#tried to stay true to his original design

[robiniswriting]

rose and clara’s downfalls are the same — they thought they could stay with the doctor forever, that they could BE the doctor. the two of them fall in love with the doctor’s youthful facade. with rose, he leaned in to the illusion, even regenerating into a version of himself he designed for her, while with clara, he tried not to repeat that mistake — instead, he regenerates into a more honest version of himself, and clara reacts the same way I imagine rose would. she is shocked and unnerved, trying to connect the version of him she knew to the one standing in front of her now.

and then the doctor clearly tells her that he isn’t her boyfriend. but also that it wasn’t her mistake. he fell in love, and wanted desperately for her to be his equal, but he couldn’t lie to himself. he couldn’t repeat the mistakes he made with rose. he couldn’t continue to deny the truth of who he was — to deny that in any relationship with a human, no matter how kind and intelligent and wise, there is an insurmountable power differential between them.

the doctor is so much older than them both. so much vaster. both clara and rose make the same mistake. had the doctor been honest with rose, I wouldn’t be surprised if her story went very similarly to clara’s — after all, there’s no way in hell she would have ever left the doctor’s side willingly. like clara, she would have been shocked, but she would have stuck by him, and yet eventually, trying to be his equal would get her lost or killed, just as it did to her originally. just as it did to clara.

they are so similar, these women who love the doctor. and there is no denying that the doctor loves them back. but too often people ignore the power dynamics of those relationships, pretend like rose and/or clara were the doctor’s true equals. those people are missing the point of their endings, missing the fact that in the end, while rose tyler and clara oswald were brilliant, they shared the same flaw — they were human, and the doctor was not. is not. he couldn’t be, no matter how hard he tried.

[nereiix]

“I opted to take on Vau. He had a real Mando iron saber, and I was unarmed. I just went at him. I never wanted to kill so badly in my life and he just cut me up. [...]” ― Atin to Fi, Republic Commando: Triple Zero

It was about time I drew the man. I designed his armor using various references and my imagination, I just didn't want it to look like Jango's armor in black. I've got a soft spot for scarves, so I gave him one. For Mird I tried the stay close to my original concepts of it, but with more skin and color on its coat. And I added a collar too, because it's mentioned it has one in True Colors (and also in Triple Zero, indirectly). I'm still not sure about the size of a strill, but since Vau keeps scooping Mird up in his arms, I don't think it can be bigger than that. Also, I think a beskad is supposed to be shorter, but I liked it like this so... artistic liberty, I guess.

References for the pose below the cut.

I decided to make the pose with one of my little men and to trace over it. For Mird I used a Shar Pei 3D model to help me with the perspective.

→ WIP available here

[kaeyats]

Can we see the Liyue characters reaction to the marriage rumor 👀 I can absolutely imagine Ninguang going all out while Xiao has no idea what to do but knows he should do something to catch your attention. All the while poor poor Zhongli is suddenly regretting not having access to the same luxuries he had as an archon so he could spoil you

SAGAU,, the creator's bride/groom (part 2)

a/n: was actually in the process of writing this, but i was so happy to get some interaction from my genshin blog. this is my very first ask, ackk! i got so excited i wrote everything down in one sitting. thank you so much for the ask!!

a rumor that the almighty creator of teyvat is in the process of choosing a spouse spreads like wildfire. and all their acolytes start sucking up to them like insane. liyue edition! mondstadt edition here.

reader's gender is not specified, as with most of my works. requests and imagines in my ask box are appreciated, but will take a while. :D

warnings: none

way before whispers of the creator's newest affairs were heard in mondstadt, way before those very words that caused a ferocious storm even reached the ears of the anemo archon, the rumors of the creator's supposed interest in marriage had already been quite rampant in liyue. trending was an understatement, not when every tongue within the lands of geo had spoken about their god's affairs regarding engagement and such.

everyone in liyue was buzzing when they heard the news. some feeling quite happy for the creator and some gearing up for the absolute war that would come the next few days. after all, the creator was currently staying in liyue harbor which practically screamed "OPPORTUNITY" for anyone in liyue who was interested.

safe to say, a certain former archon ended up choking on his food when he heard the news from the director of the wangsheng funeral parlor. zhongli didn't know if he was dreaming or not, the recent rumors too similar to one of his many fantasies with you. the only thing he needed now was for you to bust into the funeral parlor and propose to him, then he'd be fully convinced he was dreaming. but alas, no creator had appeared and no busting in had occured. and seconds later, his mind foggily returned to reality. he processed the information, at least he tried to, unable to grasp much for the next few minutes. immediately, he stood up, heading towards the direction of the hotel you were staying in. hu tao was a bit confused when the usually-composed-man left the room and said nothing, looking rather dazed. he originally intended to ask you if the rumors were true, wanting to take a rational approach, but the sight of all your acolytes clinging to you in a pathetic attempt to win you over had his head empty with jealousy. he was all too tempted to take the form of morax and persuade you with his endless and very valuable resources.

ningguang knew before most common folk, a characteristic move for the opportunistic businesswoman who had connections in almost every street of liyue. however, she did not expect your other followers to know as well when she descended from the jade palace to pay you a visit. behind her were many of her servants, carrying boxes decorated with intricate golden designs. it was quite obvious that whatever was inside each of those boxes cost quite a lot. the boxes themselves looked like they cost more than any of liyue's merchants' organs. however, they were barely acknowledged by you when the 11th harbinger stole you away once again, distracting you from ningguang's elegant presence with his mindless chatter.

the moment childe heard of your supposed interest in marriage, he decided then and there to make it his mission to bother you until your other suitors would eventually fend off. at first, it was questions about your interests and things you liked. he kept a mental list of all he learned that day, disappointed in himself for not knowing any sooner due to how busy he was all the time. the job of a fatui harbinger wasn't the easiest, after all. he considered the possibility that maybe if he got married to you, his service to the tsaritsa would be allowed an end and he could spend the rest of his years exploring the world by your side. he was quite content with listening to your ramblings and daydreaming about what it'd be like to be your lover, even more so your spouse. the moment the tianquan entered your room though, childe decided he would be a menace, wanting to push the rich woman's buttons until she would eventually give up on pursuing you.

ningguang was usually a very patient woman, but something about the ginger irked her in all the wrong ways. she couldn't handle the way he blatantly flirted with you, leaving subtle touches on your body. she could only glare at his hand as she took quiet sips of her tea from across where the two of you were seated. ningguang internally praised you for being such a kind and understanding god because if she was in your place, she would've smacked the fatui harbinger away by now. it was like she wasn't even in the room anymore with how much childe had been hogging you. she couldn't begin to imagine the pain of zhongli whose presence you haven't even noticed yet.

matters were only made worse by the fact that ganyu, someone ningguang thought she would never view as a rival entered your room without knocking, a faint blush on her cheeks. "[name], i happened to stumble into your favorite flowers and thought that maybe-" instead of your happy and accommodating smile, she was greeted with the three harshest glares she had ever encountered in her whole life. ganyu had heard of the rumors, yes, but she wasn't one to believe rumors so easily, so she paid them no mind unlike the three other figures in your room.

"oh, ganyu! what brings you here?" you left your place next to childe (an action that warranted a rather bitter look on his face), giddily wrapping your arms around ganyu to greet her. it seemed that she was much too flustered to answer your question and had completely forgotten how to form coherent words when you wrapped your arms around her. not that you minded. her facial expressions were quite funny to watch.

"ganyu, it's a pleasant surprise meeting you here. although i must say, it's quite rude how you just barged in here and called the creator by the first name. i'm sure you have better manners than that." ningguang spoke from her seat, directing her gaze away from you and ganyu, knowing that she would only get angrier by the second if she did. venom, rather poorly hidden, dripped from her words and it seemed to intimidate the poor girl next to you.

"no! no! it's fine, i told ganyu she could do that."

"barge into your room? or call you by your name?" childe asked from his seat, sounding sarcastic, but truthfully unable to stop himself from wondering.

"both. also, i've been asking all of you call me by my name, it just so happens that ganyu was the first to listen."

zhongli seemed to have more luck the next day when he happened to run into you in the streets of liyue harbor early in the morning.

"oh? [name]? i didn't expect to see you here so early in the morning." just uttering your name felt like violating a forbidden taboo to zhongli. but after yesterday's encounter, he thought that maybe you truly did like to be called by your name and you weren't just saying things as a test of respect.

"oh! xiao went to my room last night and invited me to a picnic near wangshu inn. i just thought it'd be more convenient if i started traveling there earlier, you know?"

"that sounds (unacceptable, he wanted to say. how could your other acolytes just let you wander alone?) a bit unsafe, your- [name]. if you don't mind, i can assist you to wangshu inn to reassure that you arrive there in one piece."

you would've refused zhongli's offer in any other scenario, but after practically ignoring his existence yesterday, you accepted as a way to apologize. perhaps you could ease his mind with a little bit of conversation. surely that would be enough to pay for your mistake yesterday.

now, xiao had absolutely no idea how courting worked. he tried going around the inn, looking for books, anything, that could assist him with the topic. perhaps you would like dead offerings? should he got hunting for wild animals? or would you rather he seduce you with his body like in those e-ro-ti-ka books he found somewhere around the inn? he felt defeated, not knowing what to do once you arrived for your little picnic date. things would've been much easier had he had rex lapis as a guide and an advisor, he thought to himself, so imagine his surprise once he spotted rex lapis' mortal form walking with you towards him.

zhongli was certainly planning on sabotaging your supposed friend date with xiao, scheming in his head how he would steal you away from the adeptus, using those moments to win you over. and when you two spent a few hours in pleasant conversation, walking side-by-side, ever so often smiling at each other and giddily laughing, he was pretty sure he was going to go through with his plan, despite the initial guilt he felt for sabotaging a close friend. however, when he saw the way xiao's cheeks grew ever-so-pink at the way you hugged him the moment you saw him and the way a smile threatened to break through the usually-stoic-man's facade, he decided to leave you two alone to bond, letting xiao have his moment with you.

zhongli sat quietly in wangshu inn's restaurant, plates empty as he wondered what you and xiao were up to at that very moment. the good food lessened the sting he felt, jealousy clawing at his insides. he shouldn't regret his decision, he told himself. not when alatus looked so elated to be around you. he nodded to himself, yes, this is the right thing to do.

looking down at his empty plate, that is when he realized he has no mora with him.

[comics-and-fanworks]

Prompt for you (feel free to adjust this if you like)! Based on Princess Diana’s interview in 1995:

Marinette was interviewed by Lois Lane on live television about her past relationship with her former friends, bullying and harassment as well as abuse from her classmates. With Chloe, Marc, Nathaniel, Sabrina, Kagami and Luka as her only friends. Her mental health struggles including Marinette’s suicidal thoughts because Lila lied and falsely claimed about her, the toxic environment at her school and the reasons for her, Chloe, Marc, Nathaniel, and Sabrina to transfer to another school.

After the interview, it became number 1 trendy on Twitter and a national topic around the world. Bustier and Damocles were immediately fired from their jobs and had their license taken away, the class became pariahs from their peers in school and was excluded from any school activities and events. Their parents lost their jobs because of their kids' actions and nobody wants a bully parents to work for them. Lila and Alya were also sued by multiple celebrities for libel and defamation. Adrien was then stripped from his miraculous ring by Ladybug and his father sent him away to a very strict and harsh boarding school that his cousin Felix attended in London.

Hello! Thank you for the request!! I hope you like it, I tried to stay true to your original prompt, thank you again!!

TW: Swearing, Mentions of Past Abuse, Mentions of Violence, Bullying, Mentions of suicide, heavy angst

If you or someone you might know are struggling, please, please, PLEASE know that there are resources and people willing to help. It doesn't matter who you are, YOU ARE deserving of love and support!

There is a second message for this that was part two of the original request but I have no idea how to link the two.

~~~~

Marinette knew this was coming. She knew the second she decided to wear that dress to Fashion Week. She could feel everyone's eyes on the scars that ran up and down her body. She was covered in them, and almost all of them were inflicted by people she once considered friends. "This is a step towards healing," she remembered her therapist saying. "We may not like the past, but the more we try to run from it the faster it chases us," she remembered Luka humming as she ran her idea through him. "Your scars are not a sign of weakness," Kagami told her as they sparred, "A lion who has won many battles has many scars, and no one doubts its strength. Your scars are the mark of your strength." She took a deep breath and continued to walk forward. She could hear the paparazzi's cameras clicking as they took her picture. She would surely end up on the news, but Marinette decided, to let them talk. Let them talk about her scars and wonder where they came from, let them talk about who could have inflicted them on the designer. Let them talk until they finally decided to approach Marinette and ask. Despite her nerves telling her to curl up in a ball and hide, she kept her head high and walked down the red carpet like a queen walking to her throne. As soon as she was inside her phone buzzed, a message from Lois Lane. "Hi, honey. I saw the live feed from Fashion Week, are you going to be okay?" Marinette smiled as she read the message, Lois may be a reporter with a supernatural ability to detect a good story, but she was a mother first and was going to make sure her son's friend was alright. "I'll be okay. It was very scary because I knew everyone was staring," Marinette replied, she watched those little dots appear, and then Lois responded, "Do you want to talk about it? Off the record of course." It gave her a warm feeling to know that one of the greatest journalists was willing to let such a big story go to prioritize her comfort. She thought about it and replied, "Yeah, I would like to talk about it, but I'd like to talk about it on the record. Do you have some time in your schedule?" Lois's reply was almost instant, "Everything else can wait." Marinette typed out, "Perfect. I'll be in Metropolis in a week."

The first thing Marinette saw when she got off the plane was her friend Jon, followed by the airport's ceiling as she was quickly tackled into a hug. The two friends made small talk as she got her luggage and Jon decided to get her lunch. As they ate their conversation eventually turned to the reason for her trip. "Mari if you're uncomfortable at any time just say the word and mom will stop the interview. She's not like that one lady in Paris, she's not gonna push you into sharing anything you're uncomfortable with." Marinette sighed and picked at her food, "I know. That's why I want it to be Lois. She's the only one I can trust to let me tell my truth and not try to put some narrative on it or dig into more... private things," Jon nodded. His mother immediately figured out that Marinette was a hero. He remembered having to help his mom calm down the panicking girl and promising that if anyone could keep a secret identity a secret, it was Superman's wife. "If you don't mind, what made you decide to finally talk about all this?" Marinette's face contorted as she felt rage boiling in her stomach, "Damocles and Bustier still have their jobs," Jon gasped and Marinette continued, "It never would have gotten as bad if it did if they'd stepped in, but they refused! They refused to help me, and I bet they'll refuse to help others. I can't stand by and do nothing! I have proof of everything that was done to me, physical proof not just my word. I need to make sure they can't hurt anyone else," It felt so good to let out her anger without the fear of being akumatized for it. Taking a minute to calm down, Marinette continued, "I've also decided I'll be immigrating to Gotham. As much as I love my parents, I need to get out of Paris. So, this is also kind of one big last 'Fuck you' to the people who hurt me," Jon laughed, happy to see Marinette was still as feisty as ever. "Now what can I say to convince you to ditch Gotham and stay in Metropolis?" Marinette laughed, "Get my fiancé to move here, and then you've got a deal."

Lois really knew how to wrap the media around her finger and make a subconscious narrative, Marinette thought as she sat down on the porch of the Kent Family Farm. Mama and Papa Kent were more than happy to let Lois use it as a set for the interview, and when she asked Lois why the woman explained, "When people talk about something tough, or in our case hear you talk about something tough, they prefer to be in a safe environment. The farm has a very calming atmosphere, there's gentle background noise, and it's warm enough that we can be outside. Plus, it helps make you more sympathetic than an expensive set or a pricey hotel would. Most importantly, if it gets too overwhelming there are plenty of cute animals here to take your mind off things!" Marinette was a little concerned with just how well Lois understood how to paint a narrative but decided to roll with it. The two were in casual clothing as well, instead of the professional attire they were used to. Eventually, they were a couple minutes out from the camera feed going live, so Lois decided to give Marinette a rundown on how the process would work. "Ok honey, here's what's going to happen. I'll start off with an introduction explaining who you are and why we're here, and I'll ask you some basic small talk questions. After that, I'll ask about the scars, and it's your choice how much detail you wanna give. I'll base the rest of my questions off of what you tell me, so it will be like you and I just having a normal conversation. If at any time you need to stop, let me know and we'll cut the feed immediately. We've got a statement ready and everything, hell if you need me to I'll send the Super Boy Scouts to fetch Damian. Speaking of which you owe me an interview explaining how the hell you managed to charm that demon!" The two women laughed as they were told to take their places. The camera's light turned on, letting both women know they were now being broadcasted live to the entire world.

"Hello everyone! Thank you for joining us at such short notice. I'm Lois Lane and this gorgeous woman next to me is the marvelous designer Marinette Dupain-Cheng!" Marinette waved at the camera, trying to ignore the nerves in the pit of her stomach. "Mari started designing at only eight years old, and by the time she was fourteen, she had already started her own company and won multiple design competitions. She's one of those rare people with a special kind of spark. We first met when she attended a business conference that my son and his friend, her fiancé, by the way, happened to be at. I love this girl like a daughter, so Damian Wayne if you're listening, I'll kill you if you hurt her." Marinette laughed, she could practically hear the sound coming from Damian, a mix of indignation and shock that such a thing would ever be suggested. "I really could spend the whole interview just gushing about you Marinette, but then we'd have wasted your time and two plane tickets. As you know dear, the media has been speculating about you particularly intensely since Fashion Week. I'm not going to pull my punches, Mari," Lois said, the tone shifting to a more serious one as the older woman reached over to gently hold her hands, "What happened? Where did those scars come from?" Marinette took a deep breath; it was now or never. "For starters, they did NOT come from Chloe. Ever since she apologized and we worked on becoming friends, she has always been open and honest about how she bullied me in school. That stopped when I was fourteen and even at her worst she never physically hurt me. She's never denied what she did when we were young, and I want to make sure the message is clear." Lois nodded. The businesswoman had always been honest about how bitchy she was as a child, and as a result, created multiple organizations to deal with bullying. "I also want to be clear that these did NOT come from my parents. My Papa wouldn't hurt a fly and my Maman would only ever hurt someone who hurts her family." 'Smart move,' Lois thought. If she didn't clear it up, tabloids would certainly spread rumors that she was abused by her parents, and they didn't want that for Tom and Sabine.

"If I may, who did they come from? Or is it a bit more complicated than that?" "It's a bit more complicated. It was kind of like the perfect storm. I didn't realize it at the time, but my old school was a very toxic environment. My teacher was more concerned about preaching unconditional forgiveness and pushing problems under the rug. For example, I had paint poured on me right before our class photo, and instead of punishing the people who did it, she made me THANK them for "adding their creative touch" because I had designed my dress and obviously this was just them wanting to help." A screen behind them was showing the incident in question. Marinette managed to get the surveillance footage and audio of many examples of her bullying. Many of her tormentors had gone on to be successful, and if she didn't have proof she could be sued for defamation. "Chloe can back me up on this, but the principal wasn't much better. If you had money or power, he was at your beck and call. As a baker's daughter, I didn't have the resources a fashion heir, Mayor's daughter, and Diplomat's daughter did. So even in situations like the paint one, I was always in the wrong because if their children were in trouble, it would upset the money." Lois nodded, "It sounds like a lot of what happened to you was ignored. What about the school board?" "I tried to contact them, but they either never got my messages or ignored them. Either way, I had no adults I could trust, and anything I tried to make it stop only ended up backfiring." Marinette honestly had no idea why the school board never intervened. She called, emailed, and wrote letters, hell she was about to resort to telegraph.

"So, was it one person who bullied you, or was it, multiple people?" Lois asked. Her heart hurt for the young girl across from her. "It was everyone in my class except Chloe, Sabrina, and Nathaniel, my other friends, Kagami, Luka, and Marc weren't in my class. One girl led everything. Lila Rossi transferred to our class right before summer when I was thirteen. She was a liar, she claimed to know all these celebrities, go to all these countries, and do all these charities. Most of my class believed her right away, but I was always suspicious of her because I actually knew some of the people she lied about. I tried to call her out on it, and while a couple of my classmates like Nathaniel put the pieces together and realized she was full of bullshit, one classmate, Adrien Agreste, basically told me to shut up and take it. 'Take the high road,' he kept telling me even as he helped them shove me into lockers, shred my sketchbooks, and steal my stuff. He never physically hurt me, but he would cover for the others when they would. They would shove me down the stairs and I'd break an arm, and he would tell them that 'Typical clumsy Marinette tripped and feel.' They would cut me, cut my hair, and slice me with scissors," Marinette gestured to the many scars on her arm, "And he would tell any teachers that I was just not paying attention. They'd burn me with chemicals in the lab, and he would say I was goofing off. Thankfully Mrs. Mendeleev never believed that, and she had me come to her every time something happened so she could document it. It was all she could do with the principal being less than competent, and thanks to her I actually have a timeline of what happened and when," Marinette turned to face the camera, she had started crying a while ago but was still able to speak clearly, "Love ya, Mrs. M!"

"If you feel comfortable talking about it, how did their abuse, and let's be honest it was more like torture, affect you?" Marinette sighed and rubbed her wrists as she could feel herself sinking back into that feeling of dread she had dealt with each day. "I won't lie, it got to me, it really did. I struggled to sleep and was so scared to go to school that I'd get physically sick in the mornings. I completely shut myself off from the world for a while, it felt like I was on autopilot and just... doing what I had to do to survive." She took a couple of deep breaths and continued, "It didn't take long for me to believe what they were saying about me. My mental health was already screwed up thanks to Bustier, I had a martyr complex the size of Jupiter. I was taught to always be the peacemaker, always do things for others, and always take every burden. I would get in trouble if I asked for help or tried to decline to do something. I would get yelled at for asking to be paid back the thousands of dollars of costs I was taking on trying to please everyone else. So, when Lila, my classmates, and even Adrien began telling me that I was worthless, that they would be happier if I was gone, and that nobody would miss me if I died..." Marinette choked back a sob, but still tried to continue, "I spent many nights contemplating if I should take their advice and end it. I never did, primarily because I didn't want the people I loved to have to deal with the aftermath. Then, and to this day I don't know how she did it, but Lila got me blacklisted from Gabriel. She claimed to anyone who'd listen that I was an awful bully, I stole my designs, and that I only liked Adrien because I was a gold-digging whore. I had a crush on him at one time, but after what he did to me... He's dead to me. They all are. Anyways, it felt like my whole world shattered. I cried for days and stopped eating. Even though I've gotten better, I still struggle with my self-esteem. They told me I would never amount to anything, and I still struggle with trying not to believe them."

"How long were you in this awful situation?" Lois asked. She seriously considered signaling to the person controlling the TV that was set up behind them to cut the feed. Some of the injuries Marinette and Mrs. Mendeleev had taken photos of were truly awful, and the security camera feeds were tough to watch. But the world needed to know what had happened and needed to know that it wasn't okay. "I put up with it for two years, until I just... snapped. I couldn't take it anymore and broke down to my parents. I begged them not to send me there, I didn't care where they sent me to school, as long as it wasn't Dupont. I had kept so much from them because I was so scared they wouldn't believe me, that they'd be disappointed, that they'd tell me it was my fault," Marinette dabbed at her tears. Lois had told her to wear waterproof mascara and she was very grateful for it, "I never should have doubted them, Maman and Papa believed me, and had me switched to Luka and Kagami's school within the week. Marc, Chloe, Sabrina, and Nathaniel joined me shortly afterward. They told me that without the class punching bag infighting began, Lila apparently began a witch hunt of sorts. She began accusing anyone who even looked at her funny of bullying. They left before it could get much worse. It was a bit tough to adjust to my new school, I had my friends there, but I was still pretty quiet and kept to myself. My new classmates were so kind and patient with me, I think they understood that something really bad had happened to me. They never pushed me to tell them what happened, and while there were a couple of meaner students it was NOTHING compared to my old school. Because of them, and because I was in a healthier environment I was able to bounce back!"

Lois couldn't help the rush of pride she felt looking at the young woman. She remembered when she first met Marinette, who seemed rather shy and overwhelmed at that conference. She had offhandedly mentioned having to go get a dress for a press event and watching as a roaring fire was lit within Marinette's eyes. The girl had explained she was an aspiring fashion designer, and seemingly out of thin air she pulled out a sketchbook and pencil and began working. Lois swore the pencil was smoking with how fast the designer was working. She had been handed a sketch (and list of colors and materials) of the most beautiful dress she had seen. At said event, she was dubbed the best dressed and was quick to tell everyone she met about the talented teenager that had designed it. "One last question Mari, it's been a long day and I think you need TLC more than anyone right now. If you could face your tormenters today, what would you say to them?" Marinette took a deep breath and thought for a moment. "Well, I would like to say a few different things to a few people. To Lila, I want to say: I hope you're happy. You got everything you wanted and yet I'm still standing. I won't ask you why because I know why you did it: You could, plain and simple. To my classmates: I feel so sorry for you all, that you were so easily manipulated, that you were so quick to resort to violence on word of mouth alone. I feel sorry because you all were also victims of Mrs. Bustier, but in a different way than I was. You all were taught to expect someone to always carry the brunt of the load, and your bad behavior was encouraged. To Adrien: I know you're going to try and reach out to me and tell me to release a statement saying I made it up for attention. I can practically hear Nathalie typing it out now. I will not stand down, go ahead, and try to sue me, I have the evidence on my side. You were the only one who reached out to me after I changed schools, only to tell me to come back and that the problems the class had after I left were my fault. Leave me alone Adrien. I don't need you in my life and I don't want you in it. Stay the hell away from me." After she said this, a notification from Twitter pinged on everyone's phone. The tweet was from Damian Wayne and was quickly displayed on the screen behind the two women, 'On behalf of my Fiancée, legal action is being taken against her former tormenters, the people, and institutions that allowed this to happen and go on as long as it did. Don't bother harassing Marinette, this is completely out of her hands. If anyone decides to ignore her warnings or mine, a restraining order will be filed.'

The interview set off quite the explosion on the internet. May students of Dupont came out and confirmed Marinette's claims. It was trending for weeks and sparked international conversations about bullying. What shocked everyone was the severity of what Marinette endured, and it posed the question, "If she went through all that, who else could be going through similar things?" Suddenly the schoolboard had finally heard about what had happened to Marinette, and quickly fired Damocles and Bustier, primarily due to the public outrage that the two had flown under the radar. Investigations into their conduct revealed that Dupont did not just have a high akumatization rate, it also had a high suicide rate. Mrs. Mendeleev was revealed to have stayed primarily to try and help students escape such a bad environment and received a lot of praise. The school board finally released its statement, "We were greatly disturbed to hear of the abuse Mrs. Dupain-Cheng suffered at Collège Françoise Dupont and that educators under our employ did nothing to aid her. We were alarmed to hear that Mrs. Dupain-Cheng and her family tried to report her abuse and were unable to reach us. We are currently investigating this along with the many failures that led to Mrs. Dupain-Cheng's suffering. The two educators who were most responsible were let go and will no longer be in teaching positions. We sincerely apologize to Mrs. Dupain-Cheng and any others who have suffered due to oversights by the school board." The statement did not have the effect the school board had hoped for. The public largely found it unacceptable, and while they were happy Bustier and Damocles could no longer cause any damage, they were still infuriated and disturbed by the sheer ignorance (willful or not) of everything that went on within Dupont. An unexpected side effect of Marinette's interview was the scrutiny the parents of her bullies faced. People questioned how they could be so unaware of just what their children were doing and becoming, especially with Marinette making them so many things that obviously required time and money to make. Alya’s parents were criticized more harshly than the rest, primarily due to how many videos of the class's abuse were posted to the Ladyblog. The main question on everyone's mind was, 'How did this not get noticed sooner?'

Marinette's former classmates felt like their lives were imploding. They were served by the Wayne Lawyers, and it was made very clear to them that Damian Wayne was spearheading the fight against them, not Marinette. Adrien talked to his family lawyers about how they could get the suits dropped, and they told him, "Hell will freeze over before a Wayne backs down." Lila and Alya were hit with additional lawsuits from various others as well. Alya had posted Lila's many false claims about various celebrities on the Ladyblog, and their reputations had taken a hit. People began to wonder why so many famous people associated with Lila when all of her actions were revealed, and many PR teams had to work overtime to reassure the public that they had never met the girl in question. An investigation revealed that Lila had charged many of the class's shopping trips and expensive dinners to various celebrities' accounts, so she was also facing criminal charges as well. She had been effectively excommunicated from the class. After her lies came out and their actions were revealed they quickly cut contact. They were at a loss, their excuse for why they teased (They still refused to see it as anything more severe than light teasing) Marinette was because she was bullying Lila. Now that that was proven to be false, they searched for any reason to justify their actions. They can't really say that they were completely oblivious to Lila's lies, Marinette had tried to tell them multiple times and they had brushed her off thinking she was jealous that another girl was close to Adrien. Speaking of the blond, he had arranged a meeting at the Agreste Manor, and he looked like he hadn't slept since the interview. He wished he still had the Cat Miraculous, so he could escape this nightmare. He didn't want to admit it but the evidence of what he did and helped cover up was pretty damning, and it made the last words Ladybug had said to him the night she took his Miraculous all those years ago make sense, "Your actions as a civilian and in costume have proven that you are too irresponsible and immature to wield a Miraculous." He froze, Ladybug knew what he did. Ladybug, the love of his life, knew he helped make Marinette's life hell. His classmates looked at him as he was stuck in his mental turmoil, and they realized this was probably the first seriously negative press the Agreste Heir had ever gotten.

His image as Paris's Sunshine, a perfect gentleman who could do no wrong was ruined. All of their careers were, but they still held on to hope that they could save it. They didn't want to apologize, they didn't think they should have to, they were deceived by Lila after all. Adrien had hired a PR team to figure out what they should do, he had also asked privately what he should do. They had suggested a public apology and then disappearing from the public eye for a while. Thankfully his aunt and cousin agreed to let him stay with them, although he knew that Felix was never gonna let him live this down. His cousin called the second the interview finished and ripped into him. It had been incredibly hard for him to watch, and his classmates said the same. Seeing all those scars on Marinette, watching her breakdown, seeing the injuries he had helped cause, and watching the security footage of what they did... He had run to the bathroom and thrown up. Were they really that bad? Come to think of it, he remembered Marinette switching to long sleeves after they pushed her down the stairs and broke her... He was going to be sick again. His father was managing his own crisis, with his blacklisting of Marinette without solid evidence being put on blast. People were boycotting Gabriel, and it seemed like everything he did to try and fix the situation made it worse. He was brought back to the present by the cough of the man from the PR company. "Alright, now that I have everyone's attention, this is by far one of the most difficult cases I've seen in my career," Alya cut in, "We weren't that bad! Besides, it was so long ago, and I'd hardly call what we did bullying-" "Mrs. Césaire what you all did to Mrs. Dupain-Cheng is considered torture! Thank your lucky stars the statute of limitations is up, and you were children at the time, people have gone to prison for a long time for doing much less than what you all did!" To emphasize his point, he began playing the parts of the interview that showed the extent of Marinette's injuries. No one could bring themselves to look at the screen, a couple started to cry, and Adrien felt bile rise in his throat. The PR expert continued, "This goes far beyond simple bullying, you all are lucky Mrs. Dupain-Cheng did not make an attempt on her life. You are especially lucky that she said you were victims of Mrs. Bustier's utterly abysmal failings as an educator. But-" He cut Alya off before she could start,"-That does not mean you're completely Scott-free. You all still made the conscious choice to do what you did to Mrs. Dupain-Cheng, and that cannot be excused by being misled or having an enabler for a teacher. The best you can do is apologize and admit what you have done was wrong. You'll have to pray that Mrs. Dupain-Cheng decides to throw you a bone, and you WILL NOT contact her to try and force her to forgive you. That is absolutely the worst thing you can do because it will come off as if you haven't changed at all. The best thing you can do is apologize, admit you were in the wrong, and leave. Her. Alone. I will arrange an interview of our own so you can publicly apologize, a script will be written, and you'd better not deviate from it."

Nadja Chamack was the only journalist willing to interview them. It was decided that they would use the same format Marinette did and that Adrien would do most of the talking. After a brief introduction, their apology interview began. "What brings you all here today, especially after the shocking revelations that have come out," Nadja asked. She hated that she had to stick to a script, if she had it her way she would be asking the REAL questions, 'Why do you think Marinette is speaking about this now? Do you think she has something to gain? Isn't it a little fishy that she has the Wayne legal team suing you all and not her own? Do you think she's hiding something, or is she trying to get revenge?' Her producers stressed that she had to stick to the script because they would not hesitate to fire her if she began making such allegations. Adrien spoke, trying to keep himself composed, "We're here because we saw Marinette's interview, we saw how our actions hurt her, and we wanted to publicly apologize to her. We know what we did was wrong, and we were assholes. We wanted to explain our side, we know it won't fix anything or make things right, but we owe Marinette an explanation." He was doing exactly what his PR team told him to do, sounding sincere and referring to Marinette by her first name to establish a connection. Nadja nodded for him to continue, so he did, "When Lila came to school and began telling us about all the things she did and people she knew, it wasn't that hard to believe. I'm a model, Alya ran the Ladyblog, Rose knew Prince Ali, and Marinette had all these amazing connections. We weren't surprised that a diplomat's daughter knew all these people, and it wasn't exactly out of the norm for a class like ours. Somehow Marinette found out she was lying, and we refused to believe her." It was Alya's turn to speak, and the importance of staying on the script was highlighted to her, "Marinette had a massive crush on Adrien at the time, and she had gotten jealous of other girls before, so we figured this was just another one of those episodes. We also wanted to believe the best in Lila and give her the benefit of the doubt, it was what Mrs. Bustier had taught us."

Nadja couldn't help herself, she had to ask, "Adrien, when did you find out about Marinette's crush on you? How did you feel about it?" "I found out a few weeks before she transferred, and at the time I was shocked. It explained so much, about why she was so shy around me, why she was willing to listen to my awful advice. I was fully wrapped up in Lila's web then, and couldn't see past my massive crush on Ladybug so I tried to convince myself that she was a bully, and her crush was weird, but now? Now I wish I hadn't been such a coward. I wish I had seen that such an amazing girl was in front of me, if I could go back and do it differently I would. I would have stood up for her, I would have had her back for real. My biggest regret is that I didn't help her when she needed me and that I didn't reach out sooner to apologize and fix things. I lost the most amazing woman to Damian Wayne, and I’ll always regret that.” A small part of him hoped that Marinette still held a small flame for him and that he’d have a chance. He did some thinking and realized that Marinette was likely (he wasn’t 100% sure) Ladybug. If he could win her back, then he had a chance to convince his Lady to return his Miraculous, and that they were meant to be. Ladybug had no reason to be active, she defeated Hawkmoth and Mayura by herself, and had gone around the world gathering the remaining Miraculous. Part of his theory that the two were one and the same was that Marinette’s Fiancé and his family are in Gotham and are most likely providing funding for the Bat Family, and a new hero called Lady Miracle had been spotted patrolling with them, and she was reported to have multiple powers. These powers lined up with the Miraculous and her costume changed as she used them, so the two women were either one and the same or working together. Had Adrien developed these logical deduction skills earlier he would have recalled Marinette’s declaration that he was dead to her. Both the producer and PR rep were signaling to get back on the script or else their interview would be cut short. Nadja went on to the next question, “Okay, I can understand falling for someone whose life sounded similar to yours, but what I can’t understand is why you decided to pick on Marinette?”

Adrien took a deep breath, “Well Nadja, just like Marinette said in her interview with Mrs. Lane, it was a really complicated situation. What we believe now is that Marinette never bullied Lila, we know it was the other way around,” Rose cut in, going off script, “Mari didn’t have a mean bone in her body!” She sobbed into her hands, “I don’t know why we believed that, that witch over her.” “She told us what we wanted to hear,” Max sighed, “Lila promised us that she could introduce us to her important friends who could advance our careers and whether we consciously realized it or not we were willing to do almost anything to stay in her good graces.” Adrien shot them a look and continued, “My theory is that Lila gave Marinette an ultimatum, play along or she’d make Mari’s life hell. Not long after Lila began modeling for my father’s company, she began claiming Marinette was doing various things like stealing answer sheets, stealing from her, and pushing her down the stairs. Marinette was expelled without an investigation, and because we were kids, we trusted that the adults in charge were following procedures. She was reinstated, and Lila began claiming Marinette was tormenting her again. Like Max said, we were worried that if Lila didn’t believe we supported her then she would refuse to help us, but it mostly comes down to the fact that Lila lied well, and we were scared. She would claim Marinette beat her up after school and would come into school the next day with bruises. We suspect now that she was using makeup. Lila never outright said to hurt Marinette, but she was great at implying it. She said that she wished Marinette knew what the hurt she caused felt like and that If it happened to Marinette, she might quit being a bully. I think it was a case of falling into groupthink and fear. Everyone else around us seemed to believe Lila so fully, and anyone who didn’t was outcasted and treated terribly. We were afraid to challenge her, afraid to challenge the group, and we genuinely didn’t realize just how far we had escalated. I swear we never intended to hurt Marinette so badly, we sort of mindlessly followed along with what Lila suggested. When she and a couple of our other classmates transferred, Lila’s control snapped, and it was like waking up from a bad dream. She began to see her control slipping and began accusing others of doing the same things she accused Marinette of doing. It got to the point where she accused all of us of bullying her, and we realized she was full of shit. We realized what kind of person she was, and what we had become and decided to go our separate ways.” Nadja frowned. They had literally been spotted hanging out with Lila the week before Marinette was at Fashion Week and this whole thing began. If they had known Lila was a lying sociopath back in school, why the hell were they still hanging out with her? What about Marinette’s evidence? She had phone calls from Adrien demanding she returns to fix Lila’s mess, and evidence that he had known the whole time that Lila was lying. She may not be at Lois Lane’s level of reporting, but she could smell bullshit when it was in front of her, and judging by the look on her producer’s face, he’d caught on as well. Their PR agent nodded along, which told her that this was the narrative they created. They weren’t telling the truth, at least not the full truth, they were trying to slip out of trouble like they always did. Nadja remembered Marinette’s drastic change when she came to babysit Manon and listening to what these young adults were trying to spin confirmed that her earlier questions about Marinette’s interview were unfounded. Then she saw it: The signal from her producer, she could go off the script!

“Now Adrien,” She started in a tone she usually saved for when Manon was being challenging, “I’m not sure we were watching the same interview. I clearly remember some evidence Marinette presented showing that you all had fun tormenting her. I also remember that she had recordings of you demanding she comes back and fixes Lila’s mess. You called her a punching bag and said that the class needed its punching bag back otherwise they would begin ‘taking things out on each other.’ That’s not exactly what you’re telling me here. You all were spotting spending time with Lila before fashion week, and you seemed to be thick as thieves with her. So let me ask you this: Why are you lying to me?”

Adrien looked like a deer caught in the headlights, and so did his PR agent. They hadn’t expected Nadja to question their story, “I… We might have remembered some events differently. Most importantly, we want Marinette to know how sorry we are for everything that happened and what we did. We know that what Mrs. Bustier taught us is wrong, we are not owed her forgiveness, but we hope that she can find it in her heart to forgive us. Hopefully, we can work on rebuilding our friendship, but we understand that wounds like the ones we caused take time to heal. Mari, when you’re ready, please reach out to us. We’d love to apologize in person as well.” Nadja rolled her eyes. Looking at this bunch, it was obvious the sincerity wasn’t there. They acted like children getting caught sneaking an extra cookie when Nadja brought up Marinette’s evidence proving they weren’t as remorseful as they claimed to be. The fact that they only recently cut off Lila proved that they were lying and had planned to use her as a scapegoat. Nadja decided to make one last attack, “When she’s ready? She made it very clear she wanted nothing to do with you all. Why do you all think she owes you her attention and friendship after everything you did? You hurt her, yet here you all are acting like you’re the injured party!” “We are the injured party! Marinette’s little pity party ‘poor me’ attention whore act cost us our careers! She’s being overdramatic like she always is and now WE’RE suffering because she couldn’t take a little teasing,” Alya yelled with her classmates voicing their agreement. Everyone in the studio froze. The PR representative was shaking his head, while everyone else was in shock. The former Dupont students realized their mistake and quickly tried to backtrack only to be cut off by Nadja, “We are done. I will not let you use my coworkers or me to harass that girl anymore! You clearly cannot see the error of your ways and blame her for the misfortune you brought on yourselves. I may not be at Lois Lane’s level of journalism, but I am not a fool, and I will not be a puppet for you to spread your pitiful self-gratifying apology. Let’s be honest, you all clearly don’t care about the hurt you caused Marinette, you just care about the damage the truth did to your reputations. Get out of my studio! Get out of this building!” And with that, the interview was cut.

Their interview was trending, but it wasn’t for the reasons they had hoped. If they had done anything, it was throwing gas onto the fire. People almost couldn’t believe how heartless and totally unaware they were, that was clear from the various social media posts. “WOW. You guys are making grey sweatshirt Influencer apology videos look more sincere.” “Ew. Just. Ew. I used to like Adrien Agreste but now? No way. Watch out Damian Wayne he’s coming to steal his punching bag back.” “Teasing? Teasing doesn’t leave MULTIPLE SCARS.” “That was so self-serving. I gotta admit I feel terrible for whoever they hired for PR. Talk about letting the true colors out.” “I gotta give Nadja Chamack some credit! I was not expecting that level of journalism and take-no-bullshit out of her!” Twitter was having a field day with the live interview, and the statement released by Marinette’s former tormenters apologizing for their behavior during the interview and to Marinette didn’t fair much better. It was safe to say they had lost whatever little goodwill they had with the public. Lila had taken a slightly different approach. She did her own interview claiming that she never wanted Marinette to be hurt physically and that it was their former classmates that took things way too far. She cried that she was so, so sorry and that all she had wanted was to impress her classmates who had much more exciting lives than she did. Lila revealed that she had a crush on Adrien as well and was jealous of Marinette whom she saw as a threat. She explained that she spread rumors about Marinette hoping that Adrien would believe them and think Marinette was a bully, but their classmates took it too far. Lila claimed that she wanted to reveal that she’d made it all up, but she was scared that their classmates would turn on her and hurt her. She expressed shock that her friends would throw her under the bus for their wrongdoings and had her own apology for Marinette. Her interview was met with a bit more sympathy until someone (We all know it was Tim) released the recordings of Lila threatening Marinette and expressing to her victim the delight she took in watching Marinette being hurt by their classmates. Suddenly Lila’s image of the ‘Girl who made a few bad choices trying to impress her classmates and crush’ was shattered, and on top of all the lawsuits her public lies on the Ladyblog brought her, she was shunned as well. Gabriel, trying to cut his losses, fired Lila, and released a statement claiming that she was the one giving him false information on Marinette. However, Lila was determined to go down fighting and revealed her ace: Gabriel Agreste was Hawkmoth, and his assistant was Mayura. She had somehow collected evidence linking him to it while she worked for him as a model and as an Akuma provider.

The outrage was gigantic, with Ladybug having to return to explain that she had tried to go to the police, but they had not believed her or the proof she had. Ladybug had hung onto that proof, such as the gigantic map she had of where all the Akumatizations happened, and where the purified butterflies returned to. The French Federal Government decided to investigate how the Parisian Government had handled Hawkmoth, and they also decided to investigate Ladybug. They had found a young woman (whose identity they kept anonymous) who had been forced into the role by chance but had thankfully turned out to be incredibly competent. They found that she had worked within the law and had tried on multiple occasions to work with the police, but they had rejected her. Once she had discovered who Hawkmoth was she went to them, only to get laughed out of the police station. Why she wasn’t believed was something that was still unknown to the Investigators, but they had found Ladybug to be a superb hero. She was cleared, and given full permission to operate in France, should she ever choose to return. Chat Noir did not fare as well and was thoroughly raked over the coals by the report that was released. He had started out alright, but as time went on he quickly began to act out. He prioritized flirting and trying to win Ladybug’s affection and would refuse to help or even show up when she didn’t humor him. The report also revealed that he had been harassing civilians, such as one Marinette Dupain-Cheng. The designer had to explain that she had met Chat during an Akuma attack, and they’d become friends before his behavior worsened. Then after that, he’d harassed her on behalf of his other friend, Adrien Agreste. Twitter was on fire after this revelation, and #GiveMariABreak was trending.

No one knew who leaked Chat Noir’s identity, but theories were abundant. Some believed one of the investigators had loved ones who had suffered from Akuma attacks and Chat Noir’s behavior, and another group thought that the Waynes were behind it. They said that the Waynes were so enraged by the treatment their youngest’s fiancée had received at the hands of people who would have otherwise escaped punishment, that they decided to completely destroy her former tormentors. Considering Damian brought out the Wayne legal team, and Tim leaked the Lila Files, it was definitely possible that both theories could be true. What everyone did know, is that this outrage would go down in history. Adrien was still catching a lot of heat from the horrendous interview, which certainly did not help his case. It was quickly cleared up that he had no idea his father was Hawkmoth, and while officially on the report it said there was no evidence that he’d helped his father, the public speculation could not be stopped. In the chaos, photos were released of Ladybug landing on Marinette’s balcony and entering her room. These were brushed off as nothing surprising, surely the two women that were constantly harassed by the same man (even if they didn’t realize it) would find each other and start a support group. Adrien made a public plea for Ladybug to back him up and explain that he was a good hero, but it would seem that the Heroine of Paris had disappeared into hiding. It was clear that she had turned her back on him, just like he had turned on her all those years ago. He narrowly escaped getting charged along with Gabriel and Nathalie, but that didn’t stop the barrage of civil lawsuits he got hit with. The year ended with many trials, and the Wayne legal team proved why they were not to be messed with. Shortly after, a documentary was announced, to permanently document the fall of so many powerful people.

The documentary was a hit and contained all of the interviews that had taken place in the saga. The documentary was released at a party hosted by Bruce Wayne to celebrate his new Daughter-in-Law’s success, and it was met with rave reviews. But where was Marinette during the outcome of her interview? The designer had decided to step back from the spotlight until the mess had been resolved and hadn’t been seen in public since the initial interview. She was currently standing in the Wayne Manor with her husband, preparing to walk into the ballroom for her first public appearance as a Wayne. She was nervous. What if people began claiming that she’d only done this to take down a business rival? What if people accused her of making all of it up? She was brought back to reality by her husband, who pulled her into his arms. Damian gently kissed her forehead and whispered, “What’s bothering you, My Love?” Marinette had told him what had happened to her a year after the two became friends, and her bullies were lucky Bruce stopped him from going on a rampage. When he was watching his Darling’s interview with Lois at the Manor with the rest of his family, he could feel that fury reignite. It was also the first time his family learned about the abuse Marinette had endured (and suddenly his protectiveness made sense), so when he asked his father for the contacts for the Wayne legal team, Bruce had happily given them to him. Marinette took a deep breath, “I guess I’m just nervous, this is my first time being in public since everything came out and…” “And you’re worried that you’ll be walking into a den of lions.” Mari nodded, still amazed that he always seemed to know exactly what was wrong.Damian took a small step back and brushed a strand of hair out of her face, “My Jewel, you’ll be fine, I promise. The world believed you when you told them, you had strong evidence to support you, it’s illogical for them to turn on you now. Besides,” He gently poked her cheek, “Lila exposed Gabriel Agreste as Hawkmoth in a last-ditch effort to save herself. Think about it this way,” he gently twirled her around, admiring as the crystals she had hand sown into the stunning train on her dress sparkled. It was a tradition for every new member of the Wayne Family to debut in an all-black outfit, and Marinette had designed the most stunning dress in the Family’s history. “We attend the party, which is your debut as my gorgeous wife and I want to brag, and afterward we can go home, order some takeout, and binge-watch whatever you want on the couch with the Kwamii and the cats.” Damian would gladly and proudly admit that his wife brought out a side in him that he didn’t know he had, and Marinette was the only person he was regularly affectionate with. She was his star, and he wanted everyone to know how amazing she was. Marinette laughed, “Well I suppose we could do that; you drive quite the hard bargain Mr. Wayne.” The couple laughed, and all of Marinette’s worries evaporated as they entered the ballroom.

The young couple was met with hushed awe as they walked in, the wind from the open balcony doors catching parts of Marinette’s train. She looked ethereal in her gown, a stunning black dress with a long train that sparkled like stars in the void. The dress was form-fitting, with a galaxy of crystals wrapping around her body, coming to frame the neckline of her dress. It was an off-the-shoulder gown with a low V-neck. Marinette’s hair was done in an elegant bun, and the only jewelry she wore was her Miraculous, disguised as a pair of diamond earrings. The only other color she wore was blood-red lipstick. She looked like a goddess, elegant and regal, and held herself as if she was one. Despite the scars that littered her body, she stood proud, they were a part of her and would always be. The crowd began to murmur as the two youngest Waynes joined the rest of their family, “Is that Marinette? She looks spectacular!” “I heard she based parts of her dress off Princess Diana's Revenge Dress.” “I definitely believe that! She certainly looks like royalty!” “I’m surprised she’s showing her scars.” “Why wouldn’t she? The world should know what happened to her, and there’s no shame in being a survivor.” Kagami was right, no one doubts a victor’s scars. Cameras flashed, capturing her image from every angle as she talked with her parents and in-laws, and soon she was quickly whisked away by Damian to dance and mingle. She had to fight back a laugh, he loved letting everyone know that he had married this fantastic woman, despite the fact that the two bickered like cats and dogs when they were younger. He also knew that her old classmates were watching from their homes and wanted them to see the phoenix that had risen from the ashes. Damian wanted to drive the point home that while they had attempted to break Marinette, she was stronger. As the two danced and talked, the media had already begun crafting tomorrow’s newspapers. By the time the two had said their goodbyes and left the party for the night, the first article was out. ‘The Revenge Dress has a Successor: Marinette Wayne’s Revenge Look.’

[digi-lov]

Digimon & Tamagotchi

Bandai V-Pet Crossovers Part 1 (Part 2)

In 1996 Bandai and WiZ inc. released the original Tamagotchi. To their surprise, the toy proved to be popular among boys as well, despite it being mostly marketed for girls. And in 1997, as a more targeted approach to this demographic, Digital Monsters was born!

A huge virtual pet boom followed and not only did Bandai and Wiz release new versions of Tamagotchi and Digital Monsters, and try multiple v-pets with a variety of styles within the next couple of years, but other companies also tried to bandwagon on the success of these virtual pets!

(Such as Nintendo in 1998 with the Pocket Pikachu-)

While the Tamagotchi was shaped like an egg (jap. tamago) with a crack in its shell where the screen is, the Digital Monster was shaped like a brick cage with bust-open bars! It also featured the ability to connect and battle! Otherwise they both use the same three button layout and similar menu icons. On the Tamagotchi, the toilet icon is portrayed by a duck themed potty, which is also used as the look for the Portable Potty items in many Digimon games.

Now with how closely these two franchises were developed, there's bound to be more that connects the two, right?

One such thing is Tamagotchimoji and Digimoji/DigiCode!

You can see that the two scripts are basically identical, just stylized differently. While Tamagotchimoji got used sparsely until they stopped using it in 2004 (But had a surprising comeback in one social media post on April 10, 2023?!), Digimoji has been used, and still is being used everywhere in the Digimon franchise! There is also a separate set of characters for the Latin Alphabet.

[Tamagotchimoji on the left, Digimoji on the right, respective Hiragana above the character]

Just like we know it from the Digimon Franchise, the Tamagotchi also grow through evolutionary stages along a branching path, depending on how well you take care of them! The original line of Tamagotchi as well as Digimon owe their designs to Kenji Watanabe! Generally all Tamagotchi's names end in "-tchi" or "-chi", similar to how Digimon names end in "-mon".

In these evolution charts, the Tamagotchi and Digimon are arranged by how well they've been taken care of / how good they are, with the top line being the best, and the bottom being the worst.

But that Tamagotchi chart is actually just the international version, which had "Bill" (aka Gaijintchi/Ketotchi) as secret character past the adult stage. Instead the Japanese version featured "Oyajitchi" (jap. oyaji means "old man").

But wait, doesn't that face look familiar...?

According to the Digimon Reference Book, Nanimon's true identity is unknown and it in fact came from another dimension, where it was known under the title OYAJI. In order to survive in the new environment of the Digital World, Nanimon had to go through a lot of training and battling.

Nanimon's name is also a play on its bizarre nature. In Japanese, "nanimon" is a casual abbreviation of "nanimono" which means "what (thing)". So, with intonation indicating a question, "nanimonda" can mean both "What are you?" or "I am Nanimon".

This joke is even included directly in Digimon World when the player encounters Nanimon.

「ん？なにもんだ？！」 "N? Nanimon da?!" “Huh? What are you?!” 「ナニモンだァ！」 "Nanimon da!" “I’m Nanimon!”

Nanimon's nature as an alien to this World is also reflected in his trait in the Card Game being "Invader".

Nanimon BT6-058 by Kenji Watanabe from BT-06 Booster Double Diamond

So yeah, Nanimon is supposed to be Oyajitchi who came from the Tamagotchi World to the Digital World.

Stay tuned for next friday when we talk about another World connected to the Digital World!

Special thanks to: tamagotchi wiki, gotchi-garden and tamatalk for being great resources!

If you're interested in more Tamagotchi stuff, go check out @tamapalace !

[slightly-warmer-hibiscus-tea]

My Touchstarved MC / OC time

Because I've been saving it for today^-^

[Warning: long rambling, and possibly no editing]

I have come to the point where I view the main LI's as my side characters to my silly little cannon divergent lore. So everything is completely made up, and also I'm going to rewrite my MCs to fit the actual game when it comes out. so there is my disclaimer before I head off into Lala land.

I've made different MCs based on the three backstories you can choose when you enter the game.

The Alchemist (Naudedel)

Hound (Hound)

Unnamed (Noble)

Each is still cursed but each curse takes on a different form or is gained at a different time along the journey to Eridia.

Noble is the one with the original curse from the game. They corrupt the minds of those they touch. Except on rare occasions...

Hound is a by-product of Nobel's hands. Hound is (till they reach Eridia...) the only one who can touch Nobel without punishment. Though she seems to have still retained her sanity, there is one man who refuses to deny the golden veins running under her skin.

Naudedel was an experiment gone rogue. An attempt to create an artificial God gone wrong. Turning his back on his creator, but still tries to reach for a false heaven on his own.

In my little headcanon world, they are all traveling together as a found family. Hound acts as their guardian, Noble is the oldest, Naudy is the weird middle child, and then there is Cetcher, who is a stand-alone OC who was adopted into their little family.

| And here is a little family photo/reference sheet :D - I'll explain the designs later |

Also, designs aren't finalized completely!! (which is why Hound is missing the prosthetic mentioned below)

The General BackStory: part I

Hound meets Noble when they are around six and takes care of them along with the help of her then-husband Cove. The two worked as mercenaries till taking Noble in as their own. The young couple promised to watch over Noble as they travel to Erida to try and find a cure for their curse. Along the way Hound and Cove hit what they called... a rough patch. Which resulted in Cove severing Hound's leg, not before she could take his good arm. Though Hound can't remember much of their life before that fight. She does know that he is still out there, and looking for them. But a swordsman without his dominant hand isn't much concern for her so she pushes on with the child at her side.

That is when they find Naudedel. The prodigy son of a mage who lived at the top of the hill in the remains of a small standing town. The mage was an older woman, but hospitable to the young mother and her child. She was also very taken by Noble after learning about their infliction. And wanted to help them in their journey to Erida seeing she had ties there from her past. This is where Hound was given her prosthetic, fueled by alchemy and mechanics. Noble took a liking to Naudedel despite his moody disposition and the two (to Naudy's dismay) were stuck at the hip during their stay. However, things didn't stay pleasant for long. As if the air changed in the small town, dire truths flowed with it. Hound and Noble soon learned about the true nature of the boy bound to the hill. The 12th experiment, the 12th body that surprisingly hadn't been dropped in one of the many pre-made graves that ran along the hillside yet. "What a resilient boy she's found!" was the last macabre expression Hound was willing to put up with from the townsfolk before marching up that damned hill only to find a darker twist in the doorway. Naudedel was the one to free himself. The one to kill his mother and step off that hill in his own shoes. Hound just happened to walk in front of him. Or at least that's how he is allowed to tell the story.

The now trio continue their journey, arriving in one broken small town to the next. Around the time the young ones are teenagers and Hound is theoretically pushing late 30s yet every familiar face they meet on the road swears she hasn't aged a wink, They start a town riot...

...

However, that's a story for another time. Anyways, the kids adopted Cetcher as their new baby sister. Cetcher worked as an assistant for an apothecary in town. Though assistant is more of a stretch, servant or pet would have been more fitting. The man running the shop treated the child less than an errand boy and refused to elaborate on where he got her. So Naudedel made it his mission to run off with the kid with the ever-so-graceful help of Noble. After convincing Hound to take her in, the glossy-eyed baby joined their one-wagon caravan. With surprisingly great help from Naudedel, Hound taught Cetcher how to read and write, which might have been the start of her greatest joys, at least in the moment.

But they were on their way. And spent another 5 years on the road before getting close to the city. But that was where they would part ways for a year. Naudedel had found a lead to possibly undoing Noble's curse. But it would be out of their way and a possible goose chase. And Due to an unfortunate run-in with a certain swordsman wielding his signature longsword in his non-dominant hand. They needed to get on the move fast. The plan was for Naudedel and Cetcher to go off the path and for Hound to watch over Noble and make it into Eridia safely. This was the plan, but of course, things would never go accordingly. Here we are in the current day, Noble alone in Eridia left in Leander's care, Hound presumed dead, Cetcher lost in the Fogfall, and Naudedel making contracts with deities he is too proud to admit are over his head.

:)

But yes, my cornerstones of my silly found family.

[riddlerosehearts]

vil/idia valentine's day headcanons 💜💙

(as usual this post ended up more detailed and lengthy than i originally planned it to be, but i hope someone will enjoy it because i love this silly little ship of mine.)

idia has never liked valentine's day. it always seemed so pointless and frivolous, and there's so many people out talking and holding hands and kissing. probably all judging him for being alone. the only reason he cares at all about it is because many of the games he plays have limited-time valentine's events, so he usually just stays in his room all day playing through them.

and sure, idia loves a good romance anime, and he has more than a few favorite ships he thinks should totally be canon, but that's all just fiction. it's an escape from a reality where true love doesn't exist.

or so he used to believe. he never thought he'd find someone he really wanted to be with, or that they'd want him in return. not until, somehow, vil became that person. all the dating sims in the world couldn't have prepared him for this.

he knows he can't just hide out in his room on valentine's day when he has someone so important to spend it with now. but how can he give vil the happiness he deserves?

he could build a high-end custom laptop from scratch for him, or buy him a bouquet of his favorite flowers and take him to the fanciest restaurant in all of twisted wonderland, even though the latter idea utterly terrifies him. he could use his tech skills and his family's money to give vil the world, but if he knows his boyfriend at all, he knows that he probably doesn't want anything that extravagant.

(and besides, if the vil schoenheit tried to go out in public with his partner on valentine's day they would just get swarmed by paparazzi and idia is sure he'd roll a 1 and fail the stealth check required to avoid them. yeah, that's a quest path he will not be choosing anytime soon.)

idia knows it would be best to get vil something simple, but still thoughtful enough to make him feel special. and in the shoujo manga he likes, people always give handmade chocolate as a gift. but his cooking skill is stuck at level 1, and even if he could grind it up to 100, vil wouldn't want a box of chocolates loaded with sugar and calories. it can't just be some normie thing either--it has to stand out from the flowers and candies and love letters he gets swamped with by his fans.

remembering how vil has praised his gear designs for ortho before, he decides to buy some purple and gold beads and string them together to make a necklace. in the middle he places a small heart-shaped bead, adding an LED light inside that makes it pop with a subtle glow.

he also makes a handmade card that with a design that lights up at the press of a button. i imagine he'd put a pixel heart inside of it similarly to this zelda themed pop-out card i found:

they're both very simple projects for idia, but he feels certain that vil will love them.

and as for vil, he thinks valentine's day is a lovely holiday. it's an opportunity for people to celebrate the beauty of love, and to relax and take better care of themselves. even if you're single, you can still pamper yourself and celebrate with a friend. vil always tries to take the day off from any obligations if he can, though sometimes there are things he just can't slack off on.

this year, though, he absolutely will not be doing any photoshoots or interviews. this year he has a boyfriend, and yes he knows that idia hates the holiday but in his mind that's even more of a reason why he needs to be there for him. he won't allow idia to spend even one more second feeling lonely and unloved on valentine's day.

he initially has no idea what he should get idia, and ends up getting laughed at by cater who catches him googling "valentine's gifts for gamers" on his phone. look, just because he's acted in a few romance films and is considered a teen heartthrob by countless people who don't even know him, doesn't mean he automatically knows everything about dating.

cater and idia are friends, though, and cater knows enough about what he likes to be able to help vil pick a couple things out.

the first thing vil settles on is a lego building set that depicts a bouquet of roses. it would be fun for the two of them to build them together, and he wouldn't have to worry about idia inevitably forgetting to water them.

he also gets a card that's even dorkier than the one idia made for him--i'm specifically picturing this:

he tucks a note inside of it, with a short list of just a few of idia's best qualities. he hopes it can remind idia of why he likes him and wants to be with him and not someone else.

and lastly, he purchases a pack of bath bombs made to look like colorful D20 dice--relaxing, good for the skin, and aesthetically in line with idia's interests.

when valentine's day comes, they exchange gifts in vil's dorm room at pomefiore, where they've planned to spend the day. vil thinks the things idia has made for him are beautiful and he tells him as much.

but when idia recieves his gifts, he starts mumbling something about how a weirdo shut-in otaku like him doesn't deserve to be seen as a viable love interest and how vil must have had a confusion status debuff on him this whole time.

vil: "excuse me? you're not insulting my SSR boyfriend, are you? you don't think that i would try to max out the affection points for your route if i wasn't sure you were the perfect option for me?"

idia, who just knows the tips of his hair are turning pink: "s-sorry... i ran into a glitch that triggered the wrong dialogue. what i meant to say was, of course you picked a genius like me to be your player 2 instead of some lame normie who you'd have zero percent compatibility with! how could anyone but me match up to your top-tier stats?"

vil just smiles and rolls his eyes.

idia then reveals that he actually did get vil something sweet, but originally felt too nervous to give it to him.

it's a pack of candy flavored lip glosses. vil laughs and insists that they'll have to kiss enough times to taste test each flavor. idia's whole head of hair turns pink.

they spend the whole day together, doing things like watching an old romcom that vil adores or playing a co-op game that idia picked for them, and of course putting the lego rose bouquet together.

they also eat a nice meal together in a private place that vil set up for them in pomefiore--and all the other students know they'll incur their dorm leader's wrath if they dare to bother him on his date.

[starrysymphonies]

Guys I’m so normal about him I’m so normal guys I swear I swear guys please I’m normal!!

Balloon doodles + gijinka!

(Explaining my design choices because I LOVE symbolism!!)

In my mind Balloon has always been represented by a sun, s1 has a little thundercloud on his button up shirt, implied that the cloud is hiding the sun (him hiding his true self through acting) I tried to fit a bit more 2000s-ish fashion into the s1 design just cause I think it would be funny, couldn’t find too many good refs though and I don’t think he’d go over the top with an aesthetic soo yeah! Short hair and less saturated eyes

S2 the sun is peaking out from behind the cloud, they’re showing their true self more and more even if he does revert back to acting a few times (yelling at Pickle in Everythings-A-OJ). Both the flower and bracelet are from Suitcase, the bracelet is in her color pallete, the flower is one the two collected during the baking challenge. I don’t know what the original flower was meant to be (with a bit of research it has the shape of a balloon flower but not the color), the one I drew is a Blue Flax (symbolizing wisdom, freedom, growth, devotion, commitment, and maturity). He is still wearing the same button up from s1, but over it is a soft cardigan. This is intended to represent how they’re trying to show how they’ve grown and become something new, but people still see who they used to be. Something about staying in the past, accepting the past, not letting it define you while also accepting it as someone you used to be. Hair is longer, eyes are more saturated and pulling in oranges and reds into the shadow bits

S3 is a Beach Outfit! They were going to a vacation so I assumed they’d dress more vacation-y, so they’ve got on swim trunks and a sleeveless hoodie thing I’ve seen around. Suns out! Guns out! Along with being in a more confident pose, the sun is finally away from the clouds on their hoodie. This Balloon has a accepted his past and is trying to show who he truly is. Swim trunks are teal as a little nod to his aura. Aro pin + sinkers pin for funsies. Hair is much longer, and eyes are bright, adding fun pinks in!

Aside from design interpretation, headcanons!! I added some of my design headcanons and other headcanons to the doodles. Most if not all of my hcs for them is just me projecting in some way

[nemirutami]

I discovered you recently and was scrolling through your stuff when I fell in love with your Joker redesign. It’s just so Good! Not only is your art style perfect (for all your art, really) but the thought you put into it was just wonderful. My favorite part were the horns, they just fit so well! I’d love to see any other ideas you have, but really I just wanted to gush about how much I loved it. Thank you!

Aw, that makes me so incredibly happy!!!! As much as I rag on P5's story execution, I do adore all the potential there is to the characters and the potential in redesigns that better fit the character's personalities. I'll repost all the ones I've finished for funsies, but I think now is actually a good time to mention that I'm going to be compiling all my p5 redesigns into a little zine (a re-de-zine haha) with more detailed thought process behind what I was thinking when redesigning them (there wasnt enough blank space for all my notes, or my sketches)! I'll add some blurbs from the document I have in [these] brackets! I actually focused heavily on his mask, so I'm super relieved and excited that it's what you liked most about it!

JOKER

[[Aside from Akechi’s prince outfit (which I think was flawlessly executed), I knew that I couldn’t allow myself to butcher Joker’s design- especially since I intended to remake his mask, despite his mask being perfect as it is (and was also my base for the Black Mask design before I decided to remake everyone else). // My main concern was to make the outfit represent all of PT’s, not just Joker, but I also wanted to highlight Akechi’s part in playing as his foil. As such, where Akira has a heart shape connecting all phantom thieves together by a silver string of fate, Akechi has a distorted red glow that extends chains to weigh him down as well as wings to show his ability to choose his own path.]]

AKECHI [[I wanted to keep his face obscured, but add an option to show himself if he wished. So, a hood helped cover him up for me. It helped me make it feel as though it’s a “lost” part of Robin Hood that still clings on to his Black Mask design- a desire (though weak and decaying) to be a good person underneath it all for someone he once cared about. //

Akechi's chains (from his heart) symbolize his outlook on bonds, and how they tie you down, whereas Jokers symbolize the strength he has with his teammates. I felt like this was a little too sad to write on the concept page. Reading “Goro Akechi has no friends and it manifests in his Black Mask outfit” isn’t the most uplifting sentence you want to stumble across.]] ANN [[Ann was often forced to hold her tongue around Kamoshida in order to protect Shiho, and Shiho in turn tried to do the same to protect Ann. The whip I created for her is a play on the phrase “hold your tongue” showing a lion with it’s mouth open and its tongue hanging out- filled with thorns and ready to be used as a weapon to protect those that she values. One of her biggest weaknesses now becomes her force for change and success, and she ultimately uses her power as a thief to open the maw of the man that told her to be quiet- revealing all his ugly secrets with his own words.]]

FUTABA [[This one doesn't have any notes I can share yet, but she took ages to design, so that's why, lmfao!]]

MORGANA

[[ I wanted to make him blend in more with a classic SMT demon such as Jack Frost, but still distinct enough to stand out as “more than a demon”.

//

Since Morgana is the collective human hope, I think he can take any shape or form. I only retained his cat persona because I wanted to stay true to the original design concept of it being an animal. If I was allowed complete creative form over a “guiding light” however, I think I would base Morgana’s design on Anubis or psychopomps- guides of souls (souls of human hope). The interesting thing about psychopomps is that while Anubis is also an example of one, commonly, so are crows. Meaning, I would have to design Morgana to fit a canine in order to imply Akechi himself could have perhaps had a guide similar to Mona if he was not used to bring about ruin. However, Morgana’s cat aesthetic is tied into Joker’s own traits (sometimes down to mannerisms), so getting rid of the cat persona was not something I really wanted. That, and the fact the last protagonist was based on a loyal dog made it hard for me to choose canine. I would have liked to pull something out of zoroastrianism if possible, but I was not sure how far I could take it before his design became entirely unrecognisable. And the point of a redesign was not to entirely change them to become different characters, but just to play around with different themes to better fit the character and their backstory/feelings/traits.

]]

I really hope this content was fun to read!!!! The next design I have in my WIPS is Yusuke. Honestly, I find Ryuji and Yusuke are going to be super challenging, since I ADORE their designs and I genuinely do not want to just touch them up randomly without purpose and happen to downgrade them. Morgana and Ann were my easiest targets haha.

[skeletonpunching]

Buddy Daddies interview with Toyonaga Toshiyuki

Interview with Toyonaga Toshiyuki (voice actor for Kurusu Kazuki)

Interviewer: When you first saw the character design, description, and other information about Kurusu Kazuki, what impression did you have?

Toyonaga: I felt like this was a bright character - but he was also clad in a coat that gave off a slightly bleak air, so I imagined that there must surely be more to him than just that womanising side. At first, this series was referred to by the nickname of "Parenting Project", so I wondered, "Is he becoming a papa or something???"

Interviewer: Once you actually acted as him, what did you find appealing or interesting about Kazuki?

Toyonaga: I think, hopefully, the brightness and liveliness came across. The director also told me, "Please do lots of cooking," and I wondered: how could I add my own extra touches to the character of Kurusu Kazuki, while staying true to the series and the character? I treated this as a test from the director. But there was already plenty of interesting nuance to the lines of dialogue, and I tried to convey all of that fully in my performance.

Interviewer: You were essentially playing the dual roles of father to Unasaka Miri, and a professional assassin. Was there anything you kept in mind at those times?

Toyonaga: Honestly, I wasn't really consciously thinking "this part goes like this" or anything. There are lots of fantastical bits, and as an assassin, he's always super casual about shooting people (I guess that's how it goes, when you're an assassin…) so I think his portrayal doesn't come across as all that brutal. If anything, I'd say I was probably most concerned with maintaining the overall balance between the realistic aspects and the exaggerated aspects.

Interviewer: Please tell us your impressions of Suwa Rei and Miri, as well as what you find appealing about each of them.

Toyonaga: I'm pretty envious of Rei-kun, in some ways. (laughs) But even Rei-kun, who seems at first glance to have an enviably self-indulgent life, has the kind of past only an assassin would. I find his evolution very fascinating. Miri-chan, well, what else can I say? She's just plain adorable. I think Kino Hina-san's performance truly brought all that charm bursting forth. I'm a father myself, so I've really gotten to understand that sense of "adorableness".

Interviewer: From the episodes that have aired so far, are there any scenes that left an impression on you, or that you're especially fond of?

Toyonaga: Well, it's not part of the story, just a super minor detail - but in the opening, there's this moment where Kazuki picks up Miri-chan. That movement is so totally realistic, it really gets to me. You can tell so much care went into that. As for the episodes themselves, that conversation with Miri-chan's mother in the bar was a memorable scene. Kazuki says shouldering everything is a mother's duty, and gets the retort that people who talk like that, without ever having been parents themselves, bring the greatest misfortune to their families… There's a lot to think about there.

Interviewer: Please tell us what you think are the selling points of this series "Buddy Daddies".

Toyonaga: Miri-chan is cute. I recommend it to people who like watching shows while having plenty of comments and questions about the story, and people who like suddenly noticing some words or truths that might surprise them, even if they have no particular questions or comments.

Interviewer: Finally, please give a message to everyone who is enjoying this series.

Toyonaga: It's an original series, so no one has any idea where it's going next - I think that's really fun and thrilling. "What kind of events will they get caught up in from now on? Will it turn out different from what I expected?!" Maybe it will, and maybe not. I hope you'll have a great time watching the show, including all those unexpected twists. It'll be fine! Miri-chan will never betray you!!!

[azsazz]

Just One More Taste

Eris x Reader

Summary: You have a rush order on a wedding cake and a mischievous heir waltzes into your bakery for a little treat.

Warnings: None.

Word Count: 1,528

_________________________________________

The chime of the bell you’d hung inside the door to your bakery alerted your attention from where you were working tirelessly on decorating a cake for a high fae wedding set to happen in just two days time. 

It was a rush order, and you had never been one to say no to someone in need. Especially when it was one of your best friends. 

You weren’t originally set to make the dessert, as you often focused your talent for baking on smaller pastries to stock the front of your store, but when the other baker had fallen through and she’d come in with tears streaming down her face and begging you to help her out, you couldn’t say no if you tried.

Stepping back to admire the intricate piping job you had already spent near three hours on, you call over your shoulder, “Be there in a minute!”

There was still so much to be done before it would be perfect. Your friend had given you no specifications, so grateful for your help that even it if the design was as simple as a layer of dirty icing and a few fake flowers she would be happy. But you wouldn’t let your friend cut into a boring cake on her wedding day, and to one of the High Lord’s sons at that. 

It was an honor in its own way, for a lot of people would get to see your work, and then maybe you’d be able to make and decorate larger cakes instead of selling in your quaint little shop in town. If business picked up, surely you’d be able to hire on someone to run the front of the shop. 

You place the icing bag down on the counter, eyeing the bowl as you wipe your hands on your apron. You’ll have to make another batch and start on the chocolate flowers by tonight if you want to stay on schedule. 

You had thought about keeping your storefront closed while you worked on the cake for your friend but decided against it, as you knew you’d need a break from the tedious work as to stay calm. 

And maybe you were hoping a certain Autumn Heir would stop in. 

Eris had been known to stop by your shop every once in a while, and you couldn’t help but wonder every time he left when the next time you see him would be. He was gloriously handsome with his deep auburn hair and smoldering gaze, dressed to the nines as all royals were.

And as you popped around the corner and into the storefront you couldn’t control the smile that made its way to your face, your wish coming true. 

He stood casually against the counter, peeking through the case to all of the pastries you offered, though you know he’s going to order the same thing that he always does. 

“Sorry for the wait, Lord,” you apologize, cheeks flushing when your nervous fingers play with the hem of your dirty apron, embarrassed you hadn’t taken it off. 

His warm eyes and smile have the feeling melting away. Even if he greets everyone like this, you were lucky to be one of them, and couldn’t seem to get his handsome face out of your mind. 

“No need to apologize, (Y/N),” he studies you and you find yourself looking away, reaching for a sheet of parchment so you can gather his treat to go. “And how many times have I told you to call me Eris?”

Indeed, after the third or fourth time he found himself in your shop chatting with you while he waited for the fresh cinnamon rolls to come out of the oven, he had insisted you call him by his name.

“Apologies, Eris,” you respond, giving in to his request. You pull open the back of the pastry case, “Another cinnamon roll?”

His smirk makes your knees weak, “You know me so well. For here this time, if you would be so kind. I’m tired of hearing about the inner workings of my little brother’s wedding. No, the flower arrangements should look like this, this person can’t sit at that table because of this reason, where is Foxe, he’s supposed to be helping! All nonsense if you ask me.”

You crack a smile at his complaints, placing the largest cinnamon roll in the case onto the plate, then taking it to the ovens in the back to warm it for him while you respond, “Are you not one to marry?”

You can’t see the longing look after you and the worry that flashes through him from your words.

He replies quickly, “Of course I’d like to marry, but if I were to have a wedding of my own it would be small and intimate.” 

And that’s what you enjoy about Eris. He wasn’t as flashy as some of the other royals of Prythian. He didn’t flaunt his wealth and he wasn’t a terrible old ruler like his father was. You would quite like to see the young Autumn Heir step into the High Lord role. 

“Me too,” you confess, walking back into the front with the warmed plate. You set it on the counter before him but tsk when he reaches for it, “One second.” 

You open the dessert cabinet again, pulling out the bag of extra icing you had from this mornings batch. Eris watches you with a warm heart as you add more of the delicious frosting to the top of the roll, it melting all around the dessert in the most appealing way. 

“There you are,” you beam, sliding the plate closer now for him to take.

He studies you for a moment and you become nervous under his soft gaze. “What, is there something on my face?”

His laugh ignites the fire within you, warming you thoroughly. “No, no, you don’t have anything on your face,” he chuckles, placing a hand on the plate before him, “It’s just…will you be attending my brothers wedding?” 

“If I haven’t keeled over from exhaustion,” you joke, tossing a glare over your shoulder to the cake on the counter in the kitchen, “I’ve still got a lot of decorating to do.” 

“We’ll maybe if you didn’t have the shop open you could focus on doing just that,” he comments, taking a bite of the sweet treat and you find your eyes following the drop of sticky icing as it rolls down his finger. 

“Maybe I like the distraction,” you respond, leaning against the counter and holding his gaze. 

His chewing slows and his eyebrows raise slightly, “Is that so?” 

You hum, neither confirming or denying, turning to make your way back to your abandoned piping bag in the back. “You enjoy that, Eris,” you say over your shoulder where he’s still watching you, intrigued. 

You hear the snick of the lock turning and Eris ambles into the kitchen, plate in one hand and a stool in the other. You watch with furrowed brows as he sets the chair at the counter, digging into his treat like he’s done this a thousand times before.

“Uh, what are you doing?” 

He peeks up at you with wide eyes, “Oh, I thought you could use the company.”

You try to stifle your smile at how innocent he looks, “Don’t you have to help with your brother’s wedding?” You ask, grabbing the empty icing bowl to make a new batch. 

He shrugs in his seat, licking his lips from the icy remnants and he smirks when he catches you following the movement, your cheeks heating up in response. “This is considered helping, I think.” 

“Not if you’re not actually helping,” you sing–song, dumping the dirty utensils into the sudsy water to wash. 

He appears beside you in an instant, offering you the last bite of the cinnamon roll. It’s the gooey center and you haven’t eaten anything since before you came in so you let yourself indulge, leaning down to bite into it. 

In a moment of pure confidence you let your tongue sweep over the stray icing like he had hoped you would, the brush of your tongue hot against his skin, warmth bubbling within him as you stare directly at him through your lowered lashes. 

He swallows harshly and takes a slow, steadying breath instead, trying to control the wicked thoughts swimming through his head. 

“Just tell me what to do,” he breathes and it’s clear, the tension between the two of you, and as much as you’d like to continue whatever this is, the large half bare cake from the corner of your eye is taunting you. 

You sigh, the first to turn away, dipping your hands into the soapy water to wash the utensils. You pause for a moment when his slide in next to yours, grabbing a bowl and cloth, set out to clean. 

“Eris, you don’t-”

“I want to,” he shushes you, and you let him, “Besides, this is way better than doing whatever they’d be making me do back home.”

And as you stand shoulder to shoulder with the son of autumn, you can’t help but to smile.

[lubedoo]

Chapter 2 of my fanfic of @e-vay’s OC CC the AI and her origin. Hope you all enjoy… comments and suggestions most welcome!

Chapter 2: Initial Compilation

The following weeks were filled with activity both on the Fabratory floor and in Walter’s workshop. The production robots stopped by more than usual when they realized they would soon be getting a new colleague.

“What will it do?”

“What will it look like?”

“Will it help me with my tasks?”

“Will it help Walter be less cranky?”

The electronic chatter both around the workshop and on the production floor rose from an excited buzz to a near cacophony at times with the anticipation of the addition to the crew. A couple of the older robots even worried that they would be replaced by this newcomer, but after a few blown fuses and shorted logic circuits Walter (while a little irritated) assured them all that none of them would be displaced by his latest creation.

Even young William couldn’t resist stopping by more than usual, adding his voice and inputs to the mix:

“Hey Unc, looks like that new ‘bot is really shaping up!”

“Yes, William, it is. It would be happening more quickly if not for all the interruptions.”

William peered across the cluttered table at the work in progress, which appeared to be rapidly approaching completion.

“Do you know when you’ll be activating it? I’d like to be around to see that.”

Walter sighed. “I guess I will permit that, if you’ll get out onto the floor and keep the rest of the crew on-task and out of my hair…”

William straightened up in a mock salute. “Sure thing, Unc! I like hanging out with the Boys!”

“Not just hanging out. WORK!” snarled Walter over his shoulder. “We have orders to fill and Packing Shipper in particular has been behind in its productivity.”

“Gotcha,” said the young woodchuck, a bit deflated. “I’ll make sure things get out and we stay out.”

“Best thing I’ve heard all day…” muttered Walter as William shuffled out of the room.

William, true to his word, kept things moving over the next few days. While he was not nearly as proficient at communicating with the automatons as his Uncle, he had a certain body language which the machines found easy to interpret, and contributed to the rhythm of their work. Walter observed this through a window while taking a break from his assembly. It actually has been William’s best run in the factory, thought Walter. Maybe I should build new robots more often…

Another couple of weeks passed. Walter had run a few preliminary functional tests on the new Code Compiler but had not yet fully activated it. He wanted to be sure everything was absolutely perfect before activating the AI that would ultimately be running his beloved business and supervising the construction of his designs.

Finally after working on twists and tweaks through the weekend, he emerged from his workshop on a bright Monday morning with the announcement everyone was anticipating:

“It’s ready.”

The production floor screeched to a halt. In some cases literally. Parts Runner in particular can vouch for that. All of the robots as well as William tried to squeeze into Walter’s little machine shop, however several wound up just outside the door extending their servos and armatures to get a glimpse at their newest partner.

On the table was an enlongated spherical droid, with rectangular panels on either side. A large wide-angle camera was built into the front, ensuring it had a panoramic view of the production floor. Wires and cables snaked from an open access panel on the back. Walter carefully disconnected these as the Team settled around the work table, until only a few switches were visible through the open access door.

“Widget Team,” puffed Walter, “this is the moment you’ve all been anticipating. Your newest member will help you all work better together and maybe give me a little break once in a while.” William chuckled, which earned him a dagger stare from his Uncle.

“Without further ado, I give you… Code Compiler!” Walter flipped a switch on the back of the spherical ‘bot and closed its access panel.

The rectangular panels began to hum and glow softly as the robot gently rose to about a foot above the table. It was clear these panels were electromagnetic levitating impellers that would allow the droid to “fly” around the facility, rapidly arriving wherever it was needed most. Its egg-shaped body design now made sense, as it would need to be aerodynamic to expend the least amount of energy possible.

Another soft glow emitted from LEDs around the circumference of the main robot body, and another light began to appear behind the camera. The halves of the aperture slowly parted, as the camera lens focused on the crowd gathered to witness the “birth” of a new mechanical life.

“Hello,” it said in a flat, electronic, yet perfectly understandable voice. “I am Code Compiler. It is good to meet you all.”

William will recall that day as the happiest he had ever seen his Uncle, and perhaps one of the last times he saw Walter truly happy.

[geminiskulleta]

This is my very first post, and after seeing all of the lu and loz fanart on tumblr I thought what if all of the zeldas across each era in Hyrule came together linked universe style? I know this isn’t an original thought by any means but I think a story for the zeldas would be super cute and I’d like to show what my take on a Zelda story would be.

I designed a new lullaby (OOT Zelda) and I’d like to see your thoughts on her: Anything I could improve? Anyone else you’d like to see? Please let me know - hope you like it🫶🫶

Lullaby - the queen

Link: Hero of Time

Age: Early 30’s - The same age physically as Time and a year older than Malon.

• She is also known as the princess of destiny, and was surprised to have found out that nearly all of the Zeldas have heard of her and that She and Time became legends.

• The wisest and oldest of all the Zeldas, the unofficial leader.

• Very protective and caring towards the others - seen as the “mom” of the group.

• Holds a lot of regret for her past mistakes and the splitting of timelines (She remembers the events of OOT as she was a past user of the Ocarina. In every instance where time is rewound, she remembers even if it isn’t her that uses it. The same is true with Time.)

• Tries to be a good role model for the other Zeldas as she knows they look up to her, she feels a lot of pressure to be a perfect queen.

• Much less sure of herself than Time, her biggest fear is making mistakes that effect others and constantly second guesses herself. She tries her best to put on a brave face.

•She knows that Fable, Dusk and Tetra are her successors- each from a different timeline, but she is unsure how to tell them.

• She knew about the timeline where she and link lost against Ganondorf and the timeline that she and link had left behind, but never knew what became of it. She was distraught when she found out it had been flooded and turned into the great sea.

•She is able to see into the future, as she grew up her power became much stronger- her prophecies have never been wrong.

•She doesn’t dream anymore: She can only have visions. By closing her eyes and focusing very hard she can see tiny snippets of the future like flashes that will leave her to decipher their meaning, but the only way to get a clear vision is to fall asleep.

• When she has trouble sleeping, she will hum Zelda’s Lullaby, the others never comment on it as they fear she will stop.

•She will always listen to other people’s problems and do whatever it takes to help. She often puts others before herself and is very rarely selfish.

• She shares the trait of being too absorbed in work and pushing herself too far just like Flora. She just doesn’t know her limits when it comes to things such as that and she feels that no matter what she does, it will never be enough

• Needs reading glasses but the others make fun of her and call her Grandma when she puts them on

Relationship with Link:

• As children, she and time were friends but they drifted as they grew up.

• During her time as Sheik she trained hard for seven years; learning how to fight, mastering magic and learning everything there is to know about the temples and how to help link on his adventure.

• She remembers everything from the timeline that Time left, as she was a user of the ocarina. Much like him, she had the opportunity to relive the childhood that was taken from her but she would never be the same again. She was hardened by her and Times adventure. He told her some of what happened in Majoras mask and she felt like she was responsible for everything that happened to their kingdom, to her father, to Link. She began to avoid him due to crippling self hatred and believed that he was a living reminder of her failiures. He was very broken from Majoras mask and was in a dark place in his life. He didn’t care whether anyone stayed or left for a long time and his walls were only broken down when he met Malon again.

• When Lullaby and Time would talk as adults they were very formal and distant with one another. They felt on guard towards one another and didn’t know exactly why, as Time held no ill will towards the queen and Lullaby could never bring herself to hate him.

• As Time matured, his walls were broken down by Malon and he allowed himself to make connections and feel again. But Lullaby never had someone like that to help her through her pain, and she threw herself into her work to become a truly great queen. She was formal and almost robotic to anyone she met.

• As Time allowed himself to heal he would wonder about Zelda, but never reached out. He could never figure out why he was like this, why the thought of seeing Lullaby again scared him, but he was never understanding of his emotions.

• She and Malon are actually great friends and though they’re often too busy to see each other they send letters all the time.

• Fun fact: She planned and officiated Time and Malons wedding. She felt as though she owed it to Time and this is where she and Malon started to get to know eachother.

• She and Time haven’t properly spoken since the wedding. They spoke briefly and Time saw just how closed off Zelda was. He could see that she had been in an awful state of mind but he felt like he couldn’t help her. He wasn’t able to, he wasn’t strong enough.

• the whole ‘ age thing’ effects her too since she remembers the adult timeline. She says she is 34 but she doesn’t exactly know her age.

[punmasterbaku]

Winter!Flowey Ref Sheet

Quite rushed but here is something at least for their design. Winter!Flowey / SeasonTale belongs to @zelphin124 My see on the character: correct me if needed XP. - Flowey is known to be very shy and gets worried quite often - usually hangs out with Winter! Grillby - Loves Hot Chocolate - Wears his original scarf he had before turning into a flower - Misses his mum but tries not to show his true identity to anyone but Grillby as he can trust them - Got the scar on his face from a strong storm that came through the area he was staying at around the time - His petals are permanently frosted at the ends and around, making him constantly feel cold

[victorckk]

Oops I realized I never posted my uhh redesign of Sweetbrier or the design for the new OC I made,, or a lot of art recently in general

Anyway these two are boyfriends and villains because I say so

Sweetbrier’s name for his Nelvana variant is Aiglantin. It’s actually another name for the Sweet briar rose. His color scheme is color picked from different parts of the rose as well.

His true form is a rose monster. He just chose a human form to make himself appear more approachable if that makes sense. Also because he finds humans to be interesting.

A lot of the flowers in his sanctuary are sought after by various villains, but mainly by No Heart. He uses the flowers for his spells. But Aiglantin is delulu and thinks that it’s ‘part of something more’ like the gay lil flower man that he is.

His name isn’t like the usual villain names that the other Care Bear villains have, but when I first created him as Sweetbrier, his villain name was supposed to be Thorn Heart. The Sweet briar is often associated with emotional wounds, so that could definitely tie into his overall character.

The general idea behind his backstory is that despite being a literal monster, the mountain he lives on once had a village at the bottom. Occasionally, people would travel to the top to his sanctuary to pick the flowers for weddings, reunions, etc. But one person tried to pick him from the sanctuary, resulting in Aiglantin revealing himself.

He and the person grew close and became friends over the years, with Aiglantin eventually developing some sort of feelings towards them, but the visits stopped after a while. That was until Aiglantin had seen the human coming up to his sanctuary one day after a few years, only to reveal that they were there to pick flowers for their wedding.

It resulted in Aiglantin taking on a human form, attending the wedding as a ‘guest’, and afterwards deciding that his sanctuary would no longer be used for the mere entertainment of humans. He was heartbroken; an emotion that he never felt before, and that he believed was just something that humans made up.

The village ended up being destroyed and buried by vines and other plants, at Aiglantin’s command. Even to this day, the village remains buried, and Aiglantin acts as if it never even existed. Any mention of the village results in said mentioner being turned into a topiary.

Yikes.

This dude is named Valentino because I felt like it fit him. He’s a vampire of some sort? I mean… he’s similar to a vampire in some ways.

Only differences are that he can transform into a fruit bat, prefers fruits over literally everything else, and his reflection shows up in magic mirrors. He doesn’t have to eat at all, actually. He only chooses to because he loves the taste of fruit. His favorite fruit is pineapple (relatable)

He also has a huge crush on Aiglantin and thinks that it’s a secret but literally EVERYBODY knows. He gets jealous of Aiglantin and No Heart’s dependency on each other’s magical abilities, but that’s a story for another day.

Valentino’s backstory is still a work in progress, but the idea behind his is that he was originally the ruler of Gloomy Gulch, only to be driven out by No Heart. He ended up in Aiglantin’s sanctuary, and was caught eating some of the fruits in there. He was about to be driven out of there as well, but Aiglantin offered for Valentino to stay. As long as Valentino helped out around there, basically becoming something similar to a henchman.

Ft. some gay doodles

I should make a ref sheet for UTMSweetbrier tbh

[lazykim12]

“Oh man! You cut me to size! Ow! My little buttercup!”

-Kenta Au once more! (Well laxo and Kenta kinda I guess) but here she is once more! Drew Fanart of her once more!

yes I added a jack stauber Song quote from buttercup cuz..she has buttercups in her hair, but also I can kinda see the song matching a little with her? Maybe I’m wrong or so but AHH MADE MORE FANART FOR KENTA! (well for the what if Au Kenta not sure how or what I should name this Au!, I decided to make a bit of a change in the Au of her hair fur? Getting more longer, so she can put more buttercups in her hair fur without them falling out when she wants! (Wanted to make her design a little different from cannon to kinda make them look different due to the changes that would happen in the first volume-)

Now onto the bit of lore I guess? For the Au! Or well the idea of what I want to do?

AU KENTA IN ASKON

Kenta is less tired, and more brightful in this Au, since she’s kinda free from the dark realm and being a trainee, she kinda socials more!

But she kinda keeps to herself at the same time, though I’d feel like she would still have a bit of fear since the day she saw her brother’s eye get ripped out by her dad..she sometimes can’t sleep at night because of the memory. Sometimes she feels like she could’ve done more, but in no way does laxo want her to feel that way, which is obvious, none of it was her fault, but everyone has doubts, and she can’t help but doubt it, even though what laxo tells her is true.

She really does her best to be there for Laxo, she knows life has been…something for the both of them, so now knowing they are…at least free from that for the moment, she wants to try and be strong for Laxo, to support him mentally, protect him like how he has protected her in their life. She’s a bit..tired like her original self, but tries her best to be mentally strong- (which sometimes overwhelms her.)

Now in no way does she think Laxo can’t be strong himself and protect himself or thinks he’s someone who needs to be protected at all times and not fight his battles…she just wants to make sure he has a shoulder to be there for him…

she’s glad he knows Kane, but…she’s scared at times, what if Kane is like….Aiden?..what if disaster falls again, what if something happens to her and laxo again?

She tries not to let the thoughts fill her mind, things are okay, and they will be..is what she keeps telling herself.

Now with Kenta here, laxo sort of pushes her away, but in no way where she feels like she’s alone or anything, just he keeps how he feels sometimes bottled up just like cannon, he does talk with her and all that more than with Kane, but he tries to keep to himself still with what he deals with, for her safety and not wanting over worry her, stress her with his own issues.

And…Im sure Au Kenta’s emotional state would definitely crack during the banishment part of Laxo’s story in this Au, after everything, now she lost the only person she feels like she can trust and go to, she would feel lost…

and especially confused if she was there when laxo was getting banished/sent to the dark realm.(An idea for her in this Au, To the first volume to the third, her flowers in her hair would start to die, but won’t fall out, with Kenta still having that hope to be strong despite everything going on)

. . . AHH OKAY, hopefully everything seems realistic to the characters, and hopefully I didn’t phrase anything wrong! These are just one idea/more info I had, I guess for the what if Au! (Not sure if should give it a name…) these characters don’t belong to me and are belonged to @gloomforrestrunes ! Go check out their comic runes! 0:✨

(For Slugterra content, I will be posting an artwork finally of one of the characters 👀 stay tuned for that!)