In particular, we were the single most nominated entry in the Best Original Work category, though not by much
Vice sweep!
@ArlequineLunaire Oh, by the way. Michael knows of the Time Lords but not the Doctor?
Okay, to properly review this chapter (and pull a ricerockreckt but that's a good way to appreciate the story)
I told her to meet me in the park the next day.
That poor park, being the site of all their drama.
To them, this was probably the place where they saw me turning around. A wasted effort.
Goddamn, Chiro can't see it as her friends respecting their privacy in dealing with their relationship. I remember her comparing Temperance, of all people, to a youth pastor.
If I'd ever been the kind of person who knew what I wanted, we wouldn't have gotten here in the first place. But Inessa wouldn't get the joke, and it wasn't like I was any better at understanding me.
Finally, more self awareness.
"I don't think I really get it," she said at last. "But I'll do whatever I need to do to make you talk!"
I lifted off the ground to build a little height, then dove for her. Even now she dared to think we could go back, that we could let all our feelings out then return to the old status quo, like all this was just another monster of the week.
Goddamnit. Inessa just wants Chiro to actually explain her issues and what she wants. And Chiro is again making assumptions.
Anyway, next section we get to see Castitas' attacks, finally!
"I'm a ditz!" she shouted, delivering a roundhouse kick to my thigh. "I'm indecisive! I can't do anything alone! I'm a coward when it comes to the people I care about!"
Looking back on the previously stated fact her virtue is her honest love for others, then Luxuria Fox would probably dismiss her own love due to her cowardice and indecision, and perhaps feeling like a parasite from needing others, which would parallel Chiro's own issues with needing others. Huh, basically confirms her Beast self would be a tsundere.
"But that wouldn't be fair to you, or to anyone who's gotten hurt, would it?" She shook her head. "That's why, we should accept everything and go forward instead!" That was objectively nonsense. It didn't mean anything at all. And yet, Inessa acted like this was some divine revelation. "I'll stop looking up to the image of you I built up in my head all this time, and you can stop doing the same for me and we can finally talk to each other."
Uh, it makes sense to me.
"Then that means you can become anyone you want to be!" Inessa smiled brightly at me, still refusing to accept the obvious.
I stared at her, genuinely confused. Did she still not get it? Was I simply too pathetic for Inessa to comprehend?
"So you hate yourself," the words were heavy on her lips. "I know there's more to you than that! You liked being Chiro!"
I dive-bombed her, pulling in and out and striking again and again as she blocked and dodged my frantic assault.
"It was an act!" I shouted, "I was trying to get close to you!" Frustration helped give weight to my blows, and I managed to drive my knee into her solar plexus, doubling her over. I followed it up with a hammer of imitation fire from above.
[...]
"She's fake!" I said instead. "I'm not her. I'm not the kind of person who could be her! I'm just pretending!" I lifted off the ground, rising above Inessa to divebomb her.
"So?" she asked. "I'm an idiot, but, why does it matter if it's fake, if it's what you want?"
Inessa trying to get the point that what Chiro currently is isn't an immutable truth, and she can change. And also that the labels slapped on her aren't permanent. I'm sure there's a better way to talk about it, but I'm sleep deprived.
"It's not fair!" Inessa cut me off. "You're so kind to everyone else, why do you always get to be mean to yourself? If this was anyone else you'd tell them to try! That even if they couldn't be exactly the person they dreamt of, they could still become someone great!"
I probably would have casually made up something like that. Then again, I didn't hate anyone else the way I loathed myself, not even Superbia. Somewhere in the fight, Inessa's constant overtures had gone from impossible to almost sounding logical.
The whole point of Chiro's issue, how her envy (admiration) and kindness are intertwined, how they're twisted. And Inessa is finally breaking through the illusions of her self-loathing.
"CASTITAS METEOR SHOWER!!!" Inessa shouted as the arrow loosed.
The arrow rose up and up, exploding in a massive fireball that scattered the clouds for a moment. A thousand burning stars fell toward us.
"CASTITAS!" She raised her bow in front of her, spinning it as easily as anyone else might spin a baton. With each rotation it grew larger and larger, the flames extending the shape of the bow far beyond its limits.
"EMPYREAL," the flames around her stretched into a point, transforming Castitas herself into a gargantuan arrow.
"ARROW!" And she fired herself forward, shooting at me with all the light and heat of a newborn star.
I really love these attacks very much.
I closed my eyes and savored the oncoming warmth. Finally, it could end. Inessa would be sorry that she'd had to take it this far, but she was so strong.
Chiro, no matter how much she gets people, is really underestimating what death of someone you've been close to for years, by your own hands, does to someone. She talks a lot about the Saints holding onto their view of her and wanting to change her, but is herself insistent on her view of Inessa and wanting to make her kill.
The seed went oddly quiet, almost as if was hibernating. Of course, I could still feel it deep inside, waiting to welcome me back as soon as I admitted that all my efforts to be better were just another masquerade.
So, I've been wondering if she's stuck with the seed forever. Always ready to incentivize her worst side. That sure would suck.
Invidia has been defeated, but Inessa is being held hostage by the Abyssal Forest! Temperantia, Diligentia and Michael stage a perilous rescue attempt. Meanwhile, Chiro considers what she wants to do now that her power of envy has shattered. Just when it seems like all hope seems lost, a surprising ally arrives on stage!
Oh, the anime uses Chiro after she loses the shapeshifting. Well, it's closer to a name for her than C or Invidia Bat. Also, shows the anime wasn't shy about her gender identity. Big ups for Shining Virtue Angelic Heart. Wonder if the anime had little extra sections about being nice and respectful.
You know, we haven't seen if Inessa enjoys fighting, so I thought it would be cracky to have her randomly accept a someone's challenge to a duel, but I realize she will fight if it's a way for someone to express themself honestly, she would earnestly support that.
