madimpossibledreamer

I don’t entirely remember if the “voodoo doll” thing came up in Gabriel Knight, but couldn’t resist including it here anyway, one because it’s set in New Orleans (N’awlins to the natives) and second because in one version the main character was voiced by Tim Curry. You can buy it on Steam, which I did after watching a playthrough years ago, though full disclosure have yet to play it again. Fortunately, Xander’s foggy memory works in my favor here, because I don’t have to be right because he doesn’t have to.
(brb upgrading boss fight)
i'm sad that dreamwidth doesn't retain the "shadow" option for Xander's DT speech. bolding works okay here, but when he hasn't fully gone spiky yet but is on his way I'm going to struggle to come up with an option that captures that.

Main Points:
Buffy/Devil May Cry
Chapter Summary: Xander meets with his client to give her an update on the case.
Word Count: 1439
Rating: Teen
Warning: not Last Man's Dead which is the piece I think I'll compare warnings in this series to, but Elaine does make a few implications about potential violence in that vein, so viewer discretion advised.  I honestly think that it's mild (as it's just subtle implication) but figured a head's up was fair.

( [Mission 1 Continue] )

 

I didn’t think about it but I’ve taken some cues writing this series from Devil Summoner. I’d always planned on a loyalty system, but didn’t think about the SMT:DS implications. (Also, the Dresden Files stuff I kind of know, given the whole Friendly Cop thing, shared with Angel, but thinking more concretely about it helped me figure out what I was doing; though most of that has to do with the fact that I’ve sufficiently leveled my DMC OC for him to start goofing off. Puts me in the writing mood.) (And maybe the DMC5 trailer with V who I still know next to nothing about and want to keep it that way until I play.)

Main Points:
Buffy/Devil May Cry
Chapter Summary: Xander gets ready for the big showdown.
Word Count: 1235
Rating: Teen

( [Mission 1 Continue] )

...sorry about the length; this thing became a monster.  But I don't want to cut it down or chop it up, so.  I started writing this in excitement about the time I learned of the DMC5 announcement, as the following two extra AN show, and then again around the time it came out (and then now, of course).  It turns out I have a lot of feels about the Sparda family (and yeah, that was confirmed canon in interview before DMC5 came out, it's not a spoiler).  Also a lot of feels about DMC4.  Like, how does the Order of the Sword work?  How did the religion work?  What were they going to do with it?  That opera scene, plus the "humans have something demons don't".  SO MUCH like, almost more feels than the rest of the series except for maybe DMC5 when I get to it and that speech about "maybe somewhere even a devil may cry when they lose a loved one", thank you Lady.
tbf part of the reason I latched onto Nero was my headphones and mp3 player where what got me through high school and college and early mornings at one of my jobs, so there might be a little mild audiophile MUSIC IS COOL geeking out

I just found this hanging out in the ‘to finish’ part of my documents.  Written before DMC5, may have been jossed.  I haven’t seen DMC5 yet, mainly because I’m trying to decide whether I want to play it blind as soon as I buy a PS4 or am too impatient and want to watch someone else play for now.
Refound again and it was still not finished.  Have decided I want to play it blind, though I’m hoping that I don’t get to it ten years from now.  Money is hard, unless you’re Lady.

Main Points:
Devil May Cry
Chapter Summary: Nero gets an unexpected visit.
Word Count: 3892
Rating: Teen
friend!ship Dante & Nero (does it count if you're family?), ship ship Nero/Kyrie (more mentioned than present)

 

( Sparda's Lineage )

 

jumanji welcome to the jungle is fabulous

devil's hunt...well this looks like the ninja theory game minus the terrible PR and juvenile humor...

I was trying to write a different Christmas fic but it wasn't working. Then my brain went "hey the yakuza games are always set around Christmas" so... *BUT* there is a lot of backstory for this AU that I haven't shared yet, so I better get on that.
As for name of the 'verse, I can just see sakura petals with blood around them being a big 'yakuza' symbol--like, they look pretty, but they're deadly. This is a kind of genderbend in which Xander's the only one genderbent because otherwise he wouldn't be part of the yakuza in this universe. The females are in charge.

           It goes like this: at one point, there was a husband and wife who supposedly loved each other. However, when the time came, the husband proved he didn’t really love his wife, because love doesn’t care about outward but inward appearances. (This is the story of Izanagi and Izanami, only Izanagi's 'mistake' led to his having problems, not his wife.)  The pride of men was condemned. Women were placed in charge. Some were taught the technique to gain power from outside themselves, becoming samurai and Emperesses. The Yakuza take it to the extreme, using a magic ritual to bind a willing spirit to the magic irezumi. It loses most of its independence and personality, but it does influence the yakuza gaining it. The matriarchs get an upgrade and can talk directly to the chairwoman if necessary.

When it came to all the names, I did my best to match meaning. Some are a little more obvious than others.

Akiyama (autumn mountain) Yoko (willow child)-Obviously, Willow. While all yakuza in this universe know some magic, she's the one that specialized in it. And information. You need to know anything about anyone, Akiyama and her Akiyama-gumi are the people to ask. She's also a little bit cruel and greatly enjoys blackmail.

Maki (shepherd) Akiharu (bright rising sun)-Hey, look, it's Giles. He's still male, unlike Xander, and was the advisor to the last Natsukawa, though as he's male can't have a direct role.  In this particular Yakuza clan, Amaya-kai (heavenly valley), the Natsukawa have been the last two chairwomen (heads of the clan).  Rumors say that he might have been one of Natsukawa Kimiko-san's lovers.  While relegated to a background role due to his gender, he's still rumored to know a lot, particularly when it comes to magic, and it's rumored he even has illegal irezumi tied to a chaos spirit.  He's been given a lot of leeway compared to other males with ties to the clan which might have been part of what led to the rumors.  He continues to advise the next chairwoman, Natsukawa Renyo.

Natsukawa (summer river) Kimiko (lord child)-Joyce, who dies sometime during the "series" to start a whole succession arc.  She was a strong chairwoman and an average mother--good in some ways, bad in others.  She was certainly busy and helped protect her children, but that's not always an excuse.

Natsukawa Renyo (godsend bargain)-Buffy, who as expected is the most important person in this AU, as she is the Chairwoman.  She's survived a number of attempts on her life due to her strength and is vicious when it comes to dealing with her enemies.  She's serious about protecting those under her protection and keeping her promises.  Basically, she's a more vicious Kiryu--honorable, means well, but definitely yakuza.

Natsukawa Akeru (to dawn)-The delinquent little sister, Dawn, who ended up being the matriarch of the Natsukawa-gumi.  Forces tried to make her become chairwoman, but Akeru-chan didn't want any of it, particularly in the assassination attempts on her sister.  She prefers shoplifting and pickpocketing to actual organized crime, so the Natsukawa-gumi commiserate with the Miyamoto-gumi over their wayward matriarchs.

Miyamoto (palace origin) Suna (protect/obey summer or welfare)-Female Xander.  Just as offbeat as the Slayer's Mad Whelp version.  Miyamoto-gumi are the Majima-gumi thugs or the Eleventh Division of the Amaya-kai.  They accept everyone, as long as they show they can fight.  They're the enforcers.  Honorable, violent, and fiercely loyal to her chairwoman.  She's also as mercurial and violent as Majima.  She also is genderfluid and acts as a male overseas, sometimes for business and sometimes in clubs.

Inoue (above the well) Yuu (brave)-Andrew, Miyamoto's lieutenant.  Mostly, like Nishida, this involves running around a lot trying to fulfill the random whims of her matriarch.  Long-suffering, loyal, and strong.

Kumai (bear pit) Atae (godsend)-It's Jesse.  The Kumai-gumi are...problematic.  It's the Nishikiyama family, in this 'verse.  Ambitious, and willing to take on any dangerous or scummy job in order to move up in the Amaya-kai.


Cordelia also shows up.  She has the same backstory as Zed from Constantine/Hellblazer (she has important powers and is on the run from her cultist dad).  She flirts with Miyamoto when she's dressing male in one of the clubs, reading that "he's" powerful and might be able to keep her safe.  Suna-chan learns that she started out just trying to escape her situation but does find her attractive, and for Miyamoto it could be good PR ("a stabilizing force").  They both like each other but are using each other in this situation.  Anyway, in this version of Japan, the actual biological sex of each partner doesn't matter as long as both marrying stick to strict conservative roles--one acts as the meek, stay-at-home husband, while the other is the wife that's the head of household and more aggressive.  (It helps when women can choose magical pregnancies in order to continue the bloodline and can even probably speed up the process so as not to be put out of commission as long.)
 

man typing one handed takes so stupidly long

like 99% of the games i watch lol how'd i get here
but lurking comment
yes, japan's conviction rate is really crazy.  that's because they put a lot more effort into the investigation, so once they arrest someone, it's supposed to be because they're pretty sure that person did it. that's the ideal, anyway.  I remember researching statistics for ace attorney fanfic reasons.  I'm sure that's not always how it is (I am told that it's not actually as good as they hope but treat it that way anyway), cops are fallible and if P4/this game are any indication the public does start getting antsy when nothing's happened (from the outsider's perspective) in an investigation

 

( In which my roommate and I attempt to wrangle an uncooperative Prince. )

 

A note to the field agents: I realize that you’re getting antsy, but we’ve already lost far more than our usual numbers due to the hunt Wolfram & Hart seems to have declared on our agents.  This is unacceptable, so we have instituted a policy of only letting the field agents with Stands in the field.

I’m not sure why a law firm is acting so outside the purview of a law firm, even if it is evil, because such things draw attention when it’s better to not have that, but then, I’m not giving the orders to a bunch of murdering lunatics, I’m giving the orders to a bunch of great people I love to work with and have alive.

I know you’re all bored and trying to deal with it as best you can, and I’m the last person to tell you that food is an invalid choice.  But as much as I love cheese, I have to ask: why all the cheese?

Three Days Grace

Stand User: Antonia Ellis

Power: A	Speed: A	Range: D
Durability: C	Precision: D	Potential: A

 

            Three Days Grace is a humanoid figure with no facial features other than the goggles it wears.  Gears are visible through the skin of the Stand, constantly turning, and a spookily loudly ticking brass clock hangs next to a pouch at its side.  When not in action, Three Days Grace is as still as a statue.  When moving, Three Days Grace is unnaturally quick.  It does not use the giant brass shears to attack directly, but instead uses them to cut paper retrieved from the pouch at its side.  Antonia has barely used her Stand, however, so she is only aware of a few of the traps Three Days Grace is capable of making.  Three Days Grace has yet to directly act in combat, moving quickly enough to stay out of the way of attackers.  It has not used its shears on any attackers, either.  Three Days Grace’s main form of attack is traps symbolized by the paper cut-outs that once placed adhere to any surface.  These can be set off by anyone, even allies, while set.  Allies must take care to avoid the traps when set, indicated by when the Stand sets down the cut piece of paper.  However, if the attacker can avoid all the set traps, there’s not much Three Days Grace or Antonia can do about it.  All traps once sprung appear to be only made of paper, but they cut as sharp as any blade and work as well as the “real thing”.  Three Days Grace, like any Stand, matches the personality of its User, because Antonia prefers to do the dirty work of beating up the enemy User with her own hands or the weapons they hold, so traps are a perfect compliment.

Break—Bear traps.  A circular design with a smooth circle inside and a bunch of triangles cut on the outside.

Pain—Buzzsaw.  A paper chain with a bunch of jagged edges.

Riot—A fear trap.  The targets smell what they believe to be the sulfurous smell of mustard gas and uncontrollably run away.  However, this particular trap does not in fact affect the lungs, just the mind.  Paper footprint chain.

Drown—A water trap, akin to the one found in the Mummy Returns.  This one must be placed on a vertical surface.  Paper rocks form and crumble away to reveal a horde of paper streamers that appear and sweep you away.  They are just as powerful as a flood and can easily sweep you away and even drown you. Drown consists of a single sheet of paper connected only by a thin part at the left side that is not cut—the rest are cut in wavy lines. 

Outsider—Trapdoor.  The actual “doors” are formed by the ground beneath the trap, which fold away (and one can see the paper rimming the edges of the “doors”).  Looks vaguely like a card with rectangular cutouts.

in non-news i may or may not have created a genderbended giorno (who may or may not have wolves named gucci and armani).  sources cannot confirm.  fun facts: theoretical gucci would totally rip pucci's throat out.  ending the world just ain't right, to quote mista on the matter.

consider this: supernatural, only with the whole Eva = Mary thing. dean's a dante on the road, struggling to come to terms with his whole demonic side, while sam's kind of embracing it in small ways. sam's less of a vergil analogue than he could be, mostly because he doesn't go quite that far, but there are parallels to their attitudes in 3.