I sat on the rooftop, slowing my breathing and tracing a hand across the pleats in my skirt. Something about that soothed.
So fucking relatable. Had a dream where I had a dress and I just kept feeling it with my hands.
"Ah," the robed figure said. "So the fourth has finally awoken. With your leave, I will allow you to attend to this, we can discuss the fruit later." Their voice had a lyrical tilt to it, and a strange ethereal quality that felt familiar in a strange way. Where Superbia made a constant show of authority, the cloaked person managed to sound like they were above everything while miming deference.
Welp, we have our Xehanort. We have a bunch od seeds, but a single important fruit, huh?
"Long ago, people were weak and powerless, and the forest in which we all lived was dark and scary and full of monsters. The children of the forest hid and ran and tried to survive and eventually they found themselves seeking shelter under a tall ancient tree."
Loredump time! So the virtues supposedly come from branches. I'm thinking the tree's whole thing is self-awareness and self-realization. And the whole sotry really sounds like propaganda.
"But, we found Superbia sealed away in the Forest from all the way back when that first war happened, and we let him out and he gave the seeds that let us turn into Beasts so we could join him against the tyranny of virtue."
Okay, there's something weird here. Why does he act like a modern conservative asshole? The things people were prejudiced about back in the distant past of another world should be different. Or maybe being in the forest connected him to the collective thoughts of society. Far fetched though. Edit: oh yeah, the entire Children of the Forest seem to sorta mirror Earth values. Still, Superbia is from the past.
"Superbia knew we'd lose if we fought, and he found a way to a world outside the forest entirely
Confirmation it's another world.
I couldn't bring myself to think anything but the worst of our former guidance counselor. He was too much like dad in so many little ways to feel otherwise.
Yeah, abused people either get into other abusive relationships or get good at recognizing them.
Michael detects something odd about her
I wonder if Michael realizes who she is but she keeps quiet. Also, using a plush body, she's obviously different from the other Children of the Forest. None of them have shown any capability to separate a person from their flesh body non-fatally.
Interesting lore. The seeds make people feel like crap if they don't indulge in their sin enough. Contrast that with, for instance, Temperance still being able to snack to her heart's content, or Ida being actively encouraged to be less diligent by her saintly companions.
Avaritia, are you sure it's Michael forcing people to act according to a prescribed standard?
Yeah, it gives you what you need but withholds it if you fall out of line. More indication of being a predatory cult. Is this why Saints use branches? Are seeds too autonomous, or can you use them safely.
Massive mood. The intense sunlight here sucks. Actually itches and burns.
Not sure how that would play with the anime's actual plans, but it would make a great OVA once the series wraps up.
Episode of C: A Little Vice
Michael Gaiden: A Little Crime
Avaritia and Gula's Excellent Adventure: A Little ???
So far Invidia's horrible villainy that proves she's definitely an unlovable monster amounts to:
gently shoving Inessa before transforming
and giving her a tiny papercut on the hand by accident that she immediately felt bad about
Poor girl tries so hard to be evil but just can't do it.
Most adorable villain ever.
There's a pretty good ongoing quest,
Something Wicked, which follows a male magical girl villain.
Oh, so that's the plot. My brain is too full atm for this, but cool.
Magical girls are pretty dark in general; both Sailor Moon and Tokyo Mew Mew killed off their entire casts in the finale.
Lol, didn't know Tokyo Mew Mew went that hard.
Disintegrating what little identity she is building for herself by trying to reach for more would probably be a progression towards the villainous, self destructive urges of her sin. If the part about envying Avaritia's confidence in this chapter is any indication, denying that urge might be important later.
Oh, nice insight. Giving in too hard to the seed would destroy her. Wonder if the seed would take over.
Feels more like they're exploiting the resources of another world
Literal human resources. They're literally invading Earth for an energy resource under the guise of liberating them.
