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incorrect-ikevamp-quotes · 4 years

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YO SEBAS’ ROUTE HAS BEEN ANNOUNCED FOR JP I CANT WAIT!!! Do you have any theories of what could happen in his route?!?

Haha, yes, I saw this morning! For those who haven’t yet seen the announcement, it has been said that Sebastian’s route will be coming to the JPN version of Ikevamp on August 25th! It’s very exciting news, and I can’t wait to get started translating after I finish Dazai’s.

Honestly I’m finding this so many degrees of hilarious because I was like “oh ya I’m curious” at first, but after seeing that character introduction video with the lil forehead kiss and the horny as all HELL biting, I’m SLAMMING the horny button holy shit??? (I have that card CG in the JPN ver of the game on my phone and. lord jesus. That scowl. WILL HE STEP ON ME ONEGAI AKIHIKO)

Putting the rest under a cut bc is long and has some JPN ver spoilers:

That being said, let’s address the second part of the ask, shall we? Theories! If I’m honest I’m not surprised Sebastian was next on the docket, but I do admit I’m thoroughly surprised by the CG of him biting MC in earnest--he visibly draws blood on her neck and shoulder. This raises so many questions that are likely to be reiterated endlessly until his rt comes out in full, the most pressing of which is: does Sebastian turn into a vampire? Or is he just really into sadistic foreplay?

If I’m honest I sincerely don’t know if he’s fully turned, only because I’m trying to sort out the information we do have. Why turn into a vampire if the goal is to be with MC, who is also human? If we follow this course of thought, it doesn’t seem to make much sense, does it?

But then our boi Sebas is different in terms of his internalized conflict when compared to the vampires. Granted I may turn out to be wrong about this, but I think the two focal points of his route will be as follows: insecurity and the pursuit of knowledge. Remember that the reason Sebastian (our dearest Akihiko Sato) agrees to Comte’s proposal at all is his insatiable curiosity. I mean just think about it. If Comte told all that stuff about the mansion to someone in modern times, they would probably just figure he was a crazy person and go on with their day. But Sebas, the absolute madlad, agreed; he wanted to see if it was true, and to learn everything he could about people who exhibit extraordinary talent.

I foresee that this, however, may become a double-edged sword. Curiosity killed the cat, as they say. What I mean to say is that it could be very possible he might turn or undergo something similar to the changing process in order to experience what it’s like firsthand (whether to prove he can handle it or because he wants to understand the residents better/gather info). Furthermore, while Sebastian is curious--with no malicious intent at all--this doesn’t mean that envy is impossible in this kind of scenario, either. Admiration and envy are like two sides of a coin; depending on how one interprets information, they can skew to self-consciousness or inspiration. Given the content I’ve seen for Sebastian so far (and man has it been limited as all heck) I often get the implication that he truly does feel inadequate in some ways compared to the other men. As soon as MC chooses him a kind of overwhelming awareness of his normalcy begins; the implication that he is the wrong or lesser choice. Knowing this, I truly wouldn’t be surprised if problems arise as a result of this self-effacing.

(Note: I don’t think that about Sebastian at all, personally! I think he’s very mindful of others and really astute--to say nothing of his skill when it comes to the domestic sphere. I don’t think just anybody could do what he does, and he sells himself far too short. I always think of how the men call him the Ninja Butler and praise how capable he is, how they freely admit the place wouldn’t be the same without him. Sometimes I wish Sebas could see that, though I understand his concerns as well ;-; I’m always torn bc I’ll be like “I understand but alSO N O”)

Besides those latent insecurities, time to expand more on the pursuit of knowledge. In one way this drive might feed his self-derision; he might believe that the more he is able to do and understand and study, the more he can be of use/help other people. (Put simply his value as a person = the increasing extent of his knowledge in an almost linear relationship; without it he is nothing). On the other hand, I think he just genuinely enjoys collecting information the way he does! He likes assessing all the different ways people behave and why, and how this contributes to how they think and who they are. More insight offers him more ways to preoccupy his endlessly moving mind, but it also offers proximity with the subject in question. This to me is absolutely key--I think so much of his studying the great men is linked to his admiration, his wish to be like them and/or his wish to be close to them.

I’d like to address a quick reference to the drinking event that recently released in the ENG version of the app, if only to expand on/clarify where this is coming from. It essentially featured Sebastian and Napoleon sharing a drink together at a bar and in it, Sebastian speaks to the way that he encountered Napoleon in his life, and the reason why he grew so fond of him. He speaks to a childhood entirely detached from the people of his own time, roving through the shelves of libraries, reading endlessly to fill that void. It was a quote by Napoleon that caught his eye and inspired him, and ostensibly the words of people long past that gave him the strength to keep moving forward. This information, coupled with his strange excitement in Isaac’s rt introduction about how Isaac used to throw hands with people who mocked him seems to bring to the forefront a few things for me.

Sebastian is highly, highly individualistic: he doesn’t seem to care much about what is conventional or normal, only in what brings him joy and makes others comfortable/happy. His life is highly internal, but I sense no anti-sociality in this removal from societal expectations. He just lives his own way and tries not to trouble anyone. (This is also highly notable in his acute impatience with Dazai’s shenanigans/ineptitudes now and again; while he doesn’t always scold or explode, he shows a sharp and surprising impatience with willful/harmful/irresponsible behavior.) He’s tactful and measured, but highly excitable under the right circumstances. He also doesn’t seem to think much of his own life re: self-derision. Think Leonardo’s rt ending: he insists that the serial killer focus on him and not on MC, he tells her he has no qualms with dying if it means she’ll make it out alive. MC has to be the one to tell him to think more of his own life. As such I wouldn’t put it past him to have enough nerdy reckless energy to test the waters of being a vampire (all the better if it helps him understand the great men).

Comte once said it in an event story a few months ago, but I think he really hit the nail on the head in some respects. He says something to the effect of “His curiosity is admirable, but please Sebastian--some things are to remain private.” Sebastian doesn’t intend to be intrusive or malicious, he just likes knowing things for the sake of knowing. It’s about the cones answering his nerdy desire to piece things together, not stepping on people’s toes. (It’s nice too because Comte seems to understand this and doesn’t see it as a shortcoming/nuisance, he just tries to nudge Sebas in a different direction if he starts prying too close to people’s personal business ;-; pls pardon the Comte love I just can’t help myself)

Enter Johann Georg Faust.

Now then we know very little about the reserved priest doctor, but there are tidbits of information that we can work with (or at the very least, stand out to me a lot). The one I would like to focus on for this explanation is the little blurb that appears when you open the Ikevamp app and it’s loading, providing something like trivia facts for each character. In the ENG app we got those early, but we don’t have the ones for our antagonists. Iirc, Faust’s reads something to the effect of “will often sneak substances into their (as in the castle residents Vlad and Charles’) food to test the effect of his concoctions on vampires.” There have been hints that Faust is to be our mad scientist of sorts; that he is experimenting under Vlad’s orders to find a reliable way to transform a human being into an immortal equivalent to that of a pureblood. But I have mentioned on more than one occasion that I really don’t think Faust is only doing all of this for Vlad. He has his own curiosity that is seeking to be alleviated, perhaps he is satisfied with having another puzzle dumped in his lap--a means to distract himself and exhaust his faculties.

(One has to wonder if Vlad turned them under the same principle of desperation, and if that were the case, what Faust and Charles might desire more than anything else...Is Faust operating on a kind of necessity to atone? Has he simply given up hope that scientific advancement can happen without someone getting hurt, and so he does his best to balance the good and bad wrought by his explorations? Is he trying to bring someone back himself, is he trying to stall Vlad’s efforts in his own way? I really can’t be sure; there are just too many unanswered questions when it comes to Faust...)

This is where Sebastian and Faust begin to overlap. The pursuit of knowledge, an insatiable curiosity, a capacity to overreach the bounds of appropriate civility/decorum to get the information they want. It could potentially serve as a temptation for Sebas; become a vampire by Vlad’s hand and you can watch history over the span of generations. Assist in the development of an immortal, and you won’t even need someone like Comte to walk you through the different eras of time--you could explore yourself. While Sebas seems to be motivated more by service to other people, there can be no doubt that this could cause a great deal of friction. He will have to work to remind himself why he’s doing what he does and what it means to him, and whether or not becoming a vampire is truly what he wants.

But, there is also the issue of Vlad’s telepathic manipulations. Is it possible that an encounter with Faust (and by extension, proximity to Vlad/meeting Vlad head-on) could result in Sebastian being turned/experimented on without his knowledge? I.e. Vlad using his compulsion and sending him home with a word or memory of what happened. Though that’s certainly not the only possible explanation available. The other thing I was thinking about was a mechanic that was introduced in event stories prior to Sebas’ MS announcement. In the event story, MC and her suitor of choice encounter a street merchant that boasts a serum that can turn people into vampires. They, of course, don’t believe him--but the vial is procured and MC either purposefully or accidentally is exposed to it (i.e she knocks it over and it shatters in Leo’s ES). For a brief time, she exhibits vampiric qualities; she feels the thirst for blood as acutely as any of the other vampires in the mansion. I.e. In Napoleon’s ES, Sebas notices something wrong with MC when they’re just pouring vials of Rouge--the usual prepwork--and she runs out of the room looking dazed. Her odd/new instincts are only alleviated when she bites and drinks Napoleon’s blood, but after that single episode she shows no further signs of vampiric qualities. It’s a temporary but acute transformation. While I have no specifics as to how this is possible, I have to wonder if something similar might be done to Sebastian; whether as a means to test him (does he really want this? find out after the commercial break) or a kind of trick/trap laid by the antagonists. I remain unsure, but these are the two most likely explanations that come to mind if he hasn’t been fully turned.

As to whether or not his vampirism will be permanent, I’ve genuinely been oscillating on that one. I think it’s certainly possible given his intrigue (I never see much fear in him) with vampirism and his probable enjoyment with the prospect of an endless life learning about things (I can literally hear Leonardo screaming internally and I’m ngl it’s sad and funny). But there’s also something about the bite CG that speaks to strain/alarm, to surprise--that he wasn’t at all aware of the changes within himself--and I have to wonder if it might put him off of the prospect (like that he lost control/hurt MC)...Essentially I think it will just really boil down to how the symptoms come about (temporary or permanent), and how much his affections for MC might deter that curiosity/possible wish (if temporary, he might not touch the prospect again--if permanent, THAT WOULD BE SO FUCKING SEXY BECAUSE I’d wager the rest of the route might be MC trying to help him adjust/recover IN A SEXY WAY).

(Note post-translation: I fucking HATE IT HERE. The bite CG text says smth to the effect of “The bloodlust is unbearable--stay away from me; I don’t think I’ll be able to keep from attacking you.”) In light of this information, I am this 👌 close to launching myself straight into the sun. OFC his route is gonna be sweet as all shit and then it’s just gonna go downhill from there with angst. WHYYYYYYYYYY AKIHIKO (at least his voice is mega sexy and heals my wounds OTL) It also says something about “a fate that is greatly moved” so that does suggest a more permanent change than the temporary alternatives I mentioned (though we all know how Cybird loves to jerk us around so I’m leaving that up for debate)...this shit better be hurt/comfort or i s2g im throwing hands

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAA THE ANTICIPATION IS KILLING ME!!!!!!!

Here’s hoping he’ll make for a delightful surprise! I’m looking forward to it c:

#asks #ikevamp #ikemen vampire #ikevamp sebastian #ikevamp akihiko sato #ikevamp meta #bruh i woke up to so much yelling and im still reeling from the developments #hello????? sebas lookin tender AND sexy and im ngl i am v much here for it my ass pass is SHAKING #i genuinely didn't think i'd be this curious/intrigued but now that i saw the introduction vid im just #👉👈 i am looking RESPECTFULLY #man im quaking i guess its time to translate all the sebas stories i have and think about my hubris #like i thought sebas would be the whole 'you get a human suitor if you dont want the vampire stuff as much'#and so i was like #'i do not see my ass loves vampires too much for this'#but then he went vamp in the preview and im just YEAAAAAAAAAAAH!!!!!!!!!!!!! **RIPS SHIRT OPEN**#bruh this changes literally everything #come here you giant nerd and let me punch a whole straight through that v card #history aint got nothin on this dynamite [REDACTED]#rambles #anywho if you need me ill be replaying the vid over and over again #ty cybird for sparing some serotonin in these trying times LMAO

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joeys-piano · 5 years

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50 for the writer’s asks, I’m sure you have plenty ;)

50. Weirdest story idea you’ve ever had.

I’m gonna share you the strangest, most ambitious one that inspired all of my other strange, ambitious story ideas. Because if I didn’t do this idea, I wouldn’t be the writer I am today. Nor, would I be the experimental writer I am today xD

Back in the Fall of 2017, I was writing for a non-discreet fandom that I used to love and during that period, I dipped my toes into urban fantasy. Fascinated by the concept of a mer!AU but unsure of how to tackle it, I created my own original lore. You’ll see this is a running trend where I’ll just make stuff up in worldbuilding and somehow tie it all together in the end.

The concept I went with originated from the earliest version of the Little Mermaid, I believe. Remembering that the Little Mermaid didn’t have a soul, I decided to work that into my lore and this was the earliest worldbuilding draft that I have of this idea (it’s on AO3, it’s pretty obvious to find):

Merfolk were humans who had died at sea. While their souls may go to Heaven or Hell, their bodies transform. Scales protrude across the skin, a vicious tail is all that remains of what once were legs, slits span down the neck, and the body is reanimated. Driven by wild instincts and led by ravenous hunger, Merfolk patrol the waters like zombies.

In the open waters, these creatures feast on fish and are quite the catch for a shark or lone predator that wander so willingly into their territory. But near coastlines and against shores, Merfolk are on the prowl to satisfy another hunger. Without a soul to call their own, these solitary creatures congregate on the edge of civilization and are on the prowl for any who bear the misfortune of falling into their waters.

Over the next few weeks and subsequent months, I began to expand that lore. At the time, for the project I was working on, I only focused on saltwater mers. I hadn’t considered freshwater or other variants yet. I didn’t consider aquatic species of mers or the different body compositions and characteristics depending on where these mer originated from or where they live. However, this was 2017-Joey, and he wasn’t thinking of these things. He didn’t think about it because he wasn’t worried about it. He was more focused on the lore than the biology, ecology, and whatnot that goes behind this.

I believe in the November of 2017, I began to expand the mer!concept from a a group perspective than an individual one. This was when I started to consider what were the ecological and behavioral characteristics of these creatures. Mer are solitary but then I considered, many aquatic species are solitary but they congregate and show up in mass populations during certain or special events. So I thought to myself: wouldn’t it be scary if you’re out at sea and you see a school mer trying to yank you from a ship so they can do away your soul?

And thus, I added that to the lore:

Merfolk are notorious for creating storms. A passing boat or a humble ship could easily find itself in the eye with nowhere to run, with nowhere to hide.

The storm appears normal at first: torrential rains, lashing winds, and with the vessel rocking back and forth over the mounting waves. Those who have survived to tell the tale often report of hearing voices, ghostly wails luring the ships and boats closer to the centre of the storm. Suddenly, the ocean is at peace, but a gray veil cloaks the sacrifices before the grooms stroke it back. Bobbing in the water are Merfolk. Tails swishing and their scales glistening like gems. They bring color to the chaos and sing their songs.

And then following that passage is a rather graphic scene of shipmates getting tangled in sea nooses and being yanked into the water, where the surface bubbles over with red and thrashes as mers are picking a shipmate to the bone and are snarling at each other to consume his soul. Because a mer understands that they’re lacking something that’ll make them feel whole. They lost their souls when their human selves died. So in order to truly come back to life and escape this Hellscape they’ve been surviving it, they have to steal and kill for another chance at life.

Even if it means sacrificing an innocent and having that innocent exchange places with them. For a young writer who had been writing pretty safe content for 5 years at that point, this was a stepping stone into more abstract and darker ideas. This began my journey into writing about the human condition and what it meant to be alive.

So you’re probably asking me: it’s been a few years, how did the idea and lore change over time? Back in May of this year when I thought about participating in MerMay, I decided to take my notes and polish them. I moved away from the sea and moved inland to incorporate freshwater mers, and I researched on the different body compositions and structures of how these characters would look like. I developed and fleshed out a more human side to the lore and talked about how some mers transitioned into society and are living comfortably amongst people. I wrote about mers that don’t want to be human, mers that are domesticated, mers that are wild, mers who couldn’t care less about having a soul, and about mers who’d do anything to have a soul and be human again.

I developed the mer!language. It’s not extensive, but it gets the point across. In addition, I included accommodations on how mers could live amongst humans and what were the challenges in doing so. Humans aren’t very tolerable of a lot of things. If we have trouble tolerating each other, imagine how difficult it would be for a mer that used to be human and who’s now living amongst humans and are having to adopt what humans expect of them when they aren’t able to do certain things that humans consider normal.

So I’d say that over the years, what started off as a curious pet project turned into a catalyst that made me become the writer and worldbuilder that I am today. It helped me approach and develop different worldbuilding styles and techniques, how is fictional reality intertwined with real reality, and how I can use stories to tell a bigger picture of an issue or problem that I see we as a society are still struggling and trying to find common ground and understanding on.

And since this is the end of the ask, I’m gonna share a little snippet from my most recent mer!notes. This one is for Dazai, who I turned into a freshwater betta fish mer:

After drowning in a familiar river near a bridge in Yokohama, the suicide ironically sparked the beginning of Dazai’s life as a Mer. Was he disappointed? Absolutely. He learned quite quickly that it was a lot harder to die as a Mer than it was as a human.

To visit him at the Armed Detective Agency, Dazai is typically seen wearing soaked, fettered, and messy bandages sprawled around his neck as he spends the majority of his day soaking in a kiddie pool. A pool that was a little smaller than himself so he’d be half-drying and half-dying while still having enough water to keep him from completely dying. If it wasn’t morbid, seeing a fully-grown Mer in such a tiny space was actually quite entertaining. Especially when Dazai would get his antsy fits and try to squish himself into the corners of his kiddie pool to completely submerge himself. Alas, it wouldn’t work and he’d silently curse himself for damning his existence to an inadequate space.

While Dazai does wear his signature trench coat, he’s merely draping it over his shoulders and the fabric spills behind him while he soaks so it doesn’t get wet. He does live on his own in the Agency dormitory, where he commutes from the office to the apartment and vice versa. Because of the soaked bandages meandering across his body, Dazai doesn’t dry out quite as quickly as other land-dwelling Mers. Although traveling on land doesn’t bother him as it would for others, he does prefer to have assistance merely for ease and to conserve his strength.

#this is pretty much the backstory of how i became the worldbuilder i am today #if you like mermaids or mers this ask is for you #i also include snippets of my worldbuilding notes #i also include a bsd example towards the end

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