🍰starrybell🍓

Thank you for trading 💙🥺

Commission addict ahh needs more Mephiru glance upon my icon by the amazing zzol_cms

Reworked on Kaoru's ref sheet

Gift for @starry-bell

I felt bad not giving anything in return for your amazing Mephiru Valentine’s gift so I thought I’d try drawing Maria! I attempted to include some subtle symbolism based on the lore i'm aware of (though my knowledge of Catholicism is pretty limited I tried my best to find appropriate symbols…)

It definitely feels poetic, and I am very happy you took the time to make it. You always add these nice patterns in your art, which make it quite unique!

I forgot to mention that I actually used to be a straight up Yukio hater at 15 when I first watched aoex. I was that easily influenced 🫠

Quick comic cuz I said I'd draw it 🫡

I may have paced around my room while reading it when I got out of bed.

Kaoru did Maria dirty by saying it’s a fruit ball (was expecting actual fruit). Kaoru is allowed to mess with that guy because it’s funny. (And Kaoru must have joyous laughs.)

Any chance you could do a long ass post about his lore? There is nothing in this world I love more than hearing other people yap about it 😈

Go in as much detail as tumblr will allow you 🙏

I'd be so happy to talk about him!!!

First of All !!!

I'd like to apologize about any grammar error my lore may have, english isn't my first language. Moreover, the way I portrayed the characters such as Mephisto Pheles is more based on Goethe's MephistoPheles and my personal experience with the actual demon. I am aware some part might be slighlty ooc but it's only my portrayal and how I see the character and think he would act. I like to explore his nature of the deal-making demon and trickster he is. I did not try to exactly match Blue Exorcist' story and wrote my character based on my likings. I'm also very petty and refuse to look at the show and character's wiki for certain reason so my researchs are 99% me going around the manga scan to find my info.

I am not good at writing characters, I may have some stuff wrong and I'm open to criticism for better writing/correction about some part!

Kaoru isn't his actual name, he has taken many names upon the centuries the one which he is affilated with the most is Höden (as a reference to Hödekin from the German folklore)

He is directly inspired by Kobolds which are malicious trickster-like house spirits.

As a demon familar he used to take care of chores amongst the noble in exchange of food but his jokester nature and jester-like appearence (he loved mimicking the ones he's seen before) earned him the title of one. He went on with entertaining the higher class by perfoming tricks and alike in exchange of food and laughs, he was quite well known as "The Jester" of that period because of his no limit nature aswell as demon tricks hidden under simple acts of entertainment. Until the death of the king, his owner, at that point his nature of demon took over and the pranks turned more violent. He sow discord uppon the upperclass involving cannibalism which caused him to get locked up in dungeon (as people didn't know how to exorcise him).

The mayhem he spread interested someone in particular, a certain demon who enjoyed the chaos and divertissement Höden brought. Under the condition of becoming his familiar, Samael would set him free from the dungeon along with advantages he would get from the king of time himself.

The deal was made, one brought entertainment and the other watched through his right eye (explains why Kaoru wears an eyepatch, whenever it's off Mephisto is able to see through his eyes).

A journey between them started, forming quite a bond together. Hopping from area to area to perfom and prank humans, his partner occasionally observing him. As time passed Kaoru became eager to please and entertain Mephisto, slowly growing attached might even categorize it as a crush if only love for demons wasn't

"merely the illusion of attachement".

-Mephisto's words

It became more and more obvious as Kaoru observed humans' relationship and attempted to recreate what he saw with his partner, master, owner whatever Mephisto is to him. He caught on from the start and while playing into the game only for the fun of it Mephisto quickly realized that Kaoru actually thought a relationship between them was possible, he rejected him in that joke/condescending-like tone and both went on with their journey.

Mephisto and Kaoru weren't always together since even if he's technically his familar he was given free card to roam around and have fun. At one point he met a human who looked and acted very similar to his master and obviously fell "inlove" with him. While Kaoru and Mephisto grew apart, he and that human only got closer and started living that love fantasy Kaoru had always thought about.

Eventually they got engaged and after a while Kaoru set his troublemaker nature aside to live happily with his husband for the short time he had with the mortal. Life wasn't kind and his husband got sick quickly after, living in delusion, Kaoru couldn't accept that he had to die so quickly and asked a favor from none other than the king of time himself to give his husband more time to live.

I want to think that "this illusion of attachement" grew more on him than he'd actually admit. I also think he wouldn't like being deprived of one his source of entertainment, a piece of collection I might say.

He granted his wish nonetheless but in the same way the Monkey's paw works, the deal has an unspoken twist that favors Mephisto. In exchange of the deal, if Kaoru ever admits that love doesn't exists for demons and choose to let his husband go then he would lose the freedom he initally had and would become a metaphorical doll for his owner. (It's just a nice way for Mephisto to say "hey reminder that you belong to me" since he would still give him that freedom later on even if Kaoru doesn't accept it)

His husband would gain immortality but doesn't gain the regeneration that goes along. He begged Kaoru to let him go plus the deal and release him from the suffering, unable to see the one he's attached to in pain he admits the counterpart to Mephisto hoping the wish would be canceled. Once the one he loves is gone every part of himself goes along.

(Not so Funfact: while his husband disappeared from his view, he still "lives somewhere hidden from sight. The immortality persist and he will live forever despite his illness, he will continue to suffer until his body has completely decayed. And even when nothing is left his soul will continue to air without the body that goes along never achieving heaven nor hell. Mephisto didn't tell him that and probably never will)

It's at that moment Höden switches to the name "Kaoru" (imposed by Samael). He lost every aspect of his personality at that point and becomes a mere husk, a decoration to put on Mephisto's shelf if you will. His appearence is changed to match the king of time. For a while he spends his days and nights sleeping, not dreaming, just shutting off. He is never asked to do anything, he decorates the bed and if he's asked to do something he obeys first as a machine.

More time passes by, while he kept his habits of sleeping a lot, he often gets dragged around by Mephisto to accompany him in his outings and forgets he kinda depressed. Sometimes a few part of his old self come back, he pranks and tricks again mostly out of boredom His strong personality resurfaces back from time to time but never for long.

As for "why" I chose Kaoru as a second name.

The name Kaoru which can also be written Kaworu (薫 / 香 / 馨) has a meaning which revolves around scent, fragrence.

A fragrence is something that still lingers even after the source it emitted from is gone. Here the source is pretty much his husband and while he is now gone Kaoru didn't resume his acts of jests, the fragrence which is his "calm/chill" behavior he used to have with deceased husband remained. I hope that makes sense.

I thought it would be a nice switch since he no longers has the energy to perform and cause troubles so the name "Höden" is no longer appropriate.

Long story over ! Now for some funfact, shenanigans and more about him

He still holds a grudge against Mephisto and sometimes likes to piss him off by doing various stuff like messing with his school and students, pulling pranks, scaring boys in the bathroom, feasting. As I said before he used to cannibalize people, unfortunately the principal does not enjoy having to explain why his students are disappearing to the order. Kaoru is not allowed to eat people anymore (he never was but shhh)

He looks androgynous and that's on purpose, his appearence always has been an important part of him which is why he took a more human look instead of looking like any Kobolds. He's heavy on fashion, especially Ouji Lolita and found himself a passion for cross dressing. He is actually a fashion influencer and oftens appears on clothing magazines. I regularly draw him with different clothes and haircut. He's supposed to be canonically attractive and fem leaning. Mister the king of time enjoys this passtime of his.

He doesn't play any important role in the canon BlueExorcist story, barely interacts with the characters other than those at the Johann Faust's residence like Belial and sometimes Amaimon. He does steal some of the meals Rin makes to either:

-eat it himself

-add a tons of chili powder and place it back like nothing happened

Most of cast has already seen him from afar but they never really talk to him except if they have to.

He was forced to become an Exorcist, even if he's technically a familiar he doesn't fight so he can't be used as one to battle. He is a tamer and uses kins of Samael if needed. He ranks as middle 2nd class.

Very high spice and alcohol tolerence, he is also rewarded with milk when he behaves well so I'm guessing he likes milk

His demon form is small dragon/reptile-like and his animal form is a tokay gecko

His relationship with Mephisto is complicated and threaded with something that almost resembles romance. One of them flirt, toys with the idea, teasing, while the other pretends to be indifferent or even irritated. And yet things do happen between them. Kaoru is aware of it all, but refuses to admit aloud that he is still in some way in love. Mephisto on the other hand, doesn’t believe demons are capable of such feelings. there are moments when he plays the part so convincingly it feels real to the other, moments where one might even wonder if Mephisto himself forgets he’s only pretending.

I think I said his husband looked and acted very similarly to Mephisto, I'd like to say there is times where his vision blurr and he sees his previous lover in the man standing in front of him.

He's very lazy and will not move his ass to do anything, he grew a sort of attitude towards his Samael and even if he's technically obligated to obey him he will often deny the chores he gives him (Worst Kobold ever lol)

Dramatic x bothered but forced to bear with him duo

He admires Beelzebub

Spirit type demon and I couldn't find too many info on Kobolds, since they're goblin like creatures I think if I associate as a kin of Amaimon king of earth it would be fitting?

All that I can think of for now...

Oh yeah, his initial design was inspired by Mana Sama

I'm not sure if anyone is actually going to read all of this but hey thanks if you did!! If there's any question about him feel free to ask 🫶

When I first saw Kaoru’s design a few months ago, I didn’t know the lore and wondered if Kaoru made a deal with Mephisto because of all the time motifs (monocle, tie, hourglass print, jester outfit, etc.) It seems like it’s a more complicated situation than just a deal.

Kaoru’s story is so sad, and the themes of love, loss, and obsession are particularly sad to me. No wonder why he looks despondent in that one drawing with Mephisto and cherry blossoms. He might be seeing his late husband…

I want to see a happy ending for Kaoru, please give him nice things.