). but why are we acting like "i am chill ᵔ ᵕ ᵔ" when, clearly, that's not true?

here's where his teacher comes in. for how much grief i'm giving him, i don't think he's all lies at all. i don't think him liking Nirei and Sakura enough to not only speak highly of them, but also fuck a guy up for them, is a lie. i think he is as kind as Umemiya describes him to be, cause honestly, if Umemiya says someone is kind, then they probably are.

i don't think this is necessarily fake as much as i think it's borrowed. it's learned behaviour. it's teachings passed down to him by his teacher. it's discipline. it's not something that comes naturally to him, but it is something a person he respects and looks up to taught him, so he tries to live by it. he's very clearly been disciplined, probably got beaten into the ground by his teacher, got his ass handed to him again and again and again until he sharpened his reflexes and learned how to control himself in a fight.

he talks a lot about adulthood, talks a lot about maturing, talks a lot about self-control and whatnot. which, by the way, this is a child? lil bro you're fifteen go play on your switch idk. but i'd like to think this comes from someone telling him, "hey, what you did was not okay. you have a lot of strength and you're not an animal. use it wisely so you can one day grow into a proper adult." solely cause i want him to have killed someone. that's all i want.

i think it would make sense, really. how funny would it be if he was living similarly to Sakura? i've seen people headcanon him as a rich kid, but he lies a lot, and i wouldn't put it past him to be living in a sad, lonely one-room apartment. there's a billion ways things could be done with him. maybe his parents didn't care to try disciplining him, maybe he grew up with no parents at all. he has a short fuse, that's easy to tell, even if he acts like he's got everything under control. it's a very Suzuri type of situation, so maybe it's not the direction Nii Satoru is gonna take things, but one can dream.

as for the eyepatch, i haven't really thought much about it. the way i see things, he's gotta come from a neglectful background, so losing an eye would make sense. or maybe he did it himself, i'd love to see that (i would do that with a character like this if he was mine). if his eye is even missing at all, cause all things considered, it might be sort of just a way to give himself a handicap to remind himself not to go overboard.

which, circling back to the self-restraint thing, i like to think that's the reason he doesn't really use much excessive force. not to say he doesn't kick and punch, cause lil bro packs a mean punch, but he doesn't gravitate to hitting people. he's usually using his opponent's weight and momentum against them, which is why i was decently surprised when i saw him grab the keel dude and wind back to bash his face in. he's not violent, until he lets go of what little self-restraint he has, and then he is. it's values and principles that come from someone else telling him how to behave, except he still struggles to hold himself back.

to put it in simple terms, if he were my character, this is what i would do. i'd have him kill someone by going overboard as a kid, have him be taken in by this teacher, have him disciplined and clean his act up by beating his ass, and then have him parrot all these teachings at people he meets later. cause that's essentially what he's doing, he's just repeating things someone else told him. what does bro know about being an adult he doesn't even pay taxes go do your trig homework. but he tries, and you can tell he's trying, even if it doesn't come natural, he cares about his friends and he cares about becoming a better person, he's just a little too quick to snap.

you know what i mean? he cares about Nirei in particular, he loves Nirei, he tries to learn from Nirei. (guys i love Nirei i wont shut the fuck up). but fr, he's got that Nanao complex where he instigates things or sets things into motion and doesn't quite participate. he watches from the back, for better or for worse, but he doesn't necessarily involve himself in things. he keeps a distance. he feels like the other side to Sakura's coin sometimes, learning about people and how warm they actually are. he's all prim and proper and nonchalant, but he recognises he's no match for Sakura and maybe even Nirei. after all, it's always Nirei the one grabbing both of them by the arm and dragging them places.

he talks so big and maturely about not meddling too much with people who can't quite handle friendship yet, and then goes "!" when Nirei tells him "? fuck are you talking about? that's the more reason to teach Sakura about friendship." it's the look on his face after Nirei, despite Suo's long-winded and logical argument, goes to Kotoha and insists they help Sakura anyway. he's learning from Nirei too. also Nirei's crazy endearing so real me too but that's beside the point.

i don't think these parts of him are fake, but they might just be artificial. he's still integrating them into his own person and making them his, but he still slips here and there. he's not quite there yet. i hope he killed someone when he was 8yo. that's all thank you for reading thumbsup

[jazzyblusnowflake]

do u have any headcanons for Nuzi? sorry if you've already written about this before and I just didn't see it-

Oh boi anyone here into silly headcanons? XD ill put them under the cut just in case cuz i write a loooooooooooot lol

i usually just make headcanons as i go with my fics, its hard to think about for them specifically but here i go trying, hope you enjoy uwu

Some Nuzi Headcanons i got ùwú:

[for the drone universe ofc, some of my human HCs don't work in the drone universe sadly lmao]

considering this is at a time where they would become official or heck maybe the tragedy ends and they are happy together or something:

Uzi loves calling N "Puppy", sometimes she would also call him "Sunshine" or "Angel" but her & Ns fav would be "Puppy". however N usually doesn't call Uzi many nicknames other than "Zi" rarely- and maybe occasionally "Birdie" when they are more lovey dovey- he's more into pet names like "honey - darling - sweetheart - etc" and not much of a tease... although at times when they get a bit more spicy and he DOES want to tease- he could go towards names like "lil biscuit", "baby bat", "my lady" and etc but again, very rarely 6v6;;;;

they both had to download helpful content on how to flirt 🙄 although they caught on pretty quick lol.

N is subconsciously protective of Uzi, often curling his tail around her without realizing it, or stepping in front of her; but Uzi is consciously protective of N- especially when he's being bullied or degraded- she would cut off anyone's conversation if they were talking about N badly with something like "oh stick a fork in it J-" before changing the subject-

Uzi is actively a smartass sass mouth- she just never really had the confidence for standing up for herself- but with N she's grown to be a bit more confident in herself- and yet N has never seen her be aggressive to HIM lmao- and then when he sees how sometimes she absolutely drags some other drones he has to literally pick Uzi up from the scruff of her coat and tell her to please be nice XD

Uzi and N are absolutely, hopelessly touch and affection starved- this makes them get really cuddly as a way to recharge themselves emotionally. occasionally they just sit next to eachother without words and rub their heads against eachother like cats and sometimes Uzi just sits on his lap and randomly starts prepping his whole face with tini kisses- as if to say mine mine mine- and N is... well just sitting there wagging his tail like an excited puppy :D no words needed between them, just healthy and wholesome touching, cuddling and affection from eachother-...... i mean it could get spicy too- lmao 👀 cuz Uzi really loves taking off Ns hat for more comfort and just threading her hands in his hair- sometimes tugging gently to tilt his head for a more firm and heartfelt kissing and makeout sesh- they rarely get that needy but N happily reciprocates and his grip on Uzi's body/hips tightens pulling her flush against himself more-

at the beginning they are both a flustered mess doing or saying anything romantic but then Uzi started liking teasing and flustering N at any chance she could take. N is just too easy and too smitten for her.

N also occasionally gets the confidence and mood to be more forward and assertive and teasing Uzi over things he knows she's into and Uzi is absolutely into that shit- she's sat 😤

they do share oil sometimes through bites or kisses- but usually that's only when they feel extra frisky lmao-

Uzi gets easily embarrassed during intimate moments and since contact and touching easily discharges their power as sparks, Uzi often uh.... ends up with multiple soft-reboots or powering on and off which kinda overheats her body and CPU alot lmao-

they like drawing and listening to music together- Uzi actually likes watching N draw even if they look amateur and childish- she finds them extremely cute and hangs them up in her room when he draws for her <3

they did NOT start out sleeping next to eachother well. Uzi has nightmares a lot, and even without them she still moves around frantically and is just never in the same position when she wakes up, meanwhile N sleeps like a dead person, he hardly moves and he got used to the pose of crossing his arms on his chest so yeah... dead pose lmao. this made him get kicked alot or shoved in the slot between the bed and wall often- [if he didn't sleep on the other side and just straight up get kicked off the bed anyway]😭. even at times when he decided they could sleep hanging from their tails Uzi often still found herself in the middle of the night hanging haphazardly, limbs and wings in every direction and clothes riding down which made N almost start laughing when he woke up seeing her like this 😭😭😭. in the end one of the ways they ended up making Uzi sleep alot better was cuddling. N would just hold Uzi close, if hanging he would put his wings around them. Uzi would resist and push against him alot at first but slowly after time her nightmares subdued and she felt calmer sleeping at night.... also they put a cork or something on Ns tail when they sleep lol-

All drones, disassembly or worker, can make their cores whirr in a purring noise, its just that its louder for disassemblers, the noise of Ns core helps Uzi relax <3

Uzi can lift N very easily, straight up on her shoulder even.... and somehow N is very turned on by this as she could easily carry him around bridal style if need be- esp if she gets jealous of N interacting with others and just throws him over her shoulder and leaves- or uh.... yknow, if Ns hurt or something, yep 6x6;;;

Uzi is also turned on by the fact that N is so much bigger than her. they be casually sitting and inspecting eachothers hands and Uzi's is smaller and she just blushes fervently imagining all the things she wants his hands and claws to do to her.

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAND thats about all i can think of atm without spoiling much of my own future ideas lol, hope it wasn't too annoying, but i really enjoyed writing this uwu<3

hope yall enjoyed it too if you made it til here :p

i diiiiid wanna include some nsfw hcs too but im gonna keep this ask as sfw as possible for now. 😇 those would be nsfw specific hcs anyway lmao

[slightly-gay-pogohammer]

i did it for winx i did it for powerpuff girls anyway here’s my pitch for a good “modern” scooby doo remake

shaggy comes from a family of paranormal investigators. at barely 16 years olds he returns to his hometown of coolsville with his dog after his super rich parents tell him it’s time to live up to the family name, taking him there specifically because of many rumors about cursed areas of the town and crmiinals who take advantage of said rumors to pretend to be monsters themselves. while there he reconnects with his old childhood friends and eventually all together they form the mystery inc... and have to deal with a benevolent yet very clumsy spirit who took over scoob’s body

character thoughts under read more!!!

shaggy is, again, the last of a family of paranormal investigators, who ever since he was a child had to deal with his parents bringing him in adventures and dealing with (real and fake) monsters. you’d guess that would make him brave, but. no that just made him very paranoid. while he acts like the team’s straightman, he’s also the only one who knows how certain monsters work, ironically working as one of the “brains” of the group!

scooby, again, used to be a normal great dane. a little lazy, not even particularly friendly, at least until shaggy brought him with him in coolsville; during their first night out. while he ends up falling into a trap, a benevolent ghost takes over his body, making him able to talk and tell the kids that coolsville is in big trouble and that they need to stick together. overall, he’s the team’s mascot, someone who’s directly connected with the main antagonist similarly to the mystery inc series, but also a goofy spirit (and now dog) who’s appreciating life!!

velma is a seemingly distant and cold nerd, but also the first one who joins shaggy in his adventures after she learns that all the curses and mysteries of her town might be real. her knowledge and ability to think on the fly comes from her being a dnd player and, most importantly, a dungeon master, and out of everyone she’s by far the bravest member of the team.  while a little snarky and with a lot of problems with social cues, she’s a smart and quick thinking young lady who’s happy to be part of a real adventure. and also has a girlfriend who may or may not be yet another monster since her being into criminals and monstergirls is a recurring trend now

daphne is part of the popular girls in school, but since we hate stereotypes she also has a reason to be popular other than “she’s pretty XD”. tiktok influencer and vlogger, she joins shaggy and velma almost by accident uhhhh i’d say 3 or 4 episodes into the series, maybe trying to start off a paranormal youtube channel, and eventually gets very close to them. the assigned people person, she knows everything about everyone in town and is generally very charismatic, but make her angry and she’ll make sure that you will remember with who you’re messing with.

fred, daphne’s boyfriend, is a member of the football’s team and the mayor’s son... and for “half” of the first season, he unknowingly acts as a minor antagonist, since i’d say. down with the politicians, the mayor is one of the bad guys, and with fred being a total himbo he accidentally works as his spy. eventually he finally understands that something is up with his dad, especially thanks to daphne who reminds him who truly cares for him, and eventually shaggy and velma too, with who he shares good memories of pretending to be detectives together and watching “that one weird show with the talking dogs and the kids looking for ghosts... goober or something!” he finally becomes the team’s wild card, the brawn and. yea i’d bring back his love for traps and elaborate schemes. he and velma become super besties after she tells him about her latest dungeon in her session

[misc-obeyme]

Hi there i have been reading your blog for an hour now and im obsessed. Your writing is amazing. May i please request gn! Mc who was just in a fight, and got badly injured, but doesn’t care. So they ask the demon/angel there yo cuddle?

Im so so so sorry of this doesn’t make sense im very tired xD

Preferred characters you can ignore this well the entire request too xD (lucifer, satan, belphie, dia, barb, and simeon)

Here is a cat to keep you company his name is mr. Whisp 🐈

Hello there!

Oh thank you, I'm so glad you're enjoying my writing! (Also thank you for Mr. Whisp I love him.)

Okay, so I wrote these as little scenes instead of the usual bulleted list style, I hope that's okay! They did end up a little longer because of that, though. I did it that way because you requested specific characters and it's easier to write little scenes for fewer characters rather than all of them.

Thank you for the request!

GN!MC gets hurt in a fight, but doesn't care and just wants cuddles with Lucifer, Satan, Belphie, Diavolo, Barbatos, and Simeon

Warnings: MC is hurt! Bruises, blood, general injuries, talk of fighting.

Lucifer

You were standing in front of Lucifer, summoned to his room after he inevitably heard from several of his brothers about the state you were in. You had shown up at the House of Lamentation covered in scrapes and bruises. They all noticed how you were walking with a slight limp and the dark circle that was forming up under one of your eyes.

You had considered blowing him off when you got the message on your D.D.D. that he wanted to see you immediately. You didn't really feel like listening to a lecture about getting into fights. And yet you knew that if you put it off, it'd only be worse later. And secretly you wanted to see him.

Lucifer was observing you with a dark expression, clearly looking over your various injuries.

You kept your arms folded, chin up, and said, "You wanted to see me?"

He didn't say anything at first. You weren't sure if this meant he was so angry he couldn't speak or if he was just trying to make you nervous.

"Explain," he said at last.

You sighed. "I got into a little fight, it was no big deal."

Lucifer quickly closed the distance between you. He took hold of your chin and tilted your face this way and that. "No big deal? MC, you have a black eye. I think perhaps you've also injured your ankle in some way. Do you really think it's okay to risk yourself like this?"

You frowned up at him. "I can handle myself. Just because I got hurt doesn't mean I didn't win the fight."

Lucifer shook his head in exasperation. "That is not the point. Surely the issue could have been resolved without you getting hurt."

You softened a little. "You don't have to worry about me so much, you know."

Lucifer let go of your chin, tracing the tips of his fingers down your cheek lightly. "How can I not when you come in here looking like this? I know you can take care of yourself, but it really is a problem if you-"

You cut him off, catching his hand and stepping in even closer. "Lecture me later. Right now, can't you just hold me?"

You saw his resolve break as his expression changed. He wrapped his arms around you gently, careful to avoid aggravating your injuries. He pressed a kiss to your forehead, unable to hold back as his worry for you spilled over.

"We will treat your injuries shortly," he said into your hair. "And MC, you will not worry me like this again."

You smiled to yourself at this blatant admission of his concern for you. The warmth of his arms was more than enough to make you feel as though you were healing already. You later heard all about how he hunted down those who hurt you (though you could never figure out how he knew who they were). Those demons were never heard from again.

Satan

You sat down across the table from Satan at the library of RAD. There was nobody else around - it was late in the afternoon and all the other students had long since gone home. You knew Satan was there late, taking his time studying for an upcoming curses and hexes exam. You had agreed to meet him there at some point, since you needed to study for that exam as well.

Satan looked up as you sat down and instantly reached out across the table, grabbing your wrist.

"MC," he said, his voice low. "What happened? Who did this to you?"

You knew he was reacting to the bruises on your face and the cut across your forehead that was currently still bleeding a little.

"I'm fine," you said, shrugging a little and pulling your wrist out of his grip. "I just had to take care of something on my way here. Now are we going to study some hexes or what?"

Satan stared at you with wide eyes for a moment. You watched as his face changed, his eyes going dark and his teeth clenching. You could see where this was going and sure enough, he was suddenly in demon form. He half stood out of his chair, leaning across the table and growling.

"Who was it?" he demanded. You could see the tip of his tail twitch just above the table, unexpectedly free rather than wrapped securely around his leg.

You weren't scared because you knew he was contemplating tearing some other demons limb from limb for doing this to you. His reaction was a little over the top, but nothing you weren't expecting. This was Satan, after all.

"I know you're upset," you said. "But it really isn't anything you need to worry about." You placed your hand over one of his, leaning forward yourself to meet him.

His death glare only cooled slightly. "You can't show up to a study session with injuries like that and expect me not to worry, MC."

"I can if I'm telling you that you don't need to worry," you said adamantly. "I need you to trust me. And honestly, it would help me a lot more if you would calm down and give me a hug than if you went off the rails right now."

He was struck by your words, and they caused him to sit back down. Slowly, his demon form left him and he was back in his RAD uniform. The anger still smoldered in his eyes, but it was in competition with how much he cared for you.

Satan closed his eyes, clearly fighting with himself to push down the wrath that continued to simmer in him. After a few moments and some deep breaths, he opened his eyes again. He came around the table, gently taking your hands and pulling you out of your chair.

His eyes roamed over the cut on your forehead, but he wrapped his arms around your waist, pulling you into his chest. You pressed yourself to him, letting your own arms return the embrace. The pain of injuries seemed to fade away entirely as you let him comfort you.

You pulled your head away just a little to look at him and as you did so, you saw a splotch of red against the grey fabric of his uniform. "I'm sorry," you said. "I got blood on your uniform."

Satan sighed and pulled you even closer to him, resting his head on your shoulder. "What am I going to do with you, MC? Promise me you'll be more careful. I hate to see you hurt like this."

"I promise I'll be more careful," you said. It was a promise you felt you could keep.

Belphegor

You moved as quietly as you could through the halls of the House of Lamentation, avoiding any of the brothers you came across. You were on your way to the planetarium to meet up with Belphie and you didn't want any of the others to see the state you were in. So you kept to the shadows, moving along the walls until you came to your destination.

You slipped into the room and smiled at Belphie as he looked up at you. He had been nearly dozing off, so he was still a little bleary.

"There you are," he said with a yawn. "You're late."

"I'm sorry," you said, hoping the room was dark enough that he hadn't noticed your cuts and bruises. You sat down next to him, making sure you stayed partly in shadow. "I lost track of the time."

"Hmm, fine, I'll forgive you this time," Belphie said, rubbing at his eyes.

You laughed softly. "Gee, thanks."

Belphie leaned against your shoulder sleepily. You winced. You didn't mean to, but your shoulder was still sore in that spot.

Belphie noticed instantly. He sat up straight and looked at you carefully, the sleepiness suddenly gone. "MC… is that… a black eye?"

You shrugged. "I don't know what you're talking about."

Belphie frowned. "It is. You're hurt." He tugged on your arm a little to move you more into the light. You knew he could now see how banged up you really were. "MC! What happened to you?"

"Don't worry about it," you said. "It's not a big deal."

Belphie scoffed. "You got into a fight, didn't you? At least tell me that you gave worse than you got."

"Of course I did," you said.

Belphie stood up. "Hang on," he said. "I'll be right back. Then you should tell me about it."

Belphie was gone for only a few minutes, coming back with a first aid kit in tow. He sat back down next to you and opened it, pulling out a disinfectant wipe. He started to wipe down the scrapes on your face. It stung only a little.

"So? What happened? Did some demons insult you or something?" he asked.

"Yeah," you said. "Well, they said some things that I couldn't just ignore and things escalated quickly. But I can promise you they're suffering worse injuries than I am."

Belphie smirked. "I'm not happy about you being hurt," he said seriously. "But I can't pretend I'm not proud of you, either. You should let us handle stuff like that for you, MC. I know you can take care of yourself, but I don't know if it's worth you getting hurt like this."

Belphie carefully put a bandage over the largest cut.

"It's really no big deal," you said. "Especially since I have you to take care of me."

Belphie frowned, a soft blush creeping across his face. He sighed and put his arms around you. "Just because I'll patch you up doesn't mean you should go around getting yourself hurt."

You leaned into his embrace, nuzzling into him while still being careful of your injuries. "I know. Thank you for taking care of me, Belphie."

Although Belphie stayed by your side that night, you later heard rumors about those particular demons being plagued by nightmares.

Diavolo

You ducked into an empty classroom, having finally gotten away from the scene of the fight. You were covered in scratches and bruises and your lip was bleeding. You had eventually escaped the pandemonium after landing a particularly well thrown punch and running while your opponent was dazed. Now you could take a moment to breathe and figure out what you needed to do for your injuries.

You turned around from the classroom door and froze in shock. Diavolo was standing there in the middle of the room, looking just as shocked as you felt. He stared at you for a long moment, taking in your disheveled appearance, and the blood still dripping down your chin.

"MC," he said and the darkness of his voice sent a shiver down your spine. He came toward you. He put one hand on your arm and lifted the other to wipe the blood off of your bottom lip. He let his touch linger there. "Did a student do this to you?"

You considered telling him exactly which demons you had been dealing with. But then you thought about how you weren't entirely blameless. You engaged with them, after all, and there was no doubt that you'd left a few of them injured.

"Please don't worry about it," you said. "It wasn't like I couldn't handle it."

Diavolo sighed. "That isn't the point, I'm afraid," he said. "It's against RAD policy to fight on the grounds."

You smirked a little. "Are you going to give me detention?"

Diavolo laughed. The sound filled you with a feeling of warmth and contentment. It was his usual laugh and it let you know that everything would be okay. "I don't think that will be necessary," he said. "But if there are students picking fights, I'll have to do something about it."

You put your hand on his where it still lingered by your bloody lip. "You can do something about it later, can't you? I could really use a hug right now."

Diavolo put his hand gently on your cheek then wrapped his other arm around you, pulling you close to him. After a moment he put his other arm around you, too, keeping you safe and warm in his embrace.

"I am so sorry this happened to you, MC," he said into your hair. "Please come back to the castle with me so I can be sure your injuries are properly cared for."

You pressed your cheek against his chest. "Are you really that worried about me? I can handle myself."

"I don't doubt you," he said. "But I would feel much better knowing you are being taken care of. Won't you indulge me?"

It wasn't like you could really refuse him. Especially not when you looked into his gold eyes and saw the deep concern there. So you would allow him to take you back to the castle, where you would stay for the rest of the night. You later heard about the rules regarding fighting at RAD becoming more strict.

Barbatos

You pressed your fingertips into your cheek in an attempt to stop the bleeding from a small cut you had gotten there. You felt that it was the most prominent wound, since it was right on your face, and while you couldn't exactly cover up all your bruises, you hoped you could at least stop the bleeding.

You were waiting for Barbatos in the gardens of the Demon Lord's Castle where you were meeting him for tea.

You weren't delusional. You knew you couldn't hide what had happened from Barbatos. But you still thought it would be better if you weren't actively bleeding.

When Barbatos finally arrived, he was carrying a tray of tea and pastries in his hands. The moment he saw you, he nearly dropped the tray, catching himself just in time. Still it tipped enough for a teacup to go flying off the edge, falling to the ground and smashing into tiny pieces.

You gasped and stood up, an unexpected reaction to the shattered teacup. "Oh don't worry, I can fix that," you said.

You couldn't look at Barbatos as you cast the spell to repair the cup. The pieces lifted into the air and fused back together. The cup landed in your palm, whole again. You straightened up and brought the cup over to where Barbatos was still standing, setting it on the tray before meeting his eyes.

There was an unmistakable aura of distress around him, even though his expression remained neutral. He carefully placed the tray on the table you had previously been sitting at.

"Thank you, MC," he said. "I'm afraid I lost my composure for a moment. I apologize for my clumsiness."

You had to hold in a laugh. Of course he would apologize to you for that. "Don't worry about it," you said.

You were about to sit back down at the table when he caught your arm. "I must inquire about your current state, MC."

You shrugged. "It's nothing important," you said. "Just a little altercation I was in on the way here. But I'm fine."

"I must disagree," Barbatos said. To your complete shock, he touched your cheek, leaving a smudged red stain on his spotless white gloves.

"Barbatos!" you cried, taking his hand. "You're getting my blood all over your gloves!"

It wasn't like Barbatos to allow his gloves to get dirty.

"A small matter compared to the fact that you are currently bleeding, MC," Barbatos said calmly. "You must allow me to tend to these wounds."

You sighed, squeezing his hand in both of yours. "All right. But first won't you…" You blushed, a little embarrassed to ask him to hold you.

But Barbatos knew what you wanted to say. He pulled you down into his lap as he sat down in one of the chairs by the table. You rested your head on his shoulder as he wrapped his arms around you, gently kissing your neck. Much later, he would bandage you up and give you some healing tea. But in that moment, his touch was like the magic you had used on the teacup - making you feel whole again.

Simeon

You fidgeted outside the door to Purgatory Hall. You had come here to spend some time with Simeon, studying while he worked on his latest novel. It was something you had gotten into the habit of doing recently. You were currently concerned about running into Luke and scaring him with the sight of your injuries.

You decided to send Simeon a message on your D.D.D. letting him know you were outside.

He sent you back a question mark sticker, clearly confused about why you didn't just knock on the door.

You waited for a moment instead of responding and the door opened to reveal Simeon, his expression just as confused as the sticker he sent.

"MC?" he asked. Then he got a decent look at you. "Oh, MC. What happened to you?" He grabbed your hand, pulling you inside.

"I'm fine," you said. "Can we just go to your room so I can study?"

Simeon frowned, but he did as you asked. He held your hand tightly as he led you down the hall to his room.

Fortunately, you didn't run into any of the other Purgatory Hall occupants.

When you reached his room, Simeon sat you down on his bed as he stood before you, fingers lightly touching the largest bruise on your face.

"I told you, I'm fine," you said again. "I just didn't want to scare Luke, that's all."

"I appreciate that you were concerned about Luke, MC," Simeon said. "But you really should be worried about yourself, too. These injuries are serious. They need treatment."

You groaned a little and leaned forward, letting your forehead rest on his stomach. "I knew you'd be worried about it," you said. "But I'm fine. And anyway, I'll really start to feel better if you just hold me for a bit."

Simeon chuckled. He gently pushed your head back to make you look up at him. "I could never say no to that," he said. "But you really should let me take care of this later." He let his fingers hover over the various places where you had developed bruises.

"Later," you agreed.

Simeon shook his head, but he sat beside you on the bed. He took you in his arms, leaning back against the pillows so you were lying on his chest. He ran his fingers down your back and kissed the top of your head.

"You really should be more careful in the Devildom, MC," he said.

You snuggled into him more. "It's fine. I can handle myself."

"I have no doubt of that," Simeon said. "But I'd rather you didn't get injured. I can only imagine how the demons you fought are faring."

"Let's just say they'll think twice before messing with me again," you said.

Simeon sighed, but he only held you a little closer.

masterlist | Thank you for reading!

[blueberrypancakesworld]

If you’re taking headcanon requests, I have a very specific idea for Frollo that’s been living rent free in my head for awhileeeeeee.

Imagine Frollo being summoned as a ghost into the modern world by a nonbinary spirit medium or witch. Just, let this man loose his entire mind as a FAR too lovely witch is running around chatting with ghosts, and trying to calm him tf down in the process XD

Probably doesn’t help that “nonbinary witch” would probably sound like evil itself to Frollo lol

The horror of the new day

Frollo x nb!reader

warning : just some funny things and a very confused Frollo

Info : Thanks for this request @add-a-bit-of-neurospice it was an interesting idea/concept but was like I said really,really fun to write. Frollo just in our time and dies again of the ,,sins" he sees everywhere :) I hope you like it and have fun reading ;)

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Hell had been his home since he had fallen into the flames in front of Notre Dame, the stone had crushed his body and the flames had not left him as ashes, he had been in hell.

His faith was right after his soul had left his body he found himself in. The infinite inferno was burning again, an eternal flame that tormented him until he threatened to lose his mind.

Time was irrelevant and he no longer had any feeling for it except the pain of seeing the souls of his victims and enemies pass by, but he hardly paid any attention to them.

Until one day in infinite time he felt his body rise from the flames and was freed. It had to be God he was convinced as the flames around him. Around him became less and less.

The darkness enveloped him before he heard a distant voice calling out to him, saying his name. Looking around for the person, his soul coalesced into the image, his body easily visible around the ring that had suddenly appeared.

He was heavier than the flames, heavier than the pain and it held him. It held him until the darkness around him receded, his voice became clearer and when he lifted his gaze he was standing in a room. ,,What is this?" he asked, confused as to why his jellyfish had ended because when he ascended he was supposed to be in the clouds, singing and becoming an angel.

,,Oh my Lillith, it worked!" he heard the voice more clearly and saw the right person. The first thing he noticed was the pointed hat and the necklace with the pentagram. A witch someone he would have burned immediately if he still had the time.

But when he looked further at the she-devil, he saw pants instead of a dress and her hair was short. A demon. ,,Demon, why did you call me?" he asked, a hint of fear in his voice, it must be a powerful being if it could summon him with a ring. ,,Demon? Oh no, I'm a witch, a medium do you understand Frollo?" the person asked him and continued to walk around the room excitedly, collecting ingredients, clothes and books and muttering to themselves.

It was a sight that confused and unsettled him. It couldn't be his time, in his time there was no glowing sun on the ceiling, no clocks that seemed so small and thin.

And this glowing book on which his summoner was typing only confused him even more. Suddenly he felt the ring that had summoned him glow and he understood even less what was going on. ,,Okay, Frollo, listen. You are in the year 2023 and I have to ask you a few questions for a assignment," he listened to the demon and gradually realized that hundreds of years must have passed.

Hundreds of years in which he suffered that felt like the eternal time of an hourglass. The world and especially the church seemed to have changed.

The more he saw of this wonderful space, the more he realized that there was neither a cross nor a holy image of Jesus and Mary. ,,Two thousand and twenty-three... and you demon summoned me?" he asked hesitantly and stopped in front of a glass box with a sun in it and saw a snake inside.

The demon's soul animal. He turned back to the strange creature in disgust. ,,Yes, I did, to be more precise, my first summoning. How do you feel, or rather, what was it like to fall to your death like that?" The person asked again and the spirit looked down at the ring.

The world was strange to him things had changed and yet the hellfire had stopped. Talking was not a sin and if it meant staying away from the fire why not...nothing could be worse than hellfire. ,,I fell dear summoner creature, the flames had surrounded me but not caught me. It was the stone that broke my body before the fire could take me," he began to tell, walking around the room and seeing the interested look on his necromancer's face.

He saw how the summoner continued to make notes while he told his life story.

It felt good to talk again and not just think about pain. And the longer he talked, the more interested his counterpart became. Maybe he even told untruths, lies, but in order to be heard, to be right and not get caught in the fire, he would tell this witch, this demon everything.

Even after death, his justification and his guilt had not changed. But why should it? He had a listener who believed it and that was all that mattered in the here and now.

Even though he had to admit that the longer he looked around this strange room, told his story and listened to the witch, he was still interested in these new things around him. Maybe he would have to make a contract to take on this kind of witchcraft.

He even had to smile once when he managed to scare the stranger. When he showed him the picture when he died. However, this only led to the stranger turning on music or something similar on the glowing book and starting to pray wildly and say prayers.

It was very confusing and these words like cell phone, light bulb and non-binary were things he called divine and devil. But all this time he started to like the company when he sat down in the chair that was touched by the witch, giving him access.

Even if his gaze went to the suns around him, his gaze was always on his savior while Frollo strove over the ring…for a moment he was completely grateful to have been saved…maybe there was still hope…for his soul in the end.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Hope you enjoyed it @add-a-bit-of-neurospice

[maysrinn]

District AU headcanon: The officers who were there from the beginning think it was funny how he was disapproving any of his children dating when he was obsessed with Lucy Gray, even sneaking her in the barracks for some alone time. But no one says this to him to his face because the last idiot who did that had latrine cleaning duty for six months.

I remember this story surfacing after there was a fanfic about Coriolanus sneaking her into the barracks for some alone time. Coriolanus wouldn’t sneak her into the barracks; that would be far too reckless for his liking. Too much could go wrong. If he wanted some alone time, the backstage rooms of the Hob would suffice, or even the meadow...or Lucy Gray's broom closet of a room where a little stomach bug was made.

Besides He’s not out to ruin his kids' love lives or fun; he’s out to ruin Clementine’s love life and fun because, even he can see it, she is like him and that’s the problem. Coriolanus always had one rule: "Be like me, before I met your mother." Clementine is not like academy Coriolanus; she is games and post-games Coriolanus. Reckless and a bit unpredictable, unlike her brother Janus. The next in line for that spot is Rosie, but Rosie likes collecting snakes, which is a problem for another day.

Clementine: why am I not allowed to seek out… company? Mama told me U where younger than me when you started seeing her

Coriolanus: exactly, it‘s when my problems started, I don’t complain about them tho even one is nagging me ever since

Clementine: ah yes the mystery problem and WHEN was that dear father of mine?

Coriolanus: dependends on… how old are u?

Clementine: …you’re a cruel man Coriolanus Snow… U know u love me dad!

Coriolanus: Yes, yes I do which is why I said NO

Clementine: …what about Janus!?

Coriolanus: what about him, Janus is not seeing anyone

Clementine: HE DOES!!

Janus: it doesnt count if u dont get caught~

—————

To the cadets he doesn’t have a wife or kids, yet youre not allowed to look at them either hes talking to Nathan specifically

If you're not one of the big four—Sejanus, Beanpole, Bug, or Smiley—you’re not even allowed to whisper their names. Everyone knows he’s married or bound to the sassy, gorgeous lead singer of the Covey. 🥀 It's the looks they give each other; even if you're new, you'll put the pieces together. He tries so hard tho XD

[mari-lair]

Good point, but he also made friends with the ants before he knew Kite was dead. But geez, Gon desperately trying to get Killua to remember him mixed with Killua's now very skittish personality...although I do wonder when this would have happened? I guess the first thought that comes to mind would be when Killua almost bleeds to death, but there's several places in the arc you could potentially make it. No matter what though, this is so heartbreaking. Trying to get Kite AND Killua back and feeling so alone...part of me wants to explore it further and the other part wants it as far away from me as possible.

As for the Zoldycks, Alluka was locked up when she was pretty young and they were scared of her because they couldn't control her. They spent years with Killua, and although I don't like the Zoldycks, they would be absolutely heartbroken to realize that Killua was dead. Illumi is rather obsessive about Killua so I think that would seriously affect him (he'd still probably try to control Killua), but I don't see them casting him out. But Gon would fight like hell so they wouldn't take him away. He's not letting them hurt him again, not ever.

What hurts more is that while I imagine Killua does his best in the Ant Gon AU to accept him as a new person (Apo), I feel like Gon wouldn't be able to handle that. His name IS Killua, they used to be best friends, why can't he remember?! He tries to be patient, but he's just so hurt and overwhelmed by everything that's happened. No matter what though, he's not leaving Killua's side again. He won't fail him again, and he'll get his memories back at any cost. There has to be a way, and he won't stop until he's whole again. Or maybe if he changes like Killua did, they can be together again...(oh god, imagining them both as ants together...)

...damn, this hurts. Why would you do this to us? XD

Gon did befriend Meleon before learning Kite is dead but I still can't personally see him targeting ants as a whole cause he always treated them as individuals, being angry when they treated their friends as trash even before Kite's death and choosing to trust Meleon when he was already full of rage from seeing Kite's broken body. I think (?) Melon even mentioned that when he saw Gon, he saw a 'beast' in him.

He also never blames the king/queen or another ant when Kite did die, it's just Pitou, (which split to himself too since Pitou shows compassion and stop being an 'easy' target for gon's hate) from start to finish (sorry for the side track I know it was a minimal thing of your ask but I get too excited when I talk about CA Gon, I will yap about my boy!! yufgytfdyt)

I'll admit I didn't have a specific timeline in mind of when Killua was turned (again the lore is not in my hands) but your idea of him being transformed during the cave breaks my heart. It would have to be an au where the queen somehow didn't die (maybe the king wasn't born prematurily? idk), since only she can birth chimera ants from what I remember, but AUs are all about bending canon and the mental image of Gon never getting the phone call from Killua and slowly realizing people are acting as if he is already dead so he explodes and goes to search for him make me sad... (So i am sharing cause i must spread my pain)

man... I don't even want to think about Gon's mental state, it makes me too sad... I will lose my whimsy and get too focused on this au..

Yes, I agree about the zoldycks! I don't think they would lock up, disown, or ignore ant!killua, they are very tuned to family and indeed love him lots (twisted as said love is), I just don't think they would still want to make him the heir, cause even outside the whole 'non human' thing, Killua is irreparably anxious now. This is not a ploy to try to control him and make him leave Gon to die and become an assassin, is just who he is, and someone that get anxious in the face of power/the unknown is a weakness even to an assassin in big doses. But mentioning Illumi and the family heartbreak does make me realize something! The zolfyck would also want to bring his memory back, and considering the needle, if anyone would be able to get his memories back it would be Illumi. Gon love can make him remember flashes and vague memories (I adore how love make nen do incredible feats in this manga) but getting his whole life forcefully and violently back from start to finish? Illumi is the answer. And he will try to control him too, likely better since he now have both manipulation nen and Killua's memories to use against Ant!Killua.

I really like the idea Gon can't adapt to 'Killua' no longer being Killua. Cause for as sweet as he can be Gon is self-centered as hell so is very on brand, and to make things even worse than the Killua with Apo scenario, ant!Killua (who I don't have a name for so you can come up with one Edit: his name is Lua) is quick to give up, he doesn't want to get into a big argument and make Gon upset and Gon is already very sad (note: Ant!Killua just assumed saying gon is wrong about this would lead to an argument, so in practice they barely reach the talking stage, which just make gon fully confident Killua also wants to be Killua again, so he is more reckless about it and make killua hate it more but gon is doing it for him, and is an endless circle someone pls help them-)

[silly-sobber-69]

HI

If you couldn't tell

I adore Izaack, and since he was unlucky enough to catch my attention.

I have a fuck ton of HCs for him. Some very normal and nice. Others unhinged let's go❤️

1. He's German!

→ Yes I got that hc because of his last name Gauss having German roots. I like it, it fits him, he's lovely. I haven't decided on which part of Germany he hails from though. Maybe somewhere very green, hilly and open

(if Germany has places like that, I don't know much about Deutschland 💔)

2. He can't swear

→ He can swear, he has the knowledge and ability for it, but he is unable because there's some other worldly phenomenon that's specifically targeted him so every time he swears it gets censored in real life, it gets BLEEPED out, offensive gestures also get BLEEPED out like he's on some TV show.

Got that government censorship brain chip on him fr/j

And yes everyone can hear the bleep. It freaks them out every time. Sometimes he'll swear just to make series of BLEEPs because it's funny

Though in general he prefers to not swear at all, because he wants to keep a good reputation. Especially around kids and women. He might swear sometimes if he's trying to add a comical effect to a funny story. His swears get bleeped out still.

3. He's a friend of Dorothy xD

→ Being a friend of Dorothy, is a slang for being gay. Basically people would ask if you're a friend of Dorothy, if you said yes, you're gay. It was a good way to find fellow queers.

He loves Agnus :), they're secretly dating. Gotta keep reputations up you know! Love is nice but being able to pay bills is also nice and not something you can skip on xd. They'd get so bullied and hated for being gay back then augh poor meow meows.

4. He doesn't blink much

→ I like thinking that maybe he doesn't blink a lot, he doesn't need to perhaps. He definitely blinks but people don't ever catch him blinking, even if they did it's probably bumped out of their memory. So there's some small town rumor/joke that Izaack doesn't blink. He does blink if you look at him closely during one of his reports, it's just no one notices because they're just so focused on his blue blue eyes

This is where we get a lil goofy mc silly a little evil if you will

5. He's a paparazzi

→He likes stealing photos of famous people, depending on if he isn't attached to the person (doesn't care for them) and how much money he gets, he is willing to pick doors and climb into windows for that illegal snap.

He mainly just exposes people's secrets for cash. He never reports the secrets himself because that's mighty Sus. He sells his collected data to other reporters who are struggling to find a scoop.

No lock is too much a match for him!

He has had his bad lucks however, sometimes he gets mistaken for a dopple ganger when intruding in a house, which is a good thing otherwise his reputation as a good man would be ruined! Usually he's absolutely seamless, but sometimes he gets caught and even shot (A lot of neighbors own guns for self defense) but he lives he always does

It hasn't stopped him yet

There will be more for next time!!!

[tobiasdrake]

Digimon Adventure 01x23 - My Friend, WereGarurumon / WereGarurumon's Diner

Previously on Digimon Adventure: Yamato went out for cigarettes and I guess he didn't find them because that was three days ago. As he left, he forgot to tell Takeru not to talk to strangers. So Takeru talked to strangers. So, so much.

Now it's time to learn what became of Yamato.

Yamato and Gabumon pull up to the shore, elsewhere on this vast lake.

Yamato: Where are we? Did the wind blow us off-course? Gabumon: Huh? Look over there! Yamato: Digimon? But why?

Gabumon calls Yamato's attention to a Monzaemon, Cockatrimon, and Yukidarumon all heading the same direction. Likely not the ones we've met before, since two of those guys are on File Island and the other one exploded.

(Yamato, how could the wind blow you off-course? Not only are you in a pedal boat but you were scouting. You didn't have a course.)

Dub Gabumon and Matt reverse their roles here.

Gabumon: Where are we, Matt? Don't tell me we're lost again. Yamato: Okay, I won't. But just take a look at that ridge up there. Gabumon: Where? (looks) Hey! Other Digimon! Yamato: I say we follow them wherever they're going and hope they're not lost too.

Yamato and Gabumon get in line and follow the grown-ups to a cozy little establishment just down the road.

Yukidarumon: The usual! Kakigori! Cockatrimon: Me too! Monzaemon: A bowl of purin, please. Vegiemon: Sure! Your orders are all set. Thank you for your continued patronage.

"Italian ice", subtitle? Italian ice is similar to a snow cone, in that it's made without applying any dairy to the concoction. It's ice and syrup, but mixed together during the freezing process instead of pouring the syrup on already-frozen ice.

It's delicious. I love it. But that's not what kakigori is. Kakigori is distinguished from your typical snow cone by its shaving process, which produces incredibly fine shavings that require a spoon to eat. Also, kakigori does sometimes use milk for flavor.

Monzaemon orders purin, which is literally pudding, but a specific kind of pudding. It's a custard pudding topped with caramel.

The dub localizes... most of this order adequately.

Frigimon: The usual, waiter: A large snow cone! Kokatorimon: Same here! Monzaemon: Mmhmm. And rotten fruit! Vegiemon: Okay, okay! I got it! A #4 and two specials!

Wait, how can the snow cones be "the usual" if they're today's special? Those two dining concepts don't go together. Also, rotten fruit? Why? Why rotten specifically?

This is the kind of gag you usually do when, like, you're writing an ultra-evil villain who's so evil that their basic lifestyle choices are sinister inversions of normal things. "I brush my teeth with Coca-Cola and wait for my bananas to rot before eating them!" But. It's Monzaemon, the cuddliest of teddy bears. Weird.

From here, the narrator delivers the rundown with a most unfortunate romanization of Vegiemon's name.

XD No, I'm sorry, but we will not be calling him Vagimon. The katakana of his name clearly spells out "Bejiemon".

It probably goes without saying, but yes, the dub did break out the black sharpie for that portion of the screen.

In any case, it's time for the rundown. Vegiemon is an Adult-stage Virus-type Plant Digimon. Bit of a loser too. Conceived as his bracket's equivalent to Numemon or Scumon. Poorly trained, ill cared for, and - notably - overfed. Hence running a diner.

Narrator: Vegiemon. A small Digimon who can skillfully maneuver with his vines. Though lacking in offensive capability, his personality is atrociously atrocious. In short, he's mean.

Over in the dub, Joe spoils his involvement in this episode to give us our diegetic rundown.

Joe: Meet Vegiemon, the maniacal manager of a run-down cafe. He puts a new spin on the term 'slave driver'.

Joe calls the place run-down, which may explain why they serve rotten fruit. In the original it's just. Like. Some diner. Nothing remarkable one way or another.

As Yamato and Gabumon approach his diner, they suddenly hear a commotion from within.

Vegiemon: Hey! Go find some more customers!

Vegiemon hurls Gomamon out the door, landing him right in front of Yamato and Gabumon.

Yamato: Gomamon? Gabumon: Gomamon! Gomamon: Gabumon? Yamato! Yamato: So, does this mean Jou is here?

Sure enough, the boys enter the kitchen to find Jou making soup.

Not 100% sure on child labor rights in Japan but Jou is 12 so this would probably be illegal where he comes from. Of course, whether it is or isn't, Japanese law doesn't apply to Server Continent.

(In fact, with the Digimon King dead, do we even have any laws anymore? I wonder what Etemon's judicial policy was like. Do you think he settled lawsuits via dance-off? Questions for later; The boys have a reunion to get to.)

Jou: Yamato! Yamato: Jou! So this is where you've been. Jou: (sheepish) Uh, yeah.... Yamato: Everyone split up after what happened. Takeru and I are the only ones left. Jou: Yeah, about that. Remember how we divvied up the work and I went looking for food? Well, what happened was....

Jou's story begins with scavenging. Joe, on the other hand, starts his tale a bit different.

Joe: It started when we all went our separate ways to look for Tai.

Reinforcing that, in the dub, they never gave up on Tai. Though, according to the last episode, they split up to look for Sora. Honestly, I'm not sure the dub knows who they were looking for anymore.

We already know why Sora left. Now, as Jou enters into a flashback, we get to learn about the fate that befell him. It seems PicoDevimon ensnared him with an oldie but a goodie.

PicoDevimon: You're a human, aren't you? Jou: Eh? PicoDevimon: I saw a lot of other beings like you not far from here. Jou: EHHHH!?!? There are other humans here besides us!? PicoDevimon: If you don't hurry, they might leave and we won't know where they went. Let's go, I'll take you there. Jou: Th-thank you, but-- PicoDevimon: (takes flight) HURRY, HURRY!!! LET'S GO!!! Jou: (reluctant) R-right! (gives chase)

There's a fan-theory that PicoDevimon is Devimon reincarnated. At some point in the last couple months, he hatched from his Digitama, grew to Child-stage, and made his way to Server to regroup with the other servants of Apocalymon. The way he seizes on such a specific vulnerability for Jou here, one that hasn't come up at any point on Server, makes a compelling argument for it.

PicoDevimon leads Jou out of the desert, only to vanish somewhere.

Jou: (V.O.) Along the way, we lost sight of him. We tried to turn back, but we couldn't find any familiar landmarks. Just when our stomachs started grumbling, we found this restaurant.

And the dub scores a point. Jou did, in fact, just get lost while wandering around. Though the fates of Koushiro (also alleged lost) and Mimi (swallowed by the desert IDK) remain unknown.

The dub can't lean on Jou wanting to find humans, since they scrubbed that plot point from File Island's entire arc. So instead, Joe just got lost wandering the desert because he sucks at navigation.

Joe: (V.O.) I wasn't lost. I definitely knew where I wasn't; I just didn't know where I was. I think. DemiDevimon: You're lost, aren't you? Joe: AUGH! Why would you sneak up on me like that!?

Note: DemiDevimon is standing directly in front of Joe.

Joe: Who are you!? DemiDevimon: Just a friend. I thought you'd like to know I saw some other humans just like you nearby! Joe: You say you saw my friends!? Which way!? DemiDevimon: (takes flight) This way! But we gotta hurry before we lose 'em! Joe: (V.O.) I was sure he was leading us the wrong way, but who was I to question him? It's not like I knew my way around. Eventually, we ended up at this restaurant which, at the time, was good because we were starving!

It's basically, the same, but swapping out Generic Humans for the other DigiDestined, since Joe's lost and all. Not bad. B+ in covering up for problems created by past decisions.

Jou and Gomamon eat their fill, but things take a sharp turn southward when they go to pay their check.

Vegiemon: Thanks for your patronage! Jou: Will this be enough? Vegiemon: (glances at the bill) Sir, don't joke around.

Suddenly, a Numemon bounces up onto the counter to pay his own bill. He sets down a nice, crisp $10 bill. American.

Jou: (shocked) ...dollar? Vegiemon: OF COURSE!!! Jou: You... don't accept Japanese yen? Vegiemon: Huh? What's that? Jou: ... Vegiemon: (realizing) D... Don't tell me... YOU CAN'T PAY!?!?

In Jou's defense, this is an easy mistake to make. How could he possibly have known we've slipped over into the American side of Digimon World when everybody's speaking Japanese?

Here, we have another problem that the dub's going to have to deal with. They've been trying to present the kids' home as ambiguously the U.S.-ish. So the dollar vs. yen plot point isn't going to work here. Gonna be hard to bullshit around that bill on the counter, too, because the camera goes in for a closeup on the tenner.

What are you going to do with this, dub team? Let's see it.

Vegiemon: And now, the bill! Joe: Oh, of course! This should be enough. Vegiemon: What are you, some kinda comedian, pal!? Joe: Huh? Numemon: (hops up to pay) Here you go, Vegiemon! (Closeup on the $10 bill) Joe: (shocked) ...dollar bills!? Vegiemon: WHAT DID YOU EXPECT!?!? Joe: W-Well, I was... Um... Um... Uhhh... All I have are DigiDollars? Vegiemon: Some play money is all you have!? Joe: ... Vegiemon: So. What I'm hearing is... YOU ACTUALLY THOUGHT I'D LET YOU EAT WITHOUT PAYING!?!?

Okay. So. There exists a fictional currency called DigiDollars. That the children possess, but is not accepted for goods and services in Digimon World. Digimon just use American bucks, not that weird human currency DigiDollars.

F. XD This one gets an F. Would it have been that hard to just cut the shot of the dollar bill? You've cut so many shots already.

Back in the present, Yamato summarizes.

Yamato: So now they're making you work to pay off your bills. Jou: Yeah. I didn't think it would turn out like this.

Already we can kinda see red flags in this situation. Like. It was one meal. Having to wash dishes for a night is reasonable but why is he still here?

Suddenly, Vegiemon storms into the kitchen.

Vegiemon: YOU'RE LATE!!! THE CUSTOMERS ARE WAITING!!! Hurry up and serve the food! Jou: Y-Yes, sir!

Jou pours what looks like beef stew into a bowl. This is neither kakigori nor purin so I guess they got more customers while Jou was reminiscing.

Vegiemon takes the bowl from the counter, then notices Yamato and Gabumon.

Vegiemon: Hm? Who are you? Yamato: I'm his friend. Vegiemon: So what are you doing back here? You got some business to take care of?

Vegiemon tastes the stew, then screams and throws it at the counter.

Vegiemon: DISGUSTING!!! HOW AM I SUPPOSED TO FEED THIS TO CUSTOMERS!?!? MAKE A NEW ONE!!! Jou: Oh no.... Vegiemon: I'm adding that to your debt too! Jou: Ehhhh!? Yamato: How long do you have to work to pay it off? Jou: Well, at first, it was only supposed to be three days. But every time I make a mistake, it gets extended. Now it's up to two weeks! Vegiemon: It's not my fault! I'm just taking back the losses I've suffered from this guy!

I think someone needs to explain the Sunk Cost Fallacy to Vegiemon. If employing Jou is bringing in more expense than profit, he's better off eating his losses and throwing Jou out on his ass. At a certain point, you just have to stop throwing good money after bad.

Over in the dub, I gotta say, Vegiemon's English actor is phenomenal and understood the assignment so well. He plays Mean Capitalist Jackass to a T, and spices it up with a Brooklyn accent.

Vegiemon: HEY, WHAT'S GOING ON HERE!?!? I'M NOT GETTING RICHER WITH YOU CHIT-CHATTIN'!!! (commercial break, returning on a replay of Vegiemon bursting into the kitchen) Vegiemon: WHAT, YOU WANT ME TO SAY PRETTY PLEASE!? DISH OUT THAT STEW!!! Joe: Waugh! Okay! Alright! Quit yelling or you're going to make me spill all over my pants! Vegiemon: Ha! About time. (notices Matt and Gabumon) Who are these jokers? Matt: We're friends of Joe and Gomamon. Vegiemon: Well, whoop-de-doo and good for you! (tastes the stew and then chucks it) RARGH!!! DISGUSTING!!! I CAN'T GIVE THAT TO MY CUSTOMERS!!! Joe: Um... But... But I.... Vegiemon: Now you'll work an extra day for the ingredients you wasted! Joe: Another day? Matt: One more day!? On top of how long, Joe? Joe: Well, first... You see, it was only supposed to be for three days but I... I kept on making mistakes and it got longer. Now I'm up to over six weeks. Vegiemon: And he still owes me for all the wasted food! Not to mention the broken dishes!

Oh, wow. Six weeks. Jou only had two. I guess we finally have quantifiable proof of how much more pathetic Joe is than Jou. :P

All this commotion pulls in the attention of another Digimon.

Digitamamon: Now, now, what's all the fuss about? Vegiemon: Digitamamon-sama!

Now it's his turn for the rundown. Digitamamon is a Perfect-stage Data-type Perfect Digimon. No, that is not redundant; His stage is Kanzentai which means completion or perfection, while his description spells out "Perfect" in katakana. "Pa-a-fu-ku-to". So they're different words, even though they're the same word.

Digitamamon is equivalent to Etemon, in that he's the kind of Perfect Digimon that someone like Vegiemon or Scumon can become if they knuckle down and start fighting hard to get there. Not them specifically, he comes from Nanimon who hasn't appeared yet, but he's of their ilk.

Narrator: Digitamamon. A Perfect-shaped Digimon shaped like a Digitama. His special attack, Nightmare Syndrome, surely crushes his opponents.

Eggmon looks like an egg and he hits hard. Not the best rundown we've ever had.

In the dub, Digitamamon's actor is doing Peter Lorre as a reference to Casablanca. A film that came out sixty years before this episode of children's television aired. Weird choice but there's no harm in it; Kids will just think it's a goofy voice.

Digitamamon: What's all the commotion in here? The customers are complaining? Matt: We didn't know it yet, but Digitamamon was an evil Digimon fully evolved and protected by his Digi-Eggshell.

What's weirder than Peter Lorre is the fact that they still call him Digitamamon even though they changed the word "Digitama". Matt even references his "Digi-Eggshell". Why isn't he Digi-Eggmon?

Sensing a chance to go over Vegiemon's head, Yamato tries to address Digitamamon directly.

Yamato: Are you the owner of this place? This guy is my friend. Can't you let him go? Digitamamon: Are you serious? Quit joking around! Though it'd be a different story if you stayed to work with him and help pay off his debt. Yamato: Well.... Digitamamon: If you can't do that, hurry up and leave! You're slowing down my business.

Digitamamon exits without another word.

Yamato: Hey, I didn't even...! Jou: I probably won't leave here for the rest of my life. Yamato: Don't get so depressed! Jou: If you say so.... Yamato: Takeru's waiting for me. I'm going to go get him, so wait for us to come back. Jou: Then.... Yamato: When I get back, I'll help you work. Okay? Jou: Yamato! I'm in your debt!

The funny thing is that there is nothing stopping Jou from making a run for it. Nobody's watching him and he's not shackled to anything. It'd be bad if Digitamamon caught him, but like a true capitalist, that guy doesn't seem to pay much attention to his own business.

But this is Jou-senpai we're talking about. The idea of cutting and running on what is clearly a corrupt contract to bind him into providing free child labor would never even cross his mind. He's been enslaved by his own sense of responsibility and social propriety.

In the dub:

Joe: I feel ill. I'm allergic to kitchen work. Matt: What are you saying? Joe: Oh, just never mind. Matt: Listen, I've gotta go and find T.K. but after I do, we'll come back here and help you work off your debt, okay? Joe: Really? You will? Matt: That's what friends do, Joe. When things are tough, they help each other out. Joe: I'll always remember this, Matt!

Mostly the same, save for Joe's quip and Matt's expanded final line. Matt puffs about the virtue of friendship for a moment to gear up for the plot that's to come.

Though he may be a greedy capitalist, Digitamamon is not working with PicoDevimon's faction. He is, however, for sale.

As he walks into his private office, he finds PicoDevimon waiting for him.

Digitamamon: Who's there!? Oh! You're PicoDevimon! PicoDevimon: (silently glances to the left) Digitamamon: What? (notices the billfold on the table) Th-This is.... I see! So, what do you want me to do? PicoDevimon: Oh, it's a very simple matter.

In the dub:

Digitamamon: WAUGH! DemiDevimon!? I... I didn't know you were coming. DemiDevimon: Hngh! (glances to the left) Digitamamon: (notices the billfold on the table) Ehee, I take it you have another job for me to do! DemiDevimon: The new boy! You mustn't let him leave here.

Bit of a character shift here. In the original, Digitamamon is unaffiliated with PicoDevimon's faction. He's just a businessman collecting passive income off Vegiemon's questionable managerial practices, but PicoDevimon gives him a wad of cash and bribes him into helping out.

The dub makes him out to be more of a mercenary. He has a pre-existing business relationship with DemiDevimon doing the bat's dirty work. And also happens to own a diner too.

We cut straight from the meeting with PicoDevimon to Yamato and Gabumon preparing to board their swan boat and return to Takeru.

Digitamamon: WAIT!!! Where do you think you're going? Yamato: Where? Digitamamon: You're going to stay here and work with them! Yamato: What's this all of a sudden? Digitamamon: THAT'S HOW THINGS WORKED OUT!!! Yamato: I'm willing to work here, but I need to leave just for a bit. I'll come right back. Digitamamon: Ohhh, so then you don't care what happens to your friend while you're gone? Yamato: What does that mean? Digitamamon: Figure it out. While you're gone, I'll be free to do whatever I want to him. Gabumon: Yamato... What should we do?

Multitask, probably. It only takes one of you to go back for Takeru and Tokomon. Then again, Yamato might be the only one who can reach the pedals and he's the one Digitamamon is specifically threatening.

The dub follows the script to a T but makes fantastic use of language to both localize and personalize this scene.

Digitamamon: Where are you going!? You're not finished! I checked the schedule. Matt: Schedule? Digitamamon: The work schedule! Now get inside and stop cooking or your fired! Matt: I quit. How's that? Digitamamon: YOU CAN'T QUIT!!! I SAY YOU STAY!!! Matt: Hey, what's the big deal, Egghead? I'm coming right back. Besides, you've already got a slave working in your kitchen. Digitamamon: Oh, I see. So you don't care what happens to your friend while you're gone? Selfish, aren't you? Matt: What are you talking about? Digitamamon: I'm just saying, while you're away, there's no telling what might happen to your poor little friend. So many accidents can happen in the kitchen, you know. Matt: Is that a threat!? Gabumon: Easy, Matt! He's already cracked!

"So many accidents can happen in the kitchen" legit gave me chills. Fantastic delivery even with the weird Lorre impersonation.

Just as Jou's been enslaved by his sense of responsibility, Yamato becomes enslaved by his sense of loyalty and returns to the diner. Jou's left confused by this change of heart.

Jou: (washing dishes, suddenly stops) Yamato? Yamato: Hm? Jou: Didn't you say you were going back for Takeru? Yamato: ... Jou: You should go. Don't worry about me. Yamato: ... Jou: Okay? Go on! You can come back when I'm just about finished. Digitamamon: (in Yamato's memories) Figure it out. While you're gone, I'll be free to do whatever I want to him. Yamato: No, it's fine. Jou: Yamato, what happened? Yamato: It's fine. Jou: You're worried about Takeru, aren't you? Go back to him-- Yamato: I SAID IT'S FINE!!! Jou: ...did I say something wrong?

And here we see the nature of PicoDevimon's opportunism. We already know from the previous episode that his and his malevolent master are trying to dim the light of the Crests, though it's not yet super clear what that means. To that end, by bribing Digitamamon into assisting, PicoDevimon has put a snare around both Jou and Yamato's necks.

In contrast to the previous scene, the dub rewrites this scene entirely to just make Joe an unobservant irritant nagging at Matt.

Joe: (washing dishes, suddenly stops) This water's hot. Matt: ... Joe: If I had some rubber gloves, my fingers wouldn't get all wrinkled. Matt: (heavy sigh) Joe: So hey! Just... What are you making over there? Is there some reason you're not talking to me? I mean, I know you think I can be irritating sometimes but what gives? Matt? Digitamamon: (in Matt's memories) So many accidents can happen in the kitchen. SO MANY ACCIDENTS!!! HEHE EHEHEHEHEHE!!! Matt: (thinking) I can't leave him. Joe: Didja hear me? Earth to Matt! Come in, Matt! Matt: (thinking) Although he does talk a lot.... Joe: Weren't you going to go get T.K.? If you want to leave, it's okay-- Matt: I DECIDED NOT TO GO!!! Joe: Wow. I'm sorry if I said something to make you mad.

They finally hit on the main point right there at the end. But the result is, it comes off like Matt's frustrated over how obnoxious and inconsiderate Joe is instead of the fact that he's trapped here away from T.K. Which is a pretty shitty way to change the plot.

After snapping at Jou, Yamato takes a moment to realize what just happened.

Yamato: (thinking) Jou said all that to be considerate to me, but I.... (speaking) I'm sorry. Jou: Eh? Yamato: I'm sorry for yelling at you. Don't worry about it. Jou: Yamato.... Yamato: Leave the cooking to me. If we work together, we'll get out of here quicker. So Ganbarou. Jou: Are you sure? I'm sorry. I'll never forget this favor. Gomamon: It will all work out! Ganbarou! Gabumon: We're with you! Jou: Yeah! Yeah, you're right!

The word here is ganbaru, conjugated to ganbarou.

Ganbaru literally means to "stretch stubbornly". It means to persevere and strive onward with hard work and discipline despite immense hardship. Often translated as "work hard" or "do our best", ganbaru is more than just an agreement to put in effort; It's a cultural value with a wide variety of utilities.

That distinction is important here, as Yamato and Gomamon are basically using it as a banner to rally around. This is going to suck, we're trapped in this hellhole and Takeru's out there but there's no way out of it but forward so... ganbarou!

Nonetheless, Yamato turns away from the group with an agonized scowl on his face. He's trying to be strong, but this is all weighing heavily on him.

The dub doesn't have ganbaru to lean on, but still captures the general idea of staying focused, working hard, and not letting yourself be buried under hardship.

Matt: (thinking) Man, I can't believe what a jerk I'm being. Joe's just trying to be nice and I bite off his head. (speaking) Hey, I'm sorry. Joe: Huh? Matt: I didn't mean to yell at you, okay? I guess I was just thinking about something else. Joe: Oh, yeah.... Matt: Anyways, I'm a really good cook! Everything will go a lot faster if we work together, and we'll be out of here in no time! Joe: Alright. I guess that sounds like a plan. Gomamon: I make a mean PB&J, you know! Gabumon: And I'm an expert in boiling water. Joe: Alright, then! We can do it! Matt: (turns away from the others, scowling; Thinking) Hang on, T.K.! I gotta solve this first.

They also add in that last line over silence to try and make Matt seem more optimistic about what they're doing here.

I have questions about Gomamon's PB&J. He doesn't have hands. Does he... does he spread the peanut butter and jelly with his bare flippers? Well, this place serves rotten fruit so I guess it's fine....

Unfortunately Jou's cavalcade of mistakes continues, as do the merciless time extensions.

Three more days for dropping a tray. One more week for burning a meal. Ten days for delivering the wrong order.

(These penalties seem incredibly arbitrary and I want to know the financials behind them. Where is Koushiro and his calculator when you need them!?

Any lawyer worth his salt would probably be handing Jou the deed to this place by tomorrow, if not for the fact that Vegiemon would most certainly kick Jou's ass in the dance-off.)

Feeling incredibly guilty, Jou returns to the kitchen to apologize to Yamato.

Jou: Yamato. I'm sorry. I won't make any more mistakes from now on! I promise! Yamato: ... Jou: Yamato.... (thinking) I can't make any more mistakes. If I do, I'll cause even more trouble for Yamato. I must not make any more mistakes.

What a miserable feeling, to be the dead weight. To know that everyone else can do it, they know what they're doing, they would be succeeding if you weren't dragging them down. It's a disgusting feeling to be the cause of someone else's suffering for reasons you can't control and don't know how to change.

The dub plays this pretty straight but in Joe's neurotic voice.

Joe: I don't understand why I'm so accident prone! Okay, so maybe balancing plates on a platter isn't one of my natural skills but now it seems worse than ever! Matt: ... Joe: Sorry, Matt. (thinking) Look at me. I'm falling apart. And why am I talking to myself? Even worse, why am I listening and talking back? I've gotta do something to snap out of this....

Uh, Joe? If your lips aren't moving then, by definition, you are not talking to yourself.

He's so stressed, his hands start shaking, rattling the tray in his hands. When he tries to carry it out, he loses his balance from the shaking and stumbles, dropping everything on the floor.

Yamato turns, visibly furious at the latest error.

Jou: Yamato... I'm sorry.... Yamato: (turns back away from Jou, visibly distraught) It's fine. Don't worry about it. (thinking) How long will I have to stay here? I promised Takeru I'd come back and get him. PicoDevimon: (outside the window, thinking) Everything is going well. All it needs is the finishing touch. Yamato: Hey, have you finished peeling the potatoes yet? Jou: I'll get them after I wash these dishes! Yamato: Hurry up! Jou: O-Okay.

That's it. PicoDevimon notices the potatoes sitting on a makeshift table outside. It's a slat of wood lying on top of four brick piles.

The dub again changes Matt's concerns to be about how much Joe sucks.

Joe: ...that did it. I snapped. Matt: Mmhmm. (turns back away from Joe, visibly distraught) It's okay. Don't worry about it. (thinking) Half of what I cook ends up on the floor and the other half is on his clothes; This job is giving me a killer headache! Tell me this is all just a bad dream. DemiDevimon: (outside the window, thinking) Everything is going perfectly! Those two will be slaving in that kitchen for life! Mm, looks like a likely spot for another little accident! Matt: Bring me some potatoes, will ya, Joe? Joe: Alright! Coming right up!

Not only did we lose Yamato worrying about Takeru, but we also lost his angry exchange with Jou about moving too slow. He's right back to sounding friendly when he asks for the potatoes.

PicoDevimon sets his plan in motion. All he has to do is remove one brick and wait.

However, the moment PicoDevimon turns his back, Sora arrives and slides a brick back into place. She and Piyomon stash themselves behind the building, while PicoDevimon takes his own hiding spot in a tree above.

To his utter confusion, PicoDevimon watches as Jou uneventfully retrieves the potatoes and heads back inside.

PicoDevimon: HUH!?!? Wh-Why!? Shit! Just you wait! You're not getting off that easily!

Later that night, we find Yamato out on the beach playing his harmonica.

However, he isn't alone for long. A visitor calls out to him from behind.

PicoDevimon: That's a beautiful melody. Yamato: Huh? Who are you? PicoDevimon: Oh, I'm just a bat Digimon passing by. It appears you're burdened by troubles a lot heavier than mine. Yamato: Huh? How did you...? PicoDevimon: The melody from your instrument doesn't lie. Yamato: ... PicoDevimon: You're an honest and faithful person. You're sacrificing a lot for your friend Yamato: So you know. PicoDevimon: Yes. But your friend doesn't seem to feel the same way. Yamato: Jou? What about him? PicoDevimon: I've heard he's making mistakes on purpose. Yamato: What!? PicoDevimon: He's afraid of being left behind on his own. Yamato: Jou would... He would never do that! PicoDevimon: (sigh) You're a good person. So long! (flies away) Yamato: ... Jou is... doing it on purpose?

Though Yamato lashes out at PicoDevimon for even suggesting it, the seeds of doubt are planted in his mind. He can't unthink it, and he's going to be watching Jou closer and more suspiciously as a result.

The next day finds Yamato once more arguing with Digitamamon.

Yamato: Please! I'll be sure to come back! Just let me go pick up my brother! Come on! Digitamamon: That's no good. No good! Yamato: Why not!? I promise I'll come right back and work again!

While Jou's distracted by their argument, PicoDevimon slips in and trips Jou, knocking him into the stack of plates beside him and sending them all shattering to the ground. Neither of the boys see this, though Digitamamon likely would have. He's on the take, though.

Yamato: Huh!? (whips around) Jou: WAUGH!!! Digitamamon: That's one more week for both of you! Yamato: One more week!? I don't have that kind of time! Digitamamon: I don't care! You're going to work with him and reimburse everything! Yamato: (falls to his knees, vocally sobbing) Damn it... Why...? Jou: No, that's wrong! Someone bumped into my legs and knocked me over! It wasn't me! I'm telling the truth! Please believe me! Yamato: DON'T MAKE EXCUSES!!! (stands up, furious) Jou: Yamato! Yamato: (storms out of the kitchen) Jou: ...it's the truth....

Again, this is such an incredible trap. Jou is a prisoner of his responsibility and Yamato's a prisoner of his loyalty. They're caged in a social prison. And the only way to break free from it is betray the very trait that empowers their Crest.

It's a truly cruel predicament, where their only options are to remain in Hell or darken their Crests.

The dub stays on the rails until the plates break, where Matt now directly accuses Joe.

Digitamamon: Not more plates! That's another week for the both of you! Matt: What are you talking about!? I can't stay here another week! I've got places to go! Digitamamon: You'll stay, alright! And no tips! Matt: (falls to his knees, angry) Joe, why are you doing this!? Joe: Huh!? You think I'm doing this on purpose!? You think I'm juggling plates while I wash 'em? Something tripped me! Matt: QUIT MAKING UP EXCUSES!!! (stands up, furious) Joe: I'm not! Matt: (storms out of the kitchen) Joe: You've gotta believe me, Matt....

This time it's what DemiDevimon said to Matt that gets used to get out of having to write him as emotionally vulnerable.

Fortunately for Jou and Yamato, reinforcements are on their way.

Takeru: Something's beeping! Agumon: That's right! It was beeping when we found you, Takeru! Takeru: Are we going to find Onii-chan? Taichi: We sure are!

Taichi and Takeru make their way to the diner, where they find Gomamon cleaning the floor and Gabumon serving food.

Takeru: Gabumon, where's my brother!? Taichi: is Jou here too? Gomamon: Yeah, he's here, but.... (long pause) Taichi: But?

Taichi and Takeru enter the kitchen, where they find Jou.

Jou: Taichi! You're alive! I was worried about you! Taichi: Sorry, a lot happened. Takeru: Where is Onii-chan? Is he here?

Jou's expression darkens and he glances at the back door.

Takeru: He's outside? (runs out the door) Taichi: Jou, what happened?

In the dub, they avoid suggesting that Joe thinks Tai's dead.

Joe: Tai! I'm so glad to see you guys! But don't break anything. Tai: Sure, but what are you doing here? T.K.: Hey, Joe! It's great to see you, but where's Matt? Joe: (expression darkens, glances at door) Oh. Uh. Matt's around back. T.K.: Matt! (runs out the door) Tai: So? What are you doing here?

I really like Joe's nervous "Don't break anything." The more neurotic Joe can be hit or miss at times, but right now's perfect for it.

Out back, the brothers are reunited.

Takeru finds Yamato lying in the grass and runs straight to him.

Takeru: Onii-chan! Yamato: (gasps, sitting up suddenly) TAKERU!?!? Takeru: (hug) I finally get to see you again! Yamato: How did you.... Takeru: I came with Taichi-san. Yamato: Taichi...?

Taichi stands back by the door, watching them reunite. Once Yamato glances over and sees him, he offers a greeting and joins the conversation.

Taichi: Yo! Yamato: You're alive!? Taichi: I'm not going to die before you do! Yamato: Is that right? Thank you for taking care of Takeru Taichi: Don't worry about it. Yamato: I'm sorry, Takeru. I couldn't keep my promise to come get you. Takeru: That's okay. We found each other again. Yamato: In any case, I'm glad you're safe.

A sweet moment highlighting the relationships between all three of these characters.

Matt undersells the emotion of his reunion, despite T.K. firing on all four cylinders.

T.K.: Hiya, Matt! Matt: (gasps, sitting up suddenly) Huh!? T.K.! T.K.: (hugs) I thought I'd never see you again! Matt: Hey, kid. Are you okay? T.K.: I'm great now that we're together again! Matt: So where's Tai? Tai: Hey, Matt! Matt: Alright, there you are! Tai: So, seems like something weird's going on around here. Matt: Yeah, you could say we got ourselves into some hot water! Tai: Oh, a cooking joke! Matt: I'm... really sorry I didn't keep my promise to come back and get you, T.K. T.K.: That's alright! I'm sure you would have if you could have, Matt! Matt: Anyhow, you're here and that's what counts.

"Hey kiddo, have you seen Tai?" is not what should be coming out of Matt at this moment. He almost seems happier to see Tai than T.K. That the animation has Takeru hugging Yamato but Yamato too stunned to hug Takeru back doesn't help, either; Combined with the dialogue shift and the different tone of voice, it makes him look callous.

Of course, no surprise that "I'm not going to die before you do" didn't make the jump. If Joe can't even say "You're alive!?" then that certainly wasn't making it over. Not sure replacing it with a dad joke was the best move, but I guess if anyone's gonna make dad jokes....

Now that Takeru and Yamato have reunited, Taichi comes in with the obvious solution to their plight: Let's just cut and run. Unfortunately, the damage has already been done.

Taichi: Setting that aside, it doesn't look like anyone's around. Let's make a run for it! Gabumon: Eh!? Run away!? Taichi: Yeah! Let's go look for the others together! (long pause) Yamato: I don't want to. Taichi: Huh? Takeru: Onii-chan? Yamato: I don't mind running away from here, but I won't go with Jou. Jou: (standing in doorway) EHHH!?!? Yamato: He'll only drag us down if he stays with us! Taichi: How can you say that!? We're all nakama! Yamato: What do you mean, nakama!? Are you talking about the way you drag everyone around at your own convenience!? Thanks to you, I'm worn out! Just do whatever you want by yourself! Taichi: What are you saying!? Yamato: I'm going with Takeru and that's it! Leave us alone! Takeru: Onii-chan, what's wrong? We're all frie-- Yamato: SHUT UP!!! Just stay quiet and follow me!

Well, this shit went south real fast and in a hurry.

The word Taichi uses up there, nakama, is for a group of colleagues united around a shared activity, cause, or goal who develop an intense relationship with one another as they share the trials and tribulations of pursuing that goal. Something like a military squadron or a sports team.

But that's just, like, his opinion, man. Takeru tries to say tomodachi before he's cut off, which is a more traditional term for friends.

In the dub, Matt inexplicably doesn't even want to leave the diner at all.

Tai: No, what counts is that we get out of this weirdo place and quick! Gabumon: What!? Run away!? Tai: Of course, run away! I don't see any guards around here. Matt: I don't want to! Tai: Huh!? T.K.: But why not? Matt: I'll leave when I'm ready! Anyway, I am not going anywhere with Joe. Tai: Huh!? Matt: He doesn't want to work together; He only cares about himself. Tai: HOW DARE YOU SAY THAT, MATT!?!? WE'RE ALL FRIENDS HERE!!! Matt: WHAT FRIENDS!?!? Oh, you mean this guy who deliberately wrecks everything to keep me here cooking rice until I'm an old geezer!? Tai: HEY!!! BACK OFF!!! Matt: And what about you, big shot!? The one who got us all separated!? T.K.: Matt, stop yelling! Aren't you glad I'm-- Matt: BE QUIET, T.K.!!! Just... be quiet and come with me.

The Japanese social construct of nakama, which sets Yamato off, was going to be difficult to translate. I suppose they could have gone with "We're a team!" or something. We're squadmates! To my understanding, anime dubs often struggle with nakama and will usually boil it down to just "friends".

Overall, this scene hits. Both Matt and Tai sell their fury, and when Matt snaps at T.K., the dub captures the Holy Shit of the moment perfectly.

Unfortunately, we've been (loudly) arguing about jailbreaking for so long that we've attracted attention.

See, this is why you don't stop to bicker when doing crime. Get better at crime, kids.

Digitamamon: Everyone.... Group: (gasp) Digitamamon: You wouldn't be thinking about running away, would you? PicoDevimon: That would give us problems if you did that. Jou: That's.... Patamon: PICODEVIMON!!! Agumon: He's an evil Digimon who tried to trick Takeru! Yamato: What!? Jou: Then when you said you saw humans around, that was a lie!? Taichi: I won't forgive you!

Patamon and Agumon open fire on PicoDevimon straight away. He narrowly dodges their Baby Flame and Air Shot, then flutters away into the forest. Taichi gives chase with Agumon and Patamon, leaving Takeru with Yamato.

(It's okay for them to split up; It will probably be a while before Patamon's ready to become Angemon again. Everyone else is gearing up to start leveling into Perfect-stage; Meanwhile poor Takeru's still paying down the cost of Angemon's self-sacrifice to kill Devimon.)

In the dub:

Digitamamon: Well, well, well. You weren't planning on running away now, were you? That would make me very angry! Ehehehehe! DemiDevimon: Yes, that would be a very bad idea. Joe: Hey, isn't that-- T.K.: Him again! Patamon: DemiDevimon! Agumon: It's the evil Digimon we met before! Matt: You lied! Joe: You lied to me to get me to come here! And you're the one that's wrecking everything! Tai: So we're gonna teach you a good lesson!

As usual, the dub kids are super quick on the uptake. Instead of Jou and Yamato struggling with the revelations of PicoDevimon's true nature, Joe and Matt snap right to it and turn on him instantly.

While Taichi recklessly takes the only Digimon capable of Perfect-stage evolution to go chase down a Child, Yamato confronts Digitamamon.

Digitamamon: You've got guts, trying to shirk your payments and run from me. Yamato: What are you talking about!? Our debts should already be more than paid for! Digitamamon: That's true. You were very hard workers. Let me give you back your change!

The dub gives them this fantastic exchange.

Digitamamon: How dishonest! Trying to leave without paying me. Matt: You're a thief! We've worked here long enough to pay for a trip to Hawaii! Digitamamon: Hawaii's not on the schedule. But if you insist I'll send you TO THE MOON!!!

XD Bringing back the "I checked the schedule" bit from earlier. Nice.

Digitamamon suddenly grows in size and closes the little crack in his shell that his eyes see out of. Then he bullrushes Yamato. Yamato leaps out of the way from his charge.

Digitamamon: The next one won't miss.

Gabumon evolves quickly into Garurumon and unloads his Fox Fire, but Digitamamon's shell holds fast against the flames.

Gomamon: Attacks won't work against Digitamamon once he's sealed himself within his shell! Digitamamon: (opens his eyes to aim) That's how it works.

Digitamamon seals up again and charges once more, nailing Garurumon head on.

Before Yamato has time to process what's happening to Garurumon, he hears Takeru shriek.

Yamato: Garurumon! Taichi: HELP ME!!! Yamato: Takeru!

Whipping around, Yamato finds his brother in the rotten clutches of Vegiemon, dangling him upside-down from the rooftop.

Vegiemon: (cackles) Ke ke ke ke! Digitamamon: If you keep putting up a struggle, I can't guarantee that boy will live. That includes your Digimon too!

Another death mention cut.

Vegiemon: Hehe! Call off your beast! Digitamamon: How nice! Your little brother decided to hang around!

Oh, so that's where Matt got the dad jokes. He's been working here too long.

Garurumon slowly climbs back to his feet, only for Digitamamon to put him down with another shell bash. This one slams Garurumon into a rock wall behind him.

Takeru: ONII-CHAN, HELP ME!!!

Watching from the door, Jou loses his temper.

Jou: Damn it! That's unfair! Yurusanai....

The word Jou furiously swears in a quiet, cold blaze right there is commonly translated as "I will not forgive you". Which is accurate but doesn't fully convey the meaning of the term. In addition to withholding forgiveness, it simultaneously also means, "I will not allow this."

It has no direct English equivalent and is instead an utterance of sheer, frothing outrage and determination to shut that the fuck down, whatever it is that the speaker is talking about.

Joe translates yurusanai this way.

Joe: That's going too far! I've had it....

Valid. A little undersold, but Jou's yurusanai was also quietly uttered to himself rather than projected to the group. So this works as a self-assurance of cold fury.

Gomamon evolves and jabs his horn at Vegiemon, who jerks aside and jeers at him.

Vegiemon: Hey! What are you doing!? If you do that, I won't be responsible for what happens to this little guy!

However, it's merely a distraction. Ikkakumon pulls Vegiemon's attention away from Jou, who's preparing his ultimate technique straight out of the Unimon episode.

LEAPING OFF OF HIGH THINGS!!! Jou's impact sends Vegiemon crashing down into the potatoes below, forcing him to release his grip on Takeru.

(Ironically, though it took a while to get here, Jou did ultimately spill the potatoes after all. Vegiemon should think very carefully about whether or not to add that to his debt.)

Jou-senpai's plan is not without consequence, however. He's effectively traded hostages, taking on the peril and harm for himself, in place of the younger Takeru.

Takeru: J-Jou-san! Yamato: Why!? Jou: Until now, I've pushed through all of this because you said ganbarou, Yamato. This time I'll... Yamato: ... Jou: Ikkakumon! Save everyone!

Here's where ganbaru comes back. It's been Jou's lifeline this whole time they've been working together at the diner. While Yamato's been letting PicoDevimon's lies get under his skin, Jou's been holding fast to their agreement of ganbaru and putting in his best effort.

Once more, the dub can't pull on ganbaru here, so they have to write around the word while still getting as close to the idea as they can.

T.K.: Joe! He's caught! Matt: Joe! Joe: Matt... You were right... You always said that we would all have to work together to get out of this mess... Now it looks like my turn.... T.K.: Matt, we gotta help him! Joe: Go on, Ikkakumon... Blast them now....

They do a pretty good job of it.

Responding to Jou, Ikkakumon starts fighting again, jabbing at Digitamamon with his horn.

Vegiemon: If you do that, I'll squeeze even harder! Jou: Forget about me; Hurry and defeat Digitamamon! Forget about me! Yamato: (horrified) I... I said all those awful things.... Jou.... JOU!!!

Under his shirt, Yamato's Crest begins to shine.

Digitamamon faces off with Garurumon and Ikkakumon.

Digitamamon: I could wipe the floor with you both if I wanted to. You might not believe it, but it's true.

He demonstrates his meaning by hitting them with Nightmare Syndrome. The void inside of his egg emerges launches out like a creature, pulling them both into a singularity of pure darkness. The abyss engulfs Garurumon and Ikkakumon for a couple seconds before hurling them back out, shivering and beaten on the ground.

Takeru: He's too strong! It's no use! We can't win! Yamato: No, that's not true. It can't be! I won't forget anymore. I can't forget. Nakama! The feeling of believing in friends! FRIENDSHIP!!!

Jou's sacrifice sends Yamato spiraling until he finds his faith in friendship again.

Matt's speech is a little different.

T.K.: No! This is bad! They're too strong! Matt: We can't... just give up! We've gotta beat them! But I can't beat them alone! I need Tai, T.K., Sora, Izzy, Mimi, and Joe! Together we're strong! And we can beat anything! GARURUMON!!!

Tonal shift here. Yamato's revelation is about remembering the importance of friendship, while Matt values friendship for how it helps you excel at violence. In his defense, he is about to weaponize friendship.

This faith not only restores his Crest but activates it. GARURUMON CHOU-SHINKAAAAAA!!!

We don't even get to see him outside his CGI Super Evolution before the Narrator comes in with the rundown. WereGarurumon is a Perfect-stage Vaccine-type Beast Man Digimon.

Narrator: WereGarurumon! Evolved from Garurumon, this Beast Man Digimon can walk on two legs! With his sharp claws, his special attack Kaiser Nail tears through enemies!

Matt gives WereGarurumon's diegetic rundown himself.

Matt: WereGarurumon, Ultimate form of Gabumon, is a really fierce warrior with claws, strong kicks, and jumps! He's extreme, but Egghead and his little bat buddy leave him no choice!

I believe this marks the first official use of the term "Ultimate" to describe Perfect-stage. Which is going to get confusing when we start talking about the final stage of Digimon evolution, Ultimate-stage.

Additionally, the debut of WereGarurumon brings with it another thing in the dub: The first instance of the song "Hey Digimon!", a fairly simple lyrical track used the same way the original uses Show Me Your Brave Heart.

(Show Me Your Brave Heart is way better. It typically kicks up right as Evolution starts, with its opening chords forming this mystical tension-lifting background noise punctuating the roaring SHINKAAAAAA. The lyrics kick in as evolution ends and from there, it's an empowering battle anthem. Hey Digimon, meanwhile, is this... goofy dance number? It doesn't really fit the tone of throwing hands with the Villain of the Week.)

Digitamamon launches another Nightmare Syndrome at WereGarurumon. He catches the shot with his Kaiser Nail, then shoves it back.

(I love how Garurumon's special attack was blue fire breath but in his Perfect-stage, he just got his nails done at the same place as Junko Enoshima.)

The impact sends Digitamamon flying into the woods.

Vegiemon: Huh? D-Digitamamon-sama? PicoDevimon: Th-That's impossible! Digitamamon was.... (flies off) Taichi: He's getting away!

Oh hey, PicoDevimon. Glad to see you're just hanging around after Taichi specifically took two of our Digimon to go chase you down.

Yamato: VEGIEMON!!! RELEASE JOU NOW!!! WereGarurumon: Or do you want to fight me too? Vegiemon: N-N-N-N-N-NOPE!!!

Dub WereGarurumon has a great threat here.

Matt: Vegiemon, you'd better let go of him! WereGarurumon: Unless you want to be salad. Vegiemon: (runs off shrieking)

It's probably taste better than most of the dub diner's menu.

Vegiemon releases Jou and flees for the woods.

Takeru: (hugs Yamato) Onii-chan! Jou-san saved me! Taichi: That was unusually heroic of you, Jou. Jou: You didn't have to add "unusually" to that. Gomamon: But you were really cool, Jou. Tsunomon: Really really! Yamato: Jou. Thank you. For rescuing Takeru. Jou: It's okay. You've been rescuing me. Yamato: Also! ...I'm sorry. Jou: Yamato... (embarrassed) Ahahaha!

We did not see WereGarurumon regress to Tsunomon but I guess it happened immediately after Vegiemon backed down.

In the dub, T.K.'s more interested in the awesome violence that just unfolded than in the rescue.

T.K.: (hugs Matt) YAY AHAHAHA!!! Wow, that was so cool, Matt! You're the awesomest big brother! Tai: I gotta hand it to you, Joe; That was really brave! Joe: (embarrassed) All I did was get grabbed. Gomamon: By a giant vegetable! Tsunomon: A cranky one! Matt: Uh, Joe? I'm really proud of how you handled the situation. Joe: At my old school, they voted me most likely to chicken out. I guess we showed them. Matt: I also need to apologize. Joe: Oh? Why, Matt? Matt: Because, I... I never should have doubted you, Joe.

Nonetheless, everyone else still agrees that Joe was the big hero here.

PicoDevimon is forced to report on his failure again.

PicoDevimon: A-And then the light from the Crest of Friendship caused WereGarurumon to evolve! Mystery Mon: What? PicoDevimon: Uh... Um....

A swarm of bats emerge from the portal, attacking PicoDevimon.

PicoDevimon: AHH SPARE ME!!! Mystery Mon: Learn your place. PicoDevimon: F-FUCK!!! IT'S ALL THEIR FAULT!!! I'LL BE WATCHING YOU, CHILDREN!!!

As a funny note, when PicoDevimon cries "SPARE ME!!!" the verb he uses is tasukete. It means to help someone who is in danger. It's the same word that Jou and Yamato used in their reconciliation just a moment ago, making this a comical echo of a heartwarming moment. "Thank you for tasukete Takeru." "You've been tasukete for me." "AHHHH TASUKETE!!!"

In the dub, DemiDevimon beats the original to the punch, name-dropping our new antagonist early.

DemiDevimon: Myotismon! One of the humans got the Crest of Friendship to glow and called WereGarurumon! Myotismon: WHAAAAAAT!?!? DemiDevimon: I tried, but-- (Bat swarm attacks) Myotismon: Perhaps your brain is too small for this job! DemiDevimon: You rotten kids and your rotten Digimon, you'll pay for this, rrrrgh!

Already, we're seeing a similar performance difference to what we had with Devimon. Vamdemon delivers a reserved "Nanda?" while Myotismon drops a loud, elongaged "WHAAAAAAT!?!?"

Meanwhile, the Chosen Children are back on the move. However, a new problem presents itself.

Yamato: So what you're saying is, if we can't fix things in this world, the effects will move to our own world.

Suddenly, the Digivices begin to beep. Taichi and Yamato both check theirs.

Yamato: What is that? Taichi: Apparently if one of our nakama is nearby, this thing starts beeping. Jou: Then someone must be nearby. Takeru: Which way is it? Taichi: Mine's this way. Yamato: Mine's over here. Taichi: Then... We should split into two groups to look for them. Yamato: I'll go with Takeru. Taichi: Then Jou's with me. Jou: But what if we can't find each other again? Taichi: Let's meet at the base of that mountain. Yamato: Got it. Takeru: Will we really see each other again? Yamato: We will. Because we're nakama. Taichi: We'll definitely meet again! Jou: Right! Because we're nakama!

We close on this hopeful note, as our nakama go their separate ways. Honestly, I think everyone's just excited to be able to identify as nakama. There's some profound Big Kid energy going around the cliffside right now

...but also their shared activity or interest is being child soldiers so they can be as goofy as they want about it.

The dub, however, can't close on the boys celebrating nakama. So they follow the rails right up to Takeru's last line.

T.K.: Matt, do you really think we'll meet again? Matt: Yeah, sure we will! I guarantee it! Tai: Farewell! Bye-bye! Auf wiedersehen! Joe: Wait! Don't go yet! I have to tie my shoe. Tai: Awww, you're ruining our big dramatic exit!

Gotta give 'em props for the audacity of that punchline. Tai complains about ruining the dramatic exit in a laugh line meant to replace a dramatic exit. Gold star.

Assessment: This episode is fantastic. It puts Jou and Yamato into an ugly situation that plays to both their strengths and their weaknesses. We get to see them both at their worst and their best against a silly yet deathly serious abuser.

The whole diner crisis is constantly walking a razor wire between being ridiculous and being dramatic, and I think it sticks it out pretty well.

The dub, however, suffers from an unwillingness to engage with Matt's emotional vulnerability. Yamato is a sensitive character whose love for others, especially his brother, is central to him.

In general, though the dub is lighter in tone it also hardens the characters. That hardness works against it in episodes like this, which are driven by the vulnerability of its cast.

Still, I don't want to be too hard on it because there's nonetheless a lot to like here. It's hit-or-miss by scene.

[teenandbeyond]

hi, this my one of my first requests so i hope im doing this right!

can i request an nsfw senku x fem best friend reader that had similar traits as senku, where they both barely show they’re attracted to anyone, and turns down anyone who has feelings for them. but then they start catching feelings for each other, but both are having a hard time expressing it, and eventually senku is the one to step up? also senku gets a little submissive towards the end of the smut, and reader finds out she likes seeing him like that? sorry if it’s too specific! <3

Senku x Fem. Best Friend Reader

Low-key, I wasn't in a smut-writing mood, so I made it vague xD Edit: This reminds me of my Dr. Stone OC with Senku a little lol

Want more from me? Masterlist 2

☆*: .｡. .｡.:*☆☆*: .｡. .｡.:*☆

🧪Illogical🧪 (Dr. Stone)

Warning(s): Subtle smut, if petrification didn't happen

When two scientists who find love illogical catch feelings...

✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨

“It’s [Name]! The Ice Queen!”

You sigh, sauntering down the hall.

“There goes that name again…” you mutter.

Why do they call you that?

 

“H-Hey, [Name]?” a boy approaches you, averting his gaze.

“Mm?” you acknowledge, disinterested as you work on your current project in biochemistry.

“I’ve liked you since first year, w-will you go out with me?”

With furrowed brows you turn from your notes, “Since first year?”

His smile became hopeful, “Yeah!”

“And you waited until almost the end of our third year to say anything? That’s pretty sad, dude.”

‘Dude’ Attack Used! Fatality!

“Yeah…”

You could be pretty brutal with rejections, which annoyed you when after three years, people didn’t get the hint.

But to be fair, you were a triple threat, crazy smart, mysterious, and you’re beautiful.

And that’s why you were the Ice Queen, brutal with rejections—cold more often than not, and your beauty gave a mysterious air to your vibe.

To make matters worse, Senku was your best friend (who was also brutal with rejection).

So whenever you were together brutality was doubled.

“[Name]! Date me!” a boy nervously bowed, shoving a letter at you.

You raised a brow, “That’s not very original, the last boy did that.”

Senku shared a glance with you, “Creativity really lacks at this school, huh? This is 10 billion percent boring.”

“Really. Trigonometry would be better to waste my time with,” you sighed.

“Um…”

“Is he crying?”

“I should be the one crying, he came up to me out of nowhere with that. I feel attacked.”

The only person who you seemed to be playful around was Senku along with your other two friends at times.

“Is that why you’re rejecting me? Are you with Senku-senpai?”

You tilted your head, “No, neither of us are into the romance thing.”

But really, you were in denial.

Because something had developed, somehow for Senku.

You’d never thought of romance before with anyone.

It scared you, and you knew he was far from your mindset.

So, you pretended it wasn’t there.

Unbeknownst to you, Senku was in the same predicament.

“Damn it,” he muttered under his breath, tearing his gaze from you.

You looked so peaceful as you focused, unaware of the small smile on your face.

He’d never felt like this toward a girl before, he’d always been immune to this feeling.

Yet now, he was staring at you again. And his thoughts were yet again on you instead of his project he was currently working on.

You occupied his mind a lot, especially lately. Like his body decided all his hormones would assault him at full speed suddenly.

He blinked away the thoughts that tried to creep from the corner of his brain he’d shoved them to.

Now, based on general knowledge the both of you knew what it was.

But it was against your logical mindset, you weren’t supposed to have feelings for anyone.

Let alone each other.

And you couldn’t tell the other because you knew they didn’t like romance.

So, there was no way either of you could say anything, not that you knew how to express it anyway.

So, you found yourselves circling around this situation and the tension that began to build.

Then summer was edging closer, you had both planned to go to the same college, but you had another offer that was tempting.

Asked on video-chat one night, “Why do you want to go there all of a sudden?”

You applied face cream to your cheek, “Well, this college offers pretty much all of the same things, only difference is it’d be here in Japan instead of America. So, there wouldn’t be any reason for me to leave. Right?”

That statement echoed in his mind relentlessly for days, it didn’t sit right.

Deep down he knew why, but…he didn’t know if he could tell you.

 

“It’d be weird to not see you every day, though,” you chuckled.

He’d hate that, being limited to video-chat if he wants to see your face.

 

“Me,” he blurted one day.

“Huh? ‘You’, what?”

He looked into your eyes, leaning in,“Your reason to go. You can go for me.”

“Y-you? Why—”

“We both know why, [Name]. It’s ten billion percent pointless to keep dodging it.”

“I…I know. I just—I’m scared…”

“Scared?”

“Well, this is new. And…not logical…emotions are always a scary thing. You don’t have logic to hide behind, you have to be—"

“Human. Yeah, that scares me, too.”

“But…you’re right, we can’t avoid it forever,” you admitted.

The tension became much more apparent as you gazed at each other.

“Senku…”

“[Name]…”

 

You two were like magnets; a sudden pull overcame you.

At first, curious, unsure.

Then as you grew more comfortable, you gained some confidence.

And as scientists, you were definitely fine with asking questions.

“Senku? Is this okay?”

He tossed his head back, before looking down at you, “Yeah, definitely fine.”

And Senku loved to experiment with something he had yet to learn.

“Who would’ve thought the Ice Queen…would be so warm?” he muttered against your back with a smirk.

“Shut—Ah~!”

You saw another side of each other that day.

And you edged close to the end, but couldn’t get that release…

You watched as Senku let out a desperate whimper, something you’d never expected to hear from him.

His cheeks flushed, brows furrowed.

The cute expression was all you needed.

[zetadraconis11]

Writer Interview Game

Thank you, @gingerlegacy07 for the tag! Y'all should check her out! She's amazing and a great writer :]

When did you start writing?

Hm, I think I started writing ever since I was 9. It was at first just a little children's book. I've always liked drawing and writing, and coming up with crazy things, lol.

I loved taking Creative Writing class when I was 17, and that's when I also started writing my own original novel.

Writing fanfiction, I started about a year ago, with Hogwarts Legacy. I just had a couple ideas and decided to just give it a shot and write them. Now, I'm still writing HL fanfics and enjoying it so much :]

Are there different themes or genres you enjoy reading than what you write?

Ummm, I'm not sure. Maybe enemies to lovers as I personally don't think I can write that wonderful trope well. But I love to see it, like Zutara, lol.

Is there a writer you want to emulate or get compared to often?

No, as I write with my own style. I might be inspired by works of others sometimes, but I intend to make stories with my own take and my own way.

Can you tell me a bit about your writing space?

Well, if I write at my home, I usually do it at my desk! Per my name, I have some dragon stuff on my desk, lol, as well as a ceramic cup of pens and pencils and a lamp.

If I feel bored at my desk, I would move to the kitchen table or the living room, just to have a change of scenery. I also sometimes go to a coffee shop and camp there for a few hours while drinking mochas and such.

What's your most effective way to muster up a muse?

I often listen to songs and think of which pairs or characters fit them. And even when I watch a show or movie, I find myself wondering what characters from HL would be like in it, hahaha.

So honestly...the most effective way is just me lost in thought XD. I have one interesting thought, then I keep following that thought, and it just builds up in there. And my creativity has me start to write it.

Are there any recurring themes in your writing? Do they surprise you?

Family is huge in my writing. Whether it's blood family or - more frequently - found family. Also friends that are like family. And just being supportive and having healthy relationships. Wonderful happy love and fluff everywhere!

It doesn't surprise me, lol. I don't like sad endings or anything too depressing. I can't handle it, and I always want happy endings after many rough trials or trauma.

With Sebastian, I always have him redeemed when he's in a relationship with my MC Estelle. And she needed healing of her own too. And they just make each other so happy and they love each other so much. All the fluff for them and my other otps :]

What is your reason for writing?

It's mainly because I wanted to a certain story and didn't see it out there, so I decided to write it myself. In doing so, I hope that others enjoy the stories too.

Anyone that's seen the majority of my incorrect quotes or read some of my stories know I'm a huge shipper of Garrelda. I love them to bits, I'll forever captain that ship if need be, lol. So, when HL fics were still coming out, I didn't any (if at all) or Poppinis. I decided to give it a shot and write for those pairings, more of Poppinis at first. I loved Poppinis as a ship first before I fleshed out my take on Garrelda more.

In the end, I write stories that I randomly get inspired to write, and I just send them out there, not knowing if others wanted to read such a thing, lol

Is their any specific comment or type of comment you find particularly motivating?

Any positive comment showing love for the story just makes me so happy. Seeing them appreciate it always makes me smile. Those comments help me remember people do like what I write, and it's a nice reminder :]

How do you want to be thought about by your readers?

Eh, I don't know if there's anything I want to be thought about. But I guess a "provider" of Garrelda content, as I often write that pairing, especially with my recent on-going fic. Or just a "truly writing dragon", lol, as I keep sending out more stories for people to read in the HL fandom.

What do you feel is your greatest strength as a writer?

I think writing emotions and characters. I try to make the characters feel real, and I do my best in describing them so they're relatable to readers.

How do you feel about your own writing?

I feel like it's improving, which is great to see. But that makes me grimace about my first fics I wrote, as I know they can be a bit rough. But that's how it goes, and I do feel pretty proud of how far I've come, and I do like my writing more from time to time. I admittedly am still my worst critic, though.

And those are my answers! Thank you for whomever came up with this! :]

Np tags: @polarisgreenley, @mspegasus17, @ravenwind-75

[sanityshorror]

Plz I need more Killian and Negan being a chaotic, god-awful, downright disgusting duo😭😭🙏🙏🙏

PS. I'm 99.9% sure that Killian thinks even less of Patrick than Julius does lmao☠️☠️☠️

Okay okay okay! HC time YAY YAY YAY YAY lmao. So I'm going to do the part about Patrick Bateman in a separate post to keep it more organized especially since I have a lot to say on that. So without further ado, here's more of my Killian and Negan HCs:

Negan and Killian would definitely street race together. Both of them would have Black Betty blasting on repeat lol

Matching outfits. They definitely do matching outfits sometimes and DAYUM THEY LOOK GOOD.

Bros absolutely go out to dive bars together to pick up women, drink, and play pool.

Negan still is convinced that Cian is Killian's brother. Killian is still convinced that Carl is Negan's biological son.

Speaking of Cian and Carl, they probably get along lol so quadruple the chaos but Cian and Carl are both a lot more chill especially as adults so they would be the wranglers. Lol

Negan would probably get Killian into sports. Specifically baseball (duh) and American football.

"You're one huge son of a bitch, built like a fuckin' line backer!" - Negan, talking to Killian, probably

They beat the living shit out of each other for fun. Neither one of them will stop until they both have two black eyes and busted lips. As long as Killian doesn't use his demon strength they're actually in the same weight class so yeah they're basically doing backyard MMA.

Drink together and smoke cigars while swapping stories about crazy sex and crazy kills. Killian, of course, has many that involve both acts combined into one.

Negan's initial reaction was to the information:

Negan started laughing pretty quick though and called Killian a crazy son of a bitch.

They both do that bro-arm around the shoulder thing to each other that's like an affectionate choke hold.

Killian brought Negan a new leather jacket made special just for him with the name Lucille embroidered beautifully over the heart. "...Jules made this, didn't he?" "No goddamn shit." "...Well, it would be a waste of a life to not fuckin wear the human leather jacket 😂😂😂" yeah, negan loves it.

Negan is still high key a bit disturbed at the reasoning behind Killian's cane being named "Bethany," given it's basically the polar opposite to why he named his bat "Lucille."

Negan is half terrified of Killian, and half not remotely scared of him. He knows Killian isn't going to hurt him... Well, at least not badly.

Killian gave Negan the mob brand without initiation to show he holds the utmost respect for Negan. Negan is more than smart enough to understand how much that says and how serious it is.

Negan tried on Killian's boots but they were too big on him. Killian did his usual "YOU KNOW WHAT THEY SAY ABOUT SMALL FEET? SMALL FUCKIN DICK WHAHSHAHAHAHAHA" thing. Negan has a very similar sense of humor so he just started wheezing.

Cian and Carl keep stealing their guns.........

I have a lot more but I'll stop here xD

[silverbladexyz]

Hi anon! I love this idea, because that is totally like one of my friends loool. Thanks for the request, and I hope you enjoy!

The images used are not mine. They belong to their original owners.

TW: None, reader ranting

Dazai, Chuuya and Kunikida reacting to s/o switching to customer service voice

-Dazai laughs a little when he hears you cuss out someone with the most unnfiltered words that he had ever heard you use

-He does tease you for it, only to see you get more angry and start cussing at him. You then return to cussing and ranting about the aforementioned person while Dazai is trying not to die of laughter from the stuff that falls out of your mouth

-Then the phone rings. Dazai waits and watches to see what your words would be, holding in his laughter

-“Hello! Company [Name] speaking. How may I help you today?” And in a very sweet and polite voice too!

-Dazai is kind of surprised. But not too surprised, since he himself changes personalities multiple times as well

- From ‘Like can you believe that $@&*# did that #^@%@?! I swear that I will actually &^%$ their @#$%^ one day!’ to ‘No worries, please take your time!’ Dazai is definitely going to tease you for it

-When the call ends, he raises his eyebrow and smirks/smiles teasingly

-“Oh? I didn’t know my beloved Y/N had that side to them. Who knew that you actually had a nice side?~”

-“SHUT UP DAZAI OR I’LL #$&$@^* YOU!’

-Dazai will unashamedly bring that up every time to tease you for it. And in return you refuse to give him cuddles for a week (watch him act like a big baby lmao)

Chuuya:

-Chuuya just listened to you rant about this particular customer that you disliked. Maybe not disliked; detested was a much more suitable word for what words were coming out of your mouth

-He didn’t really say much; mostly because you were doing most of the talking, and also because he didn’t want to say something to tick you off more

-The phone rang, and you picked it up. Chuuya braced himself for what you were going to say, but he was really surprised when you said in your sweetest voice ‘[Company name], Y/N speaking, how may I help?’

-Mans is surprised. Weren’t you cussing out someone earlier? Where did all of that anger go?

-When you finish your call, Chuuya is silent for a while. Because he didn’t really expect that from you

-’What?’ ‘Nothing... it’s just that weren’t you cussing out that customer earlier?’

-‘Oh yeah, that #%^&!!!’ And you were back at it again loool, and all hints of your sweet politeness was gone

-Chuuya now knows not to make you mad. Because who knows what would happen if you were mad at him xD

Kunikida:

-Kunikida was disapproving a lot on the things that were coming out of your mouth as you cussed out this specific co-worker that you hated

-Mans was ready to lecture you and all, but he stopped because he didn’t want to make you more mad lol

-He still has a lot of patience for you though. Kunikida will listen to you, but if you continue for another minute he will interrupt with a lecture xD

-Then the phone rang. You picked it up and Kunikida was preparing to snatch it away from your hands and fix the situation up since you were in such a bad mood lol

-But to his surprise, you put on a sweet and kind voice to greet the customer all throughout the phone call

-Mans is stunned.

-Legit goes ‘...’ with that o-o face

-Kunikida certainly does not want to make you angry now.

Tbh I’m not that proud of how I wrote this, but my brain is refusing to work today lol.

[teecupangel]

An AU idea where, after Ezio fist fights the pope and enters the vault, there is no Minerva waiting for the prophet with a message, just a naked Desmond, unconscious on the floor, lined like an Apple of Eden with no memory of what happened after he touched the eye, and very little memory of what happened before that. He knows his name, he knows he's an assassin, and he knows he died to save the world. But he doesn't know when or where that happened or how he ended up in the vault.

This makes me think about how everyone would react to the mostly used plot point that Desmond and Altaïr share too many similar facial features.

Without Ezio hearing about Desmond’s name from Minerva, all the information he has about Desmond is the following:

His name is Desmond (from Desmond)

He’s an Assassin (from Desmond)

He believes he died saving the world (from Desmond)

Everything else is foggy (implied from Desmond’s ‘I’m not sure’ answers to most of Ezio’s questions)

This vault is meant to hold something very powerful (from Mario)

Only the prophet (him) may open the vault (from Altaïr’s Codex)

God dwells in the vault (from Rodrigo)

Now, a funny conclusion to make would that Ezio’s religious upbringing makes him think Desmond is Jesus (died to save the world + ‘god’ dwells in the vault). XD

Another idea that Ezio could potentially get to using mental gymnastics is that Desmond is related to Altaïr in some way.

Now, the Codex doesn’t specifically say who Altaïr’s sons are. To be more specific, what his son’s names are sooooo…

Ezio could believe that Desmond is Altaïr’s son.

This would make sense in his mind on why Altaïr seemed to know about the vault and why he’s invested in it but hid it in his Codex. Desmond looking a lot like Altaïr also points to this.

His working theory is that Desmond had sacrificed his life to save the world (perhaps it is connected to Genghis Khan in some way? It wasn’t like they had a lot of records about the Levantine Brotherhood anyway) and Altaïr, a father grieving the death of his son, used an unknown Piece of Eden to revive him.

Maybe the revival process took too much time and Altaïr knew he would be dead before his son would wake up.

Maybe Altaïr thought he had failed.

Whatever the reason may be, the revival process happened in the Vault underneath Vatican and Altaïr sealed it off with Desmond either sleeping or healing inside.

And Altaïr left the hidden message to guide a prophet to the vault.

To wake his son and give him another chance of life.

Now, at this point, Machiavelli and Claudia would most certainly think that it’s a stretch. Mario would be more on Ezio’s side since old Assassin family have, at this point, pretty much exaggerated Altaïr’s skills and contributions with hero worshipping that can rival Kadar’s very common among them.

But they would all agree that Desmond needs to be protected and helped.

Also, Desmond could easily wield the Apple and command it without any problems but they are concerned of the way the glowing lines on his body became brighter whenever he uses the Apple so they let Ezio keep it for now.

Now, may I suggest more complication?

Desmond retains all the skills he got from the Bleeding Effect and he also feels a painful ache whenever he looked at Altaïr’s statue, describing it as ‘grief’ or the sense of ‘longing’.

Ezio believes this is another indication of Desmond being Altaïr’s son.

Desmond also says ‘He taught me… my… brother?’ whenever someone asked how he performed a specific Assassin movement or skill that they may or may not know.

Ezio believes Desmond is talking about Altaïr’s other son (maybe even sons) as Altaïr’s Codex did say ‘our sons’, not ‘our son’.

But both of these are actually because of Desmond’s Bleeding Effect. He feels the same grief and longing for both Altaïr and Ratonhnhaké:ton, it just shows more because Altaïr’s statue is right there, knocking in his head the closed stuck door holding all his memories. Calling them ‘brothers’ is more of Desmond’s mind screwing up the idea of ‘ancestors’ with a ‘Brotherhood’ because his Assassin ancestors are all his brothers in the Brotherhood after all.

And, to further screw up Desmond, his memories come in flashes.

But not his memories of Desmond Miles.

His memories of reliving the memories of Ezio Auditore.

For example, the day the Papal Army is about to lay siege to their town, Desmond sees a vision of the town in shambles, of Ezio getting hit and Mario dying.

He doesn’t know the context of any of these.

He doesn’t even know when it will happen.

But Ezio gets everyone to take it seriously because this is a man they found sleeping in a vault that supposedly never been opened before (“Altaïr opened it.” “We don’t know that for certain.”)

Monteriggioni suffered heavy damages but it stood the attack and Desmond’s mastery over the Apple made the Papal Army fight one another.

That’s when Desmond gets another vision.

He has a vision of Ezio with many Assassins behind him… in Rome.

And that is how we kick Ezio to AC Brotherhood’s storyline while keeping Monteriggioni sorta intact and Mario alive… with Desmond acting as his seer but he has to stay with Ezio because he only has visions if Ezio is nearby (although it is pretty random).

[alexanderlightweight]

It is wednesday, wohooo: timetravel story? Can I please have some more? XD

here we go! i hope you enjoy

saeth @saryn-prime named this fic the same sky so it has a name lol

lumine

-

Magnus isn’t exactly sure how he ended up in front of his dearest friends again, but he certainly doesn’t mind it.  Not now that Alexander is still with him, frowning around the loft with a critical eye.

“Magnus, we’ll need a kitchen.” Alexander says, clearly on autopilot as he scowls at the very open design. “And if you even think about not creating a foyer again, I’ll be moving to the roof.”

Magnus winces without meaning to and the look on his boy’s face when he catches it is heartbreaking.

“The roof doesn’t exist yet, does it?”

“Darling, I can move us to that building right now. I can have the basics of the roof set up in two snaps of my fingers—” Magnus offers soothingly, magic already jumping to his hands.

Two hands catch his own, smothering his magic with a loving touch and blue flames extinguish happily against fingers that Magnus barely recognizes.

“No. We are not moving the loft just because I miss the rooftop right after whatever happened.” Alexander’s face goes dark and Magnus can feel how Cat and Ragnor stiffen, their instincts on edge. 

The darkness and cold, hostile edge of Alexander’s angelic grace have long became a cool, protective balm and Magnus pulls Alexander closer to him. His friends will have an easier time with Alexander near Magnus.

“What did happen, sayang?”

Ragnor chokes, but Magnus ignores him knowing that if it’s serious, Cat will save him. 

Alexander scoffs and he tugs away his hands to pull his hair up into a half-bun and then scowls, clearly irritated at the lack of length.

“We always suspected that the leylines didn’t like us trying to leave our dimension, Magnus. The angelic core specifically was acting very temperamental. And I’ve told you that ever since we purged the leylines with the core, it’s been very… friendly with the leylines.

“The core in the New York is the largest in all of North America. There is one of equal size and strength on every continent but the rest of the locations were scrubbed after the Uprising.” Alexander frowns as he thinks and Magnus summons two cups of tea, holding them hostage as he holds out a hand.

Alexander takes it without thinking, absently and instinctually and it soothes the raw edges that Magnus feels were seared open.  Alexander is compartmentalizing, already packing away things pragmatically.

It’s with a little sigh that Magnus pulls Alexander into his lap and his boy goes willingly, still contemplating whatever long lost law or history he has stored away.

“I think it imprinted on your magic, Magnus.” Alexander says and he takes a sip of his tea, not even blowing on it, just trusting it won’t be too hot.  Magnus tries not to let out a lovesick sigh but he can’t help it.

Alexander leans over and kisses him without a thought, just a chaste press of their lips and then he nods.

“It’s definitely imprinted on your magic. It brought us back to before the damage was ever done to it then, back to when it thinks we wouldn’t want to leave.”

Magnus blinks, already feeling the sharp bit of angelic magic stowed away in Alexander reaching out at the small contact.

“Is the angelic core inside of you right now?” Magnus asks, portraying calm so well that Ragnor looks only mildly concerned while Cat is eying him suspiciously.

“Magnus, you can’t rip it out of me.” Alexander says and he sounds so calm for someone being so unreasonable.

“It took you from me.” Magnus tells him hoarsely, admitting what he’s always feared and was forced to suffer through. “It took you first, beloved. How can I let it linger in you when it would be so cruel? If it couldn’t let us go, then it should have brought us together.”  Magnus is furious despite everything and he can’t help it.

To have held Alexander for a brief moment, without the comfort of his breath and heartbeat encouraging Magnus’ own heart to work… it was too much.

Magnus’ hand is pressed to firm chest with a steady thump and a head is tucked into his neck, kisses placed there.

“If it takes you from me again, I will destroy it down to it’s last particle. No divine power can match me, remind it that.” Magnus murmurs, because it doesn’t matter to him that the angelic core is how they made Alexander immortal.

Magnus will find and cull a thousand worlds before he allows threats to Alexander exist.

Whatever holy or unholy things may threaten his beloved, Magnus will destroy them all.