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acquiredmen · 2 years

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Could Shiki's story have been better if dandebi wasn't an otome game? Absolutely. It could've been a great explanation of dark feelings, what it means to "think good" vs be good, about agency and choice and autonomy

Is it really Shiki's fault, as a literal creation of god, that he's like this? Is it his fault if he was never given an outlet, let alone an explanation for his feelings? Is he in the wrong to cling to Ritsuka out of loneliness and drag her down with him, when that's all he's ever known? Is it wrong to punish people for aspects of themselves that they can't control?

Is Ritsuka to be blamed for her "bad choices" when her hand is forced? Is she to be blamed for developing feelings, when Shiki forces his way into her life at a low point? Is she really at fault for wanting to know the truth that's been kept from her since she was a child?

Personally, I'm much more fond of Blight. It was a really interesting choice to have Shiki barely hurt her himself, yet he still takes enjoyment in her suffering and they get a happy ending

But all that goes out the window when you have to balance out (Shiki x Player) fanservice sadism with ShikiRitsu development

And I get it. It's absolutely wonderhoy for the players. But what about afterwards? What happens to Ritsuka when the attraction is over?

I don't mean when her attraction fades, I mean when the players have gotten their fix and inevitably move on?

I guess it's silly to care about "what happens to Ritsuka" as if she's a real person, but fleeting stories are not my type. I like it when the characters can live on and continue their story, long after I, the player/watcher, have moved on

But that doesn't happen, does it?

It's brought up in both EverSweet and Charming Book, in his unit single with Mage, in his marketing long after the other boys have changed

Unit singles: Roen asks Maxxis to marry her. Rem and Urie both echo Destinare and Kimi wa Estella. Mage wants to to go on a journey with her. Lindo wants to protect her (in his own "padlocks around the windows" way, but by the end of the audio drama, he begins to understand that she is her own person). Shiki *still* wants them to die together

EverSweet: "god cursed me to die in agony if I don't feel loved. Oh? Why don't I feel loved? Because I still want to hurt you. Haha! I feel loved now, I don't want to hurt you anymore! :)"

Charming Book: "I most definitely don't want to hurt you anymore. It's just that this magical pipe, that draws out people's desires and amplifies them until they become distorted, yes this magical pipe corrupted me! The pipe is destroyed, I don't want to hurt you anymore :)"

And the only conclusion I can draw from that is that his selling point is the sadism, the attraction it creates for the player. Shiki's story is about the journey

And that's great. But what about afterwards? Can you really call it a "story", an ending, if it requires you to strip everything from a character and leave him a hollow shell of his former self?

Sure, sure, Shiki is still S (say that three times fast lol), technically. If you take "sadistic" to mean forward and dominant in personality. But that's not what they presented him as, and they know it. In both ES and CB, they have to bring the pain obsession back to make him Shiki again. There's nothing to Shiki once he "gets better"

Which sucks, because we could've had a great story exploring him

#rants #(again)#dance with devils #shiki natsumezaka

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nasuversekinkmeme · 4 months

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Weekly Roundup (25/12 - 31/12)

TSUKIHIME

Some honestly sweet holiday fluff with the tsukihime cast of op's choosing

FATE/APOCRYPHA

In an alternate world, rather than summon Astolfo, Celenike summons servant Rider Goredolf Musik, driver of the Shadow and Storm Borders, he who's driving skills escaped the apocalypse twice. While everyone else is reeling from the implications that not only was a modern mage able to enter the Throne, but that said mage also was of the Musik line, Goredolf is panicking because if he, a member of Chaldea, was summoned, things are about to get very bad very fast.

FGO

Foreigner's New Years party, go as insane, as horny or as wholesome as you want

Hello fellow enjoyers of FGO! For No FGO January, I present to you all a very simple prompt. Show me your mastersonas! I don’t care under what context, how they’re doing, who they’re fucking, whether it’s wholesome, angst, whatever, I just want to see artworks/stories/whatever of your own original characters. Take this month of No FGO prompts to share what you already have, I look forward to seeing what you all have in store!

as a harmless prank, Mash and a few other servants (can be anyone like habetrot, caster cu, etc) dress up as caterpillars. It’s up to the writer/artist to decide how Morgan reacts to seeing mashu and co. in caterpillar suits.

If there was one place Ritsuka Fujimaru never expected to end up after everything with the Lostbelts and Ordeal Call was well and truly over, and the Earth was back to the way it was supposed to be... it was finding work at NFF Services, working directly under both Koyanskayas, no less. They were expecting to be worked to the bone, given their past interactions, but weirdly enough, they've been just... nice to them? Ritsuka keeps suspecting some kind of sinister plot, or cruel joke, but apparently the Koyans are just THAT invested in the well-being of their employees. Even more so in Ritsuka's case, given that they answer directly to both Light and Dark. It's still weird... but in a good way, they supposed.

Guda twin! Au where Gudako and Gudao meet once a week at Moriarty's bar to just hang and talk. Often these conversations end up being about their individual harems. (Whoever is in each harem is up to the writer but preferred that both are bisexual harems)

ranmaru x takes ritsuka back to her planet, and it’s up to the gudaguda gang to get ritsuka back!

so I found out by a yt short that takeda likes boys and writes passionate love letters to them. how about Kagetora and/or Nobunaga making fun of him for his passion for boys

thanks to the event I need some Ibuki x Habetrot for no reason other than major size difference makes brain go brrr. Smut is optional but there's gotta be emphasis on how wide the height gap is.

smut, While he mostly feeds of dreams. Merlin does occasionally need sex as every incubus does. Being one of the only human's alive, Gudako agrees, thinking that it's just gonna be a quickie. Cut to hours later. Gudako's mind has turned to mush and she's super overstimulated, begging Merlin to stop but he just. Keeps. Going. (yes I'm very horny for Merlin if you can tell)

I just finished LB6 and I have the BIGGEST Mélusine brainrot right now! I would appreciate anything about Mélusine x Female Ritsuka! Thanksss

taigong trying to have a peaceful fishing day but weird shit keeps happening so he says screw it and proceeds to annihilate anything that tries to fuck it up

Koyanskaya of Darkness is perusing her catalogue and pondering what new creatures to add to it when a flash of inspiration comes to her; what better way to add to her wares than to collar her own Light form? (smut is optional but recommended)

smut, Castoria x Tonelico sloppy sex. If they use Merlin's magic dick(tm) or not is up to the author

Agravain, despite what others might think, loved his siblings. He always had difficulty showing it, its true, but he never hated them or anything. This is why he would always send them out on missions. He believed in them that much. And so, Agravain awaits two of his siblings at the execution grounds for the traitor Guinevere when a scout arrives.

ANY

Write the killing blow your servants performed on a boss of your choosing. To give an example, here's mine. It was close to the end, Ritsuka could feel it. The immature Evil was worn down and she had only one retainer left, the other recently slain by Lobo before he was taken out. Taigong Wang and Mélusine fired off their noble phantasms, killing the last retainer before revealing that the immature Beast yet lived. She retaliated with her own, forcing Taigong out of the fight as Mélusine was the last one standing. Ritsuka used her last two command seals to heal Mélusine and give her one final order. "By my command seal, Mélusine, unleash your noble phantasm!" She took to the sky chanting. "My name is Albion. The last dragon who opens the boundary! From Geoffrey to Fromont! Show us the time, Tukedight!" Not taking any chances, she struck while Koyanskaya was still reeling from the blow. Koyanskaya retaliated with devastating strikes as the two realized something. Both were close to death and their next clash would be their last. They pushed themselves to their limit but unfortunately for the immature Beast, Mélusine was much faster. With energy from her weapons forming a dragon's maw, she crunched down on Koyanskaya, finally putting their battle to an end.

CROSSOVER

After Mirei Park's offer and ultimatum, rather than go to Fukuoka, Kiryu goes to Fuyuki and starts a new life there. He becomes intertwined with the local Yakuza and, by extension, the participants of the 5th Holy Grail War. When the events of Yakuza 5 begin, Daigo makes an alliance with the Fujimura Family, and soon, all hell breaks loose. The conspiracy is expanded in scale due to influence from magi seeking to claim the Grail for themselves, and Kiryu must work together with Rin, Shirou, Sakura, and Rider to keep the ones they love safe.

#weekly roundup

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yuufujimaru · 2 years

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FGO Degeneracy

Many of you know me as the Twst x HP writer, but I am actively, almost obsessively in the Fate Fandom. Particularly the FGO fandom, yes I am trash in fact I am Gacha Trash to the extreme and I have no problem with that because that is who I am and you know what I am very content with that!

But I have a question for you all and feel free to reblog, comment or even message me with your ideas because I desperately want to know.

I have had this idea in my mind for months for a strictly FGO related fanfic but how it could go depends on how I start it. And I am an indecisive MF and I need help, desperately.

How it goes is Ritsuka (Male) has long since left Chaldea with regrets and pain, hidden away in the mountain regions of Japan with catalysts of his servants that are long since gone, wasting away as he is simply…nothing more than a shell of a person, being that the story ends after Cosmos in the Lostbelt and not going any further. He is seriously depressed and is thinking about all the people he ‘failed’.

Olga, Romani, Caster Da Vinci, Paxti, Gelda, Asha, the Twins, Etc.

He is given a chance to redo it ALL. Back to square one before he joined Chaldea and began his journey with the A Team dying and him being the last hope.

He goes back further than he originally wanted to, being 11 at the time and contacts Marsibury who goes to him and they have a very symbiotic relationship as Ritsuka does not like him and Marsibury can die knowing his ideals came to fruition. They stay in contact for a year until that faithful day in 2012 when Marsibury dies/is killed, and he begins his life as an intellectual star.

You cannot tell me he spent a near decade in Chaldea without learning various languages, secret hidden places on earth of historical significance and a whole other load of bull.

So he builds his rep as a human with exceptional language skills, various pHD’s in History and Mythologies, written dissertations and finding various historically significant sights and items that give him fame and money. He simply uses this as a building block to make sure that Olga Marie CANNOT just brush him off and has to take him on as a Master Candidate, to which he is selected once more.

This is where the story can go in different directions.

Ritsuka manages to stop the bomb, mostly; but a large group of the staff is taken out and needs to be filled with the master candidates and soon it’s just B Team and A Team. They go/are forced into the Fuyuki Singularity and as they walk around and try to figure out what's going on with the singularity while trying to come to terms with the WORLD ENDING, Caster Cu shows up. Caster Cu is insistent that Ritsuka become his master because he REMEMBERS, and as they go through the singularities all the rouge servants on their side, pressure Ritsuka into their contracts once more because they cannot accept any other master because they REMEMBER him as their master and refuse to have another. And they insist on being brought back to Chaldea, despite there being more people than before and many more mages that were potential masters. It becomes a whole thing of the old Chaldea, master and servants, VS the new Chaldea of Masters and More Surviving techs all the while there is a massive love…triangle? There are 4 of them though…

Ritsuka manages to stop the bomb, mostly; but a large group of the staff is taken out and needs to be filled with the master candidates and soon it’s just B Team and A Team. They go/are forced into the Fuyuki Singularity and as they walk around and try to figure out what's going on with the singularity while trying to come to terms with the WORLD ENDING, Caster Cu shows up. He agrees to one of the Crypters being his master, but he won’t be able to return to Chaldea. He, like all other rogue servants, say that they have a feeling that it will get messy in Chaldea with all of them there and that it’s best to simply summon in singularity to make sure that magic isn’t drained. All the while he is, along with all other Servants, heavily attracted to Ritsuka because unconsciously they remember and they want him to be their master. It becomes a point of contention between Ritsuka and all of Chaldea as they don’t know why these servants gravitate to the kid and take his orders even when he doesn’t have command seals of said servant. Any servant he does contract with in singularity remembers and is always, always on edge and begging him to take them back with him. He denies them the whole time and that’s how things go. Also the love triangle thing will be in this version too...even if there are 4 of them involved.

In both versions, some of his most trusted Heroic Spirits: Dantes, Ashiya, Oberon, etc, the really dangerous ones? They force their way in and stay to the shadows, doing his bidding all the while he lets the Crypters believe they are the ones saving humanity while he works to make their job easier while making sure they all stay alive and make sure to prevent the arrival of the Alien God and anything else.

#fate grand order #fgo #fate/grand order #fgo ritsuka #ritsuka fujimaru #fujimaru ritsuka #crypters #fanfiction #Ideas #help plz #please help

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hopeled · 2 years

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(cont. from x )

huh. that’s strange. weary eyes squint at the text on the screen of her phone, the notification being what woke her as the afternoon arrived. while not anything out of the ordinary, Ritsuka had a distinct feeling that whatever Saber wanted to talk about was serious and as much as she would like to stay in bed and sleep (a constant as of late) if it was serious, she didn’t want to waste any time.

to. SABER ( @sanctummilitis) from. RITSUKA FUJIMARU

[txt.] i’m rested enough, how about in a half hour? at the ruined church behind Jehanne’s in Archimedes.

Ritsuka figured they would need privacy and she knows hardly anyone visits the half-standing building. once the text is sent, the mage lets out a long and heavy sigh before getting ready without a word and leaving to make the trek from the City of Glass back to the mainland. eventually, she reached the ward, taking her time to the chosen meeting place, a bundle of nerves growing by the second in the pit of her stomach yet she remained as always on the outside. relax. it’s probably fine. don’t freak yourself out yet.

casting the worry aside, she steps through the vine-covered entrance, quickly spotting a figure at the front of the ruined pews. it seems the Servant already beat her here-- being able to move faster than the eye can see can do that. a small smile tugs at her lips, a greeting following before she quickly got to the point. “ So what’s up? What did you want to talk about?”

#sanctummilitis #SANCTUMMILITIS 006 #i think i suck at counting #but anyways #i'm so ready #[she said like a liar]

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comeandreadawhile · 6 years

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Waiting

Dance with Devils: Mage x Ritsuka

1,542 words

Waiting for Rem to arrive wasn’t an overly common occurrence, but on the few occasions that the Devil King was running late, it gave Mage and Ritsuka an opportunity to talk and catch up. Not that there was much to catch up on, as with being the Devil Queen, Ritsuka’s business was no secret to most of the realm, and as her bodyguard, seldom happened in Mage’s day-to-day life that she didn’t know about. Still, idle chat was sometimes refreshing when all you’ve heard that day were complaints and threats of some kind.

Ritsuka had noticed Mage had mellowed out in the years following their first meeting, though how much of this was due to Urie being constantly occupied with tasks from Rem instead of pestering Mage, she couldn’t say. She hadn’t known in high school, however, how much she’d grow to appreciate his overly blunt conversation; when one is constantly battling the threat of deception in the Devil realm, brutal honesty becomes most welcome in a conversation. She readjusted her gloves before settling them back in her lap, taking a moment to remember where she left off speaking. Mage always listened attentively to her, though she wasn’t sure if he always took her seriously. She was grateful either way, as Rem sometimes zoned out when listening to her and trying to multitask by finalizing some territory agreement or other.

Her eyes caught the bandage on his cheek; an unpleasant reminder of another devil getting too worked up last week when told Rem wouldn’t be giving them an audience.

“Ritsuka?”

She realized she’d completely forgotten what they’d been talking about, “I’m sorry, where was I?” She saw Mage’s eyes crinkle as he held in a snicker; he often joked about how air-headed she could be. They were still the same bright gold they were years ago on that beach at sunset.

“You know, I don’t quite remember,” he chuckled. He loved moments like this, where they had a few moments just to themselves. He loved seeing her sitting in her rightful place on the Devil Queen’s throne, dressed like a royal lady should be; daughter of a former king or bride of the current king, Ritsuka was queen material. At least, that was Mage’s opinion. He was just happy she was happy. And safe. He stated years ago to those stupid priests that he would protect her and he still stands by it, whether or not she was his girl. The dulled sting in his cheek was but a testament to him upholding that vow.

He watched her press a gloved finger to her lip and hum as she thought of a new conversation topic. She still wasn’t a fan of cosmetics; he remembered she didn’t wear them in high school. No, her lips were the same rose, and upturned the same way when she was content.

Mage wondered if she ever thought about if they became closer in a different way after that evening at the beach, how life would’ve changed. Did she ever think about what would’ve happened if he’d become the Devil King instead of Rem? He was happy for Rem too, they were friends and as long as he and Ritsuka were happy, Mage wasn’t going to complain. But, he’d be lying if he said he never thought about ‘what if’.

Mage would wait outside the door until the night guard showed up to relieve him. Sometimes Ritsuka wondered if he was content with such a routine life. As she finished up the buttons on her nightgown, she wondered the same thing about herself. Despite the occasional disturbances and attacks, her life was, for the moment, very routine. Looking over to the empty bed, she noted Rem’s was routinely busy. Would Mage have been content with such a busy life? Perhaps knowing he wouldn’t is what made him happy just acting as the Devil Queen’s bodyguard.

Ritsuka paused on the last button, thinking on if the roles were reversed. Mage would be a fair king, she decided. While Rem was by no means a bad king, he did demand a strict sort of obedience from his subjects, and left no question that he was ruler. He did devote much of himself to his work, so she couldn’t criticize him for that. Glancing over to the empty bed, she wondered if Mage would’ve let himself become so invested and busy being king. Ritsuka stopped herself; she was decidedly happy with Rem and even if he was busy, she shouldn’t compare him to Mage.

‘Even if Mage would probably make more time for me,’ she thought with a pout. Ritsuka thought to herself a moment more before rising and crossing to the door. Peering out, she caught sight of the night guard coming to relieve Mage.

“Excuse me? Could you ask one of the staff to bring some tea and two cups?” While the guard looked confused for a moment, he looked at Mage, who waved him on his way with a grin, before heading off in the direction of the kitchens. Gold irises settled back on her while a chuckle echoed down the hallway.

“Tea?”

Ritsuka stuck her lip out in a pout, “What, you don’t want to join me for tea?”

Mage ruffled his hair, raising his other hand in a gesture of placation, “For you, Ritsuka, I’d love too.”

He decided she looked adorable in that soft nightgown. He also decided that while Rem was a great king for investing so much of himself into his work, he was a less-than-great husband for leaving his wife to sleep alone more than a couple times a week. He knew from Ritsuka wearing socks with her pajamas she disliked being cold when she slept.

They were swapping childhood stories over their steaming cups of tea, and Mage remembered how much he enjoyed Ritsuka’s laugh when she giggled. She held her cup with both hands, trying not to spill her drink as her body shook with laughter retelling a story of her and Lindo’s shenanigans. She caught the fond and amused glint in Mage’s eyes, “What is it?”

She saw the corner of his mouth tilt, though not in the way his smirks usually shaped his features. “Do you ever wonder about ‘what if’?”

Ritsuka tilted her head, though she felt she knew what he meant. “What if, Mage?”

He rotated the teacup carefully in his hand, maneuvering it carefully when his fingers hit the handle. “Us.” When he looked back up at her, she knew she was wearing the same sad smile he was when she answered.

“Sometimes.” She needn’t lie, she thought as she took another sip of her tea. “Do you?”

Mage wasn’t sure if the light in her eyes was from curiosity or hope, but that lack of knowing fueled the half-hearted laugh that escaped him. “I think about ‘what if’ all the time, Ritsuka,” he admitted. He downed the rest of his tea in one long draw before continuing, “I think about how three nights out of the week you wait for a husband that isn’t coming, while I stand watch outside your door. I think about when you and I go for snacks after dinner you look so happy and relieved to have company that isn’t entirely political. I think about you being born to rule if only Rem would let you help outside of entertaining. Right now I’m thinking how adorable you look in a frilly nightgown with those fuzzy socks on because you don’t like sleeping with pants on but your feet get cold and you hate being cold when you sleep.”

Ritsuka tried to pull together a response to those declarations. “I’m happy, I love Rem, I—“

“I know you do,” Mage interrupted. “Rem loves you too. But Rem isn’t here.” The words hung in the air for a few moments. “So what do you think about when you wonder ‘what if’?” his tone was gentler, not that Mage ever spoke harshly to her, she realized.

Ritsuka set her teacup down on the chest in front of the bed. “I think about how you have always spoken honestly to me. I’ve thought about how domestic ‘us’ could be, in some small cabin in the forest—“

“Ritsuka, I’d love that—“

“—and I’ve thought about long Sunday drives, and that evening at the beach—“

“We could go back!”

“—and I’ve thought about how you would also make a good and fair king but you would make time for me!”

At that, Mage sprang forward and took her hand, and once again she was looking down into those gold irises as he knelt on the floor in front of the bed she sat on. Mage’s voice dropped almost into a whisper, “Ritsuka, don’t stay if you aren’t completely happy. He’ll understand if you ask to go.”

Suddenly the air in her lungs felt hot, and she choked on a sob she wasn’t sure was relieved or upset. She swallowed the lump threatening her speech and traced a finger over the bandage on his cheek, “Will you wait just a little longer for me?” The smirk that reached Mage’s eyes was enough to confirm her answer.

“I’ve waited this long.”

#lemme know if you guys want a part 2 to this?#dance with devils #mage x ritsuka #ritsuka tachibana #mage nanashiro #might write part 2 anyway

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jplupine · 2 years

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Old art edits for Guard Dog

I need to draw some vicious art of Hikari to do her more justice

#Guard Dog #Hikari Tachibana #Mage Nanashiro #Ritsuka Tachibana #dance with devils #dance with devils oc #edits #demons #oc x canon #Fanart #Fanfic art #hellhound #orange #minors dni #Wolf does fanart

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kunero-work · 5 years

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The King of Mage and Fluffy Doctor are here to bless you EX luck with the upcoming gacha _(:3J)Z Arjunaaaa, Proto Arthurrr....

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rem-is-best-almond · 6 years

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DwD x Sanrio Characters wwwww

So me and @nordicsymphony came up with the idea to pair up each main DwD main character to a Sanrio Character and here's what we came up with :3

Ritsuka: Little Twin Stars (Because we both agreed that she's an angel =w= )

Rem Kaginuki: Cinnamon Roll (because he's one wwwwwwww)

Lindo Tachibana: Hello Kitty (Three words: All For You)

Urie Sogami: My Melody (may or may not be a reference to the character type who represents My Melody in the upcoming Sanrio Danshi wwwwwwww)

Mage Nanashiro: Badtz-Maru (look familiar? XDD)

Shiki Natsumezaka: Kuromi (the gif says it all www)

Roen: Pom Pom Purin (Cause he's a pom, get it?? ;;)) )

Marius: Pochacco ( I'm sure you all are aware of the YOI collab with Sanrio that has Yuuri paired with Pochacco wwwww)

#dance with devils #sanrio #dwd x sanrio characters #ritsuka tachibana #rem kaginuki #lindo tachibana #urie sogami #mage nanashiro #shiki natsumezaka #roen lilyknight #marius #I accidentally posted this before finishing it jfc

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ewa-jednak-chce-spac · 4 months

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#narnia #edmund x lucy #dance with devils #mage x ritsuka #tumblr games #edmund pevensie #lucy pevensie #mage nanashiro #ritsuka tachibana #the one true ultimate shipping tournament

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kaosketches · 5 years

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A slightly older Mage and his daughter.

Two months or so ago I was working with an idea of “what if” if DwD had a Mage ending. SURE, I was also discussing about the idea of “well, I could defintiely not do a “Dance with _____” song in, but, well.

My “definitely (happy) ending” thing would be a timeskip of various years into the future, Mage holding his and Ritsuka’s child, in the middle of this huge field (during the sun set?), revisiting the first moment he fell in love of Ritsuka (while a duo performance between Subaru and Himika is heard in the background*bricked*). In this route (and ending), he decides to stay in the human world because he doesn’t feel like going back to the demon realm (due to various reasons, but I will go further into that when I have time writing that).

And thus, this pic.

I think he and Ritsuka would be in their mid/late 20s when they would have their child. She was born with more blondish hair, but as she is growing up, her hair is more or less matching Ritsuka’s color. Also, Mage is a proud and happy papa.

This was one of the first pics I did with FireAlpaca,and went on to do lots of things with the whole illustration like the details of the grass (which were based in a tutorial, for example) because I felt it would be empty if I only drew them. and I’m happy how it turned out? For being a first time?

#dance with devils #Nanashiro Mage #dwd #dandevi #meiritsu #mage x ritsuka #future children #digital #mage nanashiro

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akampana · 2 years

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Cu Alter Sickness 9 x arturia.

"i'm nothing but a wea-oi, why do you look so pale? Are you foolish enough to come out while feeling i'll? Tsk, your hopeless, i guess i have no choice but to assist you."

9. “I’m no doctor, but I’m pretty sure you need to get medical attention.”

Cú Alter and Arturia. ngl, what a coincidence to get this for Cutoria again but Alter this time. :> Hope you don't mind but I bent your prompt a little bit. Enjoy!

_____

Arturia thought it a privilege to be fielded so often, especially even after several Servants had joined their ranks.

These days, rather than a small found family, it seemed Ritsuka was housing an army within the new Chaldea’s walls. Either way, Saber kept to her role, having grown accustomed to the toll Excalibur took on her body after being fired so many times in succession. Seeing the smiles on her newer comrades’ faces was worth it, especially when she brought back so many golden Embers.

At least, it had been that way before this Singularity hit. It was one of history’s minor errors, which they participated in only to retrieve a Holy Grail. Arturia was sent out with her usual companions, Wav—er, Lord El-Melloi II and Spartacus, yet...their painstakingly practiced formation was failing.

The King of Knights leapt from the ground like a panther, tackling the long-haired Caster to the ground before the long weapon could impale itself into his chest. Without sparing a moment to rest, she flipped back into her battle stance, grabbing hold of the offending spear and tossing it right into the visor of one of the resilient Lancer-types that stood before them. But where he fell, two more of the irritatingly resilient beings sprang up into place, reminding her she’d barely made a dent in their numbers yet. Even if her sword was still glowing from the heat of use.

Excalibur’s golden dust clung to the enemy’s iron-clad shoulders, mocking her failure to eliminate them in one blow with her holy blade.

Had she gotten complacent? Weak? Careless? Endless questions wracked her mind as she surged forward into their ranks with Master hastily offering his support. How could this happen? She’d released more than enough energy to fell common enemies, especially those from the Lancer Class. This mission should have gone without a hitch.

Behind her, Spartacus’s strangled cry faded into nothingness, bringing their ranks down to three while at least six of the enemy remained. Arturia pursed her lip, her pride refusing to accept that nameless knights could stagger such an experienced team as theirs, but she stomped it out in lieu of her Master’s safety.

“Waver!” she tossed her voice over her shoulder, ducking under a sickle-like slash that would have lopped her head from her neck. Unfortunately, her distraction was costly. Just as soon as she felt the English mage’s spells take effect, a second spear forced itself through the flesh just below her ribcage like a blade through paper.

Pain shot through her system like a bolt of lightning, shocking the adrenaline out of her spine. Without even thinking, she grabbed the weapon and pulled its owner forward, right into her waiting blade. Then, with a burst of strength and the hurricane that sprang from her weapon, she cast the hulking suit of armor far out her space before raising her arms to the heavens for the sixth time in this battle.

“...Ex...calibur.”

Blonde eyelashes fluttered open under fluorescent white as the Servants reappeared in Chaldea. It wasn’t the usual cheers that welcomed them back. Although the battle had ended successfully, it was hardly anything victorious. Most Servants knew to leave the kingly types well enough alone whenever missions were less than stellar, for a bruised ego tended to lash out.

Cú Alter was not ‘most Servants’.

“Oi,” he called, pissed at his very bloodied long-time sparring partner for brushing past him and into the hallway without even a nod. After all that time he spent waiting in the Command Room, this is what he gets?

Metal clanged on the floor where he stepped, warning all in the hall to get out of his path. “Ya owe me a fight, shortie. The hell are you running away for?”

Arturia stopped in her tracks and spun on her heel to face him, specks of blood dripping from her chin. “Cú, I am hardly in the mood for—!”

The woman huffed, her sword disappearing along with the tension in her shoulders. “Forgive me, I did not mean to raise my voice. However...I still believe it would do you well to exercise a little patience. I doubt you’ll derive much out of me as I am now.”

Arturia let the rest of her armor dissolve, exposing the extent of her wounds to the Servant who’d (hopefully not too reluctantly) been by her side since day one. His red eyes surveyed the damage her dress did not cover: the slowly healing hole in her side, the bruises from the spear shaft, the small cut on her cheek she remembered not the source of.

His grumpy expression did not change, but she didn’t expect it to. Others tended to forget Cú Alter had far worse than an eternal pebble in his shoe, cursed with a chronic pain nigh unbearable. Of course, his default visage would look a little annoyed.

A few scratches like hers would hardly faze him, but it wasn’t pity that she sought by showing him her wounds. Arturia would never weasel her way out of a promise. She just did so to tell him she couldn’t perform at her best, knowing fighting was one of the things he (and all the other Cú’s, really) quite enjoyed.

Before she could say anything else, his claw was on Arturia’s chin, lifting a stray droplet of blood from her jawline.

“Fine. Ya get fifteen minutes. Shower. Yer a fuckin’ mess,” he said crassly, turning in his high heels—more proficiently than she ever would in stilettos—and stomping away.

Arturia rolled her eyes, used to his manner of speech, and she limped to the bathroom, completely missing the moment he licked her blood from his finger.

Perhaps he was being a little harsh, but he knew words of comfort would only agitate her more. Plus it seemed he was rather...talentless in that regard. What was he supposed to do, say something like “I’m no doctor, but I’m pretty sure you need to get medical attention.” then scoop her up bridal style and take her to Nightingale? Yeesh. Blech. Disgusting. Just the thought made him gag. He could leave that shit to that green Deer-whatever-the-hell-his-name-was.

The best he could do, he reminded himself as she arrived at the sparring room exactly fifteen minutes later, was give her something to take her anger out on. Even if that meant enduring a few of her jabs straight to the face.

...

The following day, another Lancer node stood in Master’s path, and Cú Alter once again found himself leaning on the door jamb of the Command Room. As nonchalant as he played it, the tailed, lizard-like Servant could not look more out of place. Despite that, no one, not even the nosier Servants dared question his presence. The reason he was here was obvious.

The only female he could truly stand had once again been sent out to a day-long series of battles versus seemingly endless Lancers. Honestly, Da Vinci wondered sometimes who he was trying to fool. Between the slight twitches whenever Arturia did those showy midair turns of hers and the subtle smirks when she fired her Noble Phantasm, his admiration for her was difficult to miss.

Today, however, Cú Alter was different, his tail drooping to the floor and swaying dejectedly. He had his arms folded, claws digging indents into his bicep as he watched Arturia claim victory after victory after victory. They hadn’t changed the lineup from the day before. That grey-skinned zerker and the twink still stood by the King of Knights. Though Cú would not wish misfortune on them, their consistent victories seemed all too good to be true considering the outcome of their battle yesterday. There couldn’t have been an instantaneous boost in combat capabilities against those hardy suits of armor when they were using the same formation.

Every now and then, Arturia would grimace as if struck, hiding her pain beyond a carefully tailored mask. But Cú could see through it. And every time she used that damn glowing sword, it illuminated her suffering like a spotlight. He didn’t understand why no one else looked so alarmed when she’d called for her Noble Phantasm. How many times was it now? Thirty? Forty?

By the time the group came back through the Rayshift, Alter’s frustration had festered into a poorly hidden fury, his anger manifesting in the way he grabbed Arturia’s wrist and towed her into the nearest room as soon as she materialized.

“Cú—”

“Don’t bother, ya know I at least trump you in strength,” he bit back, turning to face her without dropping her hand. “Why the fuck do ya look so pale?”

The black, bony appendage behind him slapped itself onto the broom closet’s light switch, confirming his observation. Arturia had always been on the lighter-skinned side of Servants, but this time she was sheet-white. Not even a splash of pink on her features, not even in her lips. It was one of the traits that differentiated her from her own Alter, who, while he found similarly tempting, wasn’t the Arturia Pendragon he’d spent most of the Singularities fighting beside.

“That is none of your concern,” Arturia deflected, reaching toward the closet door. “If you wish to spar, I still have the energy—”

Cú leaned to the side, slamming the door closed and sealing her escape with his much bigger body. Outside, Servants and staff alike hurried to be on their way, knowing a closed closet like that tended to house rather...amorous interactions.

“I ain’t a bloody idiot, Arturia,” he said, folding his arms as his exoskeleton armor clacked against the wall. “Ya were off the entire time ya were out there. Footwork was sloppy. Stances hardly steady. Didya think I wouldn’t notice after, what’s it been? Years?”

Arturia narrowed her eyes at the much taller servant, exhaustion dimming the usual fiery glow of her green orbs. A long and heavy breath escaped her lips as she mirrored his pose, leaning on her side. It was odd to know he’d been so observant of her when most things garnered no more than a second of his attention, but such was Cú Alter. He tended to show his care a little bit differently.

“I know that stiff-ass way ya fight better than I know how this—” He grabbed his tail, shaking it in front of her for emphasis “— fuckin’ works, so either ya tell me what the hell is going on or we can spend the rest of the night here.”

The innuendo hit him a second after, a toothy grin slowly replacing his serious expression. “’Course that ain’t a terrible idea if yer down to take some dic—.”

Arturia smacked his tattooed chest with the back of her hand, appreciating the attempt to lighten the air but dismissing the thought. Just like that, Cú Alter’s scolding expression returned like it never left.

Chewing on her lip, the woman held up her hand between them, golden dust dancing on her palm like fireflies. In their place appeared a small card with gold borders, the white-haired woman depicted on it bringing a solemn expression onto Arturia’s face.

The Black Grail. Cú recognized this Craft Essence. Master deigned to use it often because of the negative effect it had on the Servants, even if their Noble Phantasms became considerably stronger. No wonder she felt like shit. Arturia had this on all day while rapid-firing Excalibur. Likely, she’d be off doing the same thing tomorrow, and the day after that, this damn king.

Alter clicked his tongue as he snatched the card away, ignoring her protests. “You’re hopeless. Guess I have no choice but to assist ya.”

Cú swung the door open decisively, scanning the hallway for a sign of Master. Nothing. Oh well, he’d find Ritsuka eventually.

“Assist me?” Arturia queried indignantly, tailing him as he trudged down the halls. Times like these, she wished she had a few more inches to her height, because no matter how fast she walked, the length of his stride always kept him ahead. “I don’t remember asking for your assistance.”

The Irishman rolled his eyes at her air quotes and swerved past his other selves, who looked on curiously as Arturia continued to follow him. Neither of them ever understood why Arturia picked Alter when it wasn’t him she had history with, but they did admit it was pretty entertaining to watch them bicker.

“If yer foolish enough to keep going out there in that state, then ya really must be ill,” Alter shot back, dodging EMIYA as he entered the cafeteria. Arturia was not so lucky, bumping into the tall red Archer as she continued her chase. She must have looked foolish now, being forced to maneuver around Servants when the six-foot porcupine’s appearance alone had their comrades clearing out of the way.

“Cú, you know Master no longer fields you for farming.”

“Forgettin’ how we met, shortie? He used to,” the man responded curtly, holding the Craft Essence above his head while he searched the table cliques for their blue-eyed contractor. He wasn’t with the Romans, or the simps, or the writers, jeez, where the hell was he?

Arturia sputtered, refusing to jump for the card lest she be compared to a little toddler reaching for candy. “Well, there used to be less than thirty of us here.”

“Ya saying I can’t fucking farm?” the Berserker shot back pettily, moving the short swordswoman away with his tail before resuming his parade down the Chaldea halls.

Arturia scoffed, full on sprinting just to stand in his way. “I did not say that—”

“C’mon, ya know I’m nothing but a wea—” nope. Not opening that can of worms again. He was trying to help, not piss her off further.

“I can farm if I want to farm,” he said instead, staring her down with aflame ruby eyes as she responded with a similar glare. Lugh, she could be so damn stubborn at times, he felt like he was in love with an iron wall and not the stiff, blonde spitfire that never let him get away with anything.

“You know that is not the issue,” Arturia argued. Still. Gods, if he weren’t under Mad Enhancement already, he was sure she’d be getting him there. Did she have to make this so difficult all the time?

Alter broke their gaze, his sight travelling down her pale cheeks and the long bangs that framed her face.

“Listen, Cú, I was the one who requested that Craft Essence. I admit it has affec—mmh!” said Arturia, her voice hitching as the Irish hound connected their lips.

His were chapped, but warm, moving against hers roughly enough that she had to lean against the wall behind her for support. As the surprise faded from her features, she felt him cup her cheek with his free hand, tilting his head to deepen their kiss. But, just when she parted her mouth to permit his entry, he withdrew, playfully pulling on her lower lip between his teeth as he backed away.

Tease. She thought, her eye twitching at the knowing smirk that distorted the red runes just under his eyes.

“It wouldn’t kill ya to sit out the next few nodes, ya crazy little shit,” the man commented, flicking her forehead with his finger. He was glad to see some color return to her face. She’d always looked hotter in a blush.

When he started walking down the hall, resuming his search for their Master, Arturia no longer followed. As much as she fumed, it was more than obvious she’d been defeated.

Just before he rounded the corner, the Mad King added(failing to make it sound like an afterthought), “Go sit in my room or something, ya smell good.”

____

:">

I usually write these two so serious so its nice to just have something cute. Also i dont think they ever explain what CE's are like in game, so I've always sort of thought they were like this, like guda just has this massive deck and they give them to the Servants just before they head off. HAHAHA

thanks for the ask!

#akampana asks #sickness prompts #cuturia #cutoria #cu alter #cu chulainn #bersercu #arturia pendragon #artoria pendragon #arturia #artoria #fate #fgo #fate grand order #fate fanfic #my writing #fanfic

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