#my only gripe are in devilgrams really | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

elsecrytt · 2 years

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Tumblr doesn't allow for readmore stuff in asks, which is fair, because the site is kinda a potato - I'll put this recent ask I got under a cut <3

This is a part of some ongoing gripes me and several other people have with certain parts of the game/characters/plot developments/etc.

If you are loving the game and everything about it, please just scroll on! You keep enjoying it all friend! I don't want to invalidate your opinions, and I don't want you to invalidate mine, so just pass on this one if it's not your vibe!

I have been replaying the early game and events for documenting purposes a lot lately and... Your post about Barbatos taking advantage of a situation in which MC did not consent reminds me of how in the early game the demons would also do pretty terrible things sometimes and if MC ever called them out on it they would remind MC that they're demons and they don't follow human morality.

Now does that upset some people? Undoubtedly. But the game at least explained that they act like this because they have a different set of morals that humans do. It was part of the package. But that didn't stop them from developing a sense of respect toward MC and learning where MCS boundaries were (like not threatening to eat them).

The late game really seems to lean more into the fluffy goodness and makes them way closer aligned to human morality than they were previously. It reframes all their negative traits as being toxic in a different way than their negative traits were in the earlier chapters.

A demon acting like a demon and framing the world through their own morality but still showing you respect is one thing. Someone who is your friend, who understands you and who knows that you trust them and they're supposed to trust you taking advantage of that trust and using it against you is a whole other.

Yes the tail game is the exact chapter in which I decided I hated both Barbatos and Asmodeus and that Solomon was the shadiest f****** wizard in the world (I only like him under duress).

Also MC was a lot sassier in the early game. They did not tolerate being a demon punching bag or ignoring all the issues happening around them.

Sorry I don't know how to explain this. It makes sense in my head but I don't know if I have the vocabulary to voice it.

~ Naomi

Now, to be fair, in my opinion, Season 1 was more "dark humor/parody" than like, actual gritty dark content like in those delicious darkfics I love to get into on Ao3.

It's very easy to brush off Levi trying to kill you during the quiz because the narration doesn't really like... make it sound super scary or anything. It builds up Levi's anger and gives you the option to run/call for help, and the scene ends with Luci stepping in. There's not that much tension.

Of course, Lesson 16 is the massive exception. They go OUT OF THEIR WAY to describe. well. Basically a pretty brutal murder scene? Like it's not explicitly graphic but it pulls no punches, that's pretty much the most straight dark fiction as the game will go.

There's the scenes of Satan and Lucifer threatening you that stand out particularly well to me. Mammon "threatens" you but no one takes him seriously kazshfdlhfdg

I really appreciate and adore your point of like. Demons being demons!! Their cultural values are different! Their morals are different! But that doesn't mean that friendship and respect aren't concepts to them, and it doesn't mean you can't earn that from them!

In the game itself, I think that's most present in the devilgrams (our delicious "remember that time we strangled a group of incubi?" and Satan's devilgram where he talks about scaring the shit out of a kid and his parents for a minor offense) where you get a sense of like.

This is it for them, this is their daily life, these are things they do without thinking about it. The main story isn't so much "they are DEMONS", but just, the brothers acting the way they do, and then you working around that.

I don't remember them bringing up "I'm a demon" that much as a justification; in fact, with Satan's threats and (most of) Lucifer's, I don't think they justify it much at all, in-story?

They are demons. They don't tell you that. They just are. If you cross Satan he'll cut you up and feed you to lower level demons, and he makes that threat without blinking an eye.

He's the Avatar of Wrath and you're a stranger imposing on him. Of course he'll do that. It tells you about his character, about how he normally acts when provoked, about his brutality, and just how commonplace this kind of threat is for him.

Demons cannot resist temptation. They punish those beneath them for any missteps; the game doesn't tell you that they do this because they're demons. It shows you.

(Lucifer does tell you the temptation thing directly, but still!)

And in Season 2... they all become very lovestruck. Diavolo in Season 1 is WILDLY morally questionable; it's pretty obvious that as soon as Belphie's opposition to Dia's goals is resolved, Diavolo no longer gives a fuck that Belphie's literally murdered a human - all his "enforcing the law" is down the drain now that he can make everything nice with Lucifer again.

Come Season 2 Diavolo is very responsible, and EXTREMELY apologetic - he falls over himself to apologize for his failure to provide a sufficient solution, and he keeps information to himself for dramatic effect the peace of mind of others.

I super enjoyed Season 2, and Season 3 as well to be honest. And I like part of Season 4! But god, the demons have changed, you absolutely have the right of it there.

Suddenly they all operate by very respectful human morals - in Lesson 71 the student who cursed a love spell onto a student council member got a "stern reprimand" from Lucifer. Lucifer!

Diavolo's whole vision for the worlds is this very noble goal and it's framed as one. But if they want him to be this good moral person, and operate by good moral standards... why aren't they actually applying that to the way he treats Lucifer?

It's one thing when Diavolo was a dick in Season 1, where death threats were flying around everywhere. It's another thing entirely to have Diavolo being a dick in Season 4 where he's being held up as this leader who has the right idea for the future of all three realms.

The characters started out flawed, and now they're acting as if they've always known what morals are, and it just. Defeats the purpose. Why are they demons at all if they're not going to do demon things? PLEASE.

I will say though, Season 4 MC is kind of a dick, and you do get a few options here and there to sass people. It sucks though, because we don't feel close to any of the characters anymore.

Season 3 was pure fluff, and while I maintain that it wasn't bad (there were character moments I liked!), it also wasn't remotely compelling, not like S1 and S2 were.

And yeah,,, you get me,, on the damn tail game like. I literally don't understand why that "betrayal" bit was necessary? AT ALL? Seriously, the secret test of character and everything along with it could have been perfectly well executed without that bit at the end.

The fact that Barbatos doesn't see or doesn't care about the hypocrisy of him violating our privacy like he does? That could be COMPELLING. That could be DEMONIC!

This could be Barbatos acting like the brothers in Season 1; no respect for us, no compassion, only loyalty to his lord and his job. But instead it's a one-off locked lesson with just no follow up whatsoever.

Again, I suspect this is a symptom of having just a billion characters to write for... but I still don't like it lmao and I resent the direction the writing has taken.

You're very right in that the characters feel like they're really being stuck in a mold of just... "normal love interests who don't do bad things", when they just weren't made to do that.

They were made for a game where one of the LIs fuckin murders you. Most of them threaten you. One of them literally twists/hurts your arm. They joked about eating you or dismembering you, and they did that to minor/lesser characters without hesitation.

Imo, that was a part of their appeal. These are demons, they are evil, they are wicked and bad and WILL kill, but you can earn their respect, their love, and they'll be good... to you.

That's a major part of the fantasy, even - being the One Master to Rule Them All, being this figure who they all respect and admire, where they're all dangerous, powerful, deadly beings.

Obey Me! has absolutely strayed from its roots, and while I still appreciate the characters and their dynamics... my god, do I miss it, and do I feel like the characterization is so much weaker now.

#elsey rambles #negativity #lesson 71 spoilers #long post #asks #naomi #OH I RECOGNIZE THAT YOU'RE twice-as-frustrating awwhh <3 #YOU wrote that recent demon marriage thing!! love that! i meant to reblog it but got distracted. i love worldbuilding headcanons hehe

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rsmrymnt-tea · 3 years

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i'm not sure if my asks can go through my phone, but your opinion on replaced mc aus? i think it's kinda getting out of hand, i can't handle the angst everytime i scroll through obey me tumblr ;w; no hate to the authors, but some of them really underestimate the love the bros have for mc, like they're not gonna get swayed by some human just like that-

I get them! If it’s been like a couple days and I don’t answer then that’s probably when I didn’t get them.

Oh boy, the short answer is I really don’t like about 98% of the ones I’ve read. I have many gripes with it, like I usually do with everything sjdfjhdgjh, so the replaced!MC AU really isn’t for me. My MC doesn’t behave the way the MC in those fics tend to (and neither do I, honestly), and the way I see the brothers is definitely not the way those fics need them to be in order for them to work.

No hate to the authors, by the way. That’s a given. I just have a lot of thoughts about their work and their work only, when it’s this AU in particular. It’s all under the cut so just scroll past if you don’t want to see me going on and on about my problems with this AU and the things I’ve noticed common in them.

Straight up, unless it’s Lilith herself who shows up or another exchange student who’s somehow powerful enough to curse the brothers into forgetting about/hating MC, I just don’t buy it without the brothers feeling so OOC. I get it if some of them vibed more with the new exchange student depending on how your MC is, but all of them straight up forgetting about MC? Siding with someone they barely know when they accuse MC of being abusive when MC previously didn’t show those tendencies? Unless it’s somehow set before nearly all the events of S1, it’s hard to believe. And considering that Belphie’s around in those fics, it implies that the events of S1 already happened.

And even then, the moment the new exchange student gets in front of Diavolo or Simeon while around the brothers and MC, it’s over for them. Diavolo is a living lie detector—it’s brought up very early in main story that he can sense when someone is lying. So all the new exchange students lying about MC hurting them or lying to the brothers? They’d have to somehow never be in the same room as Diavolo so that they never get found out. And Diavolo—on his own word, so take it or leave it—never lies. So he just has to tell Lucifer or break whatever spell the brothers are under then goodbye, replacer.

Simeon meanwhile can sense intention—it’s an ability of his that seldom gets mentioned (in fact I think it’s only brought up in a couple Devilgrams) but it’s something he can do nonetheless. Any malicious intent by the exchange student will get sniffed out quick, and all he needs to do is alert Lucifer (who’s highly resistant to curses and hexes and canonically can undo/break them easily) or Diavolo to get the ball rolling on getting rid of that problem student.

It’s an AU, I get it. It’s also cathartic for some people to read and write, and an interesting concept to explore. But if people are free to write and enjoy it, people are also free to block the tag and save themselves the hurt.

Also—that’s another gripe I have. It’s triggering content that barely gets the appropriate tags for it. Write whatever possibly hurtful shit you want, just tag it properly at the very least. Abandonment, abuse, neglect, and gaslighting are all real issues people deal with and they’re all common in a lot of untagged replaced!MC fics I’ve seen.

In the end, it is an AU that hinges on a lot of things straying pretty far from what’s show to be canon to work—the intense love the brothers have for MC being one of them. You/MC has done an unbelievable amount of things for the brothers that they’ll never forget, the biggest ones being having earned their trust therefore forging pacts with a majority of them that way; reuniting their family and getting the truth about Lilith out therefore letting them—the twins especially—heal from the loss; and being living closure as to what really happened to Lilith. And don’t get me started on why I think Satan would never ever treat MC the way he does in so many of those fics.

As for the side characters, two of them have the abilities I mentioned above so of course they’d side with MC. Barbatos would side with whoever Diavolo sides with, and Luke would of course side with Simeon (and you can’t tell me that this little guy won’t be able to sniff out that something’s wrong too). Solomon’s also one of the most empathetic characters when it comes to MC imo, and is very fond of them. He’s smart enough to see when something is up and knows human behavior quite well as a human himself—and is probably even better than Lucifer when it comes to sensing and breaking curses and hexes, should the new student use those on the brothers.

And if the new exchange student is actually just nice? Then they’d fucking include MC in bonding with the brothers. I don’t understand why MC is just never asked to join in on the bonding time the brothers + new student have when MC’s been friends with the brothers even longer? That’s not how making friends work, you don’t split up a pair of friends to hang out with the other when you just met them unless you’ve got intentions imo. I can’t buy that the brothers wouldn’t have MC tag along even as they try to get closer to the new student, like come on.

All that being said, the replaced!MC aftermath fics/hcs where MC gives the brothers shit/cold shoulder/replaces them for how they’ve treated MC give me a kick unlike any other HAHAHA I’m really spiteful and petty sorry they fully deserve what’s coming after what they’ve done to MC in those fics

#lia!! 💚#chat & colloquy #another ranty one gjsdjsfdbvjfh #another pretty long one too hahaha #sal et suka #replaced!MC AU #i hope i dont need to say that these are just opinions and you can still do whatever the fuck you want #except the tagging thing please tag your fics #anyway despite all this one of my favorite fics ever on this site is a replaced!MC one HAHAHAHA #it’s called the years start coming and they dont stop coming by fickleminder #tattooed into my brain forever #i love it that much #linked up there and its literally the first one i read where lilith comes back #actually it probably helped that i read it before the replaced mc au became a trend

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mammonshuman92 · 3 years

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- Sapphire -

(Mammon x MC)

| part two | part three |

NOTE: F!MC

It’s here, in the endless sapphire pools, that I could get lost swimming, forever. The sheer power that they hold over me is otherworldly, and to be honest, quite unfair.

“MC! Are you listening?” Satan was looking at you with slight irritation, closing his book. The two of you have been studying for an upcoming test in the common room since you got home from RAD.

You jumped a little, abruptly interrupted from your daydream.

“Hmm? Oh, sorry. I guess I zoned out.” You replied sheepishly. You sat up in your chair, looking at your textbooks trying to regain some kind of memory of what you and Satan had been studying, but it was no use. As of late, there was only ever one thing on your mind. Well, one demon anyway.

“It appears that your mind is elsewhere. Maybe we should take a break and pick it back up after dinner?” he suggested.

You checked the time on your D.D.D., and jumped up from where you sat. Satan looked at you, shocked by your sudden rash behavior.

“Oh, umm.. I can’t tonight, I have a....thing. Tomorrow though?” You rushed around gathering your books and notes into a disorderly pile. Satan looked at you suspiciously. What has gotten into her? He thought.

“Alright. Are you actually going to be present? More than just physically, I mean.”

“Yes, yes. I’m really sorry. Thanks!” You yelled over your shoulder as you ran from the room.

As you rounded the corner of the hallway, you ran right smack into something, sending you and all your books and papers flying.

Great.

“Oof!”

That thing you smacked into? Yeah, that was Mammon. You both landed on your butts with a *thud*

“What the Hell are ya runnin’ for?!” He griped, confused as to what had just happened. When he noticed who had run into him and his attitude changed. “MC? What are ya doin'?”

“I’m sorry, Mammon! I didn’t mean to run into you, I’m just in a hurry.” You quickly explained, trying to gather all your papers, again. He grabbed the small bit of papers near him and handed them to you.

“In a hurry for what?” he asked curiously, cocking his head to the side a little.

Shit! He can’t know where I’m going! I need to make an excuse and fast!

“Oh, umm.. I, uh, I-I’m going shopping with Asmo! Yeah.” That should work. He ususally follows you everywhere, especially shopping but once it comes to shopping with you and Asmo? Yeah, he’d rather sit that one out. Although, I’m sure he’ll complain that you’re not hanging out with him anyway.

You quickly grabbed the last bit of papers and took off toward your room without another word to Mammon.

“It’s movie night, ya know?!” He called after you.

“I’m sorry! I’ll make it up to you, I promise!” You yelled hastily, before quickly shutting your door.

“Hmph. Guess I’ll just do movie night by myself then” He pouted, sticking out his bottom lip a little like a small child.

As he turned to go to his room, something caught his eye.

A piece of paper the two of you had missed. He picked it up and looked it over.

It’s for sure MC’s handwriting. Is it song lyrics or somethin’?

He shrugged and shoved it into his pocket.

“I don’t have time to change, so my RAD uniform will just have to do. I just need to grab my bag, then I can go. Ugh! I’m gonna be late!” You said aloud while darting around your room.

I’m pretty nervous. I’ve never read any of the stuff I write in front of anyone, much less a crowd or people. Maybe I won’t choke since none of the brothers will be there. Could you imagine reading what you wrote in front of HIM?

*Shiver.* No thanks. Pretty sure I would spontaneously combust.

You grab your things and hurriedly rush out of your room. Hopefully I get out of here without being seen. I’m not sure how many lies I can come up with.

As you made your way down the staircase, someone came through the front door.. Dammit! It’s Asmo.

After a quick discussion, you were able to slip away from him.

Checking your D.D.D. for the time, you quickened your pace. “If I hurry I can make it there before the first reading.”

Mammon laid sprawled out on the couch in the common room, scrolling through Devilgram. He sighed heavily. “I’m so bored.”

He heard someone talking just outside the doorway.

Is that Asmo?

He went to investigate only to find Asmo walking down the hall with an arm full of shopping bags.

“You guys are back already?” Mammon questioned him.

“Pardon?” Asmo asked, visibly confused.

“You and MC only left like an hour ago and you’re already back? Are ya sick?”

“Mammon what are going on about? I left to go shopping right after school.”

Huh? She ...lied?

“MC told me she was goin’ shopping with ya and left in a hurry earlier. If she ain’t with you, where’d she go?”

“Maybe she has a date.” Asmo shrugged and headed toward his room. Mammon stood there motionless and shocked like he’d been slapped in the face.

A date? The thought clawed it’s way around his brain. He felt a pang in his chest.

He’s always with her. To and from RAD, after school, through dinner, and until bed. Always together. They’re best friends.

So how did she manage to meet some other demon without him noticing? He started to get antsy and decided to go look for evidence in her room.

He looked everywhere. All over her desk and dresser, he couldn’t find a single shred of information on this mystery demon. Feeling defeated, he flopped across her bed with a groan.

Am I not good enough? I mean, she already spends all her time with me, what’s she need someone else for?

Thoughts of MC being with someone romantically ...intimately, started flooding his mind. He tried to shake it, but they just kept coming. The pain in his chest got worse.

He’s always been fond of her. In the beginning, when she was still new, he acted like it was such a burden to watch over her, but he secretly enjoyed it. There was just something about her. As hard as he tried to fight it, he found himself developing a sweet spot for the human. She’s always so nice and sticks up for him when it comes to his brothers. She always seems happy to see him and is down for whatever crazy money making schemes he can come up with. Before she got here, it had been a long time since he had felt this happy. He’s pretty sure he’s never laughed so much in his entire existence than when he’s with her.

As much as he tries to convince himself that he doesn’t care about the human, he doesn’t want to go back to life without her. Truth is, he cares about her. A lot.

All the thinking was starting to depress him.

He decided to get up and go to his own room and sulk for the rest of the night. Maybe he could stop by Lucifer’s study and sneak off with a bottle of Demonus.

As he made his way to the door, he noticed something. The little calendar on your desk had a date circled in red. He picked it up to get a closer look. The date circled was today.

“Coffee shop, 6pm”

Boom. Re-con was successful! He found out where your date was!

He put the calendar back on your desk and checked the time. Crap! It’s almost 7.

He bolted from the room. If he had any chance of seeing what kind of punk lesser demon you were on a date with, he needed to hurry.

“This has to be it. She only goes to one coffee shop.” Mammon whispered to himself as he tried to peak inside the front window of the establishment. He couldn’t see you anywhere from where he was and decided to go inside and sit at a table in the very back. Maybe she won’t notice me. He thought.

He scanned the room, but still couldn’t see you anywhere. Maybe she went to the bathroom?

As he kept scanning the room, the lights started to dim and everyone focused their attention to a small stage with a lone microphone at the back of the shop.

Huh?

A light shined on the stage and a man stepped up to the microphone.

“Thank you all for coming, we have a great turn out tonight. Without any further adieu, let’s get open mic night started!” The crowd applauded and the man walked off stage.

"Open mic night? I didn’t know she liked this kinda stuff.” Mammon said quietly to himself.

Maybe that’s why she’s on a date. He probably noticed all the stuff I didn’t. Mammon sat back in his chair, arms crossed across his chest, pouting. She’d never wanna be with an idiot like me anyway.

A couple people read poems, one girl sang, and a few people played instruments. Still no sign of MC.

Maybe she does know a different coffee shop. He started to fidget in his seat, mentally kicking himself. You shoulda told her, ya idiot!

How could he though? He is one of the seven rulers of the underworld. How is he supposed to tell a human that she makes his life so much better? That your laugh is like music and his favorite smell is that of your shampoo? That when you fall asleep next to him on the couch on movie night it’s the best night of his week?

“Our final act of the night is new to the stage and a little nervous, so go easy on her.” said the emcee. The audience started to applaud as the man walked off stage.

Mammon scooted his chair out and stood to leave. She obviously wasn’t here and he needed a drink.

He was making his way to the door, when he heard it.

That voice. MC?

He turned to see you standing on the stage, spotlight shining on you. He listened as you spoke.

Is that ...a poem? The words sounded very familiar, like he had heard them very recently. Then it clicked.

He fished the piece of paper out of his pocket. The poem you were reciting on stage was the same thing written on the paper he found in the hallway.

She wrote this?

He looked up at where you stood on the stage. You hadn’t noticed him so he made his way back to his seat. As he watched you, he started paying attention to the words you were saying. You spoke so softly.

“It’s here, in the endless sapphire pools, that I could get lost swimming, forever.

Gold flecks, warm like sunshine, adorn the precious gems he dare call an iris.

The sheer power that they hold over me is otherworldly, and to be honest, quite unfair.”

So there really is someone. He thought. There was a stinging feeling in his chest. You don’t talk like that unless love is involved.

“Warm skin, the color of caramel, electricity felt in the slightest of touches.

Hair born of the winter, soft as the Heavens from where it once reigned.

Completely enamored by this creature, I would also happily fall from grace.”

Hair born of winter? Fall from grace? Tan skin?

Wait. That sounds like..

Realization hit him like a truck.

“..It’s about me..” He whispered, barely audible even to himself.

His chest felt like it was going to explode. His stomach so full of butterflies he felt nauseous.

He couldn’t believe it..

| part two |

#obey me #obey me shall we date #obey me mammon #mammon x mc #mammon fluff

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