#nyaanswer

Sooo about the whole AU: I just really, really love time loop AUS, because I think they are a good reason to have a character go a bit crazy, as a threat (and a treat). In Ace's case, his UM (Which I friendly refer to as "Knight's of heart trial", or just Knight's trial) allows him to rewind time. Safely and realistically speaking, only of a few hours, but he can go up to around 9 months prior: he can technically rewing earlier than the start of every school year once he gains more control over his magic during the loops, but he quickly found out it's sort of useless.

It's just like when in a game you've already made certain choices so the outcome won't matter; he just doesn't know which "choices" affect the timeline, so he's like "Yea okay let's just go back to the beginning just in case".

Also, he can't really do it before the summer day when he unlocks his UM: yes, he retains his memories and whatever, but his magical ability gets resetted every loop, so he really can't do much (also, it's a spell, so if he die he will just,,, stay dead).

In the fanfiction, Ace had been at that for more than 20 years (he can go all the way back for a grand total of 24 times, like the hours in a clock; after that, his phantom will just take over) and he's just a tired old man lmao.

He really went through all the stages of edgy protagonist, from "We can do this!!!" > "I can do this" > "Actually nvm I hate this I'll just try random stuff" > "God I hate teenagers". So by the end of it all, I think he's like,,, tired but smug elder bro vibe.

In his last loop (which would be the 25th) he makes a pact with his phantom (the clown one I doodle sometime): He will forsake his body to him, but he needs to make sure both Yuu and Deuce can make it past the prologue battle with Grim safely. Phantom!Ace be like "You know they will slay you right lmao or I'll kill them" and OB!Ace like "Do your worst, I trust them".

Shipping wise, since I'm using the fic I wrote as a reference, Ace originally had a small crush on Yuu, that later ended up being a crush on Deuce, that later was just like... strong friendship and a matter of principle to keep em alive.

Some bullet points about my two darling OB!Ace and Phantom!Ace (as in, the Over Blotting Ace of the fanfic, and the Phantom looking Ace of the fanfic.):

Canon!Ace's personality is just like OB!Ace's at the beginning of the fanfic, maybe a little bit more snarky because Phantom is affecting him more, even if he has no idea or memories beside some very unsettling dreams

OB!Ace is definitely very tired TM and his one ray of hope is Lilia: he and Malleus can sort of get that something isn't right about Ace, but can't quite put their finger on what; having said that, he can share old man time with Lilia and they just sound like 60 years old or smthn. Everyone is puzzled.

Despite everything, he still hasn't managed to get a passing grade in Crewel's march exam.

He really dislikes Scarabia's chapter, because he doesn't get to be there (he figured out early in his runs that it will lead to a bad outcome, so it's better to stay put and out of the way); also, he loves to create mayhem during VDC. Has more likely made Vil overblot by himself around two or three times.

Spent a whole run ditching school and living his merry way travelling and learning new stuff and new spells, the most useful is one that allows him to look like a grown up.

Phantom likes Riddle, mostly because he loves his crying face. He isn't really bad per sè, he's like a jester type character that likes to cause problems on purpose. He isn't too fond of Azul, somehow, and of Octavinelle in general.

The two sometimes play chess together, but they both suck very very much at it, and anyway it's just like playing against yourself.

OB!Ace holds a certain dislike towards Sebek (I am writing something about it, too), but it's just how a 20+ yo may dislike a youngster being loud on a train.

If I were to name Phantom as an oc, his name would be Jolly (cause joker cards are called jolly in italian, and as a pun with him being very happy go lucky in a messed up way)