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#in my ideal world there's an ending where you can save them both :(
ghostlygunk · 3 months
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sometimes i remember that ib fan twitter user tht was diehard insisting abt how mary did nothing wrong in the story and how garry was apparently in the wrong
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eternally-racing · 4 months
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off limits | logan sargeant
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pairing: logan sargeant x Leclerc! reader
genre: fluff, maybe angst if you squint
wc: 1.6k
warnings: none (i think)
summary: Your brother Charles always likes to say you're off limits, but what happens when you finally meet a driver who doesn't know who you are?
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“You remember my little sister, Y/N right?”
You roll your eyes as Charles keeps a protective arm around your shoulders. He’s acting like you’re in a room of men who all want to get in your pants, when in reality your brother has kept you locked away from the rest of the grid as best he can over the last few years. It made sense when you were younger, but it’s definitely gotten on your nerves, especially on days like today. It was the end of season party, and having your brother attached to your hip at the club was I’m sure not your or his ideal plan. You had begged for him to let you come - you said it was only fair as a trade off since he made you listen to his rants pre and post-race all season long. You get that motorsports is his world and you’re only a guest, but a little more friendship on the grid wouldn’t hurt. 
You’ve noticed yourself get a couple more looks over as you’ve grown up over the years, and when Lando walks over and wolf whistles as he shamelessly checks you out, your brother is already telling him to watch it while he watches the British driver give you a hug. “You know where to find me, pretty girl” Lando finishes with a wink before he heads off to join the rest of his friends. It’s all good fun between you two and you know it’s nothing but playful banter as you both like to get under your brother’s skin, but Charles doesn’t seem to quite feel the same as he’s shooting daggers at the curly haired boy walking away from you both. 
Charles has always been overprotective of you, especially around the other boys in motorsport. He’d say that none of them would ever be worth your time,  that he sees the way they go through women like crazy and that the way they treat their partners would never be good enough for his darling baby sister. Through his years on the grid he had made it clear to everyone that you are and will always be off limits, something that has always irked you to no end. You were more than old enough to make your own decisions, though it seems like Charles will always see you as his little sister.
There’s only one other boy that Charles let you get close to over the years ("let" is a stretch, it was more a reluctant acceptance as it happened), and you can’t help but smile as he walks towards the two of you with open arms. Max and you became friends one day as kids when you scraped your knee on the pavement at a karting race while running away from Charles and he stopped to help you find your parents while you were sobbing - the rest was history.He may have had his ups and downs with your brother, but Max was someone that you knew you could always count on when it mattered. He puts on his best fake bodyguard voice as he comes up to you and Charles and says “Is this man bothering you, young lady?”, earning a laugh from you and an eye roll from your brother.
Soon you’re begging the Dutchman to save you from Charles’ wrath, and luckily with the promise of being his padel partner in the new year he quickly agrees. Charles tries to put up a bit of a fight but before you know it he’s yelling “make good choices” as he’s being whisked away to get a gin and tonic with his self-appointed drinking buddy for the night. 
It’s been so long since you’ve been at one of these events, let alone been able to walk around without your brother, so it feels very much like unfamiliar territory. A vodka cran seems like a good place to start, and you settle in easily at the bar while surveying the scene in front of you. Maybe Charles was right, you don’t know what you’re getting yourself into - there’s so many people everywhere and everyone seems to know everyone. There’s got to be a few faces you know in this sea of people, like George’s girlfriend or Danny’s sister, the only problem is getting through it. You’re doing a good job staying under the radar as you squeeze through the crowd until you find yourself colliding head first with someone, your drink absolutely flying into their chest. 
All you can think is “fuck, I should’ve drank a gin and tonic instead too” as you rub mercilessly at the red liquid on the mystery boy’s chest with the one flimsy napkin the bar gave you. It’s only when he replies back with “It’s seriously okay, gin and tonics taste like shit anyways.” in an accent that you can’t quite pin down do you realize that you accidentally have been talking out loud. Your cheeks are beet red and you’re starting to miss the comfort of having your older brother around you. 
“I’m Logan” the boy in front of you says with a smile. “Can I buy you a drink?” 
You don’t think you’ve ever said yes to something faster in your life. 
The conversation flows so naturally between you and Logan. It makes sense that you’ve never met him before today - he’s new on the grid and doesn’t seem to be close with any of Charles' friends. The freedom you feel is refreshing - it’s been a long time since you got to know a guy like this, just one on one talking to each other. Of course there had been the blind dates that your friends had tried to set you up on but there were all just a little bit off. None of them felt like this.
“I meant to ask you earlier, did you come with someone to the party tonight?”
The question makes you freeze up because you’re having to face the reality that Logan may be one of the only people who don’t know that Charles is your brother in this entire party. Is it selfish that you want it to stay that way? 
“Oh, um, I came with a friend of a friend who dragged me here tonight.” The lie falls off your lips all too easily and you’re not even sure why you did it. Logan had been nothing but a gentleman all night and you don’t think he would treat you differently for being Charles’ little sister. Maybe you just wanted to see it for yourself, what could happen when people didn’t feel threatened around you because of your older brother. Luckily, Logan doesn’t think twice about your response and you’re grateful for that. 
The bass booming through the club is making you start to wiggle in your seat, and it’s enough to make Logan laugh and ask you if you want to dance. Who could say no to that American smile? You’re dragging him up to dance, shimmying your shoulders in a way that only confirms that you’re as bad of a dancer as you mentioned to Logan earlier in your conversation.  At first it’s all so playful, Logan twirling you around and hyping you up, but as the music gets more sultry you and Logan do as well. It’s like there’s two magnets pulling you both together until you’re pressed chest to chest. Logan’s hand around your waist just feels so right. Your heart is beating so fast you’re worried that he might actually be able to hear it himself - he’s so close to you that you can feel the heat from his breath on your neck. The conversation has slowed between you two but you feel like you understand him perfectly. You’re not sure if it’s the alcohol or the boy in front of you that’s making your cheeks so red, but you know that you don’t want this feeling to stop. 
“Will you kiss me, Logan?” you’re looking at him like you can see the universe in his eyes, and simultaneously hoping that he can't see how nervous you are in yours. 
You’re trying not to get carried away, but it’s hard not to. Kissing Logan just feels so right. You grab his shirt by the front in an effort to get closer to him, you want to feel him, and Logan reciprocates by pressing his hands even further into the dimples on your back. You’re not sure how long you go on like this, you both making out like love-sick teenagers. All you know is that you can’t get enough of him, and based on the way Logan reaches out to caress your cheek, you hope he feels the same. You’re trying to memorize every single part of him, just in case this is all you get to have of him. As his hands start to dip lower and lower your heart beats even faster, and you let your hands trail further down his chest along with the tempo of the music. This moment feels infinite. 
It’s not until you feel a hand on your shoulder that the spell is broken as the two of you are shoved apart. Logan reaches to pull you behind him, but once you see a pair of green eyes that are identical to yours staring you both down, it’s him that you want to protect. 
“What the fuck are you doing to my sister, Sargeant?"
----
author's note: this was such a fun one to write! i think a part 2 to this could be a lil crazy and fun so let me know if you want that too <3
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Hello! Omg I'm so excited you're writing for death note! Can i get a gender neutral reader who maybe helps light or saves his life by pulling him out of the way of a car or something, and he becomes fixated on the and kind of like dedicates his cause as kira towards them?
Of course, love . Sorry for the delay. Death Note has always been one of my favorite shows to write for so I’m a more then thrilled to fulfill your request. Hope you enjoy the story!
Innocence (Yandere! Light Yagami X Reader)
Trigger warnings: I don’t think there are any for this story, but if I missed one, let me know)
Light Yagami needed to follow his normal routine and arrive home. He only had short amount of time where he could write names in the Death Note. Light was cleansing the world, one criminal at a time. In time, he will become the god of the new world.
Although, one thing always troubled him. When he did in fact elimante L, where would Light go from there?
The simple answer was he’d continue killing those making the world rotten and Kira’s reign would prosper.
Wouldn't it be lonely ruling the world by himself? Light never paid that idea much thought. He would never find someone who’d meet his ideals and intellect.
What Light didn’t account for was someone special making their way into his life.
The teenager was in deep thought as he made their way out of the school grounds in the pouring rain.
Without warning, a force hit Light. His umbrella went flying through the air until it cascades onto the drenched sidewalk. He braced himself and closed his eyes as he waited for the fall, but it never came.
Light cautiously opened his eyes to see what stopped him from landing on the ground. The seventeen year old wasshocked to find a good looking high schooler holding tightly onto his arm.
He noticed they were wearing a uniform extremely similar to his own. This mystery person had to have be attending the same school. They were very attractive so Light figured they were probably pretty popular. If that were the case, how come Light couldn’t recognize them. He knew everyone in his classes and he was certainly popular himself. The teen contemplated over the idea that they could be a transfer but Light came to the conclusion that that couldn’t have been the case. He’d be most likely been asked to show them around. The teen would nevee forget a persons face that was constructed like a god/goddess.
Once Light regained his composure, ( Reader) let go of him and leaned down to pick up Light’s discarded umbrella. They handed it out towards him and released an apologetic smile.
Once Light held the umbrella, the other person gave a low bow. They spoke softy, but Light could still hear them over the pitter patter of the rain.
“Please forgive me, Yagami-san. I apologize for hurting you. A car was swerving and looked like it was heading straight towards you.”
(Reader) was terrified to look up from their position. They’d figure Light would simply glare and start to reprimand them. They didn’t have much experience with popular kids.
“Oh, It’s alright, uh…” The teen trailed off, hoping the other would finish his sentence.
“(Reader’s full name).”
“That was very brave of you.” (Reader) looked up at him, puzzled.
“Thank you, but I’m sure anyone would of helped you. I’m no one special.”
“I’m not so certain of that.” Light smiled a bit.
Reader simply nodded in response. The teen expected that to be the end of their discussion with Light Yagami but he did something that shocked them.
Light held out the umbrella so it was protecting both (Reader) and himself from the downpour. This small act of kindness meant the world to (Reader), as they tended to always be ignored by their peers.
The high schooler motion for them to walk together.
How could they possibly refuse Light’s offer without looking rude? If Light Yagami thought (Reader) was rude then they could kiss the days of being a nobody goodbye. They didn’t know much about the teenage boy besides the fact that he was popular and top of the class in terms of intelligence. (Reader) feared they would become the topic of what those kids whisper in the hallway. They’d become the focus of their cold glares.
So they walked with Light.
The two students made causal conversation as they made their way down the street. At first it was awkward but soon they were joking with each other as if they were old friends. Light found out that (Reader) was in almost all of his classes. They explained how they tended ti keep quiet and lurk in the background.
Each word (reader) spoke, resulted in Light coming to the conclusion that made the type of person that Kira was trying to protect.
They were good,hard working, honest and most of all innocent.
He needed to protect them. No, Kira would protect (Reader) and those like them.
He may of just found his partner. Someone to rule the world with him.
“I can’t wait to make you mine, (Reader).” Light muttered to himself.
(Reader) pretended to be oblivious to what her new acquaintance said but in truth, they heard him and they didn’t know what to think.
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stardustprompts · 3 months
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vengeful  -  v.e. schwab  sentence starters change tenses/pronouns as needed !!  some lines have been edited for clarity / length / ease of roleplaying  tw :  death , violence , language , mental health
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‘what a fucking cliche.’
‘envy really doesn’t suit you.’
‘don’t you turn that knife on me unless you plan to use it…’
‘you should have let it go.’
‘you can’t just do that to me!’
‘you’ve been gone for hours.’
‘you never said I had to play fair.’
‘that’s a risk I’m willing to take.’
‘you look like a narc.’
‘it feels like dying.’
‘people have an idea of pain. they think they know what it is, how it feels, but that’s just an idea. it’s a very different thing when it becomes concrete.’
‘I did this. I did this to you.’
‘I am alive because of you.’
‘you think I’m playing god? fine, you play, (name). you decide, right now, who should live. us, or them?’
‘it’s a big world. you’re not the only one with talents.’
‘isn’t it silly to lie when we both know the truth?’
‘I think sometimes you make the easiest choice instead of the right one.’
‘make me the villain of that night, (name). wash you hands of any blame.’
‘a promise you can’t keep is just another lie.’
‘I don’t want you to save me. I want to save myself.’
‘I warned you when we met, I wasn’t a good person.’
‘killing me won’t bring her back either.’
‘think hard. we all have to live with our choices.’
‘the next time you point a gun at someone, make sure you’re ready to pull the trigger.’
‘we survived. that's what makes us so powerful.’
‘blood is always family, but family doesn’t always have to be blood.’
‘not all family is blood, right? sometimes we have to find a new one. sometimes we get lucky, and they find us.’
‘this isn’t a stupid game. it’s my life.’
‘are you used to getting what you want?’
‘hasn’t it occurred to you that I can protect myself?’
‘in this world, in my world, people get hurt. they die.’
‘people die in every world. I’m not going anywhere.’
‘you want to be more, (name)? prove it.’
‘they may think they’re kings but we’re the power behind the throne.’
‘i’m not a fucking coat, (name). you don’t get to check me at the door.’
‘where I go, you go. we’re in this together. step for step.’
‘did you always know that you had what it took to end a life?’
‘I thought it would be hard, but in that moment, nothing was easier.’
‘you were never one to dwell on the past. I loved that about you, the way things always just rolled off.’
‘every end is a new beginning.’
‘I underestimated you once. I don’t intend to do so again.’
‘the only difference between us is that you naively insist on preserving what I know should be destroyed.’
‘I played god once and it did not end well.’
‘oh no, it will never work between us.’
‘sorry, didn’t mean to interrupt, you just looked sad.’
‘while I admire how far you’ve come, the fact is, you’re tracking mud into my home.’
‘we can’t shape our past. only our future.’
‘don’t you ever wonder if it’s our fault?’
‘life is more than an equation. a person is more than the sum of their parts.’
‘normal is overrated.’
‘A\a magician doesn’t reveal his secrets.’
‘every power has its limits.’
‘we don’t decide who lives and who dies.’
‘now who’s letting their ideals cloud their judgement?’
‘how quickly we devolve. people become animals the moment they are caged.’
‘if you were superhuman, what would your power be?’
‘ignorance is only bliss if you want to get caught.’
‘i’m still here, still doing what I can, because I want to keep people safe.’
‘never underestimate a woman.’
‘I thought I could save him. I tried. but it didn’t work.’
‘power belongs to those who take it.’
‘sharks come swimming when you make a splash.’
‘that’s quite a talent you have there.’
‘I only hope you’re ready to do the right thing,’
‘you help me, and I’ll help you.’
‘everything’s got a limit. you should find yours.’
‘I don’t feel anything.’
‘oh, sorry, if you thought this was a girl’s-night-out kind of thing where we get drunk and bond, I’ll have to pass.’
‘why settle for one weapon when you can have an arsenal?’
‘the life I had is gone. there’s no getting it back.’
‘the life I had is gone. there’s no getting it back. i’d rather make a new one. a better one.’
‘I thought you were done with hiding.’
‘people can see an awful lot, and believe none of it.’
‘why sit around sulking when you could hurt the people who hurt you?’
‘let’s talk about revenge.’
‘there are limits. I can’t stop nature. can't change it’s course.’
‘whatever’s happened to you, however you’re hurt, you’ve done it to yourself.’
‘oh, I like to think I have a great deal of nerve.’
‘if you had a damn bit of sense you would have run.’
'knowledge may be power, but money buys both.’
‘sometimes subtlety is overrated.’
‘when people stay in the dark, it’s easier to make them disappear.’
‘I don’t want to survive, I want to thrive.’
‘what now? you gonna throw yourself a fucking party?’
‘if I didn’t know any better, I’d think you had something against me.’
‘if I wanted you dead, you would be.’
‘whatever you’ve heard, it’s probably true.’
‘is there anyone who doesn’t want to kill you?’
‘how many excuses will you find to vindicate your own stubbornness?’
‘careful is a calculated risk. and I’m very good at making those.’
‘the truth is, there will always be someone stronger than you.’
‘you do what you can. you fight, and you win, until you don’t.’
‘once upon a time, power was determined by linage—- the age of blood. then it was determined by money—- the age of gold. but I think it’s time for a new age. the age of power itself.’
‘let me guess, I’m either with you or against you?’
‘you always preferred being predator to prey.’
‘we just have to lie low until it’s over, and then—’
‘when this is over, you and I are going to have words.’
‘it appears that we are evenly matched.’
‘it always comes down to this, doesn’t it? to us.’
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agender-witchery · 10 months
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Canto IV was really good
Project Moon does a cool thing that I really like with their stories, which in theory isn't really anything special, but I see so few stories do this that it really does single Project Moon out in my mind.
Each Project Moon game is in a dialogue with itself, having a discussion about politics and philosophy and society in general. They universally present the status quo as Not Great which is... evident for anyone living in the real world, but importantly to me, they do not present any proper answers to this.
This isn't to say that Project Moon stories are fence sitting nonsense that call for the importance of meeting in the middle, that's your own decision on whether you think that's worthwhile. And Project Moon DOES express opinions in the world they have created, so they're not cowards in that sense either. It's pretty clear, at least to me, that they believe things in our world do have to change, that the vision of capitalism that exists in the City is horrendous, and that we in the real world are on a clear trajectory toward the world of the City if action is not taken.
However, the way they frame the two opposing sides of each argument they present is important. And key to that framing is that in every game you play antisocial, morally dubious murderers. This is a constant. The people you're fighting aren't the good guys, but hey, neither are you.
In Ruina, when it comes down to the final confrontation with the Reverberation Ensemble, you are presented with two opposing ideals. Carmen and the Ensemble would love nothing more than to see the world torn down in its entirety, built back up in their own imagining of an ideal society. The Librarians, on the other hand, are there to fight against that notion, that the world they have as it is can be changed.
And while I definitely fall on the side of "maybe there's hope to be had in this dying, hellish apocalypse" I do GET where the Ensemble is coming from. I GET what Carmen's trying to do. It's a naive and childish attempt at creating a better world from the ashes of the old, an idea whose inevitable result is tyranny, but to someone who's already experiencing tyranny, tyranny but this time you're on top seems appealing. And I also understand that, for the Librarians, even if the ultimate goal here is to create a better society without that sort of tyranny, well you're kind of murdering people to achieve that.
And I think all this plays into why I enjoyed Canto IV so much. First off, the main conflict in Canto IV isn't between Limbus Company and another group, it's the conflict between K Corp and the Technology Liberation Alliance, which can be further distilled down to the conflict between Dongrang and Dongbaek.
In the case of K Corp, they're a bunch of utilitarians, people who say that even torture is acceptable if it leads to lives saved. And they quite literally do this, torturing the Tearful Thing in literally every possible way, just to produce the tears needed for regeneration ampules, forcing it to cry for the sake of others. Dongbaek doesn't even fully refute that this might be useful, but she does assert that if you're going to go to these lengths, there better be a foreseeable end to it, you better be curing EVERYONE.
And then we have the TLA, a bunch of anprims who aren't exactly wrong in the assertion that the way technology is used within the City causes immeasurable harm, but do come to the wrong conclusion that ALL tech needs to be incinerated. And, for them to come against K Corp specifically is significant, because sure, K Corp literally tortures people to produce their ampules, but the results are tangible. Lives are, in fact, saved, even if we discount the K Corp Security that will cut their own limbs off just to get healed.
And where Canto IV manages to stop saying "both sides bad" is in bringing Limbus Company back into the equation. A third party, who doesn't adhere to the ideals of either side.
Does Limbus Company have perfect answers to resolve this conflict? No, you're still a bunch of murderers. But they do present a third perspective, that instead of looking only at total harm done and coming to the conclusion that torture is acceptable, and instead of looking at all the injustices caused and coming to the conclusion that the entire world needs to be reset, through exploring the fathoms of Yi Sang's EGO, we can come to consider the possibility of caring for the individual. That yes, this world is fucked up and living in it can itself be considered a crime against humanity, but that doesn't mean you can't help someone in a way that doesn't hurt someone else. Yi Sang went from being horribly depressed with nothing in this world, someone who desperately wanted to die and couldn't even be afforded that mercy, to someone who finally smiled. The world is still fucked up, and we don't really have a solution to that, but we at least made it a little bit brighter for one person, and in the future, we can keep doing that.
And also? Canto IV introduced Alfonso so really it's just the best chapter.
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Another BG3 companions appreciation post, this time after the tiefling party. (Updated ver.)
When I say I love all the companions what I mean is I love all their traits, even the negative ones.
I love Gale who flexed big words and magical knowledge and his connections to Mystra since day one. Call me crazy but without knowing the background I AM impressed by his achievements and knowledge. Of course, his ambition led him too close to the sun, and like the fabled Icarus, he fell. But he's trying to make amends. He's completely surrended to the idea of finding an empty lonely spot for himself and dying alone in excruciating pain and filled with regret. Not even once did it cross his mind that Tav or others would want to continue journeying with him after he confesses about the orb. The moment he told me about his cat I stared at the screen in disbelief because I knew I'm suck his di-
I love Lae'zel who could've killed me right away on the Nautiloid but instead shared all the information with me, helped me fight my way through, tolerated everyone else, and from what I've seen from others Githyanki is actually really nice. She never lets Shadowheart's sneers get to her, offers Gale to teach him to fight, and answers all questions Wyll asks her about her culture. I was genuinely surprised when she not only complied when I ordered her around during the interrogation of Zorru or the confrontation of the Githyanki patrol but also thanked me for stepping in. Her honest, no-nonsense attitude is so refreshing in the story where everyone has secrets and you always know only half of the information if any at all. Everyone in the camp is hiding something from Tav except her. Say what you want but with Lae'zel, what you see is what you get and I really, really like that.
I love Shadowheart because she tries to be a bad guy but that just isn't her. Despite her church's teachings and her secretive and prickly attitude. At the end of the day, she's just a lonely, scared, and lost young woman who was put on a dangerous mission and is expected to deal with it alone. I don't know much about her yet but it's clear from her talks about Sune and various scriptures I found in the game about Dark Justiciars and clerics of Shar... and in all those stories, when they finally got the recognition of their goddess or they've completed their task, all that awaited them was emptiness... That's no way to live for Shadowheart. I can see the small glimpses, just like in Lae'zel, of desire, curiosity and so much want. She was forced to live in a place that forbade any individuality or anything except blind obedience. To just be a pawn for the big guy. But both she and Lae'zel could be so much more than that. Drinking up everything the world has to offer. I really wish that for them.
I love Wyll because...it's Wyll?!? I cannot stress enough how much I am fond of characters that are just good, kind, and selfless. I never get tired of heroic characters who honestly are in it just for helping people. Wyll was living a life of leisure and could be the prodigal son for the rest of his life. Instead, he picked up his sword, donned his stupid superhero name, and went on saving lives. He even went as far as making a deal with the devil just so he could be the hero of the people, not because he enjoyed the fame but because of his ever-present need for charity. He doesn't let anything, not even the tadpole or Mizora get in his way. He could've been one of those Martyrs who blindly follow the black-and-white definition of good and bad, killing Karlach right away. But he spared her, even if all it gained him was punishment. There's something so pure about him in the way he just wants to believe. I'm pretty sure he saw his fair share of fucked up shit while adventuring but he still wants to uphold these ideals of heroism. The boyish chuckle when I insisted that I wanted to dance with him... I'm not smiling like an idiot you do!
I love Astarion not for being the seductive vampire fantasy I thought him to be, but for the absolute chaos gremlin menace he truly is. He's the orange cat, the possum screaming at you from a garbage can, the raccoon hugging a chewed piece of moldy bread. His snark is impeccable, and his over-the-top mannerisms never fail to make me grin like a maniac. I'm strictly good-aligned but I watch him run around causing Situations and I'm like "Yes, you do that sweetheart. You deserve it." There are already many long detailed posts that describe shit he's been through so I'll only say this. I never pitied him or felt sorry for him. I admire him. Sure his path to recovery is nothing short of a mess. He hasn't had much chance at a good ending. But he took every fight kicking and screaming, not willing to give up and he has my respect for that. Because sometimes hope comes in the form of spite and anger. I love watching him rediscover himself at all points in life. I love Astarion the way he is (little shit) while simultaneously believing he can get better, and if that's wrong I don't wanna be right.
Ugh. I'll edit this later and other companions, I'm too tired now.
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firein-thesky · 3 months
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If you have the time, I would like to hear your thoughts on the parallels between itadori and suguru pretty pls😌🎤
omg i would love to. it’s honestly one of my fav parallels in jjk. i think it sometimes gets overlooked bc itadori is more jovial/fun/light color schemed like gojo and fushiguro is more serious/dark color schemed like getou BUT. just listen!!
to begin this parallel, we can start with the most obvious one in my mind. and that’s the fact that itadori and getou both ingest curses. they quite literally eat them. they’ve both talked about their taste—how gross they are. getou remarks that no one knows the taste of a curse. but now itadori does.
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my next parallel between them is more in terms of their story arc. both of them have very strong morals; morals which their counterparts (gojo and fushigro) sort of scoff at in the beginning. itadori and getou both believe that people need to be protected. and those who are stronger, should work to protect them. NOW….getou’s do change. but let’s look at the moment that forever changes him; it’s strikingly similar to a moment itadori has, too.
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the moment riko dies for getou is incredibly similar to how junpei dies for itadori; in the sense that, here was this person they had worked to protect and save, here was this friend who they wanted in their life, and all their ideals they had placed in them, being torn very gruesomely away. this is also a pivotal moment for every wide-eyed sorcerer. they must deal with death. and the death of those closest to them.
morally, this is where their paths diverge. but we certainly see itadori begin to spiral the way getou also had to spiral when faced with the constant death and loss of other sorcerers. specifically i’ll show these next two panels to depict that;
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same position. same idea is being conveyed for both. lost, traumatized, uncertain of the morals they once held; where did it get them? where did it get others? for both, many ended up dead.
now the other parallels i’ll draw…one of which is almost an exact replica of the other, is the way in which their bodies are not fully their own anymore. kenjaku inhabits getou completely and uses his body to do things he would not have done. similarly, sukuna does the same to itadori. and there are moments where getou and itadori have tried to fight back against the one controlling them;
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that parallel is the one that really did it for me. oh it’s so poetic in the most wretched way. i love it.
beyond that, both itadori and getou are not from prominent families in the sorcerer world. there is little expectation placed upon them in this regard. also, they both get entangled in the politics of the higher ups and both are ordered to be hunted and executed at a point in their story.
now i could also bring in gojo and fushiguro, too, which would also highlight the parallels between them. both are from prominent sorcerer families and have a lot of expectations placed upon an extremely powerful inherited cursed technique. both grew up in the sorcerer world. getou and itadori juxtapose them in which they have to learn how brutal this world is. in fact, they serve to remind gojo and fushiguro that the world doesn’t have to be the way it’s always been.
now, of course, morally, itadori is not like getou. and their parallels are not exact nor should they be!
itadori (and fushiguro) serve to try and end the cycles that getou (and gojo) were trapped in.
in my mind, the parallel here was always one of hope; itadori is supposed to do what getou failed to do. narratively, he has been set up to end the cycle.
at least, he had been. i’ll stop here before i start cursing out akutami and his absolute assassination of itadori’s character in more recent arcs and chapters. but really truly the getou/itadori parallel is a favorite of mine, much like the gojo/fushiguro parallel. i think this is where jjk’s writing is at some of its strongest.
thank you for asking!! i hope you enjoyed my lil analysis/presentation!
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As I write through the timeline of Sozin's Comet in my current fic, I'm having a fresh bout of finale feels. In particular, I've been ruminating on how Aang and Katara's romantic ending unfolds in a way that undermines Katara's character arc. (And this rumination has grown into a wall of text. Truly, who let me on this platform?)
I'm not even thinking about the kiss. I've been stuck on that scene at Zuko's coronation where the shot pans around Aang then Katara, gazing dreamily up at the Avatar. You know the one. The moment when we the viewers are suddenly made to understand that she's admiring Aang anew, romantically.
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Prior to this, the last time we see Katara and Aang interact is before the Avatar disappears. More specifically, we see Aang huff off after getting frustrated at Katara for trying to help when she doesn't fully appreciate the moral quandary he's grappling with.
For Katara, who has carried the wounds of her father leaving her behind for war most of her life, it is hard to imagine Aang's departure could fail to stir up feelings of abandonment, even if she doesn't believe he intended to disappear. But, like Zuko says to her as Aang first walks away, the Avatar does need time to figure out his way forward alone.
To find a path to victory that does not compromise his ethical framework is a solo undertaking for the Avatar, one his friends have demonstrated they cannot be part of, not even Katara, who has always been there to lift him up before. That he didn't need to rely on his steadiest supporter for this marks important character growth for Aang; we already have been told that letting go of some level of his earthly attachment to Katara is built into his character journey. And the need to uphold his peoples' legacy is an essential character motivation for Aang. There is something powerful about the notion that, as the last airbender, he must seek out the right approach to this last task on his own.
But what about Katara's essential character motivations? As we're told and shown, she will never turn her back on the people that need her. It's one of her great virtues, and we're given no reason to think otherwise. Helping people who need her is where we see Katara find her greatest fulfillment. For most of ATLA, helping Aang is at the heart of this.
But at the coronation? Aang has just come back after appearing to abandon Katara to be celebrated for a victory he didn't need her help to achieve.
And standing next to Aang is Zuko, who acknowledged that he needed Katara's help to embrace his destiny, and who in turn, granted her the opportunity to embrace hers.
I think it's worth pausing on the fact that the show gives Katara a tremendous arc. She transforms from a child whose life has been upended by war—gifted with a power that she can't harness, and burdened with grief and hurt she can't let go of—into a catalyst for global change, one of the greatest-ever masters of her element, and a person capable of offering world-changing forgiveness where it is earned. When Katara was a child, the Fire Nation came uninvited into the heart of her community and upended her life, and in the finale, she arrives in the heart of the Fire Nation to upend the same order that ravaged her home in the name of peace—an achievement that is made possible by both her hard work (bending mastery) and her compassion (extending empathy, forgiveness and life-saving assistance to Zuko).
In the finale, Katara affirms that by helping the people who need her, she can change the world.
In the finale, Aang affirms that singular conviction to his ideals can guide his way, even if it is a path he must walk alone.
Can these visions of self and purpose be reconciled in a healthy partnership? Certainly. In fact, I can see how Aang letting go of Katara's constant help—and Katara letting go of an Aang-centric identity—supports a healthy future romantic relationship for the two of them, where their dynamic finds a balance it never has during ATLA. But Katara and Aang haven't worked through any of that yet. If they have spoken at all before the coronation—if he has, for instance, apologized for disappearing—it was not deemed essential content for the viewer.
And what marks Katara's epiphany of love? The moment when Aang is celebrated as "the real hero" for what he has achieved in her absence. For this to ring emotionally true, for this to be the moment she knows she loves him, she must subsume her character arc and motivations (which are inherently collaborative) to Aang's individual journey. His story, his desires, they come first. It's his show, after all.
And none of this is news, of course. It's barely boot-scuffs on well-trodden ground. The abandonment of Katara's hero arc is canon; where the hell is her statue? etc.
But still, I'm stuck on Katara watching proudly from the crowd. If that moment doesn't feel quite right—it never has for me—maybe you want more for Katara. I'd put her on the dais, but I'll settle for something subtler.
Just for a moment, after she looks up proudly at Aang, let's nudge her admiring gaze a little to the right. Who does she see? Someone who has come to deserve his honorable destiny because he would cast it aside to save a life—her life, the life of a girl he once betrayed to lay claim to that purported honor. Jumping in front of that lightning, Zuko shows he will choose humans over concepts and that, at any cost, he will be there for the people that need him. That's what will make him a good leader. He and Katara, over long-woven arcs, affirmed this truth together.
She looks on admiringly. She made this possible.
She should be proud. Of both of her friends, but more importantly, of herself.
Is this an argument for Zutara over Kataang in the finale? I don't think so. That's probably a different accidental essay.
This is merely a longwinded observation that Avatar the Last Airbender built powerful, beautiful, arcs. But in the very end, it didn't tend them all the same. And after all this time, it still rankles.
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kurisus · 6 months
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Chapter 108-2 thoughts
This was the most "IT'S SO OVER" "WE'RE SO BACK" chapter ever. Spoilers under the cut.
I am a leetol bit disappointed that Bishamon didn't really get to do anything this arc. She was unconscious for a majority of it, then woke up, went looking for Kazuma, and found him without like, needing to shake some people up. It is sweet how they finally got to have a proper conversation though. Their lack of communication has been a frustrating blind spot for both of them this entire story, so I'm glad they were able to come to peace with it.
I do wonder if Kazuma told her about being named by Yato, or if he dodged that fact, but I'm going to assume since we didn't get a live Bishamon reaction that he did tell her and she understood his reasoning.
"You are the only one who can save yourself" is kind of a strange statement out of context since this whole manga has been about overcoming trials with the help of the people who love you. But in context, Bishamon was saying that praying to a higher power is meaningless and individuals are the only ones capable of miracles. Kind of an atheistic message from a manga where a majority of the characters are Literal deities, but as an allegory for the world, I kinda dig it. Don't believe in miracles, make them happen with your own two hands and the people who love you.
Okay now I need to talk about Yukine this chapter. I Need To. His love for Hiyori and Yato had me pounding my fist on the ground. HE HELD HIYORI'S HAND. HE CLUNG TO YATO WHEN HE STARTED DISAPPEARING. HE DOESN'T WANT HIS DAD TO GO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! ADACHITOKA I AM JUST A GUY PLEASE HAVE MERCY ON MY FRAGILE HEART.
FATHER IS FINALLY DEAD SEND OUT THE CRABS. I'm glad his death was quiet and unceremonious, and not even Mizuchi was tempted by him.
It seems like the real Fujisaki was trying to say Father's name but couldn't quite recall it, so I'm thinking we'll get to hear it from Ebisu's mouth next chapter. Then again, we didn't get to hear Nana's real name either, so it may just stay as "ta" forever. Which is funny to think about as in like, "ta" for "bye." Bye bitch!
The pages of the trio + Nora all together and begging Hiyori to come back singlehandedly caused the most emotional damage. I know everyone else is freaking out about the Yatori CPR/kiss but I am just wishing the circumstances were more ideal for it. I will say it is pretty Kyoru of them to kiss while she's unconscious, though.
But, eh, her being alive was way more of a concern to me, so that was the reason I went ahead and read the official version early. I let out the BIGGEST sigh of relief when she woke up in the hospital.
Before I reflect more though, I wanted to say also I was pretty confused by Amaterasu's statement in the official translation, though fast-moon's helped clear it up. Hiyori didn't become a full shinki because she was named in the illusory dimension, and she was saved by the act of killing Father?
"You were carrying the ancient koto no ha with you as well" is the "you" referring to Father or Yato? Did Yato name Hiyori with the brush, or was she talking about Father having both on him?
Okay, so, reflections. Am I happy they temporary killed Hiyori? Still no. I would have preferred they damage her cord instead rather than way back when, when the wolves attacked her. Am I happy they brought her back? Obviously. It would be a bad ending if they left off on that, and I'm curious to see if/how much she'll remember in the final chapter.
Do I think Yato is dead? I sure hope not! This is also a death that would negate a whole lot of character development, and while I like the narrative parallel of her dying to save him so he dies to save her (esp considering how selfish he was at the start of the manga), I don't want Yukine to be left alone or with a baby Yato at the end of everything. I'm scared, because I think it's not off the table.
Am I happy with the ending? Remains to be seen, but while I have quibbles and hangups, it's not that much. It's not of the story-ruining variety for me, anymore. I kind of would have preferred a softer ending to the manga, for example. This entire story has had very high stakes for everyone involved, so they didn't need to up the ante with these constant main character death scares, imo. We were already quite deep in the shit. I also wish Hiyori had had more to do in the final arc before she saved the day by...dying.
But to say I didn't enjoy the journey of this arc would be a lie. It's been a long few years...almost 10 since I watched the anime, almost 9 since I read the manga, and mainly it'll be weird to say goodbye to this era of my life, and not have the monthly stress of chapters hanging over my head.
I was hoping Adachitoka would announce a new series, but it hasn't happened yet, and I'm not sure it will because they've been unable to commit to full chapters for a while now. Even before the hiatus in 2017, the chapters dropped from 45 pages to 40, and then we've been halfsies since 2018. Whatever caused Adachitoka to go on hiatus, it's been enough of an issue that they can't draw 45 pages on a monthly schedule anymore (and honestly, I don't blame them, as we all know mangaka schedules are brutal). Also, taking Alive into account, they've been drawing manga for 20 years. This might be their final story, or they might write another with an assistant. Either way, if they do something else, regardless of their role I'll definitely be checking it out!
So now that Hiyori has been undoomed from the narrative the wedding reread is back on. I'll be starting it soon here, all tagged with #Noragami reread and hopefully some of you will join me as well! Feel free to send me your thoughts on the chapter/the ending.
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spopsalt · 13 days
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I'm not even sure the writers knew they were writing Catra to be abusive. The writing of the whole show isn't just in bad taste, it's incompetent. They even failed at 'setup, reminder, payoff' multiple times, and that's the most basic screenplay writing tool.
The thing is, I actually think Catra and Adora being together would be really interesting because of the sheer complexity of such a relationship. But She-ra is a children's adventure show. The focus of any romantic couple is on how they are getting together for the happy ending. It's not the right place or time to depict this type of relationship. It would take a immense amount of screentime and nuanced writing on both characters to make it work.
The implications of their relationship. Adora's heroism stems in part from her childhood, where she always had to protect Catra. As Shadow Weaver doesn't give a shit about Catra's safety, Adora's only bargaining power lies in her own wellbing This dynamic fosters her detrimental tendency towards self-sacrifice.
Nevertheless, Adora's heroism also springs from her genuine compassion and love for the world. Catra's accusation of Adora prioritizing self-sacrifice over her, and Adora subsequently apologizing, should have been used to highlight the toxicity in their relationship— how their traumas makes them both worse. Adora is literally apologizing for putting ideal she believes in above Catra, who is 'supposed' to be the most important thing in her life.
Catra only reinforces such an idea, because Adora is the only one to ever value her in their developmental phase. Catra's safety depended on Adora prioritizing her. Combined with her self-loathing, she rejects new relationships of any kind, because in her mind 'only Adora can love her.' Adora learning to value herself from their love is so deeply unrealistic and insulting.
I can't find myself disliking or liking Catra because she's not even written with enough consistency for me to read her as a person. Just a flat character trope in attractive shell. The show as a whole is just botched piece of media and the interesting implications might even be accidental.
Thank you! People will say that Catra helped Adora's trauma but she just made it worse, she made Adora feel weak
"It won't be over until I see the look on your friend's faces when they find out that you failed, because you were too weak to save them"
Made her think that she's hurting her friends
"Haha! You're the one who left the villagers unprotected! You're good enough at hurting your friends without my help!"
Andddd made her think everything was here fault...ohhh there's so many to choose from let's run through some of my favorites!
"Let's be honest, all of this is your fault. If you hadn't gotten captured, your sword wouldn't have opened the portal."
"You broke the world and it is all. your. fault."
"You MADE me this! You took everything from me!"
There's more, but I don't want my answer to be too long
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Any opinoins on hero killer stain
If you want my personal opinion as a reader and a fan, here it is.
If you want an analysis of him as a character, I can do that and be impartial (not completely because I'm human, but c'mon I also know how to properly do narrative critique).
The summary is that Stain is a really important character to the story. Here's a quick list:
He's the closest we got to a vigilante in bnha, because he's somehow "working" to improve the hero society, but he's doing so outside of the law and by killing people.
He's the grey moral character by excellence in bnha. He decides what is right or wrong for society based on his own ideals. Proof of that is his introduction to the manga as thee hero killer and letter his participation in the events of the fight against AFO, when he helped the pro-heroes.
In his own words, Stain is the opposition of Shigaraki: he wants to destroy the current society not to end the heroic age, but to bring back what he considers true heroism. He introduced hero nostalgia to the story, as opposed to the way Tomura would dismantle the image of heroes being like perfect gods.
As far as narrative tools go, Stain introduces the conflict of creating a world where heroes get paid for their job. How do you regulate it to make sure that people are heroes for the right reasons? Where is the line between selfishness and selflessness? Where is the balance for a hero that is also a human being?
Stain kickstarts the League of Villains. He's the inspiration that leads characters like Toga and Dabi to join Tomura. In that sense, he is the beginning of the villains' success.
Although he isn't the one that starts the destabilization of the hero society, he is the one who starts destabilizing the pro-heroes per se. Stain introduced the first time in the manga when pro-heroes are being widely targeted by villains.
In consequence, Stain is the first to frame pro-heroes as just humans to the masses. By attacking them, Stain shows how pro-heroes can be in danger as anyone else. They need to be saved and helped, they are victims too.
Stain is the first one that faces one of the UA kids ideologically. He's the first who taunts the line between what it really means to be a hero and how so-called "heroic acts" can be bad in nature. This one is interesting because both Stain and Iida were willing to kill people in the name of "justice".
Stain is part of this saga of events that are meant to deviate the class 1A kids from the vigilante and villain paths. Bakugo would have his moment in Kamino, Deku would have his during his "dark era" and Shouto already had his at the Sports Festival. It goes a little like the kids finding out who they DON'T want to be. Stain was Tenya's moment. Tenya didn't want to be like Stain, but like Tensei, his older brother. Stain is Tenya's narrative foil too.
I can continue the list or dive into one of the points, but I don't know if this already answers what you were asking for, anon.
If you have any more questions or requests, let me know!!!!
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the-whispers-of-death · 2 months
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moar alpha reader with omega Simba!!!!!
Simba is out in the town doing.... stuff when suddenly his heat starts. it should've started later but oops and now Simba is not having a good time. he steps into some corner to be away from people but that ends up being a bad idea because some asshole shows up to try and take advantage of a "vulnerable" omega (even if Simba is built some people just can't see past the omega label tsk tsk) just as Simba is about to square up alpha reader shows up to save the day. and boy is reader scary when he's mad. a huge, strong, older alpha snarling and baring sharp fangs to scare the attacker off. once the bad guy has ran off reader goes soft and silky, gently coaxing Simba and promising not to harm him. reader helps Simba get home and while Simba rests reader takes care of the house and Ashton so that Simba can have a nice heat for once in all this time. reader cleans up, does laundry, helps Ashton with school and hobbies and makes plenty of nutritious meals for both Simba and Ashton to keep them healthy.
alpha reader is just glad to be needed and useful (alpha instinct goes bbrrrrr) he wants to be a dad and a husband again
Omega!Simba was at the superstore, buying groceries for the week for him and Ashton. He was in the produce section of the store, looking at the grapes that Ashton loves.
Just as he picked a bag of grapes and put it in his cart, about to head to the register since he had already gotten everything else, he felt a surge of heat flood his veins. His world tilted slightly at the sudden warmth, feeling the urge to go home and burrow himself in his nest.
God, his heat had come unexpectedly. It was early, two days early. But now here it was, making Simba's skin perspire with sweat as he got uncomfortably hot.
He quickly walked away from everyone else, heading towards a more secluded area, the ice cream aisle. The cold that wafted off the freezers gave him a bit of respite, cooling off his warmed skin.
"Mm, aren't you a pretty omega?" A snarky, masculine voice asked, Simba hearing footsteps approaching where he was standing. There came a view of a leering alpha, clearly thinking Simba weaker due to his omega status. "Poor thing, going through heat. How about I help you with it?"
Simba tensed at it, watching the alpha come even closer. He adjusted himself into a defensive stance, knowing the alpha would try and lunge at him to pin him down. It wasn't ideal, but Simba knew his build would help him escape.
Because being an omega didn't necessary mean that Simba couldn't defend himself. He was a soldier, and it was evident in his muscles. This alpha was in for a rude awakening if he thought Simba would be easily cowed into submission.
But just before the alpha made his move to lunge at Simba, you appeared. The raw power emanated off of you in waves, your canines showing as you bared them to the younger alpha.
"Leave him alone," you snarled at the alpha, getting in between Simba and the alpha. You gave an impressive growl. "He's not yours to touch."
The younger alpha sneered at you. "Is he your omega then?"
You were about to reply no, but Simba answered, "Yes, I am."
You were surprised at first, considering you had yet to start courting him. And Simba was sorry for just boldly claiming you as his alpha, but he didn't see another way out. There were times when even Kali had to pretend to be his alpha because other alphas didn't just accept that Simba was mateless.
You turned your head back to the alpha, giving another impressive growl. "You heard him, he's my omega. Be gone, because you won't win if you dare to challenge me." You got in his face, which effectively made the younger alpha step back.
"Keep a leash on your omega then, wouldn't want someone else claiming him while he's in heat," the younger alpha murmured but then quickly whimpered when you snarled at him for the comment. He turned on his heel and scurried away, accepting defeat.
And just like that, your rage disappeared, you turning softer and gentler as you turned to Simba. "Are you alright?" you asked him, your voice so soothing. "I won't hurt you, I promise. Let me take you back home and help you with Ashton."
Simba nodded and allowed you to pay for both of your groceries, waiting for you in your car so no other alpha felt the need to try and claim him while you paid. He apologized for boldly claiming you as his alpha, but you gently shushed him and asked if you could properly court him once his heat was over, to which he surprisingly said yes to.
Fifteen minutes later, you were inside his house, putting away the groceries while Simba went to his bedroom. You could hear him make his nest, needing to burrow in order to get through this heat.
"Uncle {Name}?" Ashton asked when you were done with the groceries, his voice soft and shy as he held the folder where his homework resided. "Will you help me with my homework, please? I'm struggling with math and Dad usually helps, but you know, he's going through his heat right now... So please?"
"Of course, Ashton," you replied, gently guiding him to the table so you can help him with his math homework. It was natural, you having years of experience with helping your own children, who were now grown, with their homework.
That was how you spent the entire week that Simba's heat lasted, helping around the house as Simba stayed in his nest. You made both of them nutritious meals, did the laundry, helped Ashton with any homework. You even played a game of soccer with Ashton to help him practice for an upcoming game.
And as the days wore on, you couldn't help but feel like this was the perfect life. You, Simba, and Ashton.
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goingravager · 1 year
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okay i am going feral over this. it's 2023 and no one was going to point out to me that the title doesn't translate to Revolutionary Girl Utena wtf
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like. i legitimately never noticed. idk how obvious it is if you're a native Japanese speaker, or if it's actually acceptable grammar to put the adjective after the noun and this is just an alternate way to say Revolutionary Girl, but... growing up with so many "Magical Girl X" shows, "Revolutionary Girl Utena" sounded so normal to me that I never looked at the Japanese.
and like, the French subtitle that they throw in there is la fillette révolutionnaire, which does translate to Revolutionary Girl
but, thinking about it, if it really is that, shouldn't it be "Kakumei Shoujo", not "Shoujo Kakumei"...??
so the reason this has me feral: if it's true, it's yet one more bait-and-switch they threw in there, right up front, and it was in plain sight all this time. caution: heavy spoilers for the plot of the show follow.
so like. it's my opinion that the OP, both song and video, of Utena are an extremely clever bait-and-switch. in that they make one kind of sense going into episode 1, and they make a completely different kind of sense once you've finished the show.
like. when you first watched Utena, and you saw the intro, wasn't it basically exactly what you thought the show was going to be like? two girls having a meet cute, there's duelling, fairy tale elements, Utena is badass, and oh no she's going to have to struggle to hold onto Anthy metaphorically because of the Rose Bride thing, which could tear them apart at any time!
it's delicious, it's dramatic, and it's... not what the show ends up being.
but then you watch episode 39 and you realise. the intro is a complete description of the entirety of the show. two girls meet, they have some cute romantic moments early on, there are duels. Utena fights everyone. the castle collapses. they storm the heavens, Utena on her princely white horse of innocence and ignorance, Anthy on her dark horse of... being the dark horse of the plot, lol. Utena cannot be the one to save Anthy, she both metaphorically and physically cannot lift her out of her burdens, and Utena is left alone, curled up on the ground beneath the self-imposed weight of her defeat.
meanwhile, the song. the song!! going into the show cold, "rinbu revolution" seems like a pretty standard song for someone like Utena. but it's not Utena's song at all. it's Anthy's.
Even if I dream, even if I cry, even if I get hurt... ...reality keeps on coming recklessly. I wanna find out where I am, the value of being me. Gonna take who I've been up till now and find the strength to throw it all away. Strip down to nothing at all. Become like a rose petal blowing free! Even if the two of us are ever torn apart l swear that I will change the world.
who, in the plot, finally accepts the reality of her situation? who starts out lacking self-worth and struggles to eventually carve out, with her own hands, the place where she belongs? who heroically finds the strength to throw it all away, stripping herself of her prior role?
not Utena, who up until the very last clings to her "princely" ideals, into which she has placed all her worth and sense of self. in the last episode it's made clear that she hasn't changed the world one bit, nor brought revolution, as the world quite literally forgets her and goes on without her exactly as it was.
except for Anthy. Anthy remembers Utena, the only one who does, even though they are torn apart. she frees herself, changes her own reality by escaping the cycle of abuse to which she had become conditioned. Utena undoubtedly gave her strength and inspiration, but she could not lift Anthy out of her suffering, and believing she could (and had to) was her downfall.
let go of me, Anthy says, as their hands part, to an Utena who firmly believes that she can only make a difference by playing the hero. i'll go my way. the revolution is hers, not Utena's.
which is why, if the title is purposely misleading, it's so damn brilliant. we start out thinking, "of course! Utena is a revolutionary girl! She wears the boy's uniform* and duels, and she'll surely bring the revolution and save Anthy!" but what occurs is simply a "girl revolution", a Shoujo Kakumei, that is completed by Anthy herself.
*(no she doesn't, it's actually a unique uniform design. neither this nor that but a third thing.)
but maybe we can go deeper.
we know that Utena means calyx, while Anthy means flower. a calyx is the tough, protective outer layer of a flower bud, matching Utena's role in relation to Anthy. once a flower blooms fully, the calyx is no longer needed to protect it, and retracts or withers. i'm not a native Japanese speaker, but from what I have studied, it would seem that "Shoujo Kakumei Utena" could be read as "girl-revolution protector". not the one who brings the revolution, but the one who protects/shields the revolution-bringer, who nurtures Anthy while she is vulnerable. then Utena, the calyx, crumples, and Anthy blossoms in her own time.
and i think that's beautiful.
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Lawlight ao3 fic recs
This list ended up being longer than expected. Thus, most one shots and smut fics will get their own list. I can't fit them all in here, alas.
I will probably add more fics later as I remember. Any fics published after this one [dated: 21 July, 2023] will be in a new list.
Check the summary and notes. Read the warnings and authors notes for each fic. I'm not responsible for what you end up reading, rating wise.
Bestest of the best. Go Read ASAP.
Primitive Liars
Summary: Light is a being of intellect, not of instinct; however, he may be starting to understand that the two are not mutually exclusive. While he struggles to define himself in an unjust world, a new Kira holds society - along with a couple other valuable things - hostage. Omegaverse AU.
Notes: My absolute favorite lawlight fic. Right up there with Of Music. I have probably read Primitive Liars 20-30 times and still love it. Its that good. Primitive Liars is the fic that introduced me to the abo genre and I have not found another fic that does it as good as this one does. Primitive Liars, my beloved ❤️❤️❤️
Time Speaks
Summary: In his first life, L died in the arms of his greatest enemy.
In his brief second one, he died alone.
And in his third, too-long life, L died anticipating finally getting even with the man who'd won their game one too many times.
And Light Yagami? If he'd known this is what picking up the Death Note would bring....well, he'd probably still have done it anyway.
Notes: This fic has everything. I love it. I adore it. Its tied as my favorite ao3 fic with Primitive Liars. Lawlight loop over and over, and fall in love while Playing Their Game (reference intended). Each arc has something different, each arc is amazing. Words cannot describe how much i recommend this fic. If there's one and only one lawlight fic you will ever read, it should be this one 🙏.
Decisions and Consequences
Summary: [Part 1] “Ryuzaki I think you’re right about me, I think that at one point I was Kira”. Light decides to trust L when he admits that he too suspects himself of being Kira and asks L for help in preventing him from becoming Kira again.
[Part 2] After giving up the Death Note, Light struggles with the knowledge of what he has done. No longer believing in the ideals he followed as Kira, he now has to live with the fact that he himself is what he so despised: a murderer.
Notes: This is a series of 2 fics. It has ace Light, L who loves Light, Light facing the consequences of his actions and learning to live with them. This fic takes what it does seriously. This is a journey of Light healing from being Kira and finding someone to share his life with in the process. I cannot recommend this enough. Enough of Kira getting away scott free from his actions, giving up the notebook and never facing what he has done because amnesia is a get-out-of-jail free card. This Light faces reality head on.
In The Eye Of The Snowstorm
Summary: During a cold, Colorado winter after L's defeat of Kira, Light struggles to deal with the fact that he has lost the game. But along with the bitterness of losing his New World brews something deeper: the pain from a much more personal blow dealt to Light by L on the day his godhood crumbled around him, juxtaposed against his still-lingering love for the detective. Across five scenes where Light refuses to admit he's still in love with L, and one scene where he finally does - the two learn to live together again despite the storm that they've created.
Notes: People often forget that for the Kira case, it's ultimately L's decision on how it ends. L is the detective in charge of the case, L is the one with connections, resources and authority who could have both saved and/or condemned Light even if they had been in a relationship. In short: their relationship and its future was ultimately L's choice. This is a true compromise fic. Which can also be seen as an L wins fic. I love how soft it was and how they get their happy ending without either of them compromising their morals or thoughts, despite being in love.
Into The Grey
Summary: Light is a young, hot, reclusive Omega who follows all the rules and does it all right. Except when he's sneaking out to capture criminals as the vigilante only known as Kira. L will always and forever be the world's greatest detective, but the Alpha might have a little competition in the Kanto region of Japan.
In a world just barely free of Omega oppression, these two geniuses find themselves in a race against the clock and each other.
Notes: Another Lawlight abo fic. This is my one of my favorite abo fics, mixing a new case, a new take on death note characters in a world without shinigami. I love the dynamics and the political backstory this fic explores throughout the plot. The world building is amazing. I love it.
Seeking His Hand
Summary: Soichiro asks: "Why do you want to marry my son?"
L stares at him for a moment, then sighs almost imperceptibly. "It is a truth universally acknowledged that a single man in possession of a good fortune must be in want of a wife. …or husband."
A historical regency-esque romance AU in which L seeks Light's hand in marriage. And that's only the beginning.
Notes: Regency Era lawlight AU. Yes!
Heirs and Spares
Summary: L and Light are all that remain of the first generation of Wammy House kids. L's the world's greatest detective and Light runs the House cultivating a new generation of geniuses into useful positions. They're rivals first and family second. But Watari suggests, in case of emergencies, it makes sense for them to legally be each other's next of kin. Light's not so sure he wants to marry L, despite the logic of the suggestion, but L's seemingly on board with the idea. Or is it his idea in the first place…?
Notes: Growing up together at Wammy's AU! Yesyesyesyes!!! This is my favorite fic by TrashKing.
Death Wish
Summary: Death Note users don’t go to heaven or hell. Instead, Ryuk sends Light to an alternative universe where the Death Note exists but it doesn’t fall within his grasp. Even though he doesn’t have the Death Note, L still suspects him and the worst part is that in this new world he is an omega. Hilarity ensues.
Notes: Summary is accurate. I really can't say more because that would be spoilers.
The Sweet Taste Of Silver
Summary: Email after email…It only made Light sicker to look at them. Final notice. Past due. Expulsion threats. He knew going to one of the best schools in the country would be pricey, but that's what his scholarships were for, right? At least until they start running out. At least he'll have his internship…And his new employer.
Notes: The lawlight sugarbaby AU. Has a sequel from Ryuk's PoV, which is absolutely hilarious.
Sit and Stay A While
Summary: "The obsession prodded again, pushing at him, but Light didn’t let it near his mouth. He shoved it down, hard, until it thundered down the cellar stairs of his mind palace. Sulking below all his appropriate thoughts was the insistent wanting that made him avoid L’s gaze – the desire to sit in L’s lap."
(Light has a fantasy of sitting in L's lap, and he's got a plan to make that a reality.)
Notes: Light wants to sit in L's lap. He has a 12 step plan for it. Light is good at planning, so he achieves his goal.
Shining Light
Summary: Bored beyond comprehension, Ryuk decides after seeing what humans do with the Death Note, to experiment with what would happen if a human lived their whole life with access and knowledge of the Death Note. This leads him to find four-month-old Light Yagami, whom he decides to use as his test subject and has a little fun.
Light's parents, as with anybody else, can't see Ryuk and thus think Light is possessed, so while trying to find answers, Soichiro turns to a young cadet for assistance taking care of his son.
Light grows up knowing he is different but rarely bored with Ryuk by his side throughout his whole life and having little interest in using the Death Note, training in Shinigami magic and learning the ways of the world instead. But things become interesting when, after multiple incidents regarding his secret, someone else with the Death Note begins using it as the mass killer known as Kira.
Add in a dumbfounded detective and a task force all aware of Light's situation and far past caring, and Ryuk knows he made the right choice because he's found plenty of entertainment, even though he has to fight the protective instinct he's developed towards Light.
Notes: There are many things I love about this AU. The first and foremost being its world building.
Is This The Way It Ends Now
Summary: L dangled the note in front of him. It had appeared out of nowhere, as had the accompanying CD. It claimed to contain information crucial to their investigation.
Was this a trick? Another evolution of Kira's power? Perhaps a different supernatural force trying to help them against Kira?
He didn't know, but the only way to find out was to view it.
Notes: This fic is here because of three reasons. That its good and well written. That its the only complete series watch fic. And that I love this fic. However, I am aware this fic and its take on Kira isn't everyone's cup of tea.
Better than the rest
Honey In Your Tea
Summary: Light falls with a cup of hot coffee in hand. L is to blame.
Notes: A blind!Light AU. Light is not Kira AU too. So soft and sweet and tender and I just can't-
The Execution Of All Things
Summary: "I want to be soft, to say here is my underbelly and I want you to hold the knife, but I don’t know what I want you to do: plunge or mercy. I deserve both. I want to hold and be held." – Nicole Homer
A world where Light is shot by Higuchi at the end of episode 7 and doesn't regain his memories or the Note.
Notes: The one and only lawlight fic for the TV drama. Well, not really. There are other fics too. But this one, is my favorite of them all.
Fifteen Stories Down
Summary: When a series of explosions brings down a hotel in the heart of Tokyo, Detective Light Yagami finds himself trapped in the company of the strangest man he's ever met.
Notes: An excellent Light is not Kira AU, with adult!Light and L meeting down the line.
Bodach Killa
Summary: Having found Light's deadly notebook, L sees but one way to force a confession out of him: become his closest friend and confidant. To this purpose, L goes undercover to To-Oh, as Kira supporting college student Hideki Ryuga. Somewhere along the way of this ethically questionable quest, L finds the friend he'd been missing all along.
Notes: L finds early proof of the death note. The case takes a whole new direction.
Wordplay
Summary: Three murders in Japan mark the beginning of what seems to be a slightly abnormal copycat case. However, it turns into a much more complicated scheme that pushes L and Light to their limits in order to solve it and catch the killer.
Notes: A case fic with adult lawlight that's more about Light and Sayu's relationship. Lawlight is there too.
Passengers
Summary: It comes in the middle of the night, on the eve of L's death. Both L and Light find themselves on a train right out of science fiction, handcuffed and totally unprepared.
Notes: Lawlight crossover with infinity train. No prior knowledge of Infinity train required.
Bluebird
Summary: Light Yagami had always found his day to day life menial and mundane. He was startled out of his boredom by the sudden appearance of the supernatural mass murderer, Kira. Light had certainly not expected his last year of high school and first year of college to be so convoluted and stressful as the greatest detective in the world suspects him of being the greatest mass murderer in history. Light must work with L to catch the real Kira before it's too late.
Notes: Light isn't Kira in this AU. Someone else, an original character, is Kira. And that takes the plot in a whole new direction. That is what I love about this fic.
Hidden
Summary: All gammas are the same, seen as basically genderless they are raised equally before presenting as either alpha females or male omegas.
Light Yagami never really cared about his gamma status until other's took notice. Fearful of spending life as a kept omega, Light will fight against anything, including his own instincts, to be seen as an alpha instead.
But fighting one's dynamic isn't easy.
Light just hopes it isn't impossible.
Notes: A fic that explores the social problems inherent in an typical abo world.
Tangled
Summary: L and Light divorced ten years ago and split the kids. When Mello demands to meet his twin brother L is forced to reassemble the family unit and co-parent with Light while they figure out a new custody arrangement. But, despite all that’s been said and done, feelings linger and both parties start to wonder if there are pieces of their broken marriage that can be salvaged?
Notes: Ex and established lawlight AU. Lawlight as parents in this AU. It's wonderfully done and I love it.
Introduction To Muggle Studies By Yagami Light
Summary:
How to use a Death Note - Rule 4: The person in possession of the Death Note is possessed by a god of death, its original owner, until they die.
ICW Classification of Magical Beings - A muggle possessed or bonded with a magical being, similar to a muggle infected by a werewolf and surviving, is no longer a classified as a muggle. They are, for all intents and purposes, a wizard/witch.
Notes: This one was a tough choice for me, for various reasons. But in the end, I put it here because yes, it's a fun read! A crossover between Harry Potter and Death Note. Fake character death, lots of pining, long distance lawlight relationship. Knowledge of Harry Potter needed upto book 4.
Back Again
Summary: What is Light to do when he wakes up after his life as a Shinigami is over, only to find himself with both his memories and his life back to the way it was before…with the Death Note in his school bag?
Notes: Lawlight AU where Light time travels.
Touch Starved
Summary: L's a Blue Poison Dart, an endangered species closely related to the blue poison dart frog. His life has been difficult, prejudiced and overall touch-starved. But he spends his days as L, the world's greatest detective, who's species is undisclosed to the general populace. When other endangered species start dying and disappearing in Japan, he decides he must travel there to solve the case.
On the way, he meets the Kitsune Light, a Japanese 9-tailed fox. They start a relationship, L unaware that he's next on Light's list.
Notes: Another amazing fic by Pyreneese. L as a poison dart frog, Light as a Kitsune.
Change OR the one where L and Light get married
Summary: L wasn’t a good driver; he could admit that, to himself. Since he and Quillsh were the only ones who knew the route to the old Wammy summer home, L wasn’t surprised to be behind the wheel. (Thankful, maybe, that he had the forethought to secure this little automatic Volkswagen rather than flounder on the stick shift Quillsh always tried to teach him.) He dared to be happy about his driver role, even; it was appropriate that he chauffeured Light to where they’d be married in a day’s time. Something romantic about crossing the threshold, carrying his love into his world – L stuck out his tongue. Long drives made him corny.
(At Quillsh Wammy's summer mansion, L and Light prepare to get married in front of the Yagami family, Watari, and the ghosts of their past.)
Notes: What do you mean, this isn't how canon ended? Aka the lawlight happy ending AU that they deserve.
Sail The Wildest Stretch
Summary: Light Yagami has a Final Destination-esque vision of his seven years as Kira. He wakes up in his high school on the day he receives the Death Note. What will he do differently, knowing the future?
Notes: What can I say, I have a weakness for lawlight time travel fics.
Do It Again, L!
Summary: "The moment L’s eyes close at the time of his death, he awakes in a panic in his bed.... Before L can move forward, he would need to perform tests.... The things he knows right now: .... He had just gone from dying of a heart attack in Japan to lying in his bed over 6,000 miles away in a blink of an eye. He distinctly remembers being 25 years old, but now he looks closer to ten. "
Notes: After 2 fics with Light going back in time, it's L's turn to time travel.
Throw the dice and play with me
Summary: You don’t forget how to play the game just because you lost at it and Light had their instructions manual permanently etched into his very soul.
L wins AU! in which Light has been in jail for two years when L shows up asking for his help with a case. Light desperately wants to help, he missed their competition and has been very bored without it but he feels that L is hiding something. Still, Light helps hesitantly, all the while trying to figure out what game the detective is playing at. Meanwhile, L is willing to play at any game, as long as Light plays with him.
Notes: An L wins fic, this fic has L coming back for Light. Light is, of course, still hurt by his time in prison and the lack of trust everyone except L shows him. L is there to catch light and put him back together. I loved reading this because it was not as dark as some other "L wins and Light in prison" fics get, but still tackles the issues it presents.
Corruption
Summary: After the LA BB murder case Naomi Misora has finally returned to work for the FBI as planned. Her first task on her return, requested through the pipeline by L, is to interrogate Beyond Birthday, who has not told any of the investigators anything about his crimes up to that point.
Beyond proves himself useful to the FBI to help solve the cases that they are stuck on, and so Naomi is sent back again and again, and gradually is drawn into Beyond's web.
Notes: Wherein Beyond gets together with Naomi and plays matchmaker for lawlight.
Another Path
Summary: Rem makes a different call (based from Episode 15 of the TV series).
Notes: Rem confesses to L that Light was Kira. L, attached to Light by now, decides he is a better choice for Light than death or prison. This fic has a novel approach to L wins post Yotsuba arc. I don't remember except that I enjoyed it.
Hurt, Angst, Tragedy, Whump. Mixed with Comfort and Bittersweet endings, for a treat.
Who Am I and Who Are You?
Summary: Light has been under suspicion of being Kira for far too long. After his girlfriend, Misa Amane, falls under suspicion for actual DNA evidence tying her to the case. Light then goes into confinement. And even after he has gone to extreme lengths to prove that there is no way he could be Kira, L still doubts him. Because L just KNOWS Light Yagami is Kira. The only way for L to be assured of Light's innocence or guilt is to become handcuffed to him. And no matter how long it takes, L will get a confession. No matter what he has to do, he will find out the truth. And Light will do anything to save his own life, to convince L that he isn't Kira. Even at the cost of his own sanity. This is all just a game, but a game that could be deadly.
Notes: Ever thought what if Light really wasn't Kira, he was really a scapegoat and L went on Hard Mode during Yotsuba arc? This is that fic. I love this version more than the rewrite, because this one has a happy ending. Bittersweet ending. As happy as it can be, anyways. A whump, hurt/comfort fic, this fic balances veryyyy nicely between hurt and comfort.
Note2: This fic has a second version, a sort of rewrite. That version is a very bad ending for lawlight. I won't link it here, but those industrious ones of you who enjoy such fics can look it up in the author works.
Genius Is A Curse
Summary: If Light had never touched the Death Note, would he ever have found an escape from the depression and boredom that plagued him? Would he have had a future at all?
Notes: This... isn't exactly lawlight. This is more L and Light. However, imo, lawlight undertones are there. It might just be the shipping fan in me speaking though. This fic isn't for the faint hearted. It's depressing. Light is depressed, L is depressed, at a point they both get suicidal. I don't suggest reading it in one go. I also suggest being at least 21+ when reading it. Please, read the tags, mind the warnings and be safe mentally when you read this fic.
A Thin Veil
Summary: There is a thin veil between sadism and masochism, life and death, order and chaos, and all of this becomes apparent as Light comes up with his most sadomasochistic plan yet, willingly subjecting himself to illness and an agonizing death to force the hand of the task force and scare them into dropping the case, as well as prove his "innocence."
While L suspects that this is all somehow Light's doing, he finds it harder and harder to watch Light suffer as he gets increasingly ill, even if he wants to help catch Kira with the limited amount of time he has left. L refuses to lose the game, but at the same time finds the idea of losing Light to be equally unpleasant, leading him to search frantically for a loophole or capture Kira before Light dies as collateral damage.
Notes: Light will do anything to prove himself as not-Kira. Including forcing himself through sickness- Uncaring of the emotional tolI it would take on himself and everyone around him. I was looking for hurt or sick Light fics other than the one with religious undertones. And I found an alt sick Light fic. This one. It was well worth the search as oh boy does Light prove to all and sundry just how much he is willing to sacrifice for his 'New World'.
Sweet Dreams Are Made Of This
Summary: L has always struggled with insomnia and sleep paralysis. But the Kira Case is making it worse. He knows that if he continues like this, he'll end up self-destructing.
Notes: L and Light are both in a bad place. They help each other recover.
Grip me tight (won't you love me before you go)
Summary: Engaged Lawlight but Light isn't Kira and is killed by Kira for being with L.
Notes: Short, to the point, ripped my heart out in less than 1000 words.
Reflections
Summary: L spends a day with Light. Everything is as it should be.
Notes: A sad tragedy fic. This fic is here as a break before we go into truly bad ending and psychological horror/thriller fics.
I Will Follow You Into The Dark
Summary: Four hundred and ninety days.
Less cryptically, L kidnaps Light, perhaps for reasons all his own.
Notes: L is a sadistic bastard. Not in the whump way. L wants to win, L wants to defeat Kira, L wants Light. And L will do anything for it, Light's wishes and well-being be damned. There is no comfort here.
Inked
Summary: Light Yagami keeps his soulmark hidden at all times. L wants to know what it looks like. Things ensue.
Notes: A soulmate AU where L isn't Light's soulmate. That doesn't stop L.
A Balm For Social Failure
Summary: L begins to suspect something is missing from his life. He believes the key to be in social interaction - his weak point. At the appearance of the enigma named Light Yagami, he is challenged to rise to the occasion.
Notes: Light is a bastard. This has a happy ending, in a way. But the journey there is filled with dubious triggers.
Fade
Summary: When a mysterious notebook falls from the sky, bearing the story of a world in which Kira reigns supreme, L is forced into a desperate struggle to change both his fate and the fate of the world. But his attempts are complicated when he discovers that he only holds half of the story—and that the other half resides with the living paradox that is Light Yagami. The resulting chaos finds two geniuses from different worlds thrown together, racing to change the future.
Notes: This fic.... I like to pretend that L and Light reached Wammy's and that's where it ends. That it has a happy ending. But it does not. It took my heart, filled it, and then stomped it to the ground.
Prisoners
Summary: L got enough evidence to imprison Light but not destroy him. Two years into Light's confinement L is desperate to move the dial towards a decisive victory and close the Kira case once and for all but he’s not sure how much of his own mind he’ll have to crack into pieces to do that. Especially when there’s a very real chance Light’s lost his mind entirely.
Notes: Usually, I only read and rec happy ending fics. I remember reading this one, without checking the warnings. Its been a long time since, but I still remember this fic and believe it has to be here. Check the warning tag before reading, guys!
You're 38, Light
Summary: On Light's 38th birthday, he has a special visitor, triggering many memories.
Notes: This fic makes me sick. It's good as a bad ending fic, but oh gosh, why, just kill Light already, L.
Crack & Crack Taken Seriously (yes, both are different)
Dealing With Shinigami
Summary: Meet Prince Light, a prince who, to the public's eye, is everything a prince is meant to be—handsome, brilliant, hand-working, kind, polite. In actuality, he is hot-headed and headstrong, has strong sense of justice that goes against how the kingdom runs...
And bored.
So bored that news of an arranged marriage leads him to run away to live with a Shinigami. And not just any Shinigami, but Ryuk—one of the most powerful, dangerous, and equally bored Shinigami around. Of course, Light has a way of hooking up with dangerous characters, and soon he's coping with a witch, a jinn, a death-dealing talking bird, a stone prince, and some very irritating Yotsuba wizards. Eventually, he will find the not-very-kingly King of the Enchanted Forest who may sweep him off his feet.
If the prince ran away to find some excitement, it looks like he's found plenty.
Notes: A fairy tale world with death note characters. Meet Light as a prince who is bored, L is a king who is lonely, Ryuk as a shinigami who is looking for fun. The world building uses classic tropes for fun, the character interaction leaves me wanting more, I love everything about this fic.
Welcome To The Family
Summary: L has concluded that Light is Kira but due to his own conflicted feelings instead of arresting Light or having him executed as he promised he kidnaps Light and dumps him at Wammy's House…
Notes: My favorite "Light gets taken to Wammy's" AU. Too bad it stops at the best time.
Yagami Light can have a little mental breakdown, as a treat.
Summary: In which Light goes through the five stages of grief, Misa is a good friend, L has the best night of his life, and everybody else is just along for the ride.
(AKA: The uni AU in which Light has a crush and doesn't know it until everybody else does as well).
Notes: Lawlight university AU. Misa helps Light "denial isn't just a river in Egypt" Yagami reach enlightenment. L "idiot in love and doesnt know how to flirt" Lawliet, the target of said crush, gets front row seats to the discussion.
The Complaints Box
Summary: "Gentlemen," he addressed everyone in the room with a meaningful glance, then focused on the cardboard box, "It is my understanding that ever since we've moved into this building, relationships between you all have been... tense. Petty arguments are not constructive for the workplace; therefore, I have decided to introduce a conflict preventative measure, a source of stress relief if you will."
In which, Watari decides that everyone in the office needs to begin venting their stress like mature adults. And within those pages were not rants worthy of a therapist's shrine, but a documented love story...
Notes: A fun and amusing read. Watari has such great ideas.
Eat, Fight, Love
Summary: L was perfectly content to live out a solitary existence among his sweets and puzzles, and never considered that one day he might actually have to beat the shit out of his soulmate upon seeing them for the first time.
Yes, what absolute nonsense.
Notes: Where soulmates punch each other at first sight.
Unexpected Little Guest
Summary: Sayu and her husband decides to go on a vacation for two weeks and leave their eight years old daughter, Mei, in the hands of Light and L.
Light had thought about starting a family for quite some time, so he gladly accepts it to see what kind of a father L would be with this little adventure.
L, on the other hand is everything but happy about this. But in this two weeks, he develops something for the little girl that he didn't expect at all...
Notes: Established lawlight. Light wants a child. Sayu needs a babysitter. Light has an idea.
Basket Case
Summary: During the day, he writes names on coffee cups. At night, he writes names in the Death Note. Now starting his third year at To-Oh, Light Yagami didn’t think his life could get any more complicated. Until L Lawliet came and screwed everything up.
A college AU where Light is Kira but L isn't a detective.
Notes: A fun AU where Light is Kira, L isn't a detective and Ryuk ships it.
This Isn't A Noir Film
Summary: Moving to Los Angeles was not Light's best idea. It's blazing hot, always on fire, the traffic is the worst, and the mafia is acting up all over again. When Rod Ross is found not guilty yet again on murder charges and the murders start up again, Light joins a taskforce with decidedly eccentric people who could all only be described as complete and utter pricks. He should be more worried about what's happening to the city he lives in and the people he's sworn to serve and protect, but honestly, he's a bit more concerned at how well he fits in with these weirdos.
Notes: A fic set in the backdrop of LA. I don't recall much about this fic except that it's good.
Treaty
Summary: When Great Britain and Japan come to an agreement on a major treaty between the two countries, there is a long standing requirement between the country's packs that must be upheld. A match between a high ranking or highly valued Alpha and Omega must be made between the countries as a sign of good faith. With all of the official nobility of age already mated in both countries, Great Britain selects an Alpha, the World's Greatest Detective as their representative. While the country of Japan, provides their best and brightest, the attractive son of the distinguished Chief of the NPA, Light Yagami.
Both L and Light are thrown in as reluctant participants. Each with their own secrets, personal challenges and life ambitions. Can they find a way to happily co-exist or will the obstacles they face prove too much to overcome?
Notes: This is a lawlight abo AU which is crack taken seriously. So dont take the fic seriously, alright? OOC abound.
Koi No Yokan
Summary: Koi no yokan 恋の予感: the feeling upon first meeting someone that you will inevitably fall in love with them.
Light decides to take a little risk and seek a no-strings-attached hookup and gets a surprising (accidental) match. Light and L gradually open up to each other over the course of a night, not knowing who the other is. However, as they go back to their lives in the morning, suspicions take hold and secrets come to light. The chance meeting starts to feel a lot more like fate as L closes in on Kira, and both must decide whether they felt anything real for the other and what that means. This decision is only the first of many as Light plans his New World and L finds out sinister secrets about his childhood and Wammy’s House.
Notes: The ultimate death note conspiracy fic. This fic has boldly gone where no fic has gone before. No regrets, no takebacks. Leave logic outside the door. There will be no fic that can compare to the twists and turns this one takes, ever again.
The Japanese Brooklyn 99
Summary:
Aizawa: We are NOT naming this chat ‘The Japanese Brooklyn 99’!
Matsuda: I don’t see why we can’t? Just because you’re too embarrassed to admit you’re not cool enough to be Rosa does not mean we cannot name this group chat that name. Besides, it’s a good name!
Ide: Why am I here again?
...In which Matsuda makes a group chat and all goes to chaos.
Notes: Death Note fic which is set in Modern era and with a group chat. The obligatory group chat fic where everything is nice, nobody hurts (for long), and everyone has a happy ending.
Todokete!
Summary:
Soichiro: What exactly is the point of this again?
Matsuda: so we can all talk even when we’re not together, duh!
so anyway…
how do we feel about the de-sexification of the green m&m?
Light: matsuda, respectfully, shut the fuck up
Matsuda creates a Discord server for the task force to communicate in. Between L's awkward attempts to make friends, Misa and Matsuda's constant Love Live references, and the stress of Light being a suspect, the rest of the team is in for a wild ride.
Or, the ridiculous chatfic that no one asked for.
Notes: Another Yotsuba arc chat grp fic. Lots of memes and references. The summary says it all.
Consolation Prize
Summary: As a special prize for writing so many names in the Death Note, Kira becomes a catboy.
Notes: Catboy!Light. Enough said.

The Name Game
Summary: Light really hates the customer that keeps coming up with the worst fake names for his orders.
Five times L gave a fake(sorta) name for his tea to annoy the irritable, pretty barista and the one time he tells him his actual name.
Notes: Lawlight coffee shop AU! Woo hoo!
The Mello Situation
Summary: Or how Near decides to use L and Light's fumbling attempts to be together to develop his own relationship goals. Post canon, alternative ending.
Notes: Wherein Near asks relationship advice from L. It goes as well as can be expected.
Deus Ex Saiki
Summary: Ten year old Kusuo Saiki decides he's tired of Kira's shenanigans so he's gonna solve the problem himself.
It may not have been worth it.
Notes: Saiki does a short, quick fix of the Kira situation and everyone is happier for it.
A,B,C,DeathNote!
Summary:
A collection of what were meant to be oneshot ficlets (but ended up as an interlinked series) for each letter of the Alphabet.
Set during the YotsubaArc, this is the story of how Light and L fell in love amidst the Kira case and their developing relationship from secret lovers to husbands.
Notes: I don't remember much about this fic except that it was good and that it is crack.
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daydreamwritting · 3 months
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Until He Wasn't Part 1
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Light Yagami was the perfect boyfriend...until he wasn't. When high school sweethearts turn into a murderous nightmare, Y/N must get out of this relationship alive, finding some surprising company in the process.
Relationship's: Light x reader, L Lawliet x reader
Warnings: abusive relationship, Light Yagami being a mass murderer as usual, mentions of sex, mentions of suicide (no details), cheating (kinda. is it really cheating or is it escaping?)
Not edited, feedback is appreciated! :)
I would also like to note that I originally sent this idea as a request to cat3ch1sm on tumblr but couldn't get it out of my head. So if this ends up being familiar that's my bad. I will link their version of this of they post it!
You sat at your desk, staring at the textbook in front of you like you have been for the past three hours. Homework and studying all seemed so pointless now. It's been five hours since you left your boyfriends house. About six weeks since you watched Light go off the deep end. Six weeks since you realized just how trapped you were.
You didn't think too much of it the day Light picked up the Death Note. You both laughed as you read through the first page of rules. Eventually, curiosity got the better of both of you, and when Light suggested trying it on a criminal, you thought it was an ideal solution, not like either of you were actually expecting it to work. From there on Light continued to kill off criminals, and although you didn't necessarily agree with what he was doing, watching him save a bunch of hostages from his desk chair isn't something you can easily get angry at. You figured if this is how Light would be using the death note, the world should be thanking him.
To be fair, you didn't notice just how often Light was spending with the notebook. You and Light were so caught up in your studies that most of your dates recently happened at nearby cafes or the library. Which was the exact reason you were so excited to go to Light's house that day.
You slammed the textbook shut, trying to make sense of where it all went wrong. It was just a normal afternoon in the Yagami house. You were with Light in his room, cuddling on his bed and lazily watching the tv, just wanting to forget about the stress of school and spend time with each other. It was a shock to both of you when a man appeared on the tv claiming to be world class detective known as L. You and Light sat up, both of you having heard of L before, seeing his face was something new though. The few minutes chilled you to your core.
"Criminals around the world are being murdered by a serial killer. I consider this crime to be the most atrocious act of murder in history. I-" You tuned out the rest of the sentence as you turned to Light. His face was unreadable.
"Light?" You whispered. He ignored you as he stood up and grabbed the death note from his desk drawer, having to flip through dozens of pages to get to an empty one. "How many names have you written, Light?" You stayed frozen at your spot on the bed. When did he have time for all of this?
"I anticipated that the police might get involved and that something like this might happen."
"The police? Light how many names did you write?....Light!" He continued to ignore you, listening to the man on the small screen instead.
Light slowly grabbed a pen from his desk. "You see YN, I have been using the death note to protect the innocent. Call it justice if you will." You watched, unable to do anything as he wrote down the detectives name. When he was done, he turned to stare at you as you watched the detective collapse onto the ground in horror. "I plan to use it to create a new world. A world of peace to be desired. And any who oppose it, lets just say I move them out of my way. Do you understand?" He stared as you intensely as you nodded slowly. This version of Light scared the shit out of you, and something told you he'd be sticking around.
Since that day, the Light you knew disappeared. The facade was always kept up to throw off his family and the police force, but you knew it was all for show. The Light you knew was gone, and Kira had taken his place.
L would have to be a fool to believe that you were as clueless as you acted. Since Light first introduced you he knew that was his ticket to the truth. You were smart just like Light, but your grades have plummeted drastically in the past few months, whatever facade Light was keeping up was clearly more difficult for you to follow. But other than that, there was nothing else L could find suspicious with the couple. If you knew anything at all you kept it well hidden. If you knew L had placed cameras around the Yagami house you certainly didn't show it. L was pretty certain from what he knew about you that you wouldn't let Light touch you like that knowing others were watching.
"Certainly we can rule out my son now?" The police chief said, his face red from the uncomfortable scene they all just watched play out on the monitors in front of them.
"No." L replied, "I don't believe Light would go through such lengths to keep people out of his room just to be sexually active with his girlfriend of three years. I mean certainly that part shouldn't have been a surprise to you."
"I just don't understand what exactly we are looking for." Masuda stated. "Light just seems like a normal teenager. Shouldn't we be looking elsewhere? I mean, not to undermine your intelligence, it just that Kira is still killing and we aren't finding anything watching Light."
"You're right." L said blankly. Masuda smiled. "I want camera all over Y/N's house."
"You can't be serious?" Chief Yagami said, putting his fingers to his temple, trying to relieve his oncoming headache.
"I'm always serious. You are all dismissed for the day. We will resume tomorrow."
That night all L thought of was you as he sat with his legs up to his chest, case files scattered out in front of him. He reviewed everything he knew about your relationship with Light. You had both met in class, both straight A students, its obvious why you two got together. According to Chief Yagami you have been nothing but pleasant to be around, and the few times Light has brought you around he had to agree. You seemed too nice for your own good. He wouldn't put it past Light to keep you in the dark about this, but something about that felt off to L. On the off chance that Light would be able to detect the cameras in his house, he purposefully left them out of yours. He wanted Light to think you weren't a suspect. L also knew you spent most of your time with Light in public or at his own house.
The next day, after everyone else was dismissed early for the evening, L, Chief Yagami, and Matsuda stayed behind to review footage from your house. To most, seeing you study at your desk with your textbook wouldn't raise any suspicion, but L has noticed that you haven't flipped a page in over forty minutes. Without any warning you slammed the textbook shut, startling the less observant police officers. Taking a closer look at the screen L noticed you were crying. "Well this is something new." From what L knew of you, you were normally very composed. The three watched in shock as the silent tears turned into full out sobs. This was the breakdown L was hoping to see, but it all ended too soon as you stood up and exited your house.
"So that tells us absolutely nothing." Matsuda scoffed.
"That told us absolutely everything." L stated as he rose from his chair and headed to the exit, "You are dismissed. I have something important to attend to."
You left your house in a hurry, tears still streaming down your face. luckily it was getting dark, most families were having dinner so you didn't have to worry about anyone seeing you uncontrollably sob as you walked a few blocks down to your favorite park. You sat down on a wooden bunch under your favorite tree. You always came here when you felt overwhelmed, something about the fresh air and surrounding greenery gave you some piece from the chaos that is now life. To be honest you weren't sure how much longer you could keep this up, and Light knew it. He had you on a tight leash at this point, you knew he'd never let you walk away from the situation. Light was no longer the loving boyfriend you knew, every day he would remind you just how easily he can write your name in the book if you said anything. Lights reaction alone to you suggesting wanting to walk away with the promise of not saying anything was enough to convince you he was going to write your name down then and there.
"It's a nice night for a walk." L voice startled you as you quickly turned to face him, fear clear on your face.
You attempted to wipe your tears and act normal around the detective. You knew he was L, although Light did nothing but threaten you he did keep you in the loop, that and you've seen him a few times when Light would bring you with him to the task force. Realizing L was waiting for a response, you tried to act as normal as possible. "I just wanted some fresh air to clear my head. Ya know, studying and all."
"Clear your head from studying or clearing your head from that fact that your boyfriend is Kira." You froze. You knew L has been suspecting Light, but you never thought he'd come to you directly. You hesitated to answer, almost expecting a swarm of police officers to come out and arrest you.
"I don't know what you're talking about." You tired to say without your voice shaking, failing miserably.
L sat down next to you, looking you dead in the eyes. "As you know Light is currently being monitored, I can assure you he is currently at his house having dinner with his family. Chief Yagami is to inform me if he leaves the residence. So if you have something to tell me, now would be the time."
You stayed quiet, staring at the ground unsure of what to do. Sure Light was in the dark right now but how long would that last? How long until he knows you talked to L? Light was smart and he would find a way to kill you without making it look suspicious on his end. It would be easy enough, You're about to fail out of college, seems like a good enough excuse for a suicide.
"Y/N, if Light is Kira we need to know. " L tired again, not surprised by you silence as he tried a different approach. "You don't have to be involved with this Y/N. If Light is who I think he is, I want you to look over at the pond off to the right and we will get you out of here. The plan is already set, tomorrow when Light stops by, your father will inform him that the school has assigned you a tutor for your studies. We can discuss the rest when we get you somewhere safe." L knew this was a long shot. There was only about a 5% chance Light was actually Kira, but that was a chance he was willing to take. He knew he had the right decision when your eyes shifted over to the pond. With that L and you stood as he guided you Watari waiting in a nearby car.
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derekscorner · 4 months
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Fated Rantings: Ground Zero
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I finished Fate Zero
And what a ride that was. I don't even know where to start with all of this which shocks me because I went in knowing things would go to hell.
I started my whole Fate journey due to lore videos, curiosity and FGO so (just like the 2006 Fate Stay Night) I had a full grasp of what would happen. To be shocked anyway just goes to show that the cast and their dialogues sell this story.
There's a stark difference between hearing plot points and watching Gilgamesh slowly poke at Kirei's mentality. There's a difference between knowing that Blue Beard is summoned by a serial killer and seeing them discuss the nature of God.
And there's one hell of a difference between seeing memes of Iskander & Waver and seeing what is possibly the best bromance within Type-Moon.
I went into this expecting Saber to be a bit too idealistic and for Kiritsugu to be a badass only to leave it finding Kiritsugu the least interesting compared to everyone else.
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Magus Killer Indeed
Now, I do not say that to imply that he lacks depth himself. Kiritsugu is unique in how he operates within his magic world and you're not supposed to view him as idealistically as Irisviel or Shirou do, he's a flawed man with a very fucked up history.
This man, like Shirou, wanted to be a hero of justice as a child. An innocent enough desire but one that was both never tempered in realism and was shattered by realism.
What I mean by that is that Kiritsugu is plagued by a paradox. Yes, the village being turned into ghouls and murdered was bad. Yes, Kiritsugu killing his own father because he felt that "he had too" is a very dark sign of his mentality even as a child.
But these things haunt him, they do not drive him. What drives him is his desire to be that hero. When his world is shattered he takes a dark approach to kill the few to save the many.
It's that pursuit that eventually shatters his goal with the realism of humanity. You can never truly save everyone, other humans will always ruin it.
But the realism that pushes him to try anyway is the grail. In this world the wish granter is real, tangible, thus the paradox. He fully believes the goal shattered by realism can be salvaged by the realism of the grail's existence.
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He's usually so pessimistic and realistic in his approaches to the war and battles that it's almost jarring to see his character break once he learns that the grail can't just do anything. You can see that last bit of idealism in his soul die.
Worse, the grail taunts him. It can only grant a wish that a human themselves can understand. As an example;
you can't ask for fire if you do not know how fire operates.
Thus the grail shows him a way to grant his wish but that wish grants nothing. This is very crucial to his breakdown because the grail showed him in the purest terms that;
This is your way of saving others but ultimately it saves no one
That's the point of the boat example. No matter how many you sacrifice for the whole, the survives will further fracture. There will always be a minority and a majority, Kiritsugu's life was essentially pointless in the larger picture.
Now, it'd be too cruel to say his life had no meaning at all. He was willing to sacrifice his mother figure and mentor to stop an undead outbreak. He killed his father because he felt responsible for his actions and Shirley's death.
He had to have done some good, it just wasn't in the way he had hoped. The greatest tragedy here is possibly that he's unable to see it.
We the audience see it in those rare moments of him being a father to his daughter, to Shirou, or a husband to Irisviel. People were drawn to him and loved him and if he had stopped his pursuits for them he may have found a happier ending.
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True Emptiness
Then there's this true demon of a man. For all the talk, the praise of their battle, and Kiritsugu's own foreshadowing, I expected a deeper connection between the two.
It's strange, you can't just bring up Kiritsugu's flawed mentality without mentioning Kirei's yet the two only physically met one time. It's fascinating because I expected a bigger grudge or more plot relevance to their dynamic.
Yet, at the same time, their lack of interaction makes the eventual fight more interesting because of where Kirei starts and where he ends.
Intriguingly, Kiritsugu pegs Kirei near instantly. He only had a mug shot and some info on his life but he could instantly tell that there was something very wrong with Kirei. He sensed the lack of love and emptiness and feared him the most.
In contrast, Kirei didn't know Kiritsugu as well as he believed. Half of his emotional journey is realizing that they're not as alike as he thought.
This is best shown in his battle with Irisviel and Maya. He assumes Kiritsugu sent them there to battle him and he can't comprehend it when that's not the case. In his mind he is fully incapable of understanding why those two women would choose to face him.
He can't comprehend the illogical actions love will drive one too.
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That said, the far more interesting dynamic in Kirei's life is Gilgamesh. While Kirei fails in his assumption of Kiritsugu and lacks a full understanding of himself it is Gilgamesh who sees through Kirei instantly.
Their talks are some of the most interesting parts in the story because you can tell Gilgamesh is trying to make him realize his own nature. Gilgamesh has no grand reason for doing so, he's just bored.
For all the dorky shit Gilgamesh does, for all the moments of him being oddly good with kids, or a good king (in FGO) you can't forget that Gilgamesh defies morality. He's not above it he just does not consider it.
He seeks entertainment and Kirei is the most interesting thing there. A full grown man unable to feel yet subconsciously seeking too. The answer is always on the tip of Kirei's tongue. (he's in self denial)
It's truly fascinating to watch it unfold. This ancient demigod taking a mentorship-like role just so he can see what Kirei will do.
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It's due to these talks of introspection and Kirei's other actions that I find it hard to see the duality of he and Kiritsugu. What ultimately awakens Kirei's understanding is watching Kariya's suffering.
Gilgamesh may point it out but that's moot. It's Kariya's motives that catch Kirei's attention most, it's the drama with Tokiomi that fascinates him, it's saving Kariya and using him later that makes it click for Kirei internally.
You could possibly argue the whole thing is Tokiomi's fault. He gave his daughter to the Matous and even if he was unaware of the torture she'd endure for years that- no wait.
He possibly went wrong the moment he schemed with the church. Watching the Tohsaka's and Kariya play out their drama awoke the monster that is Kirei but it was Tokiomi's fault Kirei was there at all.
It was also Tokiomi that summoned Gilgamesh....hmm there's a lot more to ponder there I guess but let's move on.
I can only praise the depiction of Kirei's awakening so far before it seems like I like his character or adore it. It's fascinating to watch but he's still a monster that shouldn't be walking among men.
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The Best Fate Bro to ever live
I wanted to use the last section of this to talk about the best fucking boy. I do not care what anyone tells you, Iskandar is the best bro in the Fate universe.
The very first thing this man does upon being summoned is find a map. With the enthusiasm of a child he admires it looking for where his kingdom is now and seeing the world mapped out in whole.
There's something that is just genuinely pure about Iskandar in Fate/Zero. No heroic spirit is without questionable actions in the modern lens but this story does a good job of blending that by explaining Iskandar's motives.
He has a genuine love of seeing new things. That joy is so pure that his wish for the grail is to be reincarnated so that he can begin his conqueroring anew. I have no earthly clue how he thinks he'll be able to do that in a normal mortal body but no matter because I doubt he's thought that far ahead himself.
His patience in dealing with a prideful child is also second to none. His words are often full of small wisdom to the point I did not keep count of them all nor could I explore it all. He's always pushing his master to try new things and it takes root overtime.
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It is very easy to see how Waver could become the popular Lord El-Melloi II in other materials. It all began here, regardless of timelines, there's usually a Waver that fought in the 4th Grail War with Iskander.
I'm not even sure what to write about Waver himself because so much of what made the impression was seeing him slowly changing due to Iskandar's influence.
In a mage society that belittles him for being "new blood" it is Iskandar that continually tries to open his eyes. That's highlighted best when Waver tracks down Caster easily using simpler methods due to his magical limitations.
He views it as bad but Iskandar makes a good point. To do something in a simpler yet equally relevant way (perhaps even better) is a talent worthy of praise. Waver doesn't recognize his own ingenuity nor does he realize that there's merit in someone who can think around their limitations.
It's the core of their dynamic and that moment when Waver goes from being his master mage to his subject is beautiful. That strong loyalty born over the story even saves Waver's life.
Gilgamesh spares him based on that undying loyalty alone. A far cry from where Waver starts.
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Kingly Mentality
Before I lose myself in the praise I should point out that Iskandar is no fool. Yes, he rarely plans in Fate Zero and his pure love for the new and patience shapes his bond with his mage.
However, do not mistake that pureness for a simpleton. Iskander is simply straightforward to a fault. His greatest characteristic is that friendly straightforward nature he has.
He's the one servant that repeatedly stops to talk to the others, he's able to get them to talk when they normally wouldn't, and even when he expresses desire to take them into his army those present do not get that offended.
Gilgamesh, the king of arrogance, even begins to shrug this off. On some level he respects Iskandar's nature because he is true to himself.
Still, some do think his attitude toward Saber is bad in regards to the banquet of kings. Now this is tumblr which is bad for seeing what isn't there to begin with or it's twitter which has lost it's critical thinking skills long ago.
What do I mean by this? Simple, while Iskandar and Gilgamesh disagree they at least respect each other as kings. Similarly they disrespect Artoria as king but for differing reasons.
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To Iskandar a king is someone who stands above men as a symbol of their ideals. Something to follow, a larger than life person to show them the way.
What lost Iskandar's respect for Artoria's kingship was her wish. Her desire to undo it all, even if for good reasons, is an insult to Iskandar. No matter how tragic he would not change one moment of his life because that would affect everyone that fought for him and with him.
He sees Artoria as a slave of her people and the ideals she was raised on rather than a king that's truly led and valued her men. It is here that some have issues.
We'll argue King Arthur another time, what's relevant is why Iskandar views it. The tragic thing being that he is not entirely wrong.
Artoria was raised to be a king, she was conceived in convoluted magic ways to be England's king, so when he says that he only "sees a girl who could not chase butterflies or fall in love" he is entirely correct.
I do not say that dismissing her choices mind you but she did sacrifice that normalcy regardless. Iskandar, as we've covered, enjoys life at it's core.
So what he sees in Saber is a girl who was denied life. She could not truly enjoy it which disconnected her from her people. He views it as sad and states that one reason for recruiting her into his army is to show her otherwise.
Now as to whether he could have is another topic entirely. What's important is that he can't respect her as a king because he sees a martyr not a king.
The Fate Route of the FSN justifies his views to an extent because Saber eventually finds some things she denied herself in Shirou. She ultimately just needed a chance to be a person and Iskandar wanted to help her do so.
There are some faults in his thinking, yes, but his intentions aren't negative nor his his disrespect of her kingship based on sex. He fully respected Saber as a king until he learned her wish.
Even after he respected her as a warrior and wanted to see her enjoy life...and cut down his enemies BUT STILL.
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Conclusion?
Already? So abruptly? Kinda. This got too big to fit into one post and there's a lot I can't find a way to organically work in.
Such as Tokiomi's dumb ass making Kirei Rin's guardian when his wife is perfectly healthy and alive when he writes that will.
Or how Gilgamesh views Saber just as objectively and disrespectfully as you'd expect. His take on her kingship and sex is completely negative and objectifying, a contrast to Iskandar.
Hell the whole mutual respect and differences between Gilgamesh and Iskandar.
I also didn't get to the odd but unnervingly deep take on God between two mass murderers. (Caster & Ryuunosuke)
I definitely don't have it in me to cover Kiritsugu's family. Illyasviel is more of a FSN topic and Irisviel is hard for me to quantify. Her love for her husband and of the small things he showed her was beautiful though.
Oh well, ONTO PART TWO: https://derekscorner.tumblr.com/post/737301977761005569/fated-rantings-seiba-pt-2#notes
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For my other experiences with Fate go here: https://derekscorner.tumblr.com/tagged/fated-rantings
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