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tigergendermoved · 5 months

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I don't like DDLC'S MC very much on a very petty level but I still wish there was more fic or meta speculation about him. I'm not interested in him as a character, though, because he's barely a character. Literally by the game's standards, he has no inherent "character file." He is the SCRIPT, if anything. All of his thoughts and actions occur within the little text bubble at the bottom of the screen, and so do the characters'. He barely appears in CGs, has no body sprite, and it is through his observations and his thoughts and his call to make choices that the game progresses.

I think that specific trait of MC is fascinating, especially given how deep reaching Monika's manipulation is. During Act 1 he is active, he is talkative, he has a definitive (and yet inconsistent, based on which girl(s) you're speaking to) personality. He has thoughts about just about everything going on. And yet in Act 2 he is reduced to dust. He stops having any kind of commentary and he almost never remarks upon the horrible occurrences around him unless prompted or unless it is something that could plausibly happen in the realm of reality, like Yuri abandoning him for 10 minutes and Natsuki collapsing on him. But even then he's still significantly muted. Yuri and Natsuki have a horrible fight and the only kind of response he tries to throw out is co-opted by Monika. He witness Yuri declare her love for him and talk about how she would love to pull his skin open and crawl inside of him and the only thing he has to say is "yes" or "no" when she asks if he likes her back. And then he physically cannot move or speak or react because the world is so far gone that Yuri's death has damaged him, the script, so much that all he hears is gibberish coming from her lifeless mouth.

And like... that's neat to me. I like that by the end of Act 2 the script is so off the rails and so far gone from reality that MC can no longer really function as a person, because the script is barely functioning. He stops reacting to anything happening around him and most of the conversations he has are just the girls talking at him. Monika has to literally rewrite the script and force Yuri and Natsuki to say things to further her agenda or keep the scene rolling. MC had a clear and very human response to Sayori's death because it was a plausible but horrible (and not forced) event that could happen naturally. Yuri's death was so jarring and away from the scope of the natural order of his world that MC (and Yuri, by extension) can only sit frozen and broken until Natsuki and Monika show up to force new progress.

Like Monika's effect on the girls has been talked to death and it is an interesting topic but I also think what she unintentionally did to the POV character of the game is also something neat. It really adds to the feeling of the world in DDLC being hollow. The MC is a half-character who can only react in incredibly predictable ways, and when the world stops being predictable, he stops being anything more than a walking camera for Monika to speak into.

#ddlc #this isnt even really a character analysis this is just my vague jumbled thoughts on this guy #ive always found mc interesting even if he irritates me #when i was bored and a middle schooler i used to imagine this self insert of mine in his place #what choices would she make if she knew the ddlc world was a farce? what choices would she make if she didnt?#would she be beholden to the game structure and choices written in the game's script?#could she change anything? how would she feel if she knew the girls in a context where they were her normal friends?#these scenarios were of course some random shit i thought about to make PE less awful #but it made me think of how horrible and strange it would be in mc's position #and subsequently how mc himself kind of never gets the chance to BE in his own position in a way #he is fully beholden to the whims of monika and whatever the girls around him are doing at all times in act 2 #even in act 1 his personality and motivations fluctuates constantly depending on which girl u are talking to #mc is the script and the script is mc. he never had a chance to change anything and neither did you #the only way you can do anything in that world is to be a character a .chr a person. and mc is not a person in any meaningful sense #on the topic of 'hey wouldnt it be fucked up to actually experience ddlc as a Thinking Person'#'to your eternity' (anonymous author) on ao3 specifically chapter 1 of it is a cool fic based on that thought #anyways. i know mc mostly just shuts up because it would be lame if every time yuri's eyes bug out he's like 'jeepers creepers!!!'#but i think his dwindling presence makes him an interesting non-character ❤️#doki doki literature club

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steddielations · 6 months

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#been seeing complaints lately about too much eddie centric stuff #it’s crazy because i just scrolled through the first page of the steve/eddie ao3 tag #specifically looking for eddie stuff and every single last one was steve centric #i don’t know i always scratch my head when ppl say eddie is the favorite of steve/eddie #because since the beginning i’ve always looked for eddie centric stuff and it’s always always always been majority steve centric #ppl might crush on eddie more idk? but finding fics where he’s actually a character with depth is rare #he’s usually just there as the stand in perfect emotional crutch boyfriend or the worst person in the world #for steve angst whichever the author needs him to be 😭#idk this is just my experience but also the number of fics in steve focused tags has always been higher than the eddie focused ones idk

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meownotgood · 8 months

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Can I ask what your ✨Aki journey✨ was like? I’m a Aki girlie but you clearly love Aki more than any blog I’ve ever seen (purrr) When did you start becoming interested in him? Was it an aHA moment or did it develop over time? I’m really curious!!! What inspired you to start this blog? I live, laugh, love backstories 🫶🏾❤️‍🔥

YES I would be so happy to answer this!!!!!!!

so before I read chainsaw man, I knew next to nothing about it, I wasn't really a manga reader in general to be honest but I started getting into it because I wanted to get caught up with jujutsu kaisen after finishing the anime. when I did, I really enjoyed jjk, I wanted to read more manga and a friend suggested I read chainsaw man because it's similar. I was like okay... a lot of people are into it... it looks cool... why not.

and when I started reading and I got to that third chapter and I saw aki... I literally said to myself: yeah, he is going to be my favorite. because he's exactly my type — the suit, the hair tied up so it's long and pretty when he takes it down, the SMOKING??? THE PIERCINGS????? I thought his hair was silly but adorable, his personality was stern but quirky and likable, his kon power was so cool. he was just so cute and hot and definitely my type of character.

but really, even though aki was always my favorite character from the start, my obsession truly began when I finished the manga. aki's arc is just so good... I fell in love with him the whole way through but especially after the manga was over... I loved watching him grow as a character, he just feels so real and relatable personality wise and story wise. he's immensely flawed but kindhearted to his core. he's so human. I love how he's emotional and soft and the conclusion to his arc is genuinely my favorite thing in any piece of media ever, it's so bittersweet and compelling. (and I'm a mess for that bittersweet shit okay)

anyway after I read chainsaw man for the first time I was feeling a mix of emotions between "wow that was the greatest thing ever" and "what the fuck did I just read" but more than anything I yearned for more aki, and so I read it a second time almost immediately after, and then the aki brain infection just grew worse and worse.... was screenshotting every panel of him... I read it a third time... a fourth time in the colored version to collect more panels......... I started my blog over a year ago to post fanfic and rant about aki and the rest is history

#I love this question #I also think it's important to say #albeit it's a bit silly #when I read chainsaw man I was going through a pretty hard time in my life #I'd gone through a bad breakup and I felt very lost #I was reading a lot of manga because I needed something to do to get my mind off things #I think that's part of the reason why I got attached to aki so quickly...#but he means a lot to me because of that #aki helped me to become myself again #also I'm sure I've said this before #but I started writing fanfic because I'd read all the fanfic of aki and #I still needed more #I thought it would be fun bc I always enjoyed writing but it'd been years since I did #suddenly on a random night at 3 in the morning I was like #you know what... I can't sleep... I know how to write... I can make my own aki content... let's do it #and I wrote that first fic like there was no tomorrow #(don't read it btw it sucked BAHAHA)#I posted it on ao3 for fun expecting no one to care but when just a handful of people read it and said they liked it I was overjoyed #I'm grateful I started writing again... I'm glad I get to do what I love and write about what makes me happy #and people actually enjoy it?? THAT'S CRAZY #sorry for ranting too much #can't wait to see where this journey will continue to take me #ask mags

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placid-styles · 9 days

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finally posted the 3rd and final chapter of my mac gets revenge on dennis for johnny fic!! 😁❤️

#everybody cheer #i'm actually quite proud of this and i worked very hard on it #will i ever admit to writing 17 pages of old man yaoi? absolutely not #macdennis #mac mcdonald #dennis reynolds #iasip #its always sunny in philadelphia #always sunny #fanfic #fic #ao3 #macden #my writing #mine

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oh-surprise-its-me · 1 year

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Based off my other Sladick hair post <3

Dick always takes care of Slade’s hair because the man chopped it with his sword much more then once he doesn’t know what deep conditioner is. Blonde shampoo?? Never heard of that. Dick how is it for blondes if it comes out purple? But by god does Dick make him use it religiously. In return Slade gives Dick the most thorough massages in the entire world they are absolutely mind melting good but fucking excruciatingly painful at points Dick has cried more then once during them but has never used their safeword.

#dick grayson #slade wilson #deathstroke #nightwing #sladick #dc fluff #fluff #I’m actually sober this time #shocker I know #as always write a fic if you wanna #my ao3 is recycleyourself go party over there if you wanna #hair things lmao #mac writes dc

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bisaster-energy · 3 months

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im not even done my current kuwameshi fic and im already getting ideas about new ones...

#kuwameshi #give me a sec i'll reblog later with the actual idea but like #WHAT IF UM KUWAMESHI BUT UM. PRINCESS BRIDE AU...#i also have another song fic idea but it's way sillier than the one i have on ao3 #based off you me and steve by garfunkel and oates #i got the idea cos i just remembered when yusuke got back from training with genkai the 1st time and instead of a 1 on 1 date with keiko #kuwabara is also? there? and it's just so funny to me like what. and then they're supposed to all 3 go to the movies together?#AND WHEN THEY GET THERE THE 2 BOYS DITCH KEIKO?? for a mission yeah but she doesn't know that!!#and then yusuke and keiko actually go on a date alone and it gets interrupted cos of younger toguro #and shortly after kuwabara shows up so it looks like he was bound to come across them??#as far as a i remember the next time yu and keiko get together alone is the day he tells her to just wait and she's like im literally #not gonna wait for you <3 and it was so funny she just walked off lmaoo #anyway im trying to say i wanna make a silly little fic addressing the fact that keiko is like. pursuing her crush on yusuke #but kuwabara is kinda just. always there and it's fun she does like him but it's just awkward #planning on having her ask kuwa to maybe give her and yusuke some time alone like maybe just avoid their next outing #and kuwa is like oh damn :( ok good luck and yusuke shows up to the date and he's like woah wait. where tf is kuwabara?#keiko is like bruh. and she makes up some shit about him mentioning that he felt sick or wtv and yusuke is like ''then y are we here?#i should check on him. i dont think that guy has even been put outta commission by anything but my fist!'' and keiko just follows him #cos what else can she do. and kuwa is fine ofc and yusuke is like bro what gives i thought you were sick and kuwa is dense sometimes but he #catches on from keiko's desperate look and he's like well i got better *flexes his arm* and yu is like i knew you were too dumb to catch #a cold. and he's stupid happy that kuwa is fine and can come with them after all ''hey he's fine ya hear that keiko''#and then keiko is watching this whole exchange eyes blown wide open and she's like actually i just remembered i have plans #you two should totally go without me tho and yu agrees so easily that it just solidifies that she made the right call #kuwa is looking back at her all confused and she gives HIM the good luck thumbs up. he gets as red as his hair and #yusuke is worried he really is coming down with something

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boxwinebaddie · 3 months

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wait omg.. ur fr not updating ur fanfics ever again?!? HEARTBREAKING... BUTT... does that possibly mean u can spoil everything (slowly ofc)

EXTREMELY LONG BUT IMPORTANT UPDATE:

so...i'm not going to say ~never~, my friend. i promised myself during my uncle nina self care era, that i would *justin bieber vc* never say never, because setting strict, set-in-stone regulations and rules for myself is why i am not writing anymore...which, yes, as much as i enjoy my fanfics/updating them, for the sake of both my physical and mental health, i think it is in my best interest to not update my fanfictions right now. i'll explain as much as i can down below.

so...this is going to be a very, very long post. i know that i had an anon on here that told me that they look forward to when i post long, indepth things, however, i am going to say that this isn't like a fun hc post or anything, this is just a lot of information...about my blog and my fanfictions, how i have been feeling and what i'm thinking about doing moving forward from this point. a lot of it is stuff that i've written about a lot ( stress, writing, etc. ) but i think it's important to read, mayhaps? just to keep you in the loop/informed on stuff.

long story short tho: i am not updating my fanfics rn, that's not to say i will not be writing/doing ncu stuff and it does...thank god...mean that i can now slowly spoil things...In A Controlled Manner.

to jog your re(memory), lmao, i was very unwell writing peppermint.

we know this...we don't love this.

what i did love was writing peppermint when i was but doing all that formatting, writing more in one update than some people write in entire fanfictions, forcing myself to be consistent...it was...at times very frightening how unwell i was. especially mentally. i just...i was not well equipped for the stress that came with having a moderately successful fanfic. being perceived at that level, with how severe my social anxiety is...it was not good for me. like it was fun because it was cool to see people so invested/get so much high praise for the things that i was writing but...idk. i am very introverted. ravenstan is me because i try to be really cool but i am a fake and a fraud lmaooo.

but yeah, too much upkeep and while 99.9% of the negativity around pep and myself was self inflicted...i will say...especially after 10, i did get some very...Intense...reactions to my fanfiction. like, very, very intense in a way that i was very offput by it and also worried about how the things i was writing were affecting your real lives. which, on top of how i was doing ( not well ) was not something i wanted to have constantly on my shoulders. please friends, remember, you are not responsible for how other people perceive your work, so long as you tag it accordingly, are authentic to yourself, and respectful to others. or so i believe, at least. idk. this is so long, i'm sorry.

speaking of peppermint tho...i am going to be so honest. i...do not think i'm gonna update it or keep writing it. i know that kind of sucks but the Peppermint Period of my life, i hope, will be over soon, lol. which i LOVE pep, but there is a lot of dark, negative energy associated with it, i tried to write it a million times and can't -- which, fun fact, the last stretch of peppermint is the stan self healing/self care arc ( which i love, i love u so bad pep!stan, my baby, my angel ) and the reason i could not write it...is because i was never in a positive enough headspace to write it.

like...i was not healed enough to write the healing arc. thats...oof.

i also just...don't feel super good about writing stuff about the boys in hs as an adult lady, like? they are 18 and all, but idk, it does not make me feel good things, its just not that relevant to me and the only reason that they were in hs in pep is because all of the relevant tiktok lore surrounding style was senior year hs stuff. but i really just prefer writing the boys in rm/in college/doing adult boy stuff. thats a lot more in my wheelhouse and i feel way better doing that tbh.

a final pep thing that ties into the last part of this ask is YOU CAN ASK ME ANYTHING YOU WANT ABOUT PEPPERMINT. i will spoil everything, like i'd prefer to do it in parts so if you want chapter 12 first i can tell you all about that. i don't have a ton of stuff written out in action...but i have...a fuck ton of dialogue. like nearly all of the dialogue for peppermint is written. ( if you want i can even take the dialogue and write it in sort of stage direction type formats with the actions to make it flow a little better -- i just can't write Chapters )

so yeah, ask me anything at all that you like about peppermint, but i can't spoil the entire fic in one ask...slow pace, please, haha.

okay, rm i do actually care a lot about. i also don't know if i in good concious can write chapter updates for it, but i can give you very detailed asks about it and give you what information i do have about it...also in small pieces. like someone asked me what happened to the ex-cd guitarist...and i can give you that information very soon.

i know it is kind of a bummer to not be able to get updates, but like, when i tell you i was seriously unwell...like it was really bad my real life was getting fucked up because of my online life which is whack.

but yeah! you can also ask me rm stuff! i kind of want to do it as sequencially as i can just so it flows a lot better like, idk, maybe start w/ ravesey hate stuff and move chapter to chapter, answering hc things in between? that feels right to me? but yeah!!! you can ask me what goes in the next chapter? if you want? or the next two/whatever is left of the hate...i don't have a ton of dialogue but i do have p much the whole situation blocked out? ish? lmao rip.

also!!! if i give you any scenario and you would like me to write in more detail or if you'd really like to see it in writing, you can totally leave me a request and if i feel up to it at some point, i will write it up. i also may just feel funky fresh and want to write it one day and randomly post it. lmao just be ready for anything tbh.

BUT YEAH!!! no i will totally give you rm spoilers and stuff!!! but again, i'm gonna try and not give you too much at once...v slow. in that way, ik its not the same as getting my full-fledged chapter updates, but it could hopefully still be exciting because you'd be waiting to get my content and it would come out quicker? which is still neat i think? my way to keep updating you without disappearing or like straining the shit out of my heart and brain.

okay, also, on ao3, as far as Big Writing goes...i'm not sure if i'm gonna post anything actually updatey on there again. it was just too stressful for me yall. i dont even want to make a seperate chapter post of explaination because i really don't want my fic to sit at the top of the tag for days and garner attention or like...wake to people waiting for pep or rm who think they're getting a new chapter, just to get told that i don't really feel safe updating them anymore. way too much attention which is what...drove me to this point tbh.

again, i like tumblr. i like the intimacy. i like that you guys can anonymously send me stuff and for the most part, i like that i can be sort of anonymous on here too...whilist you know, still being able to share stuff on here with you about my life. which...that's also a thing i was gonna mention at the end is, because i'm in education and kids are super nosy, if something happens, i will have to self destruct this blog and i'm sorry.

i am being so serious like if a kid finds my fanfiction tumblr, not only will it be embarrassing/unprofessional, like i am very worried that i could lose my job, slash not do the thing that i love the most in the world next to writing. :( i really do not want the thing i do in my free time to effect my outside life, which, again, is largely why i am doing this to protect myself lmao. like i am seriously considering like deleting anything that has to do with myself at all because of that. i tag my posts as accurately as i can to keep myself and all of you safe. please, please be mindful. please make good choices.

in vein of staying anonymousish ( tbh this is so much information that i ALMOST was going to post this as a voice message but i was not sure putting my human girl voice associated w/ this blog tbh ) i lowkey might nuke the twitter...i don't like it on there, lol. the cancel culture is frightening ( which is not to say don't cancel me if i'm being weird like please do that lol ) the people on there are really intense, i don't like the in fighting...i am on my tumblr because i feel safe here and i like all of you and i like answering your questions.

tbh, rp if you're reading this, the only reason i actually have the twitter is bc riley and i chat on there which, tbh, i might just bully her to use the dms on here or like licherally give you my personal phone number, lol. like we are internet married and talk constantly and i want to delete my twitter so bad it's not funny ESPECIALLY THE VIEW COUNTER LIKE THAT SHIT IS SO FUCKED UP I HATE IT.

kind of why i don't like ao3 either bc the hit count thing...really fucks w/ my mental health. the stress of being boxwinebaddie on there is also a lot so...okay...last segway...i do lowkey want to Actually write tkak...WHICH I KNOW NO ONE BUT ME CARES ABOUT BUT LOL THIS IS MY BLOG I DO WHAT I WANT BROTHER!!! its just funny bc this always happens where i can't write a fanfic i'm writing and then get excited abt some weird concept i have and start writing it and then stop again. so if i am writing tkak, please know it might not finish and i might just talk about it in ask memes.

orrrr write it in my google docs and link you or post screenshots. tbh i am very glad to be away from the ao3 layout like its so fucking ugly. the google docs are so much easier to read in my opinion.

for writing/future fanfics tho...as weird as it is, i don't think i'm gonna attach my name/user to my future fanfics. like you guys can know about them on here as long as we are chill about it. i just get too much anxiety about my association with my account and it getting too hectic again. so if i post tkak, i will probably do it on a different ao3 account ( you guys will know ofc ) and if i post one shot type stuff...i might do it also on a burner account or anonymously.

i actually ALMOST posted remember anonymously because of how stressed i was about it being negatively perceived/it being weird or people being mad at me for not updating pep. like i am very stoked you guys liked it but i seriously almost did not attach it to my name.

so if you see stuff that looks like its me floating around the style tag or in the other south park tags...its probably me. idk drop me a weird code word thats not too obvious and i'll send you one back, haha. i'm sorry i know this is complicated i just...i need to distance myself from this like, when i tell you i needed therapy for this...a mess.

but yeah! i hope that all makes sense! by all means ask me about pep ( literally anything abt pep but try to start small and build up ) and rm within reason and i will get back to you! it is extremely freeing for me to be able to talk about stuff because it sucked so bad to sit on all this info and just not be able to talk about it? like AAAA??? like thats why i was forcing myself to post stuff bc i wanted to tell yall stuff. and i would rather post you well thought out ask memes and dialogue that i feel happy abt then rush out terrible updates and grow to resent my fanfics like...no thank you.

i honestly feel like i have really fun ideas and am ( pretty ) good at coming up with complex lore/interesting hcs and shit, but i'm just not good at waiting, not good at keeping secrets and not good at being consistent...this is what i feel happiest doing, ig. hopefully this is rockin and rollin with you. i'm sorry this was a lot.

closing note is...i love you all very much. thank you so much to all of your for supporting as my identity as a writer has adapted, supporting my multiple works/promoting my personal health, advocating for me, being kind...i could not ask for better readers. again, i realize this is not the most fun information, but i have to take care of myself and this is the only way i know how. while also doing the thing i love, which is talking about my fanfics/writing/sharing my stories with all of you.

you are welcome to click off if you want, but if you are willing to ride the ride my friends, i promise to keep it cute on here. <3

thank you for everything, my darlings, and from whatever hurts or harms you, past, present and future

i hope you heal :),

uncle nina

p.s. if possible, if we could not distribute this post or rb it or anything like that i'd appreciate it. you can message me or write to me in the comments but i would like to maintain the liberty of deleting this post or editing it as i need to in case something happens. tysm.

#ncu update #nina speaks #idk that the tag is i actually think i might make an elaborate tag system so u guys/other people can read my blog #and find specific info abt parts of my fics or chars and stuff #but yeeeeeah i don't want to write right now i do not feel good i do not fuck w the energy i felt after i wrote pep for a while #like i already get sometimes overwhelmed on this blog i dont want to go back on ao3 which is already slow and seriously stressful #you can ask for spoilers tho! please do it in small sections! i am just one person and my fics are very lore intensive #i spend a lot of time on my asks i cannot do too much at once unfortunately #if i post stuff on ao3 again i would rather it not be attached to me ik thats kind of lame but it was mega stressful yall #it also makes it so if people enjoy my work it has nothing to do w bwb and this blog and i can start fresh #if u drop me a code tho i will get back to u haha just if u think its me out there please do not start shouting my name looool #hope this makes sense and hope you heal #sorry this was so much i needed to get this off my chest #you can also ask me questions abt this post it was really ocnfusing i tried to say as much as i can #but i am very tired...which is also why i cant really update bc i am working often and very very tired lmao #just be paitent w me if you can and you always are so i'm not worried ily so much thank u thank u thank u #none of this is spelled right ill fix it later...v tired rip

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hamsterandturtlesoup · 2 months

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#gross sobbing #fandom is good actually #i don't know if you are on tumblr or read my tumblr ao3 user buddingtrees #but you always pop up with fic comments when i happen to be having a shitty time and you're a wonderful person who deserves good things!#bless you and all my love x1000 <3

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mx-myth · 3 months

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Chapters: 1/1 Fandom: 莲花楼 | Mysterious Lotus Casebook (TV) Rating: General Audiences Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply Relationships: Di Feisheng & Li Lianhua | Li Xiangyi, Fang Duobing & Li Lianhua | Li Xiangyi, Di Feisheng & Fang Duobing Characters: Li Lianhua | Li Xiangyi, Fang Duobing, Di Feisheng, Huli Jing (Mysterious Lotus Casebook) Additional Tags: breaking news!!! li lianhua has feelings!, takes place during the fanghua break-up era, Canon Compliant, Slice of Life, Domestic, i'm posting this while calling with my friends so i'm so distracted, please comment and tell me if i miss anything, (by fanghua break-up era i hope it's obvious that i mean when fdb Figures It All Out), this is short and i don't know what or how to tag, How Do I Tag, Breaking Up & Making Up, for a sense, Ambiguous Relationships, Something is going on, but then again. when isn't something going on with these three, Cats, honestly the image of huli jing standing over a cat was so amusing, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, in a way. it's still canon-compliant for the most part though, feihua acting like a long-married couple again, in that they're just being snarky, i guess i will never get over dfs scruffing and shaking fdb, sigh. please suggest proper tags in the comments

Summary:

Li Lianhua is not worried. At all. He just isn’t. Nevermind the fact that he hasn’t seen Fang Duobing in a month; the brat has always come back before, like a stubborn infestation, and he tells himself that he’s glad he’s moved onto some other fixation.

Despite that he seems to have picked up yet another stray.

#archive of our own #my fics #fanfics #ao3 #ao3 fanfic #announcement #fan fic #mysterious lotus casebook #mlc #lian hua lou #fang duobing #di feisheng #li lianhua #inspired by a hanwenzhou fic by the way #it's linked #as always something is up with those three #but there aren't any definite relationships so i didn't tag them #and i won't here either #does anyone actually read the text block of tags on here or just wait until the ao3 fic

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sinterblackwell · 5 months

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reading vol.4 of 2ha is so surreal because this has to be the most yearning i’ve ever read from mo ran and it literally aches, but all i had been thinking for a certain couple of chapters is “wait isn’t this our token of love burns red from ao3? 🧐”

#❣️#revelation of the year folks #it all clicked the moment that farmer girl popped up with the same name as the girl in this fic i read months ago #i can imagine the ao3 writer reading this arc before the official translation and being like ‘stop 🤚🏽 let me get my pen’#and then they made history by writing one of the greatest ranwan fics of all time #sometimes all you need at the end of the day is a story about two characters falling in love in a small village and tying the literal knot #all through a precious red charm that glows when feeling warm #which as mo ran said in the fic—this means it’s always glowing when he’s around his wanning :’)#anyways yeah i’m getting really emotional about this because i sincerely adore that fic #and so to see where the writer drew inspiration from in the actual canon…it makes ranwan’s yearning hit even harder #2ha #booklr

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silvokrent · 11 months

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Ennui - 1

ennui /ɒnˈwiː/ n. a gripping listlessness or melancholy caused by boredom; depression.

“You wanted to see me?”

Lily of the Valley Island wasn’t a secluded place by any means. Even in the lull between tournament seasons, the city was regularly inundated by locals and tourists. Not to the same claustrophobic degree as the actual competition, but enough that the more paranoid folks tended to keep a close eye on their wallet, lest it vanish amidst a crowd.

Of course, that could have been Flint’s childhood bias talking. The instinctive wariness of pickpockets had never quite faded with age.

Cynthia didn’t acknowledge him as he approached, though at the question, she redirected her gaze from the escarpment below. Dense swaths of foliage lined the cliffs where they descended toward the city, and beyond, the bleach-white sand. If Flint squinted, he could just barely make out the shapes of people and Pokémon milling about the streets.

“I did.” She waited until Flint moved to her side before she continued: “I’m sorry for the abruptness. I hope I didn’t interrupt anything?”

Flint shrugged. “A spar with Aaron, but that can be rescheduled.” It might have been less inconvenient if she had requested they meet in her office, rather than some remote trail an hour’s hike from the city. But tact (and the knowledge that she signed his paychecks) waylaid that particular comment. Flint settled on a more diplomatic reply. “I don’t mind. It’s a nice day.”

There was a look in Cynthia’s eyes, a shrewdness he was a bit too familiar with. “It is a nice day,” she agreed, in a vague, pleasant sort of tone. A pause, before she gestured with her hand. “Would you take a walk with me?”

Flint recognized the invitation for the tacit order that it was; one which he was smart enough not to decline. “As you like.”

Cynthia’s smile widened a fraction. Her hair fanned out behind her as she turned and set off down the footpath at an easy stroll, not waiting to see if he’d follow. Flint did, of course, falling in step beside her a moment later.

The humidity was oppressive. Not that Flint was particularly bothered by it—heat was sort of an occupational hazard when you trained Fire-types—but he could feel the combined weight of heat and water vapor starting to seep into his collar. If Cynthia minded, it didn’t show on her face. The gradual downturn of her lips, as she studied the path with a faraway expression—that he did notice.

Curiosity was beginning to overtake his sense of apprehension. Flint fisted his hands in his pockets, and let out a low whoosh of air. “So. What is it that you don’t want anyone to overhear?”

The smile briefly flickered across her face, if a little subdued. “I am sorry for the inconvenience,” she said, at last. “I wouldn’t waste your time on something that wasn’t important.”

“Figured. Wouldn’t call this a waste of my time, either.” Flint rolled his shoulder. “Off-the-books isn’t usually your style.”

Cynthia regarded him out of her periphery. “Under normal circumstances, no. But I’d prefer to handle this informally, not through official channels.”

Flint suppressed a snort. “Less paperwork to file?”

Cynthia’s pace slowed. “Less a chance of damaging someone’s career,” she murmured.

He raised a brow, but didn’t comment.

“It’s a little sudden,” she said, as she brushed a strand of hair from her face, “but I’d like you to conduct an investigation for me, regarding one of the Gyms. Ideally within the next day or two, but the sooner you’re able to depart, the better.”

That piqued his interest.

“Not that I’m objecting”—not that Flint really could; contractual obligations and such—“but isn’t that the sort of thing you usually send Lucian to handle?”

Cynthia lapsed into momentary silence. He got the impression that she was choosing her words rather carefully. “And if I sent Lucian, he would handle the matter as he usually does, would he not?”

Flint winced. “Right,” he muttered. “Off-the-books.”

Cynthia nodded. “Right now, I need discretion.” Her eyes slid shut. “Not that I would blame Lucian, given the circumstances.”

Cryptic wasn’t really her style, either, and it was starting to chafe his patience.

“If things were different,” Cynthia continued, very pointedly cutting him across before he could interrupt, “I would go myself. But I think your presence is needed over mine.”

“Can I at least know where you’re sending me?” Flint asked.

Abruptly, Cynthia stopped and turned to face him. She held his gaze, unbothered by the glare he leveled at her.

“Sunyshore,” she said.

The reply shocked him into silence.

It took longer than Flint would’ve liked to remember how to string words together. When he finally did, they were halting. “Is something wrong with Volkner?”

By way of explanation, Cynthia reached into the folds of her black coat. “Two days ago, there was a massive city-wide blackout. As I understand it, the overload not only took out the grid, but it disabled the city’s backup generator. It took six hours for the engineers to get it under control.” Flint was unresisting as she passed him the tablet, and his eyes darted over the screen. Assessment of PV System Activity. “When they eventually isolated the source, it was the Sunyshore Gym. Since then, twelve different residents have filed complaints with the League.”

—due to sudden, significant drop in voltage. Electric-type Pokémon were temporarily dispatched to supplement power to critical systems, until tie-line with another network was established—

Reluctantly, Flint pulled his attention away from the report. “How many people in the League know about this?”

“Two.” Cynthia folded her arms behind her back. “And both of them are standing right here.”

His frown deepened. “How has the committee not found out?”

“I was able to intercept the complaints. For now, I’d like to keep it that way. As for your other question…” Cynthia sighed. “I was hoping you could tell me.”

Only when his fingers started to hurt did Flint register his grip on the tablet. He glanced back down at the screen, as if it could somehow provide him the clarity he lacked. “Why would his Gym be draining that much power?”

“That’s what I'd like you to find out.” The sea breeze whipped her hair as she faced the cliffside. “Sunyshore supplies electricity to every city east of Mount Coronet. If another outage like this happens, half the region could go dark.” She studied him out of the corner of her eye. “When was the last time you spoke to Volkner?”

She had an uncanny talent for making someone feel like she was dissecting them with her gaze. If nothing else, it made him all the more vividly aware of the shirt now sticking to his back. “Four months ago, give or take. I was visiting some family back home, and we decided to catch up. Grab lunch.”

Cynthia made a noncommittal noise. “Nothing seemed out of the ordinary?”

“Not that I could tell,” he admitted. If she was disappointed by that answer, she gave no indication of it. “He hasn’t returned any of my calls recently, but I chalked that up to him being busy.”

A deep, uncomfortable silence descended between them.

“Volkner has held his position for years,” Cynthia said, almost to herself. “Nearly a decade without an incident. If I hadn’t read the report with my own eyes, I wouldn’t have believed it.”

It was irrational, and Flint knew she would never, but he couldn’t escape the feeling that Cynthia was somehow blaming him for whatever this was. A small, mutinous part of him wondered if he wasn’t projecting.

His jaw tightened, as he forced out a breath that did nothing to put him at ease. “What do you need me to do?”

“Talk to him. Find out why this happened.” Her eyes narrowed against the wind. “Incidents like this are seldom accidents. Nor are they isolated. This can’t become a pattern.”

Flint gave a sharp nod.

“I can keep this hushed for now, but not indefinitely. The committee will eventually notice if there are more severe outages. More complaints. They won’t take kindly to a trainer—let alone a member of the League—causing damage on this scale.” She turned the full weight of her stare onto him. “You understand what I’m saying, Flint.”

License revocation.

Flint tried not to dwell on the unpleasant thoughts those words conjured. “I do.”

“Good.” She accepted the tablet as he handed it back to her. “Since this is rather time sensitive, I’d like you to leave as soon as you can. Flying would be the fastest option. You’re welcome to borrow my Togekiss.”

“Give me an hour to pack, and I’ll take you up on it.” He went to move away, only to still when Cynthia rested a hand on his shoulder.

“I know you’re upset.” Her expression softened. “And I know he’s your friend. Keep me posted, and I’ll do what I can.”

Several different things occurred to him that he could say, none of them remotely helpful or reassuring.

When words eventually failed him, Flint shut his jaw with an audible click of teeth. The best he could manage was a smile that didn’t quite reach his eyes, as he politely extricated himself from her touch. Not waiting to see her reaction, he turned on his heel and started to backtrack as quickly as the uneven terrain would allow.

You understand what I’m saying.

He didn’t. And he wasn’t sure he wanted to.

#pokemon #pokemon fics #ennui #flint #volkner #cynthia #buck #ignitionshipping #my posts #i speak #i've been replaying pokemon platinum recently #and when i got to sunyshore my first reaction was how the FUCK did i miss the gay subtext as a kid #anyway this is my take on the in-game events (with a small amount of overlap with the anime)#(and some artistic liberty)#in which flint actually has to do his job #and volkner's actions have consequences #pokemon thought dump #as always my fics are available on AO3 too

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