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ariaste · 9 months

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The Magic Trick You Didn’t See: Being An Analysis of Good Omens Season 2

(or: Neil Gaiman, Your Brain is Gorgeous But I Have Cracked Your Sneaky Little Code And Have You Dead To Rights*) (*Maybe)

***

Soooooo I just spent the last 48 hours having a BREATHTAKING GALAXY BRAIN EPIPHANY about Good Omens Season 2 and feverishly writing a fuckin16,000 word essay about the incredible magic trick that @neil-gaiman pulled off.

Yes, it’s long, but I PROMISE your brains will explode. Do you want to know how magic works? Do you want to know what Metatron’s deal is (I’m like 99% sure of this and it’s EXTREMELY FUCKING GOOD)? Do you want to know about the Mystery of the Vanishing Eccles Cakes and the big fat beautiful clue I found in the opening credits? Do you go through the whole inventory of Chekov’s Firearm & Heavy Artillery Discount Warehouse?

Here is the essay, go read it: https://docs.google.com/document/d/193IXS11XN46lziHRb6eUpM17yK0BQkRqke1Wh64A_e0/ When ur done u can tell me I’m an insane crackpot, and u know what, i won’t even be offended

In case you don’t know whether you want to bother reading the whole enormous thing on google docs, I’ve put the first couple sections of it under the cut. JUST TRUST ME OKAY, HEAR ME OUT, THIS IS VERY EXTREMELY COOL, NEIL IS GOOD AT HIS JOB--

Proem

A dark theater. The rustling of the audience: clothes, breathing, whispers of anticipation. The lights come up. A man enters, stage left. He is a magician—a master magician—and he performs for you a magic trick so good and so subtle... that you don’t even notice you’ve seen it.

You know there must have been a trick—after all, you came to the theater to see a trick performed, didn’t you? And he claims to be a magician. So there had to be a trick somewhere. There had to be.

But maybe there wasn’t. Maybe there was just a man on a stage, talking to you, telling you a story with a strangely unsatisfying ending you didn’t quite understand.

I know. This is a weird beginning to an analysis essay. But hear me out, because I have to explain the mechanisms of the stage before I can show you what the trick was, where the trapdoor was hidden, and how Neil Gaiman pulled the whole thing off so gently and elegantly that you didn’t notice a thing. Ready? Here we go.

The Facts As We Know Them

Let us begin by establishing a baseline—some fundamental, logical assumptions that underpin the magic trick. These will seem obvious as soon as I say them, which is precisely the point: They are self-evident, loadbearing foundations for my entire argument, and if I don’t point them out, I’m going to sound like a crackpot conspiracy theorist. (Which! To be fair, I might be. I could easily be wrong about all this—but I don’t think I am.)

Our baseline, loadbearing assumptions that preface my Grand Unified Theory of Season 2:

1. Neil Gaiman is extremely good at his job.

2. Neil Gaiman loves these characters and wants with all his heart to do them justice; likewise, he has a great deal of respect, love, and admiration for Terry Pratchett and is striving VERY HARD to write the show the way Terry would have been happy with.

3. The devil, as they say, is in the details: Neil Gaiman and the entire Good Omens cast/crew are fully capable of doing extremely subtle detail work, as conclusively proven in Season 1 Ep 6, specifically the whole sequence of the body-swap scenes.

With me so far? Great.

The Elephant In The Room

Season 2 was... odd. It was odd, wasn’t it. This isn’t a matter of whether you loved it or hated it—there was just something odd going on.

I spent the entirety of my first viewing very much enjoying myself and being very happy to be back with these characters and this world, but I was also liveblogging to my groupchat as I went, and a theme soon began emerging:

“Neil, what are you doing? Where are you going with this?” “What in god’s name is going on here? I’m so lost lmao.” “What is going on with the music situation?” “WHAT ARE YOU DOING HERE NEIL” “zombies, ok, I trust u to pull this all together in the end, Neil, but I still don't know what you're up to” “What is going on LOL” “Incredibly what is going on here” “NEIL! WHAT IS HAPPENING!” “Literally what is happening” “Neil Gaiman why have you constructed a regency au for mystery VIBES reasons” “just????????? lesbians????????? dancing what's HAPPENING. just all the background characters are gay here ok sure sure sure NEIL GAIMAN WHAT IS HAPPENING--” “mmmmmmm neil what u doin”

All these are copied verbatim from my liveblogging, and apparently I am not the only one to have this reaction. And to be clear, I was having a good time! I came out to this theater to see a magic trick, and this Neil Gaiman guy on stage is a master magician—but I didn’t see the trick, even though there must have been a trick.

At first, I wasn’t sure how I felt about the season. I wanted to like it! Indeed, there were many things that I liked about it! But I felt a bit muddled and jumbled up and confused—I felt like there was something I didn’t understand about it, and so I couldn’t yet understand how I felt about it either.

I started chewing on this question in a friend’s DMs: Why is season 2 so fucking odd? What is going on here, Neil? What are you up to? The matter of whether he was up to something was never in question. I knew that he had to be up to something. Writers are always up to something, and as I watched season 2, it was as if I was watching Neil scamper around the room with a mischievous expression as he messed with things here and there and made little tweaks and adjustments to the arrangement of all the Chekov’s guns he’s stockpiling on the mantelpiece.

You see, Season 2 has some very bad writing in it. HANG ON, DON’T ARGUE WITH ME YET! THIS IS NOT A JUDGMENT CALL!! This is the rug that the trick’s secret mechanism is hidden under!!! This is the hidden mirror that makes the trick work!!!!! This is the trapdoor in the stage!

Yes, of course I will explain myself.

Neil Gaiman is a master magician, but I am a pretty damn good magician myself—I’m a professional fantasy author who has published nine books, and I teach workshops for apprentice writers online and at universities—and if there is one thing I have learned about the process of achieving mastery of your craft, it is this:

Regardless of what medium they’re working in, the apprentice artist is concerned primarily with achieving realism via an expansion of their control—control of their brush strokes as they paint a photorealistic eye; control of their deck of cards, the mechanisms of their magic tricks, and where the audience’s attention is being directed; control of all the little factors of voice, plot, character, setting, suspense and surprise that go into writing a good story. However, the master artist has achieved that control—so much so that it often looks effortless to an untrained eye—and sometimes the master artist returns to a messy, amateurish style simply because they have control even over this too.

As an example, consider Picasso and his entire body of work. He begins as an apprentice focused on achieving control, doing portraits of people that look like people—like what we expect a portrait of a person to look like. Then, as he grows in skill and gradually achieves mastery, he pulls away from realism. He develops a style, he experiments with faces that don’t look like any human alive colored in ways that do not appear in nature. He expands his control. His work becomes abstract. Towards the end of his life, he starts experimenting with what’s called “Naive art”, something that a 5 year old could theoretically draw... but you have to achieve mastery before you can do it on purpose and have it look good.

On one hand, Neil Gaiman is extremely good at his job. On the other hand, Season 2 has bad writing in it.

What does that tell us?

Well, we know from our Baseline Assumptions that Neil Gaiman is simply too good of a writer to fuck up through garden-variety clumsiness and lack-of-control the way an apprentice writer would. Additionally, he cannot fuck up by accident in this case because I am positive that the man is scrutinizing his work on Good Omens far too closely to let anything slide—for Crowley and Aziraphale’s sakes, for David and Michael’s sakes, and especially for Terry’s sake. The stakes are sky-high, and he cares too much to write a weird, kind of “bad” season by accident.

Which leaves only one option: He did it on purpose.

(Am I sounding like a crackpot conspiracy theorist? Baby, you ain’t seen nothin’ yet. I’m gonna get SO MUCH MORE CRACKPOT.)

If he did it on purpose, then the natural question to ask is: WHY!?!?!??

It’s a great question. Not “Why?” in terms of why he as an individual person with emotions would decide to do that, mind you. More like, “What purpose does this serve for the structure of the narrative?” There is a story he is intending to tell, and out of all the choices he could have possibly made, for some reason this one was necessary and correct in order to achieve that end goal—so what was that reason?

See? Intentionality. He knows exactly what details he left in, and he did it on purpose. (Editing! It’s important!)

So there has to be a reason. It’s like when a master magician “casually” rubs an itch on his nose—why did he do that? What is he sneakily slipping into his mouth by hiding it under the excuse of this little gesture that does not even register to you as meaningful? (If you haven’t watched enough stage magic to know what I mean, watch this.)

This question is, of course, impossible to simply answer out of thin air without any further evidence. It is a dead end—so we must adjust the question and come at it from a different angle.

The one I settled on when I was chewing on this was: Well, okay, what do I mean when I say “bad writing”? What is it about S2 that makes it feel so goddamn odd?

The Pledge, The Turn, and... The Conspicuous, Expectant Silence

There are three parts to a magic trick: Pledge, Turn, Prestige.

First, the Pledge: You show the audience something ordinary. Second, the Turn: You make that ordinary thing do something extraordinary, like vanish. Third, the Prestige: You bring the ordinary thing back.

To quote the 2006 film The Prestige just after its explanation of the first two parts: “You want to be fooled. But you wouldn’t clap yet, because making something disappear isn’t enough. You have to bring it back.”

You have to bring it back.

When I teach apprentice writers, I call this a “setup-payoff cycle”. Achieving control and dexterity with this tool is crucial, because the setup-payoff cycle is the engine of the story—it’s what makes the story run. You can have a setup-payoff cycle at any scale—I have read ones that were a single sentence long; I’ve read ones that were two books long. Additionally, all jokes, no matter how long they are, are structured on a setup/payoff cycle. These cycles work precisely the same way a magic trick does:

You set up the audience’s expectations. (Optional but generally considered stylish and elegant: You give those expectations a firm jolt to throw the audience off-balance.) You pay off the audience’s expectations in a way they weren’t expecting, while saying “TA DA!!!!” really loud with your arms flung wide.

Audiences really like this. A setup-payoff cycle executed just right makes the audience’s brains light up like Times Square and hammers on their mental “reward” buttons like nothing else. It’s like you’ve personally handed them a cookie and a gold star. They go wild for this.

Here’s an example of a setup-payoff cycle, though it’s not a perfect one—and you’ve probably heard it before, so you’re not going to be throwing chairs and tearing down the theater from sheer glee:

The Setup: Knock knock. Who’s there? Banana. Banana who? The Jolt: (the joke starts over and repeats several times without reaching the payoff (aka the prestige) while the audience grows more and more annoyed and frustrated about the unfulfilled expectations, until finally...) Knock knock. Who’s there? Orange. Orange who? The Payoff: ORANGE YOU GLAD I DIDN’T SAY BANANA?

Good Omens Season 2 feels so fucking odd because the setup-payoff cycles are incomplete—nearly all of them are, and the ones that do close the loop do so in really weird ways which, as a professional author, make me feel kind of, “Bwuh?????? But where’s my cookie? Excuse me??? Sir???? Neil????? My cookie, tho???”

When I realized this, when I finally put my finger on why the whole season was giving me some uncanny valley heebie-jeebies, a chill ran down my spine. (The rest is here: https://docs.google.com/document/d/193IXS11XN46lziHRb6eUpM17yK0BQkRqke1Wh64A_e0/ I’M GOING TO GO STARE INTO THE ABYSS NOW BYE)

#good omens #good omens season 2 #ineffable husbands #neil gaiman

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strangerstilinski · 8 months

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𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐥𝐞𝐬 𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐬𝐤𝐢 𝐱 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐞𝐫

summary; stiles lets it slip that he hasn't had his first kiss yet and, as his friend, you're more than happy to remedy that.

warnings; no use of y/n, fluff, established friendship, some pretty intense kissing, one instance of reader being referred to as a girl

word count; +3.5k

a/n; no smut here, but i am currently planning a couple nsfw pieces to work on between bouts of writing my ongoing (long suffering) stiles fic.

please think about leaving a comment/reblogging if you enjoy! it would actually mean the world to me

“-And it was just.. So wet. Way, way too much spit, y’know? And there was entirely too much tongue on his part considering the fact that his hands, like, never even left his pockets-”

You’re not entirely sure how, nor at what point, the conversation devolved into a mostly one-sided and incredibly detailed analysis of Mark Hagan’s kissing technique, or lack thereof, but by the time your eyes fall to the boy sitting in the driver’s seat, you realize that you’ve been rambling for at least a full minute in the patchy darkness of the parked car.

“-And I’m not saying I wanted to be groped or anything but, I mean, it’s a little awkward when a guy just-”

You falter suddenly, when you notice the awkward slump in Stiles’ posture, and your words taper out without warning. He has one hand white-knuckled on the steering wheel and the other gripped tightly on the back of the seat where he’d turned to face you when he first asked how your date had gone the night before. And- God. That had been minutes ago, now.

“Sorry,” You apologize immediately with a grimace, “Was that, like, way too much information? Sorry.”

“No, I, uh,” He releases the steering wheel and shakes out his hand as if only just realizing how tight his grip had truly been. Your eyes are embarrassingly distracted by the long line of his fingers as he continues, “I guess I just didn’t realize how many things you could do wrong, y’know? I assumed it’d be more straight forward than that. You lean in, press your lips together, kiss, done. Right?”

You laugh softly at his rushed response, “I mean, I guess. I’d like to think there’s a little more skill that goes into it than that.”

“And, uh, Mark..” Stiles has been seemingly overwhelmed with reasons to dislike the other boy since you’d announced your upcoming date the week before, and he nearly spits the name with disdain when he says it now. “No skill, huh? Not quite, uh.. Not up to your standards?” He’s fiddling with the straw from his long-finished milkshake as he speaks, eyes downcast and determinedly focussed on his fingers, “Considering the overabundance of tongue, the lack of groping, and the, uh.. All-around wetness-?”

Another small huff of laugher escapes you as you drop your own empty cup into the greasy paper bag the diner had stuffed your to-go order into a half hour before, your socked feet returning to the Jeep’s dashboard only a moment later.

“Yeah, I guess you could say that.” You fight back a cringe at the mere memory of the drool that coated Mark’s chin when you’d finally decided you’d had enough and pulled away.

“What about you?”

His question catches you off guard and your brows furrow as you meet his gaze, “What about me?”

He twists and folds the straw of his drink with more vigor, nose crinkling before he elaborates, “What would you say your, uh.. Your skill level.. is?”

You pitch forward to grab one of the few remaining curly fries from the container perched by your feet on the dash, falling back into your seat and munching slowly as you genuinely ponder the question.

“I think I’m probably alright,” You shrug after a moment, “I mean, it’s hard to say, right? But I’ve never had any complaints. And considering Lydia is, like, the queen of complaining-”

You’re caught off guard by the entirely inhuman squawk of disbelief and surprise that escapes him. He’s scrambling in his seat with no real purpose before he slowly comes back to a standstill, now sitting just a few inches closer to the passenger side than he was before.

“Lydia? You.. You and Lydia have-?”

You shrug again as you wipe your greasy fingertips on the leg of your jeans, “Yeah, like, twice. Maybe three times?”

“Three-?”

“What about you?” You interrupt.

You tip your head against the backrest to look at him in the dim light of the parking lot as you await his response. The Jeep is barely getting hit with the residual light from the windows of the diner, but the bright neon sign on the roof of the building casts a pretty red hue over Stiles’ face. His mole-dotted skin is flushed with it, the only bits safe from the red-tinted glow are the shadows beneath his brows and the tiny divot in the tip of his nose that extends up from his cupid’s bow. You want to trace the darkness on his skin with the tip of your finger — with your lips.

You find yourself getting lost in just how gorgeous he is, not for the first time.

“Huh?” Stiles asks dumbly.

“Skill level,” You elaborate with a grin, lifting one foot from the dash to poke your toes into his knee, “What about you? Are the girls positively swooning? Melting under your touch? ‘Oh, Stiles. You’re the best kisser on this side of the Rockies-’”

Your teasing is silenced when his hand comes out to cover your mouth, long fingers trapping the words beneath your lips. Your knee is squished awkwardly between you, but he’s so warm you can feel the heat of his body seeping into your own, and the scent of his body wash fills your nose now rather than the lingering smell of grease from your shared dinner. You can hardly focus on his words as the smell of teakwood and pine invades your senses.

“No one in their right mind would ever say something like that after being kissed,” He tells you, face pinched in a cringe, “Like, not even something remotely along those lines. Not even in those weird old-timey romance movies you make me w-”

You grab ahold of his fingers to pull his palm from your lips with a small giggle, “Oh, c’mon, the suspense is killing me! Are you a good kisser or not?” Your mind is reeling a bit as you think about it. You can’t help but wonder what it would be like to kiss Stiles, to feel his lips on your own, his hands on you. “I feel like you probably are. Just the right about of enthusiasm but you’re also a total perfectionist so it’d-”

“I don’t know!”

His exclamation is entirely too loud for the confined space of the car, his voice ricocheting sharply off the metal shell of the vehicle and causing you both to flinch a little. Stiles looks as if he wishes he could stuff the words back into his mouth and try again. You’re simply looking him over with a more critical eye, searching for the reason for his recent outburst as if it might be written plainly on his face, like you might find big emboldened letters of explanation etched across his skin.

“What’d’you mean you don’t know?” You scoff in amusement, “Y’know what? Fine-” You shuffle closer as an idea pops into your head — a brilliant, glorious, heaven-sent idea. His fingertips are still trapped within the palm of your hand and your knee slips over the top of his thigh as you slide closer and move into the center seat, “C’mere. I’ll give you review-”

Your face edges closer and closer to his own until your noses bump and the delicate touch seems to zap Stiles into alertness, sending him jolting back as if he’s been electrocuted.

The sourness that erupts in your belly at his reaction isn’t wholly unexpected, but a small flicker of shame joins it and burns like acid in your chest.

“Well, shit..” You murmur with an awkward chuckle.

It’s difficult to bite back the nagging feeling of embarrassment that swirls through your veins in response to being shot down by your best friend — your best friend that you’ve desperately been wanting to kiss since middle school.

You swallow harshly before continuing with a self-deprecating laugh, “I didn’t realize the thought of kissing me was quite so.. Horrifying. My bad.. I.. I’m sorry. You don’t- I didn’t think and I just- Sorry.” The last bit comes out quieter, the sound of it buried beneath the sudden tightness in your throat.

You find yourself avoiding his eyes, but that only means that your gaze is drawn to the smooth expanse of his neck — and there’s that glow from the diner’s neon sign again. His skin is cast in that red hue, smooth expanses of scarlet broken up by the speckles of dark moles and beauty marks scattered here, there, everywhere. You can almost make out his jumping pulse beneath the hollow of his throat, the dark crimson shadow twitching nearly imperceptibly with each too-quick beat of his heart.

They’re all spots that you’ve only dreamt of having your lips touch.

On rainy days when he shakes his hair out like a dog with the sole purpose of hearing the way you squeal in surprise, the drops of water finding their way down his temple and filling you with the urge to kiss it away.

When you slip into daydreams from the desk behind him during class, your eyes stuck on the exposed curve of his shoulder where his shirt collar is stretched just a little too loose, your lips tingling with the all-too vivid phantom feeling of his skin beneath them.

Trapped in his embrace, his height just enough that your face is smushed into his collarbones, nose crushed against him and pulling in the woodsy scent of his cologne, your mouth pressed limply to the soft cotton over his chest but aching with the desire to pucker and leave behind a gentle peck.

“No! No, it’s not that!” Stiles denies immediately. He’s already reaching out to drag you closer again, hands curling into your waist the moment you attempt to slip backwards into a bubble of shame in the passenger seat. “Kissing you would be the opposite of horrifying! It would be, like, a dream come true or- Or-”

Your eyebrows creep up your forehead at that, the barely there curve of a nervous smile pulling at the corners of your lips as his words seem to tumble out faster, growing increasingly difficult to understand as he rambles in a way that you’re all-too familiar with.

“-Because if I was going to kiss anyone, I’d want it to be you, but if I do kiss you and I’m horrible at it and you’re, like, repulsed-”

You’re still trying to piece things together despite the jumbled bits you seem to have missed. Your lips part in astonishment and his fingers tighten where they’ve begun to anxiously dig into your hips as he continues.

“-What if I’m worse than Mark? What if.. What if I’m so bad that you kiss me once and then you never, ever want to kiss me again because I was so unbelievably-”

“Stiles!”

You cut him off, already scooting closer until your left thigh is practically in his lap. His words cut off, a sharp inhale tearing past his lips as your hands find his shoulders, your thumb dragging over the freckled skin of his neck. You can feel his pulse jumping wildly against the pad of your finger as you finally voice your question.

“Are you telling me you’ve never kissed anyone before?” You ask the question as delicately as you can manage, but he still winces as an embarrassed flush colors his cheeks further.

“Not.. Not technically.” He admits quietly, big brown eyes still tinted beneath the crimson glow from outside the Jeep.

“Not technically?” You repeat slowly.

“I don’t know why I thought saying it like that would make it sound better,” He says weakly, “It didn’t. It was still just as mortifying. And so, so lame.”

Your heart flutters, cracks, and then ticks up in quick succession as your flooded with a wide array of conflicting emotions. You can’t quite believe what it is you’re hearing.

“You haven’t had your first kiss?” The words come out a bit more heartbroken than you intended.

Stiles looks horrified at the bluntness of your statement for a moment before he’s swallowing harshly, eyes dropping from your own for a fleeting second.

“No,” He says in a quiet voice, nearly a whisper as his eyes flick back up to yours, “But, um, if- If you’re still offering.. I mean-”

Your heart is positively hammering in your chest, so hard you worry he might be able to hear it, but then your thumb drags up and brushes over his own racing pulse again and his nerves seem to somehow calm yours. Your lean forward until the tip of your nose catches on the bridge of his again, eyes not leaving his as you move achingly slow, giving him time in case he decides to change his mind.

“You’re sure?” You ask softly, the whispered question little more than a breath of warm air against the bow of his upper lip.

“Uh huh.” He just manages the quiet sound of affirmation, a small nod of his head has your lips brushing lightly and the barely-there touch pulls a sharp breath of anticipation from him.

“Okay,” You say quietly, dragging one hand to the back of his neck so you can guide the angle of his head just a touch to one side.

His grip on your hips readjusts and tightens further, one of his clammy palms slipping beneath the hem of your shirt, and the warmth of skin on skin has you breathing out harshly in the sliver of space between your lips again. Your eyes flick slow between his, wide pools of scarlet-tinted whiskey watching you with rapt attention. Your mouth curves up with the hint of a smile, a soft breath of laughter falling into his parted lips as your fingers dig into the thick muscle of his neck.

“Close your eyes, weirdo.” You whisper fondly.

“Shit, fuck. Sorry, yeah. Eyes closed.” He rambles off quickly, eyes pinching shut immediately and hands squeezing your hips as if silently promising that he’s ready.

Endeared. You’re so fucking endeared your organs feel as if they’ve gone warm and syrupy beneath your skin.

Despite your admonishment of his eyes being open, you find yourself unable to pull your own away from watching every small tick in his features. Your hand on his shoulder tightens as you brush your nose across his and when the tight pinch of his eyes slackens and he takes a small nervous breath of anticipation, you finally press your lips to his.

It starts with just a small peck as your brain whites out for just a second. His lips are soft and chapped and plush against your own. You linger for a brief moment before you’re separating just enough to slot your mouths back together a little better.

His lower lip finds itself between yours and he gravitates toward you when you make like you’re about to draw back a second time, his mouth blindly searching for yours. He applies more pressure as he seems to become more sure of himself, one of his hands sliding to the base of your spine to drag you closer.

Impressed, you guide the angle of his head to tip just a hair further, your lips parting to exhale a hot breath into the gap between his own. A small sound rumbles from his chest as he tries to replicate the heat of your kiss on the next meeting. His lips fall open just enough that his breath mingles with your own and your brain goes a little heady with it, thighs tensing as blood rushes in your ears and heat pools in your gut.

You draw back and you’re forced to tangle your fingers in his hair to hold him in place when he tries to chase your mouth again. His eyes crack open to meet your own when he finds himself unable to catch you in another kiss and his pupils are blown a little wide, black overtaking brown until only a small ring of rich chocolate remains. You’re sure you don’t look much better, with the way our chest is threatening to heave with excitement, your fingers trembling where they’re gripping onto the muscle of his shoulder and woven into his hair.

“That was.. That was good.” You tell him after a moment, voice embarrassingly shaky, “What.. What’d you think?”

“Good.” He returns just as weak, “Great. That- Mhm. Awesome.”

His eyes are on your lips again and he looks downright hungry, but then, so are you.

“You’re a natural,” You praise breathlessly, eyes flicking between his rapidly as your fingers unconsciously tighten in his hair, “I’d never guess that was your first kiss – It was.. You learn fast.”

“We- You should probably show me more,” He insists, already leaning back in until his forehead finds your own, “That way I won’t end up like Mark, y’know? With pretty girls complaining to their friends about how wet and gross and bad it-”

“You think I’m pretty?”

He blinks at you as his lips curve up at the corners, the tip of his nose catching against yours to shoot sparks down your spine when he replies, “I think you’re beautiful.”

“Oh.” Is all you manage to get out as a smile tugs at your own lips.

“You want to maybe show me how to use tongue without, being completely repulsive and, like, drowning you or whatever?”

“Mhm,” You agree easily through a breathless laugh. You can’t quite help the quick press of your lips to his and you feel the relieved exhale that falls from his nose and fans out in a warm puff against your face. “Just for the record, though-” You feel the need to elaborate, “There is a time and a place for wet. When things are really hot and heavy and you’re in the throes of passion or whatever — a little too much tongue is great. It can be really, really hot. But- Like I said, time and place.”

The information leaves Stiles looking mildly overwhelmed and severely aroused, but he’s nodding dutifully, “Uh huh. Got it. Noted. I’ll remember that.”

“Okay.”

His mouth is claiming yours again before the word is even fully out, the sound of it lost in your lips and what remains is smothered by your gasp of surprise. You let him control the pace for a moment before remembering that you’re supposed to be the one guiding him.

You bring one hand up to his face, thumb catching his chin so you can guide his jaw to drop open a bit further as your tongue teases against the inside of his lip. His groan meets your ears, the sound of it sending a shockwave through your body that you’re still reeling from as he repeats your action with truly startling ease. The warm wetness of his tongue has you feeling hot all over, and when it catches against the tip of your own before retreating, you nearly whimper in protest at the loss.

He effortlessly settles into the pattern of give and take, hot brushes of tongues broken up by soft pecks against slick lips. His fingertips dig into your skin like he’s afraid you might slip away into nothing if he doesn’t hold you tight enough and you find your own fingers scraping at his scalp in response.

You’re both making soft little noises between the quiet smack of lips, the leather seats creaking every time your weight shifts in an attempt to get closer.

The lack of oxygen has your head a little fuzzy at the edges when you finally pull back and each of your exhales mingle warmly in the small sliver of space between your mouths as you both fight to catch your breath.

“I, um. I don’t think you have to worry about your kissing technique.” You tell him breathlessly just to break the silence, “You’re all good. A, uh, a great kisser. Eleven out of ten.”

“Cool. Cool. That’s great, I, um-” He coughs quietly, nervously, as he leans back to put a bit more space between you, “Would you maybe want to do it again sometime?”

He’s looking at you with pretty brown eyes blown wide and bleeding earnestness. The hand around your back has fallen to your upper thigh, the grip of it tightening as if punctuating certain words as he speaks. It’s entirely possible that your brain sort-circuits, because a moment of silence passes before he’s barreling on.

“-because I, for one, would really like to do that again sometime. Maybe.. Maybe after a date? Or during a date — that part doesn’t really matter. I just really like you and I have pretty much since forever and now that I’ve kissed you-”

“You like me?” Is all you manage past the heavy thumping of your heart in your chest, your ears — Shit, you’re pretty sure you can feel every pump of it in each trembling twitch of your fingers.

“So much that’s borderline embarrassing, yeah.” He admits, throat bobbing as he swallows nervously.

A breath whooshes past your lips, filled with relief and surprise and elation.

“I like you too.” You say after a beat too long, “Holy shit. Stiles, are you kidding me? I’ve liked you since the fifth grade.”

“Really?” He looks mildly shocked.

A giddy laugh escapes you as you drag him forward again to bring your lips back together. The kiss is chaste, but filled with so much emotion it makes your head swim a bit.

“Damn,” Stiles mutters suddenly, the frustrated curse puffing out against your cheek, “Does that mean we could’ve been doing this the whole time? Like, years of kissing-?”

His words cut off when your lips find his once more and he gives in easily, his train of thought thoroughly derailed.

“I guess we’ve got a lot of time to make up for then, Stilinski.. You up for the challenge?”

Stiles nods wildly and he’s pulling you back in before you can say anything else.

#stiles stilinksi fanfiction #stiles stilinski #stiles x y/n #stiles x reader #stiles imagine #stiles stilinski imagine #stiles fanfiction #stiles stilinksi x reader #stiles fluff #dylan o'brien fanfiction #teen wolf imagine #teen wolf stiles #*#dylan o'brien imagine

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just-sp-in-inginthevoid · 6 days

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Hello. I am wondering why you start liking Takeomi. He is the most hated character by the fandom and your choice of wet soggy cat is very unique. I want to listen your ramblings.

Oh anon, if only I knew

I'll try to remember how it happened, that much I think I got it.

So, when I first got into TR, my mind mostly focused on Mitsuya and the Shiba (mostly Taiju), so much so that I ended up writing a lot more than I thought I ever will on Taiju and explaining where his behavior comes from

Because it seems like a lot of people missed some important information. And by doing that I was able to show them details they had missed (prove that I was right in previous posts where I didn't justified myself and basically got called a liar by someone in the notes which incredibly pissed me off-) and, although that doesn't excuse what Taiju did, it does explain it and makes him more.. real? Maybe not relatable, but his domestic abuse didn't pop up out of nowhere and a lot of people know what intergenerational trauma can do so while still hating Taiju they could understand him better.

Then, having finished my Taiju analysis which also opened my eyes since I found more than what I initially thought about; I myself was able to understand him better and so I thought-

Why not do that with every hated characters in the fandom?

I don't quite recall if my (at the time, very slight) interest in Takeomi happened a bit before or at that time, but the reason why I focused on him before the others (which, uh, aren't a lot anyway) was because I saw stuffs written about him which I didn't really agree with? Like, yeah, he was flawed and raised his siblings badly - especially when next to Shinichiro who was (at least depicted as)(and try to be) good at it - but they were kinda amplifying things

I know that a lot of people relate to Sanzu, or just, love him, and since they saw things I haven't seen, I told myself 'well, let's investigate, then' and then I wrote about 17k words on Takeomi's psychology.

I literally walked myself into the Takeomi rabbit-hole (what a FUCKING mistake /positive)

Takeomi did neglect his siblings, and passive-aggressively verbally, or even emotionally, abused Sanzu and for most of the fandom, is not attractive (and, let's not lie, beauty is a redeeming quality for a lot of characters regardless of fandom. How many characters, no matter their faults, get forgiven by fans just because they're hot, uh?). So he sucks, yeah

You know what he did do? acknowledged his mistakes, apologized for them and would have started his redemption arc if Wakui had had the time for that when warping up the story

He made mistakes, he's flawed, he's human, he wasn't even supposed to be here because he only entered the delinquent world to keep following Shinichiro, his ego which was back then very weak and non-existent got inflated for either survival or because he received so many compliments he didn't know what to do with it if not both because he was a k i d.

Most of the characters in TR are kids or young adults when they commit things they shouldn't have done. And yes, you can hold them accountable for it but they didn't know better - they didn't have the tools to

Now, why do I like Takeomi.

First of all - the amount of flaws he has. Don't think I need to make the list, I think everyone's got it (although make sure to remember he's got an inferiority complex and it's most likely that he also has an imposter syndrome so he's just like me fr-). But even with that, he's never an antagonist. He does things wrong but he's on our side (he's just very deaf to anyone's opinion that doesn't fit his). He sucked at raising his siblings as a kid himself (before his superiority complex developed and during it too - albeit in different ways) but that's just.. realistic? Not that it takes away the seriousness of it and the consequences, but how else could it have been? The impact on Sanzu were disastrous (not that they were the only reason why Sanzu lost it), I understand that, I don't erase that nor deny it BUT THERE'S A REASON WHY TAKEOMI IS LIKE THIS, TOO. And if people blame Takeomi for his actions (which, again, fair.) then blame Sanzu for his!! he was willing to mass murder hundreds of people!!! including his sister!!! he killed a few people!! argh. But Sanzu got his tragic-backstory/childhood shown and has a design that appeals to most, so I guess it's harder to hold him accountable for the seriousness of his actions (I like Sanzu, don't get me wrong. But sometimes the hypocrisy of some fans makes me a tiny bit angry 🙃)

Anyway, reason 84123286 of why I need Takeomi's backstory. Bc, honestly, from what we know of him as a kid+his coping mechanisms as a teen/adult, it would make sense to me if one of the reason he was so hostile to Sanzu was because he saw himself in him and Didn't Like ItTM (for different reasons) (!!! Which would add nicely to Shinichiro seeing himself in Mikey!!! more sano-akashi parallels, lets goooooooo) Talking about the parallels between the two, the fact he's Shinichiro's narrative foil compels me lots. Takeomi is quite literally Shinichiro with a negative filter on. And how can he survived that? How can he cope with the fact that no matter how much he wants and tries to be Shinichiro he'd never succeed? He'd always be the pale copy, the wood statue covered with golden leaves that are peeling away with time next to the pure gold statue. The Teru Teru Bozu that fails to chase the rain away and is going to be decapitated for his ineptitude. He'd always be himself and that's what he hates the most. He'd always be compared to Shinichiro and there's nothing he can do about it. And he can't even be angry at Shinichiro. That's his best friend. He loves him. He has been the first to love him. He has been there before anyone else. He can't lose Shinichiro, Shinichiro gave him everything. Everything he cares about, he sees value of, at least. Immaculate.

I'll also die on the hill that he is competent. He himself has no idea on what but he is (he mixes everything. For him it'd go like this: he gets praised but he's done nothing, Shinichiro has done everything which means they praised him for what Shinichiro has done. Which means what Shinichiro do, he does too. Which means Shinichiro's achievements are his as well! right? He didn't do anything by himself, there's no need to praise him for something else.)(he's fully blind that strategically-speaking and in other brainy-brain domains he's competent af. Bc since it comes 'easily' to him - since he doesn't struggle much with it, or in contrary he struggles so much he cannot possibly be good at it, then there's nothing to praise. And like, for him what Shinichiro does deserve to be praised. What he himself does is just.. things he does so compliments feel shallow)(+Bonten strives as much as Bad Toman and Manila if not more, yet there's no Kisaki. Ofc there's still Koko so that helps, but Takeomi is new to the team and got recruited (at least that what Senju said) in Brahman for his ~wisdom~)

He's also the only character who was around before Shinichiro 1) became a big brother 2) became a delinquent and that has to mean something. They're the only ones left to remember how the other was before their life went to shit

In the final timeline, he looks so healthy. He made peace with himself, his relationship with his siblings is good, he made amends. He healed, they healed. His relationship with Shinichiro, Benkei and Wakasa is good too everything's great. He learnt to understand what he is competent in and focus on it; he's not Shinichiro, he'll never be and that's okay. He's him and what he is complete Shinichiro just as Shinichiro complete him – they take care of one another's flaws but can also know live independently from each other. Perhaps, perhaps Takeomi stopped being so dependent of him

Appearance-wise, I love dark hair+green eyes combo in general so it wasn't that hard (plus there are some godly fanarts out there)

And of course: despite his complexity, at the end of the day - he's really just a pathetic wet poor excuse of a man who can't do anything right and isn't that endearing

I'm slowly getting out of the denial-phase to enter my acceptance-phase when it comes to loving Takeomi. Liking things most people hate or are neutral about is smth I hate for Reasons but it also seems to always happen lolololol. Will try to talk more about Takeomi when it comes to my mind, in case ppl who also love him but don't want to make it known because of his bad reputation in the fandom saw my posts and feel a bit more okay and comfortable with loving him

#sorry for not answering earlier yesterday was a lot busier than expected #funfact: 'cute' and 'pathetic' in japanese are basically the same word (its a bit more complicated than that but im not in the mood to #develop)#answering asks #the fandom situation isn't the same but — what i like about takeomi is the same thing i like about Toji in Jjk #they love their son/sibs they cant handle the responsibilities they have debts/flaws in quantity and the non-surprise id feel if it becomes #official Takeomi is the black sheep of his family #theyre emotionally avoidant they can't show their love their n1 coping mechanisms is avoidance etc etc

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queerfables · 8 months

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I have this thought that's simmering in the back of my head, and there's some evidence for it, but I simply can't take myself seriously on it, because the idea hits my favourite tropes way too perfectly. I'm, like, 90% sure I should admit to myself that what I actually want is to write fic about this and skip the meta entirely. But apparently this is how I process things these days, so you get my wild projections masquerading as analysis first, and maybe if you're lucky some kind of story later.

So, Nina's partner, Lindsay. Not so much a person as an analogy, right? The consensus is that this relationship is a stand in for Aziraphale's relationship with Heaven, making Heaven the toxic partner holding Aziraphale back from finding real happiness. But the more I think about it, the more I feel like we've taken that assumption and worked backwards from it to prove that Nina is really Aziraphale's mirror and Maggie is really Crowley's.

Look, I realise that drawing the line from Nina to Crowley and Maggie to Aziraphale feels obnoxiously obvious. There are superficial similarities, but does it go any deeper than their general demeanour? When we look at how Nina describes Crowley and Aziraphale - the hard-bitten one who doesn't trust, the soft one who still believes in goodness - I think there's honestly a solid argument to be made that both descriptions could apply to either one of them. I don't think that's conclusive. The thing that's really giving me pause is that Crowley's car and Nina's shop both play Queen. It seems like such a clear signal that they're foils. There's also the fact that the partition around her shop has a very snake-like pattern embedded in it, quite similar in shape to Crowley's tattoo (a detail that pairs nicely with the apple-tree motif on the French restaurant next door).

If Nina is Crowley's mirror, does that mean that Crowley is the one trapped in a toxic relationship? And here's the part where I absolutely cannot trust my brain to give me sensible feedback, because the little gremlin who lives there immediately shuts off all higher functions at the first hint a character might be unwillingly beholden to a nefarious outside force. Especially if they are keeping it a secret.

Could Crowley have been blackmailed or coerced into working for Hell again, despite nominally being estranged from it? I literally could not tell you, because my brain is too busy yelling yes yes yes please oh my god yes. I just love the idea way too much to be rational about it.

I won't insult anyone by labeling this next section "supporting evidence", but here are some ways I think it could fit into canon as it's been established:

In light of my recent meta on how to think about Good Omen's twists, I've been ruminating on some of the big questions I have about season 2. And one of the ones that keeps jostling for my attention is, why are Crowley and Aziraphale not together yet? I don't mean that flippantly, what I mean is - I believe that Crowley and Aziraphale are both aware of the way they feel about each other, and have been for some time. If that's true, what's keeping them apart? Obviously there are quite a few potential answers to this, including the possibility that I'm wrong and they're not both consciously aware of their feelings for each other. But it's an idea I find compelling. They're not together because they're not free yet. And not just in a hypothetical looming threat kind of way.

When Beelzebub summons Crowley in 2x01, Crowley says "I thought we had a generalised understanding." Beelzebub replies, "We don't. You're still a traitor," and then goes on to threaten him with a bounty. The obvious implication is that the understanding they don't have is from the end of season one, that Hell will leave Crowley and Aziraphale alone. But what if it's a different kind of understanding? What if the subtext of Beelzebub's offer for whatever he wants is that he can have enough power to be free of whatever nasty little job he's supposed to be doing on the sly? (Not enough to break free of Hell entirely, though. Never enough for that.)

On the other hand, Crowley doesn't recognise Beelzebub's new face, but they must have been wearing it for a while given all their meetings with Gabriel. Is Crowley bound to the one demon higher than Beelzebub, then? Sorry, the gleeful brain gremlin is the only one available to take questions on this. It sure would be sexy, though, if both the power difference and the secrecy involved were as extreme as possible.

This is a weird little detail that probably doesn't mean anything, but when Aziraphale gets back from Edinburgh, it's early in the morning the day of the ball. The streets are mostly empty and Nina is just arriving for work. Aziraphale helps Crowley put the plants back in the Bentley, and at some point after this, Crowley takes the car and leaves. He must do, because we see him come back. Where did he go? He can't have been gone more than a couple of hours at most, because he arrives back in time to follow Aziraphale around convincing everyone to attend his ball. Okay, fine, maybe Crowley just needed to get away, relax somewhere there's no amnesiac archangel breathing down his neck. But the timeline is so short it seems like a strange detail. It makes me think that Crowley might actually have been hiding something, here. I don't know that this theory is the most likely explanation, but it sure could be an explanation.

And finally, for maximum angst potential, imagine Aziraphale finding out that after everything Crowley said about how toxic Heaven and Hell are, after all the grief he gave Aziraphale for returning to Heaven, that Crowley had been secretly working for Hell all along? WOOF.

#good omens #i am so sorry that there are some genuinely interesting meta details hidden in this self indulgent trash fire #by rights they should belong to something more sensible #but this is the meta we have #fable talks good omens #it's waaaaaaaaaaaaaay too late and i'm posting this without reading it over again if i've left any sentences hanging no i didn't

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ambrosiagourmet · 2 months

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Feel free to ignore this, but I love reading your analysis and was wondering how you start analyzing things? I try to do it myself but I always feel so unconfident in my interpretations and feel scared about posting about them and them being “wrong.”

Just curious to see how you approach your analysis and meta! Have a lovely day!

Ooh, what a good question! I'm happy to share a little, sure.

Under the cut bc it got long hehe 😅

So my first (and probably the most important) response to this is: it's hard to feel 100% sure that you are totally "correct" about this stuff.

There are always going to be other ways to interpret things. There are things you miss, or perspectives you don't consider. There will always be people who disagree. And even if you are as accurate and totally convincing as humanly possible, there always going to be different types of analysis that you can't cover all at the same time!

I think, especially when it comes to like, doing casual analysis for something you love, it really helps to just follow your passion. It's fine to speak confidently about an interpretation that you find compelling, even if you haven't considered every possible angle of how it could be wrong. It's about what speaks to you, after all.

For instance, the conflict-avoidant Falin post (which is currently the analysis post of mine with the most notes) was largely born from an interpretation of Falin that really resonated with me, based on a couple of points I remembered strongly from reading the story. It's definitely not the only way to look at Falin, and I don't think it's like the universally correct interpretation of her character. But it is the interpretation that got ME interested in talking about her, and in turn, resonated with other people, too!

I have plenty of anxiety about this stuff, so I won't pretend that it's just easy to turn off that "what if I'm wrong, though" part of your brain, but I will say it doesn't hurt to try to start writing. You can always draft a post and come back to it, or delete/private it, or reblog it later to add more context or nuance. You aren't shackled to your opinion forever, much as the internet (and anxiety) can make it feel that way.

As to where to actually start with analysis... for me, it's almost always either a detail, a question, or both.

Here's an example of an Idea In Progress I've been thinking about.

While I was grabbing screenshots from the Nightmare chapter, I noticed that Marcille's hairstyle there is similar to one of the chapter covers I'd also just looked at:

So like, that's interesting to me! Especially since the cover was from the chapter where Marcille makes her deal with the Winged Lion. So then I can start to ask like... what does it mean that there's this similarity? I could tie it in to the way I think the Lion kind of infantilizes her, talk about what influence the Nightmare chapter might have had on Marcilles decision. Alternatively, I could ask, are there any other similar times Marcille wears this hairstyle? Any other hairstyles that are repeated at key times?

Any of which could lead to some fun analysis! Alternatively, it can also just be fun to post about the detail without the analysis. Just be like, "hey, look at this weird thing." Other people might chime in with ideas about it, or maybe it will sparks something for you later! Either way, you'll have an easy reference saved for reference. Even if deeper analysis doesn't come, it's still fun to have pointed out. Details and connections are just. They are just great. And Dunmeshi especially has SO much to dig into.

(Oh, also, quick aside here: ignore anyone who tells you the details don't matter and weren't intentional. It fully does not matter. If drawing a connection helps you realize a new meaning in the story - if it inspires and motivates you - it's worth investigating.)

Anyway, the Adventurer's Bible is also a great place to find details to jump off of. The timelines and little blurbs highlight important events or facts about the characters, and you can then go fishing for other times those things come up or are referenced in the story.

In terms of starting from a question, it can also be fun just to spend a little time with something you don't feel like you totally got. I had a great time doing that with the succubus chapter, for instance. If there's a scene you find yourself kind of skimming over because its not clicking for you... go back and try and examine it! Even if it's just a small thing - an expression you missed or a panel with a funny little joke - it can be just as rewarding to try and pay attention to the parts of the story you don't understand as it is to dig into the parts you do.

Really, in a lot of ways, I like to use analysis as an excuse to just spend time with a story I care about. It's a way to savor it! And if you can write up those thoughts and ideas, you can share them with others, which can be even better. A dish doesn't have to be perfectly cooked to delicious, after all. Go, with Senshi's blessing, and make good food.

And of course, as with all things creative, never forget about Two Cakes:

#ask #hope this helps + isn't too ramble-y #much love and good luck if you do share stuff!!#writing analysis essays/posts is hard and cool and fun #and I think the more people having fun with it the better

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been-taking-muay-thai-classes · 1 year

Text

Ramshackle's New Student

Sooooo I've been battling with Rollo brainrot for a while now and in the end decided to just...give in since I quite liked some theories and analysis I've seen of him. Naturally this will contain spoilers for Glorious Masquerade (though I may have some details wrong seeing how I depended on peoples translations here and on youtube) as the story is meant to take place after the event. If that's something that may bother you then I don't suggest you read this.

Also also, this is my first try at writing the entire cast of twst so if someone is ooc I legit didn't realize (I will keep writing so I hope to get better). Anyways hope you enjoy this one, it's very long, in fact I had to split it in two since it was reaching way over 15k words. If you like it, you can expect part two sometime next week depending on how busy I am with life.

PD: once again not beta read but I did give it a once over this time.

If you see any errors, no you don't.

On days like this, Crowley was reminded why the Prefect was his favorite student (no it wasn’t just because they could be easily threatened bribed).

Currently, the Dormleaders stood in front of his desk talking over each other in increasingly louder voices. The Headmage could see some of them beginning to lose their temper, namely Rosehearts and Draconia. He better stop them before they damage his office, Seven know he doesn’t have the money to pay for the repairs.

To think this all started with such an innocuous letter.

– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –

Crowley was doing his paperwork surprisingly as usual, checking the budget for the remaining semester of the school year. There was plenty barely enough to cover the staff salary, preparations for the events and such. Oh well, maybe he could spend a little more for the Prefect’s wellbeing if they agreed to help with some menial tasks around campus, oh how gracious of him!

Then he noticed a letter from Noble Bell College. How odd, the symposium had been just a month ago and according to the students it had been a success. Why would they want to contact him again so soon? Maybe NRC left such a good impression on them that they wanted to invite them to a special event! Yes, that must be it, Crowley you sure are doing a great job as Headmage, never have your students behaved this well!

Eager, he opened the letter and began reading.

Esteemed Dire Crowley,

I write this letter on behalf of one of my most precious and troubled students, Rollo Flamme. I don’t know if your students have made you aware of the events that transpired during the symposium near Halloween, however Rollo has seen fit to explain the way things unfolded while the rest of us helped the citizens and students or remained unconscious.

As it happens, I am ashamed to admit that he was the one to ring the Bell of Salvation four times to spread the Crimson Flowers across the city, endangering everybody.

And while I must condone his actions, he has such a bright future ahead of him that I cannot bring myself to surrender him to the authorities.

Mister Flamme himself requested that I send him to the authorities but the rest of the student council suggested I send this letter to you to ask for advice, seeing how it was your students that saved the city and spared him from punishment at that time. Rollo thinks they would agree that he must atone for his sins in prison but I personally disagree with him and so I find myself asking a favor of you.

It has not escaped the public’s eye how many overblots have been occurring in Night Rave College and yet it was those same students, your students, who saved us all. So I ask Crowley, please take Rollo in and help him atone. He is a truly capable student and I’m sure under your guidance and surrounded by such exemplary role models he will find a way to atone that won’t ruin his future.

I await your response,

Headmage Tirmont.

Well…that certainly wasn’t what he expected.

Should he be concerned with the news of what truly transpired in the City of Flowers? Not really, Professor Trein had explained in great detail what occurred when his students had refused to elaborate. Although he couldn’t say why everybody elected to spare mister Flamme, at the time he had thought that perhaps his dear students had finally developed some empathy. But reading this letter, he started to suspect the opposite.

Oh well, nothing much he could do, he’s sorry for young Flamme but Crowley has much to do and besides he wasn’t the Prefect-

That’s right! The Prefect!

Surely they’d be capable of helping rehabilitate mister Flamme and turn him into an exemplary mage. And in turn, he himself would be praised for how magnanimous he was in giving the young man a second chance. Oh Crowley, truly your kindness knows no bounds!

He would have to speak with the Prefect first, of course. Convincing them of this could prove just a tad more difficult than it had been to make them agree to help with the Spelldrive investigation.

He would need time to think of an angle and make preparations for mister Flamme’s transfer.

– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –

And so today he had finally called the Prefect and the Dormleaders for a meeting to communicate them of his decision, after all, they needed to be warned before Flamme’s arrival to ensure no fights would break out.

Thinking back though, maybe he should have told them via letter to avoid the current chaos that threatened to destroy his precious office.

Draconia’s mood was sour enough that lightning had begun manifesting outside. Rosehearts fists clenched and unclenched with unreleased fire (but Crowley feared it would not remain unreleased for long). Ashengrotto and Schoenheit kept coming up with arguments why such a transfer could not be permitted…and vaguely threatening him with blackmail. Kingscholar and Shroud were admittedly the least vocal against it, but they still complained about what a pain it’d be to introduce a new student so close to the end of the school year. And Asim…well he actually thought the idea was great, but then again he never really had the same vicious strike as the other students at NRC.

The Prefect, who had received the information weeks in advance, seemed to be thinking about it still, but if Crowley knew them well enough (and he did), they would agree to give Flamme a second chance the same way their friends had been given one after their overblots.

‘Enough yelling! I did not summon you here to ask for your opinions in this matter but to ask that you collaborate in making mister Flamme’s transfer a smooth one. The transfer has already been approved, he will complete his studies here at NRC and you will make sure each dorm behaves properly and doesn’t try to pick a fight with him, am I clear?’ Crowley didn’t like yelling but Seven know how much his students test his patience during moments like this.

The Dormleaders were momentarily stunned into silence by the Haadmage’s sudden bout of seriousness, key word momentarily.

Kingscholar was the first to recover ‘You can’t be serious, that guy tried to drain everyone’s magic back in October, who’s to say he won’t try again? If he’s anything like us, then he won’t give up so easily’

Surprisingly, Schoenheit seemed to agree with him for once ‘Both Epel and Rook told me about the difficult battle they had to face because of him, and while I can see why Malleus chose to punish him the way he did, that doesn’t mean he should be allowed so close to our students. Have you considered how they will feel if they see him walking around campus like nothing happened?’ That made Crowley pause for a second, not because he was considering Schoenheit’s words mind you, he had already taken into account how prone to violence his dear students are, but rather the fact that he cared so much for their well-being. Oh how touching! Rollo Flamme had yet to arrive and already his students were showing how much he could grow here! How wonderful!

‘Not to mention that even if you want him to join the school, none of us will accept him in our dorms after what he did’ Idia’s voice came surprisingly loud from his tablet, not that it made him any louder than the other students already there, as proven by the fact that his voice was almost immediately drowned by the chorus of ‘yes!’ ‘yeah’ and ‘that’s right!’ coming from the others.

The crowd was getting away from him, he needed to reinforce his authority again ‘Aww guys, c’mon let’s give him a chance, he admitted what he did wrong, so why don’t we help him? I don’t think any of us can say we’ve never made any mistakes, right?’ Asim’s innocent question managed to shut them up. He was right of course, aside from him, they had all overblotted and yet they had all received forgiveness to start again… the pause was enough for Crowley to take control of the conversation again. ‘Young Kalim is right of course, you have all been shown tremendous kindness by the school and your peers and now its time to pay it forward! Mister Flamme will finish his studies here’ he lifted his hand to stop them from commenting anything before he finished speaking ‘But worry not, I am so gracious that none of you will have to worry about housing him in your dorms’ the boys instantly sighed in relief…but quickly widened their eyes when they caught on to what that meant ‘He will join the school as a Ramshackle student’

As expected, the shouting began anew. The Prefect themselves hadn’t seemed too bothered by his choice when he explained the situation, granted maybe they were simply used to him dumping- er sharing his very valuable experience with them but then again they did live in that old dorm alone for the better part of a year. Crowley would never be believed if he said it out loud, but he could tell they were lonely and worried what it’d do for their mental health if they had to remain there alone for the rest of their time in Twisted Wonderland. His thoughts were soon interrupted by Rosehearts shouting ‘Off with your head!’ and the sight of Asim collared and collapsing on the ground.

Oh right, he was worrying about the civil war going on in his office. ‘Like we would ever let that cowardly man live with the Prefect!’ At least they seemed to be in agreement on something… well aside from poor young Asim who lay on the ground confused and collared.

‘If this is your plan to help Flamme, then I’m afraid I’ll have to invoke my power as the future kin-’ It was clear that Draconia had the most power to sway him from his decision, yet he didn’t account for the Headmage’s triumph card: the Prefect. Malleus Draconia was stopped from finishing his sentence by a mere human, magicless at that too, none of the Dorm leaders would’ve believed it if they didn’t see it with their own eyes.

‘Has any of you asked ME what I think about it?’ Their voice was firm and a little angry, clearly frustrated by the ordeal or maybe by the shouting, Crowley had no idea. The Housewardens looked shyly to their feet, clearly embarrassed at being called out like that. Crowley once again was reminded why the Prefect was his favorite student, truly they had so much untapped potential to polish into a shining star, the kind Twisted Wonderland hadn’t seen in thousands of years and he couldn’t be more honored to be the one to guide them in that path.

‘Well Prefect, you seemed to be thinking deeply about this. What do you think?’ He asked to ensure the other students would finally acquiesce, not because he really needed to know, he already knew the answer. He paid attention when it was necessary and could tell the Prefect had made up their mind the second the other Housewardens said they wouldn’t accept Flamme in their dorms.

They took a deep breath, the other students leaned in in expectation, their ears/speakers tuning in...

‘Rollo Flamme is more than welcome to join Ramshackle dorm as a student to finish his education’ Their statement was immediately followed by outraged gasps and “what?!”s, much to the Headmage’s delight.

‘Wonderful! I’ll inform Noble Bell College at once, you can expect mister Flamme to join you by the end of the week so be sure to prepare accordingly’ His voice was finally back to its usual chipper tone and the Housewardens deflated, knowing there was nothing else they could do now to change either of the two’s minds on the matter.

– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –

The rumors spread quickly around campus: a new student was transferring to Ramshackle dorm in the middle of May. Everybody knew Crowley had to be behind this, it made no sense otherwise, but everyone had their own thoughts on the matter. Especially those who were privy to some of the more…sensitive details of who the student was and what he had done.

Heartslabyul

Ace

He can’t say he likes this dude from what he’s heard of him, while Deuce and Riddle told him some of his better qualities and the Prefect even spoke about how kind he was to them, Ace is still rather pissed about the whole plan to drain the world of magic. He knows they can handle themselves and the Prefect themselves seemed to have been immune to the flower, but that doesn’t change the fact that they were in danger over one of the greatest things in Twisted Wonderland. -He refuses to admit that he feels a bit guilty from not being there to help them, they’re a team after all-

If this Rollo guy is joining NRC then he better be cool, no more insane plans nor betrayals or whatever. It feels like every week they’re dealing with some crazy shenanigan -many caused by him and Grim- and he’d rather have some peace in these last few months. Besides that, he promised the Prefect that he’d be cool so he’ll behave, but he still has some choice words for him over the way he endangered his friends.

Just because he doesn’t plan to harass this guy doesn’t mean he won’t keep an eye on him, after all the Prefect’s his friend and they are magicless. This Rollo guy may hate magic but he’s not above using it from what Riddle told him and Ace will be damned if he doesn’t help protect his friends now that he can reach them. He’s sure that Riddle and Deuce will agree with him, so he plans to pay a few extra visits on the days after Rollo’s arrival to remind him that the Prefect has people on their corner who won’t hesitate to fight him if he tries anything.

Cater

Cater is a bit curious about this guy, mostly because he comes from a different school. He also feels some pity, knowing how hard it can be moving to another city or school and having to make friends from scratch, but he’s not naive. The reason Rollo has to leave his home is because he committed a grave crime, and while Cater himself wasn’t affected Riddle and Deuce were, so he’ll be forgiven for not having the best view of him.

Cater is a friendly guy, he craves to have deep friendships and while he doubts Rollo will become his friend, it wouldn’t hurt to be friendly at least to maintain some peace with the underclassmen who he wants to believe are his friends. Besides, it’ll be a good excuse to keep an eye on him in case he comes to clash with some of the other students, like Riddle or Ace. So, Cater will use his experience moving from place to place to try and help Rollo acclimate to NRC, he’s sure the Prefect will appreciate having some backup there.

He reminded the Prefect that they have his number in case of an emergency, even if it’s the middle of the night. He’ll come, just like they’ve come to his help when he needed it. Cater isn’t much of a fighter but he can always bring the cavalry if worst comes to happen, he’s sure Riddle wouldn’t cut off their heads for waking him up during an emergency.

Trey

Trey is unsure about Rollo. He heard from Riddle and Deuce what happened but he also heard from Lilia about his…issues. As an older brother he can sympathize with the grief he carries but he can’t exactly fathom going to such lengths for revenge. He supposes that actually makes him rather similar to some students in NRC after all, huh? A complicated man with some good and bad qualities.

Trey is already stressing a little from all the mediating he’s sure he’ll have to do once Rollo arrives. A new student so close to finishing the year means rumors means someone eventually will hear about what happened back at the City of Flowers means someone will want to enact revenge or something. And while Riddle may have a better handle on his students than most other dorm leaders, he himself is prone to anger which won’t set a good example and that’s not even accounting for Ace and his protective side. At any rate, he simply hopes it’s his own nerves getting the best of him and everything will be alright.

As for him joining Ramshackle, well Trey has nothing much to say there. Heartslabyul has no room for more students so they can hardly attempt to sway the Headmage, besides from what he’s heard of Rollo he may actually have an easier time adapting to NRC under the guidance of the magicless Prefect, so he’ll support them to the best of his ability. Maybe he’ll drop by with a tart to check up on them sometime during the week. And if he uses the opportunity to scour any potential danger well that’s between him and whatever he may or may not find.

Deuce

Deuce accepted Rollo’s fate without much fuss, his senpais know better after all. Still he has some worries about him. He feels a bit guilty about this, given that he himself doesn’t have the cleanest past yet his friends have supported him in bettering himself. He wants to believe that Rollo can change, because if he can then Deuce can change too, but so far he still has some issues with his overreliance on violence and that means Rollo will likely struggle too with his hatred of magic.

Deuce doesn’t want to hold what happened in the City of Flowers against Rollo. It’s in the past, but as someone who struggles with changing for the better and who retorts to violence “too much for a model student” (as the Prefect put it), he will have to keep an eye on Rollo. He really, really, really wants to believe he has changed, but Deuce knows change is hard. As such, he will try to help him adapt to NRC as best he can but if he catches him trying something shady again, he won’t hesitate to punch him.

Rollo joining Ramshackle worries Deuce a little. Not so much for what danger he may pose, he remembers how he treated the Prefect better than the rest of them, he’s not blind. Still he can’t help but worry. What if he tries to change their view of magic while they live together? Your view of them? That would surely make him sad, he never considered the possibility of losing a friend! Calm down Deuce, the Prefect’s your friend and they won’t be swayed so easily, Seven know how stubborn they can be. Still, he’ll make sure to drop by with Ace, Jack, Epel, Ortho and Sebek once Rollo arrives to help with the moving and make sure you understand how much they care about you, no matter how many shenanigans they drag you into. You two have been friends since the first week of class and he hopes you’ll still be friends after graduation.

Riddle

Riddle’s view of Rollo Flamme is conflicted. He can appreciate how much dedication he put into his studies and his duties as the school council president. Riddle himself is a very dedicated student. However, he also remembers how terrified he was once the Crimson Flowers had begun sapping their magic and when the Prefect fell down that hole…he doesn’t want to think of what could’ve happened. Even during the overblots, Riddle had never been quite so afraid for the magicless student’s safety. And then there was the whole Rollo fixing the ball by himself… Riddle is very, very conflicted. In the end, he guesses people can be multifaceted so perhaps Malleus’ punishment was for the better.

Seeing how Rollo is a good student, he supposes he’ll give him the benefit of the doubt and offer to help him study in case he gets overwhelmed by all these changes. But he won’t spare him any sympathies, if he wants to atone for his crime then he’ll fulfill his responsibilities as a student as well as would’ve done in Noble Bell. Riddle doesn’t let the Prefect slack off and so he expects the same level of commitment from Rollo as someone with magic who actually hails from this world.

Despite his unwillingness to admit it, everyone in Heartslabyul could see how upset Riddle was knowing Rollo would be joining Ramshackle dorm. He doesn’t worry about the responsibilities they’ll have to carry now, he knows the Prefect can handle it (and if it gets too much he’s happy to -spend time with them- help) but he has a bad feeling about this. -No it’s not him being jealous, Cater, cease your teasing this instant or it’s off with your head- Riddle just worries about the Prefect. What if Rollo tries something in the middle of the night? What if this is not him wanting a second chance to do better but to attempt his plan again? He needs to be ready, there’s no doubt in his mind about it. He’ll need to time again how long it takes him to reach Ramshackle running, he’d do it in a broom but the Queen’s rule #150 forbids flying on a broom in the middle of the night without singing a song for a hedgehog first and during an emergency that just won’t do. It’s fine though, last time he timed his running time to Ramshackle it took him 18 minutes, not great but he can do better if he puts his mind to it.

Savanaclaw

Jack

Jack has no real opinion of Rollo. Ruggie shared an abbreviated version of the events of the City of Flowers but not some of the most crucial details -for obvious reasons-. He supposes that Rollo must be alright if he was the student council president, one must have good grades and be responsible to be in that position. He can respect that. But his plans to sap away people’s magic doesn’t sit right with him given how hard he has trained to be a good mage. All in all, his opinion is neutral in comparison to the rest of his friends.

Jack won’t go out of his way to help Rollo feel better in NRC, he has his own things to worry about but if the Prefect asks him for help he can lend a hand, that's what friends are for right? At least that’s what the Prefect told him whenever he needed help with something. At any rate, if Rollo was good enough to be student council president then he probably won’t need that much help from them anyways.

Jack won’t admit it to just anyone but he has a route already established to get to Ramshackle as fast as required. Ever since the attack on the lonesome dorm, he has been preparing in case of another emergency, Seven know how many times an emergency has occurred just in the first few months. Still he hopes nothing bad happens, after all the Prefect came back in the best shape out of everyone invited to the symposium, that has to mean something, right? Sigh he’ll have his broom ready, the Prefect may have a good gut when it comes to danger but it’s often overshadowed by their bleeding heart and he’d rather not have to carry them to the infirmary in the middle of the night.

Ruggie

Ruggie’s opinion of Rollo didn’t change too much between the beginning of their trip and the ending. He knows Rollo is a smart guy, easy to respect by his peers and hiding something less than savory. He knows the type, hell half of the students here ARE the type. Rollo’s nothing special. But he can appreciate his commitment to his goal, if anything, Ruggie himself works hard to achieve his goal: get money, shishishi.

He doesn’t hold grudges, where he comes from that would mean he would have enemies everywhere and no contacts whatsoever. Hell it would mean he’d have to hold things against Leona, and while he likes to remind him of his debts once in a while to indulge when he goes shopping for the prince, it’s never about holding him accountable. As such, Ruggie will treat Rollo the same way he would any other student…as a possible mark for swindling. What? He’s not a model student, shishishi, just be glad he won’t try to hurt him or something like that.

Oof the Prefect will have a dorm mate? Too bad, he liked hiding there whenever he needed to relax a little and eat whatever the Prefect offered. He supposes that just because they’ll have a dorm mate it doesn’t mean he can’t still do those things but Rollo may not be great company to have when one wants to relax. He does hope they can cohabit well enough, Ruggie is more of a runner than a fighter, so if the Prefect needs help he can’t do much to defend them but maybe he can nudge Leona in that direction…

Leona

Leona himself hadn’t met Rollo but from Ruggie’s recounting of events, he didn’t like him. The plan alone wasn’t enough to warrant his anger though, oh no what angered him was how he used his position as leader to try and hurt everyone, including his own students. Even if he tries to make it seem like he doesn’t care at all, Leona has a lot of opinions on things, especially leadership given that he knows he’d be a better leader than Farena, so he doesn't like it when someone gets a position like that and misuses it.

As if it weren’t enough with the horned bastard, now he’ll have to share classes with some self-hating pyromaniac. Great. He could just take a nap right now from how bothersome this is. Leona won’t help Rollo to get comfortable here, on the contrary he’ll make his life harder if he can, there’s no way he won’t have fun by messing with the transfer student. Besides, better him than other, rowdier Savanaclaw students.

He won’t admit it but he doesn’t really have to, it’s obvious to anyone who knows him well enough that he’s really pissed about the whole Ramshackle situation. Leona doesn’t visit the dorm often, but he does like using the Herbivore as a pillow with some regularity. How is this a problem? Simple, the Herbivore is generally a responsible person, and having a new student so close to the end of the year means they’ll have to keep a close eye on Rollo, which means less time to spend doing nothing with Leona. Now Leona won’t complain openly like a spoiled child, but he still holds some resentment towards Rollo just from the idea that he’ll take some of his limited time with the Herbivore away.

Octavinelle

Azul

Azul had a mostly favorable view of Rollo before he unleashed the flowers. To be true, he still has a mostly good view of him. Rollo is hardworking, cultured, smart and unafraid to dirty his hands to achieve his goals. Azul can respect him for those qualities. However he also didn’t like having to run up the Bell Tower while escaping some flowers to try and stop him from taking away his magic, one of his most precious assets. Then there’s the whole…redemption thing. Azul himself can’t fully get behind that, it seems rather dishonest to the man they met but he won’t judge, after all he can appreciate someone with an eye for opportunity.

Now don’t get him wrong, Azul may have a somewhat negative view of Rollo, but that doesn’t mean they can’t make business. In fact, Rollo is someone so smart and resourceful that Azul would love making a deal with him! If Rollo needs help with anything adapting to his new life as an NRC student, he’ll be more than happy to help…provided he repays the favor someway…perhaps by helping him design some treats and dishes based on the City of Flowers’ cuisine? After all, he remembers how delicious and pretty the food looked, yes Azul is sure having those treats will attract some new customers to Mostro Lounge.

Despite his business ideas, Azul has to keep his own interests in mind too. While he may gain some benefits from making deals with Rollo, there’s also a big possibility that the Prefect will have to spend much of their free time helping him adapt and keep calm with any students that may want to mess with him -like Floyd and Jade-. How is this an issue? Well, it isn’t. Azul has accounted for the possibility and decided that he’ll be most benevolent and lend the Prefect a hand if they get overwhelmed and all he’ll ask for in return is some help tasting dishes with him at Mostro Lounge. Hmm? A date? Well if that’s what you want to call it he won’t protest...besides he needs to ensure the twins don’t get difficult because their time with the Prefect is reduced, he refuses to lose revenue over their destructive moods.

Floyd

Floyd is curious, very curious about this Rollo guy. At first he sounded lame, given his serious and stoic facade, but after hearing about his plan and how he made Sea Slug sweat when trying to defeat him, well that got his interest. Floyd gets even more jealous when he hears about the battle in the Bell Tower and decides to trash the Lounge some more.

Oh? He’s coming to NRC? Great! That means he’ll get a chance to fight him and see for himself the man who made even Sea Slug worked up. Floyd is ecstatic! He’s so happy about it that he works twice as fast during his shift…until he realizes he’ll have to wait another couple of days before he can actually meet the guy and then his mood sours. Azul reprimanded him but there’s nothing to fix his mood right now, he doesn’t feel like working anymore so he won’t.

What do you mean he’s sharing a dorm with Shrimpy? That doesn’t make sense, he’s dangerous and Shrimpy’s so small and weak... No, wait! This is actually perfect! Shrimpy is so much fun, like when they get scared or when they accept his squeezes or when they try to play pranks on him heehee ~ with this new dorm mate Ramshackle is bound to be twice as fun, right? And if that’s not the case, well then he can just squeeze the guy, he’s sure Shrimpy won’t mind~

Jade

Jade was admittedly upset that he didn’t get to visit the City of Flowers during the symposium. Once he learned that the group had been victims of a once extinct flower? He gets even more upset, and has to partake in some more wanton destruction with his brother. Once he calmed down, he evaluated what Azul told them about Rollo Flamme and came to the conclusion he was dangerous but ultimately uninteresting. He’s nothing special compared to other students in NRC but he does respect the skill it must have required to bring the Crimson Flower back from extinction.

Knowing Rollo Flamme will join them on campus shortly, Jade sees an opportunity to learn, and he does so love learning. In particular about the plants and mountains that grow in dry land that he would have never seen back home. Rollo Flamme must know a thing or two about plants if he was able to cultivate the Crimson Flowers for his plan, so he’ll ask him for some tips and maybe even learn some of his secrets, Azul clearly left some details of their fight out and Jade is ever so curious about it.

He’s not particularly concerned with Rollo sharing a dorm with the Prefect, after all they’ve proven to be quite resourceful more than once in their time here, surviving several overblots and the weekly and daily shenanigans of their friends. Still, while he keeps an eye on the lonesome dorm for his own amusement, much like Floyd he has experience dealing with…troublesome customers and isn’t afraid to get his hands dirty if needed. Sigh he won’t relish the violence, truly! But the Prefect is the perfect partner to hike mountains and marvel at this new world they’ve recently gotten to explore, so if he has to squeeze Rollo he will. But seriously, he won’t enjoy it one bit.

Scarabia

Kalim

Kalim was very worried about Jamil after he heard what happened during their visit to the City of Flowers, however as soon as he checked that his best friend was uninjured and still had magic, he relaxed. He may not have met Rollo personally, but he has always been a very forgiving person and so he hoped Rollo would redeem himself eventually. And from what Rook told him about the ball, Kalim thinks he’s on his way to redemption.

Oh, a new student! Kalim is so excited he can barely sit still. He wholly supports the idea of him enrolling the school and getting his rehabilitation here, with all the students who overcame overblots. He’ll do his best to help him and make him feel welcomed. Hey he’ll even ask the rest of Scarabia to help too! That way Rollo will see that he has people to rely on here!

Kalim sees nothing wrong with Rollo joining Ramshackle, really! He’s a bit bummed that he won’t get to meet the new student when he arrives, since he’s scheduled to arrive late at night, but he’ll make sure to organize a nice welcome banquet to make him feel welcomed and to ensure the Prefect knows he’s got their back! He already knows what he’d like the menu to have so Rollo can try some of the foods the Scalding Sands have to offer! And Jamil even said it was alright! So don’t worry Prefect, he’ll make sure you all spend a great evening and get to know each other well, and if you need anything don’t hesitate to come here, he and Jamil have so much experience with helping students that he’s sure they can give some advice if you ever feel lost.

Jamil

Jamil could appreciate Rollo Flamme for his hard working nature, his intelligence, his seriousness and his dedication to his position. However, the moment the facade broke, his opinion of him changed. Not too drastically, mind you, Jamil is not naive. He could see there was something off about him but he couldn’t place it until it was too late…and that bothered him a lot. Had Kalim been there, his parents would have reprimanded him so much for failing to see the danger and protect him. And that’s not even counting how dangerous it could’ve gotten for the Prefect even if they were immune to the flower’s effects. In short, Rollo Flamme ruined one of the few trips Jamil had without Kalim -ergo where he could relax for real- and he wouldn’t forgive that so easily. Jamil can hold a grudge for a long time…

What do you mean Rollo is joining NRC as a student?! Rollo is dangerous! He almost drained the whole city, the whole world, of magic! Jamil hates how Kalim asks that everybody be helpful to the new student. Sure, he’ll do it because it’s an order, but he won’t be happy about it. He only hopes Rollo ends up not needing others’ help with studying or protecting himself from other students, Jamil would actually scream if he had to go and save him from danger after what he did to them.

Oh he really, really hates this guy. Rollo Flamme gets to sleep in Ramshackle with the Prefect? Sure, the dorm even with all the repairs still doesn’t compare to a proper dorm like one of the seven, but it’s the principle of the matter. He has come to associate his time in Ramshackle as something sacred, after all there he gets to relax, be himself and just enjoy the Prefect’s company without worrying about it reaching his parents ears or having to share their attention with others. Now this shady guy comes in and ruins that too because of course he does, Jamil can never have anything. Fine, he’ll indulge Kalim’s banquet whims this time around but simply because he wants to gauge Rollo’s intentions. In Scarabia he’ll have the advantage of being in known ground whereas Rollo will be in completely new territory, his territory. Needless to say, if Jamil catches even a whiff of a harmful thought from Rollo, he’ll be on him like Grim on free food. Jamil has no qualms with disposing of him if he hurts his crush his friend the person who most helps him with his responsibilities around campus…also because it’d be an added headache if Rollo inadvertently put Kalim in danger, his parents would never let him hear the end of it.

Pommefiore

Vil

He is understandably miffed with Rollo Flamme. He put his dear students, his friends, in danger, he almost sapped their magic away and worse he could’ve endangered the whole world! His selfishness, anger and hatred were far from beautiful and Vil would be damned if he ever let Epel, the Prefect or Rook get close to him again without him there to protect them.

Crowley clearly didn’t care much about his students if he was so ready to let a man like Rollo Flamme join Night Raven College. Still, just because the Headmage was an incompetent man it doesn’t mean he has to be the same. Vil won’t lower his guard around this man, no matter what the Prefect says. He won’t be rude or anything, but don’t expect him to come running if he needs help with something, Vil still remembers how exhausted Epel and Rook were upon their return from what was supposed to be a safe school trip.

If the Prefect wants to give him a second chance, then by all means they’re welcome to place their trust in Rollo Flamme. Vil is not so naive and he makes sure to remind them that they have his number if an emergency arises. While he praised his friends for their bravery and determination in the face of danger, he still has nightmares once in a while about not being there to protect them. This time it’ll be different. Now that the proverbial lion is here, Vil will make sure to keep an eye on him just as Malleus suggested. This time he’ll protect them, all of them.

Rook

Roi du Mouchoir left quite the impression on Rook. Never had he seen such an awful yet beautiful sight in his life. The City of Flowers, engulfed in the Crimson Flower, everyone around them fainting from the magic drainage, the Prefect screaming in fear as they fell… Rook is a man who can find beauty anywhere and while he can see the beauty in Roi du Mouchoir’s dedication, no, obsession with his ideals, he can’t get behind his plan at all. To this day he still has an awful feeling when he thinks back to that moment when they thought they’d lose their magic.

Just because he has some negative memories of Roi du Mouchoir doesn’t mean he won’t support Trickster’s endeavor to rehabilitate him. Why, to lend a hand and learn more about how Roi du Mouchoir really thinks and works, that would be a beautiful privilege. Especially if it means he gets to keep tabs on how the rest of the campus reacts to the new student. Rook predicts that at least some of them will try to cause trouble and he’d rather make sure monsieur Pommette won’t be one of them. Rook just knows some of the freshmen will want to test the waters, he has been watching how the freshmen react to people endangering their dear friend

Rook is a hunter and a concerned friend, so he’ll be forgiven for keeping an even closer eye on Ramshackle for the first few days or weeks Roi du Mouchoir stays there. Certainly, Rook tends to keep an eye there just in case Trickster does something beautiful (which happens often in his opinion) but for the next two to three weeks he’ll make sure their safety is his priority. Rollo Flamme has proven to be dangerous once and Rook may be very affable but he still has an arrow with his name if the need arises.

Epel

The trip was fun until those darned flowers started spreading everywhere. Sure he appreciated the praise from Rook and Vil after the fact, who doesn’t like recognition of your strength and bravery? But that doesn’t completely make up for the pain, the fear and the exhaustion. He doesn’t hold a grudge against Rollo, not more than Deuce at least. He wishes he could’ve punched him in the face but at least Rollo made up by fixing the lecture hall so everyone could enjoy the ball.

He’s been warned by Vil to keep distance from Rollo once he arrives on campus. Epel resents the idea that he can’t handle a guy like Rollo but he’ll listen to Vil since he can see his worry comes from a place of caring. Besides, he doesn’t need to get in trouble with the teachers, he doesn’t want to compete with Ace and Deuce for the top troublemaking post in their friend group.

Epel doesn’t like the idea of the Prefect sharing a dorm with Rollo one bit. Yeah, sure, he can keep from fighting Rollo on Vil’s orders but if he ever so much as does anything to arouse suspicion he won’t hesitate to punch him to the moon and back. Epel may not be the biggest guy in school, but he’s got plenty of fighting experience and he’s even gotten better at fighting Vil! And he plans to use that strength to help protect his friends if the worst were to happen. He’s sure Vil won’t punish him too much if he knows it was to keep his friends safe, right?

Ignihyde

Idia

Idia thinks this is really bothersome. First they have to visit a very bright city to meet a bunch of strangers, then they have to climb that damned tower while being chased by those flowers, then they have to fight Rollo in his first and second phase, then they have to sing in front of everybody. Ugh he really wished he hadn’t been selected by that stupid lottery, stupid Rollo and his stupid schemes but at least that was all over…

Nope, no, absolutely no. Idia is not dealing with this guy again. Since the Headmage expects there to be trouble around Rollo joining this late in the year, Idia will be forgiven for avoiding him, right? He just wants to attend his classes, his club meetings and maybe visit Ramshackle once in a while, when nobody else is there but the Prefect and Grim-shi. The most he’ll do for Rollo is ignore him and be polite if he talks to him first. Idia might be interacting more with people IRL but he has his limits and he’s sure being friendly with Rollo is one of them.

Wait no, Rollo is actually joining Ramshackle, huh? Sigh, what a bother. Well he supposes he could let some of his drones out near Ramshackle at night just in case there’s an emergency. Not that he expects anything to happen but you know, just in case. After all, S.T.Y.X had to pay for the dorm’s repairs and he even got the Prefect that console…and they actually played together every week! They’ve gotten really good! It’d be pretty sad to lose a gaming buddy over some lame guy who wants some revenge on the world for his own guilt. And he doesn't even want to think what’d happen to Ortho if his plan were enacted here, he refuses. So, he’ll keep an eye, he may not go himself to check on the Prefect but he’ll be sure to let the other dorm leaders know, they’ll be better at dealing with the actual confrontation than him anyways.

Ortho

Ortho doesn’t actually know what happened in the City of Flowers. He asked but all people would tell him were heavily censored stories. He was glad to know his brother actually sang in front of a room full of people and even enjoyed it! But he also wished someone would tell him why everybody was so tired when they returned to the campus. Oh well, he’s curious to know Rollo Flamme, the person whose invitation made his dear brother leave his comfort zone a bit. Once he knows what happened, Ortho is a bit more cautious. He doesn’t like the people who try to hurt his brother but he also knows how important second chances are, he and his brother got them and so should Rollo.

Ortho is a friendly kid, he’ll help Rollo to the best of his capabilities but he also understands that he may not be welcomed, considering his views on magic. It doesn’t matter, he’ll try and if it doesn’t work, well at least Rollo will know he doesn’t hold a grudge for what he did to his Big Brother.

Ortho loves visiting Ramshackle with his brother and with his friends! Of course he’ll drop by whenever he has the chance. He’ll make sure to check up on the Prefect and see if maybe Rollo wants to become friends! He’s heard that having a common friend can help with developing those relationships. And if Rollo hasn’t changed his ways, well his canon takes less time to charge now than it did before, so don’t fear Prefect, Ortho’s on the case!

Diasomnia

Malleus

Malleus is somewhat happy with how things turned out after the masquerade. He has a rival! That’s good, right? Lilia says it’ll be good for him to have a rival, it helps build character and such. Also the trip was enjoyable…at least when everybody wasn’t in danger of losing their magic. He got to see new sights, he danced with his Child of Man and he met many gargoyles who even gave him a nickname. All in all, even if Flamme’s invitation was fake, Malleus will take the whole ordeal as a victory and for that he is grateful to the boy.

Now when it comes to Flamme joining Night Raven College, well that’s a different story. Malleus deep down thought the boy wouldn’t be brave enough to admit his crime but it seems he was wrong. Even then he never expected this outcome. He is…troubled. On the one hand, having his rival here could prove to be fun, most people are so afraid of him that he never gets to have some friendly competition in classes or events. On the other hand, Flamme could prove to be dangerous if left to his own devices, after all he had admitted to him that he hadn’t given up on his plans. He supposes this means he’ll have to keep an eye on him, just in case.

Realizing that Flamme would be sharing a dorm with his Child of Man has Malleus seething with fury. He wants to protect them, of course but the Child of Man, sensing his displeasure, made sure to talk with him before they left the Headmage’s office. They made him promise he would behave once Flamme arrived and to not harass them in the dorm. Now Malleus could have just refused, he is the prince of Briar Valley after all, but the look in their eyes told him this was important for their friendship so he acquiesced. He promised to not harm Rollo Flamme unless he attacked him first and he would keep his word, and because his dear Child of Man is so clever, his loyal guards were also beholden to his promise. Well he supposes if Flamme behaves as well, they can be civil with each other, so long as he doesn’t interpose in his nightly talks with the Child of Man.

Silver

Silver wasn’t the happiest with the punishment but if Lord Malleus deemed it sufficient, he’d accept it. He wouldn’t give it anymore thought than that, after all the situation had been solved and the ball was back on. That was enough for Silver to relax, knowing they hadn’t failed their Lord and that his father wouldn’t have to worry about any of them being hurt.

Once Rollo joins NRC as a student, Silver will have to make sure to keep his condition under better wraps lest something happens while he is sleeping somewhere. That could be disastrous. He’s stressing about the prospect already and he still hasn’t arrived. And while his father has told him to be welcoming, Silver can’t exactly relax when he remembers how everyone had to fight tooth and nail the whole night just to get Lord Malleus, Azul and Idia to the Bell of Salvation. He’ll make an effort of course, but he doubts it’ll be that easy.

He can’t say he is very close to the Prefect when compared to their other friends but he does know how dear they are to his Lord and to Sebek and for them he will make sure to keep an eye on Ramshackle whenever he has the time. Maybe even take a couple extra rounds over there with the excuse of looking for Lord Malleus, just to ensure they are staying safe.

Sebek

At first Sebek respected Rollo for his intelligence and diligence but once the mask fell, his opinion changed completely. Sebek accepted easily the punishment the Young Master had chosen for the insolent human but that didn’t change his opinion of him. He thought the human to be foolish, untrustworthy and dangerous and he was glad they were leaving the City of Flowers with as few injuries as they had.

On orders of the Young Master, Sebek will remain polite and hope that Rollo Flamme has changed for the better. He doubts it but nobody needs to know that. Who knows, maybe in the time since they last met he has come to see the wisdom in Lord Malleus’ words and has reflected upon his crimes. Whatever the case, Sebek has promised to behave and that means he’ll help Rollo Flamme if he must but he very much wishes that never happens.

Much like his Young Master, Sebek was unhappy with the human’s placement in Ramshackle. Sure they had their ups and downs, they sometimes got on each others’ nerves (according to Ace) but he considered the Prefect a friend and the dorm a safe haven for when he needed to rest or have fun without fear of blemishing his Lord’s name. So he’ll be very vigilant, as is his duty to his lord and his friends. Sebek is nothing if not dutiful.

Lilia

He actually had considered that Malleus and the kids could be in danger at some point during the trip, so he wasn’t totally surprised when he heard of what happened. He was however very concerned about a magic draining flower thought to be extinct, in particular because fae are beings of magic and so the flower could prove lethal to them. Still, he’s glad that the boys could solve it together and even bond a little with some of the other students over almost dying. Inadvertently, Rollo Flamme gave his boys some invaluable experience and for that he is grateful, even under all the worry of what could have been.

Lilia is both happy and concerned about Rollo joining NRC. This is a great opportunity to learn about the infamous man directly from the source, but it’s also very likely his boys will be very stressed with a walking, talking reminder of what transpired in the City of Flowers. He can only imagine how they feel exactly, with him seeming cool on the surface, but worried just the littlest bit underneath, so he’ll try to lead by example and be civil with Rollo. He’ll be as welcoming as he can but he’ll also fulfill his duty as a mentor, a guardian and a father. There’s no way he’ll let his children be hurt again, not when he can do something to avoid it.

If the Prefect starts hearing odd tappings on the windows or ceilings of Ramshackle, there’s nothing to worry about, it’s just him paying a visit to make sure everything is honky dory. He’ll just pop in, check up on the Prefect and Rollo, maybe scare them both a little, steal some snacks for his gaming sessions and go back to Diasomnia. And if he perceives the Prefect to be in danger, well he is a war veteran with lots of fighting experience, he’s sure he’ll be able to handle one human teenager by himself.

– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –

So…the Prefect may not have thought this through… Scratch that, they did think it through, they just expected their friends to be more mature about this whole thing.

The Prefect was currently sitting on the couch, eyes closed, a hand pinching the bridge of their nose and their teeth gritted as they fought the incoming migraine from all the questions and shouts attacking them from every side.

‘Guys! Please shut up, I can barely make out what you’re saying!’ they screamed to be heard above the rest and while it worked, the nature of NRC students is that they always want to be on top so just a second later Ace, Epel, Sebek and Grim were speaking over each other with Floyd attempting to grab their attention by squeezing them. Maybe they should switch jobs with Jamil or Ruggie for a day, it’d be way less stressful.

‘How can you just accept that guy in Ramshackle after what he did to you all? He’s dangerous!’ Ace’s concern was actually heartwarming. Even if he tried to appear cool and unbothered, he always had their backs whenever someone had trouble…although 8 out of 10 times he was responsible for the trouble, but hey it’s the thought that counts.

‘Ace’s right Prefect. I know ya like givin’ people second chances an’ all, ’s very noble of ya but ya don’t have ta do this. Rollo signed his own sentence when he tried ta take our magic away’ Epel was fuming, clearly trying to contain his accent so the others would better understand what he was trying to say. The Prefect remembered how exhausted he looked when they reconvened after the city was saved. Riddle mentioned how much magic he had used to keep both himself and Riddle safe, Epel may still want to be tall and muscular like Vargas or the boys from Savanaclaw but he had grit and determination like few and that made him more of a man in their eyes than anyone else he liked to compare himself to.

‘Henchman, you can’t just offer a room to some shady guy without consulting with me first! What if he tries to make me do chores without magic! Or worse, what if he steals my tuna!’ the Prefect, admittedly, hadn’t really thought that Grim would think too much about this. Given that he often got them in trouble and also tended to be of little help when repairing Ramshackle back in the day (in fact he more often than not ended up creating more ruins to fix), the Prefect understandably considered that Grim would just shrug and demand some type of payment (tuna cans most likely) in exchange for his agreement to the new dorm mate. This reaction was along that line, except…except Grim was giving them a look far too serious to be of the troublesome cat they had gotten to know since they first awoke in Twisted Wonderland.

‘Look, I appreciate the concern, really. I know you’re all worried because of what he did but considering some of the things that I’ve experienced since coming here, I really think I can handle Rollo if he turns out to still be trying to eradicate magic from the world’ their smile was warm in an attempt to soothe their worries. From the looks in their eyes it wasn’t working so they kept talking ‘Besides, I know who to call if I have trouble. Between Idia stationing his drones just outside’ Ortho looked up happily, clearly seeing nothing wrong with the breach of privacy ‘Rook coming over so often to stare through the windows’ Epel stifled a laugh, remembering the many times they had to shake his trail of the group so they could hang out without worrying about their shenanigans making their way to Vil and the other Dorm leaders ‘Not to mention Tsunotarou visiting almost nightly’ at this Sebek almost started another adoring rant about his Young Master but was quickly silenced by everyone around him covering his mouth ‘I really think I have nothing to fear. I want to give Rollo this opportunity to get better the same way our friends have gotten that chance after the overblots. And the only reason I feel comfortable doing this is because I know how much you all are taking care of me’ the Prefect squeezed Floyd’s hand a little and he responded by laughing and hiding his face on the crook of their neck.

‘Human, I appreciate the sentiment, and our visit was in part to remind you that we will always be here to help you’ Sebek began talking in the solemn voice he usually reserved only for Malleus. ‘But we also wanted to make sure you weren’t being blackmailed by the Headmage, we know how often he likes to pile his duties onto you’ Jack had finally decided to speak and it seemed like his words reflected the group’s hidden concerns.

Ah, so that was why they kept asking the same thing over and over. Hmmmm maybe they should explain the real reason why they wanted to give Rollo a chance? It was a gamble but a gamble that the freshmen could understand better than anyone else from all of the friends they’d made in the past year, given how close they had grown through their adventures. The Prefect sighed and let go of Floyd, signaling for him to pay attention with the rest.

‘The truth is…after the VDC I realized how lonesome this place really is’ Ace, Deuce and Epel looked just the tiniest bit guilty, as if they thought it was their fault for dragging them to the competition. ‘After spending some months here with just Grim and the ghosts, I had sort of gotten used to the loneliness but…after having so many people coming in and out everyday for a month…it made it more prevalent. And I don’t blame you guys, despite how hard Vil’s training was I had so much fun, getting to share conversations over breakfast, complaining over how long it took someone to use the bathroom, the attempts at sleepovers. It was great…but I can’t have that anymore unless I somehow get new students in Ramshackle’ the Prefect laughed when they remembered all of those moments with the NRC Tribe, and the boys thought they could somewhat understand the sentiment their friend was describing.

Even if they shared bedrooms with other students, it was undeniable that the first couple of nights were odd, sharing a bedroom with a stranger, not really having something to talk about, trying to get their footing in this new environment.

Floyd kept thinking about getting used to walking on legs and how cool it was and was reminded that Shrimpy had to get used to a world full of magic while having none of their own. Yes, they all understood to a degree… And yet, they couldn’t really understand.

The Prefect had nobody else in the dorm, at least nobody alive and humanoid but also was stranded in a foreing world, with no way to contact their family and friends back home. If they ever got nostalgic, they just had to deal with it while the rest could call home or write or even visit their families during the holidays. Grim himself didn’t even have memories of a family to miss, to him his henchman and the idiot quintet was his family, but he remembered how he felt when he was kidnaped and alone in that dark place, and suddenly it all made sense.

The Prefect looked at them, trying to gauge their reactions but all they could see were the gears turning in their heads. Even Floyd was uncharacteristically quiet.

‘Alright henchman, I give you my permission to have Rollo as a Ramshackle student, but if he tries to eat any of my tuna cans I’ll teach him a lesson! He needs to remember who’s in charge here’ Grim’s smug smile made the Prefect chuckle while Ace and Epel rolled their eyes. At this point, they had grown tired of telling Grim he wasn’t anybody’s boss.

‘If Shrimpy is feeling lonely, you can always visit me and Jade in Octavinelle or we can come here! And have sleepovers and play pranks on people! But if you want that guy to stay here, that’s fine by me, double the fun whenever I come to see you hee hee~’ the Prefect had the suspicion that he indeed didn’t care too much about Rollo living here, but the look in his eyes told them that his plans for Rollo were the kind of fun that had their first aid kit so low on supplies. Oh well, maybe Rollo will be able to bore him enough with his strictness that he won’t try to rile him up whenever he visits.

Sebek and Deuce for their part had approached and were looking as serious as ever ‘Human, I can sympathize with your feelings and I know our visits can’t make up for the daily companionship of dorm mates, but I ask that you remain vigilant. Rollo Flamme is dangerous, not just because of his plans but because he actually has the drive and intelligence to put his plans in motion. So while you may want to believe in his better nature, and I do hope he proves worthy of your faith in him, I urge you call us if at any point you feel afraid, even if he has done nothing’ the Prefect’s smile wavered a little with the emotion warming their heart, Sebek was a loud mouth but he was so caring and honorable it was actually refreshing.

‘What Sebek said, I also want to believe Rollo can be better, but please don’t let him manipulate you. We are here if you ever need us, either to punch someone in the face for bullying you or to talk, we’re not great at this stuff but…we care and I want you to always remember that Prefect’ from the look on his face, Deuce had struggled to find the words to say what he felt but seeing how the others nodded in agreement just as solemnly, it was clear he had found just the right ones.

The Prefect couldn’t hold it any longer, they spread their arms as wide as they could and pulled them all into a strong hug. They could feel some mock resistance but ultimately they all hugged back until it became slightly uncomfortable due to the height differences and the weather.

‘Thanks guys, really. It means a lot that you’re here. And don’t worry, just because I’ll have new responsibilities helping Rollo, it doesn’t mean I’ll neglect you all, you’re still my first priority’ they gave each and every one of them a look of reassurance but the group of boys made quiet murmurs of ‘who said we were worried about that?’ while trying to hide their faces… well all except for Grim, Ortho and Floyd who beamed happily. It’s kind of funny how flustered they can get whenever the Prefect reminds them of their bond, as if they weren’t the ones often rushing into danger to keep them safe, as if they all didn’t choose to spend time together studying or eating lunch or goofing around. Oh well, the nature of the boys of NRC was that while they may care a whole lot, they still have to look cool for their own reputation.

The rest of the evening flew by with the group making dinner, playing board games until Ortho demolished them or Floyd threw the board in boredom and chatting about anything other than the new student.

They’d be fine, the Prefect knew they could rely on their friends and the boys knew they could trust in the Prefect’s judgment. And if worst comes to worst, well they all have plenty of experience fighting overblots, bullies and housewardens to make Rollo run for the hills.

Phew what a doosey. If you got this far, have a cookie 🍪, hope you enjoyed this, I plan to write more for the Ramshackle dorm (both as part 2 of this story and as drabbles or scenes to complement this one) as well as the rest of the cast. I have too many ideas to organize but I fortunately have enough experience with my D&D notes that I think I can parse through them in a somewhat timely manner.

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polutrope · 1 year

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Disclaimer: this is meta/analysis. Your headcanons are not and cannot be wrong.

But...

Tolkien never wrote a version of events in which Maglor stays with Elrond. Not literally, anyway.

There is a passage that makes it sound that way, but that reading takes the passage out of context, both within the text in which it appears and within the history of the development of JRRT's legendarium.

Here it is (the previous section is about the Elves [=Eldalië] sailing to Valinor and the Lonely Isle [=Tol Eressëa] after the War of Wrath):

"Yet not all the Eldalië were willing to forsake the Hither Lands where they had long suffered and long dwelt; and some lingered many an age [...] And among these were Maglor, as hath been told; and with him for a while was Elrond Halfelven..."

QS(E) §28, HoMe V

Now I'll explain why "with him" does not literally mean with him, as in hanging out, living together - and that's okay!

This passage is from the Quenta Silmarillion (QS)[1], which appears in Vol. 5 of The History of Middle-earth, The Lost Road. The QS was the culmination of a series of versions (or drafts, but I prefer versions since they're not even all in the same genre) of the stories and legends that would become the 'Silmarillion', starting with The Book of Lost Tales and ending with QS in 1937, when JRRT turned his attentions to writing Lord of the Rings .

It's important to know that at the time of the writing of QS, JRRT's mythic history ended with the defeat of Morgoth in the War of Wrath. He had not written LotR. There was no Second Age, Third Age; there was no War of the Ring[2]. This was it; the legends ended with the overthrow of Morgoth.

So when it says Maglor and Elrond 'lingered', they were lingering in a period of mytho-history that was not detailed in anything that JRRT had written at the time. The narrative purpose of Elrond (and Elros) staying in the Hither Lands is to transmit to Mankind the "blood of the Firstborn and the seed divine" (i.e., from Melian). In the QS, that's all we get about the after-history of Elrond.

We do, however, learn something about the after-history of Maglor in QS, as signalled by the phrase "as hath been told". Three sections before the above, there's this passage:

And it is told of Maglor that he could not endure the pain with which the Silmaril tormented him; and he cast it at last into the sea, and thereafter he wandered ever upon the shores singing in pain and regret beside the waves. For Maglor was mightiest of the singers of old, but he came never back among the people of the Elves.

QS(E) §25, HoMe V

So going into passage 1, the reader of QS already knows two things: Maglor wandered ever upon the shores, and he came never back among the Elves.[3]

Now, even if one wants to quibble and say Elrond was Halfelven and therefore Maglor never coming back among the Elves does not preclude him being with Elrond... I think that misses the point. We don't know what Elrond did in the Hither Lands, but there is no logical reason to think it was wandering the shores with Maglor.

Seriously. It just doesn't fit. (I could pile up a bunch of other quotes concerning Maglor's fate from other versions to hammer my point home, but this is so long already.)

Maglor stayed in the Hither Lands - on his own, wandering the shores. He effectively disappeared from history, same as in the published Silm. Elrond also stayed in the Hither Lands - doing something else.

So what does "with him" mean? Think of it this way: a bunch of Elves stayed behind at the end of the War of Wrath. Among them was Maglor, "as hath been told". Also among them (= "with him") was Elrond, and his brother Elros. They're on the same land mass. That's it.

If one wanted, I am sure there's a way to construct an argument saying that JRRT literally meant Maglor and Elrond were together after the War of Wrath... I just feel, when it comes to interpretation, the simplest answer is usually the best one, right?

[ETA Mar 5, 2023: the above statement comes from an analytical perspective where I do think it's valid to say one conclusion is stronger than another, though never in an absolute, end-of-discussion way. A very solid (imo) alternate way of approaching and interpreting the text was offered in the discussion linked at the end.]

You don't need JRRT's backing to write fic and come up with headcanons. I'm not trying to take those away from you. I am providing actual sources, because citing matters.

And, in my opinion anyway, it's interesting stuff.

Footnotes

[1] Technically, these passages are from another manuscript, which Christopher Tolkien calls QS(E). The QS manuscript ends midway through the story of Túrin Turambar. QS(E) narrates the conclusion of the Silmarillion from the arrival of Eärendil in Valinor to the overthrow of Morgoth and a prophecy about the Last Battle and the remaking of the world. Although it's a different manuscript, C. Tolkien concludes that QS(E) should be dated to the same period as QS and both texts are presented together in The Lost Road.

[2] The Hobbit, published in 1937, refers to elements of the Silmarillion mythology and even has Elrond as a character, but these were 'borrowings'. The first edition of The Hobbit was not properly integrated into his Middle-earth legends; that only happened after the publication of LotR.

[3] If the passage sounds familiar it's because Christopher Tolkien used this text, with minor changes, for the published Silmarillion. (I made another post about Maglor being the "mightiest singer" here rather than second best to Daeron - an editorial change that I think was unnecessary... and why I usually don't write them as rivals, unless it's funny. Always sacrifice canon for the bit.)

Yes, this is a response to a particular post, but this isn't about dragging the op or throwing shade at any one who likes those ideas.

[Edited Mar 5 2023: Here is a link to a discussion I had with the OP of that post and some others. It's a good discussion with some good points.]

I just really, really care about citing. For more than academic reasons. Maybe I'll be accused of taking this too seriously - would not be the first time I've been accused of that in my life. But knowing where information comes from is so important. Please let's not forget that, in fandom or elsewhere.

Ironically, I made a post early in my Tumblr days somewhat facetiously suggesting that this passage means Maglor literally stays with Elrond... I didn't think people would actually believe it meant that. But it's out there now, if you happen to see it... I know, and oops.)

#maglor #elrond #meta #silm meta #tolkien meta #history of middle earth

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snootlestheangel · 8 months

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Cheers to the Unknown Pt.4

Monster/cryptid au ft. Just A Dude!Ghost; canon-divergent, alternate universe. More details here (parts are not a coherent story necessarily just scenarios as they come to me !subject to change!;all tagged under "cheers to the unknown") TW: language; being subjugated to the most precious Siren to ever Exist; self-deprecating statements; some sexual themes (Ghost is a monster fucker, okay y'all?); angst

Some Siren!Gaz to Soothe the Soul (And Official SoapGhost)

Random, yet necessary information dump on Gaz's siren form! In the initial post (link is 'more details here' above), I briefly mentioned that Gaz's siren form is more shark-like than just a typical "mermaid" type. So, here's a quick, more in-depth analysis of what this means! (if you can't tell I'm autistic and like sharks after this, you should get your eyes tested /jk)

Gaz has a lot of extra sensory organs to make him an elite predator! One of these organs are known as lateral line system. These appear in both his human and full Siren form as small ridges that run (vertically, so like top to bottom of his body) along his sides, including his neck and onto his legs, stopping just above his knees. There are very small ones that make it seem like his cheek bones are just sharper than the average person. This "line" system helps him detect pressure changes around him, making him very good at knowing when Ghost enters a room because he senses the change! He's just enough of a snarky little shit to not say anything to anyone else or to immediately rat the lieutenant out.

Also on his face, but only in his Siren form, are ampullae of Lorenzini, which are electroreceptors! These help with sensing the energies other creatures give off, as sometimes being a water based predator provides different challenges! Additionally, when in the water aka going Siren, he has an additional protective eyelid that still allows for great vision, but keeps his eyes safe! (I feel it's important to let everyone know I literally happy clapped after writing all this XD)

After all the time he's spent with the 141 and around a large variety of non-human species, one would think Ghost had seen it all. That Ghost wasn't phased by anything anyone did.

But after the one time Gaz used his Siren voice on Ghost in order to get out of recruit duty, he made sure to keep his guard up.

Granted, in Gaz's defence, voice is a poor term to describe the mystical power Sirens possess that allows them to influence their intended target however they please. Gaz, in this particular case, had merely just asked Ghost if he could take the next week instead of this one, and at first nothing had seemed wrong to Ghost. But then the sergeant walked away, flashing a wide grin with eerily perfect teeth and Ghost just knew. He knew that switching weeks had been banned by Price after an argument got physical. He knew that the answer to Gaz's question should have been no, but instead he had reluctantly agreed to swap weeks with him. Ghost knew the little shit had basically batted his pretty eyes and instantly persuaded his hardened lieutenant into bending a rule.

Ghost always admired Gaz, from the moment they met back when Gaz was only a corporal to now. He admired the man's confidence without seeming cocky or arrogant. He admired Gaz's intelligence, his cunning and snarky nature. While he and Soap had banter with each other, Ghost often found himself in what Soap lovingly dubbed "sass-offs" with the siren. The two would get caught up in being smart-asses with the captain, almost trying to outdo the other. Ghost never could tell if Gaz was doing this to mess with him or not.

But the more time he spent with Gaz, the more Ghost couldn't help but feel a little jealous. Ghost knew that deep down his jealousy was rooted in the natural way a siren's presence affects humans, but he never could stop himself from letting it bother him. Ghost wanted to blame the jealousy on himself. He wanted to be jealous not by natural causes, but because of his own insecurities. At least then, he would have no reason to hate Gaz.

It's not that Ghost hates Gaz, in fact it's the opposite. He admires and trusts Gaz, he would never want to hurt him, much less hold anything against him for simply existing.

He's jealous because Gaz is so effortlessly gorgeous. It's a silly thing for Ghost to be jealous over, especially considering the other is indeed a Siren, but it doesn't change a damn thing. Ghost is jealous of Gaz's inherent charm, the way he can win people over without ever using his Siren abilities against them. Sometimes, he wished so desperately to be like Gaz that he felt his heart slowly melt into a painful desire to love Gaz.

But above all, he was jealous of Gaz's relationship with Soap. They weren't together, at least not to Ghost's knowledge, but then again, neither were he and Soap. That didn't change the fact that Soap was always seen pressed against Gaz, each doing their own thing during downtime. Didn't change the way the two were constantly talking and laughing together, so effortlessly together on base whether it be training or filling out paperwork. Ghost was jealous because he wished it were him there next to Soap. He wished it were him being the nymph's grounding presence. And he would've rather burn than ever admit that sometimes, most of the time, he wanted nothing more than to be right there between both of them. Safe, content, and loved so effortlessly it was almost second nature.

What a fool he was for thinking he would never get that.

~~~~~

It was difficult for Ghost to ever sneak up and catch the sergeants by surprise, as both were very in tune with the world around them. But, there were times where corners and walls became his friends, and he would use them to hide when he didn't want to interrupt. One of these times he stopped to listen as he heard his name suddenly spoken by a familiar Scottish voice.

"As if Ghost feels the same." Soap snapped, assumingly at Gaz. Ghost frowned, leaning closer against the wall to hear. He didn't know what they were talking about, but clearly it was a rather heavy topic given the aggression in Soap's words.

"You don't ask him out, I will." Gaz spoke, golden confidence practically dripping with each word. Ghost couldn't breathe. He couldn't tell if Gaz was being serious, if Soap genuinely reciprocated the feelings Ghost had, if Gaz even felt that way.

"You'll ask him out for me or ask him out yerself?" Soap asked, suddenly a lot less angered than before. Ghost tried to still his beating heart for just a moment, afraid the racket it was making could be sensed by the sergeants.

"Well, I was going to ask for you, but honestly? Might just have to take him for myself." Gaz replied, and the gentle, yet taunting way he spoke the words twisted a warm knot into Ghost's stomach.

"Nope! Yer nae gettin' him first!" Soap shouted, and Gaz let out a loud laugh as he was tackled by Soap. Ghost stepped quickly away from the doorway, hoping to pretend as if he were never there. He walked to the end of the hall he came from, took a deep breath, and turned back around. He needed to get to his office, and in order to do so, he needed to pass the sergeants.

He can do this.

"Hey, Ghost!" Soap said, quite literally lighting up as he stepped around the corner and almost directly into Ghost. A soft blue glow emanated from the sergeant's chest, and it gave him such an appearance that Ghost would liken to an angel, an otherworldly creature made of light and beauty.

He cannot do this.

"Johnny." Ghost stiffly replied, and Soap's smile faltered slightly.

"Yeh nervous or somethin'?" Soap was taunting him. Did he know? Is this all some cruel joke to make him more miserable than he already was? Ghost should have known. He should have known better than to be close to anyone, to allow himself to be vulnerable with people he supposedly trusts.

"Dunno. Do you think I am?" Ghost calmly replied, doing his best to ignore the way his hands trembled ever so slightly. The familiar, yet almost comforting sensation of the hairs on his arms standing up swam over him as Soap took a step closer, grin morphing into something cocky as he tilted his head.

"Yer heart certainly says so." Fuck.

"Oh yeah? Think you know why?" Ghost asked, practically egging on the nymph. Soap chuckled, the sound deep in his chest and resonating in a way that felt like thunder.

"I think yer nervous cause o' me, Lt." Soap purred as he invaded Ghost's personal space. Ghost swallowed past the conflicting sensations running through his body; the knots and the warmth. It all blended together in a dizzying blur of emotion he didn't understand, wasn't familiar with.

"Got an idea on how to change it?" Ghost asked, and given the way Soap's eyes sparked, he knew the nymph had picked up on the slight quiver in his voice.

"Aye, dinner and a show. Tomorrow night?" Soap murmured as his fingers lightly brushed Ghost's chest, lightly shocking him without hurting. Ghost purposefully ignored the ever growing arousal that he was certain Soap had picked up on.

"What kind of show?" Ghost immediately regretted his question, if Soap's devious grin was anything to go by.

"Light show." God, he's so fucked.

"About damn time." Ghost whispered with a trembling breath. Soap chuckled again before placing a chaste kiss on Ghost's clothed cheek, barely brushing against the hard plate of his mask. He patted Ghost's chest before walking away, allowing the lieutenant carry on with his day.

What a fool indeed.

~~~~~

Gaz found Price along the shore of the lake close by the base. He had put on a different appearance, most likely so he could remain unbothered by the men under his command for a few hours, but Gaz still knew it was the captain. He's got a sensitive nose, after all.

"Soap finally asked Ghost out." Gaz called out as he came close enough. Price's head whipped around to face him, his natural appearance fading into existence.

"He said yes, right?"

"Yeah, of course." Gaz responded with a laugh as he took a seat next to Price.

"Fucking finally. I was about to get involved it was that bad." Price mumbled, and Gaz couldn't help but shake his head with laughter. They fell silent for a brief moment as Price sipped his drink.

"How are you feeling about it?" Price asked, and Gaz rolled his eyes. He confided in the captain with a lot, and his feelings for both being the most recent of topics. Of course Price would ask how this made him feel.

"I mean, I told him to do it. 'S'long as they're happy, I don't care." Gaz muttered, picking at the grass in order to avoid Price's calculating gaze. Gaz gently nudged Price's shoulder with his nose, the older man's worry starting to irritate him.

"I'm fine, Cap, I promise. They need a little time before I try to get involved." He mumbled, keeping his head resting against Price's shoulder.

"Unless that's not what they want." Price's deep rumble always grounded Gaz, but this time he couldn't help but think of how Ghost's voice would feel. How the deep, gruff rumble would feel against him as they laid there. Gaz shook his head as he sat up again.

"I don't know, Price. We'll just have to see." Gaz said, picking at more grass. Price hummed from next to him, knowing the sound alone was enough of a response for the siren. They stayed quiet for another few minutes as Price continued 'fishing' and Gaz picked at the grass. Fishing was not the best description of Price's restful activity, as he more or less kept a line casted while he read and drank. Eventually, Price must've grown tired of Gaz's pouting, as he suddenly sighed and shoved the siren's shoulder.

"Go for a swim, I'll keep watch." Gaz didn't need much more convincing. He typically hated swimming alone, as Sirens were targeted everywhere for their tears and their scales. Gaz even has a rather nasty scar on his stomach from a close encounter he had as a child. He also often avoided swimming around most people, as for his typical swims he would strip down and be his fully fledged siren form, and the act of getting in and out made him feel a different kind of vulnerable.

But when Price offered to keep watch? When Gaz knew he was under the careful guard of his captain? He never hesitated to abandon his clothing before diving gracefully into the water. A lake is not the ideal environment for a Siren, but it's the best Gaz has, lest he wanted to spend half his time in a bathtub just lying there.

Gaz stretched once under the water as his body shifted and morphed into something less human and more shark-like. He squirmed a bit as his tail developed, but the awkward sensation didn't last long. Clawed, webbed hands ran over his scales, all sparkling in the light. Dark, iridescent scales covered his body along his back, neck, and face, just barely stopping along his sides. Lighter scales adorned his stomach, and his fins were mostly solid with a bit of flashy blue fans trailing behind, making them appear weightless. His eyes had now completely blacked out, yet he still maintains impeccable vision, and his teeth had grown longer, sharper, and a bit jagged as a second row formed behind them. Large navy sails covered his ears, sticking up above the top of his head, now covered in dark purple scales.

As menacing as he was like this, Gaz was still the spitting image of beauty personified.

He stayed in the water for another couple of hours until his stomach growled. Price jumped slightly as Gaz suddenly launched out of the water and onto the shore next to him. Price shook his head as Gaz beamed at him, sharp teeth snapping together slightly with the motion. Gaz let out a sharp whistle as Price threw a towel at him, and Price winced in response.

"Watch your language!" Price snapped, as was common for him to say to the Siren while in this form. Gaz's ability to speak wasn't necessarily gone, but if he were to speak, it'd be nothing but his Siren voice, so he often stuck to the shrill whistles and clicks Sirens used to communicate with each other. The sounds, however, often felt painful for non-Siren ears.

"Thanks, Cap." Gaz said as he gently touched his nose to Price's. Price didn't bother looking up from his book as he patted Gaz's head.

"Yeah, yeah." He mumbled as he dropped his hand.

"Gaz." Confused, the Siren looked back over at the captain, only to see a few purple scales on the man's palm. He snorted and fell back into the grass with laughter.

"Fucking warn me next time." Price grumbled as he wiped the scales onto the grass. He packed up his possessions as Gaz finished drying off. Price let out an annoyed sigh as he stood and looked down at Gaz, whom was laid out on the grass, the towel still wrapped around him.

"Put your clothes on, son." Price said while kicking the sergeant's pile of clothes closer. Gaz groaned and rolled onto his stomach, sticking his face into the grass.

"Fucking hate clothes after swims." Gaz mumbled, the noise muffled.

"I'd hate clothes, too, if I were from the water. But we land dwellers have rules about such things. Quite frankly, I don't want one of my sergeants walking around in the nude." Price said, to which Gaz giggled a bit.

"Sometimes, I wonder what I can get away with before you actually send me off." Gaz commented as he finally sat up and grabbed his briefs from the pile of clothes.

"It wouldn't take as much as you'd think." Price responded, politely turning his back as Gaz dressed.

"Yeah, right. You asked for me." Gaz teased.

"Can always send you back, kid." Price quipped right back, and turned to smile at Gaz after being nudged on the shoulder by the Siren's nose.

"Let's get some food in you, yeah?" Price said as he wrapped an arm around Gaz's shoulders.

"Yeah. Thanks for watching my back." Gaz mumbled as he leaned into Price.

"Anytime, son. Anytime and always."

Taglist (want added?): @tacticaltaxonomist @cthulhusstepmom @cathnoneofyourbusiness @thorougly-melted-brains @sp4z-4tt4ck @49saltpeppershakers @bluebrryice

(Side note, at the time of posting this, I am in the process of withdrawing from college for, at least, the semester cause health comes first. So, I have a few more parts that will be scheduled to come out around the same times this weekend so I don't have to worry about that. I mean, this is only part 4 and I have another 3 parts written and one in the brain drafts, soooooo.... Yeah! And don't worry, I'm actually very happy about withdrawing from college for a bit, cause like I said, health first.

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urban-witch101 · 1 year

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Sad DGR 1 Survivor Headcanons (I'm tipsy sorry)

MASSIVE SPOILERS FOR DGR 1 and DGR DESPAIR GIRLS

None of them could ride elevators within the first year of them leaving without having a panic attack. This was learned the hard way when the six of them went up a large skyscraper to meet with the Heads of the Future Foundation and Byakuya immediately backed into a corner away from the others because he was feeling unfamiliar symptoms and had never had a panic attack before. Yasuhiro stood by him and asked him if he was also feeling anxiety. They didn't test the waters again until much later.

Because of their elevator PTSD, Byakuya has fantastic cardio health from how many stairs he climbs a day for work. Easily one of the stronger survivors because of this.

Aoi went from swimming to kickboxing. She never wanted to feel weak again.

Toko didn't write another book until well after the Tragedy was over. She wrote thesises and analysis reports on their findings of Hope and Despair when she stopped being an intern. She found it much more beneficial to work in a different department than Byakuya; she had space to process her trauma instead of deflecting and hiding. She discovered the former Ultimate Therapist in her department and started paying her for services.

After her therapy sessions, Syo didn't come out for a long time, even when she sneezed. She'd done her job: protecting her host. Syo never killed another person ever again.

Toko made sure that all of her books had happy endings.

When they were all freed and taken in by the Future Foundation Camp, they ended up bunking in the same room altogether. Makoto came into Yasuhiro's tent, unable to sleep from a horrendous nightmare, and the two made a nest of blankets and pillows. Kyoko was next, looking for Naegi, then Aoi, then Toko. Byakuya slipped in when all of the others fell asleep, curled up to face the door.

Kyoko opened her own detective agency before she retired, hiring the best and brightest and taking in several interns who reminded her of her friends. Makoto’s detail orientation, Byakuya's knowledge of resources, Toko's intelligence, Aoi's determination, and Hiro's positivity were all factors into hiring new recruits.

Makoto and Kyoko shared a bed long before they started dating. They found it the easiest way to cope with nightmares. When either one is on a work trip, the other stays at one of their friend's houses.

Makoto expected the most judgment from Byakuya when he called to ask him if he could sleep over, but he didn't say a word. He accepted him in, ordered in his favorite dinner, and watched Phantom of the Opera with him until he was asleep on the coziest spot on the long couch. Byakuya slept on the fainting couch without a single complaint.

Hiro is the most well-adjusted of the six of them due to his age, maturity, and tools that he picked up from past therapy appointments as a kid. He thinks of them like siblings, and they're all his favorites.

Despite this, Hiro does get nightmares.

Aoi didn't react to her brother dying until a week later when it hit her that all of her family was gone. She saw Komaru and Makoto talking together at his house and went into the guest room, curled up into the closet, and completely broke down. Byakuya found her and quietly sat with her until she was calm enough to talk it out. He of all people understands.

Makoto never went back to his childhood home. He was too afraid of what he'd find.

I hope you sobbed like I did, goodbye~

#danganronpa trigger happy havoc #danganronpa despair girls #makoto naegi #yasuhiro hagakure #toko fukawa #kyoko kirigiri #aoi asahina #byakyua togami #genocider syo #danganronpa headcanon #danganronpa headcanons #it's time to be sad #sad headcanon #headcanons

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cerealandchoccymilk · 10 months

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Trigun Bookclub: Trigun Vol.1-2, Chapter #10

previous | all

I’m doing a deep-read of the Japanese original print (reread) and Overhaul 1.0 (first read) side-by-side, and writing down everything I notice from small details, version differences, translation differences, etc.

The volume numbers will be mismatched for most of the remainder of Trigun, since the Japanese first edition is 3 volumes while all later versions are 2 volumes.

As always, here are the non-analysis panels:

And the rest is under the cut.

[link for if the images aren’t in horizontal rows]

A lot of annotation transcriptions for this entry.

My 3 girlies!!!!!!!!!!! Ever!!!!!!!!

I was waiting for Vash's antennae to go back up, but it looks like 2 of them are permanently bent now. I think it's stayed half-bent since his first encounter with Kaito in the last arc. Haven't double checked to make sure though.

Milly my beloved..... (I keep spelling it Millie every time. help) In the Japanese version, the speech bubble is "good morning," but in a barely comprehensible yawn. The yawning onomatopoea is written in small text.

Various translation corrections -

「先輩は書いても絵ハガキ程度ですよねー」 "Ma'am, you only send postcards at most, right?"

「ソレが普通ですわよ　それにもともと家訓からして「自立せよ」ですからね」 "And that's the normal amount. Besides, our family motto was 'be independent!'"

「ドライといえばドライなのかも…」 "Maybe it could be a bit unemotional/pragmatic [now that you mention it], but..."

Badwick's first appearance. Just looked ahead to check his name... I forgot how stupid it is... Badwick...... The first time we see one of my favorite art style aspects, single forms!! Love seeing black blocks and non-distinguishable limbs!! This is used a lot with Wolfwood's suit and I love it so much...

I would say Vash's line here is more like "I get it now."

Images I can hear!! I loved this scene in '98... 聞いておるのかご老体！！ By the way, Vash uses polite speech here, but in a (half-)sarcastic way. (If that makes sense...)

The background mob in this panel is... unique for sure. Skin-and-bones, some guy holding (eating?) seaweed, and a sparkly prince?

Badwick's「笑うね！！」line here is more like "You make me laugh!!" or "Ha ha, very funny!!" I know Vash jumping in front of the old couple is probably intended to just be an instinctive act of protection, but thinking about my analysis in the previous arc (#08 I think?), I can't help but think about his self-sacrificial tendencies...

On a lighter note, Meryl ends her rant with マヂ(ジ)で！！ which is kind of like... "FR!!" lol Also Vash is literally dead. Honestly he might've been better off taking the bullet than getting bonked.

Classic MillyMeryl manzai routine (not a single braincell between them). Featuring a pissed Vash.

Milly's joke is a bit hard to translate.... She's actually saying an idiom wrong. The correct phrase (what she says in Overhaul) is 大事の前の小事, which literally means "a small event before/in front of the big event." (this idiom is also an contranym but I won't get into that lol) However, the kanji she uses for 小事(shōji, small event) is switched for 障子(shōji, wood-and-paper sliding door). They look the same in romaji, but they have different tones.

Meryl's response uses English loanwords/Japanglish that's all slightly incorrect for the situation.

So, the Gramps's comments are about the fact that they're using the words wrong. Apparently Granny didn't notice!? lol

Another silly Milly... Gramps's line is a sort of double-meaning, since ボケる(bokeru) means both to be silly (as in the funny man role in manzai)(which Milly has been doing throughout) and to go senile. I love how Vash is 100% tired of this shit and just stares at us.

Japanese-only thing, but I love how he says「わーかってますって　超OKっスよ」. silly goober....

「ジオ・プラント――　肥沃化プラントの影響を受けて植物が育つ事ができる土地の総称である」 "Geoplant— The general term for land that is capable of growing flora due to the effect of a fertilizing Plant."

The term "geoplant" is actually for the affected land, not the Plant itself. Which is... confusing to be honest....

The Plants mentioned here are the capital P generator Plants, not lowercase p flora plants. This line means that among the Plants on the ships, some of them were also of the fertilization variety necessary for geoplant land. "Naturally" is continued into Gramps's line, so it should end with an ellipsis.

He says that the property became worth about the same as the area of a 300-yard radius around a ship (which I would imagine is INSANELY valuable), whether they wanted the price to rise or not.

These two lines are actually by Vash.

「おそらく地脈を伝って影響が『飛び地』したんだろうな」 "Perhaps the effects of a Plant spread along a mineral vein and ended up forming an 'enclave' here."

「でもここまでになるにはただそれだけじゃ駄目だ」 "But just that's not enough for it to get to this scale."

I love how quickly he could tell this is a geoplant and recognize how much work and love the couple has put into it.

「それにどれだけ我々が支えられてきたか言葉にならんよ」 "I can't even begin to describe how much hope it has given us."

The word he uses is actually "support," but I couldn't think of a way to make it sound decent other than the next closest word, "give hope."

Not really a translation fix - in Japanese, he says something more like "This is where our lives and hopes are."

I missed it during the annotation (will mark it later), but I think the article for "tycoon" should be "the" or "a," since Morgan hasn't appeared yet. Gramps mentions that the incident from earlier that day was also one of Morgan's threats. (The annotation should be "like what happened this morning/noon." Will also fix that later.)

I feel like this line by Gramps comes across as a bit too harshly apologetic in English compared to the original? I'm not sure how to convey it accurately though... it's more of a Japanese cultural thing.

The first speech bubble is probably by one of the elderly couple, most likely Gramps, since it says "Vash-kun". Milly calls him "Vash-san."

Also about the "lover's quarrel" tease and Meryl's response:

A common tease for male+female character pairs (and real life...), but the nice thing about this is that there's no hinting of hidden romantic feelings whatsoever (stammering, blushing, etc.). Even through a Vash/Meryl truthing lens, I think at this point there truly is nothing (realized) there yet. There's no forced hetero-amatonormative romance!! (my pet peeve in manga)

These lines are actually an exchange between Badwick and Marilyn.

「うわーーっ　いくらすっと思ってるんだその門柱！！」 "Aaahh!! [Watch what you're doing!] Just how much do you think that pillar's worth!?"

「ケチくせー事いいっこなし！！どうせアコギなマネして建てたんでしょ」 "Oh, don't be so stingy!! I bet you guilt it with shady money(/through shady means) anyways."

And that’s it for Chapter #10! As always, the Japanese annotations will be in the reblogs.

#EDIT: I LABELED THIS AS CH9 (ITS CH10) AND DIDNT NOTICE FOR A MONTH SORRY #this ones kinda boring lmao #already said most of the stuff i want to say in the annotation...#btw all my annotations will be revised to match the bookclub entry before theyre distributed into pdf #thats what i mean when i say fix later #trigunbookclub #trigun annotation #trigun #trigun manga

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tutuandscoot · 10 months

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Ok my beautiful people! I have a bit of a treat for you today (we’ll idk if it’s a ‘treat’ like a good thing/ like something y’all want but.. anyway).

Since I’ve been feeling incredibly guilty over not posting regularly lately (soz..life/mental health/my love of sleep) I’ve got a new kind of post for you today that I’ve kinda wanted to do for a while but didn’t really have the balls to/not sure if it’s what people want/turn out good.

So. I FINALLY found a working link to Prince at 2017 nationals! Its not on yt or vimeo or any other standard video site and i just randomly stumbled across it in this master post (i will be spending some time working my way through all of this). So THANK YOU OP.

So i thought it would be fun to do a little live commentary/first reaction video since i cant do this on any other comp skate bc i think ive seen them all! (Other than bby/junior vm comps).

I apologise for the voice reveal in advance and if the quality is trash.. its my first time doing this:

So here it is with my commentary below. And here is a link to the actual video with TSN commentary

https://vimeo.com/844170347

*writing this next part after recording it:

•I’m sorry I didn’t realised I said ‘like’ so much but I didn’t say ‘um’ as much as I thought. so I’ll work on that.

•apologies for the scratchy sound the whole way through I was playing with my earphone mic

•Things I didn’t say watching it that I’d wish I had:

-FUCK, Tessa just looks so damn good in that costume. Like her L E G S. the quality of her leg extensions and toe point- like she doesn’t have the longest legs in the world but in this they do look so long.

-Scootie is precious AF in this whole thing- esp the K+C when the score comes up he was so excited and happy bc he thought maybe it wasn’t good with the music being wrong/twizzles sloppy

-Hip hop isnt my thing (knowledge wise) so there wasn’t a lot of technical/dance analysis that I would maybe do in more balletic/contemporary programs

-I know WP and CP were still to skate so the gap would shrink but can we just take a moment for the 22 point gap between them and the next team!

- I say in it it’s great how R+T don’t talk through the program but I wish they’d shut up when VM are in the k+c so we can hear them.

SO, if y’all found that interesting/bearable I’d love to do more but won’t bombard you with them if it’s not what people want- I love writing detailed posts and still plan to do that bc I don’t speak anywhere near as eloquently/comprehensively as I write, but these are quicker (but more expensive) to make and I guess I naturally would say things out loud that I don’t think to write and vis versa, so it could be good for that reason (for myself as well seeing what I pick up on in the moment). So even though all the others won’t be ‘first reaction’ videos I think it still might be fun. I would also be SUPER KEEN to do a group commentary with some of you fine people, after I watched this one, getting others takes live I think would be really cool.. but we can get to that later/work it out if anyone is interested.

Let me know what y’all think of this please. Again, soz for the voice reveal, the ‘shits’ (yes, I swear). Hopefully I can do some more nuanced ones in the future with more practice.

#also I just paid 17$ to Vimeo to upload this so pls say u want more so it’s worth the 17$ a month #not uploading to YT to avoid copyright #sd: prince #own commentary

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paperlovesadness · 1 year

Note

do you think “jet skis on the moat” and “body paint” are about miles? or just “jet skis…”?

Heyyy

Oh my goodness. I'm so so sorry for how late I'm responding to this! I remember leaving it aside because I knew I could sit down and write a whole big answer, but then it kind of escaped my mind. But I'm here now! And will make up for it with probably another novel-length answer 🙈

Disclaimers are always: this is for fun. This is one of a million possible interpretations and even I have a lot of those in my head but just choose the 'loudest' one to share. (Sometimes I'll publish an analysis and then have a million new ideas about the song one day when listening to it. Nothing is fixed). This is based a lot on "vibes" cause it's so hard to understand the The Car songs, man.

Okay - so firstly, like I always say with The Car - I do believe that album is first and foremost extremely introspective. And Alex likes to say or suggest in interviews that there isn't too much straight up references to his actual life in there... Now I don't completely believe that? He just definitely doesn't want to talk about them (as usual).

What I see in there is a jumble of emotions and feelings and self-reflection - perhaps done in a less straightforward way than he would do previously. Maybe he did it more instinctively? But there's a strong feeling it is there.

So I do think most songs are just... about Alex's inner workings and feelings (also perhaps why it seems more abstract?) - but do some of those have the potential to refer to a very important and seemingly complicated, undefined relationship in his life? I do believe so.

Body Paint - I've tried looking at from different perspectives. And I'm not sure I found enough to connect it to Miles.

Although - there's a mysterious little detail that I've been overthinking for a while - which is this recurring theme of paint in a few songs. This is probably a prime example of my useless overthinking (and Alex would probably laugh about these sorts of connections being made) - but have you ever noticed:

There's still a trace of body paint On your legs and on your arms and on your face

Exactly the wrong time in exactly the wrong place. Save it for a rainy day. Baby, you go hard in the paint

Or are you just happy to sit there and watch while the paint job dries?

(Body Paint // Anyways // Jet Skis on the Moat)

So like do Jet Skis connect somehow with Body Paint (and Anyways) in themes? 👀

Who knows. But that's just a side observation 😅

Now Jet Skis - Jet Skis being connected to Miles possibly maybe I can see a bit more. With lyrics like:

Come over here and give your buddy a hug

So much for deciding not to let it slide

Because? You know our Milex brains work on overdrive hearing stuff like that. Can it be about anything? Yep. Does it bring to mind a certain someone whose been this man's favorite hug buddy? Also yup. Now extrawild theory territory:

"Deciding not to let it slide" kind of makes me think of how perhaps they've maybe established some new boundaries after crossing a bit too many. Like perhaps one of them went and "killed the joke" they had going in (👀) and after that some boundaries were set. Not letting more-than-friendly things happen. Not letting shit like that slide anymore... Until the next time (so much for that resolution!)

Lights out in the Wonder Park

Your saw-toothed lover boy was quick off the mark

That's long enough in the sunshine for one night

To me lights out in the wonder park is a sad image of something gone by. A wondrous place (jeez. Reference not even intended here) full of fun and joy - but the lights need to go off at some point. It's not real life; it's somewhere you can only go for so long before returning to reality.

Saw-toothed lover boy was probably what grabbed a bunch of people's attention? Miles' crooked, endearing smile (before he straightened his teeth) was something he was known for. And something Alex commented on himself I do believe a few times. (I also do know saw-toothed isn't crooked-toothed. It just sort of evokes that image to me?)

Long enough in the sunshine for one night - to me brings to mind the image of someone being given the full attention they want/deserve. But for some reason can't entirely own. (I can be yours tonight, but not tomorrow type of vibes. That's all we can have - then it's back to "real life". Lights out in the wonder park)

I don't know about the pajama pants and Subbuteo cloke. It for sure evokes childhood imagery. So maybe refers to some specific childhood story? Maybe it's about Alex. Maybe someone told him that they did that in their childhood for fun. Who knows.

And then come the super sad parts?

You know that it's alright if you wanna cry

is obviously so sad even if I can't place it anywhere specific context-wise. (Also seems to evoke Body Paint a bit with "Do your time traveling through the tanning booth So you don't let the sun catch you crying" and "I'm watching your every move I feel the tears are coming on")

And then:

Is there somethin' on your mind

Or are you just happy to sit there and watch

While the paint job dries?

When it's over, you're supposed to know

Okay - so what if paint is some specific metaphor? I haven't found a good enough theory for what that could be (would love to hear your thoughts if you agree and have ideas!) (though... i mean in Body Paint itself there's some interesting theories 👀 not sure it works with the rest though). And now... Watching it dry signifies the end or hibernation of something. But then "when it's over you're supposed to know" - kind of suggests like that ending isn't something that the person it refers to is ready to accept. It still seems like an open possibility. Like one side is still hoping.

As though it's the last time you're gonna ride

Is also sad - suggests something seeming like it's ending. It's the last time. But then there's that "as though". Like an open possibility, hope of it not really being true.

But damn; this is a big mess! Because The Car songs are so hard to analyze, they're so abstract. I can definitely see what Alex has been saying about focusing more on the melody and the emotions it evokes and lyrics kind of being an extension of that. Taking a backseat for a second (hehe. Car pun. Not even intended).

It would seem the album that's set on the actual moon would be as mixed up and tough to decipher as if gets but nope! Alex took up the challenge of cranking it up a notch. Because of course he did.

Anyway. I hope any of this makes sense and/or resonates with someone and their thoughts about this song 💛

Thank you for the question, sorry for the delay!

Sending good energy your way! 💫

#ask #song theory #lyric analysis #The Car album #Jet Skis on the Moat

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vanillaheartzxx · 6 months

Text

OKAY HI YAY THE PROMISED POST OF MY THOUGHTS AND OPINIONS!!

(very very long post! i tried to section everything incase there is only certain things you care about hearing my opinion on.♡︎) and i did put the name of the video(s) i was mainly talking about at the top, but i’m talking about other videos as well, so please be aware of that! and apologies for any grammar mistakes, i tried to read through it, but i like to have inspiration af late hours of the night where i can barely type 🙂 (i also won’t be talking about project meridian just because i haven’t even caught up to the most recent video, nor vega because i don’t feel like rewatching atm!)

⚠️SPOILERS TO LIKE EVERYTHING⚠️

index…?

1. hush

2. avior

3. brachium

4. solaire clan

ꨄ

1. HUSH⇩

•You Save A Mysterious Stranger’s Life

•There’s A Stranger In Your Apartment

•Getting To Know Your Mysterious Stranger

okay i absolutely adore the voice erik has been using for hush like it’s super like ‘plain’(?) but it’s like perfect for his character. it’s not crazy deep, high, monotone or anything like that. (it’s sweet!)

when his first video came out i wrote some things about it, and here’s what i said (with a couple of edits LOL)

(intial thoughts!)

hush is very, VERY intriguing. but most importantly,

WE’RE EMPOWERED!!!!!!!!

YESSSSS AT FIRST I WAS SCARED WE WERE HUMAN

WE ARE A FUCKING HEALER YESSSS

IM SO SO HAPPY

HE CALLS US DOC YES PLEASEE

(i was feral??)

anyways my hush first episode deep analysis 🤗 (bullshit)

now for hush, i feel like we’ll guess everything under the sun, from that he’s a sovereign, he’s a shade, he’s a demon shade hybrid whatever, and then come to find out he’s actually david’s left asshole hair but i do have some small theories of my own

i feel like he is genuinely a part of the meridian. like a chunk of it. i don’t know what he looks like, (probably a human like body, obviously, or the listener wouldn’t have tried to help). the only reason i say this is because when he was giving the ‘complicated’ answer of what he was, i couldn’t even begin to tell you what the fuck the visuals might have been. (if there were any) i don’t know what the meridian looks like, but maybe that’s what it sounds like? also he has no core.

i would like to mention when the video might have taken place. we have no clue is what i wanted to point out. this could be before the inversion, the day after, the next decade after, the decade before, hundreds of years before, etc. it has become a bit troublesome in that department as erik likes to drop random time and date drops in his story push videos. (ex; avior and elliot, which is very convient i might add)

i’m scared of hush’s intentions like he tied us up after we saved him and i hate when i like evil kind of guys 😭

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i didn’t finish writing everything i was thinking, but with the most recent videos this is what i have to add on.

hush literally told us straight up ‘i can understand why they think (the articulates, chorus) they have to (send articulates to kill him). oh that’s easy. because they think i’m going to free their god from the prison they’re in. well they think that because that’s *exactly what i’m going to do.*’

UHM OKAY?? huge bomb dropped on us. BUT that solidified to me he was a chunk of meridian. no core, not exactly human, not a demon. (okay thats probably wrong but what the fuck else 😭)

and besides that all i have else to say is for the timing thing, i still have no idea, i want to think it’s after inversion but i’m not sure. (if you have any theories on the timing please let me know what you think!)

but besides all that i think he’s sweet and its cute he’s trying to learn stuff for doc especially cooking 😭💓

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2.AVIOR⇩

•Facing a Disaster With Your Demon Lover

there was definitely a lot happening in one episode. (also i watched it when it was released so my memory of every detail is bit iffy, spare me 🙏) it was like heartbreak all over again, hearing lasko stressed out and all the people screaming and yelling definitely wasn’t pleasant, but it was interesting seeing what else happened on the outside besides what we already know.

also, the inversion has been almost two years ago now. so i really wonder how starlight and avior are doing in present time. i would say ‘hopefully peaceful’ but present time isn’t even peaceful 🙃

honestly its been a while since i’ve watched all avior lore, and i think when the next lore(?) video of him comes out i’ll theorize a bit more, this post is definitely long but i don’t want it to be too extensive. (bullshit)

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3.BRACHIUM⇩

•What Lies Below

WHY DID HE AGREE WITHOUT KNOWING 😭

my heart broke when he agreed to that ‘deal’ just to find out why blake’s lover would die and HE DIDNT KNOW WHAT HE WAS AGREEING TO. AND THEN TO FIND PUT HE HAS TO HELP THEM?? WHY

now he has to do whatever they say to help?? why 😭

and why do the sovereigns need to use blake and bestie(?) i only ask because is hush not going to free them? well to be fair we have no idea when this thing with hush is even taking place, or when bestie is set to die, or what blake is even going to do when he ‘breaks’ to free them.

and what if his will is strong enough and he doesn’t break? or his listener doesn’t die? 🤗 (wishful thinking guys!)

but actually going back to the audio whoever brachium was talking to DID say,

‘He is a tool. One that has to be broken so that it can be refashioned to a new purpose.’

KEY WORD: REFASHIONED. maybe hush is a chunk of meridian, but with blake’s body..? but he has not core. OKAY IDFK BUT he must be related to hush somehow i just don’t know how. i’ll think on it more. but blake is only a seer so i really don’t know what he could do with his current power, but who knows really.

also the entity (that’s just what i’m calling him idk) brachium was talking to said (in response to: ‘Accept a deal that I have no details of?’) ‘You’ve done it before. The blind choice to become a deathwalker.’ that has me so very curious on what the process of becoming a death walker was like. (okay it probably was explained sort of somewhere, but i don’t remember.) the entity also said ‘You say it was in service of lives.’ whose lives? i have no idea! wow great! 😀

but actually i have no ideas so hopefully everything will be explained eventually 😭

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4. VINCENT, PORTER, MONARCHAL SUMMIT⇩

•Supporting Your Vampire Prince Lover

•Drawn In By An Alluring Vampire

•The Vampire Boys Have It Out

•The Monarchal Summit

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A LOT A STUFF HAPPENED REGARDING THE SOLAIRES

i’ll start with first vincent’s video regarding the summit. WILL IS ACTING FISHY AS FUCK?? he’s hosting the monarchal summit, but he’s just NOT GOING TO BE THERE?? and is leaving everything to vincent?!? how does that even equate?? and then his fishy attitude towards ALEXIS?? that just seems sketch. (i want to get into william more, but talk about porter rq, ig.)

porter solaire. HES BRITISH.(🎊🎉) he’s quite charming, (when he wants to be,) but i can see where vincent and porter’s disagreement came from, but it was semi-resolved (they still have a bit of conflict) so i’m not going to go into and i’m just gonna dissect the summit!

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okay the beginning made me so freaking happy to see the boys hanging out with each other!! and especially the friendly banter 😭💓

AND VINCENT GIVING LOVELY A CROWN MY HEART AUGH 💗🥲

and idk if michaela (william’s secretary!) with have anything to do with the story but it’s cool when characters have names even if you don’t know them 👍

anyways into the more not so heartwarming parts, alexis solaire.! SHE HAS THE PERFECT PERSON TO VOICE HER. that is EXACTLY how i’d imagined she’d sound. and honestly how’d she act as well. i didn’t think she’d be nice to darlin, but i was definitely thinking more of a nasty glare, growl, show of teeth or something and not full on banter, and insults, but i guess that’s just how she acts.

WHERE IS WILLIAM SOLAIRE?? WHERE. like there is no way he just was like, ‘yes vincent, take of the entire planning of the summit, that i’m supposed to be hosting. 😊 and also, i’m not even going to tell you why! and the day of i’m not even going to talk to you! let alone on the phone! 🥰’ LIKE?? AND THEN SOMEONE DIES?? (we’ll get to that.) SERIOUSLY?!

and then ‘House of Baz(?) (truly not sure how it’s spelled) starts saying ‘Make sure Quinn burns.’ ‘It’s not only your pack who wants him dead.’ ‘Quinn has friends and you can’t count on William to keep them at bay.’ (not quotes btw just a summary!) EXCUSE ME??? 😭 WHAT DO YOU MEAN?? DROPPING BOMBSHELLS AND WILLIAM ISNT EVEN THERE TO SAY ANYTHING. AND NOT ONLY BUT HE HIS DISSING ALL OF THEM 💀 ‘Even the golden prince Vincent has spent most of his afterlife as a covert risking menace to the region.’ AND THATS A DIRECT QUOTE. HE IS FLAMING THEM 😭 and with each sentence i swear he is backhandedly insults William and he can’t even be there to defend his name LMAO

but, it does say a lot about him. (i guess if this guy is a semi-reliable source.) ‘William is a horrible judge of character.’ ‘He can throw a fabulous party but can’t surround himself with the right people.’ ’He shields and excuses Alexis and her misgivings.’ ’He apparently delights in trusting the wrong ones.’ HE IS VIOLATING HIM. VIOLATING. this is not me saying all that is not potentially true, but damn 😭 i mean he’s 500+, give him a break? but then again WHERE IS HE??? (lowkey concerned for his safety)

a small little thing with alexis and porter, then the main event.

alexis and sam still must have a small little understanding since she decided to leave darlin alone (as she said at least) but alexis full on said that darlin was dog and he didn’t say anything 😭 i mean i guess he wasn’t trying to argue further but i just took notice.

i was trying to theorize where porters info came from, and all i can think of is a seer. (boring way out ik) now if it was a seer he talked to before the event, (which is why he came back in the first place, possibly, maybe.) he knew they were going to have that conversation, and so he told sweetheart to spy, but then im not sure if he knew that death was going to to happen, but im not sure. or maybe he heard rumors, or overheard them saying they may had that conversation which makes more sense, but hopefully more will be revealed.

WHAT WERE THEY TALKING ABOUT??!

‘If we had waited for you to make decisions two years ago “King” then the entire Inversion would have been for nothings” EXCUSE ME??! okay, okay, i kinda don’t believe this. maybe they had some connection to it. and yes i skipped some so let’s talk about them funding closeknit.

okay so they are funding closeknit because they want to people to join, but the amount of people joining and staying are plummeting because the inversion was two years ago. i have a sneaking suspicion that the reason they were like ‘the inversion was for nothing’ was because closeknit had convinced them somehow that they were the cause, and it would draw people in, and then they’d(house of bennett) would have power. there isn’t a lot of context, but definitely eye openers.

the only thing we have right now to go on is that the sovereigns caused the inversion, (releasing the dead ig? idfk too much shit to keep track of) and i don’t know if they have the power, (or closeknit even) to cause the inversion.

also regarding the timing thing i said about hush earlier, i do believe his whole shabang is in present time because nothing is happening. everything inversion related, sovereigns related, whatever is happening is IN THE PAST. which means in present time blake’s listener could already be dead AND he could have already have ‘broke’ and has something to do with hush (possibly) to help free them.

i was trying to think if closeknit didn’t actually cause the inversion (what i think) but tried to convince the house of bennet to fund them, (if they weren’t already,) it would be showing them the shade. idk bro im grasping onto loose strings here 😭 but PLEASE let me know your theories (that might be the case that blake ‘broke’ in maybe 2022 and he was being kept for a while like the articulate who came to doc’s apartment said.)

(back to the summit♡︎)

DEATH OR MURDER??

okay so the obvious suspect is sweetheart right? king of bennett and prince(?) of bennett having a VERY interesting and PRIVATE conversation, sweetheart goes in to spy on said conversation, those two hear a sound, it wasn’t just a mouse, and then the king of bennett is dead. i think it’s easiest to assume murder. and what could have naturally killed him…? nothing. to my knowledge. 😊

MURDER ( only viable option..?)

first i want to quickly talk about porter and vincent’s interaction before i talk about how the king may have died. porter tried to start a fight with vincent which i assume was for one of two reasons. one, to make a distraction so people would pay attention to them and sweetheart had a chance to leave, OR because he had something to do with the murder and maybe a distraction was apart of the plan. i think the latter.

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i don’t think alexis is the killer. ‘but she knew he was dead before anyone!’ what motive did she have? none that i know of, and neither did porter(well maybe he knew that conversation was happening could be one but whatever.)

BUT i guess sweetheart may have had a tiny ass motive as they might have been angry at what they heard, (after all milo went through) BUT i don’t think they would do that. and even if they got caught they would have to murder both of them for them not to get in trouble. now my tiny theory is that sweetheart DID get caught spying and maybe the prince thought the king sent someone to assassinate him and then yk but whatever (far fetched 😔) IDFK we don’t even know the cause of death. 😭 Alexis just said he’s dead, not ‘the king of Bennett was killed’ or some shit so we don’t even know. and as a vampire, how many causes of death could he really have? does garlic and wooden stakes apply?? can he get murdered in regular human fashion?? WAS HE EVEN MURDERED??

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as you can tell this post has many questions and zero fucking answers. like could he have been poisoned?? what can vampires be killed by in the redacted universe?? i’m guessing the number one suspect is the person who was in the room with him ‘alone’, but i feel that’s too obvious. and i mean we don’t know the exact time jump from when the king was killed, from when porter was trying to instigate a reaction from vincent, from when alexis found the body, when sweetheart went to spy, etc. we don’t even know exactly where the body was found. 😭 so i’m not going to settle on any one person being ‘the killer’ for now until another video is released but i have a feeling it won’t be like an exact continuation of the summit and maybe like an aftermath type video. idk but we’ll wait and see i guess.

Random(er) Thoughts + Conclusion

HE POSTED AN OLLIE VIDEO?? THAT MEANS WE’RE FUCKED‼️

(calm before the storm, great!) 💔

also credits to kilarthmac in the youtube comments!! i don’t know if you have a tumblr but your comments helped with this post immensely, (and many others,) thank you! 💓

im also interested in when the wedding might be!! i know the timing is usually around a year of engagement before marriage so maybe in early spring 2024!! just a thought! (super exciting)

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anyways i hope maybe my thoughts and opinions could help you with any of your theories or anything, maybe expand them or something idk. if you read the entire thing thank you for doing so! i hope it was somewhat enjoyable 👍 (and my apologies for it being so long ♡︎) i’m excited to see what comes next with everything, erik is very talented with his writing and acting so we’ll see what’s to come. if you have any comments about anything i said (adding on, reasons why things may or may not be true) PLEASE SHARE THEM WITH ME!! i would truly love to hear them! thank you!!

BYE BYE!! ♡︎

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fumifooms · 1 year

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Mozu character analysis - Power & Security

[pics: first is from here, second is from here. First is the official translation but second can also reinforce details imo] Tw for: extensive discussion of parental physical abuse and trauma. Violent demeanor and also implied sexism & objectification.

Mozu’s a really interesting character that Dr. Stone barely scratched the surface of with the prodigy discussion with Hyoga, and I’m just unhinged enough (and my college semester just ended) so that I’m going to write an essay about his psychology. Rejoice, autism be upon ye. It’s under a cut bc buckle up everyone this is gonna be long. Oh also, this is just a fan analysis so of course I can’t and don’t claim that this is the ultimate universal “right” reading of his character, but I do think it’s a solid reading with what canon gave us. Also I have to confess that I didn’t read all of the Treasure Island arc… I mostly skipped chapters except the ones Mozu was in lol, for that reason I might very well be unaware of some aspects.

The way his backstory affects him

Here are the main points of canon to keep in mind for this:

1: His father was abusive, and when he started being violent with him, Mozu almost killed him when he retaliated.

2: He’s lived all his life on Treasure Island, and is its lead warrior, very high-ranked.

3: He’s a prodigy that supposedly was born with an innate incredible physical strength.

Now I’m a nurture over nature kinda gal, so we’ll spend a long time talking about how his environment shaped him. We’ll start of by clarifying the father situation as much as we can: it’s rare that someone/a relationship goes from 0 to 100 like that, I think it’s safe to assume that even before he started hitting him his father was still very much unpleasant and abusive in various ways.

So let’s get into it. 1: Do I even have to talk about how much having an abusive parent fucks you up. That kid probably developed hypervigilance and survival instincts early on at home, that tends to happen when you have to make sure your father isn’t going to take out his anger on you, and calculate what you can do to not get punished, more on that later. You know, like that post of someone talking about how someone angrily folding a sock at you makes you tense and adrenaline rush. Things become warning signs to defend against, anyways I’m getting slightly sidetracked- I’m sure his father taught him a bunch of shit ideology by his actions and words. Just even how he sees himself being a prodigy: being as strong as he was is how he was able to defend himself when his father became physically abusive, maybe he could have even died. That alone could explain for me why he values the innate qualities such as strength and beauty in people instead of training and earned skills, because in his case if he hadn’t been born strong or whatever he wouldn’t have been able to come through the way he has. He’d be in deep shit. And that’s why he sees innate strength as the only thing that distinguish people of value. Just getting beatings alone, without the extra backstory of retaliating, could have very well “taught” him that strength is the way the world runs, making him see it as the ultimate thing to possess. The human brain focuses first of all on survival and safety, whatever wrong things you learn or do come in second to that, especially when you’re in a developmental stage like a kid.

2: I think we can all agree the system on Treasure Island is hella tyrannical. Ibara can pretty much do whatever he wants, and the only untouchable people are the one who are high-ranked (pretty much only warriors) and… Yep no that’s it. Mozu became the highest ranking warrior besides Kirisame thanks to his strength and that’s what keeps him secure and generally comfortable, with his access to the harem girls and ressources, as well as being generally respected and feared. His strength is what gave him that, and his strength is what ensures he’s safe in the hierarchy and in general. Once again, his world view about innate strength being the most important thing is reinforced by the whole Treasure Island system and society he lives in. What can he do, flee Treasure Island? Hah, good joke. So he follows the system and takes advantage of it as much as he can, even shooting for becoming the chief at some point.

3: Soo the reason he’s 1: alive and safe, and 2: in a good place in the society hierarchy, ensuring him safety and comfort, is that he’s a prodigy, that he was born with that strength. I’ve already mentioned it in the other points, but yeah at this point there’s nothing that can prove to him that his world view, about innate strength meaning you deserve everything you want and deserve to rule over the weaker, is wrong. It’s very much a "survival of the fittest" mindset with a focus on eugenics. That’s where Hyoga comes in, kicking his ass, but that’s for later on.

I do feel like the way he deals with conflict is very telling as well. When Mozu realized he knew who the invaders were, he sat back and watched over to see how the chaos would unfold. He stepped to the sideline and let things happen, so he could later strike when the opportunity presented itself and he could side with whoever is going to win in the end. That *cough* sounds like *cough* a strategy someone who lived in an abusive home would instinctively develop, make yourself scarce so no attention is placed on you when things are bad and shit is brewing, then take the opportunity to grab power if it’s safely presented to you.

So. I think it’s pretty much canon subtext that Mozu seeks power as a trauma response. Power in his life has meant safety and control of his life. Literally just self-defense and survival instinct/self-preservation. Not only power in status, but also innate, believing that the attributes with which you were born are what gets you to where you deserve to be in life, strength (and beauty just as a collateral product of what he considers to be innate qualities). In that sense, like any other unhealthy trauma response, it’s something he should unlearn to heal, and to stop being a piece of shit also.

There are also other aspects of his character that support this, that’s kind of all his character tbh, but for example there’s just how much he doesn’t blink at, and even thrives in, violence. There’s how he was very trigger-happy when it came to killing the science crew, almost playful in the way he treated their lives like lottery. He’s cold hearted and sees killing someone you can defeat as a right, and he doesn’t assign value to lives at all, except when he can get something out of it, power mostly (letting the science crew live so they can get the medusa out of the picture, with Kohaku getting informations on the invaders).

If you think about it, he’s also a lot like Denji from Chainsaw Man… Just look at this post. He just seeks quick instant gratification through sexual affection. Has he ever even had any positive relationships? Does he even know how to express and receive affection? It is after all well known that hypersexuality can be a coping mechanism born from trauma. All of the relationships and interactions we see him have with others on Treasure Island (apart from the harem girls) are professional in nature. It’s implied he has no friends from the lack of counter evidence. We don’t see him just hanging out with anyone, no one speaks of him with any sort of fondness. It’s also lowkey implied he doesn’t seek out the same harem girl multiple times, so there’s very low chances of him having formed a connection or friendship with any of them. So, he’s got no friends, no family, no romance. The only validation and affection he gets is in a professional sense because of his feats (which is in turn due to his innate strength) and from the “special time” spent with harem girls. Iirc we don’t even know if the harem girls like him or not, they might just be doing their job… So, like. Yeah, the only positive attention he gets is from maiming people and from sex, so that already paints a pretty picture doesn’t it. Edit: Ok so I found it too much of an assumption to put it in initially but I always think about it again so, with the way Treasure Island guards frequently have to turn dissident people to stone or worse, I wouldn’t be surprised if Mozu’s apathy when it comes to killing or even murderous tendencies kinda come from the fact that he was pushed to do them + it’s very normalized there. Like… Mozu lowkey dissociating to get into a killing mood or when thinking back on it and trying his best not to dwell on it is a concept that has got me going. Not mentioning the systematic murdering and how that might affect him negatively being the one that has to carry it out would just be a missed opportunity from me.

Motives & other traits

His biggest motivation for becoming chief of Treasure Island, if we’re to believe his own words on the matter, is that he wants the harem…? Yeah well, I’m sure that’s part of it, gratification and possessions for a type of pleasure that he does value, but I do think the power part of it is understated a lot. He’s obviously a character that cares a lot about power, and so I think he just didn’t talk about that part much because it’s just obvious. He wants to become chief because chiefs are at the top of the hierarchy, and why would he not want that. In part, I do think he doesn’t realize just how much the chase for power drives him. He seems to kinda just be doing whatever he wants to do at the moment, which to me seems like it means that Mozu’s craving of power is a subconscious thing to him. To him, it probably all just sounds like the natural thing to seek. Oh and that does bring me to another point, I think freedom is really important to him. The freedom to meet with harem girls, the freedom to be at the top of hierarchy, the freedom that comes with being the strongest around, the freedom that comes with everyone having to listen to you if they don’t want you to kill them, he wants to have no limits and be fully unrestrained. Comes with living on a small island you can’t leave that has a super strict system that treats you like shit, tbh. The negotiations with Gen were very interesting for me because of this, when he had the knee-jerk reaction to demand he keeps the medusa after their alliance because Gen said he couldn’t. He wants the freedom to choose to keep the medusa or not, even if he doesn’t actually really gives a shit about it because he’s the strongest without it anyways, so he decides he’ll keep the medusa as a show of power, simply because he can and the science gang can’t go against him. Phrased differently, the negotiations with Gen also confirm he’s pretty contrarian in general, wanting freedom and pushing for it thoughtlessly regardless of the practicality of it (he didn’t seem like he cared about getting the petrification beam. It’s just a power move, because that’s what he wanted: unconditional power).

He’s a veryyy proud character, we we know this, big ego that thinks he’s hit shit with the ladies and the strongest and that means he deserves everything he wants on a whim, but he does react very badly when someone talks about him negatively or otherwise challenge him (Kohaku when she said he had no integrity or appeal lol, making him go “you’re no longer cute, let’s fight to the death now”). He takes rejection really bad. Maybe that can show that his self-esteem is less strong than we think. Not that it’s completely a front, boy no actor is that good, but certainly, Mozu could get triggered by someone insulting him or confronting him with his flaws, insinuating that he’s anything less than worthy of his success or whatever else. His strength and, eh, beauty, are the only things he has going for him after all, he might get touchy with them being put into question, or rather having their worth put into question the way Hyoga does by claiming people can train and become better than Mozu if they have enough trained talent. It can also be less personal, that just as someone who hasn’t been used to people refusing him anything for a long while and being contrarian himself having someone just straight up provoking him or insulting him makes him see red. Whatever, cool excuse for bloodlust, bro.

He’s also not as impulsive as one would assume with his horny jock archetype tbh. Rather, he’s very observant and calculating, which was pointed out a significant amount of times. I do feel like it’s often overlooked that he didn’t just want to keep Kohaku alive because he wanted to sleep with her, but that his end goal was for her to spill the beans. It’s a threat as much as it’s unappealing flirting, a power move once again. He likes to do a lot of them, to be sure. That’s why he bragged about lowkey wanting to kill the science crew in front of them. Anyways- Yeah, in the end even with Kohaku, everything he did from A to Z in the Treasure Island arc was to actively further his own agenda. Also he’s sneaky and light in his feet, rather than being super loud or even attention seeking tbh. (Watching people quietly & noticing things/spying, sneaking into the cave without anyone hearing or seeing him arrive, the whole cloaked surprise attacks thing)

Redemption & healing

So. How did this fucking murderous selfish piece of shit become this?

Well… Errr, an off-screen redemption arc?

It’s very much swept under the rug, the difference between the climactic battle he had with Hyoga and later on after he got unpetrified to become a part of the science kingdom is staggering, and unexplained. The manga wants you to assume that his last conversation with Hyoga explains his change of heart enough. Which… It kind of does? Like, canon if you could have spent like 1 panel telling us that Mozu has been training with Hyoga and getting along well with the crew and acclimating peacefully it’d have been cool but whatever, we can piece it out pretty well on our own. My best guess for his off-screen redemption arc is that the whole Hyoga speech and defeat humbled him enough to reconsider some of his life philosophies (pretty much the canon reading, especially since he confirmed he’d like to train, aka an acknowledgement that he’s not the best he could be + shows him learning some work ethics). But, I like to think that what makes him become much more of a team guy rather than wanting to be above everyone, is that being away from Treasure Island and the tyrannical system that was there, his agression and need for hierarchy subsided because in Senku’s group there is safety. There is no struggle for power, working for one guy that just wants to be powerful and take advantage of that (Ibara. Which ironicalky is what Mozu himself wanted to become, since he had no example of what else there is than exploiting and being exploited), instead there is a community that is very open and humane, one that values the life of even their worst enemies, one that doesn’t treat you like shit even if you contribute less to the working force or have unconventional qualities. He got fricking humbled, and he found that there were other ways to live. So, he mellowed out. That’s kind of the only realistic explanation I can make for it, so in the end I do think that supports my reading that his resorting to violence so automatically and all o’ that is a trauma response. The epilogue chapter showed he got a happy ending with plenty of chicks so like, lol, things are working out for him ig.

And that’s how you turn an horrible irredeemable-seeming villain into a comedy relief character with minimal exposition and redemption arc.

In conclusion

[last pic source: https://www.tumblr.com/9009l3/658963831138238464/mozu-flower :) 💖]

Also I made a spotify playlist for him bc I’m cringe, here it is if ya want it: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/79AEoXTRT3GTYVGlUONGol?si=ag6wl-CnT569OCM5CGWnhw

#dr stone #dr. Stone #manga spoilers #mozu #moz #dcst moz #dcst mozu #dcst #character analysis #analysis #dcst analysis #trying out new tags idk #character playlist #spotify playlist #it’s at the bottom of the post

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