Stella, R99 edition

Hobby or habit? Both?

NEVER APOLOGIZE for supplying Vertin content. I live for it! I will die without it.

Especially since this gives me a chance to bring up Smoltin. Vertin wasn’t like this before. She used to take naps in class and skipped often. She loved to play and explore. She was passionate about the outside world, but she wasn’t a workaholic by any means.

It's like the role of Timekeeper consumed Smoltin.

The difference between Vertin and mini Vertin is such a highlight. 2.8 did such a good job covering how she used to be compared she is now; she still has some similar attributions that she kept as she grew up, but everything she used to be feels like a crumpled paper she just keeps on her pockets now.

And to think it all happened in a span of 4 years breaks me even more.

"The Art of Reverse: 1999" Sonetto Official Comic

This means so much to me, this means everything to me. I will give a one by one detail by detail as to why

I want to point out Sonetto turning orange (specifically starting from the little medal given to her) as time passes by. According to her Clothing and Torso voiceline: 'The Foundation has provided me with much help, including food, uniforms, education... and goals", it is the Foundation providing her everything she ever needs, I see this as her path in life of eventually becoming part of the Foundation

"A vow for the peace of humanity"

Sonetto then remembering her letters of appreciation as she receives this sort of formal recognition from the Foundation. It could've been one of the letters that she received during her time in the Foundation, which is another nod about her connections with the Foundation — it's nonetheless adorable, she's looking back at her achievements 🥹

Next thing I noticed is her reassuring herself that this is her world, and I think other than the world outside, a world that she alone is centered in a spotlight other than her duties is her first. "The first time performing, the first time dressing up so formally, the first time reaching out to touch this world with her own hands" then following up this performance as a tribute to her classmates, her friends and family, and to everyone.

I interpreted this as many things, but I settled on the thought of her finding that her world is when she's with everyone dear to her is incredibly precious and fitting of her character — considering she's a loner as a child, and now developing her character as she goes alongside the story.

And finally,

Vertin!

Vertin is a character integrated and important within Sonetto's character, she's a mark of many significant things in Sonetto's life. It tends to be a bad thing as characters centered around another's character tends to shadow their own, but foil characters written well as this makes that sort of gesture more enjoyable than plainly centered about someone. Her presence being minimal throughout this comic expresses just that

Aside from that, Vertin is tipping her hat in this panel. Hat tipping is gesture meant as a greeting, respect or to praise someone and say that you approve of or admire something they have done. It involves touching the brim of your hat or raising your hat. Instead of clapping along the crowd, Vertin is doing a gesture of her own, as Vertin has always been an odd one out — this is her expressing herself, her own way of expressing her praise for Sonetto's accomplishments

(I ran out of photo space for Vertin's piece saying that piece but it's somewhere in Artificial Somnambulism trust)

Vertin being here is precious, as she herself wanted Sonetto to see the outside world with her. Sonetto developing her own depiction of what the world beyond what they've known means so much for me (even for Vertin), and for the story as a whole. Look at her character development ❤️‍🩹

Hands down my favorite comic of Sonetto ever. This is such a short read but is incredibly packed with everything she's been through

Vertin told Matilda the truth about what happened to the students who "escaped" during the break-away event. These two are close friends and Matilda’s been helping Vertin out behind the scenes since they were kids. I like having confirmation that it was Vertin herself who revealed the truth to Matilda. Although, that makes you wonder if she told Sonetto too?

ever since i've played through Paradise Regained i've felt like writing a fic which would basically be a rewrite of the main story (and probably some events) from Sonetto's point of view because I SWEAR TO GOD that girl has so many toughts and doesn't speak about a single one of them

she's so devoted to vertin but also to the foundation, it makes me wonder just how much she questions the higher up's decisions when faced with the truth about what happened during her rebellion

sonetto doesn't know any life besides being the foundation's star student and agent, when asked by sophia it was shown she doesn't even remember her parents or why they gave her this name, so the ideals of protecting mankind above all else have been etched into her brain in a way that can't be easily erased, and that desire to do good would be a great source of internal conflict were she to know just how corrupt constantine can be

This is a theory I thought about the other day after finishing the 2.5 event, Showdown in Chinatown (so if you haven't finished that event, click out if you want to avoid spoilers), but before I fully explain it, I'll give you some context.

In the first stage of Chapter 3, we're introduced to SPDM with a teacher asking the kids about the war between humans and arcanists that happened in Constantinople. First, Sonetto gives an answer that pretty much puts all the blame of the war and the eventual result (the arcanists being defeated) on the arbitrary and violent nature of arcanists. Then Matilda interferes with information that was provided to her by her grandpa.

Matilda's version of the story is pretty much the opposite to Sonetto's; the humans ransaked Constantinople to gain access to the literature of arcanum, and then isolated and blamed arcanists, forcing them into hiding.

Although the truth is most likely somewhere in between, you can probably see that Matilda's version is more in line with Manus Vindictae's way of thinking; humans have been marginalizing arcanists for centuries and stripping them from any position of power (although of course the Manus use this as an excuse for revenge, which Matilda never suggests). More so, it hints at Matilda's family knowing something about the origin of the name "arcanists", which I wouldn't be surprised if it has something to do with Arcana herself.

Now, what happens next? The teacher inquires further to see what else Matilda can tell them about this version of the story and the song it came from, however, strangely enough, Matilda can't remember anything else.

She even goes as far as remarking how weird it is, since she had been humming it just the night before. And it's not like Matilda usually has bad memory; being the third best student in the school, she's bound to have above average memory, so it's even stranger that this is happening to her.

Now, my first assumption (and I most ppl's probably), was that the Foundation was brainwashing the kids and making them forget the outside world... but that's not the case; all of the kids Vertin asks later on remember at least something from their life before joining SPDM. More so, I always saw it as a plothole that the Foundation could erase memories, but then didn't do that to make the kids (or at the very least Vertin) forget about the disastrous parade ceremony, that even Constantine admits was a bad move on their part.

I even thought maybe the whole artificial sonambulism they put Vertin through might have been to, not only keep her in a coma, but also to erase whatever bad memories she had of the foundation and therefore make her more obedient. But as we see in the Tuesday's event, Vertin clearly hasn't forgotten about her friends or how they died.

So... what caused Matilda's memory loss then? Well, the answer is simple: her mom. Hear me out.

During the 2.5 event, we learn that Scott stole and sold 5 arcane items from the Foundation's archives, but her motivations and her methods seem very suspicious, so Black Ibis, a member of the Vigils, keeps her under surveillance after they're unable to learn anything by interrogating her. And this vigilance pays off; she is soon contacted by none other than Matilda's mom.

By the looks of it, Matilda's mom is able to hypnoptize other ppl at a distance (we don't even know where she is), and contact whoever she wants by the use of crystals. She can also lock memories of ppl to prevent any information she doesn't want to fall into someone else's hands from being retrieved. That's what she did to Scott... and to Matilda too, probably.

Listen, Matilda's mom is very suspicious. Black Ibis mentions that one of the items stolen could perhaps be used for "that ritual" (probably Arcana's resurrection), and so whoever stole it likely has that as a goal. However, it seems she's been pretending to be in the Foundation's side all this time, to the point she sent her daughter to SPDM and she herself was staying at a Foundation's safe house. But of course she's highly intelligent and talented, and so, to prevent any sensitive information from being found by the foundation, she locked some of Matilda's memories, just in case the Foundation would try to pry into Matilda's mind.

Matilda very likely even knows where her mother is, but that memory is locked. If her powers were more developed, however, she probably would be able to break this barriers and find her. At least that's how I interpret what her mother said to Scott.

But why lock the memories about the song Matilda's grandfather used to sing? Probably because the song, somehow, is associated with Manus Vindictae, Arcana, or some other group that the Foundation deems as dangerous. Remember that Matilda comes from a long line of pure blooded and extremely talented arcanists (as is explained in her first bond story); exactly the type of arcanists that would be most likely to be approached by the Manus.

i definetely agree that she might have made matilda forget the whole story on purpose, and it was probably to keep her safe at the Foundation. They really emphasize the whole "humanity above all" thing, so they wouldn't take too kindly to a student saying their version of the story is wrong and telling another one that favors arcanists, which in turn would harm matilda's academic achievements, and beryl knows she takes great pride in those