corruption au meme

[kbcctv]

CORRUPTION AU MEME

The Sword Army pursues the Retrograding Army through history, encountering familiar settings and reliving old memories. Though strong, with every change in time and setting, the swords dread the old memories. As they fight to preserve history as it is meant to be, the Sword Army must steel their hearts and resist temptation lest they come to fight themselves…

A popular fan theory is that the enemy swords you fight are actually your swords from an alternate universe who wished to change history. For this meme, feel free to make up your own starters or use one of the prompts below. Remember to state if your character is corrupted, not, or if you have no preference.

PROMPT IDEAS 1. How could you let this happen? They wanted to be left alone, their mood was poor, and maybe you should have noticed the signs but now that you have, it’s too late. They can’t stop these thoughts in their head and something in their soul has turned dark and ugly. Is it too late? Maybe you can get through to them… if not, are you ready to draw your sword? 2. Possession. Even the smallest trace of doubt can attract them— evil spirits. Once the dark spirit has latched on to your soul, it takes over and consumes you. Maybe the possession is gradual or maybe it happens suddenly. All you know is that everyone has regrets and anyone can doubt… this could happen to anyone. 3. Cry Wolf. We fought the same battles and shared the same meals together so it was only natural that we would be considered allies and friends. The fateful moment approaches and suddenly it is revealed: One of you is not a true friend. There is a traitor among you. 4. Becoming your own enemy. Your mission is to go back in time and let things happen as they were meant to be but their fall into despair was never supposed to happen, right? And so you went back in time to prevent their misfortunes but you keep failing again and again until, this time, you think you’ve got it. This time, you’ll be able to save your friend - but will you be able to save yourself too? 5. Reborn again. When destroyed in battle, the sword disappears only to return again anew. You can’t choose the fate you’re born with though and this time, someone has returned… from the wrong side.

INSPIRATIONS There are some corruption fanart floating around Pixiv, as well as a FST made by Aki (fletrir). Other canons with similar themes to this meme are first and foremost Puella Magi Madoka Magica, as well as Shin Megami Tensei and other demonic-theme heavy series.

Original premise and coding was done by eskimo, image taken from here.

Comments

[havocking]

We're weapons, so we have to stay sharp to do our best against our enemies.

[It's a rare moment of seriousness - if gentle (???) teasing hadn't been enough to get through to him, maybe this will be, he thinks.]

We can't risk dulling ourselves against each other.

[newtimes]

I'm still sharp. ( He's still good. Poor performance aside, he's still good... He just has to prove himself. ) I'm old fashioned but... I'm still sharp, see?

( And he'll even show off Mutsunokami a little. Certainly, the blade is still good. The saniwa is clearly looking out for them but Midare might sense something is a little off. Though the blade is in good condition, does it seem... a little cloudy, maybe? )

[havocking]

[A little cloudy, yes. It might not be so obvious to humans, but tsukumogami are attuned enough to their true forms that they can sense when something is wrong even when look at someone else's. Midare wonders idly how many swords just like this are in human museums - clouding over with regret at being locked away where they can't fulfill the purpose they were created for.]

Very, very sharp. Too sharp for someone like me. [He puts one hand over the flat of Mutsu's blade and shakes his head.] You want to save that sharpness. Remember who our real enemy is.

[newtimes]

( At the touch, he can't help but shudder some.

For a long time, he's felt as if he's been in a fog. His head is a filled with cotton and a voice that isn't his own is always whispering into his ear to distract him from any words trying to reach him. But he can still feel. It's probably the only sense he truly has left and Midare's hand feels real. It's a real hand and it's that of a friend.

He can hardly think, he can barely hear, the air smells rotten, and... )

Midare-kun. ( Is a friend. Not an enemy. He's a friend. He can trust him. ...For now. And Mutsu, who had been making a point of avoiding eye contact for some time, finally raises his gaze to meet Midare's, the tantou might notice it isn't just his sword that is clouded. Mutsu's eyes, normally bright and focused ahead, seem clouded as well. ) ... I can't see.

[havocking]

[That... is wrong. It's very, very wrong, and though he keeps his hand on the blade, it isn't quite enough to keep both hands steady. They're trembling a little at the sight of his eyes.

For someone like Mutsu to end up like this... to be unable to see... he's never seen it before. He doesn't know what to do.]

...how long... has this been going on? [Is it something that can be fixed? If they can clear the cloudiness from his steel, will his vision return? Will his eyes be as bright and unclouded as they're meant to be? He reaches over with his free hand to try and take on of the larger blade's.]

I'll take you to the forge. The master... the master will make repairs, and you'll be as good as new.