hello

With my side tangents done, I'd like to get into the meat of this post which is that. While everyone is incredibly analytical over Viola's character and the quality of her character in a narrative sense. I never really see people questioning why Viola and Bayonetta's relationship is so... for lack of a better term... stable. Sure a lot of people discuss the circumunstances required between Bayo and Luka in order to conceive Viola.

But no one really questions Bayonetta being a parent? As a whole I see Bayonetta as a character who despite her fun campy attitude, is someone who struggles to show emotion. Since the first game she's displayed irritation at crying, and struggles with negative emotions.

I imagine she uses her confidence and exaggerated ego as a defensive mechanism to avoid loss. Which isn't to say she is just some sad Eeyor character. But she does have some imperfections as a character in regards to vulnerability (which is a good thing, good protagonists should struggle with something). Such as in the first game when she thought Luka and baby Cereza got blown up, she is initially very distraught before realizing they're alive, in which she completely switches back to her fun sassy attitude.

All of this to say Bayonetta has a hard time showing emotional affection. In addition to that she finds very young children difficult, she struggles with the noises of small children crying. She often viewed baby Cereza as an obstacle or weight that she had to drag along with her or push off on Luka.

These things dont make her a terrible person by any means. But they do mean she probably wouldn't be an ideal parent either. Additionally I can't imagine Viola being a planned conception. As Bayo stated herself, she's always been more interested in making children rather than having them. As such I can't see her having an incredibly supportive relationship with her daughter especially since Viola is so spunky and awkward (which I find endearing).

However in game 3 we don't see it explored much which I'm disappointed by. I like stories that explore parent-child relationships, because it really can add so much variety in stories. Especially since many people's temperament and choices are shaped by upbringing and parental influence; of which we see very little in Bayonetta 3.

As for the fact that Viola is the daughter of Bayonetta and Luka, I'm honestly not that mad at it. Now I don't think in any way they'd be in a proper romantic spousal style relationship. But I can absolutely see them getting intimate enough to create a child (accidentally). Friends with benefits exist, and I can see see both Bayonetta and Luka being the types to get non-committaly handsy with eachother.

And while Bayonetta may not display any romantic interest in Luka, she definitely thinks of him as a friend or someone close to her. Plus unexpected children are incredibly common and I dislike the idea that media should always portray all conceptions and births as being planned because it's inaccurate to reality and frankly quite boring.

A lot of women have children they didn't plan on having. However this lack of preparation often creates tension, mistakes, and seeded resentment from both parent and child that I personally think would be incredibly interesting to see play out narratively.

And I wish they explored that concept with Bayonetta and Viola. I don't think Bayonetta as a character could hate her child, nor do I think Viola as a character could hate her parent. But I could absolutely see a situation where these characters despite loving eachother as family, are not on the same page on their familial relationship. So words are left unspoken, or signals are missed. Which would've been a sick concept to explore in game.

It was cold, it felt cold, and it was dark. There was a noise to the eery quietness that sounded like shrill screams, small high pitched screams, it made the red head claw at her own back. Something inside her telling her that she was in debt, and needed to give payment, yet she didn't know what.

A gasp filled Marilyn's lungs as she lurched up from the couch; a cold sweat ran over her. A dream, that's all it was, a dream. A gentle touch startled the woman, whipping her head around to see, Larissa Weems. Marilyn's supervisor, headmistress of Nevermore. "You're in a cold sweat, what happened?" Larissa asked with a gentle concern. Marilyn let out a heavy sigh "it's nothing, just a bad dream. I'm sorry I woke you" Marilyn said softly.

"Oh dont be" Larissa said "here, perhaps if you came to bed with me you'd be more comfortable" the ivory haired woman added in that flattering tone she used when trying to get her way. She batted her lashes softly but there was, perhaps a hint of need behind those royal blue eyes of her's.

Marilyn shook her head "no, actually, I think I should just head to my cottage" Marilyn said sitting up from Larissa's couch. Larissa's face shifted slightly. "It's nearly midnight" Larissa stated in a tone that grew firmer. Marilyn stumbled in the dim light of Larissa's living room, grabbing her coat and purse. "I know, but really, I've overstayed my welcome. Thank you for... everything" Marilyn said.

The red head left before Larissa could argue. Larissa closed her eyes and clenched her jaw. In that moment Larissa tried to recall the events that led her here. Marilyn was driven, intelligent, and so kind with their students. It attracted Larissa, from a professional standpoint, or that's what Larissa told herself for the first year of Marilyn's employment here.

Larissa blamed herself, fraternizing with faculty is no way to behave. Granted it wasn't against school policy, Larissa was sure of it, she'd read the employee handbook inside and out, made revisions to it. Ironic, before Marilyn came in, Larissa was considering adding an amendment clause to the policy stating that employees cannot engage in intimate relations with superiors. Granted Larissa can't fire someone on her own, she'd have to go to the superintendent with write ups and work ups to fire anyone.

Larissa blinked and scoffed at herself, her head was back at work again. But it was easier wasnt it? Her work, easier than weaving through the mess of personal boundaries she broke when she became entangled with Marilyn. Larissa turned to her bedroom, and padded off to bed, where she could pretend to get some rest.

Marilyn treded through the schoolgrounds under the moonlight, slinking into her cottage with shame.

I was too harsh, I left too quickly, I'm being too cold to her.

One of the many thoughts ruminating in Marilyn's head as she turned the lights on in her living room. She set her things down and pulled her blouse off. She would've tossed the article of clothing aside had it not been for the blood soaking through it. Only then did her whirlwind of thoughts pause enough for her to register the stinging of her left shoulder blade.

Stumbling into the bathroom Marilyn turned her shoulder, deep rake marks, about six inches in length. A gentle touch of her own fingertips against the damaged skin elicited a hiss of pain from Marilyn. Perhaps in her hurry to get to the cottage, she caught herself on the branches of one of the many trees on Nevermore grounds, and she was in too much of a mental fog to register.

That was it, that had to be it, how else could she have gotten it. Marilyn turned the sink's faucet, letting the water warm while she grabbed a bag of cotton balls from the cupboard. Trying to clean her cut, trying to dismiss the way her skin flinched when she dabbed at it. Marilyn wasn't squeamish by any means, but looking at the red soaked cotton balls strewn across the bathroom counter made her hair stand on end.

The next morning Marilyn was up early in Nevermore's green house, she heard the distinct sound of heels clacking against the concrete floor. Looking up she saw Larissa, a squirming tension threaded between them that neither would acknowledge at the moment, no matter how much it begged. "Larissa, how was your morning?" Marilyn said with a soft smile. Larissa took in a breath "hectic, you have Wednesday Addams in your fourth period don't you?" Larissa asked though she knew the answer.

Marilyn nodded "uhm, yes, although she's been sporadic, either coming in late or skipping all together." Marilyn admitted. A scoff came from the principal at Marilyn's admission "Sheriff Galpin called today the minute I got into office. He claims he's noticed a black haired teen lurking around the crime scenes, with a deathly pale complexion" Larissa said. Marilyn grimmaced "She's a morbid teen, too curious is all. She wouldn't do anything so drastic, and if she did I doubt she'd be so secretive" Marilyn said. Larissa shook her head "Sheriff Galpin wont agree, if he finds a way to pin this on Nevermore then we're finished, for good." Larissa said, her tone stern with a sense of urgency.

Marilyn felt concern bubble in her chest, pulling of her gardening gloves before resting her bare hand onto Larissa's "whatever happens you have people in your corner." Marilyn assured, "Sheriff Galpin is just too hung on this town's past... everyone in this town is." Marilyn added with a lowered tone, as if it was something too venomous to be said. Larissa softened, her shoulders relaxing ever so slightly, "thank you, for listening" Larissa said with a smile.

The screeching of the school bell interrupted them, Larissa turned her head up slightly listening to it ring. "Right, well, good luck with your first period Ms. Thornhill" Larissa said before turning towards the door. "Thank you." Marilyn called back as she watched the headmistress dissappear into the hallway.