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richincolor · 8 months

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Haunting Reads for your TBR 👻

It's spooky season where I'm at, which means that the weather is getting crispy and cold, the leaves are changing colors, and I suddenly have a craving for apple cider donuts. What is also means is that my usual readings habits are upended -- I'm a coward! -- and I feel like maybe I should take a gander at a spooky read or two. Is there anything on your TBR that's spooky? Here's what's on my list for this month:

If I Have to Be Haunted by Miranda Sun

Cemetery Boys meets Legendborn in this thrillingly romantic, irresistibly fun YA contemporary fantasy debut following a teenage Chinese American ghost speaker who (reluctantly) makes a deal to raise her nemesis from the dead. Cara Tang doesn’t want to be haunted.

Look, the dead have issues, and Cara has enough of her own. Her overbearing mother insists she be the “perfect” Chinese American daughter—which means suppressing her ghost-speaking powers—and she keeps getting into fights with Zacharias Coleson, the local golden boy whose smirk makes her want to set things on fire. Then she stumbles across Zach’s dead body in the woods. He’s even more infuriating as a ghost, but Cara’s the only one who can see him—and save him.

Agreeing to resurrect him puts her at odds with her mother, draws her into a dangerous liminal world of monsters and magic—and worse, leaves her stuck with Zach. Yet as she and Zach grow closer, forced to depend on each other to survive, Cara finds the most terrifying thing is that she might not hate him so much after all. Maybe this is why her mother warned her about ghosts.

Delightful and compulsively readable, this contemporary fantasy has something for every reader: a snarky voice, a magnetic enemies-to-lovers romance, and a spirited adventure through a magical, unpredictable world hidden within our own.

All These Sunken Souls: A Black Horror Anthology edited by Circe Moskowitz

The stories in All These Sunken Souls explore horror through a blend of genres—from the thoughtful to the terrifying—as the reader wanders farther and farther from reality.

By delivering a multitude of profound nightmares, this YA horror anthology by established and debut authors contains something for every horror fan—and for anyone who dares to open these pages. From haunted Victorian mansions, temporal monster-infested asylums, ravaging zombie apocalypses, to southern gothic hoodoo practitioners, the anthology features stories from Kalynn Bayron, Donyae Coles, Ryan Douglass, Sami Ellis, Brent Lambert, Ashia Monet, Circe Moskowitz, Joel Rochester, Liselle Sambury, and Joelle Wellington.

All These Sunken Souls tackles a genre that historically has tokenized and exploited Black characters and opens discussion on how horror translates into the current time we live in.

Saint Juniper's Folly by Alex Crespo

Cemetery Boys meets The Haunting of Bly Manor in this spellbinding debut! Alex Crespo’s queer haunted house mystery is equal parts spine-tingling thrills, a celebration of found family, and must-read for paranormal romance fans. For Jaime, returning to the tiny Vermont town of Saint Juniper means returning to a past he’s spent eight years trying to forget. After shuttling between foster homes, he hopes he can make something out of this fresh start. But every gossip in town already knows his business, and with reminders of his past everywhere, he seeks out solitude into the nearby woods, called Saint Juniper’s Folly, and does not return. For Theo, Saint Juniper means being stuck. He knows there’s more out there, but he’s scared to go find it. His senior year is going to be like all the rest, dull and claustrophobic. That is until he wanders into the Folly and stumbles on a haunted house with an acerbic yet handsome boy stuck—as in physically stuck—inside. For Taylor, Saint Juniper is a mystery. The surrounding woods speak to her, while she tries—and fails—to practice the magic her dad banned from the house after her mother died. Taylor can’t seem break out of her spiral of grief, until a wide-eyed teenager barges into her life, rambling on about a haunted house, a trapped boy, and ghosts. He needs a witch. The Folly and its ghosts will bring these three teenagers together. But they will each have to face their own internal struggles in order to forge a bond strong enough to escape the Folly’s shadows.

#saint juniper's folly #if i have to be haunted #all these sunken souls #spooky season #ya lit

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cinewhore · 1 year

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The Heiress of Misfortune - chapter one

Pairing: blackfem!OC Josephine Wellington & Sherlock Holmes & John Watson

Rating: teen

Word Count: 2.4k

Summary: Josie has the honeymoon from hell. Sherlock gets his first case in months.

A/N: ..and we’re off! hope you all like this. Credit to the gif maker.

The blood rushing through Josie’s ears roared louder than the ocean that surrounded the cruise liner. She attempts to steady her breathing, clasping her shaking hands together. This isn’t how honeymoons are supposed to go. She was supposed to be laughing with her head thrown back, hand over her heart, tears in her eyes over something Theo whispers in her ear. Dodging his roaming hands during dinner when he slips it under the table. Sneaky frenzied kisses within the shadows of the corridors.

Theo.

Josie couldn’t stomach removing the pillow from over his face. The once crisp white sheet was now soaked in a crimson red and Josie didn’t know what to do. Should she check his pulse? No, that was stupid seeing as at least a quarter of his blood covered the bed and the floor. At least she should throw a blanket over his body as a sign of decency. If only she could get her feet to move.

Slowly stepping out of her boots, Josie tiptoes over to the bed, choking back bile that threatened to spill from her throat.

“I’m so sorry, Theo.” she sobs, carefully taking the discarded towel off the edge of their bed and placing it over his body.

The door to their suite suddenly opens, a maid bursting through with new linens in her hands. Josie remembers that earlier that morning she requested newer linens because Theo is a klutz who can barely hold his wine sometimes. She forgot that she told the young woman, Rita, that she and Theo would likely be out enjoying last minute activities so she could just come in and drop them off. Bad idea on Josie’s part.

The woman's screams echoed throughout the entire suite, clean sheets forgotten as they tumbled from her hands.

“Rita, please, get some help!” Josephine shouts.

The maid stumbles backward before darting down the hallway.

That was all Josie could remember. She could barely recount the rest of her trip, pulling into the harbor or the swarm of police that gathered her up and carried her off of the ship.

In just a span of a week, Josephine Wellington had become a bride and a widow.

. . . . . . . .

The holding cell wouldn’t be so bad if it wasn’t cold and damp. Josie pulls her cloak around her tighter, adjusting the hood to cover her face more securely.

It didn’t matter how many times Josie recounted the tale of what happened, Scotland Yard wouldn’t hear of such a thing. All they knew was that Josie was found in the room with Theo’s body, covered in his blood, and no one else saw a thing.

Josie looks down at her hand, the wedding ring still snug on her finger. It was the only thing that truly felt familiar during this particular time. She remembers how bashful Theo became as they strolled the park after a family dinner, her hand tucked in the crook of his elbow.

“Close your eyes” he whispered in her ear, halting their casual walk. Josie protests but with enough prodding, she acquiesces.

“Ok, now, turn around.”

She does as she’s told, face washed over in shock as she observes Theo on one knee. Her heart pounded, mouth gone dry. This can’t be happening.

“Theo Callahan whatever it is that you’re doing, I beg of you to get up.”

Theo smirks, readjusting his position. “You’ve managed to capture my heart, my spirits, my wallet.” It was true, Theo did not care about money. Whatever Josie wanted, all she had to do was ask.

“I can’t imagine the rest of my days without you by my side. I want to experience life with you forever. Josephine Alexandra Wellington, will you do me a great honor and marry me?”

Theo pulls a box out of his coat pocket, opening it up to reveal the most gorgeous diamond ring. The band was gold, engravings of my beloved inscribed on the inside. He waits expectantly.

“Theo, I-”

“Oi!”

Josie snaps out of her daydream, head turning toward the main gate of the jail yard. An office comes strolling towards her, shoulders pulled back. If his face matched his cocky attitude, Josie might’ve paid him more attention. He points a stubby finger at her.

“Alright, missy. Your bail has been posted, looks like you’re outta here.”

Josie sighs heavily, picking up her skirts and following the man over to the gates, ignoring the mocking and sneering looks from the men around her.

Josie feels a sense of hope filling her chest, excited at the prospect of seeing a familiar face. The budding smile drops as she’s escorted out, two men awaiting her. None of which were her father or uncles. She would’ve even accepted an associate of the family.

“Mr. Holmes, Doctor.” The man snorts, hocking before spitting in the grass nearby.

The two men nod at the officer before looking back at Josie. She balls her hands into fists, preparing for the worst outcome.

“Who are you?”

The mustached man smiles, the other one does not.

“Justice.”

. . . . . . . .

The carriage ride proved to be even less insightful than the initial meeting, Holmes and Watson sniping at each other constantly.

The carriage pulls to the right and Sherlock stares at Watson.

“Why are we not going home?”

“We are going home. We’re going to my home. Your place is a mess.”

Sherlock turns up his nose, lounging back in his seat like a petulant child. “Did the nanny tell you that?”

John cocks his head. “Mrs. Hudson is concerned about you, is all. You’ve barely left the flat in months.”

“Yes, well, there’s nothing of importance to me out here or on earth, entirely.”

“Such a drama queen.”

John turns to Josie. “My apologies, Mrs. Wellington. I’m John Watson and this here is my partner, Sherlock Holmes.”

Gears start to turn in Josie’s head. “Oh, I’ve heard of you before. You solved that Blackwood case. Nasty business that was, I heard.”

“Partners?” Sherlock grumbles.

This was off to a great start.

. . . . . . . .

John swings the door open to his house, wobbling over to the coat rack. “Honey, I’m home!”

The swishing of skirts and clicking of heels brings a wide smile to John and a raised eyebrow followed by a slight scowl from Sherlock.

A gorgeous woman appears, dressed in the finest gown Josie had ever seen. It didn’t resemble anything that she would normally procure from the market. Her brown skin glowed in the light, tight coils unbothered and free to move about as they please. Josie didn’t even realize her jaw had dropped a little until Sherlock pushed her mouth closed with his index finger.

The lady’s brown eyes narrow in amusement, taking in Josie’s unkemptness and Sherlock’s standoffish demeanor.

“John, what have I told you about bringing in strays?”

Her voice was strong and melodic, a strange twang present that Josie had never heard before.

John makes his way over to her, pulling her in by the waist and pecking her lips. “Come now, darling, don’t be so crass. May I introduce you to Josephine Wellington.” he gestures to Josie.

“I wasn’t referring to her, my love, I was referring to that.”

Sherlock turns his nose up, tossing his coat carelessly onto an arm chair and strolling over to Watson's wife. He circles around her like a shark, eyes taking in every inch.

“Witch.”

The woman’s face breaks out into a small smirk.

“Idiot.”

John sighs, giving Josie an apologetic look.

“Anya.”

Anya bursts into a fit of giggles, flashing her pearly whites. “I am only joking, mostly.” She focuses her gaze back on Josie, frowning a bit. “And what’s this? Does Sherlock have a new friend?”

Sherlock mimics her, snatching up a biscuit from a platter laid out on the coffee table. John shakes his head, sighing loudly.

“I’m spoken for, I’m afraid.” Josie says. “Or, I was.”

Anya is no dummy and can deduce that something was amiss. She thought it best to leave it be, this was John and Sherlock’s area and she made it a clear rule from the start that she would never get involved with their crime solving. Whatever was going on, she trusted that John would let her know if they were in any danger.

“Well, I can see that very important conversations need to be had. I’ll go get some tea.”

Anya leaves the room without another word, only sharing a knowing look with John in passing.

The trio retreats to the living room, Watson making himself at home in his favorite chair. Gladstone happily trots over and plops himself down by his owner’s feet.

Anya returns shortly with a tray of tea, setting coasters out among the coffee table. Josie tries not to peek at the loving couple, watching their quiet mannerisms and fleeting touches. Watson regards his wife highly, a hint of a smile tugging at his lips as he looks on while she pours everyone a cup. His fingers drift by her elbows, gently grazing the fabrics of her dress. Josie adverts her eyes, picking at her own hands instead.

John notices that Anya sets the table for three and not four. “You’re not taking tea?”

Anya shakes her head. “I’m afraid not, darling, I’m swamped with orders. Morgan is still upstairs waiting for me to return.”

“If you mind my asking,” Josie starts. “What is it that you do?”

“She makes clown costumes.” Sherlock interjects. Anya ignores his jest.

“I’m a designer.” She stands to her full height, giving a small twirl. “I made this myself.”

“It’s absolutely stunning.” Josie comments. “I’ve never seen designs like this before. You should consider going shopping in France, they have wonderful gowns there.”

“It would be an honor.” Anya genuinely beams. She steals a kiss from Watson before setting off up the stairs.

Watson and Holmes share a look, to which John shakes his head. “Don’t.”

“I wasn’t.”

“But you wanted to.”

“Perhaps.”

Josie picks up her cup of tea, inhaling the aroma prior to taking a sip. “I don’t mean any offense, Mr. Holmes, but I don’t understand why my family hired you for this case.”

Sherlock’s face doesn’t change as Watson hands him a cup of tea that he doesn’t drink, setting it to the side instead.

“Oh, your family didn’t hire me. Your bloody, bludgeoned husband did.”

Josie’s tea cup rattles as she sets it down on the table, hand clutching at her throat. “I don’t understand…why would Theo do that?”

“That’s what we’re hoping to find out.” John answers confidently.

“We?” Sherlock looks to his friend. His only friend. “We ended when you married that sorceress who has likely put something in that tea which causes you to enter some sort of…zombie-like state.”

Sherlock quickly grasps his own tea, tossing the liquid out in a potted plant. Bringing the newly emptied cup to his nostrils, he sniffs it deeply. “I have yet to deduce what it is exactly as I can only smell the awful overpowering of chamomile.”

“You’re giving me a headache.” Was all that Watson replied. He returns his gaze to Joise who has gone stiff.

“I didn’t kill him, you must understand.” She whispers.

“I believe you.” Watson tells her softly. While Sherlock was excellent at reading people like a book, John had a better sense of gathering their emotional state, seeing them for who they really are. He could tell that Josephine was no cold blooded killer.

“The locket you are wearing, currently being concealed in your bosom, your dead husband did not give it to you.” Sherlock states. He gets up out of his chair, hands locked firmly behind his back as he begins to pace the floor.

“I am confused.” Josie says, eyes flickering to John for help. He merely shrugs.

“Theo came from a family of women who preferred gold over silver. The Callahan’s have a huge hand in the goldmine that is overtaking parts of California and any jewelry henceforth have come directly from the source, that explains the wedding ring on your finger but not the locket around your neck. Certain women, women who were bred to navigate the social hierarchy that is marriage-“ the word comes out strained. “Understand that love is stored on your ring finger but women who truly love are under the assumption that it is better held closer to the heart. So I say to you again, Ms. Wellington, the locket is not a gift from Theo.”

Josephine blinks rapidly, removing her idling hand from her neck and using it to smooth down her dress. A nervous tick. “Your assumption is correct, Mr. Holmes.”

“It is not an assumption if it is something I already knew.” The enigmatic detective mutters to no one in particular.

“It was gifted to you by another lover. Were you having an affair?” Sherlock tuts. “No, no. Don’t answer that. Of course you were. The only difference is that this was no other man, it was a woman.”

John grimaces.

Josephine clutches her hands together as if she were in prayer. “Please, you don’t understand-“

“You’re right, I don’t. Not yet, anyhow.”

“Holmes, I think we should give Ms. Wellington some space.” John tries to argue.

“Please, refer to me as Josie.”

John nods his head. Sherlock continues.

“It is distasteful for a woman of your caliber to be romantically involved with another of the same sex but it is nothing a common blackmail couldn’t handle…Theo doesn’t fit the mold. Why doesn’t the bloody bastard fit? Watson!”

John rolls his eyes and sighs, twisting his head over to look at Sherlock. “Why are you yelling, I’m right here!”

“What is the time?”

John checks his watch. “Half past nine, why?”

Sherlock does not answer him as he strolls out of the room and out of the front door, stepping promptly on just the thing he was looking for. He enters the room again, this time with a slight smile on his face.

“What is the matter with you?” John’s voice drips with annoyment at his friends' antics.

“This is why he doesn’t fit.”

Sherlock drops the daily paper down on the coffee table, it connects with a soft thud. Josie gives out a small cry, hastily setting down her teacup before running out of the room. John carefully picks up the paper, surveying the headline.

“WELLINGTON” SOCIALITE WHO MURDERED HUSBAND KNOWN CON ARTIST.”

#rdj sherlock holmes #rdj sherlock holmes & john Watson #John Watson #sherlock holmes 2009 #sherlock holmes #blackfem!oc #fic: the heiress of misfortune

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krys-loves-otome · 2 months

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OC Brain Rot Post #1: Thea and Abby and the Rivals Fight at the Mansion

OC Brain Rot (originally based on this post) is where I basically ramble some about my OCs and what they're up to currently outside of my writings and arts. Basically, these posts are, in essence, brain dumps. Sometimes there might only be a couple sentences and half-formed ideas, others might go into meta involving my ocs and whichever game universe they are apart of.

Most post will be based around my otome OCs but some original ones might slip in once in a while! You just never know where my brain might take me.

I'll also make a big, huge note here that these posts won't be spoiler-free! At the beginning of each post, I'll try and make note of which game and OCs I'll be talking about. Spoiler parts will be under the cut.

For this post, there will be Spoilers below about the Interlude route of Ikemen Vampire, right around Chapters 10 and 11.

Thea and Abby will feature in this rot. Normally, they are two characters that have their own universes. However, I also fall inevitably into joining their universes together just so I can have them both interacting with the boys and being friends (Thea is quite protective of the shy and timid Abby), so I'll also include some thoughts about both of them together in this part of the Interlude route.

Here we go, onto the brain rotting!

-----

For Context: The Interlude Route in Ikemen Vampire is a transition arc between the first and second acts, right before the act 2 for the suitors are released and two new characters are introduced. MC is stuck in the past because Comte's magical time door is broke and going home is likely an impossibility at this point, unless you want to be lost in the time soup for all eternity. So now, MC is trying to make the best of the change in her plans.

Vlad, still bent on not letting the vision he saw in the future come to pass, revives the rivals to our suitors and they have been terrorizing everyone the past few chapters. Where I'm at currently, Vlad has met with Comte and Leonardo and they tried to talk things out, purebloods to pureblood, but Vlad still refuses to stop his mission and the three part ways.

He then sends the ones he's revived to the mansion in an all out attack. Napoleon and Jean take the most brunt in fighting Wellington and Gilles with Leonardo and Comte assisting them. Dazai and Sebastian were guarding the door while the other non-fighters (Mozart and Isaac) were in the piano room. Theo had gone on his own to face off against Gauguin to get revenge with Arthur following him to make sure he didn't do anything stupid, such as going through with the revenge quest he was on.

This is initially where the girls start off in. Vincent is also in the piano room but soon goes out on his own because he also figures that Theo was about to do something stupid and while I initially thought it was dumb of him because he left the non-fighters defenseless (his little info blerb he's the strongest of the non-purebloods and I had many instances of 'why you do that, something bad gonna happen to the non-fighters! Vincent, my love!') but he didn't want for Theo to do his stupid thing, so he goes to Theo and it's sweet (me still thinking it was dumb but whatever, narrative gonna do what it wants).

For Thea, she goes with Vincent after Theo. No risking yourself for your brother nonsense! She cares too much about Theo too, she's gonna stop him. And she knows a little bit about fighting (as stated in this power-scaling reblog I did), so she'll be mostly okay. Theo pulls her to him as he flips the pool table in the game room and all four of them are dodging bullets, currently.

For Abby, she stays with Mozart and Isaac in the piano room, scared as this is some terrifying shit going on! When Vincent said he was leaving for Theo, Abby was very, very scared, numerous things running through her head, all of them not good. Worried for everyone outside fighting currently, for Sebastian and Dazai guarding the door, for Theo and Arthur out on their own, and now Vincent going on his own to find Theo. She wishes she could curl up in a corner somewhere, close her eyes and cover her ears until all of this was over, but she can't, not when all of her friends are fighting right now.

Before Vincent leaves, she does tug on his sleeve, wanting to ask him to stay. She knows how strong he is and wants him to stay with them, but seeing his eyes, how worried yet determined how he is. He was set on finding Theo.

So, in the face of that, all she could do was let go of his sleeve and say "Be careful."

Vincent smiles and gently pats her shoulder, promising to come back soon, with Theo in tow.

Once he's gone, however, Salieri comes after Mozart with a knife and we're back in terror time again. Isaac stays the closest to her, they're both terrified! Mozart shielding both of them. He manages to break the mind control over him with standing in front of the piano, reminding him that he had admired his music in their first lives, what has happened to you to attack another music lover? Things seem to simmer down in the music room because of that.

In the combined universe of both girls, it's relatively the same, Vincent still goes off to find Theo, but Thea goes with him, determined to find Theo and to help him or stop him from doing the stupid thing. Abby still tugs on Vincent's sleeve, still sacred but ultimately lets him and Thea go. They both cared a lot about the younger van Gogh, so who was she to stop them just because she's scared?

And... this is as far as I've gotten with this brain rot. Just a fun little brain exercise to put the girls in the goings on with what I'm playing currently. Hope to be able to share some more brain rots with you guys soon!

#krys talks #krys's adventures in fanfiction #krys's babies #dorothea reid (oc)#abigail clarke (oc)#ikemen vampire #ikevamp spoilers #They also went with Arthur and company when he was going to face against Worth #bc Thea didn't want her boy doing something stupid then either with Abby tagging along bc she saw Arthur from the window and got worried #their boys sure are stupid sometimes #all the boys can be stupid sometimes #that's why they love them of course #their silly vampire boys

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iphigeniainaulis · 2 years

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Summary: nothing important, just my personal opinion on the symbolism of eyes, accessories and the Moon in Ikevamp

Warnings: minor spoilers for all routes, mild spoilers for Shakespeare and Faust

I just want to say that Ikevamp is probably one of the best otome games in terms of character design. So many tiny details, and the more you read, the more hints you actually find.

Let's take, for example, Shakespeare. The Act 1 suggests that the Bard of Avon is the main villain of the story. He knows about the revival of the Duke of Wellington and Antonio Salieri, plays a major role in Vincent and MC’s separation, helps Gauguin to bring Theo to the cliff where they play cops and robbers and just acts suspicious in Leo’s route. Many routes include this chapter where Comte rushes to Will’s private villa and asks whether he is behind the drama with historical figures being brought back to life.

However, Act 2 slowly but gradually dents our confidence. Here we get a chance to meet with the mysterious ‘shade’ in church and find out that during all this time Will has been a double agent. As the story unfolds, Shakespeare’s portrayal also begins to change, especially in terms of his attitude towards Vlad’s ambitions and methods used to achieve them. William from Act 1 acts like a mad genius who is in desperate need of a tragedy that can move everyone's heart, and he won’t hesitate to do everything he can to create his masterpiece. But Will in Act 2 reveals the duality of his soul, showing us that behind that mask of evil goodness there is room for fears, questions doubting the fundamentals of his lord’s moral views and actions Will has to perform himself as his agent on the way to building ‘a perfect future’. In Jean’s route, for example, William is genuinely frightened with Vlad using his power to control Gilles de Rais’s mind, driving the former solder to the point of madness, and Dazai’s route proves that this feeling of pure horror further leads to triggering Will’s psychological trauma as he receives the greater vampire’s ‘gift’. Shakespeare’s own route puts an end to Will’s moral searches, giving an answer regarding what side the writer chooses to be on.

The looks and costumes help us to follow the character’s story. The most catching part of Will’s appearance seems to be his famous heterochromia, the symbolism of which has been probably discussed earlier, so I'll point at the key moments. The bard’s right eye is the color of gold while his left eye is crimson red. And for a good reason.

The red color is considered to be polysemantic. In some cultures it is used to describe love, energy and the welcoming heat of fire, in others — it stands for blood which reminds of wars, danger and violence. There is, however, one thing that unites all these feelings, and it is called passion. Passion can give us energy and strength to move forward, but it can also blind us with anger and jealousy.

Shakespeare is blind both physically and metaphorically. His red eye is blurry with blood as a result of a childhood’s disease, thus he can’t see anything with it. At the same time, William’s mind is obnubilated with the fear of being not good enough — which is basically the main symptom of the impostor syndrome, hence his desire to write the best tragedy possible in order to prove everyone, himself included, that he does have the talent many praise him for.

The other eye is golden. Here my guess is that this color is mentioned as the opposite to the darkness caused by William’s half-blindness. Golden is another word for ‘light’ desired by Shakespeare’s kind side. This bright side of him makes Shakespeare cherish and enjoy his friendship with Vincent (though it still doesn't prevent him from using the painter as the main source of information coming from the mansion). This kindness dictates Will to help MC when she is attacked by those bastards in the first chapters of his own route. And this very gentleness of his heart is a driving force for his inner protest to Vlad’s wish to kidnap MC in Comte’s route. As you remember, Shakespeare obeyed his lord’s command only under the brainwashing spells and later expressed sincere regrets regarding not being able to stop the pureblood.

The combination of good and evil, red and golden is an allusion to William's connection with both Vlad (whose eyes resemble crimson moon) and Comte (in the prologue MC describes his gaze as ‘spun gold’).

Why do I mention the character’s costume at the beginning? Because it enables us to answer what side Will is on even without reading his story.

If we look at the attire of the Evil Trio, we can actually see that everyone wears a small crescent moon shaped brooch — a particular sign of belonging to their secret community.

William doesn't have one.

🌙

This is where I was originally planning to stop. In spite of it, I got really interested in the meaning behind those brooches, so I decided to delve a little bit deeper. Again, these are only my own speculations. Probably, Vlad’s route contains the explanation, and I'm dumb. But I haven’t read it yet, so let’s continue.

In general, we can analyze the symbolism behind the crescent moon in two different ways, relying on our knowledge of either mythology or heraldry.

The crescent symbol has been used in various legends as a divine attribute. In Ancient Greek and Roman mythology the crescent moon is said to represent Selene/Luna, lunar goddess, and some stories suggest that the curves of the crescent shape remind the bow used by Diana, the goddess of hunt. In ancient Egypt people honored the moon god Khonsu whose name can be translated as ‘a traveler’ — a pretty interesting coincidence, considering Vlad’s abilities to travel through times and spaces as an immortal vampire and by using the door. Thus, the crescent shaped brooch may point at the pureblood’s divine origins, explaining on of the reasons why other immortals call him ‘the son of God’.

On the other hand, the brooch can be a reference to Vlad’s homeland.

This picture illustrates the coat-of-arms of the Hunyadi family from which, according to some historians, comes the coat-of-arms of Wallachia, the region ruled by the House of Draculesti. A black raven is depicted in the center with a ring in its beak. Later on, the Hunyadi coat-of-arms was added with the image of the crescent in the top right.

This tradition was further fixed during the reign of Mircea I, the grandfather of Vlad the Impaler, though it slightly differed from the original image as we can see the cross occurring in the central part of Mircea’s seal.

The same image was on the seal of Radu IV, Vlad’s nephew, with the moon replaced to the left.

Not only that, during the period when Vlad was the Voivode of Wallachia he ordered to mint new trade coins. Up until today only two such coins were described in Romanian numismatic papers. This is one of them with the image of Vlad’s coat-of-arms inside the inner linear circle. Inside the first field there is a waxing half moon and a six ray star below it.

Curious as it is, if we overlay the shapes of a moon and a cross one another, we’ll get the image most close to the original version of the Trio’s brooch.

Nevertheless, I wouldn't dismiss the third idea that the crescent brooch represents fate that brought everyone together in the XIX century.

To begin with, the moon plays several roles in the game. Visibly, it acts as a mirror reflecting MC’s feelings and inner thoughts. The prologue shows how much she is frightened of the sudden changes in her life and the prospect of not being able to go back home. XIXth century France is dangerous, and this specific view of the world is emphasized with the nature descriptions. That's why in Arthur’s route the crescent moon is written as a ‘gibbering madman’s smile in the dark sky’, in Vincent's route — as a ‘mocking grin’ fueling MC’s anxiety.

The Moon in Ikevamp universe, however, is often described as a silent embodiment of fate, the theme of which runs through the story like a golden thread. The crescent moon takes the role of a powerful force, guiding MC through the door (in Isaac’s route MC even asks herself, 'Had that moon guided me? Was I under its sway?'), dominating behind the walls of the Musee du Louvre (in Leonardo’s route MC thinks, ‘I wound up in an eventime world ruled by a crescent moon’).

The epilogues of some of the stories contain the scene where MC is shown to enjoy the view of the sky and remembers how the same crescent she saw on her very first night in the mansion was a harbinger of a major turning point in her life. A very clever choice of structuring writing as it allows to logically loop the plot.

🌗

This is where I need to stop, but I want to say just a few more words about two other members of the Trio. Faust and Charles. What does the crescent mean for them?

Now, I’m not a huge fan of searching for a black cat in a dark room, especially if there is no one there. This is the exact reason why I had to abandon the theory about the link between the brooch and Charles's past as an executioner. It's too far-fetched whereas we have a far more satisfying answer. Wearing the brooch, Faust and Charles show loyalty to their sire. At least, in the case of Charles it does seem true, taking into account his obsession with Vlad.

But with Faust it's a bit more complicated.

The central conflict in his route is called 'man against self' or, more precisely, a priest searching for and finding the lost faith. These searches stem from a plethora of moral dilemmas such as the right of a man wearing a cross to rebel against God watching the injustice of the world; the existence of so-called ‘fair sacrifice’ when in order to save hundreds of lives you have to kill one or vice versa.

Faust himself is portrayed as a ridiculously cynical and unprincipled man who doesn't scorn to experiment on corps and sincerely despises any sign of human weaknesses. At the same time, this very man is the one who supplements the citizens with the medicine without taking any money, spends his free time with orphans and despite looking genuinely annoyed cares about their well-being, knowing too well what it's like to be deprived of love and compassion. He’s given up on merciful Heaven because he’s never been a subject of mercy. Still, everyday he goes to church and listens to confessions of his parishioners.

I don't want to spoil other details of his route, but I think it's of particular importance to discuss MC’s words she tells him in the final chapters. As I understand, their meaning is somehow close to

‘your hands are what give others hope’

This is such a beautiful and touching way of saying that despite Faust telling her multiple times that he sees no hope in the future, in reality he carries it deep inside his heart. Otherwise, he wouldn't see the point in being revived as a vampire and rebelling the very principles of the world’s existence, he wouldn't listen and give a helping hand to the praying people in church, knowing a common belief that a person can to speak to God via priests as his voice on Earth.

No matter how hard the obstacles were, how painful and lonely he felt, Faust never wanted to lose hope and faith in his abilities to change his destiny by creating a world where everyone’s prayer can be heard.

How on Earth is the crescent moon involved here?

At this moment you should know I am a myth nerd.

The crescent was associated with goddess Hekate in the Roman Time Period and in Late Antiquity. While she wasn't originally a lunar goddess and a part of the Pantheon, Hekate was still known as the deity of dark magic, medicine and necromancy. Faust, as mentioned before, is attracted to alchemy, pharmaceutical and paranormal studies as well as experiments on the dead. According to the legend, he also used to practice witchcraft.

Alongside with that, Hekate had an important mission of guiding the lost souls. A crescent, her attribute, was incorporated in many poems and writings as a metaphor for hope that the moonlight gives to travelers as they try to see the road in the darkness of the night.

So, Faust’s crescent shaped brooch in the game may be another way of proving that in spite of all his bravada and claimed indifference, the truth is he always wears hope on his chest, though he can't see it as he doesn't listen to his heart (that's why the brooch is on the right and not on the left).

Hope drives him forward, makes him use everything he can —knowledge, experience, will — to create a brighter future. Hope creates aspiration, and aspiration nourishes hope. In fact, this is what brings Ikevamp Faust close to Goethe's character.

In Part I Scene I: Night there is a marvelous monologue of Faust addressing the moon.

‘O, may you look, full moon that shines, On my pain for this last time: So many midnights from my desk, I have seen you, keeping watch: When over my books and paper, Saddest friend, you appear!’

He wishes to leave the material world he lives in in order to achieve his greatest goal — to learn the irreversible laws of the universe. As he speaks, the moon becomes something more than a lifeless object, it represents his aspiration, distant and difficult, almost impossible.

‘… And need you ask why my heart Makes such tremors in my breast? Why all my life-energies are Choked by some unknown distress?’

#ikemen series #ikemen vampire #ikevamp #ikevamp shakespeare #ikevam vlad #ikevam arthur #ikevam leonardo #ikevamp theo #ikevamp faust #ikevamp charles #ikevamp comte #ikevamp dazai #ikevamp jean #ikevamp vincent #ikevamp napoleon

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littlewitty · 2 years

Text

Comte: oh a fresh rival? Save me a slice!

*Will fucks everything up*

Comte: that’s good!

*Wellington gets Napoleon thrown off a cliff*

Comte: okay that’s good.

*Gilles tries to kill Jean*

Comte: yeah! Alright that’s good!

*Gaugin tries to kill Theo and Vincent*

Comte: okay.. okay! Alright, okay, alright.

*Vlad returns*

Comte: …okay that’s good!

*Vlad turns Charles*

Comte: that’s good?! It’s…

*Vlad turns Faust*

Comte: IT’S ENOUGH RIVALS!

#cybird #otome game #ikemen vampire #ikevamp #ikevam #ikevamp memes #ikevamp comte

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rhysdarbinizedarby · 1 year

Text

Rhys Darby returns for NZ Comedy Festival

The first time Rhys Darby was praised for his humour was in primary school, when two little girls told him he should be a comedian.

He thought that meant a lizard.

Darby didn't know there was such vocation as a comedian, and got mixed up with chameleon.

It might not have been for him, but Rhys Darby doesn't regret joining the army, it's given a lot of material over the years.

He rushed home to tell his mum that the kids at school thought he should be a lizard, and took it upon himself to start doing lizard impressions.

David Farrier, Rhys Darby and Buttons' radio show The Cryptid Factor is dedicated to the weird and the wonderful, and in particular, cryptozoology.

Rhys Darby and wife Rosie, at the Wellington premiere of What We Do in the Shadows, in which Darby who plays a werewolf.

His repertoire extended to Scooby Doocharacters, people in soup commercials and anyone else he saw on television.

Darby entertained his friends with drawings too. They would look forward to the next instalment of a cartoon he sketched at the bottom of his book.

The entertaining has not stopped since.

Rhys Darby starred alongside Jesse Tyler Ferguson and Eric Stonestreet in Modern Family.

After making a name for himself on the live comedy circuit, the actor has gone on to become one of New Zealand's top comedy exports.

His big break was starring inFlight of the Conchords, as the hopeless band manager Murray Hewitt, alongside Jemaine Clement and Bret McKenzie.

Now based in Los Angeles with his wife, Rosie, and sons Finn (10), and Theo (6), Darby's CV is looking pretty impressive.

It includes his own mockumentary series Short Poppies, the lead in the romantic comedy Love Birds, starring alongside Jim Carrey in Yes Man, a scene-stealer in What We do in the Shadows, guest starring in Modern Family and The X-Files reboot, and most recently, playing Psycho Sam in The Hunt for the Wilderpeople.

Even the drawing has served Darby, who is currently writing and illustrating a (currently top secret) children's book.

Darby heads back to New Zealand this month for the NZ International Comedy Festival, to perform as his old duo Rhysently Granted, with Grant Lobban.

Rhys Darby and Grant Lobban as the comedy duo Rhysently Granted, 1996

The two last performed together more than 20 years ago.

Darby's humour was nurtured from a young age, it was a trait he particularly shared with his mother, Barbara.

After Barbara had three girls and a boy, there was a nine-year gap before she had Darby.

"I was very much this mistake at the wrong end," Darby says, whose parents split shortly after he was born.

"So it was just really me and Mum, my brother was with us for a while until he hit his early 20s, but I guess I felt like an only child a lot.

"Mum was a bit older by then and so she got through every day by really just having a wonderful sense of humour. The two of us had such fun, laughter was really the main thing that we kind of enjoyed every day."

He joined the air training corps when he turned 12, before switching over the the army cadets.

When Darby hit adolescence, Barbara began dropping hints that her son might like to join the army or look at boarding schools, he says.

"It was going to be harder having another child and putting him through his teenage years.

"I think she was thinking I was going to be this teenage tyrant, probably getting onto the wrong side of the tracks and stuff, but of course I was the nicest boy you'd ever meet.

"I guess it was just kind of in my nature to be nice and geeky. I didn't really do any parties or anything like that, I played with my action-figures right up until I joined the army at 17."

In the army, he would often got lost in the bush and get into trouble for impersonating officers.

Darby says he would not send his own sons there, but he does not regret joining. He is only glad he got asked to leave before he saw any combat service.

"You'd probably be better off being a clown or something, rather than a soldier, Darby," he was told.

"I mean you're good for morale here, but we worry once you actually get into combat whether you'll shoot our own people by mistake or something."

Darby couldn't see the humour at the time, but the army has sure been worth it's value in comedy material since.

"I've since gone back and seen that a lot of old British comedians have spent time back in the day in military, and there's a lot of humour that I've got from it.

"It made me who I am, it gave me some self-discipline and made me care about the way I look and do things, and have a responsibility to complete tasks, turn up on time, and I think all that got ingrained into me".

Conchords was Darby's ticket to America.

When the show took off, Darby would often get mistaken for his character in real life.

He and Murray have some similarities – Darby tends to be the one to make the decisions among his friends – "But as far as being an absolute naive idiot, definitely not," he says.

The odd person will still call him Murray, but does not care, because the character was so loved.

"I'm a big fan of him as well, because he's just a sweetheart and optimistically naive and it's the blind leading the blind because he's got no idea what he's doing as a band manager. Luckily his band are even thicker than he is, so it's just a sweet romance between those three."

Having always been obsessed with the paranormal, landing the X-Files gig was the ultimate role.

It is a hobby that has seen him travel the world in search for mythical creatures, like when he traveled to Puerto Rico with David Farrier in pursuit of the chupacabra.

Darby has reached an extraordinary point in his career where casting directors already know who he is and what he can do.

The tables have turned from crossing fingers for an audition, to being asked to attend.

One of the best career decisions Darby says he has made is choosing his manager.

"Ultimately my wife manages everything, so it had to be somebody that could work with Rosie.

"We selected a really cool manager, a guy that I very much love by the name of Tucker, and it's these decisions that continue to lead to great things."

But keeping his Kiwi accent is the career decision he is most proud of.

"That's really important to me, because so many actors when they come over to America just drop their accent straight away and Americanise themselves, and I didn't want to be like that. I wanted to be able to use my own voice in all the stories I tell, because there are plenty of New Zealanders on the planet and you don't often get to hear them."

"So I'm very lucky, not just as an actor, but a comical actor, that is in a sort of smaller pool of people who are picked for various things in which I can be myself more, and that seems to be working."

As well as Rhysently Granted, Darby performs in three other Comedy Festival shows.

"I'm looking forward to going back and doing that and actually having fun again, because I kind of lost my way a bit in the last few years with it all being such a big money-making enterprise.

"You kind of lose what it was in the first place that made you want to laugh, and it was just that having fun with friends."

Source: Stuff NZ

#rhys darby #interview #rhysently granted

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evil-quartett · 1 year

Text

Sebastian's power comes from obsession

Dazais power comes from depression

Isaac's power comes from anxiety

Comte's power comes from his children

Vincent's power comes from humanity

Napoleon's power comes from his love to Wellington

Theo's power comes from his hate to Gauguin

Mozart's power comes from humanity but in a different way

Shakes power comes from the devil

Vlad IS the devil

Faust's power comes from his hate to god

Arthur's power comes from manwhoring

Leonardo's power comes from gayness

Charles power comes from his kind of love

#ikemen vampire #ikevamp #ikevamp faust #ikevamp vlad #ikevamp charles #ikevamp arthur #ikevamp comte #ikevamp dazai #ikevamp theo #ikevamp memes

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cirilla-fiona-riannon · 2 years

Text

Ikevamp Act 2.5

Chapter 12

Through his conversation with Mozart, Salieri almost came to his senses, but...

Salieri: "Ugh...Ahhh!"

Mozart: "Salieri!"

He left the room, holding his head, and we chased after him without a second thought.

Theo: "You guys..."

We bumped into Theo, Arthur, and Vincent in the hallway.

(Thank God. They are all safe.)

Mozart: "I'm chasing Salieri. How about you guys?"

Arthur: "Gauguin broke in. We took his weapons away, but he ran away, so we're trying to catch him."

Arthur's gaze catches mine, and everyone turns around in a huff.

Mozart: "Isaac, maybe you should have stayed behind with Mitsuki."

Isaac: "No, we don't have that kind of plan!"

Theo: "Hondje, you stay in your room!"

Mitsuki: "I'm going with you guys. I don't want to turn my back on what's going on. I'm part of the mansion too!"

(I have to see it all through properly with everyone else.)

Theo: "Mitsuki..."

Theo: "You're right. Leaving you alone now will just make me anxious. It can't be helped."

Theo: "Let's go, and don't wander off."

I nod vigorously back at Theo, and we run down the hallway.

We went out into the garden and found two figures.

(There's Salieri! And that's probably Gauguin standing nearby.)

But for some reason, they are both staring at something dumbfoundedly.

When I followed their gaze, what caught my attention was a jaw-dropping sight.

Shakespeare: "Guh...!"

Napoleon & Leonardo: "Shakespeare!?"

(There's a sword in Shakespeare's body...)

The Duke of Wellington's sword pierced Shakespeare to protect Napoleon.

Vincent: "Will!"

Surprisingly, all the residents of the mansion gathered together, and everyone gazed at the same scene with bated breath―each with a look of surprise and sadness on their faces.

As Gilles, who had been crossing swords with Jean, stood there, Napoleon caught Shakespeare's leaning body.

Napoleon: "Pull yourself together, Shakespeare!"

Duke of Wellington: "You bastard, how dare you to stand in my way! I could've killed Napoleon with this strike!!"

The moment the enraged Duke of Wellington draws his sword from Shakespeare―

Napoleon: "Haa!"

Still trying to get up, Napoleon's sword pierces the side of his throat, and the Duke falls.

Napoleon stopped the duke by putting the tip of his sword at him.

Napoleon: "This is as far as you go, Wellington. If you're back from the dead, too, then look at the world with those two eyes of yours."

Napoleon: "This is where we live, and the battle that lies ahead of us is over."

Duke of Wellington: "............."

Vincent & Comte: "Will!"

Mitsuki: "Shakespeare-san!"

Comte, Vincent, and I run to Shakespeare.

His body, leaning against Napoleon, and clothes were stained with blood.

(There's so much blood.)

I put pressure on the wound with my hand, and Shakespeare opens his lips to look at the Duke, Gilles, and the others, breathing heavily.

Shakespeare: "The Duke of Wellington, Gilles de Rais, Salieri, and Gauguin."

Shakespeare: "You came back to life and were driven mad because of me."

Shakespeare: "I have sought the tragedy of great men fighting and struggling with each other because I failed to believe in myself and clung to gaining real tragic experience..."

(It's like a confession.)

His voice is filled with a determination to face his sins and atone for them without running away.

Shakespeare: "The brainwashing that Lord Vlad put on you fuels your negative emotions."

Shakespeare: "But Robert and Adam Worth―they didn't cave into the brainwashing because they followed their hearts."

Arthur & Isaac: "............"

Shakespeare: "So please, follow your true..."

Unable to finish, Shakespeare starts coughing violently.

Comte: "Will, hang in there."

Vincent: "Don't talk anymore..."

As Shakespeare said his earnest wish...

Napoleon: "Wellington!"

Duke of Wellington: "Ugh...haa..."

I look up at Napoleon's shocked voice and see the Duke grabbing the sword and pointing it into his own heart.

(Oh my God...)

Napoleon: "Wellington, what are you..."

Wellington: "My vision finally cleared..."

Wellington: "Even though I was brainwashed, I could only find a way to live with my lingering regret in my first life..."

Wellington: "The ghosts of the past do not belong in a new era."

With that said, the Duke buries his sword deep into his own chest.

Then...

Gilles: "Haha! Brilliant. Shakespeare, Duke of Wellington. Then I'll settle for a clean slate too!"

Jean: "Gilles, sto―"

Gilles thrust his sword forcefully into the ground and placed his neck against the blade.

Jean catches his blood-stained body as it collapses.

Jean: "Gilles, you came to your senses, so why did you choose to die!?"

Gilles: "No. I've long since lost my mind, Jean."

Gilles: "I killed hundreds of people to fill the void in my heart where I lost you."

Jean: "-----!"

Gilles: "Since my resurrection, I've become a monster who can't even recognize the true wishes of my comrades-in-arms."

Jean: "Still, you stood alongside me on the battlefield. You're my only friend in the war, Gilles."

Gilles smiles happily. And then...

Wellington: "Farewell, my old enemy, Napoleon Bonaparte."

Gilles: "Live, my beautiful friend, Jean."

Under the moonlight, the two of them departed in peace, as if the madness that had driven them had been a lie.

Staring at the soldiers who killed themselves, Salieri kneels on the ground, mortified.

After witnessing the events before him, his eyes no longer have the color of madness in them.

Mozart: "Salieri. I'm sure your eyes are open now too."

Mozart: "You should write a requiem for them. The most beautiful requiem."

Salieri: "Yeah, I'll do that."

Salieri: "May their souls rest in peace. That is my redemption for being involved in this raid."

Mozart gently places his hand on his trembling shoulder.

Theo calls out to Gauguin's back, who was similarly staring at the situation in a daze.

Theo: "Gauguin. Your jealousy and hatred won't go away easily just because your brainwashing has been lifted."

Gauguin: "Ha! You still want to kill me?"

Theo: "Let's see. Yeah, I still can't forgive you."

Arthur: "............"

Theo: "But, grudgingly, I know how you feel."

Theo: "I know how it feels to love a painting so much that you envy someone else."

Gauguin's eyes widen.

Theo: "My time has stood still since that day."

Theo: "But after spending time in this mansion with all these rowdy fellas, I think a new time had begun to move."

Theo: "You've been painting since you came back to life. Then perhaps you should walk away, too, Gauguin."

Gauguin looks silently back at Theo, then at Vincent.

He narrows his eyes, perhaps remembering the brilliance of his talent or perhaps, remembering the times they spent together.

Gauguin: "Since I met you and Vincent, I haven't been able to give up my love for painting."

Gauguin: "I will no longer appear before you brothers."

With these words, Gauguin disappears into the woods outside the mansion.

Theo: "Arthur."

Arthur: "What?"

Theo: "Thank you."

Arthur's eyes widened for a moment, and he looked at him with his back still turned and smiled.

Shakespeare, on the other hand, looks increasingly paler under my arms.

Comte then pulls a vial of shimmering red liquid out of his coat.

Comte: "I had it just in case something like this happened. Will, I'll give you a glass of rouge now..."

He takes Shakespeare in his arms and pours a drop of rouge on his lips, but he doesn't even twitch.

Comte: "I guess he lost too much blood."

(He still needs more blood? Then...)

Mitsuki: "Comte, please use my blood too!"

Vincent: "I'll give you mine too if it helps Will!"

Dazai: "Hold on, you two."

Dazai crouches down beside Shakespeare, still unconscious, and talks to him.

Dazai: "Shakespeare, this is the plot you wanted."

Dazai: "It's a good story. But I don't like how it ends with you sacrificing yourself."

Dazai slips his hand inside his kimono and pulls out several small bottles of rouge.

Mitsuki: "Dazai-san, how did you get so many rouges!?"

Dazai: "I thought it would be a disaster if everyone was injured, so I had to steal some of them from the vault."

Dazai: "Thanks to that, my kimono got very heavy. Ahahaha!"

Sebastian: "I'll bring you some more right now!"

Leonardo: "I'm coming with you. Hold on, Shakespeare!"

Comte: "Thanks, Dazai. Come on, Will."

As he gave Shakespeare rouge again, the color in his cheeks soon began to come back to life, and two colored eyes peeked out from behind his eyelids.

Shakespeare: "I'm..."

Mitsuki: "Shakespeare-san!"

Vincent: "Will! Thank God..."

Comte: "I'm sorry, Will. I couldn't save you until this happened."

Vincent: "Me too. I'm your friend, but I didn't understand anything about you."

Shakespeare: "No, Comte, Vincent. I have betrayed you all for my own desires."

Shakespeare: "A sin is a sin, and punishment is a punishment. Even if I atone for it, I can't cleanly sweep it all away. But still..."

Shakespeare: "I wanted to avoid the worst tragedy, so I followed my heart."

Shakespeare: "I'm not expecting a happy ending like this, but I suppose it's not a bad one..."

Shakespeare smiles faintly, and Dazai nods.

There is still much to think about, but everyone exchanges a few words of relief.

(Is it all over now?)

I sigh deeply and look up at the sky. And before I know it, the clouds have cleared, and only the beautiful crescent moon is smiling at me.

In a forest where no moonlight could reach, two men are watching everything going on at the mansion.

Charles: "Docteur, it looks like it's settled. But Wellington and Gilles de Rais..."

Faust: "............"

Charles: "Nope. I guess this means we're one step closer to Lord Vlad's plan. I wonder what he's going to do next."

Faust: "His Excellency's goal is to get a strong piece. Either by contacting the great men of the mansion or..."

His sharp eyes behind his glasses focused on Mitsuki's figure.

A few days later...

We mourned the Duke of Wellington, Gilles, and Hooke.

On the way back from visiting the grave with Napoleon, Isaac, and Jean―

Mitsuki: "I hope those three can get a good night's sleep this time."

Isaac: "Yeah. Good thing Shakespeare buried Hooke."

Isaac: "I wonder if something would've been different if we had met differently."

Napoleon: "But those guys saved their own dignity at the end. That's impressive."

Jean: "We're the only ones who know how Gilles and the others lived their second lives. Let's never forget it."

The three smile in honor of their loss―both looked sad and proud.

(It was really a tough night.)

(But everyone is slowly moving on like this.)

When I gaze at their backs as they turn forward with firm steps―

(----!)

The wind blew so hard that the ribbon tying my hair came undone.

The ribbon flew away teasingly as I reached out to grab it.

After chasing it for a while, I found myself back at the cemetery.

(I wonder where the ribbon went. I thought I could pick it up right away, but it flew surprisingly far away.)

(I have to catch up before everyone worries...)

I look around and stop when I see the gravestone of the Duke again.

I remember the way he was in the middle of his madness, but at the very end, he regained his true self.

(Those guys were strong.)

(But it was Vlad who revived and drove them insane.)

(I met a gentleman in a florist's apron. But...)

I remember what we talked about when Shakespeare was still recovering.

~~~~~~~~~Flashback~~~~~~~~~

Shakespeare: "Like snow without footprints, Lord Vlad is unforgiving and at the same time terribly pure."

Shakespeare: "I sometimes wonder if there's another facade hiding beneath that chilling snowy smile."

Comte: "Maybe that guy is being cruel by hiding his heart in the snow..."

Shakespeare: "He's trying to save the world. But will that save Lord Vlad?"

(Vlad's hidden heart?)

~~~~~~~Flashback Ends~~~~~~~

I don't get how he could've planned the attack to take advantage of the great men and how he could lie like that, smiling.

(The attack may be over, but if we don't stop Vlad, it will surely happen again.)

(But how...?)

Who in the world could stop him?

As I stood there alone, thinking about it, another gust of wind blew, and I smelled the scent of sweet roses.

Vlad: "Is this what you're looking for?"

Mitsuki: "Vlad."

Vlad smiles as he holds out my ribbon.

Before I can even ask him why he's here, he places a bouquet of roses on the grave of Wellington.

Vlad: "I'm here to offer my condolences to them for their hard work. And also, I felt like I could see you again, Mitsuki."

Mitsuki: "You thought you could see me?"

Vlad: "Yes. I really needed to talk to you."

Vlad: "Did you not want to see me anymore?"

I guess Vlad already knows that I have heard everything from Comte.

Mitsuki: "I don't know. But I wanted to talk to you too."

We stare at each other for a few seconds, with only the petals of the rose scattering in the wind.

Soon, he holds out his beautiful hand in front of me―inviting me to go with him.

(I learned a lot about him even though we only met once in person...)

I know that he is a pureblood vampire and that he created that door after leaving Comte for his ambition, but...

(I can't see his heart.)

(I can't figure out Vlad. I don't know anything, but I want to understand.)

I couldn't take his hand without thinking about the consequences, though.

I hesitated, and before I knew it, a small animal had gathered at his feet.

Vlad: "Hey, a wild rabbit? Looks like this guy has a soft spot for humans. He often comes to this place. Ahaha, this is a problem."

(He laughs like a child.)

This side of him almost caught me off guard.

Vlad: "I remember the first time I brainwashed a rabbit to test my power."

(------!)

Vlad: "I didn't really understand my power at the time, so the rabbit went into the lake..."

Vlad: "I felt sorry for him.”

His disturbing story somehow stirs my heart.

(Is this a threat?)

Vlad could brainwash me right now, but Napoleon and the others are probably still around.

Should I run away, or should I quietly follow so as not to endanger everyone?

But on the other hand, I'm confused about his true intentions. I feel like his sad eyes have nothing to do with it.

Then he suddenly cast down his eyes.

Vlad: "I'm sorry."

His voice sounded so lonely, and as if being pushed, I held his hand unconsciously.

He took me to an old castle nestled deep in the woods.

(Why did I take his hand?)

'If I refuse him, he might brainwash someone else again,' is one of the reasons why my reason kicked in.

But I also know that everyone is going to be worried if I disappear.

And yet, I'm sure that I was driven by an impulse that was at odds with my rationality.

Vlad: "Wait here for a while. I'm going to water the flowers."

Vlad begins to water the blooming flowers in the garden.

He looks at the flowers lovingly, and beside him is the wagon he had pulled when we first met.

(In this way, he looks like the florist I met back then.)

Vlad: "Hm? This flower seems to be doing something bad."

With a voice slightly tinged with coldness, Vlad snaps the stem of a beautiful blooming flower.

(Huh?)

Too hesitant to say anything about his gesture, Vlad puts the flowers on the wagon.

Mitsuki: "Vlad, why did you suddenly pluck the flower? It's still blooming."

Vlad: "Look, the stem looks discolored. It seems like it has some kind of disease."

Vlad: "If I let this flower bloom as it is, it will kill all the neighboring flowers."

Vlad: "This flower bloomed without realizing it."

Mitsuki: "That's why you broke it off...?"

Vlad: "Yeah. It's better for this flower if I break it here."

Vlad: "Because if you don't even realize you're committing a sin, someone has to guide you in this way."

Why do his narrowed crimson eyes look clouded?

Vlad: "But people smile when they see flowers. That's why I bring them to town."

Vlad: "I'm sure these flowers are glad to have someone to look at them, even if only a little, in their last days."

His hands pluck flowers without hesitation, yet he wants the humans to smile?

(Is he a kind man? Or a scary man?)

The more I try to get to know him, the more I find myself stuck in a maze.

Mitsuki: "Hey Vlad, what really is the real you―"

Just as I was about to take a step closer, a cheerful voice and a low voice reached my ears.

Charles: "Welcome, Mitsuki! We've been waiting for you for a long time."

Faust: "She's a precious guinea pig, so let's treat her well."

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#ikemen vampire #ikevamp act 2.5 #ikevamp 2.5 #ikevamp jp #ikemen vampire 2.5 #ikevamp #cybird #ikevamp translations

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