#(there were a LOT of theories about one of them copying the other- even her in the suit being his dad) | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

gamerwoo · 27 days

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[SKZ Imprinted] Stray Kids: Dungeons & DragonsWerewolves (Spin-Off)

Characters: ot8 skz x ocs

Genre/warnings: college au, werewolf au (sort of), humor, minor angst. lots of d&d happening (coming from someone who knows very little about d&d), possible major character death in the beginning and the end but not really, a twist on dream theory

Word count: 2,976

Summary: What if it was all just one elaborate D&D campaign?

a/n: this wasn't requested i just thought this might be fun hehe

SKZ Imprinted Masterlist

This was it. This was the moment the entire pack had been waiting for.

Jungkook was back.

The only problem was it wasn't on the terms they'd hoped. They wanted Namjoon to track him down. They wanted the hunters to bring him to them under safe circumstances so they could be sure everyone on their side would be safe.

Instead, it was chaos.

Ryujin was held tightly in front of him, one of his strong arms wrapped around her to keep her there. In his other hand was a gun, the barrel pressed to her temple. Jungkook's wild eyes scanned the small crowd in front of him.

"Don't move," he threatened through clenched teeth, his jaw impossibly tight, "or I'll shoot."

But how could Minho not move? Of course he was going to do anything to save his mate, even if it meant putting his own life in danger.

He lunged forward, betting on his reflexes being faster than Jungkook's. The hunter moved his arm that held the gun to his sister's head and--

Bam!

The room froze, all eyes going from Ryujin to Minho as time seemed to slow. Chan's jaw dropped as he watched his brother fall to his knees in front of Jungkook. He saw the bullet come out from the back of Minho's head--

"No fuckin' way!"

Aeri slowly lifted her gaze from the two large books she propped up around her like a child in school taking an exam and trying to hide their test behind folders and binders. Spread out in front of her were more papers. But instead of her eyes being wide as she read off of the papers she had written and spent hours planning, she was now glaring at the cause of the interruption.

"Minho died?!" Hyunjin gasped, looking at the dungeon master with wide brown eyes.

"Well dumbass over here wanted to just lunge at Jungkook like a psychopath!" she stated, gesturing across the long table to the psychopath in question.

Minho still looked displeased, continuing his earlier outburst, "There's absolutely no shot I die there."

"There was actually a shot," Seungmin stated, "and you did die to it."

Minho continued to glare at Aeri as he grabbed his d20 without looking, while she scanned over her paperwork to make sure she was correct -- even though she knew she was. She had copies of all of their character sheets and had been keeping careful track of all of their stats. Minho definitely hit 0.

She looked up and nodded once, stating, "Roll."

It was her idea to start this D&D campaign. She actually came up with all of the characters and their backgrounds. She also decided to modify it to make it at least a little more realistic.

Originally, the eight boys were supposed to be part of a gang with all of them having different roles. But her boyfriend begged to be a werewolf, and then Seungmin decided he needed to be one, and it snowballed into all eight men banning together to create their werewolf pack.

Chan was their fearless alpha, which gave him an extra strength point just for that. Aeri assigned Minho as a Rogue, taking some inspiration from his slyness in real life. Changbin was a Rogue Barbarian, using a mix of stealth and brute force to take down any foes in his path. The others in the pack were simply 'Scholars', a class Aeri invented for this "realistic" campaign -- though, Hyunjin's character had a mysterious past that nobody knew details about, and they had yet to discover anything else about his possible class or alignment.

Overall, the girlfriends of the group were simple Human Scholars with their different alignments. The only exceptions were Jamie, and the sisters. Jamie's class and alignment were both unknown, though her character was a mostly non-verbal person with a lot of her thoughts, emotions, and past kept a mystery.

The youngest of the Jeon sisters was classified as a Fighter, while Elsie was a Werewolf Hunter -- another class Aeri invented, but said it was a sub-class of Fighter.

And their brother was made one of the villains, and was the current main villain. All because Aeri was upset he wouldn't join their campaign.

Minho's die hit the table. 14.

"One win," he smirked.

"Two more to go," Aeri reminded him.

"Wasn't there a rule last time about not going with Minho's first answer and letting the group decide?" Ankita recalled while the rolls for combat continued.

"Yeah, but it wasn't as fun," Aeri sighed. "I made an executive decision as DM to undo the rule."

"Honestly," Jamie spoke up, holding a steaming mug of tea between both hands, "it's his own fault for getting shot."

"It's Aeri's fault for rolling a 19!" Minho shouted, making Mari jump during her turn to roll, prematurely dropping the die on the table.

"Okay, okay," Chan stepped in to calm the group before they decided to gang up on his girlfriend, "let's remember this isn't the first time someone got shot -- and Elsie lived."

"Barely," she stated. "I literally met God, like, 3 times."

The bad thing about having a DM who only just recently got into D&D and only knew the bare minimum -- if that -- was that Aeri tended to just make things up as she went. She wasn't always sure when to roll Perception or Initiative or when to roll for one's literal life. So sometimes she just...made things up.

The good thing about having a DM like Aeri, though, was that things were always interesting. Sometimes she would throw things in as she went, even if they weren't pre-planned. Having her ex-boyfriend, Taehyung be the original bad guy along with her mutual friends with him was something she had planned all along, but she decided to really focus on Jungkook out of nowhere when he refused to join the campaign when she offered that one time he came over for the Halloween party. She had always planned for Elsie to be a Fighter, but decided last minute to add on Werewolf Hunter when her and Seungmin went on The World's Shortest Break just to tease them. She made the decision while they were actively rolling for their Abilities to lower Minho, Hyunjin, and Jisung's Intelligence and Wisdom scores despite what they had rolled because she just couldn't have them being smart in any universe.

The die hit the table again. 1.

Aeri smirked at Minho, "Two losses. Good luck, champ."

"Two?!" Minho exclaimed angrily. "But I--"

"If you roll less than 10, it's one loss. If you roll a 1, it counts for two," Seungmin explained before rolling his eyes. "Don't you pay attention to the rules?"

"Not when Chan's girlfriend makes up half of them!" he shouted, gesturing toward the DM at the head of the table.

All she did was stare back at Minho, glance around the table, and shrug.

"Some of us died several times and aren't complaining," Elsie reminded him.

"Babe, can you just roll?" Ryu whined softly. "This is supposed to be fun."

"It's fun when I'm not about to die!" he exclaimed again before tossing the die across the table, landing on Hyunjin's character sheets.

The younger boy looked down in front of him before looking up at Minho to tell him, "19."

Minho tossed his head back and loudly groaned before shouting, "Motherfucker!"

The rest of the table, however, was having a fantastic time watching Minho struggle. He was so close to an instant win, and they couldn't help but laugh at his failure.

"If you die, you can always have Yoongi bring you back to life," Minseo shrugged. "I don't see the problem."

"That was only because Yoongi showed up for one game night and he wanted to do something cool," Aeri stated. "If he's not here, he can't help you."

"That's a stupid rule and you know it," Minho huffed, rolling his eyes until they glared at Aeri.

"Not stupid. Intentionally mean," Hyunjin corrected.

Aeri just grinned, "If it wasn't so funny seeing Minho get this mad at a game, maybe the rules would be different."

"Monopoly may end friendships but DnD completely burns all bridges of friendship," Ankita said quietly as she stared down at the table, too afraid to look up in case she caught Minho's intense stare.

Minho blew on the die, mumbling, "C'mon, c'mon..."

Finally, with a deep breath that was slowly let out, Minho tossed the die onto the table. Everyone leaned over to see what the outcome was, some standing up from their seats to see. And...

Ryu cried out Minho's name, one hand reaching out for him as she squirmed to get away, but Jungkook just tightened his grip. Some of the pack stayed frozen, trying to process what had happened as Minho blood pooled on the floor around where he lay seemingly lifeless. Others fell to their knees, sobs wracking their bodies.

Chan was one of the few that hadn't yet processed what exactly had happened as he stared at Minho's body. But as he stared, he realized...he was still breathing. Was it possible that maybe, somehow, Jungkook hadn't used a silver bullet? Maybe he didn't have access to that after running away? Maybe there was a chance for Minho to live.

But they would have to act quickly.

"I try to distract Jungkook to get his attention off of Minho and avoid a finishing blow, and so Changbin can sneak around and attack," Chan stated for his turn.

Aeri nodded for him to roll the dice.

Slowly, the alpha put up his hands in surrender. Jungkook's gaze and gun immediately pointed to him, but Chan didn't even flinch.

"It doesn't have to end like this," he said slowly and calmly as he tentatively took a small step forward, testing the waters. Jungkok was shaking and had clearly lost all rational thought, but this was still a risk Chan was willing to take for his brother. "You don't want to hurt Ryujin -- I know you don't. You care about her. You just want your family back and for things to go back to normal. Trust me, I understand that. But...this isn't how you should go about it."

Changbin tried to pull himself together, sniffling as he wiped stray tears from his cheeks. His reddened eyes stay trained on Jungkook as he slowly and cautiously took a step to the side. He just wanted to get out of the rogue hunter's line of sight. But currently, Jungkook seemed to have tunnel-visioned onto Chan.

"You still have a chance to stop yourself from hurting her and making it worse," Chan assured Jungkook. His eyes were sincere, even if they were still blood red. "If you walk away now and let Minho go--"

"This isn't realistic literally at all," Elsie was the one to interrupt this time with a huff and a roll of her eyes.

Aeri froze, eyes wide in annoyance and staring at her sheet. She slowly moved her gaze to the older girl toward the other end of the table, "What now?"

"You really think Kookie wouldn't notice that absolute unit side-stepping away?" she snorted.

Jisung sighed, "Fine, I'll roll for distract--"

"No," Seungmin stated. "Every time you roll for speed when you're driving in serious situations, you end up going, like, 5 under."

"Fine, then you do it," Jisung told him in a sassy, high-pitched voice.

"For Minho? No."

"Your character would, though," Hyunjin reminded him.

Seungmin let out the loudest and most drawn-out groan before picking up his die and rolling it in his hand. He threw it on the table and immediately was beaming.

"15!"

However, his smile fell when he saw the way Aeri was looking at him, "What?"

Seungmin took a step forward to start running and immediately shifted, roaring at Jungkook as he lunged toward him. Jungkook's arm moved at lightening speed, and all Chan could do was cry out, "No!"

Jungkook shot Seungmin in the chest, but the distraction was still enough for Changbin to sneak up on the hunter and wrap one arm around his neck before forcing the gun out of his grasp with his other hand. Chan rushed to Ryu's aid to get her away from her brother before handing her off to Felix, who escorted the girl out of the room while she was kicking and screaming for Minho.

"How do I get shot?!" Seungmin demanded.

"Shut it, you're still alive. It wasn't a vital shot. Get a higher number next time," she said dismissively before going back to the story.

Jisung and Jeongin rushed to help Changbin subdue Jungkook, while Hyunjin went to the alpha's side as he examined the hurt wolves. Chan had rolled Minho onto his back and saw his chest was still rising and falling, even if it was shallow. He knew a bullet that wasn't made out of silver wouldn't kill him, but it could still wound him pretty badly. For all he knew, he could have permanent brain damage. And Seungmin could face something similar.

"We need to get them out of here," Chan breathed, trying to stay calm. "We need to get them to Josh and Aya."

"How are they still alive?" Hyunjin questioned. "It shouldn't be possible, right?"

Chan had his suspicion the bullet wasn't silver, but he had to make sure. His eyes scanned the floor until he found the bullet from Minho. Without even thinking about it, he reached for it, hissing in pain as it immediately sizzled against his skin.

His eyes widened.

"Roll to kill Jungkook!" Changbin shouted out of turn.

Aeri immediately turned to him, "Can you wait your turn? It's technically Jeongin's anyway."

"Roll to kill Jungkook!" Jeongin cheered with a wide grin.

"Don't you have the lowest stats?" Jisung asked.

"No, I'm way smarter than you are."

"Are you sure?" Aeri asked, her tone serious as she looked across the table at the youngest. "If you don't roll high enough, it could end badly for you."

"What, another fake shot?" Minho scoffed, rolling his eyes.

"No."

All eyes went to Aeri. This was very crucial information to the campaign. She was warning them that this time, there would be a very real death for Jeongin's character. There would be no going back.

"I don't want to spoil anything, but...I know this run means a lot to you guys so far. So...just a warning," she told him with a shrug. "Are you sure?"

The group looked around between each other. The girls didn't really have much to do with the current predicament, so it was something the boys had to work out. But ultimately, they decided it was Jeongin's decision. Did he think he would be lucky enough to roll a number high enough to actually get rid of the biggest villain thus far in the campaign?

Jeongin stared at his d20. Did he think he could do it? Did he even want to risk it? But if he pulled it off, it would be so cool. And it would be such a big accomplishment within the campaign. They could move onto something new or even expand Ryu and Elsie's lore with this. Overall, the opportunities for Jeongin pulling this off would be great for the group.

But if he failed...

Jeongin lifted his hand, pausing like he was second-guessing if he should pick up the die. But then his hand moved forward again.

"You're killing me off?"

The majority of the group at the table jumped. Hyunjin even let out a gasp and almost fell into Mari's lap as he put a hand to his chest.

"What are you doing here?" Ryu whined, looking at her twin brother that had just walked into Jeongin's parents' dining room.

"Didn't you tell me to pick you guys up at 9?" Jungkook asked, checking his phone again to make sure he had the time right.

Jisung's eyes widened, "It's already 9?!"

"It's passed my bedtime..." Ankita mumbled.

"Oh, shit," Chan chuckled as he also checked the time on his phone. "Didn't realize it was already ending time."

"But it was just getting good!" Minseo whined.

"And I'm on death's door with chucklehead over there," Minho scowled, pointing his thumb over his shoulder to Seungmin. "We can't just leave it like this!"

"If you guys are killing me, shouldn't I fight for myself?" Jungkook asked.

Aeri scoffed, "No! You didn't want to join the campaign to begin with!"

"Yeah, but now my life is on the line," he countered. "Can't I join in at least for the boss battle?"

"We don't even know if Jeongin is gonna go for it," Jamie said.

"And we apparently won't know until next week," Aeri sighed as she slapped one of her books closed.

"Well," Jungkook began as everyone started collecting their belongings and standing up from their chairs to leave, "maybe I'll hang around next week to see what happens."

Aeri eyed the boy up and down, eyes narrowed. She had wanted him to join... Maybe letting him play his own boss battle -- if it happened -- would be interesting. Even if Jeongin didn't go through with it, just watching the group play might convince Jungkook to join.

She grabbed Jungkook's character sheets, and the notes from the campaign so far from her folder and slapped them into his chest, "Study up, buddy."

"Alright, dingdong," Elsie walked up behind her younger brother and reached up to mess up his hair, "let's roll."

Jungkook shot her a dirty look, "Can you not?"

"Bye, guys!" Ryujin called as she put a hand on her brother's back to guide him out behind Elsie.

"Can't believe we're leaving it on a cliffhanger..." Changbin mumbled, clearly unsatisfied with the current ending.

Aeri just shrugged with a sweet smile, "Isn't that what this campaign does best?"

tag list (italics are unable to tag): @honeyylin @brattybunfornct @henloiamaweirdobye @anissanightyoung @mythicalamphitrite @nokachiki @liendoesja @smollquokka @hosh1kwon @cyberpunksunwoo @jadeblackwoll @jaspriv @sankyg @animefreak2112 @stay-berry @shuabby1994 @sarcasticsweetlara @bee-the-loser [if you’d like to be added to the tag list, please fill out this form!!!]

#k-labels #stray kids #skz #stray kids au #stray kids fic #stray kids series #stray kids x reader #werewolf!stray kids #skz au #skz fic #skz series #skz x reader #werewolf!skz

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angelofthepage · 6 months

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Memory Joey - What is your source?

Hi I did not get my full eight hours of sleep, and I am chomping at the bit with a new thought, so prepare for a slightly unhinged Kat theory about Joey.

Last night I was chatting with my partner in crime Beth about a number of Bendy things, but one of my many takeaways from that conversation was a new angle of looking at Memory Joey. So, recently I shared that I was frustrated with the narrative shift of Henry and Allison being ink copies, because it feels like it cheapens the original BATIM and doesn't do anything to serve the Joey Drew Redemption Arc (tm) narrative. We as the player know the man has a body count. Even if you take these two characters out of the mix, he's still responsible for the deaths of multiple other characters, mostly in the books, but like, come on, the whole "I own thousands of them" comment about souls in BATIM? The coffins with secret names on them? Joey you ain't slick. We spent too long establishing that Joey used his employees for their souls across MULTIPLE MEDIUMS to suddenly throw all of that out the window, and I don't entirely buy the idea that these two aren't the real deal. Granted, it still leaves us with questions about how the ink demon works given, there was also time dedicated to establishing that he was imperfect because he's soulless, but that's for another day.

But then, last night we talked about how none of these characters know Audrey is the daughter of Drew. And if they did know that, would their reactions be different? Would they still try to help her? I'm not sure. But it got me thinking about how there's a lot of things we the player know/believe that the characters don't. And that's when it hit me.

Memory Joey's story wasn't for us. It was for Audrey.

Now, that sounds obvious, like no duh, he's talking to Audrey for the whole scene, of course it's for her. Memory Joey doesn't know we as the players exist, he's got nothing to prove to us. But hear me out: that sequence wasn't meant to give us as players new information or prove he's a changed man, we weren't the ones who were supposed to believe in it. Audrey was. He has EVERYTHING to prove to Audrey. That's the daughter of the man he came from, his precious little girl, the first time he made something with the ink machine out of love, and she doesn't even remember that he's her father. Joey Drew, throughout his lifetime, cared a lot about how people saw him. Having shoes and a suit that didn't make him look poor, appearing financially stable to investors, the nasty things he had to say when he thought he wasn't being recorded, acting like he had control when everything he knew was falling apart, Joey was always trying to keep up appearances. And while I'll believe that he can mostly let go of that with time and growth, I don't think he could deal with Audrey, his daughter, seeing him as the bad guy. Especially when she doesn't remember Joey? Trying to make a good impression, sharing that yes, he did bad things, but he wasn't all bad? That he changed? That's covering Joey's ass something fierce.

Audrey isn't aware of Joey's body count. She doesn't know what happened to his employees. How Sammy became a cultist, how Susie was mistreated and manipulated to be desperate to be Alice. The entire story of Buddy Lewek and Norman Polk. She knows NONE of it! She doesn't know what he did. She doesn't know there were so many teenagers, just a little younger than her, that DIED because of his machine. And until you get the note about the kids that came before her, she has no idea she's not the first.

I often give Memory Joey a pass, he doesn't strike me as someone who would want to lie, especially to Audrey since he clearly cares about her. He delivers his slideshow presentation so earnestly, it feels like he truly believes this is what's true. But then I'm left questioning, what is his source? Why does he believe that they're clones? But maybe...maybe he is lying on purpose. I think it could be an equal opportunity for both. Joey was a liar in life, he lied about so many things (which is frustrating when he's the one giving us most of the information we look to to figure out how the heck ink works, Gent can you please give us some notes to cross reference?). Why wouldn't he lie to appear better to his own daughter? Memory Joey making that distinction for himself, that he himself cares for how Audrey sees him and Joey, would be a really valuable detail for his character, but him not knowing and believing all the information that someone like Joey left behind for him (since I'm assuming that's where his understanding of the cycle comes from) would also be interesting for his characterization.

But here's the kicker: by introducing the idea that Henry and Allison are not truly their human counterparts, if that turns out to be untrue, you've made a grave mistake Memory Joey. Audrey doesn't know any of these people were human before they became ink. I mean maybe she can deduce that other humans are in here given Allison's whole "I remember my first day" speech, but then Memory Joey throwing this at her, Allison is a creation rather than someone who was once alive? Who's to say she'd think twice about it? Wilson treats everyone like they're just ink and not worth caring for after all. But if she finds out about the sacrifices? That many of these ink creatures were once human? Oh Broseph my dude, you are gonna have a lot to answer for, more ways in which her trust in you will be utterly broken. That is a very messy, delicate balance. I kind of want to see that. I want to see him have his world view turned on its head, learning that he was wrong about Henry, and have him genuinely not know that he was fed bad information. Let him process that, let him struggle, and let Audrey grapple with the truth too.

Yeah, I don't necessarily think Henry and Allison are clones. Inhuman, yes, but clones? I think we need more than Memory Joey's word to know that for sure. So I ask again, sir, what is your source?

#batdr #bendy and the dark revival #memory joey #joey drew #batdr theory #bendy theory #audrey #long post

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fieryjeannearchives · 12 days

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🃏: Senku-chan, we’re good friends, aren’t we?

🧪: Why are you getting gross all of a sudden?

🃏: So ean-may! I just wanted to ask you for a favor.

🧪: Pff, should have started with that. What do you want me to re-invent this time? Mirinda?

🃏: No, no… It’s about helping me out rather than re-inventing something.

🧪: Okay? So, what is it? Stop beating around the bush and—

🃏: Can you help me choose my fiancée?

🧪: Hah?! Mentalist, I’m a scientist, not a matchmaker.

🃏: I know, I know! It’s just… I got all these requests and I don’t know who to pick! I’d usually go with the prettier one and call it a day but at this point, I really want to settle down, you know? So~, who better than my favorite scientist to help me sort this out?

��: You’re insane, ask someone else.

🃏: But Senku-chan! You know I would help you out with it if our roles were reversed.

🧪: That’s completely different. First of all, I have no intention of choosing a fiancée and secondly, if for whatever reason I ever did, I would only ask for your advice because you’re a mentalist… That’s kind of /your/ thing!

🃏: I’m not just asking you this as a scientist, although I’m hoping you have some sciencey way to help me, I’m asking you this as a friend. This is important to me.

🧪: Tsk, you have lots of other friends. Ask Ukyo, for example. I bet he would be much happier to help.

🃏: I did, but I want your opinion as well.

🧪: Fine… Did you print their profiles or…?

🃏, taking out the copies from his bag: Yup~! I wrote down my notes from our interviews along with their basic information. No pictures though, not that you would care about that anyway~.

🧪, taking them and starting to read them: No, not really. Okay, these three, out.

🃏: So fast!

🧪: I don’t want to waste more time than the necessary on this.

🃏: At least read them first!

🧪: I did! This one comes from a rich family, which might be something that interests a superficial man like you, but she’s too greedy. You will probably end up with a headache from dealing with her constant demands for more. Then this one has a similar background to yours, being a former celebrity and all that, but I think you’d be better off with someone with more contact with the real world.

🃏: The entertainment industry /is/ part of the real world.

🧪: You know what I meant by that. You need someone more grounded… Like this one, who is a lot more calm and mature than the other two. However, she seems a better fit for a friend than a wife. Even in your description, you don’t sound attracted to her at all.

🃏: I could… eventually—

🧪: Or you could waste both of your time.

🧪, taking another profile from the pile: Alright, this one is too impulsive, will also tire you out, and with this one, it sounds like you’re babysitting rather than dating.

🃏: Now you’re just being mean.

🧪: Hey, you asked for my help. Now zip it.

🧪, continues to discard profiles until there’s only one left: In theory, she would be the best option. You both have a fair amount of things in common to bond over, but she has strengths in what you lack, and vice versa.

🃏: Sounds promising~.

🧪: But! She’s either a liar or you made her up. I would have known if there was a scientist with her qualifications… Could have really helped us out at the main lab.

🃏: Maybe she was just recently unpetrified.

🧪: Doubt it.

🃏: Well… Whatever the case might be, if she made it this far, she might still be worth checking out. Who better than a liar for another liar~?

🧪: That’s stupid.

🃏: Well, if you have any better ideas, then I’m all ears, Senku-chan.

🧪: Ugh… if you are that desperate to get married, then fine. I’ll do it.

🃏: Very funny.

🧪: I’m serious. Compared to the other candidates you brought, I’m a much better option.

🃏: Except for the fact that I want an actual marriage, not just signing up some papers and then continuing acting the same as always.

🧪: Yeah, I know. We can definitely do that.

🃏: Wouldn’t that be a lot of wasted time for you though?

🧪: I already choose to spend most of my free time with you anyway. If you think about it, the only thing that would change is how we spend it.

🃏: And you would be fine with that?

🧪, staring at 🃏as if he was an idiot: I wouldn’t be offering it otherwise.

🧪: Anyway— [breaks the pages and throws them to the trash bin]

🃏, scandalized: Senku-chan!!

🧪: What? Haven’t we settled this already?

🃏: But that has to be the worst wedding proposal ever!

🧪: As you didn’t planned this from the beginning.

🧪: They were all made up, weren’t they?

🃏: Maybe~. Honestly, I was surprised when you ended up choosing the one based on you.

🧪: Ah, that makes sense— Wait, who were the others?

🃏: Nobody you need to worry about~.

🧪: 🙂

#dcst brainrot #sengen #silly dialogues

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stormfirebeauty · 2 months

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Still thinking about how Leo is the only one of the seven who doesn’t really have ties outside of the quest.

Hear me out. Percy and Piper both still have a solid human life to go back too. Annabeth too although I’d say she’s more tied to camp half blood.

Frank and and Hazel both really care about camp Jupiter despite not having been there long. Jason actually feels very closely tied to both camps which causes him conflict. He seems to think he doesn’t know where he belongs but he DOES feel connected to both places.

Leo though… he’s a BIT attached to camp half blood. Not as much as the others tho. I don’t have my copy of MoA rn so I can’t find text support but I’m pretty sure there’s a part in his POV where he talks about it too. He was at Bunker 9 significantly more than the camp. It’s actually so so impressive he manages to pull his irresponsible goofball act off as much as he does. Cause like this dude WORKED. He built an impossible magic ship in like six months. I’m pretty sure there’s a part where it’s mentioned even HE doesn’t totally understand the magic power my the ship. Bonkers.

So anyway he isn’t that connected to his human life (because it burned in a dumpster fire) and he’s not that connected to camp half blood. But WAY more than the rest of the 7 he is connected to this quest. He’s literally been dreaming about this ship since he was a kid that he would one day build for there people. I think the bonds between the seven could’ve been more built up in general but I gotta say Leo has some STRONG connections compared to the rest. Jason and piper are obvious that’s literally what I made this blog about years ago.

But the rest too. He doesn’t talk with Annabeth much but they do have this interesting relationship of ship builder/commander and quest leader also both being absolute geniuses. Like the only ones who can even Kind of keep up with each other there’s a lot of mutual respect (and fear he is a bit scared of her but that’s just smart). Percy and Leo are interesting bc in theory they have so much in common but one of the only deeepish conversations the have is about Calypso?? BUT his extreme guilt when Percy and Annabeth are in Tarturus bc he thinks he traded them for Frank and Hazel??

Yeah let’s talk about Frank and Hazel. I’m ignoring the love triangle bc I don’t care for it and it’s irrelevant to what I’m talking about. Hazel and Leo have the obvious connection of Leo grandfather being Sammy but ALSO the thing we don’t talk about enough is how both of the childhoods were defined by this quest more than anyone else. Gae interfered with both of them HEAVILY and they both suffered for it, AND carry huge amounts of guilt for what she manipulated them into doing.

And then one of the most underrated friendships that is Leo and Frank. Because Frank’s one weakness is fire and Leo IS FIRE. Like they are each others worst god damn fear. Leo REALLY fears the consequences of his destructive powers which is something he has to learn to work past and Frank really fears his mortality BECAUSE HE HAS TO CARRY IT AROUKD WITH HIM SO VALID. Trusting each other is like confronting those fears… (ok so maybe it wasn’t done that well in canon but that’s not the point).

ANYWAY what’s crazy is I don’t think anyone else really realizes this. Like Leo’s whole woo is me I’m the seventh wheel thing seems really self pitying but… you could argue that everyone on the ship was more invested in someone else on board and on their lives outside of the quest. Like, this is Leo’s life. And he’s their side character (i don’t think this is actually true at all for Jason and Piper but he doesn’t know that ugh). His character is so crazy to me.

#percy jackson #heroes of olympus #leo valdez #I haven’t read most of ToA so any of that is irrelevant to this analysis #my post #analysis #pjo analysis #hoo analysis #character analysis

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acourtofthought · 4 months

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My friend is an E/riel and she sent me a TikTok video about the theory that Elucien’s mating bond is fake because of the similarities it has with *TOG spoilers* rowan’s first mating bond.

What I don’t understand is why do they think SJM would do the same story again? It even has similar characters and I do give it to them that a lot of the language used is similar to Elucien, but I just dont understand why/for what reason SJM would copy and paste a story she has already written and explored.

Also, we really don’t have anyone in Acotar that would be obviously benefiting from the fake bond, like in TOG. I think this are just E/riels trying to grab into anything they can.

It disturbed me, what do you think?

Hi @bettdraws!!

It's interesting because I personally see no similarities between Rowan's fake bond and it's setup and Elucien's bond, E/riels just want there to be so it frees Elain up to have her one "real" bond with Az.

Maeve tricked Rowan into thinking he was Lyria's mate so that he would fall in love with Lyria and once Maeve orchestrated her death in order to break him, she trapped Rowan into swearing fealty to her. Then when Aelin was eventually born, Maeve had Rowan as a bargaining chip to force Aelin to do what she wanted.

If Elucien's bond is fake in order to keep Elain away from her true mate or use her real mate against her then hasn't that plan backfired? Elain and Lucien haven't been tricked into falling in love so it's not like their bond is forcing them to do something they wouldn't normally do, Elain is currently paying more attention to Az and Lucien is living with Vassa. So.......what exactly is the benefit to a a fake Elucien bond?

Rowan once said this of his bond with Aelin:

[Part of him had known that Aelin was his mate. And had turned away from that knowledge, again and again, out of respect for Lyria, out of terror for what it'd meant.]

"out of respect for Lyria, out of terror for what it'd meant". Doesn't that sound a lot like how Lucien was feeling about Jesminda in his POV (when Feyre slipped into his mind)? How Feyre notes he hasn't tried to bridge the gap in the novella?

Lucien is fully aware that Elain is his mate but his struggle comes from the knowledge that he believed for centuries that Jesminda was his mate, that she lost her life for loving him and that he'd never emotionally moved beyond that because of the guilt and sorrow of that loss. If Lucien was ready to run right into Elain's arms (regardless of what his instincts are telling him to do), that means he'd have to come to terms with the fact that Jesminda probably lost her life for nothing. If he had met Elain while Jesminda was alive, he may have given things a shot with Elain and Jesminda may have never been murdered because of him. There is probably a very big part of Lucien that feels he doesn't deserve to have his mate because Jesminda will never have the opportunity to have that happiness and it could cause some of his reluctance to try and connect with Elain (despite longing for her).

It also doesn't make sense for SJM to write a story where he was convinced Jesminda was his mate for centuries....only to reveal in book 2 that Elain is his actual mate.....only to reveal 3 books later that neither Jesminda OR Elain were his mates....he's got a third person being added into the mix!

E/riels try to pile so many tropes onto Elain and Lucien when they already have a super angsty setup (mating bond snaps into place while he thought he had a mate and lost her and she was currently engaged to and in love with someone else). That's a big story on all it's own but instead they want to tack on fake bond, rejected bond, etc on top of it. It's extremely unnecessary.

Rowan said this of Aelin (his real mate):

He'd leapt in front of her at Skull's Bay knowing it, deep down. Knowing mates aware of the bond could not bear to harm each other.

Lucien said this of Elain:

"I would never hurt her." A bleak sort of honesty in his words.

Aelin had known, though. That he was her mate. And she had not pushed it, or demanded he face it / because she'd rather carve out her own heart than cause him pain or distress.

That sounds a lot like Lucien right now doesn't it? He knows Elain is his mate not forcing her to demand she face it, he's not pushing her to give an answer, he's basically letting his own heart be ripped out so that she can take the time she needs.

Maeve said this of Rowan's fake bond:

"It was so easy to tug on the right psychic thread that day"

Feyre said this of her bond with Rhys:

I was pulled from sleep by something tugging at my middle, a thread deep inside."

Elain and Lucien said this of their bond:

"Like you pulled on thread tied to a rib."

"There's a bond - it's a real thread"

Psychic thread (mental) is not the same as the physical thread Feyre, Elain, and Lucien felt.

Also, we never met Lyria so finding out Rowan had a fake mating bond with her doesn't impact the reader, she's not anyone the readers connected with.

Elain and Lucien have been on page since book 1 so their story does impact readers.

Having the author tell us that Elucien's bond is fake after 2.5 books would be along the lines of the question someone asked her about Danika in her last live interview.

Someone asked if she was really dead and SJM said that yes, she is dead. That to have her come back to life would minimize the suffering that Bryce has been through because of losing her.

We don't know Elain's thoughts but the bond clearly affects her. She wasn't eating, drinking, or sleeping for weeks / months until Lucien arrived at the HOW. Within 2 days she came out of her room for the first time. She knew who he was and could hear his heart (not just his heartbeat). A day after she began eating, drinking, sleeping again.

She left her room to stand at the top of the stairs as Lucien left for the Human Lands, not saying anything but taking a step towards him after he turned away. She invited him back to Velaris after the war then suddenly freaked out and stopped talking to him.

With Lucien, we KNOW he's affected. He left his home to make sure she was safe. He traveled through Autumn without his magic, risking his life to make sure she was safe. He entered what he thought was enemy territory in the NC, where the most powerful High Lord in Prythian history lived (a HL who allowed others to believe he tortured and was cruel) to make sure she was safe. He spent weeks devastated to see her despair, how thin she was, thinking of ways he could help her. He went on a dangerous mission by himself to support her vision. He fought in the war then RAN from the shore to make sure she wasn't harmed. SJM had Lucien get to know her father before his death. She has Lucien still longing for Elain 2 years after their bond snapped despite living with Vassa and Jurian.

Having their bond revealed as fake would completely diminish how much Lucien has been through for Elain and the struggles Elain has been dealing with as a result of the bond snapping (I mean, one of the reasons her fiance no longer wanted her was because she had a mate). Of course neither Elain or Lucien have been truly ready to get to know one another for about a hundred reasons and that's ok (I'd rather see that in their book) but I think people forget what a huge storyline this has been for not only Elain and Lucien but everyone else as well. The sisters worrying about what the death of Lucien could do to Elain after he left for the continent, Rhys and Feyre using Elain as a pawn (Feyre's words) in order to gain Lucien's cooperation, Nesta going from screaming at Lucien and pushing him as he held Elain in his arms to her finally beginning to accept him, calling Elain a wretch for sitting far away from him, and making conversation with him in SF.

I think if E/riels would read the book out of the E/riel moments, they would realize that the Elucien setup has been one of the major storylines from book 2 (way more page time given to it than any setup that was given for E/riel) and understand why it makes absolutely no sense for it to be fake.

#elucien bond #anti e/riel

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pythonteeth · 7 days

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hi these are THE notes i took might expand on them later but maybe others wanna compare and contrast idk

reminder that these are straight up copy-pasted and there's stuff that I didn't expand upon entirely HOWEVER these r all things I noticed while I was watching the movies :3

Going to start with a few o the notes I have from Kurayukaba as well.

Main points:

-The police are the same, same chief. Same cops. Same Machines.

-Laughing Mask guy leading the group that had Soutarou ends up quitting and dipping with two henchmen I BELIEVE to also show up in Kagari later on during one of the meetings with the Ichizaru Family.

-Soutarou and Kagari BOTH are missing their parents and end up going on a little journey to find someone they care about who goes missing.

-Soutarou is looking for Saki, an informant in the main capital; which we can assume is Taihei considering the Box Garden is in the same province enough that the same police show up in both as well as the *Masked Mascot Miss Thang running around with her show within The Dim and the City and then later the Box Garden.

*Note, it could be said that she is more of an entity/narrative device used by the animators to give us, the audience, more explanation into things. However I don’t believe that’s true, I believe she travels around the close districts.

-Saki (Kurayukaba) being the Saki (DRRR) adjacent character is interesting to think about considering she’s basically adopted by Soutarou and works as an informant away from Iseya (inch resting in Saki’s (drrr) story as well )

-Mushikui cavities were hinted at earlier when describing the discovery of The Dark. In fact this is what leads into kuramerukagari

Moving into the Kurameru Kagari notes:

We learn that the Box Garden is formerly a jail turned into a coal mining town, which I find interesting considering The Dark is clearly near enough to the Box Garden and contains a black market within as well as an entire society. It’s possible to infer that a lot of former criminals from the initial Jail contributed to the rumors and stories of The Dark containing a whole new civilization.

The Komainu Family seems to be in charge of the specific sect of the Box Garden we find ourselves in. We’re also introduced to the concept of The Mujina (who are hinted at a little bit later) as well as Ichizaru (who we learn more about later) I don’t think the family controlling the Northern Pump are part of the Komainu but rather work in tandem with the Komainu. We’re not given any reason to think these two groups are at odds but they are wearing different jackets than the rest of the Komainu in the movie. Therefore, it’s reasonable to assume that they are NOT part of the same Group.

The Komainu family is INTERESTING to pick apart. Because we can assume that Eiwazima is in charge, considering he’s the Security and the Muscle. It seems to be that people follow his lead and what should be done (especially during the later attack) and of course he gets his Information and perhaps even guidance from Iseya. Though the guidance isn’t necessarily a “shadow leader” sort of deal so much as it’s a “royal advisor” type deal. Interesting. I’m thinking of his after typing up notes i physically wrote down.

Candy Shop mentions that the Mappers in the area are scoundrels or not really trustworthy despite Kagari being well known they either do not KNOW Kagari or simply don’t view her as a trustworthy person for some reason.

We can assume Kagari is well known at least within the sect of the Box Garden she lives in; one of the members of the Komainu mentions “i don’t know if she gets it from her mother” which implies he knew one or both of her parents.* *sidenote: i have a theory about what happened to her parents irt the new years day thing

We also know that Taiehei Industries own the entirety of the Box Garden, as mentioned the Komainu have only a small sector of it. One in which they’re attempting to lobby for higher wages and seemingly safer working conditions or the miners (as mentioned during the planning scene where the aburamashi is revealed) AND they want to fix the currency system. It’s also mentioned the borders to these sectors are always changing which is why there are no “official” maps of the areas.

We know of three groups in particular: -Komainu -Mujina -Ichizaru

The Northern Pump is not confirmed it’s own “family” but to me it comes off as if they are separate from the Komainu.

The Mujina were bandits that lurked around in caves. TO ME this signals mention of The Dark and implies that our Laughing Mask guy is a member of the Mujina family. He is a bandit. He lurks in the dark. Weasels around the mine shafts and cavities. We don’t have enough information to claim the Mujina were actively working with the Ichizaru family especially considering it wouldn’t make…MUCH sense. Unless it would have turned into Mujina taking over the Ichizaru at the end of it.

Shiina and Iseya have history, she mentions knowing an Inormant in the box garden which implies she either came from the Box Garden or Iseya CAME from Taihei.

To me this is supported by the way he speaks about New Years Day and what he knows about Kuchinawa HOWEVER it’s also possible he simply knows this information because he is an informant and a librarian and quite enjoys learning about things clearly.

Iseya was suspicious about Yuya and clearly knows things about Kuchinawa. It’s also likely that Kuchinawa recognized something was going funny, or that things might be hiding in the underground and Iseya also clearly knew something was up.

They seem to be on good terms so I’m a bit curious as to how much of their interactions are friendly information sharing. (going off of the instances of Izaya actively exchanging information for other information or even compensating others for the information they offer him. It feels safe to say that Iseya does the same thing. )

Eiwazima comes in “not here for chit-chat. This time I’m a customer” which implies a level of certainly coming in to chit and also chat.

I think it’s interesting to note that Kagari dips when Eiwazima mentions mapping the mushikui cavities. It gives the impression that she has made the connection to Yuya, if only because he spends a lot of time mapping those particular cavities out.

“Closing for the day” they fucked in that library.

ALSO INTERESTING that Shiina, who is notably looking for a mapper, and also has notably been trying to get in touch with Iseya runs into Kagari outside of the library. And instead of checking with her as a mapper instead decides to continue on with Candy Shop’s plans instead.

SHIINA is looking for Kanra-do which is now Iseya’s library at the top HOWEVER this lowkey supports the idea that she’s actually from the Box Garden initially (imo) to me this feels like HUGE potential for her being the “Shinra” adjacent character to round out the trio fully.

I also really want to talk about the Kanra-Do to Iseya Pipeline, um. It has to be on purpose. I don’t really care what direction anyone thinks Izaya/Iseya is going but this man is clearly under the trans umbrella. It’s hinted at within the characters of Izaya’s names in Durarara and it’s clear enough here in krmrkgr that Kanra-Do is a ref to Kanra. Idk. Argue with the wall. * ykw too in some of the promo material Shiina was also given he/him pronouns amongst she/her ones. Could be a translation issue.

Earlier on in the film Iseya mentions not being Kagari’s guardian or her boss but he OBVIOUSLY cares deeply about her. Her family photo is in the library for fucks sakes. Also she spends like..all her time there. Does she live there? Does she help Iseya with his chores? Do they both live in what was formerly Kanra-do?

We see at least a day in between the Library Closing Early in which she mentions that Yuya hasn’t been around. Likely she went to look for him 1) to hang out and 2) because. Well. he’s been mapping out the cavities.

Does Kagari live with Iseya? Does Yuya literally live in a mineshaft hole? I feel insane. Kagari has people caring about her and Yuya seems to be STUCK and STRUGGLING no wonder he wants to get out so badly

I think Kagari has killed two people.

Kagari (handshake) Soutarou “Too Sturdy!!!” Solidarity

Shiina and Candy Shop must be on Yuya’s side of the Box Garden because we genuinely only see Shiina cross paths with Kagari ONCE (1). And only because Shiina was very clearly looking for Iseya

Also they’re VERY gender Loving that for them.

Yuya Says he kept distance to “not be involved in the fighting” First thought was how do you know about the fighting, bud? But thinking about it further, he lives in a hole on the side of town where the majority of fighting and initial cave ins have been happening. He’s also mentioned his side of town not being As Nice as Kagari’s which I find interesting.

No wonder the poor kid wants to get out, it seems like he doesn’t really have anyone looking after him the way Kagari does, and further his side of town seems to suck eggs. Let the Komainu in bud.

OKAY i had a bit of a time discrepancy here but i BELIEVE thru context clues we’re on the next morning When Shiina meets with the Northern Pump. At the same time is Kagari getting into clothes that are no longer soaked through and talking with Yuya before finally making it to Iseya’s library to let him know what’s going on.

Iseya also consistently refers to the Taihei as “overlords” which i find interesting and signals a sort of disdain for the people in charge of the box garden.

Automation Regulation Act was passed after the Fucked Up NYE rightfully so

Komainu man the valley

Upon the attack there is no confirmation whether the library was destroyed or simply raided and wrecked. I’m under the impression it was merely raided since some of the Ichizaru report that the librarian was nowhere to be seen. Fingers crossed it wasn’t destroyed but I guess we’ll find out for certain in the manga. I feel like if it were destroyed there would be more mention of that BUT fic writers and art makers keep this in mind i guess. Fun angst potential.

Clearly they did more than just fuck in that library because Zima greets the Ichizaru knowing right where they’re gonna pop out of the ground AND he’s prepared with blockades and weapons.

My man really said “The entire town is closed. Please leave.” we love a man who is polite and prepared and precise anyway then he goes “Then I’ll hasten your exit 🖤” i’m in love with him

“Komainu brat” I think i mentioned this earlier but i’ve seen a lot of fans assume Zima like…only owns a restaurant…but like. I don’t think yall are understanding that he RUNS this whole marketplace. Like. My man is the equivalent of a Sherrif-Mayor with Iseya as a sort of advisor type. Like they are pillars of this community working together to keep it safe and i think that’s so beautiful. It’s what Shizaya should have had and yet here we are with Eiwaseya living their dream. Anyway I just think it’s so interesting. Eiwazima is clearly in charge here he is the most respected member of the Komainu to the point where people are straight up reporting to him. The fact that he has to specify “i’m here as a customer” to iseya earlier is so interesting and just further cements the idea that they’re always working together and basically The Dynamic Duo.

Iseya, when Yuya suggests getting out of the box garden to further safety “This is a problem we need to solve” as in he took the initiative to get innocent people to safe area. Safely away from the fighting and evacuated so that the Komainu can defend the territory they’ve been working so hard to uplift.

Ichizaru got the abumurashi from the Mujina, which further leads me to believe that our Laughing Mask Guy is Mujina aligned but he could also just be a rando. I don’t believe thaat tho.

Zima being visibly worried when he’s told the valley couldn’t be contacted AND that there were explosions heard. I don’t know that he’s terribly worried about Iseya, i mean realistically all of the townsfolk they evacuated are there. But Also….boyfriend….

Also I just want to say Iseya is very cool under the barrel of a gun. He really held it down. Go off king.

Ushigaeru and the reveal of Kuchinawa’s ‘children’ really FUCKED i loved that bit. I expected it, and during the flashback it made a lot of sense. I’m glad he took Sasara in. Also I think Kagari’s parents died in that NYE mess and it’s possible Iseya has history there too going off of his expression and voice during his explanation of it.

Iseya scooping Sasara out of the dangerzone was cute and he’s so motherly in this iteration he’s so HAPPY to be around people and to have connections.

“Just like he said” ok zima we get it you’re married

Laughing Mask guy dips as soon as it gets too hairy no one is surprised.

I really feel bad for Yuya. At first i was really agitated with him but upon recollection and yadda yadda i feel awful for him. He’s got no parents, no guardians. Barely even a boss that cares enough about him. It’d be nice to see him stay with Kagari in Komainu territory and actually get some decent treatment by the town rather than…what I can only assume is being taken advantage of by scummy adults on his side of town. (evident in how his maps were used and he didn’t even receive full payment. Iseya doesn’t even knock him for selling the maps. Why would he? It’s not like he was intentionally planning sabotage and then he was double crossed. He just wanted to get out and make a better life for himself.)

Iseya’s trust and support in Kagari is very sweet, the battle goes all night long and Kagari had left sometime in the middle to go find Yuya. Interesting.

The shaft….

Same police chief as kurayukaba and uh i guess they couldn’t get to the box garden coz they were too busy dealing with the aftermath of The Dark and that fucking Circus (omg dark woods circus reference? Inch resting. Might need to look at that later too)

“Some things never change” Shiina what do you know. I need the backstory NOW.

The trust between Zima and Iseya is so….make me happy. Zima literally puts him in charge when he leaves to go speak to the police. I wonder like. What that’s like. Iseya is clearly loved by the town as is Zima so obviously their relationship is well known as well. They’re like….a package deal.

It brings me back to wondering about the possible “growing up together in the box garden” idea i have for Shiina, Iseya and Zima. Cute.

#krmrkg #krykb #save #for me to expand on later maybe

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thewertsearch · 11 months

Text

Asks Comp 5/6

Just like John Cusack, hoo hoo hoo is a universal constant.

I was so excited for her conversations :( And thank you very much! This comic's a slippery one, but that's part of the fun!

I do like the idea of pairing every Homestuck ship with a political ideology. It'd be the perfect storm of discourse, from about five directions at once!

Thank you! I don't think I'll even be in the country for my birthday this time around, so it'll be a quiet celebration.

I think it could still fit as a kismesissitude, even if they aren't all that unfriendly with each other. After all, Karkat's antagonism towards John is only skin-deep, and wears off fast.

FEFERI: There's no reason to be scared! They are not as terrible as they look. FEFERI: When Derse is destroyed, I am going to go to sleep and prove it. FEFERI: I will prove it to you, and to them as well. KARKAT: THEM? FEFERI: Our new friends! [...]

Oh, that does make more sense. Dang, I really liked the idea that the Horrorterrors were scared of Players.

Karkat made S-Tier for a reason. He's on fire this Act, and it's been great to watch!

You don't even get to examine your surroundings!!

I'm even more glad now that I'm using Homestuck Collection. It's clear that I'd have missed a lot without it, and it's a sad state of affairs that the comic's official website seems to butcher it so badly. Definitely recommend checking out the Collection, if just to play the walkarounds yourself!

Underutilized aspects of the trolls: Feferi Edition! [...] I do have to say that, when I think about her, I don't generally remember the Horrorterror connection. But Gl'bgolyb is a Horrorterror, after all. Feferi may be legitimately bubbly and sweet, but of the two races she is meant to unite, it might just be the Horrors and Humans. She's an eldritch Disney princess. Remember that now. ~LOSS (19/5/23)

Does that make Gl'bgolyb her Fairy Elder Godmother?

Ugh, tell me about it. It looks normal when the post is in my drafts, but breaks when I publish it.

I could go back and fix each post manually, but I don't have the time or the patience. Maybe I'll write a script to do it when I release Wertsearch: The Director's Cut.

Thanks! I've had Cat send a transcript over, and I've been copying it for quotes. There was a risk of mild spoilers if I accidentally read ahead, but if it means I can stop quoting entire conversations manually, I'll happily take that chance.

Damn it! There goes my Sollux Was Swapped At Birth theory.

I like these ideas! It's fun to speculate about what our species 'thing' would be, since we don't have any alien species to compare ourselves to IRL.

The idea of NPCs as Player templates is awesome, too. That implies an absolutely wild session in Sburb's past, featuring the Sleuths, the Midnight Crew and the Exile squad as Players.

What would Sburb even look like without Carapacians? Would the chess match in Skaia still exist, just without sentient pieces? I kind of love this idea.

Yeah, it's always nice when a story's really kicked into gear.

Beginnings and endings are difficult, and I usually enjoy the middle of a story more than either. By my count, we're about one-third of the way through Homestuck, and it's definitely found itself.

Thanks! I have a couple of ideas about which of my ships will be supported by canon, and which won't - but we shall see what develops. The comic might surprise me!

Canon Equius design.

It's a big question, and I don't know if I can fully answer this one, given how much of Sburb is still shrouded in mystery.

That said, the first thing I'd change is how Players are assigned. Instead of creating people who have no choice but to participate, I'd look for volunteers in the planets I've seeded. If Players have to be born in the Veil, then those volunteers would have their timelines rewritten, retroactively turning them into meteor babies - but only after they've volunteered for the role.

Also - does a session have to destroy the planet it's seeded on? If it was me in charge, I'd redirect the Reckoning's portals somewhere else. Literally anywhere else, actually. As far as I can tell, the only reason they were pointed towards Earth in the first place was for thematic reasons. The Sallyverse has different themes.

Yep. No special reason why - I've just been pretty busy lately, especially on the weekends. They've also been rolling over onto Mondays more often, too.

I get to 'em when I get to 'em - but I always get to them in the end.

Ooh, that's a deep cut. Possibly coincidental, but I wouldn't be too sure - I wouldn't put anything past Hussie.

I've heard of Higurashi, but I know very little about it. It is my tenuous understanding that it's a murder mystery starring several wealthy families - or is that its sister story, Umineko?

I don't want to look them up, because I might actually check them out at some point, and it is apparently very important to go in unspoiled. Potential future liveblog material, indeed.

I've speculated that the Knight is a protector class - and maybe Knights also protect themselves, hiding behind a particular trait or emotion which serves as their 'shield'.

Puréed puppet, unfortunately.

Now that I've seen all the troll typing quirks, I'm pretty sure I've actually encountered some of these people in the wild! I've definitely seen Terezi's leetspeak, or something very similar, on an anime forum or two.

#full liveblog #act 5.2 #asks

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ourpickwickclub · 6 months

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B, Explain more about how every year it's sinking in to ML about her screw ups. I agree with the anon that stated ML is spiraling like she did in 2018. It is obvious with the stalking and selfie gate last July. Now she acknowledge the pink pistol in TX. It only took 7 years. Weird. Any insider information from Nashville regarding ML or her fake marriage recently

My feeling is that Blake kept trying even after he found out about ML’s long term affair at the Grammys (same night Gwen found out about GR and his long term affair with the nanny). Blake didn’t end the marriage then (and neither did Gwen). But then ML stopped wearing her wedding ring, stopped thanking Blake at shows, was not trying at all. And she most likely started the affair with Anderson during the time the Southern Family album was being recorded in March or April of 2015. She was pretty openly having a relationship with another man while married to Blake. There are lots of theories and stories from OK people about July 4th 2015. It seems he found something then. Maybe that she really was in another relationship. They both played at the Greenbrier golf thing on July 4. ML and then Blake was the headliner. By all accounts they did not interact or come onto the stage with one another at all. He flew in and out without her. Timing seems to show that he filed for divorce right around then.

I think ML realizes on some level that Blake tried and tried. At the time I believe she thought that they could become a country legendary love story where they divorced, stayed friends, and eventually reunited after she had had her fun. I don’t know if that would have happened because that would require Blake sacrificing a lot more pride the. He did (which was a lot). But I’m sure ML believes it would have worked that way.

And I think Rat was barely trying also, because he was sure that they had three kids and she was Catholic and would not leave. But then Blake announced his divorce to the other coaches and two people that had chemistry they would not have acted on because they are loyal, were free to act. It’s no coincidence in my mind that Gwen announced right after Blake. They had from taping in June to early August to talked and flirt and see if there was something real there. There was. GR feels like he was the one betrayed (ridiculous asshat) because he was “trying” to work things out and it wasn’t enough for Gwen. And I think ML’s world began its slow descent into stalker crazy regret because she never considered that Blake would fall madly in love with a worldwide icon and that icon would become his whole world. And she would feel the same about him. Giddy, in love.

If someone had told ML that she would lose Blake to Gwen if she continued her affairs, I think she would have acted differently, at least for a while. She never meant to lose him forever. I think he was her best friend in a lot of ways. She commented once on thinking they were going to share custody of dogs, but that didn’t happen. She tried following Gwen to get a wedge in there. Gwen brilliantly only liked a post of hers about family, but never followed her back. It was war from then on. Pistol Annie’s retooled their account and came back only following two people… Gwen and Blake. She was so mad she was barely even hiding her crazy. But her team had effectively spun Blake and Gwen as the cheaters so they overlooked her copying Gwen’s videos and the weird follows and how she tracked down people close to them both and used them for her projects, or how she mimicked their posts, copied Gwen’s fashion. Etc etc.

ML thought Anderson would be the next big thing. Bigger than Blake (laughable) but he wasn’t. She used him as a cover but when she got him to insult Garth publicly and all that got her was her and Anderson dragged and Blake got a coveted GB collab, she dumped him and tried for the next person she thought would be a big thing. Evan. She didn’t count on Staci not folding easily. She married the cop to save face and he clearly is not into her. He is with her because she is famous and that’s it. So, now, she may be seeing how badly she messed it all up.

I just laid down pretty much my whole theory. Not saying I’m 100% correct but I think it’s a pretty good base idea at what happened. And yeah, I think she is coming with something big. Whether it works or flops, we will see. She and Marion will not let her go down professionally as easy as she does under the ugly lights (I had to get one in there). 😂

But once she is out of options, she will start writing a tell all and that tell all will paint Blake as the bad guy (and Gwen too) in very unspecific ways and with no evidence. Just enough to get headlines. When I say she was the worst thing that ever happened to Blake, I am not kidding. She will never stop.

- B

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basu-shokikita · 7 months

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Kloktober 2023 Day 20

Original character or self-insert

I'm not much for OC content but I do have an OC called Molly Rttengerlrtn that I created at the beginning of the year. And today's prompt is a great opportunity to introduce more people to her :) She's a silly little girl. <3

Below is an illustration of Molly, drawn by my friend! This entry also features his OC, Klokateer N°479 :D

It had started so long ago. Four years ago and 6 months with 2 weeks and 1 day to be exact. Molly had been dragged by her friends to this metal band, Dethklok or something. Apparently they were big but Molly wasn’t really into metal. She liked vaporwave music and 8-bit music, so when Dethklok started playing, she was convinced it wasn’t for her.

In her boredom, she tried to hunt for any signs of homoeroticism within the band. If she wasn’t going to enjoy the music, at least she could try to entertain herself with some good old fanservice.

Unfortunately, these Dethklok guys were really devoted to their instruments, barely paying attention to each other. Vocalist and guitarist were such a classic duo with lots of tension in between them, however neither the huge black-haired guy or the tall blonde seemed to care about anything besides looking hardcore as hell.

She did notice, however, that there were two guitarists in the band, which piqued her interest just a little bit. Wasn’t sharing instruments totally gay? It also, sort of seemed like the brunet guy was copying the poses of the tall blonde, though she wasn’t sure. From then on, she zoomed in on the guitarists and stopped paying attention to fuck-else.

And then, the blonde one started playing a solo and she could not help but gasp. No, she didn’t care about the solo, that wasn’t the point. It was the fact that the brunet was looking at the blond with almost bitterness in his eyes. Bitterness and…jealousy? The brunet looked away and Molly could not be entirely sure because of the distance but she could’ve sworn he had rolled his eyes. And she felt it.

Like the second coming of Jesus.

Like the ascension to Nirvana.

She had found her new life’s purpose.

And it was…to ship these two guys!

From then on, it had all happened so fast. She urged her friend to tell her more about them and learned that their names were Skwisgaar and Toki, and that they were Scandinavians. She also learnt that Skwisgaar was the band’s womanizer and also the most popular amongst women. On the other hand, Toki was the youngest band member and also regarded as ‘the cute one’. All this information was incredibly fascinating and only fed her growing obsession.

When she got home, she started watching band interviews and found out that Skwisgaar and Toki’s English was pretty poor and that Skwisgaar was quite arrogant vs Toki’s more friendly manner. She took notes, she studied it all. 8 hours of footage and no sleep later, Molly felt like she was starting to get a grasp of these guys. However, the music was a fundamental part of their relationship so she started listening to her albums. Turns out, it was a lot more bearable now that she was doing it with a specific goal in mind. And, man, was the way their guitars complemented each other absolutely gay.

She kept researching for the rest of the weekend: theories, fanforums, articles, random comments under their performance videos, anything she could find. She even found out there was an already shipping fanbase and that the name of the pairing was Skwistok.

On Monday morning she faked having a fever so she didn’t have to go to school. As soon as her mother left the room, she grabbed her laptop and started typing furiously. A few hours later, Molly posted her first Skwistok fanfiction online. It was a short little story about Toki having a secret crush on Skwisgaar. It was a massive success, with commenters asking for more and linking to their own stories and drawings.

She had found her people.

From then on, Molly kept writing more and more and befriending fellow Skwistoks, with whom she shared her own theories and ideas about the nordic guitarists. SSoon enough, she realized the Skwistok community was not only pretty big, but also that a lot of them lived in California. And so, Molly decided to found the first Skwistok club ever, based in LA. They met every second Sunday of the month to discuss their findings and artworks.

Life continued, some of them grew apart, some of them died (Dethklok fans died a LOT during concerts), but new people joined too. Molly finished high school and got a part job at a smoke shop while taking Scandinavian studies during the day. Even when life was busy, she always had time for Skwistok.

One day, while looking at her commenter’s section on her latest fic, she noticed someone under the name of ‘anon479’ had written the following:

Hey skwistokfujo420

Your works are great.

I have something you might like.

Message me.

Curiosity getting the better of her, Molly immediately opened the commenter’s profile and wrote him a ‘hi :3’. Less than 10 minutes later, 479 replied to her, claiming to be Klokateer for Dethklok and that he could give him inside information on Skwisgaar and Toki if she agreed to write really specific stories about Murderface.

Understandably skeptical, Molly asked for proof that he indeed worked for the most famous band in the world. 479 shortly after sent her a picture of Toki’s underwear drawer and Skwisgaar sleeping in the infamous Mordhaus hot tub, guitar on his lap. He claimed that he was putting his life at risk with this, but he was truly desperate.

It was a no-brainer, Molly accepted and 479 sent a long detailed list of kinks that he wanted to see Murderface subjected to. In exchange, he would report any interaction between Skwisgaar and Toki he had witnessed, as well as send any pictures she wanted. Molly asked why he had chosen her out of the hundreds of Dethklok shippers out there and 479 said that he had been scurrying the fandom for a long time but didn’t like any of the Murderface content she saw. In his desperation, he had started reading stories of other ships. When he stumbled with one of Molly’s fics, he grew enamored with how perfectly in-character he was, and thus decided to deposit all his dreams and hopes in her. Molly was flattered, but mostly she felt very lucky.

And like that, started the most productive business relationship of Molly’s entire life. They talked every two weeks, in which Molly would deliver her latest story featuring Murderface and a brand new kink, while 479 would dump all the footage he had been able to collect, as well as gossip on Skwisgaar and Toki’s lives. It was fascinating really, she was now able to see facets of the men that she would’ve never gotten to otherwise. Evidently, it affected her writing as her characterization now had to take in account Skwisgaar and Toki’s behavior behind the public lens. She didn’t tell anyone where she was getting it, though, both because she knew they wouldn’t believe her and also because she didn’t want to share.

Eventually, 479 and Molly became friends too, casually chatting about their everyday lives.

skwistokfujo420: yoooo

anon479: Hello.

skwistokfujo420: whatcha up 2

anon479: Just cleaning some coworker’s blood. He got accidentally impaled by Sir Toki last night.

skwistokfujo420: oh noo :((

skwistokfujo420: was he cute while doing it at least? :3

anon479: He panicked for about 30 seconds until Murderface tripped with the blood. And then they all started making fun of him.

skwistokfujo420: LOL

anon479: It gave me a new idea for a story.

skwistokfujo420: oh??

anon479: I’ll send the concept later.

skwistokfujo420: oki

skwistokfujo420: a costumer just said my skwistok shirt is rlly cool :3

anon479: Is it the purple one?

skwistokfujo420: nop, the pink one

anon479: Oh…the purple one is my favorite.

anon479: I gotta go, Sir Nathan is screaming that his chips are too salty.

skwistokfujo420: bye bye!

anon479: Talk to you later.

Molly put her phone back in her pocket and glanced at the time. With delight, she realized her shift was almost over, so she packed her things and waved his coworkers goodbye.

The customer that had praised her shirt earlier was sitting at a bench right by the entrance. She waved at Molly, walking up to her in a hurry. “Hi, I wanted to ask you about something, if that’s ok.”

Molly raised her eyebrows and then readjusted her glasses. “Sure.”

The girl glanced to the sides and then leaned in to say. “I’m a Skwistok shipper too…” She pulled back hesitating before talking again. “I heard there’s a group in LA…do you know anything about it?”

Molly’s face turned solemn. “I might. But I need to make sure you’re not a spy.” Over the years, Skwistok antis had tried to get in the club for their own wicked purposes so Molly had developed a security test before letting anyone new in.

Nervously, the girl stood straight. “I’m ready.”

Inhaling, Molly took a long look at the girl. She had long brown hair, wore oval-shaped glasses and was dressed all-in-black. “Favorite Skwistok fact?”

“That Skwisgaar accepted Toki into the band!”

“Top or bottom Toki?”

“Both is good, but I prefer top!”

“Dom or sub Skwisgaar?”

“Dom all the way!”

“Is Skwistok mutual or unreciprocated?”

“It’s complicated but it’s mutual! They’re meant to be!”

“Name your favorite Skwistok fic!”

“Skwisgaar’s Not Good, Very Bad Time with Tentacles and Other Kinks by jizzgaar!”

Molly smirked. That was her friend’s epic Skwistok erotica. “Any Skwistok merch?”

The girl searched in her backpack and pulled out a Skwistok pin.

“Stand down!” Molly said and the girl stood straight again. “What’s your name, soldier?”

“C-Clara!” The girl stammered, her eyes on the front.

“Well, Clara…” Molly shoved a card inside her hand. “Hope to see you this Saturday.”

Clara looked down at the card, where the exact address and time for the bi-monthly Skwistok club meeting would take place. She gasped with excitement, her free hand covering her mouth, eyes welling up with tears. “Thank you…”

Smiling, Molly patted her shoulder and turned around. “Skwistok canon!” She shouted as she walked away.

“Skwistok canon!” Clara repeated behind her.

Molly rubbed her hands, an impish grin on her face. The Skwistok family had gained a new member.

#kloktober2023 #kloktober #metalocalypse #molly rttengerlrtn #my oc #skwistok #yes they're relevant lol #my writing #no beta we die like men

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thefandomenchantress · 1 year

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SPOILERS FOR EPISODE 11 OF CHAPTER 2 IN DRDT

Alright, so I may be overthinking this...Like, a lot...but I've got a theory (Also this is copy and pasted from my comment on YouTube).

So something interesting I only caught on a rewatch is that David does not actually confirm all of Ace's testimony. Here's the quote:

"But I will admit, I did indeed meet Arei last night in the relaxation room. As for what I actually talked to her about...Well, I've already forgotten! She's dead now, so who cares?"

Now what I gathered from this was that while he is confirming that he met with Arei in the relaxation room, he is not confirming that their conversation contained the information Ace said that it did.

Which struck me as odd, since you'd think after giving that whole speech about just admitting the truth, David would just admit that Arei accused him of having that secret. But he doesn't. Instead, he keeps repeating that Ace is lying about something, (Since he says he wants to call Ace a "worthless lying piece of shit") but doesn't bother actually calling him out on it. Not because of his pride or anything, like he said was his reason for revealing his secret, but because he thought that the rest of the cast wouldn't listen, implying this was the truth but that none of them were willing to hear it anymore. And so he drops the topic and Ace's entire testimony is just kinda confirmed in the rest of the cast's eyes, even the stuff that wasn't confirmed by David.

So in my opinion, with all that evidence...Ace is definitely lying about the stuff that happened when David and Arei met up. I'm not sure what they actually talked about, but it probably wasn't related to David's secret, since David seemed so surprised Ace knew about his secret even though his conversation with Arei could've easily been overheard.

But the next question we have to address is...Why would Ace even lie in the first place?

The obvious answer is that he was being suspected of murder and wanted to throw the blame onto David, and that might be true. But if Ace was lying about this entire interaction like I suspect, that would require him to have already picked up on the fact that David was a lying manipulator, something no one besides Teruko had noticed.

And if Ace already knew that, without overhearing anything, you'd think he'd just tell everyone, 'Hey, David is a manipulating scumbag', not make up an elaborate story about how he'd overheard Arei say it.

But here's the thing: Ace has stated over and over that he doesn't want to die, and that it's one of his greatest fears. Veronika told him that being so mean to everyone would make them want to kill him, and that's true for murders like the one Nico pulled, that was done purely on emotion and no regards for what could happen in result of their actions. But if you really thought about it for more than a few seconds, you'd realize that if you really wanted to get away with murder, you'd aim to kill the people who you'd think could solve the murder. You wouldn't go for the idiot jockey who wouldn't be able to solve the case no matter how hard he tried.

But if Ace were to say that he has more observational skills than literally everyone else in the room, since he managed to catch onto the fact that David was a manipulator when no one else did, (Besides Teruko, who only knew because of her first interaction with David when he broke character), then that would be all the reason a killer would need to justify killing Ace. He was a complete jerk and could potentially notice things the others didn't.

So instead of telling the rest of the class that he was the one who caught onto David's false persona, he claimed Arei figured it out, simply by reading the secret over Whit's shoulder, something he oh-so-conveniently didn't notice at all.

...So yeah. That's why I think David was calling Ace a liar even after he said he'd stop denying things that weren't true. I'm probably waaaay overthinking this, but that's my theory.

#danganronpa despair time #ace markey #david chiem #arei nageishi #drdt spoilers #overthinking #theory #drdt

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amagpiesguide · 2 days

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One last yap session bc it’s in my brain

I wonder what happened to the replikas neural pattern’s family’s, like what if the MNHR neural pattern a mother? What if the EULR neural pattern had younger siblings? Does the nation get rid of them? Or do they just have to live knowing their mom, sister, brother, cousin, daughter, auntie is a replika now. Especially EULR units, considering they are seen to be like everywhere. And are they taken forcefully or voluntarily? I wouldn’t be surprised if it was forcefully but I could also see it happening due to a fatal injury, but that doesn’t really make sense and who would volunteer to be a replika??

Not me for sure, but I really wanna know about the FLKR and ADLR neural patterns, especially FLKRs. How did they acquire someone with such bioresonace? Or did they only use the neural pattern for the personality and added the bioresonace? So many questions are in my head about them, I’m so curious about them. It makes me wonder, why and what happened to make them become neural patterns, and is it painful? Replikas overall make me very curious, and make me think could we ever accomplish something like that? I mean, I’ve had dreams of building robots with a lot of detail. But I’m not actually that smart, honestly if we could, the question is more of should we? As much as people fantasize it, it would be like Detroit become human. Possibly worse, have you seen all the sickos on the internet?

Im swaying off topic sorry, back to the neural patterns. How does it even work? Do they just kill the person and copy their brain? Or is it different, I hope it’s different because that’s creepy. Robots overall make me happy and curious, Now I’m thinking of the parents of the gestalts who became replikas, it must hurt seeing someone who was once your son or daughter, also. I noticed something with The ADLR’s neural pattern, in his notes, it’s seen that he had a dream with a woman with white hair as snow, was it ariane? That means ariane is older than the ADLR units and considering they are Gen 5, LSTR and ADLRs would’ve been made around the same time.

“I had a dream tonight. Another memory of my Gestalt life I believe - I was wearing my uniform. There was a young woman, her hair white as snow, and I was conducting some sort of test. I had a deck of cards with astronomical symbols on them, and asked her to guess the planet on the card I was holding”

This shows that the ADLRs were made just before ariane was given the choice of going to the sierpenski or Penrose BUTTT, I also have a small idea. What if, the gestalt was testing the falke’s neural pattern HEAR ME OUT, so we know the falke’s are made to look like the great revolutionary and her daughter, I hc that bioresonance changes things to someone’s body, could be small, like accent or eye color or could be big, like hair color or height. Because I heard that ariane’s hair changed color, (I am not sure if that’s correct, please correct me) so, with this Headcanon/possible theory, what if the FLKR’s neural pattern got tested by the ADLR gestalt for bioresonace? Because personally, the timing doesn’t seem right for it to be ariane,

It doesn’t help we don’t know when the gestalts of the replikas got made into replikas either, so we purely have to go based on generation type and other details in the story.

Anyways it’s my bed time, that’s just a theory A GAME THEORY

#signalis lstr #signalis #signalis ariane #ariane yeong #adlr #flkr

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farfromstrange · 11 months

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Chaos Theory | Michael Kinsella x Reader

Chapter Twelve: Just Let Me Adore You

Masterlist ° Chapter List

Pairing: Michael Kinsella x Reader (she/her)

Summary: Michael takes you someplace special for your first date, and you have the best night of your life.

Warnings: Fluff. Like seriously, this is fluffy as fuck. 9k words of pure fluff.

Word Count: 9.1k (I am so sorry this got a bit out of hand)

A/n: You have a bit of suggestive language in here, but nothing explicit. That’s reserved for the next chapter, which will be a pure Smut update. I thought I’d keep the goods to myself for a little while longer and give you a break before the Angst Train drives into the Michael Kinsella station…

You have been to a few dates in the past. Most of them ended in a dirty bar or a restaurant, but you at least knew what you were signing yourself up for.

When Michael texted you while you were at work, telling you he would be waiting at your front door at nine in the evening exactly, you of course texted back and asked where he would be taking you, but he didn’t react to that.

So you text him again, ‘Just tell me so I know what to wear :(‘

‘Wear something u feel comfortable in xx,’ is all he replies.

Something comfortable is a broad range of clothes and it doesn’t help your confusion at all. No matter how many times you keep pressing him, he won’t tell you where he is taking you, and that makes you uneasy.

He told you he would use the time he has left today to get his records straight and make an appointment with the solicitor that is helping him get visitation rights for Anna.

The copy of the contract Ava whipped up for him has been in his hands like precious cargo ever since you left the office building. He insisted to walk to his house from the café, which isn’t that long of a walk compared to your apartment, and you only hesitantly agreed to let him back there after everything he told you.

He insisted that he needed to do this because he has to somehow learn how to navigate his life on his own again after staying with you for a few days. Things are different now, he told you, and you had to agree because he has a new job now and you haven’t been together long enough to move in together, so you both need to coordinate things on your own.

Once he knows what his chances of seeing Anna again are, he has to take the necessary steps to assure the court of granting him those rights. Another thing you agree with. You support him fully, but the thought of his family somehow luring him back in and then you’ll lose him – it’s not the crime you’re worried about, it’s losing him to jail or a gun or any other weapon that might kill and take him away from you – keeps occupying your mind.

A stable home, a job, and a good track record do wonders when it comes to cases that involve children. He needs that. The meeting with Ava gave him a boost you didn’t expect, but he seemed lighter and a lot more motivated when you kissed him goodbye. And he seems stable enough on his own, no longer angry or sad, which is also something you never thought you’d say.

It might be the adrenaline, but you like to believe he is on a good path and he cherishes that enough to see things a lot more positively this time around.

He told you he loved you. It still hasn’t fully settled in, but you said it back because it’s true; you love him. It’s a surreal scene in your head and you have been floating ever since you clocked in.

There are only a few more hurdles in the way. For one, it’s your past. For two, Michael’s family. And three, there is still a chance a judge won’t rule in Michael's favor, and that might actually break him. You hope that the meeting with his solicitor goes well, at least, and he gets to have a chance at getting to know his little girl again. You want nothing more for him.

He was right when he asked if the reason you understand his situation so well was because of your sister. You’re not a mother, but you’ve felt like one many times in the past and it’s a kind of love that never dies.

You should tell him the truth, you think. About everything, not just your sister but the rest of your family as well. He needs to know who you are and what baggage you’re carrying. It’s baggage that could affect your relationship once it takes a turn for the worse. You want to be honest, but where would you even begin to explain the shit show your life was before you moved to Ireland?

You can see the hope clearer now. You have someone by your side who is willing to do anything for you if you as much as asked him, he said so himself, without knowing the full story, and that means you can trust him. You know you can. But you don’t know if you can trust yourself.

You’re always worried for those you love, and you’re always on the lookout. It’s not like your secrets could end in a war; you’re carrying a dark past that might come to haunt you one day, but that would be entirely on you. You can’t drag Michael into that, no matter how much you want to because once you get hurt, he won’t be able to live with himself.

He might start worrying too much, trying to fix your situation, but there is nothing that can be fixed. You have to sneak around with your own sister to even know she’s alive, and it has always been this way, at least ever since you moved away, and you would have to continue doing so before–

You shake the dark thoughts off. You were so happy a few seconds ago, thinking about Michael and your future and your feelings for him, and the thoughts about your family didn’t hesitate to overshadow the little light he lit in your heart. But you won’t allow them to do that. You love Maya, you love her more than life itself, and you’re going to do anything in your power to keep her safe once it comes down to it, but things are okay right now. You can look at it with a clear head and make a wise decision instead of a rushed one, maybe even make a plan and find another way than the ones you’ve mapped out before.

You need to take what little peace you have now and use it for good instead of being a reckless idiot and letting the memories of your past that the last few weeks have triggered in you affect the way you live your life.

And maybe then you can talk to Michael about everything and take the helping hand he has offered you.

Looking back at Michael’s ominous text about your equally as mysterious date, you frown. You considered a few different possibilities. He could be taking you to a less fancy dinner, or he could be taking you to the park, which would explain why your clothes have to be comfortable, but you’re not sure, and that irks you.

You ask him again, but all he sends back is a winky emoji. Up until this point, you didn’t even know he was capable of using emojis. He always seems so confused with electronic devices of any kind, it’s endearing. But he’s just a normal human being who has been away for a long time and now he’s experiencing the world again in a brand new light and that can be fucking confusing.

He’s a father, but he lost eight years with his daughter and now he’s deemed a danger by many, especially the woman taking care of his daughter, and he’s not even sure if she wants to see him, and that is even more confusing for him because he has never learned how to deal with all of these emotions.

Michael always had to function for everyone else around him. He never had a chance to discover who he is and what he wants, even though he had what he wanted for a while, but that was taken from him again and now he has to learn how to live with the guilt and with himself. It’s hard. You get it.

You’ve been there, in a way. Your situations are different, but you feel a deeper understanding because you relate to his pain, and that’s what makes you love him so much more. He’s trying in more ways than one, and that should be acknowledged. He should have someone to support him, even if it can’t be his own family.

He’s not a servant, he’s a human being; he deserves to be treated accordingly.

“Thanks for nothing,” you grumble to yourself, still not close to deciphering what he is planning to do with you.

Part of you is hoping it will end in bed at the end of the night because you’re weirdly horny – checking your period tracker, you notice that you’re ovulating, and it makes sense that you suddenly want to jump his bones while he’s not even near, which will also make for an interesting night, but you push that thought away to focus on the mystery at hand.

What is he planning for your date?

Michael can be such a tease if he wants to be.

Soon enough, after getting home and taking a long shower for your aching muscles, you find yourself panicking in front of your closet like a teenager.

You would consider yourself a romantic; you love rom-coms and romance movies, and you love going on dates as long as they’re meaningful. Atop the broken heart you carry inside, there’s a protective wrap that has been built up on fiction and romanticizing your life. It’s the only way you survived as a child and is surviving now, but living so much in your head prevents you from seeing reality clearly, and that tends to hurt you. You hurt yourself by ignoring the truth, as you did with Maya, and then things turn to shit. Michael is your little beacon of hope. He’s your lucky charm.

You haven’t finished a book or a story because you’re still hung up on the past and it seems like too much of a responsibility. Or maybe you don’t feel capable enough.

You never had support. It wasn’t a lie when you said your parents weren’t happy with your career choice and that’s why you left, but it isn’t the full truth, and the real reason why you left runs deeper. You thought you could start writing once you’re far away from that hellhole, but everything you have started since then landed in the trash because you get insecure, and then you realize that what you have romanticized isn’t true and you don’t ever go back to it.

Maybe it is time to change that now. Your eyes flick to your laptop. The Duke and his promised badass Princess of a promised wife are waiting for you to stretch your fingers and start typing, but once again the claws around your heart pull you back. You can’t. You shouldn’t.

But maybe it’s time that you do, anyway.

You turn back to your outfit for the night, which you haven’t decided on yet and it’s already half past eight.

Only one date in your entire life has been thoroughly thought-out, and the guy dumped you after that.

Frustrated and out of your mind, you dial Sarah’s number and hope she has some smart advice for you since she is the one out of you two who is addicted to going on dates every chance she gets.

After a few rings, she picks up. “Hello!” she cheerily answers. “What is my favorite sunshine up to? Couldn’t go a day without me?”

You plop down on your bed. “I need your help,” you say.

“With what?”

“Picking an outfit for a date.”

There is a short pause before she sighs. “So Mister Mobster asked ya out?” she says. “Is it like to celebrate his ass gettin’ hired or somethin’? Because if it’s bout tha’, I still haven’t been able to fully accept your text message.”

“I’m sorry I did it over text, Sarah, but you weren’t working today and I didn’t have the time to call. And it’s not just a celebratory date, I… we… okay, promise you won’t hate me after this?”

“Depends on what yer about to tell me.”

“He told me he loved me,” you admit.

“Oh for fuck’s sake!” She takes another deep, dramatic breath. “I am not nearly drunk enough for this.”

“You said you’d accept him!” Your voice changes pitch. “You said you’d try and I want you to try. For me. Because… because once you meet him—”

“What, I’m gonna like him?” she cuts you off. “Ya know it’s not that easy to look over all the crimes he’s been involved in, right? You were the one who told me about all of tha’, so it’s kinda your fault, too.”

Silence settles between you. She is a lot more composed than the first time around, but her frustration is still palpable. You can’t say you blame her; you can’t blame her, not after you ran to her when you first found out and you, yourself, were still somewhat uneasy. Sarah cares about you. This isn't just about Michael’s past, this is about her not wanting you to get hurt, and if she knew about your past, she would take it even more seriously. That is just the kind of person she is and you love that about her.

You look up at the ceiling. Your voice sounds brittle when you finally speak, but she can feel the passion and the devotion radiating off of your tongue with every word. “I love him,” you say, “and I want to be with him. You either accept it or you don’t, but I want to turn his head more than once tonight and I do plan to get thoroughly fucked at the end of this, so I could really use your expertise on the outfit. I’m not asking for relationship advice, I’m just asking for you to be my friend.”

Sarah lets out a long, exasperated sigh on the other end of the line. You can almost picture her rolling her eyes before finally speaking. “Alright, alright, I get it. Ya really know how to pull the guilt card, don't ya?” she says, her voice tinged with a mix of annoyance and amusement. “Fine, I'll help you. But don't expect me to suddenly embrace Mister Mob-Daddy-That-Said-I-Love-You-First with open arms. I do want ya to have a good night though, and I want ya t’be devoured ‘cause honestly if he's good in bed, ya go get him, girl.”

You chuckle at her enthusiastic response.

“Now, puttin’ aside the fact that I still don’t understand why you fell fer a mobster, out of all people, let’s talk about this date. Where is he takin’ ya?”

“That’s the thing,” you say with a look at your closet. “I don’t know.”

“What do you mean you don’t know?” she asks.

“It means I don’t know. He wouldn’t tell me. He said he’ll pick me up at nine and we’ll walk there together.”

“That’s… ominous.”

“Yeah, but not in a dangerous sense. Don’t even start.”

She throws her hands up, the rustling of her dress betrays her. “I wasn’t even sayin’ anything!”

“You were thinking it,” you retort. “No. He told me to wear something comfortable. That is all I know about tonight, and it’s freaking me out. That’s why I called you. I’m not good with clothes. I need your help.”

“Okay, okay,” she caves, “I’ll help ya. In fact, I do you one better and tell you exactly what to wear.”

You raise your eyebrows. “Oh, really?”

“Yeah, I know yer wardrobe inside and out and I know exactly what you should wear tonight with Mister Mysterious Mobster on your Mysterious Mobster Date.”

“Would you stop saying mobster?” you say and try to sound annoyed, but your lip twitches into a smirk anyway. “He’s just Michael,” you add.

“Just Michael it is then,” she says, and you can hear the smile in her voice. “For tonight, I’m gonna accept that.”

“Thank you, Sarah, I–”

“Silence!” Her voice echoes dramatically in your ear, and she puts on a fake posh accent that has you cringing. “Let’s find you something marvelous to wear, my dear.”

“Only if you drop the accent.”

“Fine. Way to ruin the fun, but anyway…”

She picks a pair of jeans she weirdly knows exactly where to find. They’re your most comfortable pair, and she chooses a top to match with that, which she says will be easier to take off, and you once again wonder how many times she analyzed your closet when she visited you.

“Throw on some ankle boots, a denim jacket, and those cute little butterfly earrings you have,” she continues. “Cross-body bag, red lipstick, hair tied back with a butterfly clip and you’re a hundred percent yourself but also smoking hot. Oh, and don’t forget to wear that green lingerie set. The one with the lace. I think he’s gonna love that.”

You stare at the outfit on your bed, a little surprised that she managed to put together something that screams your name, but it's also a little more adventurous. When you consider that on your first night with Michael, you wore the ugliest underwear known to man, and the next day you did it again; he never minded because underwear, in his eyes, is something that demands to be taken off, but wearing lingerie would drive him crazy nonetheless, and you feel a little better about yourself when you think about tonight. Sarah's choice boosts your confidence.

“I don’t even want to know how you know all of my clothes,” you say, “but thank you, Sarah. This is… this is going to work great.”

Sarah laughs on the other end of the line. “A girl's gotta have her secrets, sunshine,” she answers. “Just remember to have a fabulous time tonight and enjoy every moment.”

You can hear the sincerity in her voice, and it warms your heart. Sarah has always been there for you, supporting you in her unique way. You appreciate a friend who is not afraid to say what she truly thinks.

You carry your outfit into the bathroom, squeezing the phone between your shoulder and ear. “I'll let you know how it goes,” you tell her. She requires you to give details whenever you go out, and tonight is not going to be any different.

She claps. “Of course! I want all the juicy details. Top to bottom. Bed to the dining table. His end to your end. I need it all!”

You laugh, your cheeks flushing bright red. “Oh, God! That's... that's a lot of details.” But you can feel yourself getting lighter and more excited than before. “Thank you. I will update you,” you say. “And send you pictures. Of the outfit, I mean.”

The smirk in her voice is audible when she retorts, “I don't mind other pictures…”

“Okay,” you remove the phone from your ear, “No nudes for you. Bye, bye!”

And you hang up on her, your lips still curled into a smile, and as you watch yourself in the mirror you can tell that it’s not just pretense – you’re happy.

Taylor Swift blares in the background as you start getting ready. You slip into the carefully chosen outfit, making sure every detail is in place.

You know he won't care that much; he prefers you to wear what you want, and it's something no man has ever told you before. It is the bare minimum, but it draws you to him even more because he accepts you and accepts that you're your own person capable of making your own choices, and it means he appreciates your style at least to a certain point.

The jeans Sarah picked hug your curves just right, and the top accentuates your figure in all the best ways. As you fasten the ankle boots and put on the denim jacket, you catch a glimpse of yourself in the mirror. You have struggled to accept yourself for a while, but you can't deny that you look pretty.

The lingerie underneath is a small, intimate secret that only you know, a little surprise waiting to be revealed. A gift to be unwrapped. It will drive Michael wild once he discovers you're wearing it, and your heart skips a beat when you think about the things he would do to you.

With your hair tied back and the butterfly earrings adorning your ears, you take a moment to apply the bold red lipstick. A bold lip goes a long way, Sarah once said, and she stands firmly by that. Lipstick often wears off after a while, but she got you one that is actually kiss-safe; Michael would kiss you even with lipgloss on, but you don't want to annoy him with the taste too much.

Looking at your reflection one last time, you feel confident.

Taking a deep breath, you grab your phone and keys, slipping them into the cross-body bag. For a night, you can allow yourself to let go just a little and enjoy yourself with the man you love.

Love. It's still such a big word and it feels weird to even think about it, but at the same time the thought alone fills you with endless warmth and you can't believe he is yours, and he has vowed to be yours now.

At nine exactly, there is a knock on your door. You take a deep breath. This feels like your first-ever date and you’re nervous, but you’re also excited. This is new for both of you, but you are determined to make it work.

When you open the door, Michael stands there wearing his best black jacket, the tight-fitting green sweater underneath that he wore the first time you met and a pair of jeans that hug him just right. His hair is messy, but in a way that seems wanted. He seems to have trimmed his beard and he’s wearing clean shoes instead of his dirty boots tonight.

He cleans up nicely, and he looks good. He is a sight to behold and your cheeks flush bright red at the sight of him.

What makes it worse though is the bouquet of daisies and beautiful violets in his hands. He’s not carrying classical roses or tulips; the bouquet is colorful and adorned with the sweetest flowers you know, and the scent hits you just right.

Your heart skips a beat. He remembered little details about you that you don’t even consciously notice about yourself, and if that isn’t a silent gesture to tell you how much he loves you, you don’t know what is. Telling you the truth must have taken him a lot of courage, and he might struggle to do so again, which you understand, but he’s showing it to you and that’s more than enough.

Michael’s jaw drops when he sees you. His lips carry a small smile of surprise, his cheeks soon matching your color as he takes in the sight of you, shamelessly checking you out. The flowers quiver in his hands and he has to refrain from throwing them aside, pushing you back into your apartment, and fucking you right there against the wall.

“Wow,” he exhales.

You return the sentiment, subconsciously reaching out to touch one of the violets that are pointed in your direction. “Wow,” you murmur.

“You look…” He licks his lips, struggling to find a word that conveys your beauty. He’s awestruck, and his mind stops functioning.

He was stupid enough to plan a whole speech to make this night perfect, but you stole his breath and now he can’t seem to get it back. You’ve stolen all of him, but he loves that because that means he is yours – body, mind, and soul – and he wouldn’t have it any other way.

You brush a strand of hair behind your ear. “I wasn’t sure what to wear,” you admit, your voice barely above a whisper. “Because I wasn’t sure where we’re going and you said to dress comfortably, not to dress up, but then I didn’t feel comfortable just wearing something random, and you said comfortable, so I tried out a few things, called Sarah, and… here I am.” You open your arms, awkwardly showing off your whole outfit to him. “I hope it’s enough,” you say.

He blinks a few times, his mouth opening and closing. He looks like a computer trying to reboot after a circuit failure. You watch him, your eyebrows furrowed. Does he not like it? You put a lot of effort into your outfit — Sarah did, anyway. You feel pretty, but what if he doesn’t think so?

You would never let your worth be defined by a man, let alone him, but it would hurt a little because you wanted to look good for both of you tonight. You wanted him to enjoy looking at you as if you were a meal he can’t resist. You take his silence as a bad sign, insecurities eating away at you, until he finally snaps out of his trance when he sees hurt flash across your face.

“You’re so fuckin’ beautiful,” he says.

Maybe you were expecting the worst, after all. Your blush deepens out of embarrassment this time, looking down at your feet to hide it.

“Oh, and... I, uh... got these for ya," he stammers, realizing he forgot to mention the flowers. “I dunno if they're your favorite, but... I noticed you like violets and daisies 'cause ya have a lot of scented things…” He offers the bouquet to you. “Couldn’t exactly get ya a vanilla plant.”

Well done, Michael. He internally curses himself for the stupid joke. But then you laugh and his worries fade away.

“First date means flowers, right? Or so I’ve heard. I’m not up-to-date on date culture. Is tha’... Is tha’ what they call it? Date culture?”

You only start laughing more.

The lighthearted tone brings a smile to his face. You cover your mouth, trying to stifle your laughter, but it still fills the room with its song and his heart with warmth.

“First date, date culture, whatever you want to call it,” you say after calming down, and you take the flowers from him with a smile. “And these flowers... they're perfect, Michael. Thank you.”

He exhales a sigh of relief. “I'm glad you like them,” he says. “I was worried I got the wrong ones or somethin'.”

You delicately hold the vibrant blooms in your hands, tracing the petals with your fingers. You get lost in thought for a moment before turning back to him. “They're exactly what I needed. And what I wanted. No one…” you trail off, your chest heaving with a sigh. “No one’s gotten me flowers before,” you admit. “So, thank you.”

Michael's cheeks turn a shade of pink, matching the color of the flowers in your hands. “I... I wanted to make tonight special. I know we're both new at this, but I want it to be a night to remember. And yer so beautiful, you deserve all the flowers.”

Your eyes crinkle. “I'm already having a night to remember.”

“I'm glad,” he says, matching your soft smile. “So…” He switches between the bouquet and your face, and you take it as a hint to put them aside. “Should we go? I, uh, have a surprise for ya.”

His smile looks genuine and you love how the happiness defines his dimples and magnifies the wrinkles in the corners of his eyes, and the hazel of his irises glows like fire whenever he smiles.

You nod. “Yeah, sure. Let’s go.”

As you make your way out of your apartment complex, he takes your hand in the chilly night air, offering you warmth and something to hold onto, and you make your way down the street, away from the gas station that has given you one too many sleepless nights. He walks close to you as if to shield you from any possible danger, and every so often you look at him to find him peeking over his shoulder behind you.

“What are you looking for?” you ask eventually, growing a little uneasy yourself.

Michael chuckles softly, his breath creating a small cloud in the cool air. “Just makin' sure nobody's followin' us,” he tells you. “Can't be too careful, can we?”

His nerves are playing cruel tricks on him. Alone the thought of missing something and getting you hurt makes his blood run cold, and he urges you to walk a little faster to get out of the darkest part of town somewhere he knows no one has stationed any suppliers that interact with him or his family – and that is where you are safest.

You walk for a while in silence. Time continues passing by, the night air brushing through your hair and his own, creating a cool yet gentle atmosphere around you. He squeezes your hand for warmth as you continue.

Eventually, you come to a stop. You can hear the faint sound of music and laughter in the distance, and you crane your neck to get a better view, but Michael’s hands soon cover your eyes.

You can hear the smirk in his voice when he whispers in your ear, “It’s a surprise.”

“I hate surprises,” you murmur, grabbing onto his wrists.

“Ya’ll like this one, trust me.”

You trust him to walk you toward your destination, but you’re weary about his coordination skills. You feel helpless with your eyes covered. After a few steps, you relax a little, but it’s still unsettling.

“You ready?” he asks you then.

You nod eagerly. “Just show me already.”

The laughing and music get louder, followed by high-pitched ringing and the smell of popcorn, corndogs, and candy floss.

You giggle when he presses his lips to the back of your neck, trying to pull the hands away from your eyes. “Where are–” you begin, but then he allows you to open your eyes and you’re so surprised, you forget what you wanted to ask.

In front of you, there is a small carnival. It’s so small, you can overlook it from inside, but the lights are brighter than ever, shining in different hues of red, blue, green, orange, and purple and other variations of the color wheel. Music is playing in different parts, but it all blends well. There is an auto scooter in the middle, a Ferris Wheel at the end, different booths with games and food, and you can make out some smaller carousels for children.

Glitter is strewn around, feathers of boas pass by you, and you see a clown somewhere. Balloon animals are being made in one corner while in the other, a couple is laughing loudly as they get out of the bumper car area. There is also a faster ride with spinning teacups and a freefall tower, but there is not much more to it.

This is probably the tamest carnival you have ever seen, but the scenery is breathtaking. The music is phenomenal. You find yourself in awe of the lights and the artworks painted on the attractions. You love the layout of the booths, as far as you can see them, and the photo booth catches your eye; you haven’t seen one of these in a while.

Your heart swells as memories flood over you, but they’re kind and they’re somewhat happy, and you realize that this is an escape like the one you sought when you were a child. For many, this is an escape right now.

You’re not sure what’s more beautiful, the lights or Michael, but you have to settle for the man beside you because his eyes are just as wide, but not because of what he sees inside the carnival, he’s only looking at you.

“Oh, my God,” you whisper, still looking around. Your lips curl into a smile. You squeal. You feel like a teenager again. “Michael, this is–” There are no words to describe how nostalgia makes you feel.

He smiles shyly. “Ya like it?” he asks.

“Like it? I–” You stare at him, your mouth still agape. Without a word, you step forward and press your lips against his.

Michael kisses back, his arms coming to wrap around your waist. Music and laughter blend into the background. It’s just the two of you right now, illuminated by the color-changing lights and the comfort of your lips.

You break apart breathlessly after a few seconds. “I…” you shake your head in disbelief. “I love it. I love you.” The most childish giggle escapes your lips. “But you’re fucking mad!”

He chuckles, brushing a strand of hair behind your ear. “Why am I mad?”

“Because… because you brought me here. To a mini carnival.” You emphasize the size, but the way you say it makes it sound cute. “In the middle of the night with all of the lights,” you say, “It’s truly beautiful. You are beautiful. This…” You break apart, opening your arms as if to show him the obvious. “This is beautiful.”

The sounds of laughter and music from the carnival blend with the pounding of your heart. He leans back in. “I wanted to create a moment tha' was just for us, somethin' that would make you feel like a kid again. And seein' that smile on yer face, knowin' that I could bring you joy like this... it means the world to me.”

“You're insane in the best possible way,” you repeat. “Who else would think of a mini carnival as a surprise?”

He brushes his thumb gently against your cheek. “I love you too, more than words can express,” he whispers, the carnival almost drowning out his voice. “And seein' ya happy like this, it's all I ever wanted. Means mission accomplished.”

You find yourself lost in his eyes, the vibrant lights of the carnival reflecting in them. “You're beautiful,” you whisper back. “Thank you so much.”

He kisses you softly again, this time making sure to savor every moment. You break apart with a mischievous glimmer in your eye, grabbing his hand, and you tug him playfully toward the entrance. “Come on now! Let's have some fun.”

He lowers his head with a chuckle before allowing you to drag him with you into the carnival, his heart a million pounds lighter now that he is with you.

Michael pays for the tickets, and he pays for the drinks you get once you enter because you wouldn’t admit that you’re thirsty, so he forces you to have something to drink before you pass out in the crowded space.

Surprisingly, it’s not as crowded as you expected. There is a lack of children because it’s the middle of the week and they’re all asleep in their beds, and the teenagers that are there to waste their time away don’t bother anyone but themselves. You see a few couples walking around, but there are not that many people, and it offers you and Michael some time just for yourselves. It’s almost as if he planned it to be this empty, and maybe he did, but if he did, you appreciate his efforts because you hate crowds, anyway.

Seeing the flashing lights and listening to the high-pitched noise of some of the attractions, you wearily roam your eyes over Michael’s face for any sign of discomfort.

“Are you sure we should be here?” you ask.

He frowns. “Why?”

“Your seizures…”

He says your name, pulling you into his arms as you stop in front of one of the most colorful rides. The passengers in the wagon get tossed around and they’re all laughing, even though you know the plastic can hurt. It’s a lot of fun, you remember.

“Can we please not talk about tha’ tonight?” he says. “Please? I just want to have a good night with ya. Just you and me and forget about everythin’ else. Can we do that?”

Your eyes soften, your hand coming up to rest on his cheeks. “I’m just worried,” you say.

Flashing lights and loud noises are triggers for epileptic seizures. He doesn’t know what he has, but his seizures paint a picture of their own, and without medication, he could get triggered. You don’t want him to get hurt when you’re supposed to be having fun. But you also don’t want him to feel like you’re walking on eggshells around him. He knows his body and condition probably better than you do because you can’t feel what he’s feeling. You’re simply worried, and his eyes tell you that he knows, but he still doesn’t like to dwell on it.

“I’m okay,” he assures you. “I’d tell ya if I wasn’t, but lights… lights usually don’t give me seizures. I can ride rollercoasters and all of tha’, I think. It’s… I don’t know, it happens when I’m– I’m stressed. Hasn’t happened anywhere else before, so I’m alright.”

You sigh. He wouldn’t lie to you after telling you the truth, you know that. And maybe it’s good that you know in case something happens, but you hope it won’t.

“I love you.” You lean in to brush your lips over his.

He brings his lips to your forehead, pressing a gentle kiss on the skin there. “I love ya too,” he says.

“So… you won’t mind if we ride that thing over there?”

Following the line your finger is pointing, Michael’s eyes widen visibly when you point to the moving teacups on the platform a little further away. They continuously keep spinning, and he can already feel himself getting nauseous at the thought.

“Oh!” you exclaim happily when you see the free-fall tower so close to you. “Or that one?”

His eyes are still wide in shock when he stares back at you. “I thought we were gonna ride bumper cars,” he says, “not… not defy death.”

You burst out laughing. “What, as if you’re afraid of carnival rides?”

He doesn’t answer.

“Wait. Michael Kinsella, are you afraid of carnival rides? Or is it heights? Don’t tell me it’s heights.”

He blushes. “That thing falls!” he tries to defend himself as he points toward the tower. “And that one…” he can’t find the words for the spinning tea cups because they just look ridiculous. “Teacups don’t spin,” he says. “And towers are not supposed to… fall.”

Your laughter turns into a soft, teasing giggle as you pull him close and kiss him. The kiss is tender and he melts under your touch, though the fear in his veins remains. When he decided to take you there he was thinking about riding the things Anna used to ride when she was little like bumper cars, a carousel, or the Ferris wheel, not whatever you just pointed out to him. He always steered clear of that.

“Michael Kinsella, part of the most dangerous crime family in Dublin,” you sigh dramatically, “and he is afraid of carnival rides.”

That makes him seem so human, all you can do is pinch his cheeks and kiss him all over.

“Don’t judge me.” Michael pouts at you. “I’m not a fan. I like bumper cars though.”

His smile warms your heart. It looks giddy, a little shy, maybe, but it’s an honest smile.

“I like bumper cars too,” you say. “Perhaps we should try that out then.”

“Yeah.”

“And then we could ride… the carousel with the little animals as wagons?”

“Mhm.”

“Ferris wheel?”

“Only if ya hold my hand,” he says.

You chuckle, taking his hand in yours already as you make your way to the bumper car area. “That can be managed, my dear.”

The sounds of laughter and the aroma of carnival treats fill the air, heightening the atmosphere.

“You wanna drive with me?” you ask when it's your turn.

He smirks and shakes his head. What you didn't expect was for him, who claims he doesn't have a license, to be so good at bumper cars – and then you remember that he might have lost it and that he knows how to drive, he just isn't allowed to, and in that case, it makes you competitive.

You and Michael strap yourselves into separate cars, your eyes focused on each other. Your cars are several rows apart, but you can make out each other just fine, and he looks as if he's about to destroy you. As the ride starts with a blaring song through the speakers, he maneuvers his car with surprising skill, finding you and bumping straight into your car. You gasp, blowing the hair out of your face.

“You're going to regret that,” you say.

Hitting the gas pedal, you chase after him now, the people in your way disappearing as you bump them out of the way to back him into a corner. And you manage to do so until he puts the car into reverse and bumps you back.

“Rude!” You bump him right back.

He laughs. “Not so smart now, huh?” he retorts.

“Oh, fuck off!”

“You first!”

You keep chasing each other around the track until you’re both laughing like maniacs. The cars come to a halt and you struggle to get the seatbelt off after being tossed around so much.

Michael, ever the gentleman, offers you his hand and helps you out of the vehicle. You poke his tongue out at him, but you take it anyway.

After the first ride, you make your way to the carousel, hand in hand. The colorful lights and the gentle music create a magical ambiance as you choose your favorite animal to ride. You both simultaneously point out the unicorn, and it feels like you're mentally connected in a way. You find comfort in the simplicity of the carousel, the feeling of the wind in your hair, and the warmth of Michael's hand in yours.

He watches you as you lean back, closing your eyes and simply enjoying it like the few kids in the wagons around you. It's a moment spent in absolute silence, and you wouldn't have it any other way. In this world, it is just the two of you, and you are having the time of your lives. All the worries fade into the background, overshadowed by the comfort of each other's arms.

Finally, after another ride with the carousel, you reach the Ferris wheel, the grand centerpiece of the carnival. It is much smaller than the London Eye, obviously, but you prefer it that way. As you step into the gondola and the wheel starts moving, Michael clasps your hand.

The metal feels unstable under him, and it is a lot shakier than the stable gondolas in a bigger Ferris wheel, but you find that to be the beauty of it. With a soft chuckle, you squeeze his hand and encourage him to place his head on your shoulder until you have reached the top.

“Don't laugh,” he says with a pout, and you try not to, but the thought of Michael Kinsella having a fear of heights still amuses you.

The view from the top is breathtaking, to say the least. You nudge him to open his eyes and take a look around Dublin with you, the city lights forming little blobs on the night sky, and you can make out the river as the moon reflects off it. The stars barely stand a chance against downtown, but once you turn around and look in the direction where nature is, you can make out the different constellations, and you point out Orion to him.

“It’s so beautiful,” you whisper.

“Yeah,” says Michael, but when you turn to him, he is looking directly at you. “The sight is truly breathtakin’.”

You blush, turning your head away, but he catches your chin and pulls you back toward him.

“Don’t look away from me…”

You shiver at the sound of his voice. “Sorry.”

He strokes your cheek, then your jawline before resting his hand on your throat, feeling your pulse jump at his subtle touch, and then he finally leans in to kiss you. With the stars in the background and the city in the distance alive and bustling, you find yourself enveloped in your bubble again.

As you kiss under the stars for the first time, illuminated by the colorful lights of the carnival high atop the Ferris wheel, you continue falling deeper and deeper in love with him.

The world seems to fade away as you lose yourself in the moment, in the gentle caress of his lips against yours. With each passing second, your hearts beat more and more in harmony, aligning like the planets that make the stars.

As you break apart, breathless and filled with a sense of wonder, Michael stares at you.

“I never want this moment to end,” he says.

You smile, tracing the outline of his nose. “Me neither,” you say.

“You remind me of a star.”

“Why?”

“Because yer bright… and you fill me with wonder.”

“Wonder?”

“Yeah, wonder.” He kisses you again even softer. “I’m just mesmerized by ya.”

“Good,” you smile, “because I feel the same way about you.”

The Ferris wheel shakes, and your moment is torn in two as Michael grabs onto your arm. You try not to laugh, but you fail miserably.

“And we’re goin’ down,” he says.

You look away, but your laugh reaches his ears, and he pouts all the way down, making sure you feel every last bit of his displeasure. But you can’t help it; the sight is too adorable not to laugh.

Passing by the many booths littered along the carnival as you walk away from the Ferris wheel, you notice one with particularly fluffy stuffed animals lined along the walls.

“I’ve always wanted one,” you point out. “Had a small one as a kid, but I… lost it.”

He looks at you and then the teddy bears you’re pointing at. It’s one of these games where you get a rifle and have to shoot a target – but it’s not real; it’s filled with air. He bites his cheek, then grins at you.

“What?”

He tugs at your arm as he pulls you along toward the booth.

“Hey,” he greets the owner. “I’d like ta take a shot at winnin’ that bear up there. The big one?”

The man eyes him curiously, then looks behind him to see you. “She belong to ya?” he asks.

Michael doesn’t like the way he’s looking at you. His eyes darken, and his fingers brush the rifle. If those held real bullets, he would give the man the fright of his life. Still, he takes it and charges it expertly, his attention focused on him.

The man’s eyes switch from you to him, Michael’s sour smile almost taking him out. He looks dangerous with his jaw clenched and hand wrapped around a gun that wasn’t meant to hurt anyone, but he could make it work if he wanted to.

“If my girl wants a teddy bear,” Michael says, “I’m winnin’ her a teddy bear. Now, may I take my shots, sir?”

You’re not surprised when he hits all targets on the first try. The owner of the booth didn’t see it coming, but you are more than happy when he takes down the biggest teddy bear and hands it to you. His hand is shaking.

Michael winks, pulling him down further when he hands the gun back. “If ya ever look at another woman the same way ya just looked at my girlfriend again in yer miserable life,” he says, his voice bordering on a growl, and his eyes bore into the man’s, “trust me that I’ll come back here with a real gun and make sure it’s the last time ya ever lay eyes or yer dirty little fingers on one again. Ya don’t wanna mess with me. We clear?”

He swallows, all color fading from his skin.

“I asked ya somethin’–“ Michael’s fist collides with the counter, but it’s a silent collision that only catches the attention of the one it needs to; you seem oblivious, even though maybe a little curious. “D’ya hear me?” he repeats. “I won’t tell ya twice. The next time, ya won’t be so fuckin’ lucky.”

“Yeah, got tha’,” the man is quick to respond. “I’m sorry, I–“

“Shut up. Just let her have the teddy bear and move on.”

I get dangerously angry, sometimes, when someone touches what’s mine.

He is not a mind reader, but Michael knew from the moment the at least sixty-year-old man first stared at you he would have done something if he hadn’t been there. And then someone could have bought his hands off the dark web after Michael would have cut them off with a dull knife.

Michael offers the man a big smile and wishes him a good night before taking your hand and the teddy bear and pulling you away from the possible danger he saw in him.

“What was that about?” you ask, curious about what could have conspired between the two men.

It didn’t look friendly and neither did it sound like it, but you were too focused on your new stuffed animal to really pay attention. And you don’t really care, anyway. Michael must have had his reasons.

He simply presses a kiss on your temple instead of answering and says, “Nothin’. All good here. Let’s take a walk.”

You walk the last few meters in silence, your arms hugged around your new toy and his hands buried in the pockets of his jeans. The silence isn’t uncomfortable or loaded. You’re enjoying each other's company without disturbing it with words.

After a while, Michael contemplates, his eyebrows furrowing before he looks up at you and admits, “I used to bring Anna here all the time when she was little.”

You meet his eyes. “You did?” you ask.

“Yeah, she, uh, loved bumper cars and everythin’ that was blinkin’, so…” he smiles to himself. “The guys from the carnival come here every few months, and it’s always been a happy place fer us, so I thought it could be yours, too. Ours, maybe. I don’t know.”

You used to take Maya to carnivals all the time when she was younger. It was your way of getting a few hours of freedom without fights or violence, and you always made sure to check out all the rides and win stuffed animals. You ate your way through half of the booths and came out with a sugar rush, but every night was worth it.

His confession weighs heavily on you because even the happiest memories are now overshadowed by a different kind of memory, and it causes the muscles around your heart to contract in agony.

“I’m sure she loved it,” you say with a soft smile, even though the smile is fake.

“She did,” he says, and he grows a bit quieter now, too.

To lighten the mood, you tug at his arm and point toward the photo booth. “What do you say we try that next?”

He frowns. “Seriously?”

“Yeah. Deadly.”

“I don’t usually take photos of myself. I hate ‘em.”

“But it’s not just you, is it?” you say. Your eyes crinkle again. “Please? Just a few pictures of the two of us together? And Mister Bear?” You use the teddy’s hand to wave at him.

Michael chuckles. “Mister Bear?” he asks.

“Yes, that’s his name. If you don’t want to take a picture with me, I will trade you for him as my cuddle buddy.”

He raises his eyebrows at your playful threat. The smirk gives you away, but he still fears you might replace him for the stuffed animal in the end if he doesn’t comply. “Alright,” he caves, “let’s take some pictures of us. But I can’t promise they’re gonna be good.”

You pull him into the photo booth with an excited giggle. “You always look good.”

“Beg to differ.”

“Beg all you want, it’s not gonna get you out of this one,” you say.

You get five pictures in a row – five attempts at striking the poses you want to in the small booth.

During the first shot, Michael manages to look particularly grimy, so for the second one, you decide to force the teddy bear in his face, which makes him laugh just as the flash goes off. Then, for the next one, you lean your head against his shoulder and smile, and he has never looked more endearing. You decide to do a silly pose for the fourth one, and he joins in, now feeling less serious about himself. As you stare into each other’s eyes for the three-second break, you let the inner urge take over and kiss him on the lips just as the flash goes off and captures the moment between you.

Walking out of the booth, Michael is quick to catch the photo strips to be the first one to look at them; thankfully, you get two versions, so you both each get to carry the memory of that day with you.

He smiles when he sees the pictures, he genuinely smiles, and he puts the strip into his wallet where there is an empty photo slot.

“We look cute,” you say, pointing at the last picture. “Especially in that one.”

He chuckles, wrapping an arm around your shoulders. “We do look cute when we kiss, don’t we?” he says.

“We do, indeed. But not just when we kiss. We always look cute.”

“Sure, always.”

You store it away in your cross-body bag, not wanting it to get ruined by dirt or accidentally lose it.

You are about ready to make your way to the exit when he checks the time on his watch and stops you in your tracks by calling your name. “I have one more surprise for tonight,” he says.

“One more surprise?” you ask.

“Yeah, one more. C’mon.”

“What is it?”

“If I told ya, it wouldn’t be a surprise.”

“But I hate surprises.”

He repeats his words from long before with a smile, not a smirk, “Yer gonna like this one.”

As you settle in the grass on a small hill that connects directly to the carnival, you watch the last few people pass by before it closes. Your teddy bear is nestled comfortably against a tree as you and Michael lie next to each other. It might seem weird, but there is something intimate about how you cradle each other’s cheeks and stare into each other’s eyes as if the person you have been looking for all your lives is finally next to you – in your case, that is.

In the distance, a fire is being lit, and soon enough, colorful fireworks explode above your head. It catches you both off guard. Your eyes widen, mesmerized by the beauty of it all. The night sky is alive with color now, and you get lost in it.

“Michael,” you breathe.

He follows your gaze and watches the fireworks explode in front of the stars he compared you to. “I know,” he says.

There is something special about fireworks. The different colors and shapes lure you in, and everyone views it as a spectacle.

Fireworks, with their fleeting nature, teach you to appreciate the transient beauty of life and to treasure the moments of joy that come your way. They are seen as means to celebrate, not just milestones but life itself, and every human being is drawn to it. Explosions are only pretty if they're fireworks. Humans find beauty in disaster.

Fireworks, with their dazzling display of colors and patterns, evoke a sense of wonder, allowing us to momentarily escape from the complexities of life and immerse ourselves in the beauty of the moment.

You fill him with wonder, too. You fill him with all the good feelings and he’s always floating on cloud nine when he’s with you.

Curling into his side, you place your head on his chest, watching the fireworks continue their dance on the black canvas.

“Thank you,” you whisper. “Tonight was… the best night of my life.”

Michael wraps an arm around you. “And it was mine, too,” he says.

“I don’t want it to be over.”

“We can stay as long as ya want, my love.”

“Watching the fireworks?”

He smiles, leaning down to kiss the top of your head. “‘Til they’re over,” he assures you, “every last one of ‘em.”

You snuggle closer with a content sigh. “Sounds perfect to me.”

As the fireworks continue, he holds you close to his heart, making sure you’re warm and taken care of, and you find yourself letting go in his embrace. His arms form a protective shield around you, protecting you from the world and the pain that always seems to come back to haunt both of you. But love has been known since the beginning of time to keep us alive; lying on the grass in each other’s arms is all you need, and your love exceeds all expectations either of you had for the future.

Tagging: @bellaxgiornata @mattmurdocksscars @ms-murdockswift @your-not-invisible-to-me @shouldbestudying41 @glowstick-lesbian @acharliecoxedfan @roseallisonparker @norestfortheshelbywicked @1988-fiend @loveroftoomanyfandoms @mattkinsella

#michael kinsella x reader #michael kinsella x you #michael kinsella fluff #michael kinsella #kin amc #charlie cox #chaos theory #reader insert #x reader

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lunanoc · 4 months

Text

PART II: KING MU OF ZHOU AND THE QUEEN MOTHER OF THE WEST

(to see previous disclaimers and context here’s part I of this madness)

blanket spoiler warning for the books once again

fair warning, some of the bold connect-the-dots crack theories are going to start creeping in here, but more meta here we gooo

continuing where we left off with the various versions of the story of king shang of lu dmbj gives us, the wang family powerpoint lesson, besides giving us the third account of those, also introduces new key players, both one we know but did not know of their potential connection to king shang of lu, and a new one that offers an entirely new perspective on this subplot of dmbj lore: king mu of zhou and the queen mother of the west

what the wang powerpoint and the subsequent discussions between li cu and members of the wang family tell us about king mu of zhou and the queen mother of the west is not only interesting in itself, but also ties closely into both king shang’s and iron mask’s story, as well as the overall dmbj lore. i try not to go too far in trying to see possible connections with later books, notably here queen mother’s ghost banquet, because i don’t have the full context for those, so i won’t go into too much detail on what’s essentially a tenuous crack theory. however, for the record, the queen mother of the west as she’s described in sand sea part III could potentially tie into what we learn about the zhang family’s origins at the tail end of queen mother’s ghost banquet, namely that the zhang family are descended from a group of people millennia old (think xia dynasty or older, which makes sense given they were likely also the ones who built the original heavenly palace and the bronze gate in the shang dynasty c. 1600 BC, but that’s a tangent for another time) who ventured beneath the kunlun mountains, ate from the qilin fruit tree (aka the equivalent of the queen mother of the west of chinese myth’s peach tree), and rather than immediately turning into monsters like many who tried did, were special enough for some reason that they gained longevity instead at the cost of eventually, after maybe initially millenia, then progressively centuries, turning into monsters. some of those people then eventually ventured out from beneath the mountains into the vast world, later to form what would be known as the zhang family. but that’s all i’ll say on that

but back to king mu and the queen of the west

to start off, i feel it’s important to be aware that king mu of zhou isn’t a fictional character created by npss, rather he’s a real historical figure who actually existed and was an emperor of the western zhou dynasty (1046-770 BC) while it was at its peak (he himself probably reigned somewhere between 976 and 918 BC). as it happens, his connection to the queen mother of the west also isn’t something created by npss. references to the queen mother of the west go very far back (think shang dynasty mentioned earlier) and she’s one of the more prominent mythological figures in chinese tradition, who among other descriptors, is said to possess the secret of immortality in her garden of magical peaches that grant longevity in the kunlun mountains. either the queen of the west herself or her peaches make several appearances in chinese literature, maybe more famously for a western audience in journey to the west where sun wukong eats some of them and is punished for it

even the story of king mu of zhou and the queen mother of the west meeting is a retelling of another piece of fiction called the tale of king mu, son of heaven, dating back to at earliest the warring states period (since the original copy of it was found in a tomb dating back to the tail end of it). like in sand sea’s rendition of his story, historically king mu of zhou did travel a lot because he enjoyed making territorial conquests, to the extent that king mu of zhou is the one who ultimately expanded china’s territory both east and west beyond the central plains. in the fictional story of the tale of king mu, son of heaven however, king mu of zhou specifically seeks out the queen mother of the west in the kunlun mountains to gain her secret of immortality, and while she ultimately invites him to her jade pool for a banquet where they exchange gifts, she doesn’t give him one of her peaches

in the wang family’s version of this story, it’s explained to li cu that king mu of zhou didn’t care much for politics and preferred running around china as he pleased, ultimately seeking out the queen mother of the west for her famed elixir of immortality. where this version of the story diverges from the myth is that they supposedly ended up falling in love (Sand Sea Part III, Ch. 133, King Mu of Zhou)

king mu of zhou sought out the queen mother of the west because there had been legends even during king mu’s time of her having had this elixir of immortality for a very long time, which tells us at the very least that according to this story, the queen mother he met with was likely the queen mother of legend, or the one chinese mythology equates with a deity to some extent. she’s even further described as having dominion over all the kingdoms of the west, and that her great kingdom spanned from the kunlun mountains to even the qaidam basin, which is where tamutuo is located. i feel this tells us that the queen of the west of tamutuo and the queen mother of the west from king mu’s legend are one and the same. the fact she’s even referred to as “young” despite the breadth of her legacy reinforces the idea that there might be something unnatural about her

you could argue that maybe “queen mother of the west” was an inherited title, and that her kingdom of tamutuo was a matriarchal society that had had many queen mothers, but the fact is there’s no real supporting evidence of that any more than there is of the opposite despite the arguments put forward, so really, you could argue in favor of both. i like to think she was the queen mother of legend, if only because it creates, thanks to the inclusion of the kunlun mountains in her territory, a strong connection in some capacity with the first people cursed with intolerable longevity mentioned in queen mother’s banquet, but once again, take with a grain of salt

slight tangent, i will say however while i’m on this topic that i strongly feel that the zhang family are meant to be depicted as one more of many human corruption motifs that are rampant in dmbj. this is something for another meta, but i would argue that beneath the tomb raiding and the conspiracies, the core theme of dmbj is that “humans are more terrible than monsters”, and so the narrative provides ample examples of human corruption causing others far more misery than any tomb creature ever could. as per their origins talked about in queen mother’s ghost banquet, it’s possible that alongside their knowledge of whatever secrets of the universe they’re privy to, and their subsequent need for control over china’s destiny through the ages, the ancestors of the zhang family had initially ventured out from under the mountains to seek a cure for the side effects of their terrible curse, and gradually discovered that the bronze and jade of the meteorites could potentially provide that. maybe the queen mother of the west was one of their descendants, and perhaps one of the rare people who stand to succeed in that quest (that we know of at least considering she’s presumably still alive in some capacity down there along with chen wenjin and other members of the xisha expedition). just food for thought, but anyone who’s read that far feel free to give your thoughts on queen’s banquet related ideas!

the wang in charge of instructing li cu admits in the course of his tale that they had to make some assumptions (so this means you have to consider this bit to be a little handwavy admittedly) about what exactly the nature of the relationship between king mu of zhou and the queen mother of the west was, and settles on them having fallen in love despite king mu having “invaded” her kingdom and he did invade it, because we conveniently have a single reference to this man outside of sand sea in book 5, when wu xie and xiaoge find murals in the ruins around wu sanxing’s abandoned camp that depict king mu’s invasion of tamutuo that was clearly hostile and was met with responding hostility (Book 5, Ch. 25-26, The Third Night: Relief / The Third Night: Déjà-vu)

it doesn’t mean that these narratives are mutually exclusive and can’t both be true, and that after having been defeated, either party asked for a truce that led to something else, but it does already suggest there might be more to this story than what we’re told of it. this idea somewhat confirms itself, again hinging on believing that the wang’s narrative is one close enough to the truth to be reliable, when li cu calls the romance spin on king mu’s and the queen mother’s story into question (Sand Sea Part III, Ch. 145, The Truth of the World). li cu suggests that the poem she supposedly gifted king mu (which i’ll get into in a little bit), as well as maybe the queen mother of the west herself and her secret of immortality, are all concepts fashioned and embellished by king mu of zhou to facilitate his grand plan which i’ll touch on later, all because he saw “the truth of this world” in the queen mother of the west’s kingdom, and sought not to reveal it to the world, but to conceal it, and build an entire nebulous plan with it at its core

i don’t feel like the queen of the west herself is a fabrication considering both the multiple references to her interspersed throughout various dmbj books, as well as tangible proof of her existence re: tamutuo, but the idea that king mu of zhou might have been the author of the tale of king mu, son of heaven and the subsequent romance plot derived from it in dmbj universe is something i can believe so long as you assume he believed it was one more component in his masterplan. i’m hesitant to call dmbj magical realism because magical realism is very much a western genre of literature and people would do well to remember that western constructs aren’t universally applicable, but dmbj does use a number of structural and thematic elements that magical realism also uses, and this subplot is no exception. contrary to what some might think, npss actually does a significant amount of research when he writes these books, and a lot of the supernatural or fictional tomb elements aren’t so much explained through handwavy science as they are derived from well-documented real historical events or figures, much like magical realism is heavily grounded in reality despite slightly deviating from it in believable ways. dmbj is deeply informed by chinese culture and history, more so than just using it as the backdrop to a fantasy adventure story: they’re integral parts of the plot, which i think is part of what makes dmbj so difficult to navigate without extensive knowledge of that backdrop (which i by the way don’t pretend to have either, my own knowledge is very much surface level all things considered)

in light of this, as far as the queen mother of the west goes, considering the relatively reliable outside account of a hostile invasion we get from the ruins of tamutuo itself, and then li cu’s own take on king mu’s and the queen mother’s relationship, while the romance spin isn’t necessarily entirely false, it does leave a lot of question marks as to what exactly king mu saw in the queen of the west’s kingdom. that he was given the gift of longevity is highly likely given he’s still alive centuries later, along with other key elements of the wang family’s story i’ll get to in a bit. however, the uncertainty in the nature of their relationship does potentially make the queen of the west’s motivations for offering king mu longevity if not just as uncertain, then potentially a little more sinister, since while she might have offered out of love, if we assume all her experimentations weren’t geared at gaining immortality for herself, but rather curbing the side effects of it, then her gift was very much a poisoned one as she knew full well what would happen to him if he used it. for all we know, king mu might have, on defeating the queen mother’s kingdom, inflicted the “truth of the world” and the curse of longevity on himself, and none of it was never a gift at all, but the consequences of his own actions. but all of this is just speculation in the end as there’s no solid evidence pointing in any one direction. in any case, the only potential insight we get into the queen mother of the west’s thoughts come from maybe the vaguest source yet, a poem she supposedly composed for king mu that she gifted him when they parted, and that merebear translates as follows:

White clouds in the sky, the hills emerge. The road is far away, between mountains and rivers. The child who is not dead, can still come back.

knowing how many layers of meaning can be crammed into classical chinese poetry, i had to go find the original text and investigate further, so let me also provide that:

白云在天，山陵自出。道里悠远，山川间之。将子无死，尚能复来。

full disclaimer before i continue, poetry and its nuances are notoriously difficult to translate in any language, and i’m not at all claiming to be proficient enough at the chinese language without outside resources to help me to ever claim to be an expert, but while merebear’s translation isn’t technically incorrect, it has a few possible double meanings missing and some word choices i’m not quite sure i understand, but this is only my own humble contribution (with some creative license in the english rendition) that anyone with better knowledge than mine is welcome to correct or add on to as this isn’t so much an attempt at retranslating as it is pointing out a few possible added implications:

白云在��，山陵自出。

the white clouds are in the sky/the heavens, the lofty mountains/the great tombs emerge of their own accord. 山陵 can also be used, and has been in chinese literature, to refer to tombs of people of significant importance as usually big tombs tend to form burial mounds, hence why it can also refer to ‘hills’

道里悠远，山川间之。

the way forth is distant, it winds amid the mountains and rivers ‘mountains and rivers’, mountains especially, are commonly associated with the chinese concept of immortals called 仙 xian that even has the radical for mountain in it, in part due to their reclusive nature. i would link the interesting study i have on that but it’s unfortunately not in english, though feel free to ask for it anyway if anyone is interested

将子无死，尚能复来。

one who leads does not die, he may yet return 将子 in this context technically means ‘general’ and 将 can even refer to the chief piece in chinese chess which you know. keeping that in my book of crazy convenient zhang parallels re: the qipan zhang

make of this what you will, but if nothing else, it does suggest a bit more explicitly that the double meanings are indeed referring to immortality and potentially tombs, though what nature of tomb is the real question in that case

we then go on to learn from the wang powerpoint presentation that king mu never returned to visit the queen of the west once he returned home, but that contrary to how things may seem, despite having being recorded as having died at the age of 105, king mu in fact did not died, meaning at some point after he’d taken the queen of the west’s immortality elixir, he faked his own death and disappeared somewhere. both the wang instructor and wang xiaoyuan (the girl who peeks at li cu out the window) confirm that according to the third and final account of king shang of lu’s story, king mu wasn’t dead at the time of those events, as he worked together with king shang and iron mask to find the jade burial armor (Sand Sea Part III, Ch. 134, Deception)

this means he was spectacularly old by this point considering the warring states period starts at earliest in 476 BC. and king mu supposedly died around 918 BC. you do the math, but he was very very old. and to be honest this also somewhat feeds into the idea that the longevity curse (because it very much is a curse) used to last much longer before the side effects started to pop up, because if we’re to believe the wang family’s version of these events, then king mu was clearly still sane and not (or at least not entirely) a monster if he was still actively enacting the things he had planned

and so king mu, now long-lived because he took whatever immortality elixir the queen mother of the west gave him, had to face the consequences of that choice, yet rather than seek her out to find a way to quell the side effects of longevity (which he could have done and would have just ended up in the meteorite with her, although if he didn’t go to her, it gives a bit more weight to the idea that their story wasn’t necessarily a romance and/or that ulterior motives were involved), he went his own way to find something to save himself from turning into a monster, and eventually settled on finding a jade burial armor, which according to the wang family also came from the queen mother of the west’s kingdom. besides implying it’s likely that the jade armor is in fact made from the meteorite jade, it’s just one more thing to add to the long list of things tied to the heart of dmbj’s lore that end up having some form of association with the queen mother of the west. fun tidbit regarding this that’s not entirely relevant to anything (but it just adds more fuel to the crack theory), there’s an inscription on the belt of the green-eyed fox corpse where the qilin blood clot that wu xie accidentally swallows in book 1, and that merebear translates as “ruler of yinxi”, that reads as follows (Book 1, Ch. 21, Green-Eyed Fox Corpse):

阴西宝帝 or yinxi baodi

once again, take this with a grain of salt because this is an inscription that wu xie sees while he’s presumably under the influence of the green-eyed fox’s illusion, and instantly recognizes it as “a spell to ward off evil spirits”, so it might not mean anything, but if you had to find some kind of sense in it, while the characters together don’t really mean much of anything, separately they can mean:

阴 yin

opposite of 阳 yang, one of the two opposing energies in taoism and representative of many things, but namely of the feminine

西 xi

the west as cardinal direction

宝 bao

treasure, precious

帝 di

supreme being, often used in the titles and names of emperors such as huangdi (the yellow emperor) or qin shi huangdi (the first emperor of china). fun fact, wu xie during sand sea is often referred to as 邪帝 or emperor xie by the chinese fanbase in reference to how powerful he was during that time

i’m not saying this is meant to translate into a reference to the queen mother of the west because the association of characters is a bit strange, but again. food for thought (and a lot of creative license)

the wang powerpoint then goes on to explain that king mu’s objective, once he’d secured the jade armor, was to ensure both that he would be able to come back to the world fully rid of the side effects of immortality, and be able to do so safely, secure in the knowledge that the legacy of his findings would remain intact for him to find again. and so to do that, he essentially makes certain that chinese tradition incorporates the necessity of entombing people with a number of valuable things, and supposedly instigates this during the spring and autumn period (which is the period that precedes the warring states period and is generally considered to be one of extensive intellectual prosperity, confucius was a contemporary of that time for example) by, as the wang instructor implies, at least partially pushing to prominence things like the classic of rites (or lijing) that among other things promotes rich burials. while li cu calls into question the idea that king mu’s plan solely aimed at disseminating information for the sake of keeping his own acquired knowledge in circulation, since king mu’s further objective was also to use grave robbing to spread whatever information best served concealing “the truth of the world”, it’s clear that his plan was meticulously thought-out

the wang instructor himself admits this, though he quickly adds that king mu’s plan, crafty as it was if desperate, failed to take into account the possibility that he’d one day meet his match in the person of wang zanghai, who essentially hijacked his plan for his own purposes. i feel this seems to imply that things were going pretty smoothly for king mu of zhou until then, which would then call into question the first two versions of king shang of lu’s story if we assume king mu was the original wearer of the jade armor, albeit more recently than those stories presented it, but this is also where i start veering into big wild assumptions and crack theory territory. i won’t be get into the box with the baby or the particulars of the feud between the zhang family and wang zanghai/the wang family because while it’s tied to this, it also branches off into something else that’s probably a whole other meta and this is long enough as it is

it’s also worth noting that king mu of zhou, as well as instigating his masterplan, not only hid an elaborate map leading to the queen mother of the west’s kingdom only perceivable if you soak the stone slab it’s on “with a certain liquid” (which if you remember what happens in both book 8 in siguniang when wu xie and xiao hua gut a pig, and in tibetan sea flower where it’s wu xie who bleeds his special blood to reveal the secrets inside the bronze gate in tibet, gives you a hint at what the nature of that liquid might be), but wrote the details of his plan down on what’s called the yellow lu silkbook, not to be confused with the silkbook that wu xie pulls from “king shang of lu”’s coffin in book 1. merebear speculates it might be the silkbook that the photocopy jin wantang brings to him to kickstart the entire plot belongs to, and in my opinion that’s a good guess. it might also be one of the many silkbooks the lao jiumen pulled out of siguniang during the greatest joint tomb robbery in the 1960s. who knows really

all i can say about this particular part of the wang’s powerpoint lesson and the connection it shares with the multiple versions of the story of king shang of lu is that assuming the wang family’s version is both the most complete and the most accurate, then “king shang of lu” has a direct connection not only to king mu of zhou, but to the entirety of dmbj’s overarching plot. and while knowing who’s who at the end of the day doesn’t amount to much when much of dmbj’s story deals with the present day cast bearing the brunt of the consequences of their elders’ and older generations’ choices, i want to go further and say that this story potentially further cements connections and solidifies dmbj lore rather than complicate it

(wild conclusions tbc in part III of this madness)

#dmbj #meta #dmbj meta #dmbj novels #at least part one had some kind of order to it #this one just devolved into chaos #and more unhinged crack theory #and it's only going to get worse from here #i genuinely wonder if any of this makes sense but it somehow does in my head #somehow #the assumptions are bold #very bold

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