#is there such thing as an absolute timeless enemy? | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

ashleyh713fanfics · 3 months

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Dazai X Odasaku!Sister "Timeless" P1

Hello! I've been writing for awhile but this is the first time writing bsd. I gave Oda's sister a name but I'll do a version with y/n if that's more your speed. Synopsis: After Odasaku's death Dazai searches for a way to fulfill his last request but doesn't know where to start. That is until he meets Odasaku's mysterious little sister. Warnings: Usual bsd warnings. Murder, talks of death and suicide, Dazai being a sociopath. Part 1/3

Osamu Dazai was not a good man.

In fact, it would be absurd to even call him an average man. No, it seemed the fifteen year old boy knew just what kind of evil laid in every single cell of his body. It had always been that way, corrupting him for his entire life and there was no stopping it.

So the mafia executive had just accepted it, falling in line as the youngest person to ever command a fleet with absolutely no mercy. That’s just the way things were, and there was no changing them. Although, it wasn’t like the boy wanted change either.

The chaos, the destruction, the death, it was all he had known.

Hearing his newest victim's scream seemingly brought him out of his own philosophical thought though, causing the boy to lower his eyes and focus back in on the chained man in front of him.

Quite honestly, he had forgotten what the guy was being captured and tortured for but Dazai hardly cared, knowing his orders were only to silence him permanently.

Blood began to pour down the victim's face then, watching as the teenage boy reached for the gun on his belt only for the guy to start to scream and shout in his face. “Think about what you're doing, boy! If you kill me you’re going to regret it.”

Dazai only turned his head though, a crazed look in his eye as he cocked the ammunition. “You should have thought about that before double crossing the port mafia.”

Taking a step forward, the boy then pointed the barrel towards the man only for his anger to turn into pure fear, his cries turning into silence as he fully looked in the eyes of his executioner.

And what he saw was absolutely nothing, just a soulless boy with no remorse for his actions in the slightest. “Your eyes hold no feeling, Someday that will be your downfall, someday you will regret the blood you spill so easily.”

For a moment, the bandaged boy paused, curiosity taking up his features as he spoke through the darkness. “And why is that?”

The prisoner then pulled against his chains, lunging for the kid to no avail as his face contorted in insanity in order for him to reply. “Because one day, there won't be a stranger on the other side of that gun. What will you do then?”

Before he could finish, Dazai’s finger pulled the trigger, piercing the enemy five times straight as his lips curled into a bloodthirsty and terrifying smile.

And in his head, the boy replied to his outrages question as the blood began to soak his feet silently. The same thing I always do, because I don't see anyone but strangers.

The man's lifeless body slumped against the chains a moment later as Dazai let off ten more shots into his cold dead muscles as he twitched at the impact. The move was inhumane and psychotic but that was always Dazai’s way of doing things.

He didn’t become a port mafia executive without spilling blood after all.

After a moment, the barrel of his gun clicked him back to reality, all the bullets emptied in order for the boy to simply put the weapon back onto his belt and leave the room in silence.

He felt no remorse for the stranger, or for the brutal way he had ended his life. He never did. Everything had become such second nature to him over time.

Well, there was one person that knew him better than the rest. He was the person that he trusted over all else, almost like a family he never had. The words were still heavy on his mind even now.

Oda Sakunosuke

And whether Dazai liked it or not, he knew that Odasaku was the only one that kept him from going over the deep end into insanity. He kept the fifteen year old boy together and kept him human.

But now he was dead, so there was no one left to hold back the darkness.

So instead Dazai allowed it to fully swallow him whole.

Just then, his phone began to ring inside his pocket before the boy finally put his gun away and answered the call with a low murmur. “Mori, what do I owe the pleasure?”

HIs boss’s voice was immediate, echoing through the darkness. “Ah Dazai, how’s my favorite executive doing? What’s the report?”

Staring at the unmoving body, Dazai then sighed to himself before turning away from the sight in order to scrape some of his blood off his shoes. “The target has been eliminated just like you asked.”

Mori only hummed at that, satisfied with the report. “Very good. Just as expected from the famous demon prodigy. I thought you could use a job after everything that’s happened. You know, to clear your mind from Odasaku’s tragic death last week.”

At the sound of Oda’s name, the boy couldn’t help but tighten his hold on the phone as unwanted memories flooded into him without permission.

Because try as he may, Dazai couldn’t help but continue to hear his dear friend's words in the back of his head. Oda told him to become a good man but that was easier said than done. And though he wanted to fulfill his last wish, the boy had no idea what the mere concept of good was.

For you see, his blood was port mafia black through and through whether he liked it or not. It wasn’t a light switch he could flick in his mind. No, Dazai knew that he had been permanently tainted since he was a child, and there was no reversing that.

He was no longer a fifteen year old kid but rather the demon prodigy.

And demons couldn’t be cleansed into angels. They just couldn’t.

But because of that, the boy felt a gnawing guilt at the bottom of his stomach at all times of the day. It’s like it was punishing him for ignoring his old friend's request. But quite honestly, he knew he deserved it.

Oda was wrong after all, he couldn’t become a good person.

He didn’t even know what good was.

Dazai then felt his mind snap back into place just as he heard Mori finish one of his usual rambles as the boy narrowed his eyes. The boss totally brought up Odasaku because he knew it would garner a reaction from him.

But he wasn’t going to allow that. No, he was too prideful to show his flaws.

Because of that, the boy then forced a smile to his lips before speaking plainly. “Is there anything else you need from me, boss?”

The title came out slightly demeaning, Dazai using the term boss with a twinge of mocking vigor to get under his skin. The boy loved to do that, walking the fine line between respect and disrespect.

“Not partially. I just wanted to see how you were doing. He was your friend after all.” Mori’s sharp dark laugher filled up the space as the boy physically flinched at the world friend.

But once again, Dazai refused to give him satisfaction, the boy simply smiling to myself before turning his head to the side in reply. “I’m great. Thanks.”

Then Dazai simply hung up the phone, the empty space echoing with a long dial tone as he dropped his bandaged arm down to his side as the sunken dead look in his eyes stared at the empty walls for what seemed like forever.

He wanted to see how he was doing?

Of course he wasn’t doing okay.

--------

Dazai had tried to go back to his room at the port mafia but the longer the night got, the more his tired anxious eyes refused to shut. And when they did, he saw Odasaku’s life slip from his fingers, just like it had a week ago.

The boy cursed Mori for bringing up such fragile memories so casually, his body tossing and turning with a groan before finally giving up in order to wander the night streets aimlessly as the cold winter air hit his face.

Although he said that though, the boy quickly found himself wandering into a very familiar place, his hands reaching into his pocket in order to pull out a small silver key and push it into the lock.

The door swung open sadly, allowing the kid to step inside before finally feeling the weight of reality crash down all around him. This was Oda’s place, the apartment where Dazai had found himself many times over the years whenever the mafia felt a little too suffocating.

It was also the place they would go sometimes after having a few too many drinks at Bar Lupin.

Glancing over to the empty living room he pictured a memory of the past as he imagined the ghostly silhouettes of himself, Ango and Oda as they drank around the table and laughed as the men showed him some new card game.

And as cold as Dazai’s heart was now, he missed those times. Why did he take such a thing for granted? Why didn’t he cherish those nights more? He could never get them back no matter how hard he tried.

In fact, the boy had come here tonight in search of something familiar, for something that reminded him of that safe comforting feeling he always had with his old friends. But now, it was cold and empty, just like how the boy felt on the inside.

He couldn’t find Odasaku’s presence anywhere, not even in this place.

Sighing to himself, the boy then walked over to the liquor cabinet in the corner before taking out two glasses and filling them up with whiskey.

Then Dazai lowered his eyes before placing one of the drinks on the table where Oda used to sit before moving over to the other side with a sigh.

Staring at the empty, cruel space across from him, the boy then took a sip of his whiskey as an unwanted wave of emotion coursed through his throat. “Odasaku..”

Suddenly, the entrance to his friend’s apartment started to jiggle and move, like someone was on the other side, as Dazai felt his defenses awaken immediately.

It sounded like someone was trying to break in. But who? Oda told him the only people that knew this place were him and Ango.

Quickly taking out his gun, the boy then narrowed his eyes before slipping out of slight just as the door flew open a moment later. Whoever was trying to steal from his old friend was going to pay for sure.

Dazai then listened carefully as a pair of shoes moved across the wooden floors, the movement halting as the stranger seemingly stopped to stare at the two strange whiskey glasses on the table.

He couldn’t see very much from the angle he was in, only that the stranger was wearing a large black hoodie, the fabric covering up the entirety of their frame and hiding their identity completely.

They then leaned down to touch one of the glasses as the boy quickly cocked his gun in order to place the barrel of his gun onto the back of their temple as the stranger froze.

And when he spoke, it was lethally calm. “Who are you? What are you doing here?”

The stranger was quiet as he watched their hands reach towards their jacket pocket only for the Dazai to assume it was a gun and take action. No, he wasn’t an idiot. Like this guy could pull a fast one on him.

Because of that, Dazai’s face immediately hardened before reaching forward in order to grab the intruder's arm, his fingers wrapping around the surprisingly slim surface before kicking their legs out from under them as they fell backwards onto the ground.

The boy hardly noticed them give a small squeak of surprise at the move.

Pushing the barrel of the gun towards the stranger, the boy added slowly. “You have one chance. Tell me why you’re here.”

The person underneath him tried to squirm but Dazai didn’t let them free, tightening his hold on the trigger before narrowing his eyes. If they didn’t want to tell them who they were then he could just examine the corpse later.

Yet that’s when they heard the intruder speak, soft and quiet, barely above a whisper. And call him crazy but they sounded feminine. “I’m looking for someone.”

Not understanding, he dug deeper. “Who?”

The girl was quiet then, her voice trailing away only for his gun to push even deeper to her temple in warning. No, he wouldn’t allow her to stay silent after dishonoring his old friend's old place.

A moment later she spoke again, except this time the boy was in no way prepared for her answer. “My big brother.”

And try as he may, the demon prodigy paused at that, his hand frozen on the gun as he couldn’t help but turn his head to the side. What the hell was she talking about? Why would her big brother be at Oda’s old place?

Although that’s when a crazy possibility popped into his head before the boy brushed it away immediately. No, that was ridiculous. There was no way.

Scoffing at the idea, Dazai frowned. “Your what?”

The stranger then seemingly sighed to herself before lifting her hand up as his defenses slammed back up in case she tried to try something funny. “He stopped answering my letters a week ago so I thought something might have happened to him. I hopped the first flight I could get and followed the return address on his envelopes.”

Then he watched her reach into her pocket only for his hand to push it back with a lot of anxiety. He didn’t trust this girl, she could’ve been lying, screwing him over. “Nice try but I wouldn’t try anything if I were you. I’m not in the best mood right now.”

Stopping immediately, the intruder’s hand grew tense and rigid against his fingers and for a moment the boy thought she was going to fight back or use some unknown ability on him.

Not that it would matter though considering his ability canceled out everyone else’s. She didn’t stand a chance, especially while he was holding her. No, Dazai would win. It was a guarantee.

Yet it seemed like the girl wasn’t as dumb as he once anticipated, her hand unmoving as she allowed the boy to hold her captive. “Then grab it yourself and see I’m not lying.”

Grab it himself? No, why would he do that? That would just give her the opportunity to stab him or inject him with some kind of poison or something.

Yet the alternative of having her retrieve whatever it is she was trying some him was equally dangerous. No, he couldn’t allow her that kind of freedom.

Because of that the boy narrowed his eyes before hastily reaching his hand out in order to shove it inside the girl’s small pocket on the front side of her drawstring sweatshirt only to pull out a folded envelope just like she had described.

Lifting up the white paper to his face, the boy then recognized the very same address they were at right now, Oda’s address, the one that no one was supposed to know except him and Ango. It was suspicious and strange but she also seemed to be telling the truth.

Just then, Dazai’s face started to grow insanely pale, shaking away the thought before crumbling the empty envelope in his fingers with a scared mutter. “What is your name?”

Her response was immediate, causing the fifteen year old boy’s eyes to widen and his world to come crashing down around him. “Asagao Oda.”

Suddenly, it felt hard to breathe, to think as the boy’s lips slipped out a breathy gasp in reply. No, it couldn’t be. She was fucking with him. There was no way, there was no way he wouldn’t have known about that. Oda was his best friend and he never mentioned this.

Shaking his head in denial, Dazai’s hand began to shake on his gun, his teeth gritting together as he shoved the barrel further into her hidden temple. “Now I know you’re lying. How about you try again?”

The stranger could see this also though, her body moving once again in order to prop herself up onto her elbows and put her hands out in some kind of defense. “I know it’s probably hard to believe but I am..I’m....

Yet the moment Dazai saw movement, his crazed eyes snapped down to the girl before reaching forward in order to grasp onto the top of her hood with a furious shout.” Bullshit, who are you?!”

How dare she deceive him by telling such crazy lies. She would pay for that, for soiling Oda’s honor. He just had to know who she really was first.

Pulling the black fabric down a moment later, Dazai’s gun wasted no time, slamming the barrel into her chest as the girl fell off balance and back onto the floor with a breathy gasp. Now to see who this witch really was.

Yet the moment he adjusted his eyes, Dazai found the very same deep crimson hair he knew for years, pouring down around the sides of the hooded jacket as he stared down at her deep blue cavendish eyes that he had looked into so many times before.

Oh my god, she was a spitting image of his old friend, Odasaku.

But how could that be?

He watched her groan at the sudden force, her eyes squinting behind a pair of large round glasses that took up the majority of her face before opening them again and looking at the gun pointed at her chest.

And though she was so close to death, the girl didn’t dare move, her eyes locking back to the boy’s before Dazai felt his voice break with utter shock.

In that moment, for a split second, the boy didn’t feel like a mafia executive but rather just a confused fifteen year old boy, his voice incredibly small. “It can't be..Odasaku had a little sister..?”

Because if this was true, why didn’t Odasaku mention her, why didn’t he tell him about her? He thought they were friends. But was that wrong? What else did he hold back from the boy?

Yet the moment Oda’s name slipped from his lips, the girl's eyes widened before lifting her hands up to his black jacket in order to utterly ignore the gun that was pressed to her chest. “Wait, you know my brother? Where is he? Please tell me..”

She sounded desperate, the action causing Dazai’s finger to float above the trigger before those horrible memories of his best friend's death flashed through him once more. If she really was his sister, then he knew she’d never find him.

Because of that, the boy told the truth, his voice dull and cruel. “He’s dead.”

And then he waited, he waited for the girl to cry, to scream, to plead with him for something that was already determined and carried out. That’s what the normal response would be, that’s what everyone else did when someone died.

Well, not Dazai but literally everyone else.

Instead, the girl who claimed to be Odasaku’s sister only stayed silent, fingers not moving from his jacket in order for her to close her eyes with something that Dazai read as disappointment before she muttered sadly. “Oh, I see. I hoped that wasn’t the case.”

Pausing for a moment, Asagao then added softly. “How did he go?”

Flashes of that day began to play in his head once more before the boy decided to give her the truth, knowing it wouldn’t matter either way. “He was murdered. I saw it myself.”

Once again, the large rimmed glasses girl only remained silent, like she was thinking something to herself before Asagao replied back sadly. “That must have been very hard on you. I’m sorry..”

And for a moment, Dazai paused. Why was she saying that? Wasn’t she Odasaku’s sister? Surely she sould’ve been the one more broken up about this information. It was like she didn’t even care.

No, that wasn’t right. It was more complex than that. She looked sad enough, but it seemed like she couldn’t make some kind of connection in her brain. In fact, the strange girl showed more emotion towards a total stranger than herself. How strange.

Because of that, the boy turned his head in curiosity. “Why do you say that?”

Asagao only smiled though, the tips of her mouth not quite reaching her eyes as she glanced over to the two glasses of whiskey next to them. “Because if I know one thing, it’s that anyone that pours a drink for the dead truly valued their life.”

Sighing to herself, the girl then looked back to the gun that was holding her hostage before nodding. “Either way, thank you for telling me, and for being there with him in his last moments. I’m grateful to you for that. At least now I know he was truly loved by someone.”

Grateful? Now that was a new one. Usually his enemies weren’t grateful for the torture they received. And Dazai would be lying if he said he wasn't fascinated by the different and strange response.

So much so, a sadistic smile spread across his face without meaning to. “Should you really be thanking me when I have a gun pressed to your chest?”

The girl then paused before glancing back down towards the gun in order to lift her fingers up and press the barrel further into her chest with a sad smile that Dazai couldn’t decipher.

And when she spoke, it brimmed with so much honest passion. “Now that I found out how much you treasured my brother, I wouldn’t mind dying if it’s you that pulls the trigger. Then maybe I could finally feel close to him..”

Pausing slightly at her honest declaration, the boy processed her words with interest and confusion. No one had ever said that to him before. No one had wanted him to be their executioner before. How strange

And it was no secret that Dazai didn’t think much about life, calling it meaningless and pointless. Hell, he had tried to die hundreds of times in order to finally painlessly drift away from such mediocrity.

But staring at the girl that somehow wore his best friend's face, he couldn’t help but be intrigued by her. She didn’t seem scared of death like others. Her face wore a sense of peace and calm he had never seen before from a victim of his.

No, that’s not right. She was scared of death, of course she was, but somehow this stranger found comfort in him pulling the trigger. And for a moment he wanted to ask why, to figure out the methods and inner workings of the girl who claimed to be Odasaku’s sister.

Yet the moment his fingers graced the trigger once more, the door next to them seemingly slammed open in order for another voice to enter the space.

And this time, they sounded stressed. “What do you think you’re doing?!”

Then all at once, both Dazai and Asagao turned in unison only to find a very familiar frazzled man staring back at them, the girl speaking first. “A-Ango?”

Ango only narrowed his eyes though, the man gazing at the very strange and suggestive position the two were in before shaking his head in disbelief. Dazai was practically straddling the poor girl right now with his thighs and without context things did look slightly odd.

If the gun wasn’t there the man surely would’ve thought something else was going on.

Dazai didn’t seem to care about that though, his head turning in confusion at the strange girl. Wait, she just said his old friend's name. That meant.. “You know him?”

Asa didn’t have time to reply though, Ango quickly pointed to the red haired female before speaking with exasperation. “You..what are you doing here?”

The man then gave Dazai a look, causing the boy to sigh and finally let his captive go in order to put the gun back in his hollister. Ango didn’t seem on edge by her which meant that she wasn’t a threat, currently..

Feeling her lips curve up into a goofy smile, Asa then simply leaped from the floor in order to race towards Ango with her arms open wide as she beamed. “Ango! What a surprise, I guess this our first time meeting. How awkward, am I right? Ha ha ha. Small world. That’s crazy, really.”

The man only sighed though, already expecting her moves before placing a hand on her face and pushing her back lightly in order to stop the assault. “I knew you’d come here. Good thing I had the government track your movements just in case. Looks like I got here just in time.”

Frowning at the rejection, Asa then pouted her lips before rubbing the spot where his hand was just moments prior. “Well that’s a little invasive..”

Ango didn’t feel as carefree though, the man immediately putting a hand to his temple in the sign of a headache. “Obviously it was needed. Did you not listen to your brother’s instructions? He said for you to stay out of Yokohama, to not go looking for him. Or did you forget that?”

Dazai then watched the girl pause before dropping her hand in order to awkwardly laugh in a fake cutesy manner. “I may have chosen to admit that part from my memory. Oops?”

Shrugging her shoulders in reply, Ango only shook his head, obviously over her antics. “Oops? That’s all you have to say? Seriously Asagao, what would Oda say..?”

Yet at the sound of Oda’s name, Dazai felt his head perk up. Even Ango was mentioning Oda and her together. That could only mean one thing. The things she was claiming were true, weren’t they?

Not wanting to believe it, the boy called out. “Ango, was she telling the truth? Is she really..”

Although before he could finish, Ango simply put a hand up, not wanting to deal with such a revelation for some reason. “Dazai, please..”

The way he was shutting him down was strange, almost like the man didn’t want Dazai to put together the facts that Odasaku had a little sister and that she was standing before them. But why? Why was Ango, a traitor, allowed to know and not him?

Something was off about all of this.

Just then, his thoughts got interrupted as Asa gasped loudly, her eyes turning towards the boy in excited disbelief. “Wait, Dazai? As in Osamu Dazai? No way, for real?!”

And before he could process it, the girl was up in his face, her blue eyes piercing his through her circular frames in order to look at him like some sort of rare museum artwork she had just found.

Speaking happily, the girl beamed. “Oh wow. I can’t believe it, brother wrote about you in his letters. I feel like I already know you…”

She then reached her fingers out to touch him, causing the boy to counter only for Ango to do so for him, his voice firm. “Asagao!”

Then Odasaku’s sister’s face lit up with some kind of realization before taking a step back with a sort of bashful smile. “Ah, right. Personal space. Sorry, my bad. I got excited. I just wanted to take a good look at you. I guess most people would think that’s rude though. My bad. You probably think I’m some sort of freak now. Ah, well that’s nothing new really.

Putting her hands up in defense, Asa then backtracked. Well she tried, but Dazai could still see the giddy glee in her face, almost like she was trying to suppress it. “I'm just really happy to meet you, that’s all. I just know we can be good friends. Oh! I know, what if..”

Ango only stopped her again though, almost like he was afraid of what she was going to say next. “Asagao…”

Turning her head, the girl hummed in confusion, obviously not seeing anything wrong. “Hmm?”

The government official only frowned though, his hands moving up to hover over her mouth with an exhausted sigh. “Stop talking.”

Asa didn’t seem offended though, her brow turning down in understanding before nodding with an apologetic smile. “Right, sorry. Overdoing it. Got it.”

Shaking his head in exasperation, the government official then turned away from her before pointing to the very curious mafioso that was watching. “Dazai, I need to see you outside. And you..”

Asa pointed to herself at that, turning her head innocently. “Me?”

Nodding once, the man continued roughly. “Yes you. You better not move a muscle cause when I come back I’m sending you right back home.”

Dazai then watched her lips open with pure shock in order for her voice to come out in a whine of protest. “Whaaa? Come on Ango. That’s not fair. I just..”

Ango only cut her off though, his tone serious. “It’s not up for debate. Your brother is gone and I promised him that you would never get involved in this. I’m not going against his wishes and neither will you. Now pack your bags and get ready. We leave tonight.”

Then before she could protest, the man pushed Dazai out of the small apartment door, the boy looking back at the strange new girl only to watch her eyes flash to his in some sort of unexplainable longing before the door covered the sight.

And call him crazy but it looked like she didn’t want him to go.

How strange, he had never seen that kind of response from someone before. Usually they were glad to be rid of the demon, of the boy that had plagued their life. If anything, Asa should’ve been thankful that the guy that had threatened her just moments ago was leaving.

But somehow she wasn’t, and that intrigued him a lethally dangerous amount.

-------------

The cold crisp air hit him immediately, the feeling soaking into his bones and yet Dazai couldn’t focus on anything but the closed door just inches from his face. So much so, his fucked up mind started to run in all different directions without permission.

And he’d be lying to say he wasn’t desperate to know what was going on behind Odasaku’s sister's eyes. He wanted to pick at her brain, to pry it open and see for himself the strange puzzle he had just discovered.

He had a lot of toys but she was something different. It made him want to play around with her more often, to see what other interesting and amusing expressions she could make besides the ones tonight.

Feeling his gaze focus more sadistically in thought, the boy suddenly took out his thoughts by his ex friend’s voice, a sense of warning in his tone. “Dazai, don’t even think about it.”

The mafioso then closed his eyes before finally letting go of the thought in order to turn towards Ango innocently. “Whatever do you mean?”

He only glared though, already knowing the naive tone was an act. “Don’t start. I know you better than anyone. You’re thinking about going back in there and manipulating Oda’s sister for something, aren’t you?”

He wasn’t wrong. The boy had wanted something from her, but it was only to figure out more about her. Did that include messing around and being a little underhanded? Well, how else would he do it? That was his signature.

Yet at the sound of Oda’s name, Dazai paused. No, he could decide all that later. Right now he needed answers. “Ango, what’s going on? Odasaku never said anything about having a little sister. How do you know her? Why didn’t he tell me?”

The information felt like a sting, coursing up the boy’s entire throat. He thought Odasaku and him were best friends. He thought they were close, that they knew everything about each other. But now it was obvious that he was keeping secrets this entire time.

But why, what was the reason?

Ango only sighed though, his fingers moving to his glasses in order to push them up. “It’s a long story, Dazai. I’ve actually never met her before. Oda simply put me on the phone once when he was drunk. None of that matters though. You need to forget you’ve ever seen her. No one is supposed to know she exists . She wasn’t ever even supposed to be in Yokohama.”

Pausing, the boy frowned. “Why?”

His old friend then shook his head in order to speak sadly. “Because Oda knew about the kind of people in his life, he knew what they could do to her. That's why he sent her away, so she could be safe. And regardless of what happened between us I still will fulfill his wish. He was my best friend.”

At the sound of his explanation, Dazai couldn’t help but scoff. Best friend? Yeah right, he didn’t have the right to say such a thing anymore. Not after what happened. “Says the man that betrayed us and the port mafia.”

He then watched Ango flitch in order to dip his head in shame. Dazai still hadn’t forgiven him for the betrayal after all. This government official snuck into the port mafia as a spy and he was just supposed to trust everything he said?

No, those bonds were already broken.

Ango then paused before finally speaking again, his fingers balling into a tight fist of emotion. “I don’t expect you to forgive me, Dazai. But those nights at Bar Lupin meant something to me. You both meant something to me. That’s why I’m here in the first place. She needs to stay out of this.”

Although that’s when his eyes flicked up in order to lock eyes with the young executive. “And that means she also needs to stay away from you.”

He looked so serious, so odd that Dazai couldn’t help twist his lips into a cruel tight lipped smile. The way Ango was glaring at him, it looked like he was viewing the boy as evil incarnate.

And though he wasn’t wrong, the boy remained silent. What a scary expression.

Noticing his silence, Ango continued. “You asked why Oda never mentioned her to you. It’s because destruction and corruption follows you everywhere, Dazai. He knew how black your soul is and what you could do to her if given the chance. The demon prodigy has no place out of the darkness, and I'm sure you know that also.”

Dazai then felt his lips fall open with understanding, a low pain in his chest as he was hit with the reality. Was that really why Odasaku never mentioned his sister, because he was scared of his best friend destroying her?

Ango mentioned him sending her away in order to be out of reach of the dangerous people. Did that include him also? Was Odasaku scared of the boy, of his twisted personality that much? Dazai didn’t know, and that scared him.

But then again, it made sense.

He was a demon, that fact was very well known.

Perhaps Odasaku was right. If he did get his hands on Asagao then she would surely become tainted and destroyed like everyone else in his life. He was a poison, and his best friend was just trying to keep his little sister from ingesting it.

Feeling a hand on his shoulder, the boy then looked up from his unraveling thoughts in order to find Ango’s serious and unwavering stare. “ So I’m telling this now, Dazai. Walk away. Don’t get involved.”

Then the man simply let his hand fall before putting his hand on the doorknob with a sad mutter under his breath. “Let the last piece of Odasaku be untainted, for you and me both.”

Just like that, Ango was gone, leaving Dazai alone in the darkness as it swallowed him whole once more, the familiar black covering his entire silhouette.

And for once, Osamu Dazai didn’t argue with his ex-friends command.

Almost like he knew that he was right, that Odasaku’s sister shouldn’t ever go near him.

----------

Ango felt the bright lights hit his eyes as he made his way into the small apartment in order to squint and walk around the living room with a heavy weighted sigh of exhaustion. This night was far too stressful. Ah well, at least it is over now.

Yet the moment he entered the space, the man was only met with silence, causing his ears to ring with fear. “Asagao?”

Frowning, Ango then moved over to the small table in the corner only to find a tiny yellow sticky note on the surface as the black colored ink mocked him all at once.

Ango, If you wanna bring me back then you gotta catch me first >:D

Crumbling the paper between his fingers, the man then looked up only to find that the fifth story window was open, the sharp breeze stunning him into silence. No, it couldn’t be.

She was gone.

“Asagao!”

-----

Part 2:

Part 3:

(Just an intro to the three part short story I have.)

#bsd dark era #bsd dazai #bungo stray dogs #bungou stray dogs dazai #dazai osamu #fanfic #fanfiction #dazaixodasaku!sister #dazai x fem reader #dazai x y/n #dazai x you #dazai x reader #bsd writing #oda sakunosuke #bsd odasaku #this is the first time I'm writing bsd so be kind #ao3 fanfic

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jakeyt · 11 months

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☼ Fluff

☽ Angst

☆ Smut (18+ ONLY. MINORS DNI.)

Disclaimer: All of my works are absolutely, undoubtedly 110% a work of fiction. I do not claim to know Greta Van Fleet. I do not claim that any of this actually occurred. Again, these are complete works of fiction.

And, please, DO NOT steal my work, as it is 110% mine. Plagiarism is illegal. And, as our friend Google puts it, plagiarism is “illegal if it infringes an author’s intellectual property rights.” Being these words/ideas are my intellectual property rights…don’t take them. Legal action will be taken if you take credit for any of my work.

Fill this form out if you'd like to join my taglist! <3

Requests are OPEN!

Covet (wip) ☽☆☼ (roommates + enemies to lovers)

Life was good. No, life was great. Was. Until. Jake Kiszka crashed into the picture. You welcomed him into your life—your home. Yes, he was your best friend’s twin. But, he was also the one who would end up disrupting your whole world with his attitude, his troubles, and the annoyingly natural way he lured you in. Jake Kiszka came with so much you really didn’t want. At least that’s what you tried to convince yourself.

Something ☆ (one-shot)

On a rainy day, Jake's Les Paul gives you an idea.

Bloodstream (wip) ☽☆☼

(vampire!Jake x witch!f!reader)

Folklore. Stories passed down through generations. Imaginations run rampant with their tales of sorcery and the supernatural. But for Tommie, it was different. Somehow it was more. She had become transfixed by a local legend — one that told of an unlawful love affair between a witch and a vampire. To Tommie, it was an alluring tapestry woven with threads of forbidden love and timeless secrets. Yet something about it felt strangely familiar to her—but why? It was only a story…wasn’t it?

Coming soon!

Distorted Hues ☽ (one-shot)

Sometimes, you have to do a lot to try to get to the top. But things go downhill quickly when you try to explain to Danny why you do the things you do to get there. You had good reason for what you did, he just refused to understand.

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bloobluebloo · 7 days

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is there like a trend or something of people shitting on n64 games...? bc i've been seeing the same thing with super mario 64

people really take 3d games for granted

I'm not sure, but recently I have seen a lot of people suddenly coming for OoT, and even goading people to say negative things about it. I don't know if it's because many people, post BotW/TotK, have been arguing that they miss the old Zelda games with its sprawling dungeons, their counter-argument being that OoT, and by extension games that are designed on OoT's philosophy, are dated. People talk about how their jaw dropped when they played BotW and realized how expansive its landscape was. Okay, imagine living in a time where most games were 2d. 3d games were very limited in scope, confining you to areas that would have to be loaded in. When you encountered enemies in the overworld you were taken to a separate battle screen before being put back in the overworld. In comes OoT where you have entire towns, fields, deserts, and landscapes you can explore freely. See this camera? You can move it all around you to look at the landscape, to find clues. Those enemies that are coming at you? Just take your sword out and fight them in real time. Those big enemy bosses regard coordination of movement, of reaching ledges and looking around for that weak point. You can zoom in on weak points to focus your hits. Dungeons were expansive and contained puzzles that utilized 3d assets and environment and looking around carefully to solve. There was a story with cutscenes and narratives. Can you imagine being blasted with ALL of THIS it was like what the fuck is happening? Even my parents who never played video games would walk in on me playing OoT and go "This is a video game???" Like even the 3d rendering was quite something for an N64. Of course OoT can't go toe to toe with games today. It was developed on a system that was straining itself handling 32MB. In contrast, TotK takes up 16GB which is like ~16300 MB. Yet, the philosophy that OoT introduced when it comes to open world exploration, combat, and dungeon crawling are still concepts being used up until this day. Z targeting is STILL a staple in LoZ games. It is timeless in that manner. Without the concepts OoT introduced gaming would be in a very different place today. Even if you disregard the monstrous impact OoT had on the gaming industry at the time, the fact that you can pick up the game today and still enjoy it without being bogged down by its technical limitations is a testament to how well made the game is. It is simply an insult to claim that people who praise OoT's greatness are coming from a place of nostalgia. Yes of course nostalgia plays a factor in how fondly someone remembers a game but it is absolutely a technical marvel and masterpiece of a game that set not only LoZ, but so many games in motion to become what they are today.

#I think people should respect the fuck outta oot for what it did #if you personally don't like it that's fine #but objectively it is a well made game like cmon #bloothots

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ndbookstudy · 7 months

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ashtavakra gita, ch. 3.

read ch. 2

Chapter 3: Ashtavakra is delighted for Janaka but sees inconsistencies. He fires off a series of confrontational verses about attachment to worldly pleasure.

Ashtavakra said: Having realized yourself as One, being serene and indestructible, why do you desire wealth? Just as imagining silver in mother-of-pearl, causes greed to arise, so does ignorance of Self cause desire for illusion. Having realized yourself as That in which the waves of the world rise and fall, why do you run around in turmoil? Having realized yourself as pure Awareness, as beautiful beyond description, how can you remain a slave to lust? It is strange that in a sage who has realized Self in All and All in Self this sense of ownership should continue. Strange that one abiding in the Absolute, intent on freedom, should be vulnerable to lust and weakened by amorous pastimes. Strange that knowing lust as an enemy of knowledge, one so weak and nearing death should still crave sensual pleasure. Strange that one who is unattached to the things of this world and the next, who can discriminate between the transient and the timeless, who yearns for freedom, should yet fear the dissolution of the body. Whether acclaimed or tormented the serene sage abides in the Self. He is neither gratified nor angered. A great soul witnesses his body’s actions as if they were another’s. How can praise or blame disturb him? Realizing the universe is illusion, having lost all curiosity, how can one of steady mind fear death? With whom can we compare the great soul who, content knowing Self, remains desireless in disappointment? Why should a person of steady mind, who sees the nothingness of objects, prefer one thing to another? He who is unattached, untouched by opposites, free of desire, experiences neither pleasure nor pain as events pass through.

#non dualism #nondualism #ashtavakra gita

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episodeoftv · 4 months

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Round 1 of 6, Group 2 of 4

propaganda is under the cut (424 words) - may contain spoilers

summaries (pulled from imdb or wikis)

propaganda

Doctor Who - 12.10 The Timeless Children

In the epic and emotional season finale, the Cybermen are on the march. As the last remaining humans are ruthlessly hunted down, Graham, Ryan and Yaz face a terrifying fight to survive. Civilisations fall. Others rise anew. Lies are exposed, truths are revealed, battles are fought, and for the Doctor - trapped and alone - nothing will ever be the same again.

this finale is shit!! absolute ass! nothing happens in it for it to justify having such a cool name. the master captures the doctor, shows her a slideshow that amounts to ‘‘you’re adopted!! :)" doctor breaks out of her matrix prison thing by overloading it with memories when the matrix is The Supercomputer and it’s used to hold all memories of all time lords ever? you know, the species whove been doing their thing for a billion years and live up to 10,000 years? the doctors new memories should either already be there or make nary a dent in it. the doctor’s like ‘‘why would they do that! why would they lie?’’ girl they have been lying to you since forever. they killed you once. theyve tried to kill you so many times. they turned you into a fucked up anti time monster that one time. one of the doctors past past selves even told her it doesnt really matter!! what was even the point

Our Flag Means Death - 2.08 Mermen

cw: vomit

Stede, Zheng, Spanish Jackie and the rest of the Revenge crew team up to take down a nefarious common enemy threatening the world of piracy.

1) paced like a runaway train, worst actor kiss i've seen in all my years, weird resolutions for two newly-introduced characters who started with lots of potential but ended up with no narrative payoff. (spoilers) removed a really strong actor/character from an overwhelmingly mediocre cast and caused a giant rift in the fandom with some (falsely) claiming that the major character death was bury-your-gays, homophobic, ableist, etc. and that they were done with the show (we'll see about that), and others claiming it made perfect sense to kill off this character because he was "ready to die"

2) Season 1 was so promising, and set up so much! Season 2 SEEMED like it was gonna fulfill some of that promise... That is, of course, until they squandered all of those loose plot threads, character moments, potential arcs, etc. in a half-assed episode that was basically all filler and ended with one of the most unsatisfying, pointless, and unemotional deaths of TV that gave us all 'Dean with the rusty nail' flashbacks. Even the *seagull* got a better death. Not even the canon ship felt satisfying!! Their kiss and ending was extremely rushed and they didn't actually go anywhere from the end of S1.

3) Least of all it was all very rushed. More importantly Izzy was absolutely fucked and his death didn’t make sense with the writing of the rest of the series. Ed en Stede’s character development throughout the season got thrown away for some ”happy” ending which would’ve been better if they just stayed with the crew.

#doctor who #our flag means death #wfround1 #wfpoll #wfr1g2 #polls #poll

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orcabouttown · 1 year

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Good evening brethren, today I will be explaining what the superior handheld weapon is and absolutely will not be welcoming debate. Here to help me are a selection of grungey, scary hotties.

First we have Henry modelling the humble sword. Timeless, sexy, and always looking sharp just like Henry, this model is completely straight unlike Henry (at least according to a lot of you thirsty bitches)

It is said that the day man first melted metal in defiance of Gods will he forged the means to enact his own will upon his enemies, and since then every nation has put their spin on the sword in the never ending battle to dominate the battlefield.

The sword is simple, ergonomic, easily varied for purpose. You have your classic straight edge, cutlass, scimitar, katana, broadsword, rapier, two hander, one hander, hand and a half, some of these big boys are so heavy you practically need three hands.

A problem with the sword I have is it’s often overused in fantasy battles when enemies are clad in metal armour, and even with arms like Henry’s you can’t slice through metal armour with a sword.

It looks dope as fuck and has greatly varied appearances, but ultimately no, it’s not very orc to not be able to destroy your enemies just because they’re wearing cringe metal shirts.

Next we have the classic axe modelled by good old honest Abe, America’s tallest sad boy.

It’s tough, it’s rugged, and people love to grip that shaft, which ironically also applies to Abe Lincoln for some.

The axe is a testament to man’s ability to build and destroy in one fell swoop. As the mighty oak tastes the bite of the axe so too does the skull of the enemy, and as you build a home from the logs so too shall you build a monument to your glory with your enemies skulls.

The axe takes a mixed level of skill to employ in battle, from artful twirling to swinging like an absolute mad bastard with all your might. It can generate devastating power with the right swing, but is incredibly difficult to keep up a sustained pace with. Thrusts and parries are out of the question and you’ll get no remise out of one of these bad boys, even if you just helicopter it around you like Abe does.

It’ll do in a pinch if you had to skimp on your arms budget and raid a lumberjacks house, but the energy consumption and risk of the blade getting lodged in what or whoever you swing it at makes it an inferior choice for proper devastation, but certainly a good means of execution, and a sexy weapon to keep handy for any and every gender of warrior.

So Mr. Orc, you ask, what is objectively the best handheld weapon to sow terror and death with? Well first of all call me Dominic, Mr Orc was my father whose name and head I took in ritual combat. Secondly, it should be plenty obvious what the best weapon is.

The Oxford dictionary defines a weapon as “a thing designed or used for inflicting bodily harm or damage.” Simply put, it doesn’t need to be a fancy means of slicing up enemies or cleaving them in twixt, it simply has to do DAMAGE.

And so I give you the ultimate crusher of men, the humble mace, or morning star for the warrior poet in you. When all you have is a hammer, everything looks like a nail, and nothing makes nails of men like this beauty. Got a problem? Smash the fuck out of it. Training? You just smash the fuck out of stuff, what more do you need to do? Technique? Style? You clearly have not been listening to me.

SMASH.

THAT.

SHIT.

You don’t even need to do maintenance for it, it’s a massive lump of metal on a stick, it maintains itself by sheer simplicity.

Look at this thing, what more could you need? Armoured soldiers weep at the sight of this monster, shieldbearers piss themselves and even the warriors with the thickest helmets shit all over themselves, because if it somehow can’t kill you it can definitely ring your bell like Quasi-fucking-modo on speed.

You may be wondering why I didn’t feature spears as a part of this post as they are technically a hand held weapon.

I would personally wonder why you think I have that little respect for my enemies that I’d poke them with a fucking stick and call it honourable.

Next Week: Archery, and Why I Do Not Respect It

#medieval weapons #fantasy core #orc #fantasy #swords #axes #mace #morning star #lotr #sauron #gif #abraham lincoln #the witcher #henry cavill #geralt of rivia #high fantasy #weapons #rosa diaz

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cursedfortune · 2 months

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Once upon a time Jeremiah did not consider Mortem to be a ‘real’ woman as a result of generations of bidirectional prejudice between hunters and witches— but somewhere along the way his perspective shifted. Now Mortem was not only a witch in his mind, she was a fine woman, a useful and resourceful partner on the field, but also a (dare he think it) friend, and sometimes even a little bit more than that…

Jeremiah, raised on swooping gestures, sends Moretm an enormous, expensive bouquet of dark red roses encased in sharp green leaves and adorned with fragile buds of white baby’s breath. He’s certain she’s the type to prefer keeping a plant’s roots intact during such transactions, but regardless the bouquet certainly packs statement.

Happy woman’s day Mortem, you may be a witch, but you are also a woman.

@muddsludge

Well this was... touching.

Had Mortem been something else, perhaps this would have meant something different - may not even had been understood. But the significance was not lost upon the witch. Their roots had become tangled up within this pact and since its birth they've been growing joined since.

There were many that perceived her to be a monster... and they were within their right to. She was an ancient thing that roamed this world, branded as a heretic and traitor to all mankind. If any could ever slay her and chose to bury her body, they'd no doubt spit and dance atop the fresh dirt. At one time she viewed Jeremiah as one of those people. Enemies that made assets out of one another until he decided to push it further and catch her unaware, a pact he seemed to find equal displeasure in. She had thought his resentment towards her would never end but then something changed along the way. They found understanding in the form of logic and needs before things became so wonderfully messy.

As orderly as Jeremiah tended to be, the two of them were absolute chaos when together.

Slender fingers touched upon the flowers, skimming the petals affectionately before she moved to tidy them up inside a vase. There were no half measures with this particular hunter, it would seem. Mortem smiled to herself, something warm and vulnerable that so rarely saw the light of day as she tucked back a few strands of hair from her face. Pale skin was adorned with a dusting to her cheeks as she settled the flowers into their new home and placed them upon the round table.

An enchantment to keep them preserved, to let them be as timeless as she seemed to be. Memories as important as all the ones grows within her garden, keeping alive her ever growing past.

He saw her as a witch but no longer was that gendered as monster. Jeremiah saw her as a woman and that was enough to take away the ache and loneliness that came with her longevity.

Her head lifted, a pep to her step - no doubt he could feel the sudden rush of positivity all the way at the manor.

Oh yeah, she's going to go after him later.

#mort after a long moment of enjoying the gift: i'm going to court the fuck out of him tomorrow.#mort: is there a way to politely remove everything from his desk without making a mess or taking up time hmm...#muddsludge #asks #bless. when he's nice he's very nice ;////;#bro has no idea how much she needed something like that (especially from him given their history) i love it. 10/10

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wearingaberetinparis · 1 year

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Hi Mary! I haven't been able to catch up with your writing in weeks and I miss it so much 😭

21 and 22 for writer asks!

@annabtg, my sunshine! ❤️ I miss you and I hope you get to catch up with whatever you'd like to read soon!

21. Can you accurately predict how long your fics are going to be? If you can, what's your secret? The answer is: sometimes I'll have a very clear idea of how long it will be, sometimes I have absolutely no clue. SOTME, for example, was initially going to be a 4-part fic. Hahahaha! In what universe?! When it comes to other fics, however, I have a set idea as to the number of chapters it will be. I have, for example, a couple of fics in the works that have a very clear outline already. I am - on the side, but will not post this fic until later this year, I reckon - writing a Hogwarts Jily AU that will consist of 6 different parts and it won't be any longer than that. I would say there is no secret to it. Sometimes a story can just be very clear from the onset, while others are forming as I write. I truly admire people that know exactly how long one of their fics will be before they even start writing it. 22. What is it about watching the same two idiots falling in love over and over again? Well, what can I say? First of all, they are my children and I love them to bits and pieces. I find it very difficult to abandon them and can't imagine I ever will. The thing about James and Lily, I think, is that they are timeless and universal. There are a lot of people that love the enemies-to-lovers trope and Jily lends itself well to that. Beyond that, however, I would place them on the same level of classic couples such as Elizabeth Bennet and Mr Darcy. Whatever universe you put them in, James and Lily just work, which is also why I find it so difficult to understand why people would ship them with anyone other than the love of their life. (The Jegulus trend, for example, boggles my mind. I'm all for people reading what they want to read, but I personally can't see the appeal.) Whether you write Historical or Modern AUs, Canon stories, etc. There is something transcendent about them and I think that is why I adore watching the same two idiots fall in love over and over again.

#lovely tumblr people #ritaskeetered answers

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aelizel · 2 years

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not saying i’m mad or anything but they really pulled two companions from the past that haven’t been mentioned this entire era and gave them all a long farewell from their doctors, devoted that episode to a question that nobody asked (whether the doctor likes being the doctor or not like WHAT) and ignored all the ones that did exist about the timeless child (which after going back and forth on it i’ve decided i hate it because they didn’t really DO anything with it they just have jo martin appear as a hologram for less than five minutes as a distraction thanks i guess) and for the doctor’s oldest friend, her best enemy, the one who’s supposed to be her equal, he’s at sanity’s end, he’s drowning and he gets one standalone vague line addressing her feelings for him. the Doctor doesn’t seem to care why and we can headcanon why that is all we want, it’s still not spoken and it absolutely should be.

every time they meet, the doctor and yaz put him down at every turn. nobody cares about why he’s like this and we can devote a whole episode to mental health and people not feeling like they’re enough and Yaz’s depression and we could easily make some connections with him but we’re not gonna do that because he’s just Evil(tm) and nuance doesn’t exist and the Doctor has to be right about everything and he deserves every bad thing that happens to him y’know including being handed over to the nazis which i will never forgive chibnall for thank you very much. every time there’s a chance for communication or atonement or to try and make things right they just waste it and want to spend that time focusing on some mediocre b plot that doesn’t even matter. again not saying i’m mad i’m just saying i hate it here and i want to off myself that’s all

#dw negativity #anti chibnall #anti dw #thoschei #dw spoilers #for ts #i will move on but i need to speak my mind first bc i can't overstate how much i'm hurting because of that episode #i invested two years here and i was relying on it during the pandemic when the world felt like it was ending #i feel sick and devastated #i'm gonna leave for the weekend and try to feel better #but god i just want to scream i'm so tired of being let down like this

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pinchraccoon · 1 year

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Pinch's Reviews: Castlevania: Rondo Of Blood

Earlier this month I had the absolute pleasure of playing Castlevania: Rondo of Blood with a dear friend of mine (@montymoelle) who recommended me the game and accompanied through my experience with it.

I played the 1993 title on modern emulation software, as it was the most easily accessible to me at the time, and my opinions are wholly based on my playthrough there. I'm unaware of what may have changed due to this method of play, but if I'm wrong I'm wrong what am I gonna do?

twitch_clip

Released in 1993, Castlevania: Rondo of Blood is considered one of the last "classic-vania" Castlevania titles, which is to say, level based, challenging games that prioritize player knowledge and skill above all else, which would later be largely overshadowed by the Metroidvania style of the rest of the series.

I chose to play Rondo largely because my cohost, Moelle, said that Rondo and its sequel, Symphony of the Night, were a good way to familiarize myself with some of the highs of the series and interest me in further exploration of the gameplay styles on exhibit. At the time of writing this review, I have not yet played Symphony of the Night, but it shouldn't matter as the impression that Rondo left on me was more than strong enough to provide me ample information about the series on which to make some judgements.

To state a thesis toward the points I will explore further momentarily, they are as follows:

Rondo of Blood is one of the most stylistically consistent games I have ever played.

Rondo of Blood utilizes the style that it consistently sticks with to great effect, making an absolutely timeless soundtrack and, more notably, visual style.

The tight gameplay of Rondo of Blood seeks to challenge the player in ways that, with few exceptions, feel fair and reasonable. Even the parts that are comparatively unfair have means by which to work around them as well.

Rondo establishes player exploration as a part of the skill present within the game, as things like health and ammunition pickups need to be planned for, and only with the knowledge of location and enemy placement will the player manage to maintain an advantage state within the levels as they traverse them.

Rondo's use of tools incentives player freedom and exploration in organic and thoughtful ways.

Excellent level design.

A somewhat harsh learning curve.

First, to discuss the game's presentation, Rondo of Blood is absolutely one of the most consistently beautiful games I have ever played. The pixel art is excellent, and would go on to be largely reused for much of the series' immediate future, and much of "nostalgic" CV content sports the same style and trappings, so it's clear to see that I am not alone in my assertion on this aspect. Pixel art of creatures is excellent, and every action is animated simply, but with enough movement and animation to provide life and flavor to the enemies seen ingame. Rondo of Blood also sports an absolutely masterful use of the MS DOS sound chip, and the versions present in even initial release copies of the game are crisp, clear, and every bit as wonderful to listen to as they would have been 30 years ago.

There's something to say about the lasting legacy of a game, and in this case it's extremely hard to ignore that this game and it's aesthetics forever changed the way that Castlevania would look and sound. To make something truly timeless, it has to be good in the first place, and I am happy to say that the aesthetics in question ABSOLUTELY reach the mark.

twitch_clip

Now to discuss gameplay, typically I find myself boiling my thoughts on matters such as these down to "that feels good" or "that feels bad" but in the case of Rondo of Blood I feel that I should explain what the player has the ability to do and why it feels good.

As Richter, players have a few different tools in their kit at all times in order to deal with the adversaries and platforming challenges that they'll find along the way.

First, and most obviously is the ability to walk, this somewhat slow saunter is not a tool with which to flee, but instead a means by which to position the player advantageously. You can achieve a great deal of precision with the walk, as it ends instantly, and tapping of the d-pad or otherwise control scheme will bring the player forward as many or as few pixels as desired, allowing for positioning to become the primary objective within battle.

Richter can also jump, he jumps about 1.3 (ish) times his height, with shorthops being possible by tapping the jump button. The jump also maintains any momentum present when the jump button is pressed, making it a valuable tool for unique maneuvering, especially useful when the screen is full of projectiles and enemies. There is no fall damage in this game, however, when Richter falls from greater heights than his typical jump apex, he experiences some end lag upon landing, that prevents him from walking or any other action until the period ends. This, similarly to the walk, means that jumping too is a tool for positioning, that has to be used wisely.

Additionally, Richter can crouch, when crouching, Richter can attack, but cannot do anything else. This can be used to dodge certain projectiles, and must be used sparingly lest the player become overrun.

To deal damage, players have access to the Vampire Killer, a whip with a short range that has a hitbox that comes out a few frames after a button press, creating wind up and requiring that the player utilize their positioning and timing wisely, both of which can be manipulated and prepared for with the aforementioned walk. Players also cannot walk while swinging the Vampire Killer, meaning that, again, positioning and smart, calculated gameplay are required to deal with the myriad horrors of Dracula's Castle. The whip, while reliable once learned, can be extremely unsafe to use in specific situations. However, despite it's seemingly easy concept to gather, it has significantly further nuance when combined with the jump. Due to it's lingering hitbox, it can be used to hit multiple pixel values in ascending or descending order depending on when in the jump it is activated. This allows the player to, with the proper skill, hit multiple enemies at once, or hit enemies from places that they cannot damage the player from. Similar functionality is found with the crouch as well, allowing for multiple tiles in front of the player to be hit if the player's inputs are good.

These are what the player has access to at all times, but the player also has access to numerous subweapons or tools that require the use of ammunition, found in candles or dropped from enemies. The subweapons serve to augment the player's kit, and which the player uses is largely dependent on what is present in the level, the player's personal strategy, and the enemies present in the level. The player can utilize an axe, which has a large arc up and down, providing rare vertical coverage to the player, daggers which provided long range low damage options that could be spammed quickly, a bottle of holy water which creates a damage over time field on the ground, a grimoire or bible that creates a spiraling projectile around the player that hits much of the screen, a pocket watch that stops time for everyone but the player, and a cross that acts as a boomerang across the screen. Each of these subweapons has their own unique uses, but a few are more useful than others, typically. The pocket watch is usually hard to find, and the knives are typically not worth it, as something like the cross can be used to perform similar functions but with greater damage and better screen coverage. Regardless of the relevance of each of the items, each of them *can* be used to great effect if the player chooses to capitalize on it, and levels, routing, and enemy strategy changes WILDLY based on which the player has and how much ammunition the player has.

While the game has comparatively little by comparison to even other Castlevania games in terms of what you can do, the depth of what can be done by the player is extremely compelling, and while this does make for a somewhat harsh learning curve, as the tools do beget respect so as to not die of recklessness, the tools empower the player in ways that allow for a significant amount of player freedom.

I apologize for how long I spent discussing how Richter walks, but I felt that it would be important to discuss the nuances of the gameplay, as the game is unbelievably fun and feels incredible because of the tiny, seemingly minute nuances.

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As my final positive on the game, I wanted to touch on exploration, as many of the proverbial "bones" the game throws at the player are in the form of health or ammo pickups that are hidden throughout the level. This means that players are rewarded for finding ways to claim these items consistently should they die, making subsequent runs far, far easier, and making the player feel a greater mastery because of it. Similarly, that same exploration can lead the player to find numerous secrets and hidden levels, all of which contain their own secrets that lead to unique boss encounters, unique dialogue, unique collectibles, and even a different player character who many consider an "easy mode."

The only things that I have gripes with are a few specific boss fights, and the occasional instance of a level seeming "mean" because of specific, targeted level placement that seeks to kill the player far quicker and for far fewer mistakes. Both of these issues though can be adapted to or avoided if the player doesn't like doing that in their playthough, so, because the player is free to express themselves, the comparative issues are mitigated.

My final thoughts are the following: I adored this game. It's absolutely delightful to play, to watch, to listen to, and to talk about. I loved every aspect of my time with Rondo of Blood, and found it to be a truly timeless gameplay experience that I'm relatively certain could easily be released today to much of the same fanfare. I am extremely happy to report that Rondo of Blood ages like wine, not like blood.

If you're interested in learning more about my experience leading me to this opinion, I've linked my VODs of the streams below!

Thank you very much for reading, have a lovely day, and play Rondo of Blood, that shit fucks.

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#castlevania #envtuber #game review #vtuber #castlevania rondo of blood #richter belmont #pinch #pinch raccoon #Youtube #Pinch Reviews

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flying-elliska · 2 years

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So I finished watching The Sandman yesterday and damn ! What an experience ! (This is getting long I have a lot to say.)

It felt like nothing else I've seen and watched in a long time. Never read the comics but I've always loved a lot of Neil Gaiman's stuff, the cool fantasy mixed with gritty dark modern/historical reality mixed in with deep philosophical exploration is just next level, and here it just feels so trippy and engaging. I love fantasy but these days the stuff we get often feels like it's afraid to push its audience intellectually.

Usually I am not a big fan of stories where the main characters are gods or other overpowered/immortal beings because it often makes the stakes seem meaningless, either so low or ridiculously high and detached from reality - but it's sidestepped here by a) focusing on Dream at a time of uncommon vulnerability b) giving him enough flaws so that he's often his own worst enemy c) giving some thought to the awful loneliness such beings must experience and d) most of all introduce a lot of very compelling human characters (and make them go through a lot of danger). I think this is what Doctor Who did at its best too, not focusing on how badass and incredible and mysterious and badass and at the center of everything the Doctor is, but focusing more on the companions and their very human problems, the timelessness of the titular character serving to put them into dizzying perspective. They do that here too a bit, seeing human lives through the perspective of Dream and Death and their siblings - so small and frail and miserable in so many ways and yet so important and trying so hard - makes you feel everything so keenly. I spent most of ep 6 crying like a little baby, which is what I love about great stories.

The actors are incredible and so well chosen and it has so many iconic scenes. I had so many moments where I wanted to pause and go !!!!!ACTING!!!!WRITING!!!!! BOOM!!!! HOLY SHIT!!!!! It's also full of hot people having sexual tension with each other. Dream is great, like yes he's a pasty brooding guy that looks like he walked out of 2012 tumblr's horny collective unconscious but he absolutely sells the whole eternal anthropomorphized embodiment of dreams thing, he's got the mystique, the super expressive eyes and the long coat, he's what Edward Cullen wishes he was. He's got the range - terrifying, proud, emotionally constipated, lost, compassionate, badass, cold bastard, bedraggled hissing wet cat, confused, alien, heartbreakingly vulnerable. Incomprehensible scary beautiful eldritch creature that still cares about humanity somehow and also guy with head so far up his own ass you want to slap him a little bit (respectfully). With a Batman voice that actually works. It's great.

Then you have Johanna Constantine - instantly fell in love. I know she's a composite of characters but she's got the backstory etc and like John Constantine is a character I love but he's also exactly the archetype I wish we had more as female characters (wlw especially) - messy, morally ambiguous, rough and tumble, charming rogue who's also kind of a bastard but also deeply caring on some level, with a haunted past, an anti-authoritarian attitude, and also obvs bisexual - so I wasn't aware she was in this and like. My God. Amazing. I wish she was in it more and I hope she gets her own show that would be <3 <3 <3

And Gwendolyne Christie as Lucifer - at first I was like huh she's very soft spoken it's a bit strange but then you get to see the simmering menace and power behind it and it's like, holy shit !!!! of course a being so powerful wouldn't need to yell and posture. And the contrast between her blue eyes and angelic blonde curls and the fact that she is so statuesque and tall works so well too like. Incredible. Her contest of wills with Dream is one of my favorite moments of the show, it gave me chills. If she becomes a main antagonist at some point that's gonna be so cool. Then you have Death, who has paradoxically such a lovely presence, she lit up every scene she was in, her interactions with Dream were so touching - episode 6 as a whole is so special, so gentle after the horrors of ep 5, even though it touches on very dark and heavy subjects. And Hob! Who wants to keep on living and figures out Dream just wants a friend !!Matthew the crow! Rose!!! I could keep going because there are a lot more fascinating wonderful characters, there's so many of them that just !!!!!! The antagonists are great, too.

It's also very casually queer. Counted 13 queer characters that have lines and personality and somewhat of an impact on the plot that has nothing to do with their queerness, which is awesome. Now, people's mileage may vary on this, because a lot of these characters are either terrible people and/or have terrible things happen to them, but that's also what happens to the straight characters, so. You have some that venture into harmful cliché territory - the gay serial killer who kills the men he hooks up with, the untrustworthy non human nonbinary character antagonist, the lesbian who commits suicide - but I think the way it's done kind of sidesteps that. The Corinthian is kind of a fascinating example because like, yes he's horrible but the reason he kills has nothing to do with any gay self loathing, he's an eldritch abomination with teeth for eyes that eats people's eyes because it's the only way he gets to feel human which is both horrifying and weirdly poignant, his wanting freedom from his creator is an understandable motive, and he's framed as stylish and kind of cool and the serial killer top dog, which is not usually the sort of framing you get in homophobic movies lmfao. I think gay people should get to be evil in stories, as long as it has nothing to do with their queerness. Still. It's kind of a lot. It has some positive queer characters - Johanna is an anti-hero but still one of the good guys and she gets to kiss a woman on screen - but, hm, it could stand to have more. Feels kind of a bit 90s in there still. I think Dream and Hob should kiss next time and also can we please have a cool lady I can ship with Johanna that doesn't immediately die in a horrible way that would be nice <3

It's not a perfect show - the structure of the season feels very episodic and dislocated - does make sense considering the source material - every episode seems to go in a different direction, ep 2 in particular kind of dragged and I found the three last episodes worked a little less well, like the dream vortex as a threat was a little out of nowhere. But this is also what makes the show interesting, in a way - it has a lot of melancholic, philosophical scenes that are not there to necessarily advance the plot (the character development of the MC maybe) and that felt like they were there just to be there, and there was something so pleasant about that, like not everything needs to be building tension and crazy cliffhangers and obsession with plot. Sometimes you are just there to enjoy and reflect. It's refreshing. I love how so many of the episodes are insane in a completely different sort of way. Ep 5 is straight up horror bottle episode that makes you think about the nature of truth and lies and dreams and cynicism, ep 6 is a poetic, melancholy fable about death and time and the meaning of life and what it's like to be immortal, ep 3 has Johanna (<3), ep 4 has that insane confrontation with Lucifer, the last eps with the cereal convention go into weird absurdist noir territory plus touching story about family, like !!! there is just SO MUCH it's a treasure trove

There is a lot of tonal whiplash though, going from the serial killer convention to the stuff with Abel and Cain that honestly felt kinda naff, to the funny BnB with the drag queen host and Barbie and Ken and - that stuff is difficult to make it work, and the vibe is important, and honestly I don't think the vibe was 100% there, which brings me to my main criticism :

WHY!!!!! do all Netflix shows look so grey and flat and kind of desaturated ! what is going on !!!! I already had this issue with Shadow and Bone, which I overall loved, and others like First Kill - it's so frustrating because you have a show like this with incredible writing and acting and what could be a truly next level atmosphere but then the aesthetics are just kind of. decent. serviceable. sometimes cool, but too often boring. it's nowhere near as psychedelic and wild and imaginative as it should be. there are some very cool sets and shots, indeed, but like. Like!!!!! It honestly took me some time to warm up to the show because the intro scene takes you to the land of Dreams and it looks like a Walmart Disney castle plonked in the middle of random hills, like hello ? My dreams don't look that bland so this took me way out of it. Where is the drama ! The rolling fog ! The wonder and beauty !! It's too clean ! Too airbrushed ! (Kind of wish it was set in the 90s honestly). Dream's palace hall looks like a discount Hogwarts with the color palette of a dentist's office. They could have done so much more with the hotel at the cereal convention. The directing also felt kind of meh, tbh. But I suspect that's less the fault of any people working on this and more about general conditions at Netflix and like I said before : grrrrrrrrrrr. I mean it's a lot less bad than Amazon's Party City version of Tolkien but still.

I had to have something to bitch about lmao but overall, amazing show, so worth the watch, glad to see it's doing well because honestly it HAS to be renewed, it's just too iconic not too. hope they go harder on the vibe next time. gonna go read the comics in the meantime <3

#the sandman #netflix the sandman #neil gaiman #review #ellie watches things #wlw representation

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