#while she's asking for 'mem-made'

[fictionadventurer]

August: Day 21

Adventures

Helped my little niece drink a little glass of lemonade and it may have been the most sweet and wholesome thing I've done all month

Writing

Wrote a few sentences of the first scene of my Goose Girl retelling

Made a post potentially finalizing the theme of this year's Inklings Challenge

Explained the rules of signing up for the Inklings Challenge

[seaadc]

sshshshshsh heyhey could i have some uhh aqua hoshino x streamer!reader

I feel like such a genius for thinking about this my third eye has been opened

status | aqua hoshino x streamer!fem!reader

a/n: THIS IS SUCH A UNIQUE REQUEST??!!!??? THANK U SM ANON!!

summary: aqua being madly infatuated with you ever since he had saw you streaming.

- “If the world was against us, then I’m against the world.”

You are definitely in for a treat, definitely.

Before Aqua had met you, he was not that quite.. expressive? He had a cold demeanor, You can call him stern, but not too quite.

When Aqua was silently working on the little short trailer of a video that the team he was working with in “Love now” was gonna post, He came across you in the internet.

You were streaming in youtube, Your hair looked good and it looks recently brushed. You were talking to your fans since you were popular— heck, you even knew Mem-cho! You were slightly more popular than her which caused you to have a lot of viewers.

The girl was talking about her life and desires, how she’d want to be an idol someday. Aqua narrowed his eyes at the screen, staring deep into your galactic eyes.. How mesmerizing. He wouldn’t admit that

You were acting all so bubbly and giddy, showing your viewers some stuff in your room. And, to be honest, Aqua enjoyed watching you. Or was he just tired? He was tired from editing the short clip, he just laid his head down the table and using his arms as support while he looked at the laptop, gazing into your eyes that wasn’t even staring into his own.

He then sighed and closed the laptop, standing up while he went outside to grab the juice Yuki was going to gave him.

Aqua went out, Mem-cho went inside and opened the laptop, checking if the video had gotten more popular but she was greeted by a familiar face.

“Oh! It’s [Name]!” The blondie muttered to herself, wondering what was the tab doing in the laptop.

“Huh.. Aqua left the room last.”

Aqua decided to take a stroll outside the building, not too far but not too near. He was walking down the sidewalks when he felt like he should get a snack. He went to the nearest store and went inside, the bell on top of the door ringing.

Aqua sighed to himself and grabbed some chips, To his surprise there was a girl next to him.

She looked up at the shelf and grabbed the same chips Aqua had got but a different flavor, The girl smiled brightly to herself and adjusted her cap.

Aqua looked at her, He was 2 inches taller than her if he could presume.. She looked oddly familiar.

“Miss… Uh.. Have I seen you somewhere?” Aqua asked softly, his eyes narrowing at the girl’s cap which was colored white.

The girl looked up at him, Aqua widening his eyes at the realization it was the streamer had come across earlier.

“Well that’s interesting. People can still recognize me?” You mumbled, sighing in disbelief while you headed over at the cashier and placed your chips down at the counter.

Aqua hummed and followed, right behind you while he waited in line. It was awkward.. The only sound you could hear was the cashier’s machine clacking and doing such beeps.

The girl turned and looked at Aqua, smiling warmly. “[Name], At your service.” She introduced, and left while the bell rang.

Aqua stared off into the door, following your figure until it has dissipated. He looked down at the chips and put it down the counter.. Somehow, He felt.. attached. He couldn’t explain why, It was definitely not the universe playing tricks on both of you… right?

Ever since Aqua met you in real life, He couldn’t stop. As in, He couldn’t stop checking your profile everyday to see if you have a new video or stream. Truth be told, He watched every single video you had made and streams. Even if they were past streams, He still persevered to watch it.

Aqua felt comfortable and satisfied whenever he would rewatch a video of yours when you won’t post due to lack of motivation, but he would always check. Everyday, Everynight.

One day as you set up your computer, You thought of the fair blonde guy you met at the shop. You smiled at the thought, knowing it was the same guy you supported in the show “Love now” and the upcoming Tokyo Revenger live action.

You started streaming and viewers rushed in the stream, waiting for other viewers to arrive while a certain username joined.

“AquaHoshino… Are you a fan or the guy himself?” You chuckled, the viewers commenting of how cute and adorable your smile is while the user you had mentioned didn’t reply.

Meanwhile, through the other screen, Aqua couldn’t contain himself when his tongue slipped out of your mouth. He kept staring at your face, He didn’t know why, but the word that fits to what he kept on doing for the past few months was definitely ‘Infatuation’.

Considering he was a doctor before, ‘course he knew what this thing was. But it took him quite a long time to accept that he was inlove with you. A streamer who makes money off it.

Aqua just entered Strawberry Productions since Miyako called for him, only to find out that you, yes you, had signed a contract. Turns out Mem-cho had invited you and both of you were conversing with eachother on the green couch.

Miyako smiled and walked up to Aqua. “We have a new member.” She spoke with a soothing voice. Aqua flinched when he saw you, You both held eye contact until you smiled.

Oh shit, That was the best thing he ever saw. (except Ai’s smile) His heart melted, feeling it race like a sports car. Aqua cleared his throat and turned away, trying to hide the redness creeping up to his face while Mem-cho merely giggled. “Your so charismatic, [Name]-chan.” Mem-cho teased to which Aqua sighed at, He left the area to not get embarrassed any further and went to his room, leaving a very confused [Name]. and he would probably sabotage things a bit because he doesnt want you to be an idol, being a streamer is already making you tired and he doesn’t want that.

And since then, You would always talk to him with the most giddy-est personality ever. He would reply in short answers but he enjoyed your company, he wasn’t going to say that straightforwardly to you but might as well include it.

He would enjoy the peaceful silence you both shared in benches, school cafeterias, living rooms, and so many more places!

Aqua would probably be clingy to you in private, He isn’t a fan of PDA but he would gladly let you if you would do the first move or if he’s.. ehem.. jealous.

He once saw you conversing too much with a male employee at the cinema counter since you asked to join him in the mall which he couldn’t decline at. Only to find out another person was going to spend all your time with him.

Aqua approached with the popcorn he had bought and gave one to you, glaring at the employee. You thanked him while he simply nodded.

He took your hand and intertwined it with his, which made your heart pounding like some sort of wildebeest in a stampede.

And you both enjoyed that day.

bonus:

Aqua had confessed, inside the store you both first met. The cashier looked very amused while imaginary stars appeared beside her.

“W-what..?“ You stuttered, blushing a pink hue at the sudden confession Aqua had made, since he just kind of.. said that so fast.

Aqua sighed with the tip of his ears were flaming red while his cheeks were red too. “I’m not repeating that.” He blurted out, looking away while he kept a blank expression though the color of his cheeks say otherwise.

Being his girlfriend made you realize how hard is life is, how he would risk anything just to get justice for his mother. Which he told you after a few not a few months of dating. He got comfortable around you and you would always be there to comfort him during his nightmares, And he would always be there for you whenever you get a hate comment that gets you really insecure.

To be honest, You would probably wake up one day and getting the news of the person who kept on hating on you suddenly so quiet… I wonder what your lovely red flag boyfriend did.

[specialagentlokitty]

Castle x reader - hurt from the past

guess whos craving some castle or beckett x reader?? I AM :D i'd be happy with anything (or some angst..heheh....) - Anon💜

High school sweethearts were something everybody had, it was very rare they stayed together but while it happened it was fun, it usually changed the world for the time being.

And that happened with you until you and your high school sweetheart broke up, you were heartbroken when he ended things with you, but eventually you learned to move on, made a happy life for yourself.

That was until it all came crashing around you, a suspect in a murder case, sitting in a holding cell nervous and upset, and things got even worse when you saw who walked through the door.

“Alright punk.” The man started before being cut off.

A police detective came rushing in right after him, glaring at him.

“Castle shut up, stop pretending you’re in charge.” She scolded.

She sat down opposite you, giving you a reassuring smile.

“I’m detective Beckett this is Castle, we’d just like to ask you a few questions if that’s alright?” She ask politely.

“I didn’t do anything I swear!”

Beckett raised her hands slightly.

“I know, we know you didn’t I went through all the evidence and you’re being set up, we just need to know who would want to set you up.” She explained.

You took a few deep breaths to try and calm you and Beckett gave you all the time you needed while reviewing the file she was holding all while Castle was looking between the file and you.

He tilted his head a little as if studying you, and peaked over Becketts shoulder against to look at the file.

While you and Beckett talked, Castle was pretty much glued to you, studying you and your file as if he were trying to put something together in his mind that he couldn’t quite make sense off.

When you were finished talking with Beckett she let you go, and castle immediately jumped on the chance to show you out.

While walking over to the elevator castle kept sneaking glances at you before he finally spoke.

“Have we met somewhere before?”

Shifting your gaze to him for a moment you look back the way you were walking so you didn’t bump into anybody.

“I don’t think so, I recognise you but you’re that author right? The one who consults with the NYPD?”

Castle grinned a little bit at you.

“So you’ve heard of me huh? Read any of my works? Which one did you like?”

You shake your head a little.

“No I’ve not read any of your works, but I remember reading about you somewhere.”

Castles face dropped slightly, and he glanced around before looking back down at you with a small grin.

“Are you sure? It’s okay I don’t mind meeting a fan.”

“I’m sure.”

Stepping into the elevator you head back down to the ground floor while castle stood there with a small frown on his face.

You hadn’t read his books? He was so sure you had, you looked so familiar he was sure he’d maybe met you at an event of his.

When he got him he sat at his desk for a while staring at his laptop before he tried to find you himself, searching for any sign of you on social media.

He wanted to know where he knew you from.

He needed to know where you knew you from.

Even hours of searching didn’t turn up with much, but something did catch his eye, on your social media was a reunion for your high school class, and it finally clicked for him.

He had the exact same invite, you two were in the same class.

He didn’t have to think much about it, you were involved in this case, he wanted to figure out why he knew you, surely Beckett couldn’t be mad at him for going to his own reunion right?

So he went, a bright grin on his face and immediately he set out to find out which wasn’t hard you were chatting away to a few other people.

He padded over, standing with them and watched as you as you happily talked about your memories from years ago.

That’s when it clicked for him, listening to your stories all sounded familiar to him, like he had been there, and he was.

He remembered all of those happy memories, the good times and the bad, and he stared at you in disbelief.

“Impossible…” he whispered to himself.

You were his greatest regret, the one thing he wished he never let go when he fell into his fame, the one person he always thought back to.

Castle missed you, and despite trying to move on he never could, but there was only one you.

Castle looked over at you again, this time more sadly.

It was his fault the pair of you broke up, you had asked him to give you one more chance, to just stick things out a little longer but he didn’t want to.

When he finally spotted you alone castle made his move, he quickly approached you and lightly tapped your shoulder.

“You remember me don’t you?” He asked when you turned around.

You give a small shake of your head.

“I’m sorry we’ve already been through this I don’t know you.”

Castle gave you a pleading look.

“Please tell me, I heard you telling all our memories, you have to remember me. We spent the whole time together.”

Castle gave you another pleading look which made you sigh.

You did recognise him, of course you did but you knew him, and you knew he wouldn’t drop this until you told the truth so you nodded.

“I was hoping you didn’t recognise me.”

“How could I not? I’d always recognise you (Y/N).” He spoke gently.

Castle tried to come closer but stopped when you backed away a couple of steps and he gave a small sigh.

“Why did you just leave me? After everything we went through?” You asked.

Castle sighed a little bit, sitting down in one of the chairs and pulling one up in front of him for you to take a seat in as well.

When you sat down, castle gingerly took your hands in his own.

“Honestly.. I.. I don’t know… I thought it was the right choice at the time but then I realised it was too late, I tried to find you but I couldn’t…”

Castle sighed, looking away before turning back to you.

“You’re all I wanted… I never should have let you go…” he mumbled softly.

You sigh a little bit, looking down at where he was very carefully holding your hands in his.

“Just give me one more chance please? Let us try this again…?” He asked softly.

“It’s been so long, we’ve both grown, moved on with our lives, is it really worth bringing up the past?”

Castle quickly nodded his head, tightening his grip on your hands just slightly.

“Please I made a mistake all those years ago, I never should’ve let you go, I should’ve stayed with you, I realised nobody could compare to you. Just one more chance, let me fix us.”

You look at castle, part of you was pleading to say yes, give him another chance, try work it out, but the part of you that had been hurt all those years ago was saying no.

You looked at him, and though you were younger then, you didn’t know if you could go through that pain again, so with a sigh you shake your head.

“Sorry, but I can’t put myself through that again.”

Taking your hands from his, you get up and walk off without looking back.

Castle went to stop you, he stood up but he paused, unsure what to say. He didn’t know how to convince you for another chance, so he watched your back as you left.

You kept telling yourself you were doing the right thing, that you were protecting yourself from that hurt again, despite the fact you really want to give him another chance

[pretzel-box]

》》 APPLICATION POST!! APPLICATION BELOW!! DEADLINE IS IN 2 WEEKS!! 18TH JUNE!!

》 Welcome to the Tales of Stonks! A block tales story that includes canon characters and your ocs! Follow the group on the magical journey to make stonks.

It all started with a white van.

Well, it was technically white… if you squinted through a filter of nostalgia, forgiveness, and heavy denial. In reality, the van was about as white as a forgotten banana peel left in the sun.

Rusted, dented, possibly haunted—and absolutely, one hundred percent, stolen. Yet, miraculously, still driving. Probably out of sheer spite.It cruised through serene landscapes of green meadows and baby-blue skies, looking like a misplaced background extra in a travel brochure. Inside, chaos brewed.

“I swear, this is just a giant clown car,” groaned Griefer, the group’s resident sarcasm expert, as he kicked Cruel King's seat for the fifth time that hour.

“If so,” Cruel King sighed, rubbing his temples, “then it must be the perfect size for you.”

Tension? Yes. Adventure? Also yes. A working air conditioning system? Absolutely not. But you could smell it, the electric, slightly moldy scent of ADVENTURE. And possibly expired road trip snacks.

Of course, we couldn’t afford to turn this into a movie. We had the budget, but Griefer 'accidentally' broke several priceless artifacts, a vending machine, and one guy’s dignity. But imagine this: a group of legendary heroes, crammed in a wheezing van, driving toward the camera in glorious slow motion, not for dramatic effect, but because there’s a speed limit. Behind them, a majestic spotlight shines! Except it’s just the sun and the van's rearview mirror taped at a weird angle.

The crew inside? I can't even find a word for it, each with a backstory weird enough to deserve its own musical number.

First, meet the leader: Chirians, the almighty travelling seller of trading items who once sold vacuum cleaners door-to-door but upgraded her hustle to selling miscellaneous 'treasures' she found lying around. Some might say it’s junk. She calls it 'vintage opportunity.' The van is basically a wheeled garage sale with questionable legal status. Somewhere in there is a mysterious box labeled 'Mem’s Notebooks.' Who’s Mem? No idea. But we don't judge.

One day, Chirians found a legendary sword, glowing with power, destiny, and potential plot relevance. She gazed upon it and heard the call of fate, divine whispers echoing from beyond.

“Sell the sword,” they said.

“Make stonks.”

Then there was Cruel King, a regal man with jawlines sharp enough to slice bread and a castle made entirely of fancy architecture and poor life decisions. Chirians crashed into his royal courtyard (literally) while trying to reverse park. Windows shattered. Royalty cried. But amidst the destruction, a business deal was born. Cruel King, desperate to fund castle repairs and maybe therapy, joined her on the sacred journey of sword-selling for profit.

There was also Griefer.

They found him in a rainforest. Why was he there? No one knows. Not even him. But when he spotted the giant stack of Bloxy Cola in the van, he leapt in like a caffeinated raccoon. The rest of the group didn’t even realize they’d accidentally kidnapped him until they were three hours and one game of 'I Spy' too far to turn around.

As for the rest of the crew?

Well, their entrances are being dramatically delayed for maximum storytelling impact. But rest assured, they’re weirder, wilder, and possibly allergic to common sense.

And so, our heroes ride into the unknown, armed with sarcasm, debt, snacks, and a suspiciously rattling sword in the trunk.

This is not just a journey.

This is not just a van.

This… is the Tales of the Stonks.

-ˋˏ✄┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈

To applicate fill this out and send it per private message towards me, no ask box entries!

Name:

Gender:

Pronouns:

Height:

Personality:

Apperance: Feel free to add a picture

Favourite thing:

Most disliked thing:

Any relationships to the canon characters? : No romantically or we all would have to share...

Weapon, combat style:

Anything you wanna add?:

[aihoshiino]

Man, I think you gotta re-read from chapter 81 if you really think Ruby faced no consequences for the black hoshigan arc and hasn’t grown at all since. Like, she’s utterly alone (as a consequence of her own actions) and actively suicidal by chapter 121. The “The End” panel in chapter 121 is the genuinely cruel recompense for Ruby’s actions in the preceding 40 chapters; she’s in part isolated herself, in part driven her friends away, to the point where she’s seeking out Marina for a long-shot hope at ANY connection whatsoever. And the word of literal god, basically the authors’ mouthpiece, tells/shows her that it is hopeless, there is no such connection, she is completely alone.

And even after she re-establishes her connection with Gorou/Aqua and reopens herself to her relationships with her other friends and family, there are wounds on those relationships. Mending those wounds is the entire point of her sub-arc with Kana from 133 to 137. Also, notably, that’s where the real growth comes: where she is forced to dig into the depths of both her own and Ai’s psyches, acknowledges the emotions she finds and forces others to acknowledge them as well, and then finds a way to move forward with Kana specifically.

Notably, I think this is the specific area where we know she has surpassed Ai, at this point. Look back at those four pages of the performance in 159: while Ruby is clearly the focus, taking up roughly half of the total space on those pages and the center position in any shared panels, Kana and Mem are clearly each taking center stage as well for some songs, and the affection between the three is visible. In comparison, in how many of the panels in which Ai appeared did we ever see her teammates’ faces? Did we ever see her relinquish the stage? We know her friendships with the old B-komachi had essentially dissolved by the time the twins were born, Aqua tells us as much at the end of the prologue.

Sorry to say that I actually re-read the ch80-123 recently (I was trying to feel out how a hypothetical third season would be paced) and if anything, seeing just how many interesting ideas it sets up and fails to meaningfully iterate on just made me feel that even more strongly. What you've laid out in this ask is a good idea for the structure of BH Ruby's arc but if that was Akasaka's intent then the execution is so insanely botched that it is fundamentally absent from the work itself.

Like… there's no way for me to say this w/o sounding like i'm hitting you with an UM ACKSHULLY 🤓 but the idea that BH Ruby was even passively abandoned by her friends is just not supported by the text. We do see the beginnings of Kana's sense of inferiority towards Ruby take root just prior to Scandal starting up but this is framed as being emergent from Kana's own existing low self esteem (though admittedly triggered by Ruby wanting to add Mimi to B-Komachi). Moreover, it's more or less the same as how her feelings towards Ruby are framed during the Movie Arc, where Kana's jealousy is said to be a response to Ruby being "blessed with natural talent […] special and different from [her]". There is no textual connection drawn between Ruby's clout chasing and her behaviour towards Kana and Mem and Kana's sense of rejection and Kana never treats Ruby poorly as a result. Not only that but when Ruby is seen hanging out with Mem and Kana across those arcs, they're chatting and bantering like always and Kana is even actively supporting and mentoring Ruby in the immediate leadup to Ruby going to try and see Marina in ch121. In the actual text of the story, what leads to Ruby's breakdown is the physical and emotional stress and exhaustion of her massively overpacked schedule - something which is itself Miyako's fault, as explicitly called out by Kaburagi and Ichigo - and her lingering issues with Sarina's abuse and abandonment being quite literally triggered by her engaging and empathizing with material depicting Ai's abuse and abandonment at Ayumi's hands.

Outside of B-Komachi, the most we really get from her school friends that there's any cracks in their friendships is that little internal musing from Minami about Ruby getting tangled up in the "dirty world of adults" but that both comes before Aqua's assertion that BH Ruby is causing strain in her relationships and is clearly spoken out of affection and concern for her. Frill actively reaches out to and supports Ruby during the interpersonal audition way past Aqua's note about cracks and is basically the reason Ruby gets the role of Ai over herself or Akane.

Ruby is by no means abandoned by anyone. She is actively, effusively supported by everyone in her life the entirety of her BH arc. Even the one relationship she does end up fracturing - her and Aqua's - is repaired lickity-split as soon as the past life reveal happens and any tension in B-Komachi is reset to zero as early as 124 with no real nod to of any issues BH Ruby caused. In fact, the issues BH Ruby causes are never so much as acknowledged by the narrative, let alone addressed or worked through. When Kana is, finally, allowed to express any discontent to Ruby during the RBKN conflict, she is not actually permitted to confront her with any of Ruby's actual wrongdoing and is instead just mad that Ruby is more popular. This conveniently shifts the focus away from Ruby's behavior and so rather than having to actually address it, Ruby can simply graciously forgive Kana for being in the wrong and not do any meaningful work on the tension that exists in their relationship. The narrative absolves Ruby of responsibility, sparing her any genuine reckoning or growth.

You brought up B-Komachi as a point of comparison and as a place where Ruby has surpassed Ai but not only do I feel like these are apples and oranges, I also just feel like it's further proof that Ruby is not being allowed to learn and grow because the narrative excessively coddles her. Both Viewpoint B and 45510 explicitly say the issues with the group in a professional capacity are explicitly said to be the result of management excessively favouring Ai and not something she herself did and in Spica, we even literally see her attempt to surrender her center position to one of the other girls all while actively working hard to take steps to put them all in the best possible light even when she does have to be the center. And while there are interpersonal issues in B-Komachi, these are presented as two-sided failures to connect that Ai is actively show trying to resolve - Viewpoint B shows her approaching and reaching out to Kyun when she sees her feeling upset and the entire point of 45510 is Nino's utter revulsion and rejection in the face of Ai's vulnerability.

Not only that but like… Ai's behaviour never damages or endangers anyone's career! Gen 1 B-Komachi was certainly not a good environment for anybody in it, but everyone in it was still part of Japan's biggest and brightest idol group and enjoyed all the fame and money that came with it. Ruby, by contrast, very much did endanger the career of an entire TV show's worth of people and stepped on Kana and Memcho's backs in order to further her solo career. She is never so much as asked to examine this behavior or face any consequences for it and when we do finally see her express any sort of remorse or regret for her behaviour, it's all exclusively focused on how bad it felt for Ruby, personally to do bad things and how sad she, personally is that she decided to be shitty to people and then Aqua just wholly absolves her anyway. She never attempt to make amends with or even express concern for the people who she might have hurt in the process.

Because of this, both the Ai-Nino/Ruby-Kana parallels and the attempts to uplift Ruby as an idol 'surpassing' Ai fall flat. At no point past the Mainstay arc do we ever see Ruby correcting for Ai's mistakes or better handling situations that Ai had flubbed, mostly because she never gets a chance to. Her career as an idol is propelled along by the narrative failing to place any roadblocks in her way and rather than showing us Ruby's strength of character by letting her overcome social, structural and societal issues that troubled her mother, she is simply arbitrarily unaffected by them in any way that manifests in on-panel action taken by her.

This is what I mean when I say Ruby learns nothing—because the narrative, past a certain point, never challenges her or holds her accountable for her behavior in a way that would allow her to. Ruby is portrayed as a passive beneficiary of favorable circumstances, with any challenges she faces being swiftly neutralized by forces outside of her control or influence. This is not only frustrating to experience as a reader but ultimately diminishes the impact of her success as the story has begun presenting it.

[serial-serializednovelreader]

What's the first thing comes to mind when you think about them? -Jonathan Harker

Favorite canon thing about this character? -Van Helsing

Deepest darkest secret they won’t even admit to themselves -Jonathan Harker

More asks yay!!!! I am going to get into some implied spoilers in this one; since you’re asking about Van Helsing, it sounds like you’ve read the book before! I’ll try to keep the spoilers implied, but I also have a spoiler-free ask here, if you haven’t read Dracula already!

What’s the first thing that comes to mind when you think of them?

Jonathan Harker — bravery, love, and lizard fashion (yes I know, hear me out).

For bravery, I think of him trying to save a child, hitting Dracula with a shovel, and silently sharpening his knife.

For love, I think of “(Mem. get recipe for Mina)”, holding Mina closer when she cries and calls herself unclean, and his hair turning white.

For lizard fashion, I think of him looking down to prevent surprise/fear of the height later, straining to climb just a *little* more while gritting his teeth, and risking his life in hopes he could escape by imitating the monster who’s kept him prisoner.

Favorite canon thing about this character?

There are many things I love about Van Helsing, so I’ll give two: a serious and a funny thing.

Serious: That he’s not afraid to break down and be emotional, especially in front of other men. Most mentor characters, even in today’s age, are expected to be infallible and stoic. When things go wrong, they are impassive and continue on as if everything is normal. It’s refreshing to see him not be stoic when something terrible happens and instead cry it out — especially considering the conventions for men at the time. I know you didn’t ask this question, but this is also the scene that really made me love him!

Funny: Pulling Jack Seward’s ear “playfully” and making metaphors about corn is just a regular thing he does. IIRC, that’s like…the first in-person scene we get with Van Helsing (by which I mean he’s in-person with Jack and not writing a telegram/letter to him — I know everything in this book is a collection of letters/diary entries)? And he immediately owns the scene by calling Arthur “good corn” and then pulling on Jack’s ear when he doesn’t get the metaphor. It’s glorious, I love it!

Deepest darkest secret they won’t admit even to themselves?

I think, for a while, Jonathan is unable to admit to himself he was fed on by Dracula the night of June 29th. The evidence is all right there for him to see the next day when he sees Dracula bloated and blood coming out of his mouth, but…he doesn’t seem to register it. He doesn’t say anything of it, except he’s (understandably) disgusted, but also notes he doesn’t want “his own body” to be a “banquet” for the three vampire sisters — as if he wasn’t already one last night.

I think it’s understandable he doesn’t write it down. We know Jonathan doesn’t like to write about events he has no concrete evidence for and — well, he’d remember being fed on by a vampire, right? He remembered when the sisters were going to do it last time. But this is different. I believe the Count kept Jonathan asleep for the feeding (or wiped his memory of it) because he knows Jonathan has been acting “rebellious” lately and didn’t want him to rebel further, though it would’ve been difficult for him to with Dracula’s mind control on him. Perhaps Dracula just didn’t want to take any chances.

So if Jonathan can’t remember the event, he isn’t going to write it down. Plus, emotionally, it may be too overwhelming for him to write about in the moment. After all, he’s just tried to escape the castle several times before he wrote it and he’s about to try another escape attempt right after he finishes the entry, which may result in his death. In other words, his emotions are all over the place. We’ve always commended Jonathan on writing the hard truth — even when it’s difficult — but in this case, I think it’s a lot like Seward writing about Renfield, where he’s not even fully thinking of the idea to make it conscious. At this point, it’s more of a horrifying possibility he’s content to leave as an unconscious idea for the time being. Later, when Jonathan has processed this trauma, he’s able to understand he was fed on and can use that knowledge to his advantage! For now, he can’t admit this, even to himself. :(

Ask game here

[darkstar225]

Twice's 10th member and VCHA's Kaylee get to act their age thanks to Omma Jihyo

A/N: Heyyy, I'm trying to make up for the time I'm gone lol! Sry for taking so long to post :D I hope that the anon who gave me this idea on Tumblr likes it!

The request: Let me paint a picture in your head, 10!mem is same age as Kaylee from vcha and they are like classmates. Vcha is staying with twice in their dorm until theirs gets finished and jihyo is getting the two ready for like a field day or something since they don’t get to do normal kid things often so jihyo literally refused any schedules that day on the behalf of twice and vcha

PS: Tysm for everyone who reads what I write, I hope I can bring a smile to your faces every time I post! I'd like to thank whoever sent me this idea 'cause I loved to write it <3

__________________________________________________________

The sun barely rose over Seoul, casting a soft, golden light across the city as it awoke. In the TWICE dorm, the atmosphere differed from the usual hustle and bustle of a typical day filled with schedules and practice sessions. Today was a special day, one that Jihyo had fought hard to secure for the younger members, especially Y/N and Kaylee, who were still young and deserved a break to enjoy normal kid things.

Y/N, TWICE' little sunshine, and Kaylee from VCHA were the same age, and their bond had grown strong over the past few weeks. VCHA had been staying with TWICE in their dorm while their own was being finished, and the two youngest girls had quickly become best friends, especially since they were classmates at school.

Jihyo had gone to great lengths to ensure that both groups had no schedules today. She had literally refused any requests from their management, insisting that the girls deserved a day of fun and relaxation. It wasn't often that they had the opportunity to experience a normal childhood, and Mama Bear Jihyo was determined to give them that chance.

The dorm was buzzing with excitement as the girls prepared for their field day. Jihyo moved around the living room, packing snacks, water bottles, and everything they would need for a day out. She wore a bright smile, her maternal instincts in full swing as she made sure every detail was taken care of.

Y/N and Kaylee were in their shared room, getting dressed in comfortable outfits perfect for running around and playing games. Y/N wore a pair of denim shorts and a purple t-shirt, while Kaylee sported a pair of athletic leggings and a blue tank top. Both girls were bursting with excitement, their laughter echoing through the dorm.

Y/N - Are you ready, Kaylee? *smiles*

Asked the taller girl as her eyes sparkled with anticipation.

Kaylee - Yeah!! *nods enthusiastically*

Kaylee - I can't wait, Y/N! This is going to be so much fun! 

Just then, Jihyo poked her head into the room, smiling at the sight of the two girls. 

Jihyo - Are you both ready? We're leaving in a few minutes.

Y/N and Kaylee exchanged excited glances before nodding at Jihyo. 

Kaylee - Yes, unnie!

Y/N - Of course, Omma!

As the group gathered in the living room, Nayeon, Jeongyeon and the other TWICE members were also getting ready. The 2 oldest of 3mix had taken on the role of the fun aunts, ensuring that everyone had sunscreen and hats. They were just as excited as the younger girls, eager to spend a carefree day with them.

Jihyo - Okay, everyone, let's go!

Jihyo screamed while leading the way to the vans waiting outside.

The ride to the park was filled with chatter and laughter. The park they were heading to was a large, sprawling green space with plenty of room for games, picnics, and exploring. As they arrived, the girls couldn't contain their excitement, and they quickly piled out of the vans.

3mix (The moms lol) led the group to a shady spot under a large tree where they set up their base for the day. They laid out blankets and unpacked the snacks and drinks. Once everything was set, Jihyo clapped her hands to get everyone's attention.

Jihyo - Alright, girls! We have the whole day to ourselves, so let's make the most of it. What do you want to do first?

The maknaes exchanged glances, their faces lighting up with excitement. 

Kaylee - Can we play tag?

Jeongyeon - Of course! Everyone, join in! *smiles and nods in agreement*

The game of tag was just the beginning. The girls ran around the park, their laughter echoing through the trees as they played. Jihyo and Nayeon joined in, making sure everyone was having fun and staying safe. They played games like hide and seek, relay races, and even had a mini soccer match.

As the day went on, they took breaks for snacks and drinks, sitting together under the shade of the tree. Jihyo watched TWICE's munchkin and Kaylee with a soft smile, her heart swelling with pride and love for the young girls. They deserved this day of happiness, and she was glad she could give it to them.

During one of their breaks, Nayeon handed out ice cream cones, much to the delight of everyone. Y/N and Kaylee sat side by side, their faces smeared with ice cream as they giggled and talked about their favourite moments of the day.

Y/N - Unnie, this is the best day ever! *looking up at Jihyo with wide, grateful eyes*

Jihyo ruffled her child's hair affectionately. 

Jihyo - I'm glad you're having fun, baby. You and Kaylee deserve to have days like this.

Kaylee nodded in agreement, her eyes shining with happiness. 

Kaylee - Thank you, Jihyo unnie. This is amazing.

As the afternoon turned into evening, the girls gathered around for one last activity. Jeongyeon had brought along a set of lanterns, and they decided to release them into the sky, each girl making a wish as they let go of their lantern.

The kid duo stood side by side, holding their lanterns carefully. As they released them, they watched in awe as the lanterns floated up into the sky, their wishes carried with them.

Y/N - What did you wish for?

TWICE's angel asked Kaylee, her eyes still fixed on the lanterns.

Kaylee smiled with a hint of mystery in her eyes. 

Kaylee - It's a secret. What about you?

Y/N - Mine too. *giggles*

Jihyo, Jeongyeon and Nayeon watched the scene with fond smiles, feeling a deep sense of satisfaction. This day had been everything they hoped for and more. It was a reminder that amidst the chaos of their lives as idols, there were moments of pure joy and simplicity that made it all worthwhile.

As the sun began to set, casting a warm, golden glow over the park, the girls gathered their things and headed back to the vans. They were tired but happy, their hearts full from a day well spent.

Back at the dorm, Y/N and Kaylee were the first to fall asleep, exhausted from their adventures. 3mix tucked them in, their motherly instincts kicking in once more as they made sure the girls were comfortable and safe.

Jihyo watched the 2 maknaes sleep for a moment, her heart swelling with love. She knew that days like this were precious, and she was grateful for the opportunity to give TWICE's doll and Kaylee a taste of normalcy and happiness.

As she turned off the lights and quietly closed the door, Jihyo felt a deep sense of fulfilment. TWICE and VCHA were more than just groups, they were family. As long as she could, she would continue to fight for these moments of joy and togetherness, ensuring that her girls knew just how much they were loved and cherished.

The dorm was quiet as everyone settled in for the night, but the memory of the day's laughter and happiness lingered in the air, a testament to the unbreakable bond they shared.

And this made everyone share one thought:

I'll love my dear chosen family forever.

A/N: I'm sorry for any errors. English is not my first language. Pls, let me know if there is something wrong, ty for reading <3

[ollieofthebeholder]

And If Thou Wilt, Forget: a TMA fanfic

[1] [2] Also on AO3 and my personal website.

Chapter 3: For once I dreamed of you

The old bat had left her office door unlocked. And more importantly, she’d left her papers out.

Well. Okay. That was a bit of a stretch. The door wasn’t so much unlocked as it was shockingly easy to pick, and the papers hadn’t so much been out as easily eventually located under several empty folders in a drawer that came open with only a little bit of jiggling and finagling. But, come on. For Gertrude Robinson, that was practically leaving the doors wide open with a big sign that said FREE TO A GOOD HOME pointing directly at the papers.

Well…maybe not. Not when nobody came down to the Archives when she wasn’t in except for Gerard, and he’d said he wouldn’t be back until Tuesday.

Not his fault he’d been too keyed up to wait and taken an earlier train back.

Maybe a little his fault.

Gerard hummed to himself as he turned the pages over. They seemed to relate to a statement of some kind; while the actual statement didn’t seem to be anywhere in them, he could kind of piece together the gist of it just based on the research. It was something to do with an eighteenth-century automaton that turned out to be a hoax, and something to do with a Hungarian theater, and something to do with an unremarkable man, probably the statement-giver. All taken together, it suggested something of the Stranger, maybe a previous attempt at the Unknowing. Gertrude had obviously been making notes, highlighting, underlining, scribbling in the margins, but what was unusual—at least as far as he could see—was that she had crossed most of her notes out. The crosses started out neat and precise, but he started to notice that more and more of them were stricken hastily in a vicious, almost excited slash. He had trouble with her handwriting at the best of times, and the edits made it harder.

Nevertheless, he persisted.

One note he could read delighted him. MEM: If he survives, bonus/raise? Gerard didn’t exactly draw a paycheck from the Institute, and Gertrude rarely favored him with more than he paid for any books he acquired for her, and it didn’t feel great to know she had such a low opinion of him that she thought he’d get killed by the idiot that had previously owned this one. But the idea of a bonus was promising. He put a big, cheeky check mark next to the note and went on.

“Excuse me, this part of the Institute isn’t open to the public.”

Gerard did not yelp in surprise. He did not toss the papers in his hand like they were electrified. He did not shove back from Gertrude’s desk so quickly that the chair toppled over backwards, taking him with it to the floor. He did not crack his head so hard on the floor that he saw stars and temporarily lost the ability to breathe.

He couldn’t have done any of those things, because that would have meant that he looked not only highly suspicious but deeply uncool in front of the objectively hot man looking down at him with a combination of bafflement and concern, and surely the universe didn’t hate him that much.

“Then what are you doing here?” he asked as soon as he had enough air to speak, as if he was in any position—literally or metaphorically—to make that kind of challenge.

“I work here.” The man held out a hand to assist him off the floor.

Gerard ignored it, as much as he wanted to take it, and rolled to his feet with as much dignity as he could manage. “Did you need something from Ms. Robinson?”

“Did you?” the man countered. “I don’t think she’s in right now—I’m not entirely sure where she is, actually, just that she’s out—but maybe I can help you with whatever it is?”

“Uh.” Gerard thought fast. Whoever this man was, assuming he did actually work for the Institute, he shouldn’t be down here. Unless this was Elias Bouchard, whom Gerard had never met—with good reason—but he looked awfully young for that. Also, if Gerard had managed to get himself caught by Elias Bouchard, Gertrude would…actually, he didn’t know what she would do to him, but it definitely wouldn’t be pleasant. She didn’t suffer fools gladly and had a low tolerance for failure, and she’d been emphatic about him keeping well away from Elias when he came to the Archives. Still, whoever this was, Gerard would have to have a reason to be here, and a reason to get him out of the Archivist’s office.

He gestured at the papers still scattered over the desk, hoping the man wouldn’t look at them too closely. “I, uh—statement.”

The man glanced briefly at the papers, then up at Gerard with a single raised eyebrow. “You don’t look much like an expert in eighteenth-century Hungarian theater. Or eighteenth-century Hungarian, for that matter. So I’m not sure why you’re helping with this one.”

Shit. Well, time for another lie, one that could probably pass muster. Gerard gave the man what he hoped was a disarming grin. “Look, cards on the table, eh, mate? I’m her grandson. Just back from a trip to the continent, so I thought I’d pop in and see her, say hello, you know? I wasn’t supposed to be back until next week, so I reckoned I’d surprise her. Didn’t expect to find anyone down here.”

The man relaxed, but only marginally. “Been gone a while, have you?”

“Couple months,” Gerard hazarded. It had actually only been about a week and a half he’d been off on this trip, but something told him that wouldn’t be long enough.

“That explains it. I only started working for her in September.” The man held out his hand again. “Tim Stoker. Archival Assistant.”

He smiled. He really did have a nice smile—white teeth and a mischievous dimple and lines around his eyes that suggested he laughed more than frowned. Gerard’s own smile relaxed in response as he accepted the hand and shook it. “Gerard Keay. Rare book dealer.”

“Nice to meet you, Gerard.” Tim ran a hand through his hair and stifled a yawn. “Sorry. Just woke up from a nap…where were you, if you don’t mind my asking?”

“Germany. Black Forest region. Gentleman there had a collection of rare maps and atlases.” Gerard shrugged. “I got a few, but…not sure what they’re worth. They’re not the kind of rare books I usually deal with.”

“May I see?” Tim asked. “If you don’t mind showing me.”

That…was probably a bad idea. Gerard tried to look skeptical rather than nervous. “Know a lot about German geography?”

“No, but I know books.” Tim gave him a crooked grin. “First in Anthropology. And I worked in publishing before I came to the Institute.”

Curiosity overcame caution. Not completely—Gerard was smart enough not to pull out the book with Leitner’s bookplate carefully affixed to the inside, the title of which he couldn’t interpret—but he did extract the other three and hand them over. Tim took them with the reverence of a bibliophile and handled them with the respect of a historian. He examined the bindings and conditions of the covers, murmuring to himself as he did so. If he was telling the truth about working for Gertrude, and the jury was still out on that, she’d managed to get a good one.

He set the books gently on the desk, then picked up one and opened it carefully. The familiar scent of an old book wafted up from its pages, with none of the stale malice Gerard was accustomed to smelling in Leitners—it might have been his imagination, but he’d smelled it a time or two in books that didn’t have the label and they’d wound up being evil too. Tim studied the inside page for a moment. He frowned slightly, then gave Gerard a sharp look. “How much did you pay for this?”

“About eight thousand pounds for all four. I think.” Gerard was keenly literate but reluctantly numerate, and he’d never been able to hold exchange rates in his head for as long as it took him to turn away from the posted signs at the airport or bank counter.

“You could get twice that for just this one, at a conservative guess. Look.” Tim angled the book towards him. “See this printer’s mark here? This was an experimental printing press that made movable print blocks with geographic features and shorelines and such, then tried to put them together into coherent maps. They weren’t quite as helpful as a hand-drawn one, or a custom-drawn one, but they were pretty damn close, especially for the time. There aren’t a lot of these still surviving.”

Despite himself, Gerard was impressed. “Out of curiosity, how lost would you be if you tried to follow them?”

“Today? Extremely. Even back then, you’d probably be better off staying inland. The coastline wouldn’t look right. But not any worse off than most other common maps of the time.” Tim gingerly turned a page. “Your guy didn’t know what he had. Or you’re an amazingly shrewd bargainer.”

“I dress up when I’m dealing with clients.” Fudging the truth a bit. Gerard could clean up well enough, and every once in a while would dust off a nice suit if he needed to, but it was mostly for charity events or the like. Charming old ladies was surprisingly easier the rattier he looked.

Tim tossed him a grin. “Yeah, you look like the tails and opera cloak type.”

“Hey,” Gerard said, starting to be offended. Then he spotted the sincerity—and appreciation—in Tim’s eyes and realized he meant it.

Oh, hell. He was too old to blush like a schoolgirl just because a cute boy paid him a compliment.

Not that he could ever remember a cute boy paying him a compliment. Tim was actually probably the youngest person he’d ever had a sustained conversation with. Gerard mostly lusted after hot men, women, and people of indeterminate gender from a distance, even more so since he’d got out of prison, and satisfied his needs and desires with nameless, faceless partners at clubs that catered to such things. Low lights, loud music, and the kind of silent communication that was really, really easy to willfully misinterpret. He’d been hurt badly a time or two, but at least he never needed to see who did the hurting.

Tim set the rare tome aside and picked up another, and Gerard took the opportunity to study him more closely. He looked like a pretty typical academic, understandable if he’d been in publishing before stepping into the ivory tower of the Institute, but there was something…fun about him. Something that spoke of farmers’ markets and swap meets and bazaars, but also of forest tracks and river paths and mountain trails. He was an explorer, but not an adventurer—not usually a risk-taker—which made it all the odder he was in the Archives. If he’d come down here thinking it was safe…Gerard got a bit of a sinking feeling. He probably didn’t know about the Fourteen.

Which didn’t make sense. Surely Gertrude wouldn’t have kept him in the dark. Surely she wasn’t that cruel.

And—no, there it was, so faint he’d almost missed it. It wasn’t the mark of something following him, necessarily, more of a shadow, but Tim had racked up at least one encounter with the Stranger, maybe more. But a contract from the Institute, while it didn’t guarantee safety, at least afforded him a measure of the Eye’s protection. If nothing else, it would keep him under observation and let Gertrude, or someone, know if the Stranger came for him again. That was good.

Beyond that, his observations confirmed his initial assessment. Tall, or at least close to Gerard’s height, good-looking in a way that wasn’t at all self-conscious, with a ready smile and very sharp eyes. Gerard had never been good at any kind of casual conversation, let alone making actual friends, but something about Tim made him want to try.

“These are both late nineteenth century,” Tim said, bringing Gerard back to reality. “At least I can confidently say you didn’t overpay for them if you bought them with this other one, but honestly, they’re the Edwardian equivalent of pulp. They’re in good enough condition, but you’d have to find a pretty specialized collector to get more than a couple hundred pounds for both.” He set them down. “You said you bought four?”

“I did?” Gerard panicked slightly. Oh, there was no way he’d let a pair of sapphire eyes and a dimple he could lose his finger in charm him into tipping his hand, was there? If there was a God, a supreme head of the universe, He was definitely laughing at Gerard right about then.

On the other hand…well, he was Gertrude’s assistant. He had to know what Leitners were, right? He’d be careful. Gerard reached for his bag again.

“And just what do you think you’re doing, Gerard?”

For the second time that day, Gerard almost leaped out of his skin. At least this voice was one he was expecting…kind of…but that didn’t mean it didn’t startle him. He managed to keep the guilty look off his face as he blinked up at Gertrude Robinson’s unimpressed expression.

Before he could come up with a glib answer, though, Tim gave her a wry smile. “Lying through his teeth, and badly at that. But if you do actually know him, I won’t go looking for security unless you want me to.”

“No need for that. Yet.” Gertrude shot Gerard a warning glance before turning back to Tim. “Are you rested?”

“Yeah. Thanks for letting me use the cot.” Tim moved towards the door. “If you don’t need me, I’m going to go pack that up before I get started for the day.”

“It’s Saturday, but the library should be open. Diana usually has someone helping her with cataloging on Saturday mornings. Find out what they have on the Circus of the Other,” Gertrude instructed, then, uncharacteristically, tacked on, “Please.”

Tim looked momentarily disorientated, but nodded. “Do you need them in English?”

“Unless you read Russian.”

“Only the basics, really.”

“Well, that’s better than I can. If there are any in Russian, do see what you can do with them.”

“I will. Thanks.” Tim gave Gerard a wink and a cheeky grin. “Nice to meet you, Gerard. Try not to scream too loud.” He rapped twice on the frame of the door and was gone.

Gertrude waited a few minutes, arms crossed over her chest, then raised an eyebrow disapprovingly at Gerard. “What did you tell him?”

“Told him I was your grandson.” Gerard suppressed a smirk at the small harrumph she made at that. “And that I’m a book dealer who was meeting a client with rare atlases. I did try at first to say I was doing a statement, before I knew who he was, but—”

“He’s far more perceptive than he appears,” Gertrude said. “And he has a talent for this kind of work.”

“How long’s he been with you?” Gerard, despite himself, was curious.

Gertrude’s eyes narrowed slightly. “Since the beginning of September. Ordinarily when I know you are coming, I come up with a reason to get him out of the Archives.”

The censure in her voice was palpable. Gerard shifted slightly uneasily. “I got what I went for. Waiting around another three days didn’t make much sense to me, so I grabbed an express train early. I didn’t expect anyone to be here on a Saturday.”

“Then why come here? Why not wait until Monday?”

“Well, you’re not anyone. You’re always here, I just thought—”

“And my office?” Gertrude interrupted. She scowled at the papers scattered on the desk. “Did you find anything interesting?”

“Yeah. I found your assistant,” Gerard said pointedly. “Or he found me, anyway. I figured it would be better than waiting in the middle of the Archives.”

Gertrude’s eyes narrowed further. “He’s right. You are a terrible liar.”

“I am a fantastic liar,” Gerard said, offended. “You just know too much.”

“Gerard.” Gertrude pinched the bridge of her nose briefly.

“Why’s he here, anyway?” Gerard asked, trying to redirect her from blessing him out and distract her into revealing her nefarious plan. “Thought you didn’t have anyone officially helping you anymore.” He was a little vague on what had happened to her previous assistants, but they’d all been gone well before she took care of his annoying little problem and he started helping her. She’d been adamant about not putting him on the payroll, and he’d assumed it was so she had more leeway about what to do with him, but…

“He works here,” Gertrude said pointedly.

“Yeah, but it’s Saturday,” Gerard shot back. “Like I said, nobody works on Saturdays but you. And more to the point, why does he work here? I thought you didn’t have the budget for an assistant.”

“No, I didn’t have the budget for two, which is why I couldn’t hire internally. Elias instituted a policy that any department accepting a transfer from another department must also take Martin Blackwood. And I had no interest in posting an external advertisement and risking the sorts of people who might apply.” Gertrude strode over to her desk and began gathering the paperwork. “Tim came to the Institute for a job interview. I ran into him at the door and assumed he had come to give a statement. After I had taken it…well, it seemed safer to have him where I could keep an eye on him.”

“Because of his encounter with the Stranger?”

“Yes.” Gertrude looked troubled for just a moment. “Not just the Stranger. His brother was taken by the Circus.”

Gerard’s stomach clenched. “This would be the Circus of the Other that you just sent him to do research on?”

“Indeed. A way for the Stranger to collect its victims. For the most part, it no longer exists, but in its day it traveled over much of Europe, especially Russia.”

“So why’s it here? What does it want him for?” Gerard didn’t know why he was suddenly so worried about a guy he’d only just met. Sure, he was hot, but he was still a complete, well, stranger. It would suck if anything happened to him, in the same way it would suck if anything happened to anybody, but there was no reason to be that particular. “Has it been following him since he was a kid?”

Gertrude raised an eyebrow, but said only, “Unlikely. His brother’s encounter was only a few days before I met him.”

“Then I ask again. Why is a circus—excuse me, the Circus—so important? And what does it want with Tim?”

“What it wants with everyone else,” Gertrude said calmly. “To use him to remake the world in its own image. To bring about the apotheosis of the Stranger.”

Gerard hadn’t realized he had sat down, but the fact that he stood up fast enough to knock over Gertrude’s chair again told him otherwise. “To bring about the what?”

“Apotheosis. The emergence of—”

“I know what apotheosis is, dammit. What the fuck do you mean the Circus is trying to bring forth the Stranger?”

Gertrude sighed heavily. She came around her desk, righted her chair firmly, and sat in it. “Take a seat, Gerard.”

Gerard wanted to argue, wanted to demand that she stop with the cryptic bullshit and just tell him already, but the part of him that had grown up with Mary Keay and knew the price of disappointing her bent his knees without his consent. Fortunately there was a chair behind him. He clenched his hands tightly in his lap to keep them from shaking and waited.

Gertrude folded her hands on her desktop and peered at him over the rims of her glasses. “Please understand that my reasons for keeping this from you have nothing to do with trust. I have full confidence in you. It’s simply that, once you have this knowledge, you will not be able to walk away. You’ve dealt with quite enough in your life. Leave now, and you can leave this life behind.”

Gerard doubted that. For one thing, he didn’t believe for a second that Gertrude had kept it from him to give him the choice of walking away, otherwise she wouldn’t have answered his question about Tim. Whatever her reasoning, it wasn’t that. For another thing, he’d been marked by too many Fears; his mother may not have wanted to bind herself to one in particular, or so she had always claimed, but she’d skewed too close to Terminus not to scar him with it, and he’d literally etched the Eye into his skin. Between that and the Leitners, he might walk away from the Institute, but something would kill him or claim him before he got too far.

Besides. He thought he might have just made his first actual friend, or at least be on the way to making one. If he walked away now, he’d lose that chance.

“Yeah, right,” he said. “Like I’m going to leave you to deal with whatever this is on your own. Tell me what’s going on.”

Gertrude nodded. “Right. Let’s start at the beginning, then.”

[goldom]

I have been informed by people [let's be honest, you reading this] that I am nowhere near the end, so here goes 3.1 part 4 of A Lot.

Starting off strong with "I think we should kill Tribbie [and eat her??]" —signed, Evil Guy

How we feelin' about that "Oronyx is lucid and willing to work with humanity" today?

Neither here nor there but I'm feeling there's a potential joke in here with Stelle/baseball/Tribbie/"triple play."

...I guess not so triple anymore. Sorry, Dibbie.

Actually hoyo has finally cracked the code for how to kill off characters while still keeping them in the story without "somehow she returned" – just make there be multiples of them in the first place. Looking forward to the inevitable deaths of Trirefly numbers 2 and 3.

If Hyacine calls Stelle "Greyie" (awful in English tbh but whatever), what should she call Firefly? "Light-greyie"?

Mem, I need to teach you about these things called "death flags."

Uh huh, Aglaea, tell me more about how you want to "deal with" people who disagree with your rule. (Shutting up now before I make everyone angry.)

How do you even figure that out

(no comment, I'll just need that later)

oh no, he's cool

Krateros 🫡

Well shit, I thought Stelle would have a chance at aeonhoon one day, wasn't expecting her to get demigodified by version 3.

Well I kept asking for Stelle to overthrow a monarchy, but hey, I'll take Mydei.

I am dying that these two don't get to have a (very manly, totally appropriate for China) hug goodbye

I am also dying that we will never see what mihoyo could make if they were willing to develop an offline, single-player RPG without any microtransactions, because god I think it could be so good.

This pose is literally copied from something, right? Like exactly? I can't think of what... My first thought was either Arthas in Warcraft 3 or Kratos in the first God of War, but I just looked at both scenes and neither was exactly the same, but it really feels familiar.

So uh. We go to hear this old prophecy that's gonna convince everyone they're doing the right thing, and the first thing we see is Oronyx going "yo don't follow that prophecy, it's bad." Not exactly winning me over here.

Literally everything in this entire city is screaming "These prophecies are all made up, don't trust them." Why are we trusting them, again?

Surprise Ave Mujica crossover

This is doing things to me

Game do you want me to cry (it does want that yes)

You can't make me stop liking Dan.

"Yep, here's your one frame of March for the update, we didn't forget."

After an embrace, eternal separation... we know Stelle can touch Cas, and presumably is going to eventually leave Amphoreus never to return. I mean it's said ominously as if it means something more Bad than that, but that seems to fit the prophecy perfectly.

The end? The end?? Excuse me, but y'all have a funny definition of "half way" lol

really hoyo?

I mean that's what I was thinking. If the entire world but for one person has to die to save the world, have you really saved anything at all? I guess the Dromas will have a nice planet left at least...

More seriously, I imagine it's something like in the end one is able to reset everything back to the beginning, and life starts again... But I dunno, that doesn't sound like a very good ending to me either, cursed to live out the same thing over and over forever.

Well that makes it pretty clear, in combination with what Cerces said. Anaxagoras wasn't somehow the sole survivor. He died, and the titan is animating his body.

I love you too, sweetie.

[walkman-cat]

CECIL RAMBLE!!

This is Cecil Meyers! He's Kit's sworn brother, one half of the Nonesuch Detective Agency, and one of the protagonists of Eidolon Vetch.

Here's some (actually Much, because I am incapable of Not Yapping) Cecil Lore (in bullet point form)(also under a cut because it is Sizeable I am so sorry):

In comparison to Kit and Orpheus he seems normal. Kit and Orph consider him to be normal. He is not normal. Kit and Orph are just much more extreme in their weirdness

Cecil's very curious and very nosy and loves eavesdropping, people-watching, and gossiping

He's got a great memory for other people's business, and collects secrets. The Nonesuch Detective Agency has a system where, if a client is unable to pay, they can either owe Orpheus a favour or give Cecil a secret (though Cecil does prefer being paid).

Cecil's habit of poking his nose into other peoples' business means that he's stumbled across a fair number of crime scenes and become witness to quite a few crimes (he likes looking into the windows of buildings)

He actually met Orpheus because he saw Orph sat on a fire escape in the rain and approachd him to find out what was Up with him.

He's the darling of a certain group of washerwomen/embroideresses who live in the city's Old Quarter. Instead of doing his job (ie. selling newspapers or shining shoes or any of the many jobs he took up while living on the streets with Kit) he used to come watch them work and listen to them talk. They continue to have regular gossip sessions to this day, and Cecil's considered family.

Most of his clothes are hand-me-downs or gifts from their families.

Because of this, pretty much everything he wears doesn't quite fit him right

Kit and Cecil grew up together. As children they lived in the same tenement (Cecil's parents and Kit's mother were close and shared in the responsibilities), and after the deaths of their parents they stuck together. They may not be siblings by blood but they are siblings!! Do not separate!!

Kit was always a better newsboy and a better pickpocket than Cecil (Cecil's poor vision made it hard for him to read the headlines, he's more awkward than her, and he'd often get distracted while eavesdropping). Kit often had to steal to make enough for the both of them. Cecil was the distraction.

When Cecil met Orpheus, he was basically working as an errand boy and a mudlark.

He's always preferred scrambling up buildings and across rooftops to walking down the street. If he has an idea he wants to tell Orph about he will just climb onto the roof make his way over to Orph's building and climb in through his window (this has jumpscared Orph multiple times)

Kit's afraid of fire, and Cecil's afraid of the cold, so whenever they were staying somewhere with a lit fire Cecil would mind the fire while Kit slept

Cecil's got insomnia. He spends a lot of his nights wandering the city or going over cases. Orph sometimes helps him sleep (god of dreams things)

Cecil knows nearly all of Kit's secrets, and is also well aware that she's Hermes Vetch.

He just pretends he Does Not See It. Nor does he help Orph during heists. It's a conflict of interest he does Not want to deal with

He's always wanted to be an artist (Kit's mother used to give him art lessons before her death) and he used to doodle on scraps of newspaper. Orph usually asks him to draw details of corpses now, which he's more than a little chagrined by, but he also has the funds to buy an actual sketchbook and watercolours (so he's happy enough).

He's drawn Orph. A Lot. (it gives him opportunity to stare)

His hands are covered in graphite and charcoal a good portion of the time. So are the pockets of his trousers. Because he keeps his pencils/charcoal in the pockets of his trousers

Speaking of Orph! Cecil's been pining after him pretty much since they met. Kit's had to deal with him for nearly six years by the start of Kit's part of the story and she is Sick of his Shit

He's literally all the 'kinda gay to be a detective' memes its so silly

Regardless of his romantic feelings, he's still perfectly happy with them being unrequited as long as he can still be close to Orph. Their friendship matters above all.

That being said, his feelings aren't necessarily unrequited.

He's also friends with Ophelia (somewhat)(she doesn't really Do interpersonal relationships for haunted-by-a-friendship-that-ended-abruptly-a-decade-ago reasons, but it counts)(sometimes they sit in the same room in silence)(it's pleasant).

he's my beloved and I love him

i've probably forgotten things but yeah! that's my boy my bestfriend my silly guy

[trenchcoatsbi]

Yippee time to do my favorite thing in thr world: Infodump /silly

-

Share your kin memories!

Honestly the amount of memories I've shared on this blog already are quite a lot lol

But I guess I'll share a small one for each of my main kintypes

Etho: I had a habit of literally curling myself around Skizz when I wanted to hug time. Like my wings and tail were fully wrapped around him. I also did this while sleeping apparently

Shadow Bonnie: the souls liked to play games in the secret backroom during the day! This lead to many silly moments :3

Sparrow: I actually didn't like water very much. Poor Spot and Racer had to force me to drink enough every day

Is there any foods from your kins that you can’t have anymore/miss? (Big Q asks for your favourite ice cream flavors)

Etho: You all do not understand how good watered down potions & campfire cooked meat tastes. Like sweet potions and good savory meat and you're chilling with your family. 100/10

Shadow Bonnie: I couldn't exactly eat, but Chi's cupcakes and Chica's pizza smelled good enough to count :3

Sparrow: I don't miss the food persay, but the experience of eating with the newsies!! Any food was the best food with those dumbasses /affectionate

... I can't really eat ice cream (milk doesn't like me :( ), but vanilla custard with warm caramel is always a first pick for me!!!

What was/is your favorite thing about Minecraft?

Etho: how fucking easy it was to build things. I think I would've screamed if I actually had to build a bunch of things from my mems ;-;

Who do you miss the most?

Etho: My husband. Phil has read through more then enough of me missing him lol. (Skizz come back where are you-). But I'd honestly have to say pretty much everybody that I was close to. I miss them for all different reasons!

Bo: Mari & Springy. Lefty and Molten are also up there! I think it's more so the memory of our deaths :/

Sparrow: Racer. The only person in any of my timelines that I had romantic feelings for and he's not beside me :(

What’s the best thing about being kin for you?

The people I've met along the way. And in my memories.

Sure, the bad memories hurt. They hurt a lot, but there's always the good ones to balance it out.

If I remember anything about the death games, I can just hold on to when I married Skizz, or hanging out with the Helsmits, or raising my kids.

If I can't get Henry's speech out of my head, I can instead think back to Mari needing to have his needles taken so he wouldn't stab Afton, or Springy getting crowned the 'King of Capitalist Checkers'

Or when I can't get Racer's cold body out of my vision, I think back to the secret kisses with him, or times in the lodging house when everybody was happy.

So I guess I can say the friends I've made, and the happy memories I would've otherwise never known about.

If you could swap your kins/kintypes, would you?

Nah. They're me, for better or worse.

I will say there's a character from a cartoon I've seen bits and pieces of that feels like she should be a kintype, but she isn't. It's kinda funny actually

What’s your favorite music? Additionally, do any songs help you get into shift?

I really like upbeat and fast paced songs :D My music tastes are a weird venn diagram of Pop, indie stuff, Rock, Musicals, & Vocoloid/simular stuff :3

Music 100% helps me shift. sometimes unintentally. some examples are:

Etho - Will I Find My Home, King of the World, Paper Rings, & Brother

Shadow Bonnie - The Kids Aren't Alright (Mari used it to pratisc guitar), Make This Puppet Proud, The Puppet Song, & the music box from fnaf 2

Sparrow - Almost anything from the Newsies soundtrack, Abandon Ship, Ribs, & Lost Boy

(hey btw, if you like vocoloid stuff check out the album Diary of Underage Observation! It's got some darker topics but the songs slap (shout out to another friend and me getting one song stuck in our heads for three days stright lol))

—Or use this ask game as an opportunity to share anything else you want!

send help I can't tell if I'm just hyperfixationing and projecting on certain characters or if they're me ;-; (my reaction to stress is apparently very simluar to depersonalization/derealization disorder which is. annoying. because I can not longer tell if my body feels wrong because gender, or kinshift, or that.)

If any of those that I'm questioning end up actually being kins, I'll do this again with them because I love excuses to infodump are my lives :3 Voidling Not!Anon

LETS GOOOO I LOVE INFODUMPS

the thing about memories is really super wholesome :)

[pricechecktranslations]

May I ask a possibly weird/dumb question?

Did, one way or another, Levia and Behemo try to reincarnate via Alice Marry-Go-Round/Maria with Eve and Adam? I know Eve and Adam shouldn't be irregulars, but Levia/Behemo mention letting them reincarnate in a similar way as Adam in Queen of the Glass, right?

I also know that translations can be pretty awkward at best for EC, but, I had seen an OSS translation that had Alice explicitly call Adam and Eve "Twins of God", which is also often used with the children of Mem Alephs, right? Though again ik translations can be "rough" so I wouldn't be surprised if that was misinfo

It doesn't explain how Adam and Eve would end up so different every other irregular, or even just Hänsel and Gretel who were (if this is the case, also) failed incarnations of Behemo/Levia though. If anything it makes it even more confusing/is evidence against it??

No. They didn't. This is never described as happening in any of the accounts of Levia and Behemo's plan, nor is it ever alluded to in anything discussing Adam and Eve. Levia's narration at the end of Muzzle of Nemesis in particular makes clear that they were specifically trying to use Project Ma to do this, and Adam and Eve were born long before Project Ma began. If this happened, and it was never mentioned or even hinted at, that is what I would call a significant omission (ie, a lie).

In Queen of the Glass, they tell Alice to "create" their vessels as she did with Adam, not "reincarnate". As in, "they must be given birth to". In the prologue of OSS Crime, she does refer to Adam and Eve as "Twins of God", but in that same chapter it's only after the Senate has "drowned" them that she receives the message from LeviaBehemo that she needs to make their vessels. The phrase itself doesn't mean anything here, it's just her private thoughts on her children and a nod to what's to come. Additionally, if Levia and Behemo were willing to reincarnate into just any old twins at that point, there would have been no need for Project Ma in the first place. It is only later, when they have become impatient and desperate, that they decide to just hop into Elluka and call it good that they decided to just escape in the dragon body they had.

Also I'd just like to clarify something--the vast majority of Evillious translations out there, especially for later content like the OSS novels, are done by me. And while I cannot promise they always have a good reading experience, and sometimes they are not as clear as they could be (the older translations especially), on the whole I have done my best to ensure that they are as accurate to the source text as possible, with no mistranslations or misinformation. If I am ever made aware of any such instances, I immediately go in and correct them. I don't know if it's my translations you're referring to, but if they are, you can be sure that they were made with these quality standards in mind.

[aihoshiino]

I dropped onk after the "the doctor im 18 now so marry me" but came back now that it's ended...

I've only read the very last chapters though and don't really feel like reading incest ship tease so I ask you, my highly esteemed oshi no ko scholar, did memcho have any plot relevance after love now? what do you make of her character? she always seemed like such a nothing character to me but your onk opinions are always interesting to me even when it's about elements of the story I didn't like, so I'd love to hear your thoughts on her

She did...................... not </3

Well that's a fib, she was a really good support character for a good chunk of the manga which like... if you're a big Memcho enjoyer I can see that being Annoying that she's just relegated to dealing with everyone else's drama, but I think being someone who takes on a sort of mentor-y role (at least in terms of narrative utility) to Ruby and Kana (and to an extent, Aqua!) was kind of the perfect thing for Mem to do if it was done properly.

I think what makes Mem so interesting and potentially really engaging as a character is the dichotomy of her being so :3 sillayyyyy while also being pretty much the most put-together and mature character in the cast without either of those sides of her being framed as 'fake' or insincere. It's not that Mem is like, 'dropping an act' when she cuts the BS and goes into Adult In The Room Mode, but that her experience and comparative maturity as an adult is what allows her to recognize when it's time to stop fucking around and get serious and also how she's supposed to achieve that. It puts her in a unique position compared to the rest of the main cast who are mainly just teens still who are trying to figure out how to deal with Adult Emotions and Adult Responsibilities for the first time whereas for Mem, this is all old news.

In like a hypothetical ideal world where OnK is a more cohesive work, I think Mem could be really good as one of those parallel characters to Ai who's used to indirectly communicate ideas and explanations about her and her behavior without directly expositing them in an immersion breaking way. Abiko is already pretty transparently this in the original work - there's a handful of moments where Yoriko is talking/thinking about her and the things she says are also things that apply to Ai.

(there's more but this is the only one I have handy and if I sat down to reread tokyo blade to find the rest i would never get anything answered LSJFKSMLAKSLA)

I think Mem had the potential to serve this purpose in terms of explaining to the audience the dichotomy between 'Ai Hoshino' and 'Ai of B-Komachi'. One of the most important parts of understanding Ai (that Rie Takahashi confirms in her First Report interview) is that 'Ai as an idol' and 'Ai Hoshino' are not two separate, distinct identities but that 'Ai of B-Komachi' exists within the real Ai at all times and, like any other human, Ai just shows different sides of herself depending on the situation.

This is basically the case for Serious Mode Mem as well - it's not that these are two distinct personalities or that one is fake or made up in comparison to the other but that Mem's front-facing self is different depending on the external situation, just like any other person.

In this ideal version of Oshi no Ko, there would've been a number of characters across the cast who are used in this way and the Movie Arc would've been a sort of final exam where the audience is challenged to use everything they've been taught so far to come into a complete and full understanding of Ai as a human.

But, uh. That didn't happen! Or at least, while Mem does still kind of serve this role in the OnK we got, it comes off was a bit more accidental and not as formative to what the Movie Arc has to say about Ai.

As she stands, Mem doesn't have a ton going on in terms of stuff that actually plays out on page but I do think there's a lot of interesting avenues to examine and explore her if you wanted to flesh her out a bit more. There's a lot of potential and I think what we get of her up to the end of Scandal is really strong and what kills her arc ultimately is just a lack of page space and attention afforded to her when she needed (and deserved!) it.

(yes btw. i'm aware of how Incredibly Me it is to get an ask about a completely different character and to find a way to start aiposting instead somehow.........................)

[likesaly]

Nanase and Arumu for the headcanon ask?

Just woke up srry for late reply

Nanase

HC A - Nanase picked up alot of hobbies during the time he was a shut in so he knows how to sew, probably learned small stuff about cooking from Mikado etc.

HC B - (based on a mem) The line Nanase (2222) has w Misane is still intact so when Misane goes to her original timeline she can still communicate with him; Future! Nanase sometimes stops in to say hi, Toukai just doesn't question it and Nanashi (2222) just helps Misane cheat on tests because there is no logic explanation how the fuck are they gonna explain "oh dw I'm talking to my best friend who's in another timeline!" (The only two (both 2222 and future) who see through the bullshit is Aira (ripple proof memory due to Android) and Izuchi (reading the bitphone data) )

HC C - Nanase probably has some vague memories of the bad and normal ends due to deja vu and gets it when the timeline restarts. And considering he's able to remember the past into the future; The whole mikado identity crisis is another thing.

HC D - Toukai adopts Nanase; Nanase is Misane's older brother (accutallly fuck canon w their relationship) Nanase gets adopted in around the time he's 16 bc Nanase managed to get into college at a young age due to credits and such and that's how Toukai met him (Toukai goes to school again could study more for his job and to keep the family afloat) and they just happen to be close upon meeting, a little shaky at first but they got there. Minisane seemed to get attached to Nanase when Toukai invited Nanase over to babysit her for the first time.

Arumu

HC A - Arumu probably had a passion for writing as a kid: She probably was the one who made morning announcements during her school years, had a blog where she takes notes and does street interviews etc, was into photography at a young age which is why she has an old Polaroid as it's sentimental to her. Because of all this she decided to pursue her interest as a reporter.

HC B - Arumu probably took so many photos during 1beat I feel like she's probably gotten couple photos of the fatcats knocking people over, nomare starting shit w his crab, shinobu when he's not paying attention, mb Sataka and Namoto when drunk etc, girlie just has alot of photos of everyone being goofy as hell that's it; everyone else just tries not to piss her off bc they know she could get more dirt if she wanted even though she wouldn't. Misane recommends to probably not to say anything Abt getting photos like that while as Nanase encourages her to keep doing it: Arumu listens to Nanase. /lh

HC C - Arumu has probably been a witness to other crimes due to being involved in press and new developments get made, though 1beat was the one that sticks w her the most due to it turning into a national tragedy by File 03, she says she's okay but with the stuff that happened in File 03, yeah that's going leave some mental scarring considering it was a variety of death causes so some would've been worse than others.

HC D - Arumu eventually joins the force w the help of Misane and Nanase due how much of her being willing to help: she still keeps her job as a reporter but she uses it as more of a side and cover up for investigations by that point. Arumu also has turned into that one friend that's always over at Toukai's place so she's practically in the family but not officially, Toukai finds her antics tiring but accepts her anyways since Nanase and Misane are very fond of her, Toukai now has 3 homosexual detective kids!! (A lovely silly happy found family :33!!)

Here's a bonus as compensation for the late reply:

I don't know what the vision was but it works

[messinwitheddie]

How does Rook feel about being a grandad? Has he met any of the smeets? Check in on his kin lately? Has he ever thought about taking in an apprentice from any of them? You know cuz he’s very old and his time won’t last very long with them.

If the sage were to die, how and where would he like to have his funeral?

Oooh... Um. Rook did not live long enough to meet any of his grandchildren. There was no funeral arranged for him either. Mem donated his PAK to Zim for his personal research. His flesh body was butchered, cooked and fed to her adopted Vortian bleeties (To be fair, they desperately needed the natural protein. Otherwise, she would have hung his body on her tree of woe in a sack of silk and burned it like she did the 7 smeets she lost from her first swarm.)

Rook really only interacted with Mem's smeets if she asked him for medical help of some kind. He had no interest or intentions of being a father figure. Mem hoped eventually Rook would warm up to the idea of joining the hive/ warming up to her first swarm.

By the time Mem's first swarm were cadet age, Rook was beginning to suffer from an Irken equivalent of dementia. Paranoia and flashbacks twisted his perception of reality in a way where everyone and everything seemed like a threat on his life ordered by Lich or the tallest in charge... even Mem and her swarm. His final centuries were agonizing.

He was rather hostile to Mem's smeets; verbally when she was looking, verbally and physically when she wasn't. He would lash out unexpectedly, usually with his pyrokinesis, on which he was rapidly losing his grip.

The smeets never spoke up about it in fear Rook would retaliate by burning Mem or worse. They were terrified of Rook. That, and they knew Mem worried enough about them and a universe of other problems already.

When Mem formed her arrangement with the Resisty, Rook refused to have any contact with Mem, her first swarm or the second swarm he sired. He feared the Resisty would just attract the armada and ruin their safe haven on the mystery planet. His smeets barely remember him, only that he made their older swarmmates anxious.

Rook's ending, unfortunately is not a happy one. Mem eventually found out just how much suffering some of her smeets went through which were her real motive for sending Zim to retrieve Rook for her.

Death has given him a new sense of clarity though. His sanity is more or less restored and he regrets most of his actions towards the end. Rook intends to make right by his smeets eventually.

Rook “WAIT!”

Mem “Away with you, Sage! I have an important message to deliver! If it's vengeance you seek, you can--"

Rook “SILENCE!! I-I mean… Mem, I beg of you, let ME apologize-"

Mem “Apologize to Ikka! Apologize to the swarms you rejected out of cowardice!”

Rook “You're right. I owe them the biggest apology. I'm sincerely sorry for hurting them and for hurting you. I should have trusted you; supported you and the Resisty cause. Instead I lost all hope for change or a brighter future. Shameful; I had potential to make a difference… My body, mind and PAK were deteriorating; I wasn't myself towards the end.”

Mem “I was aware. For a while, I sympathized, but a threat to my smeets gives me no room for mercy or hesitation. I would have gutted you again. Not for a moment do I regret ridding you of our hive! Never will I apologize!”

Rook “You did the right thing. No vengeance will be sought on you. Maybe I didn’t “love" you, but I considered you my dearest friend; I respected you. You deserved no lashing out from me. Neither did your-- our smeets. Not physical nor verbal. Great Glord, You must hate me. The terms are yours to set. I'll do anything, just PLEASE forgive me. I will know no form of peace until-"

Mem “Rook… you saved me and most of my swarm that one, horrible, HORRIBLE winter. You taught me how to survive and ensure my hive’s survival in a merciless alien wilderness… I have so much to thank you for. I don't hate you. I haven't the spare attention to think of a fitting word to describe how you twisted my emotions… so I will forgive you, provided you MOVE ASIDE.

But, I cannot stress this enough; I will not extend my apology on behalf of our smeets. You must make right with THEM, if a way even exists. Those are my terms.”

Rook “Of course…But you do accept my apology?”

Mem “Yes. Yes I do. Now, GET OUT OF MY WAY!!"

Rook *salutes as she blazes past him*

[In reference to this https://www.tumblr.com/messinwitheddie/720935797525823488/once-mem-passes-away-what-would-her-relationship?source=share

Sorry if this was a bummer. I don't tend to post about the sadder/ darker details about this au, but they're there.]

[goldom]

3.0 part 4

And here's the ol' problem again: I was generally enjoying the new story, but then That Scene happened and it just reminded me how much I'd rather have More of That instead of All This.

But This is what we've got, so let's keep going.

Stelle would never do anything morally questionable. "Rules are made to be followed," that's her catchphrase!

I groan every time we have to do a POV switch. Firefly's was the only one I ever enjoyed and that's just because it was Firefly (and Stelle was there anyway).

One of the messages you see when repairing a pillar says something like, "This column is once again able to take on the job of holding up the sky, but no one asks whether it is willing." Stelle projecting a little bit of her own feelings, perhaps?

This idea of "mortal authorities handed over the city to these supernatural people to save them" is a really interesting one... but would be a lot better if those supernatural people weren't literally The Protagonists of the Story, while the only mortal authority we're meeting here is doing an evil laugh.

but... what if I need them later?

Just noticed that Castorice is not called that at all in the Chinese dub. Looked it up, and her name there is Xiádié. She's not the only one with a different name, but they aren't all – Aglaea is unchanged.

PUNCH ACTION

How dare they not put any enemies in the room for me to punch action

I take it back hahha punch action die die die

Castorice seems like a normal, well-adjusted person.

That's not sarcasm. She's... just a normal person, despite everything. Haven't met one of those in a while. (Can't wait for the story to treat her like her feelings are wrong, and in so doing make me feel defective, just like mihoyo always ends up doing.)*

Mem: mimimi

Herta: gululu

It's never a good sign when an anime girl starts coughing.

...wanna join my fanfic?

Wait, we want to fix Nikador? Just so then we can kill him?

But what if causality paradox? "Let's start with these four?" Stelle no, what if that's how you made a Nikador without reason?

"I wonder what would happen if I PUNCH ACTION myself?" Achievement unlocked!

"I believe I know where it is" ohh me too it's you, isn't it dude

*that didn't take long.

@ton-retour is in the kitchen and I hear distant "mimi" replies after each time Mem does it

"From now on the world shall never know strife," Phainon buddy, we're only in 3.0, you've got a whole year of strife ahead of you still.

Suddenly, Herta. I thought we were about to reach the end but I guess I should have realized Herta would actually appear in the patch she's on the banner of... Guess I'm not finishing tonight!