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A Little Vice (Trans Magical Girl fic)

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GreatWyrmGold said:
Well, C's mom unfortunately isn't a concern. And magical girl stuff isn't completely concealed—this setting runs on superhero rules, not urban fantasy rules. It's entirely possible to just tell C's dad what happened.

But I kinda don't want anyone to. Both because I don't want to subject C's dad on anyone (except maybe Superbia) and because I don't know whether he'd even notice. I mean, C already ran away from home...
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Um, inessa telling inessa's parents, not C's parents.
 
Aranfan said:
Um, inessa telling inessa's parents, not C's parents.
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Ah. That does make sense.

Well, this setting runs on superhero rules, not urban fantasy rules. So Inessa can just tell her parents that C turned into a bat-girl and flew off into the sunset (assuming that Invidia flies off into an unseasonably early sunset at the start of the next chapter).
 
You know, Superbia works as the final boss of the Beast Saga. Powerful people are often pathetic, multiple examples of politicians and higher-ups in companies being horrible, pathetic, petty. So the guy running this cult benefiting from the horrible hierarchy of society being him is fitting. Also, since this whole Beast thing up until now seemed to be about being ashamed, having the guy in the pride/humility axis running the show works. And he works as a parallel to C's dad.
 
CaesriusPolybius said:
In regards to the "greater bad", Lupin did say that where eir from forced people to be "good" to their own detriment, could be that the greater foe, once superbia has been taken down, is whoever superbia, avaritia, and gula fled from/rebelled against.
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And the final foe turns out to be Heaven itself, and Michael turns out to be Lucifer or something. That'd be a twist. Actually, isn't that the plot of Kamikaze Kaitou Jeanne?
 
Yeah, Michael is also a pretty high up angel in Heaven, so if she's chill Heaven is likely to be too, though it might be subdivided in groups with their own values and beliefs. And might have an issue of organized crime.
 
The name of the sinners is a little cumbersome: [latin abstract noun] [english animal name] sounds cool but is grammatically weird. But that is exactly on-brand for a magical girl series eh?
 
What the Michael stans don't understand is that it's not about morality or ideology, sometimes you just have to find the most powerful being in a given setting and kick them in the nuts. It's human nature or whatever.
 
Michael's a female-identifying being of a traditionally non-sexual kind, so presumably if she were to get that treatment, it would be more of a football punt.
 
Sterr said:
What the Michael stans don't understand is that it's not about morality or ideology, sometimes you just have to find the most powerful being in a given setting and kick them in the nuts. It's human nature or whatever.
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Most powerful? Inessa keeps stuffing her in a backpack! And she's a mascot. Until she gets a sort of power-up, the fight would be pitiful. Not a worthy opponent at all.
You gotta fistfight the tree of knowledge!
 
It shamefully took me a while to realize it was a fire joke. I was searching the thread for an incident involving Inessa and a tree. I just went "is it her powers? No. It must be something that happened."
 
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Crossover Special! Wrath of the Daleks
  • Apocrypha
    • My attempt at writing a full-on Omake fanfic here, as you don't see them that much for non-Quests, let alone Original works. It's another Doctor Who crossover using my own Doctor incarnation and companion, as I previously wrote two DW crossovers as Omakes for Quests, them being fairly easy to write for me with how naturally DW lends itself to crossovers.

    I did try to give the Angelic Saints some breathing room before I introduced The Doctor, unlike my last two omakes. Probably my biggest concern is whether I've written the Saints and Avaritia in-character enough, that and if I've made both the Daleks and the Abyss look appropriately powerful.

    Update: You can now read a revised version of this omake available here.

    Crossover Special! Wrath of the Daleks​

    Already the Angelic Saints were dashing deep into the thorny labyrinth that was the Abyssal Forest, till at last they set eyes upon the twisted and gargantuan castle of Superbia at its core. Their mission couldn't be more urgent, for Michael's premonitions and Avaritia's boasting had alerted them to the anointing of the Beast of Wrath being imminent.

    "Does seem counter-productive," Diligentia had to remark, "Outright telling us they've found the perfect Candidate with enough time to stop them."

    "Heh, that's Avaritia for you," Temperentia said, "Ey lives for that kind of cackling, moustache-twirling showboating. Thought you would've picked up on that by now."

    Castitas skipped the banter outright, engaging instead with her own form of showboating as her petite physique kicked the iron gates flying open. Fiery bow already at hand, she proclaimed "FINIS, MALEFACTOR!" (a term she totally didn't use Google Translate to look up)... only to then see that said malefactors were already finishing off each other.

    "Sheesh, I thought you were just gonna be the screaming, brutish type," Avaritia said in-between having to dodge beam blasts that the very Candidate ey'd brought in was firing at em, "But no, you just had to pull this big brain subterfuge bullsh-" a near hit cut her off.
    While her lupine leaps were swift enough to keep her from getting blasted, the entourage of Resinners she had with her weren't so lucky. One by one they were disintegrated by this Candidate's beams. Soon enough, Avarita was left to fend for herself.


    View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Xe88zNPgjg

    "YOU-HAVE-OUTLIVED-YOUR-PURPOSE!" the Ira Candidate's inhuman voice blared at Avaritia. "NOW-THAT-WE-HAVE-INFILTRATED-YOUR-BASE, YOU-WILL-HAND-THE-REMAINING-SEEDS-OVER-TO-US-TO-POWER-OUR-WEAPONS-OR-BE-EXTERMINATED!"

    The Angelic Saints only now getting a good look at the Ira Candidate, Castitas' first thought was that 'Candidate' was no longer the word. He(?) no longer looked human or even humanoid, but instead like... "A saltshaker, whisk, and plunger?" Diligentia said, scratching her head.

    "More like a trashcan," Temperentia said, her stoic face allowing itself the slightest smirk, "Fitting for Avaritia to bring in."

    "W-Whatever it is, it's too late. He's already lost his humanity and become the Beast of Wrath!" Castitas gasped. For a moment it looked like all the warmth and brightness had been sucked out of her face, but then she shook her head, clenched her fists, and said, "No, it's never too late! If us Saints can purify a Resinner, then there's nothing stopping us from purifying a Beast!" The thought of a certain childhood friend flashed in her mind with those words. "It'll just take, ah, a little more firepower, that's all!"

    While the Saints took heed of what was going down, Avaritia had already sped eir way behind this 'Beast of Wrath', then pounced to wrench his metal plating off with eir claws. "More like 'AND-BE-EXTERMINATED', I can tell what you'd pull if we for whatever reason did give you the Seeds," ey said, only for this Ira to dodge eir attack as he levitated straight upwards. "And what's this 'we' and 'us', you never said you were plural? You're the only one here!"

    "INCORRECT! THE-DALEK-RACE-IS-INNUMERABLE!" Ira bleated back down at em, then levitated further out of her reach, pointing what could only be called his 'eyestalk' upwards, and announced, "CO-ORDINATES-OF-CASTLE-IDENTIFIED! ACTIVATING-MASS-TELEPORT!"

    The crimson skies above the Abyss were then filled by a swarm of shimmering lights, with metal monsters identical to the Beast of Wrath materialising. "Wait, uh, it can call on clones of itself?" Castitas had to wonder, "Not sure what that has to do with Wrath? Incitement thing, Zerg Rush deal?"

    "Won't be doing that for long," Temperentia said, as she took the moment to shoot a sniper-like water jet right at Ira's eyestalk.
    The sudden shot sent that stalk of his swiveling, forcing him to halt his summoning ability less than halfway through.

    "TELEPORTATION-HALTED!" Ira announced, before he observed, "YOU-HAVE-REINFORCEMENTS. THAT-MEANS-NOTHING, A-DIMINISHED-ARMY-OF-DALEKS-IS-STILL-MORE-THAN-ENOUGH-TO-EXTERMINATE-YOU-ALL!"

    "Guess again, Beast of Wrath!" Castitas called forth, their cover already having been blown anyway. The three Saints striking poses, Castitas lead with, "Cleansing with the flames of purity-"

    "Can it, goody-goods," Avaritia cut the three off. "When our would-be infiltrator here said 'reinforcements', he didn't mean you."

    The instant all the summoned 'Daleks' had materialised, they were ambushed from behind by a flock of flying Resinners, this flock taking the shape of balloons, plane engines, helicopter blades, even a flying car. Leading this flock was none other than the one Beast whose Castitas' heart sank at the sight of.

    "Yeah, did you seriously think we'd have no defence against an airborne attack?" Avaritia laughed, not just at the first Dalek but also with one eye on the Saints. "Just because Old Man Superbia was so out of touch he fell for your 'creator' pulling a Nigerian Prince on him, 'Dalek', doesn't mean you can do a thing to rest of us!"

    Not that the aerial ambush was going as smoothly as Avaritia made it sound. With the remaining 'Daleks' now having the chance to react, the sky became a lightshow as they fired beam blast after beam blast. Both Resinner and Dalek then crashed to the ground in fiery wrecks.

    "C, please, hang in there," Castitas found herself muttering as she stared up at the Beast of Envy still fighting, even in spite of what that Beast had just put her through. "Alright Saints, let's show the Abyss that even a Beast can be purified! Focus on the summoner, all as one!"

    "YOU-ARE-DELUDED!" Ira the Beast of Wrath, or a 'Dalek' as he called himself, bleated out, this time definitely addressing the saints, "THE-DALEK-RACE-ARE-THE-ONLY-PURE-RACE!"

    He then shot not only a single blast, but rapid-fire blasts down at the Saints, but these were all met with another eagled-eyed water snipe by Temperentia, an entire statue picked up and thrown by Diligentia, and a firestorm of arrows from Castitas.

    The inevitable outcome was an explosion that left this Dalek Ira spinning and shrieking, at which Castitas pulled out one last arrow and said, "Michael by my right hand, let's draw out the Heart Amber!" What followed was not an arrow of fire, but one of pure, shining love stringer than all her target's hate. This eternal love struck the Dalek Ira...
    ...And made it drop down full force onto the courtyard. Its metal shell was blown open, revealing what the girls could only call a 'cyclopean squid' inside. Or rather the corpse of one.

    "What? No!" Castitas gasped and ran forth, as what she may have done dawned on her. "This, this is a Heart Amber, just extra-corrupted from the seed, right? C'mon now, purify! Purify!" But minutes later and no purification, just that corpse still lying there, denial was no longer possible.

    "I never thought you had it in you, Castitas..." Avaritia said, a fanged grin of eirs slowly spreading. "You just killed a living being. Oh, not that I care, this 'Dalek' thing here was nothing but a loudmouth, sneaky as he thought he was. But you care, don't you Saint?"

    "Regardless, that's your Beast of Wrath all gone," Diligentia said, trying to hide any devastation behind a rock-hard facade.

    "Pfft, no it's not," Avaritia laughed back at her, eir arms folded, "Big-brain super-strategist trashcan here attacked the instant we reached the castle, before we could bestow Ira upon him. Thought he was so much the superior being that he and his pals could make us hand over all our Seeds at once."

    "That does track," Temperentia said, also keeping her feelings about what just happened to herself, "This 'Dalek' said he wanted the Seeds to power his race's technology, not to plant it in himself. Would directly absorbing the Seed be an 'impurity' to him?"

    "Hey, good to know your brain's still working, 'Temperentia'," Avaritia had to remark, "Though not working hard enough to know whose side you should still be on..."

    Castitas, slumped over with tears streaming down her face, only then look up to see the airborne Invidia glare down at her. Like that glare said it all, the new Beast of Envy flew away without a word, leaving Castitas to her desolation...


    The next morning, Inessa was... fine, just fine. She got dressed, ate breakfast, greeted her parents good morning before she left for school, all with the brightest smile on her face. Well, the brightest smile she could possibly manage, in her current state.


    View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wCbYkNmvi0w

    While on her usual route to school, she had the chance to bump into someone brand new to her. A woman not that much older than her if far meeker in looks, given her glasses and brownish-black hair kept together by braids. The two not diverging in their paths, Inessa tried to keep up her cheer by saying, "Hi there! I'm Inessa Brandt, nice to meetcha! Ah, you'd be a new transfer student, did I get that right?"

    "Huh?" the woman said like she'd been ambushed. But given Inessa posed little threat, she then composed herself and said, "Actually no, I've graduated. My name's Lavinia Mortlake, I've been Assistant Librarian for about a week now. Wait, I do think I've seen you around school, you're the one dashing between classes, aren't you? Ah, no offence, I didn't mean to sound accusatory," she gulped, her glasses almost slipping.

    "Hey, none taken. And yep, that'd be me," Inessa said with a smile, "And I've really been meaning to study more at the library, but y'know, life gets in the way," which was the technical truth for her. Then she paused as it occurred to her, "Huh, your accent- Ooh, you're British, aren't you? I mean, 'Lavinia Mortlake' sounds all British-y too."

    "Ah yes, yes I am, and I guess it does," Lavinia nodded, "I'm across the pond due to- well, it's complicated. Shortest I can put it is I have this friend who's here on... business, and she invited me to come along. She was a bit concerned when I applied for library work, since I've had, er, previous bad experience in the job. But I said it was fine, it's what I'm used to."

    "Wow! Friends are the greatest, aren't they?" Inessa grinned and twirled around, even as inside her heart felt numbed. But she continued not to show that as she said, "Oh hey, I can see some of mine now. Hey, Ida! Temperance!" She then spun back around and asked, "You wanna come meet them, Lavinia? Though I guess you've got library stuff to attend to, huh?"

    "I'm afraid I do. Plus, I'm... really not the best in group conservations, that's more my friend's field of expertise. But thanks for the offer, Miss Brandt, it was nice to meet you too," Lavinia said, managed a smile herself, and waved goodbye.

    Inessa waved goodbye even harder, before Ida and Temperance both approached their leader. Ida then asked her, "Everything alright after, well, how last night went down?"

    For a few seconds Inessa was able to maintain her smile. But finally, she broke down and forced herself to say, "No, no I'm not. Look, I get it, that 'Dalek' was clearly not a good guy, whatever it was, talking about 'extermination' and the 'superior race'. But even if we're talking total evil, it- it doesn't matter. I killed someone! I'm an Angelic Saint and I killed a living, thinking being! With C gone too, I... I don't know if I can even call myself a magical girl anymore."

    "Inessa, you didn't know," Ida told her, placing her hands on Inessa's shoulders, "You didn't mean to kill, you truly thought you were purifying them."

    "And even if you do have murder's stain, along with Invidia's corruption, upon your soul," it was Michael who now spoke, popping up out of Inessa's schoolbag, "The Angelic Saints still need you. Could you truly just leave Diligentia and Temperentia to fight back the Abyss on their own? Not just anyone can become Castitas."

    "Hmm, maybe we just need to take your mind off all that, give you something to focus on. Ah, know just the thing," Temperance said, as she then pointed over to a gaggle of staff members talking, a mysterious woman among them. "That right there's our new Guidance Counselor, yeah, we got one already, just last week. Says her name's 'Jane Smith' like that ain't suspicious, and she up and appeared out of nowhere. Reckon we oughta snoop around her office the moment she's out, make sure there's no Abyssal business going on."

    "Huh, 'last week'? That was when Lavinia, uh the girl I was talking to, said she became Assistant Librarian," Inessa mumbled, but shook her head and said, "nah, I'm sounding all paranoid, probably just coincidence." She eyed this 'Jane Smith' closer, seeing she was clad in extravagant yet gothic finery, her flowing black hair and lipstick contrasting her ghostly skin which looked like the sun had never touched it, and her piercing scarlet eyes. Quite a lot from someone just called 'Jane Smith'.
    "Wow, she kinda does look like an older Lupin- er, Avaritia, now I think about it. Less punkish and more ladylike though," Inessa said. "Stealth mission, eh? Sounds good, means we try and avoid combat, avoid... you know what. Should we sneak in this afternoon, that alright with you?"

    Ida and Temperance both nodded. Before they all went into class however, Temperance turned to Inessa and suddenly said, "Hey, you know me. I was... one of them, so it shouldn't be a surprised that I have killed people." Despite already knowing that about 'Gula', Inessa still had to stumble back, but Temperance was quick to follow with, "Listen, you know what me killing people has done. It's just made more determined not to kill any more. Like the heroes in those anime you watch, that's how they soldier on, don't they?"

    Inessa stood still as those words sunk in, but slowly smiled and said, "Yeah. Just like them. Temperance... thanks."


    Much later that day, the untransformed Angelic Saints finally had the chance to sneak into the new Guidance Counselor's Office. Turned out Ms. Smith had been doing some serious redecorating after Mr. Noir's untimely exit. The giant box at one end of the room covered by a heavy sheet was the first thing to stand out, but that was far from it.

    "The Possibilities of Chronophysics, The Peoples Beneath the Earth, Intergalactic Diplomacy, Guide to Pocket Dimensions, er, not the sort of books I'd expect a Guidance Counselor to have," Ida said on scanning the bookshelf.

    "At least none of them sound too Abyssal-y," Temperance said, but shrugged and added, "Well, maybe 'Peoples Beneath the Earth' does a little. 'Pocket Dimensions', yeah definitely."

    Inessa then pulled down the giant sheet in a single swipe, to see it hid... "Huh? Says this thing's a 'Police Box'," she said, with no idea what to think of this big blue rectangle. "Wait, could the Abyss be in league with the cops? Hmm, that does make sense actually."

    The doors on the box however were shut tight, as were most of the office's drawers and cupboards. Then they all heard footsteps approaching, with Inessa then scrambling to cover up the blue box again, and all three girls then ducking behind the desk. As Inessa snuck a peek, her stomach dropped on seeing both Jane and Lavinia entering at once, like they really were working together.

    "Well, no more sign of any Daleks since yesterday, Doctor," Lavinia said, confirming Inessa's paranoia about the two. "Not that we can just go and check, since it looks like we need a portal to even get into that Forest."

    "Though from all the scrap metal we've found, I'd say someone's done a remarkable job fighting us for them," 'Jane Smith' said, or 'Doctor' as Lavinia called her. "Why, at this rate the universe will hardly have any need for a daft old bat like me. Still, Lavinia, do not get your guard down," her voice dropped, "I've been fighting these things through all my regenerations. Much as I'd love to go sauntering off again, I can't take that risk till I know for certain the Daleks have been vanquished here. Nothing from that Forest of Sin can fall into their plungers."

    Inessa twitched. While it was a relief that Lavinia and 'Jane Smith' didn't sound like they served the Abyss, there was definitely something supernatural about them. "Angels, maybe?" she whispered down at Michael, only for her to shake her head.

    "So sorry to involve you in yet another pocket dimension, Lavinia dear," Doctor Jane Smith said, "At least the place didn't seem Oterne-related, well not till that castle showed up anyway. Again, it's a lovely old castle, just a godforsaken shame about the occupants. And its new Dalek neighbours."

    "Don't worry Doctor, if it really was Oterne," Lavinia said but had to pause, then just managed to say, "If it was, I'd know."

    "True, but there's always the annoyance of getting stranded in one of them again, that's what bothersome about pocket dimensions. Anyway," The Doctor said, a wide grin suddenly covering her face, "This upstanding institution may forbid alcohol on its grounds, but my TARDIS my rules. Just popped over a few centuries to nab us the most exquisite collection of Draconian sake. Come, come!"

    "Wait, 'popped over'? Doctor, didn't you say you were staying here till we'd dealt with the Daleks?" Lavinia had to ask.

    "A few short trips won't hurt, timeship and whatnot. Besides, it's not like I ever drank and drove, Lavinia dear, just what do you take me for?" The Doctor said.

    "They're... time travellers?" Inessa gasped, straining to keep quiet. Given her profession and interests, Sailor Pluto was who initially came to mind. No, not quite, this Jane Smith would come off way too cavalier for Setsuna's standards. Lavinia did have a little bit of Mercury in her, she figured. With both Doctor Smith and Lavinia heading into that cramped box, Inessa said on impulse, "Alright, let's corner them!"

    Inessa, Ida, and Temperance sprang out and dashed towards the door in the box... only to come to a halt as they saw that it was far, far bigger in than out. "Get a hold of yourself, it's just another portal. You've seen way weirder than this," Temperance said in Inessa's ear as the girl remained gobsmacked, but any continued attempt at secrecy went nowhere.

    "You know, you three have a lot to learn when it comes to stealth, Brandt, Montgomery, and Atwater," Doctor Jane Smith said without needing to turn around, making the girls, Ida even, sweatdrop. When she did, she knelt to meet the three at eye level and told them, "Really, if you were so anxious to meet me, all you had to do was book an appointment. Oh my, but that wouldn't be exciting now, would it?"

    "This confirms it," Michael then spoke out of nowhere, as her crystal eyes scoured the TARDIS' dark, shrine-like interior, "We have a Time Lady before us. But how? Your people abhor interference."

    "'My' people? Honestly, do you greet everyone like that?" The Doctor said as she took out some sort of metal wand and scanned Michael with it. "Hmm, an Angel I take it? Afraid you may have a bit of a branding problem; I've met quite a few sorts across the universe calling themselves 'angels'."

    Inessa snatched Michael back up and went, "What did you just do to her?!"

    "Oh, The Doctor scans everyone like that. Don't worry, it's harmless," Lavinia said, but then said less casually to Inessa, "Listen, I know you're worried about what's going on, but please, you have to stay out of this. What we're doing, it's not safe."

    "I am afraid, Lavinia, that Miss Brandt and her friends have not stayed out of this at all. Really, they appear to have been on the scene longer than we have, if they're walking around with no less than an Archangel," The Doctor said.

    "Huh, the librarian's calling you 'The Doctor' like Jane Smith's not your real name," Ida picked up on.

    "Because it isn't," The Doctor said, then had to chuckle, "Honestly, was anyone ever fooled? My real name is strictly my own business, but for you three aspiring Nancy Drews, 'The Doctor' will suffice."

    "Wait, so you're a magical girl? 'Cause you gotta be!" Inessa then said, her eyes widening, "I know you can't be an Angelic Saint, but with what Michael called you, you have to be something, if you really can travel in time."

    "Travel in time and space, my dear. Not that the distinction need be made, if your Science classes have delved into relativity," The Doctor said, but then furrowed her brows. "Magical 'Girl' though, really? Do I look like anything less than a Woman to you? I can accept 'magical' if I must, for what does and doesn't count as magic is all a matter of perspective, is it not?"

    "And those 'Daleks'? Sounds like you really know them," Ida said.

    "...All too well," The Doctor muttered.

    "What about this girl you're with, 'Lavinia' right?" Temperance asked as she eyed the Doctor's companion, "There's gotta be something special about her, if you've chosen her to bring along through time and space, so you say."

    Lavinia shrank at this attention, but The Doctor then stood in to say, "No, there's absolutely nothing special about Miss Lavinia Mortlake at all. Nor does there need to be. It's not 'special' that matters to me, it's people. I invited Lavinia along with me just because she's her, simple as that." Lavinia herself didn't reply but couldn't help but blush.

    "Just because she's her..." Inessa muttered. "Ah, sorry, it's just there's someone I know who I- I really should've said that to. I mean, I did say that to them, but I really should've said that to them more, y'know?"

    "I can tell you there's a fair few people across the universe who really do need to hear those words more," The Doctor said, then grinned and clasped her hands, "Right, you've learned quite your fair share about me, only fair that in exchange I learn some things from you. Tell me, how much do you know about this 'Abyssal Forest'?"


    View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6s-bH_G-TlA
     
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  • Apocrypha
    • Pretty good fic. Though I don't think Avaritia would be so cavalier and callous about death, just the vibe I got from em.
     
    LampWitch said:
    Pretty good fic. Though I don't think Avaritia would be so cavalier and callous about death, just the vibe I got from em.
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    Yeah, maybe I could've done a better job of emphasising that Avaritia isn't being callous about death per se, but rather about the death of a Dalek in particular (which I wouldn't blame anyone for being) and is looking down on Castitas for being so torn up over killing someone who really doesn't deserve the sympathy.

    I will admit I intentionally wrote Avaritia as ruder than normal given eir mostly interacting with the Saints and that Dalek here, rather than with C as has been the case throughout most of this story. Whereas if I had C going through something similar, I'd have Avaritia react much more considerately.
     
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    Holy shit. So life's been busy and I was waiting till I had time to read this latest chapter to my GF and finally got around to it tonight and... Wow. I'm stunned.
     
    just found and binged this and oh i absolutely adored it. very nice to find a trans story that isnt afraid to explore the angstier side of things while still being cute and positive overall.
     
    finished catching up

    how can this be so beautiful and hurt so much at the same time

    EDIT: like, fuck, i've got a bad episode of gender envy and dysphoria myself rn

    digital masochism yaaaaaaayyyyy
     
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    Wow.

    This is surprisingly deep, wrapped as it is in light-novel adventure and magical girl tropes. It so obviously needs to be a first-person narrative, as C struggles with issues that aren't problems, aren't issues, because even acknowledging them (I'm not trans) is a step that's way too far. And the arguments about "sins" and how you need something to lend motivation or anger or anything other than passive/patience/acceptance for those who are so pushed down and stepped on by the system or society or expectations...

    And it's all wrapped in light adventure and tropes, but the issues and needs and desperate longing are straight out of today's most cynical attitudes and politics.

    Wow.
     
    You know what we just realized? If this were a real show, people would have started making character AMVs featuring C turning into Invidia set to Bad Apple almost immediately after this episode. It checks a surprising number of boxes:
    • C's earrings are apple-themed
    • General themes of depression, feeling stuck and unable to change your life, and not being able to express your pain or ask for help
    • Not sure if these lyrics are official translations, but the version we're familiar with has "Maybe it's a dream; maybe nothing else is real/But it wouldn't mean a thing if I told you how I feel/So I'm tired of all the pain, of the misery inside/And I wish that I could live feeling nothing but the night", which fits C during the "dreaming of being Invidia" phase very well
    like, we're pretty sure there are character AMVs out there with less justification in their song choice than this. given the clearer thematic connections here, and the flashback scenes Shadell implied existed in the "show" version of this story, that's pretty fertile ground for an AMV for nearly every popular version of Bad Apple in existence.

    "Thank you for coming to our TED talk."
     
    I mean, the official official "Bad Apple!!" doesn't even have lyrics. The lyrics came later, with the Alstroemeria Records version. (I'm not aware of any English translations officiated by either ZUN or Alstroemeria; they probably aren't.)

    I don't know a lot about Touhou, but I know...slightly more about Touhou fan music.
     
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