#2018 craftiness

[felinewanderer]

2018 was not so much a quantity year, but a quality year imo. I started doing so much better.

[archer-kacey]

some horse guy and his girlfriend

[azrielhours]

Captured

Azriel x Reader

Word count: 2018

Synopsis: The camera has been invented and Azriel takes up a hobby of capturing reader, proving how pretty she can be.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“What is it?”

“An obscura camera, I think we called it.” You turned the device around for him to see the little hole to look through, let him hold it. “It means ‘dark room.’ Light travels in through here,” you pointed to the lens, “and an image is captured using refraction and shadows.”

Azriel frowned in disbelief, making you laugh.

“Watch,” you said, gently taking the Obscura from his hands.

“What do I have to do?”

“Nothing,” you smiled, positioning it before your face. “Smile for me.”

He gave a small, tentative smile. The distrust in his eyes had you laughing again, which made Azriel chuckle genuinely.

You clicked something. A shutter sounded, light flashed, and Azriel’s eyes widened. You pulled the obscura away as it rattled, producing a thin strip of rectangular film. Azriel’s frown returned. “It’s black.”

“It has to develop,” you plucked it away and placed it facedown. “You’ll see in a few minutes.”

“This is what you’d been working on with Nuan?” he asked, referring to the alchemist who’d been in town for a few weeks.

You nodded. “It’s an early prototype, but it mimics the way light enters the eye.” A mixture of her trinketry, your crafty impulses, and some magic. “All this work so we can finally capture your pretty face,” you teased, enjoying the pink dusting his cheeks. You turned the piece of film to him, relishing Azriel’s shock upon peering down at the photograph.

That sincere smile you’d managed to capture was how you often caught him looking at you. A sweet, receptive earnestness lighting his normally cold face. Eyes that beheld you like he missed you even when you hadn’t gone anywhere. Now etched permanently into a photograph for you to cherish.

It was your turn to blush. Playful words aside, this truly did catch his beauty.

He met your gaze. “Teach me how to use it.” You demonstrated, pointing to shoot the nearby bookshelf, but Azriel shook his head. “I want one like that,” he nodded to his headshot.

Your nose crinkled. “I don’t photograph well, Az.”

He scoffed. “Why wouldn’t you?” He positioned the obscura over his eyes like you had.

You covered your face with your hands, hiding. “I don’t like the posing.”

 “Come on,” he cooed, laughing. He reached to move your hair where it fell forward as you ducked your head, then gently held your wrists beneath your chin, broad hand easily cradling them between a thumb and two fingers. He tilted your face up with his hold. You peered at him through your fingers, rosy cheeks peeking through digits. Still holding your wrists, he took the photo effortlessly.

You uncovered your face, still blushing. He wondered how you didn’t see what a perfect subject you’d be. How you could invent the obscura and deprive him of its most obvious benefit.

Azriel studied you, and you saw the gears turn in his head. “Can I borrow it for a while?"

You laughed. “Okay, Az.”

~

It started off rather clumsy, and it took a few tries for Azriel to figure out that lighting mattered. That snapping photos with light in the immediate background ruined the film. He tested his hypothesis by capturing a bewildered Cassian, the confusion frozen making Azriel chuckle. He understood why you’d been laughing at him before. Next, he found that distance was important; that he could shift the angle of his photography. A practice shot of Feyre losing herself in a painting, so focused that she didn’t turn to wonder about the shuttering sound. Rhys landing on a balcony after training. Nesta reading ferociously by the fire.

He got the hang of it and was ready to really begin.

I don’t like the posing, you’d told him. He had no issues with that whatsoever.

The first one happened in the kitchen. The early morning hours were typically shared by the both of you on the grounds of a close friendship. You’d been sipping on coffee like it was medicinal, the light of the sun softening everything. Eyes closed, hair still slightly undone from sleep. He loved seeing you in your fancy dresses, your fighting leathers, but something about seeing you in soft, utterly personal nightwear—linen pants, knit cardigans, slippers—it spread warmth through his chest brighter than your revered sunrise. Today he'd even caught you in his t-shirt you must’ve swiped. Carefully positioning the Obscura over his face where he stood at the doorway, he snapped his photo before inconspicuously joining you, inquiring about the theft he quietly adored. Adoring your answering smile even more.

The next shot was on the rooftop. He’d caught Cassian bandaging you up after sparring. You were sat on the bench, smiling bloody and beautiful. Laughing as Cassian cracked jokes, allowing him to tend to you. He was kneeling on the ground before you, cleaning the cuts on your brow, wrapping your bruised knuckles. The sheer glee in your laugh, the way you sat so comfortably with his brother had Azriel reaching into the pocket realm for the Obscura, capturing the sight of his favourite people bantering fresh out of the ring.

One night after Rita’s, Rhys had offered to fly you home after winning a drinking game against Azriel. He’d winked at the bested Shadowsinger, taking you into his arms and shooting to the sky. Azriel grumbled at first until he’d realized the opportunity he had mid-flight with Rhys ahead. You reached to the skies above, stretching like you could grab the very moon, safe in the High Lord’s arms. He wished the Obscura had the power to capture the sound of your laughter as well, but he’d gladly settle for your silhouette marked by the Night Court stars, their beauty dimmed in the face of your exquisite joy.

The next photo was stolen after a Hewn City mission. You’d been in a billowing dark gown, face so ethereal, so striking and utterly beautiful that he’d struggled to look at you face-on. Everyone had taken to sprawling on the couches after coming home, still in formal attire, helping themselves to drinks as they winded down. You’d fallen asleep at some point, stretched comfortably across the sofa with your head nearly hanging off, hair cascading around you like a halo and down the sofa to the ground. Feyre mentioned wishing she could paint the sight of you, sleeping like some spite or nymph, some woodland creature of beauty, your dress ballooning around you like a nightshade flower. Azriel silently pulled out the Obscura, taking his time levelling the device so the light of the hearth illuminated your face.

“What is that thing you keep doing?” Cassian asked lowly.

Azriel focused, capturing the shot. Taking another one just for good measure. “Nothing.”

His favourite photo was of you and Nyx. You’d been playing with the boy on the balcony, blowing bubbles as he tried dutifully to pop them. They’d land and settle in his hair, making you laugh boisterously, head tipping back as Nyx laughed with you unwittingly. It was like the sun loved you, how it always shone upon you, doing the work for Azriel. He took the photo, falling into the easy routine. Once that photo developed, his heart skipped a beat at its sight. At the promise it captured that he wished was his.

He was a lucky bastard to have this gift—a device that finally allowed him to freeze the light that you were in his life, to etch the sights he so sincerely loved. God, you were special. Azriel had to walk away from the balcony, still staring at the little strip of film, more invaluable than precious jewel. How lucky he was to witness you. Luckier still to capture you in still frames, while you unknowingly captured his heart.

~

Azriel found you in your room, sitting at your vanity. He handed the obscura to you. “There’s no more film.”

You laughed. “Wow. How many photos did you take?”

He shrugged, smiling roguishly. “A handful.”

“Can I see?”

He handed a few.

You rifled through them, gasping at the quality. “These are amazing.” He’d captured Feyre descending the stairs in her regalia, beautiful like a divinity of legend. Nesta pouting playfully, glaring right at the camera. Mor putting earrings in before an outing. “Their mates would love these,” you murmured.

“They would,” he agreed.

You shook your head, stunned. “God, they’re beautiful.” Azriel didn’t know if you meant the photos or who he captured in them. “I wish I photographed this good.”

He would’ve laughed at the absurdity if he could resist his scoff of disbelief. “You do.”

You just shook your head, sneaking a quick glance at yourself in the mirror before eyeing the photos again.

Azriel’s heart stuttered. “You do,” he repeated. “I—” he reached into the pocket realm. “I took some of you as well.” Handing over a few photos, he watched closely as your eyes widened. You took your time studying each photo, brows pinched. He didn’t know if it was in dislike, or—

“Wow,” you breathed. You met his gaze. The fragility in them told him it was awe. “Azriel,” you breathed again, assessing the shots. “Wow. You make me look…”

You faded to silence. “What,” he gently nudged you.

“Pretty.”

He tried to speak. A breath puffed out of him. “Y/n,” he couldn’t stop the reverence in his tone. “You’re beautiful. What do you mean?” He didn’t care how it came off, how saying it warmed his cheeks.

He’d only pulled out a few of the tamer photos. The ones of you with his family or in mundane solitude. He immediately pulled out the rest, laying them before you. The pinch deepened between your brows, looking at the one of you after Hewn City. “Oh my god,” you breathed. You had no idea you could look so… “beautiful.”

“Yes,” Azriel nodded. “Beautiful.” He pointed to the one of you in the kitchen, freshly woken up. “Here as well.” Always.

You took your time studying them, unable to find it in you to care about how stupidly vulnerable this struck you. Too busy grappling with the comfort of feeling this seen. You finally met his gaze, and if you didn’t know any better, you’d have thought that look in his eyes was…

If you were well and truly self-indulgent, you may have called it how you felt inside.

Azriel wished he had just one more piece of film to capture the look on your face. The depth of fondness in your eyes, like he was worth seeing. His heart stuttered again, holding that stare like he could pour his affection directly from his eyes to yours.

“Will you be keeping these?” you asked about the photos.

Azriel chuckled. “Yes. Try taking even one away.”

Oh.

You blushed, breaking his stare. A fine line to toe with your friend indeed.

But Azriel enjoyed that conviction on your face when you saw yourself as he did. “Okay,” he let up, exhaling in mock annoyance. “You can have a few.” He took most of the photos back, making sure to leave you with a copy of the Hewn City one. “I mean, I can always take more.”

You laughed, standing to retrieve your satchel, pulling out spare film. You showed Azriel how to load it in, but before handing the Obscura back, you eyed the first photo he’d taken, with his hands holding your wrists. “I want one like that,” you said, reaching for his face.

He laughed but didn’t bat your hand away, to your pleasant surprise. Only standing firm, albeit leaving his face uncovered. You cradled his face gently by the chin in one hand, resting your fingers on his cheeks, barely pressing. He smiled warmly at you, looking right through the camera at you. You captured him.

“There,” you handed back the obscura. “Now I got you,” you held up his matching photo.

He liked the sound of that. “I have you too,” he raised his collection of your photos in his hand in reminder. “And I’ll be keeping you with me.”

~

taglist:

@iimisty-a @feyretopia @riddlesb1tch @cullenswife @reiincarnatiion @sfhsgrad-blog @answer-the-sirens @mrstangerinejohnson @marigold-morelli @courtofjurdan @azriels-mate123 @emotionless-lover @marina468 @slvtherinseeker @owllover123 @banasheefan56 @nyotamalfoy @starswholistenanddreamsanswered @lilah-asteria @bakananya @deep-forest-creature @itsswritten

[book--brackets]

Valdemar: Mage Wars by Mercedes Lackey (1994-1996)

It is an age when Valdemar is yet unfounded, its organization of Heralds yet unformed, and magic is still a wild and uncontrolled force.

Skandranon Rashkae is perhaps the finest specimen of his race, with gleaming ebony feathers, majestic wingspan, keen magesight and sharp intelligence. Courageous, bold, and crafty, Skan is everything a gryphon should be. He is the fulfillment of everything that the Mage of Silence, the human sorcerer called Urtho, intended to achieve when he created these magical beings to be his champions, the defenders of his realm--a verdant plain long coveted by the evil mage Maar.

Now Maar is once again advancing on Urtho's Keep, this time with a huge force spearheaded by magical constructs of his own--cruel birds of prey ready to perform any evil their creator may demand of them. And when one of Urtho's Seers wakes from a horrifying vision in which she sees a devastating magical weapon being placed in the hands of Maar's common soldiers, Skandrannon is sent to spy across enemy lines, cloaked in the protective of Urtho's powerful Spell of Silence.

Sorcerer Royal by Zen Cho (2015-2019)

At his wit’s end, Zacharias Wythe, freed slave, eminently proficient magician, and Sorcerer Royal of the Unnatural Philosophers—one of the most respected organizations throughout all of Britain—ventures to the border of Fairyland to discover why England’s magical stocks are drying up.

But when his adventure brings him in contact with a most unusual comrade, a woman with immense power and an unfathomable gift, he sets on a path which will alter the nature of sorcery in all of Britain—and the world at large…

Valdemar: Vows and Honor by Mercedes Lackey (1988-1998)

She was Tarma. Born to the Clan of the Hawk of the nomadic Shin'a'in people, she saw her entire clan slain by brigands. Vowing blood revenge upon the murderers, she became one of the sword-sworn, the most elite of all warriors. And trained in all the forms of death-dealing combat, she took to the road in search of her enemies.

She was Kethry. Born to a noble house, sold into a hateful "marriage", she fled life's harshness for the sanctuary of the White Winds, a powerful school of sorcery. Becoming an adept, she pledged to use her talents for the greatest good. Yet unlike other sorcerers, Kethry could use worldly weapons as well as magical skills. And when she became the bearer of a uniquely magical sword that drew her to those in need, Kethry was led to a fateful meeting with Tarma.

United by sword-spell and the will of the Goddess, Tarma and Kethry swore a blood oath to carry on their mutual fight against evil. And together, swordsmaster and sorceress set forth to fulfill their destiny....

The Kingston Cycle by C. L. Polk (2018-2021)

In an original world reminiscent of Edwardian England in the shadow of a World War, cabals of noble families use their unique magical gifts to control the fates of nations, while one young man seeks only to live a life of his own. 

Magic marked Miles Singer for suffering the day he was born, doomed either to be enslaved to his family's interest or to be committed to a witches' asylum. He went to war to escape his destiny and came home a different man, but he couldn't leave his past behind. The war between Aeland and Laneer leaves men changed, strangers to their friends and family, but even after faking his own death and reinventing himself as a doctor at a cash-strapped veterans' hospital, Miles can't hide what he truly is. 

When a fatally poisoned patient exposes Miles' healing gift and his witchmark, he must put his anonymity and freedom at risk to investigate his patient's murder. To find the truth he'll need to rely on the family he despises, and on the kindness of the most gorgeous man he's ever seen.

The Faerie Wars Chronicles by Harbie Brennan (2003-2011)

When Henry Atherton helps Mr. Fogarty clean up around his house, he expects to find a mess and a cranky old man; what he doesn't expect to find is Pyrgus Malvae, crown prince of the Faerie realm, who has escaped the treacherous Faeries of the Night by traveling to the human world through a portal powered by trapped lightning. An egomaniacal demon prince, greedy glue factory owners Brimstone and Chalkhill, and the nefarious Lord Hairstreak, leader of the Faeries of the Night, all dream of ruling the Faerie realm and are out to kill Pyrgus.

Enlisting the help of his sister, Holly Blue, and his new friend, Henry, Pyrgus must get back to the Faerie world alive before one of his many enemies gets to him instead. But how many portals are open, and can Pyrgus find the right one before it falls into the wrong hands?

The Ordinary Princess by M. M. Kaye (1980)

Along with Wit, Charm, Health, and Courage, Princess Amy of Phantasmorania receives a special fairy christening gift: Ordinariness. Unlike her six beautiful sisters, she has brown hair and freckles, and would rather have adventures than play the harp, embroider tapestries . . . or become a Queen. When her royal parents try to marry her off, Amy runs away and, because she's so ordinary, easily becomes the fourteenth assistant kitchen maid at a neighboring palace. And there . . . much to everyone's surprise . . . she meets a prince just as ordinary (and special) as she is 

The Little White Horse by Elizabeth Goudge (1946)

When orphaned young Maria Merryweather arrives at Moonacre Manor, she feels as if she's entered Paradise. Her new guardian, her uncle Sir Benjamin, is kind and funny; the Manor itself feels like home right away; and every person and animal she meets is like an old friend. But there is something incredibly sad beneath all of this beauty and comfort--a tragedy that happened years ago, shadowing Moonacre Manor and the town around it--and Maria is determined to learn about it, change it, and give her own life story a happy ending. But what can one solitary girl do?

Dr. Greta Helsing by Vivian Shaw (2017-2024)

Meet Greta Helsing, doctor to the undead. After inheriting a highly specialised, and highly peculiar, medical practice, Dr Helsing spends her days treating London’s undead for a host of ills: vocal strain in banshees, arthritis in barrow-wights and entropy in mummies. Although barely making ends meet, this is just the quiet, supernatural-adjacent life Greta’s dreamed of since childhood.

But when a sect of murderous monks emerges, killing human undead and alike, Greta must use all her unusual skills to keep her supernatural clients – and the rest of London – safe.

Of Mermaids and Orisa by Natasha Bowen (2021-2022)

Simi prayed to the gods, once. Now she serves them as Mami Wata—a mermaid—collecting the souls of those who die at sea and blessing their journeys back home.

But when a living boy is thrown overboard, Simi does the unthinkable—she saves his life, going against an ancient decree. And punishment awaits those who dare to defy it.

To protect the other Mami Wata, Simi must journey to the Supreme Creator to make amends. But something is amiss. There’s the boy she rescued, who knows more than he should. And something is shadowing Simi, something that would rather see her fail. . . .

Danger lurks at every turn, and as Simi draws closer, she must brave vengeful gods, treacherous lands, and legendary creatures. Because if she doesn’t, then she risks not only the fate of all Mami Wata, but also the world as she knows it.

Girls Made of Snow and Glass by Melissa Bashardoust (2017)

Sixteen-year-old Mina is motherless, her magician father is vicious, and her silent heart has never beat with love for anyone--has never beat at all, in fact, but she'd always thought that fact normal. She never guessed that her father cut out her heart and replaced it with one of glass. When she moves to Whitespring Castle and sees its king for the first time, Mina forms a plan: win the king's heart with her beauty, become queen, and finally know love. The only catch is that she'll have to become a stepmother.

Fifteen-year-old Lynet looks just like her late mother, and one day she discovers why: a magician created her out of snow in the dead queen's image, at her father's order. But despite being the dead queen made flesh, Lynet would rather be like her fierce and regal stepmother, Mina. She gets her wish when her father makes Lynet queen of the southern territories, displacing Mina. Now Mina is starting to look at Lynet with something like hatred, and Lynet must decide what to do--and who to be--to win back the only mother she's ever known...or else defeat her once and for all.

[newtafterdark]

I’m not sure if it’s a good time to ask this, but after seeing @mrultra100’s post about the matter, what was your history with the Dr. Crafty show? And what kind of history did you have with the creator?

Ah, I see folks are talking about the whole mess on here now too? (As an important sidenote: I talked about it in length on my Twitter, but I privated my account and don't plan on ever using it again.)

For those who don't know, this is in reference to the Youtuber and VTuber that went by the alias "Dr. Crafty", also known as Alexander "Alex" Tansley.

The short of it is that I used to work for him for around two years and thought of him as a friend - until I reached the point of realizing that something was very wrong with having the man close to myself and my friends.

Basically, after making some fanart of some of the characters from his show, Crafty and I got in contact and it became what I thought was a fun friendship that developed throughout the months. Now I know better and I know he has a pattern of "befriending" people to get things out of them.

Around the end of 2018 I brought up that I'd be happy to help out with his show if he ever needed help… and that lead to me creating all of the "Questionable Qloset" tarot cards. (Which he put up on his Red Bubble without asking me. If there was ever money made with them, I never saw a cut.)

I was not doing well mentally at the time at all, hell, I worked on the tarot cards while being in medical rehab and he still was pushy for me to finish them way earlier than we had agreed on. But at this point I am not surprised that he took avantage of my less than great mental state. It seems to be a pattern for him, having read several testimonies.

That work unfortunately also lead to me being one of the absolutely overworked employees during the creation of the "I Need A Hero Academia" finale for his show. I was tasked to colour, shade and add effects to the storyline bits of one full episode of that three-part finale, and some bits in the third episode, along with coloring two short animations. Close to 200 illustrations coloured. 90 bucks for all of that work. And burned out at the end of it all. A nightmare.

I also was responsible for designing the Infinia Relics and big villain at the end of the series, but aside from one glimpse of her, that design mostly remained unused.

Along with that I was also partially responsible for the core idea behind "Shakeup Saloon", as I had the idea for the host character - but Crafty took my idea and warped it into something almost unreconizable. He also never credited the person who gave him the idea for the show itself in the first place, Nero (of "ToonGrin"), one of his editiors at the time.

In general, Crafty hated crediting us for all the work we did to make his shows a reality. I had to beg for myself and my co-worker Zaz (who did the lineart I colored) in the finale to be even credited in the last video of the three parter. We didn't even get credited on the video we did the most work on.

So… in general, looking back it was an exhausting work experience.

My personal gripes with him mirror the behavior you might've heard from a multitude of folks on Twitter last month.

Unwanted pushing to do NSFW rp (and me telling him off multiple times, but he would try again multiple times) and trying to do the same with anyone he perceived as female in my private discord server. If you were AFAB, he'd try to slide into your DMs, basically. Which also goes hand in hand with him completely disreguarding that I am a trans man and drawing me with an hour glass figure and needing to be reminded to not draw me with massive tits. It just felt like if he percieved you as a women, he'd use you for his own entertainment as he saw fit. It just took me too long to realize that. Still, I managed to completely cut contact with him in 2020.

All in all, Crafty was a shitty boss and a creep who pretended to be my friend. And that's all I'll say on that matter on here.

Don't waste your energy on thinking about Crafty. Support his victims and let them heal.

[brf-rumortrackinganon]

(And yes, Meghan was right to call that out. But she was also wrong for actively encouraging it when she first splashed onto the scene with all of her ‘I’m better than Kate’ comments. I personally would’ve been more sympathetic to her complaints if she hadn’t spent all of 2017 and the first half of 2018 making every dig she could at Kate and how she’d be so better, so different, so perfect.)

Can you give examples of what you have in mind of Meghan’s “I’m better than Kate” comments? I think she has never said anything outright though? We can’t blame her too for “anonymous briefings” we can only assume she made.

Sorry, you're going to have to do your own homework on this one. You're asking me for very specific comments that were made 6-8 years ago and my memory is not that good. (I remember events, not specific PR articles.)

But here are some places you can start your search:

The timelines (this page or the tag below)

2. Meghan's "Wild About Harry" article from Vanity Fair

3. The engagement interview

4. The Fab Four forum

I've still got a couple more IRL projects (it's going to be a crafty Christmas) to do but when those are done, I'll pick the timeline series back up. It will pick up where I left off, in January 2018.

[anamelessfool]

Ok Secondo's family in my AU (the year is 2018) (thank you for your interest @can-of-pringles and @saintbowie )

Sandra was a sibling of sin and worked in the infirmary. A med school dropout who came from a family of funeral directors. She was Primo's nurse towards the end of his life. She is a surprisingly bubbly, energetic soul. Very athletic and self-conscious. But she has the intellect and drive for knowledge that matches her husband's. Also she can maneuver his temperament with the right kind of sarcasm.

I am writing a fic about their meeting. It's a tense love triangle between Secondo and Primo and Sandra in 1998. Secondo is navigating becoming Papa Elect and his mother's very recent death.

I'm enjoying writing their conversations.

Since meeting Sandra, Secondo has attempted to quit smoking 6 times. He's on his longest streak of 3 years in 2018.

Secondo retired and left the Church in 2008. He was too ill and Sandra's father had recently died. Her brothers were struggling with the family business and so the couple stepped in. They went back to school together and loved every minute of it. Secondo is a licensed funeral director and Sandra a mortician. Secondo enjoys his new role helping grieving families and organizing administrative tasks.

Secondo is the primary caregiver of the family. His mobility was destroyed by the Curse and so he suffers chronic pain and weakness in his leg and spine. He can manage working from home fairly regularly and so he handles most of the domestic tasks he's able to accomplish. He's turned out to be a very good cook and his personal goal is to create every type of pasta from scratch at least once.

Paul was 4 when the family left the Church. He doesn't remember much of it, just that his dad was too busy or ill to spend quality time with him. Paul (14) is shy but has inherited his father's musical talent. He knows several instruments, guitar being one of them. He enjoys contributing to the theater and art clubs at his school. Theater is his big interest. But Paul would never sing in front of a crowd though.

They had two other children, Eden (8) and Samuel (5). Eden is very crafty, a go-getter. A tiny, exacting dictator with a fascination with the macabre. She has been known to tell her father odd messages of magical importance. Sam is an enthusiastic follower of his sister and tries to copy her all the time. The two younger children are closer to each other than Paul. They love their older brother but it sometimes seems like Paul is a third caregiver to them.

[mariacallous]

How do you say “Winter is coming” in Japanese?

It’s hardly a criticism to say the new series Shogun, currently airing on FX and streaming on Hulu in the United States and Disney+ elsewhere, may remind audiences of Game of Thrones. The HBO spectacle based on George R.R. Martin’s novels was one of the more transformative television events of our age, inspiring several close-but-no-scimitar imitators. Netflix has The Witcher, Amazon has the preposterously expensive The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power, and HBO has the Game of Thrones prequel House of the Dragon, all of which have their charms, but none have quite caught the wildfire-in-a-bottle of the original.

It is with great joy, however, that I can report an heir is finally here. The wannabes prove it wasn’t the wizards and winged beasts that ignited our collective passions: It was the palette of complex characters at cross purposes, the knotty alliances, and the inscrutable schemes that conquered our imaginations. Shogun, based on James Clavell’s bestselling 1975 doorstopper—which was previously adapted for television in 1980—is a fictionalized version of a power struggle in early 17th-century Japan, in which five regional lords vie for control after the death of a leader who maintained stability but whose son is too young to rule. Adding spice to the stew are Portuguese Jesuits (whose black ships are building a secret base in Macao) and the arrival of a crafty English pilot sailing under the Dutch flag with a secret mission to destabilize Portugal’s foothold in the region—but maybe to also make a buck or two. That’s the very shortened version, anyway, but hopefully enough to hook you.

Shogun is that rare television series that demands extra mental effort but truly rewards for the work. (Blessedly, FX has created a thorough study guide to help you keep all the characters straight.) Moreover, its roots in history and genuine customs lend it a great deal of gravitas. Truth, as we know, is often stranger than fiction.

But “strangeness” is a wobbly term these days, particularly for a Hollywood-based production about another nation’s history. As soon as the series was announced in August 2018, producers made it clear it would deviate from the earlier, NBC television event. The 1980 iteration of Shogun, which featured Richard Chamberlain, the legendary Toshiro Mifune, Welsh character actor John Rhys-Davies chomping it up as a strapping Spaniard, and narration from Orson Welles, was arguably the apogee of the big-budget miniseries trend that included Roots, Jesus of Nazareth, The Winds of War, and North and South and was a ratings juggernaut perfectly timed for a growing American interest in all things Japanese. And it was very much told from the perspective of its Western protagonist, deploying a classic white savior trope.

That storyline—loosely based on the real life of William Adams, the first Englishman to navigate to Japan—is still core to Shogun, but the new series, developed by the husband-and-wife team of Justin Marks and Rachel Kondo, takes what Clavell wrote and broadens it. The Adams character, John Blackthorne, played by Cosmo Jarvis, is now one of three equally important main characters, including Lord Yoshii Toranaga (Hiroyuki Sanada) and Toda Mariko (Anna Sawai). Indeed, it is Sanada who gets top billing in the opening credits.

One indicator of the new telling is this: In the 1980 version, when characters spoke Japanese, it went untranslated. “The viewer will be in the same situation as Blackthorne and will learn what is going on just as he does,” a producer boasted of this creative choice at the time. In the current version, spoken Japanese has subtitles; it is text, not ornamentation. What’s more, while I didn’t use a stopwatch, I’d say about three-quarters of the show is in Japanese.

While some of the producers are Japanese, the writers are not (though some are of Japanese heritage), so the dialogue was written in English, then rigidly translated into Japanese, then handed off to a Japanese playwright who spoke no English but had expertise in this time period, and then translated back for subtitles. Many of the scenes involve tense conferences in which language is translated on the spot, which is incredibly fertile soil for a brilliant performer like Sawai to say one thing with her voice but mean something else with her expression. (Not to make this too complicated, but within the story, no one is speaking English; however, some characters do speak Portuguese, which we at home hear as English—trust me, this makes sense when you watch it.)

This is just one reason why Shogun is not passive viewing. Those who watch television with one eye on Instagram are going to have problems with this one. (And they should—put down the damn phone!) Not only is there a cascade of characters with different shifting alignments, but one of the central themes is deception and delayed revelation. This is a story in which not really knowing what the hell anyone is thinking is central to its success. This is symbolized by the “eightfold fence,” a Japanese philosophy of isolation that has played into its political maneuvers over the years but in a rich drama like Shogun means that when a woman is professing her undying love to her husband, she may secretly wish nothing more than to be dead.

The new series’ decision to broaden the perspective (and also beef up the women’s roles) may have been a red flag for some worried that it would sand down some of the material that, let’s face it, makes 17th-century Japanese culture look a little, well, intense. To put it bluntly: Could a series for our overly sensitive age show a character boiling a prisoner alive just so he can zone out to the sound of his anguished screams in a prurient haze? The answer is yes. And while that sadistic character isn’t exactly a good guy, you kind of end up liking him a little bit by the end.

Even more extreme (and also in the first episode) is when a character accepts that an underling, who spoke in his defense but did it in a way that defied protocol, must not only commit ritual suicide but also have his infant child killed so as to ensure his family line is obliterated. What’s more, the guy who approves of this is our hero, Sanada’s Toranaga.

Indeed, the frequent act of seppuku is just one of the Japanese customs that is baffling to Blackthorne’s Western eyes, and his character remains a stand-in for the audience in that regard. (Far more benign is the belief that it is disrespectful to step on moss—OK, note taken!) But an important change from Chamberlain’s Blackthorne is that Jarvis’s version is frequently a whiny, nasty jerk. Jarvis’s performance, which owes a bit to Tom Hardy at his most energetic, is a spitting, cursing blowhard with a short fuse who would probably have a much easier go of things at first if he would just chill out. (It is, at times, meant to be funny, and it is.) The Japanese call him “The Barbarian,” and given English attitudes at the time toward bathing compared with the much tidier Japanese, you can see why. One of the best compliments I can give Shogun is that, periodically, you will think, “Wait, why am I rooting for any of these people?!” but still feel a lot is at stake in the drama.

While there is a great deal of gore in the series (now I know what a computer-generated horse looks like when hit by a cannonball), there is an overwhelming amount of beauty. The kimono budget must have been through the roof on this thing. Even scenes that clearly include additional greenscreen are lit with care. This is key for a culture that, despite some shocking violence, places importance on order and grace. With 10 one-hour episodes, there is time to linger on how tea is properly served, how sake is poured, or how a geisha who takes pride in her trade can elevate it to artistry.

But none of that would matter if the storyline weren’t compelling, and I suppose Clavell would not have sold 21 million books if he wasn’t on to something. Shogun is probably his most famous, but I recall seeing his name on covers everywhere as a Gen X kid. My own mother dragged around the enormous Noble House, split into two volumes in hardcover, for what seemed like months. Most of his work fits into a larger “Asian Saga,” though he had enough clout in the early 1980s to direct a television special based on a dystopian short story (The Children’s Story) and get parodied on Late Night With David Letterman.

For all the exoticism and complicated history, however, it’s the inner hopes and desires of these characters that will linger. “Flowers are only flowers because they fall” might seem like a corny line out of context, but in the delicate world of Shogun, it is a moment of perfection and one of several in this extraordinary series.

[chocolatezebra]

Sharing old art because I just want this concept to be known (I probably made this in 2018 or 2019)

The evolution of Umi

At the time, I was really into wolves, and I thought "what if the Umis evolved from my favorite animal?" And this is how it ended up.

I had notes on this and I'm gonna share them in a small summary:

1- Primas Lupus venandi (primate wolf hunter) aka the first one: werewolf, aggressive

2- Homo rabidus (savage man) aka the second one: half wolf, half human, still aggressive until migration

3- Homo vagus (wandering man) aka the third one: less wolf, more human, less aggressive and more curious

4- Homo dolosus (crafty man) aka fourth one with the grey animal skin: more human, achieved stone age

5- Homo Generosus castus (noble and pure man) aka the fifth one that is almost hidden by the fourth one: fully human, achieved magic mastery

6- Homo Remicus sapiens (gentle and wise man) aka the final one which is actually straight up @chameleoncove's character Umiphus (I really loved the Team Umizoomi designs they made at the time): Umi from nowadays wow :0

If anyone's interested in this concept, feel free to take it, change it, bop it, twist it, whatever! This is really just something that I needed to post because like, it's so cool, the concept (I've been on a spec evo phase and I am loving every single animal and plant, y'all are so creative ;-;/pos)

[sleepis4theweak]

Can I ask what the “Mikey and the triplets” au is gonna be about? 👀

OMG such a good question! It's gonna be mostly about Mikey and also the triplets :)

...

Lmao no I'm kidding I wouldn't do that to you. It was an au idea that I had where Mikey is the oldest. The triplets are Raph, Leo and Donnie.

And since u asked... I'm gonna ramble a bit about it tehe

I don't usually like older sibling Mikey aus (sorry to all the older sibling Mikey lovers out there) purely because I feel like so much of his personality is based around being the younger sibling...

He's very youngest sibling to me, and I love that about him.

I kinda had the same problem that people had with 2018 Leo? Like for so long most of the previous Leos personalities have been centered around being the eldest. He's responsible (because he has to take care of his younger brothers), he's the leader (because he's the oldest), he's self sacrificing (because it's his 'duty' as the eldest to take care of his younger siblings). And so when that was removed from him in rottmnt, people were annoyed because he was this irresponsible, bratty little sibling (or at least I heard that's how people responded... I wasn't in the fandom back then).

BUT stripping away that elder sibling title actually made Leo so much more interesting- because now we could see who he was when he didn't have to be responsible. AND, we could see who Raph was when he did have to be responsible.

Rise Leo is still crafty, and a leader, a dork and someone who is extremely self sacrificing, but now that wasn't hidden by him needing to be in charge. IT WAS REALLY INTERESTING!! All the Leos still have what makes them LEO, his strategy skills and his incredible love for his family.

Raph too. We got to see what was under the anger issues, and desperately trying to prove himself to his older brother. We got to see what he was like when he had control (and BOY I could talk about the idea of Raph and control for ages fr). We didn't look at him and see anger issues, we saw protectiveness. But because he was the eldest, that manifested differently.

ALL OF THIS IS TO SAY- I am very excited for this au because I want to explore who Mikey is WITH responsibility. When he isn't allowed to only listen to his heart with the assurance that his older brothers will keep him safe.

I HAVE MANY IDEAS- AND A WHOLE BACKSTORY!!! But I want to finish the Flashbacks au first :)

[princesssarisa]

Character ask: The Grinch

This is for the Grinch of the original Dr. Seuss book and the 1966 animated special. I've actually never seen the 2000 Jim Carrey movie or the 2018 CGI movie.

Favorite thing about them: He's such a colorful, crafty, funny villain, whom it's easy to love to hate. Yet he has his sympathetic, relatable qualities too, from the start – especially to those of us on the autism spectrum who also don't care much for socializing or loud partying. And of course his redemption in the end is heartwarming and sweet.

Least favorite thing about them: Well, he is a "mean one" until his change of heart. It's certainly not nice of him to steal Christmas, especially since he takes not only the Whos' presents and decorations, but all their food too.

Three things I have in common with them:

*I can't stand too much noise.

*I live by myself.

*I like dogs.

Three things I don't have in common with them:

*I love Christmas.

*I don't steal things from other people's houses.

*I'm not covered with green fur.

Favorite line:

"For tomorrow I know all the Who girls and boys/will wake bright and early. They'll rush for their toys!/And then! Oh the noise!/Oh, the Noise! Noise! Noise! Noise!/There's one thing I hate!/Oh, the NOISE! NOISE! NOISE! NOISE!"

"If I can't find a reindeer, I'll make one instead!"

"Maybe Christmas... doesn't come from a store!/Maybe Christmas... perhaps... means a little bit more!"

brOTP: His dog Max, and after he becomes friends with the Whos, presumably Cindy Lou Who.

OTP: None.

nOTP: Cindy Lou or Max.

Random headcanon: His Who-ville is the same Who-ville from Horton Hears a Who. So he's actually a microscopic creature living on a speck of dust.

Unpopular opinion: While I understand why the 2000 and 2018 movies both fleshed out his character by explaining that he had bad experiences at Christmas as a child, I don't think he needs a backstory to explain who he is. He just can't stand all the noise the Whos make at Christmas. For a simple story like this one, that's enough of an explanation, and it's a sympathetic one, without excusing his villainous anti-Christmas scheme. Many people share the same annoyance at loud, garish, over-commercialized Christmas celebrations, and easily forget, like he does, that the holiday has a deeper meaning than all those trappings.

Song I associate with them: "You're a Mean One, Mr. Grinch"

Favorite picture of them:

[oftlunarialmoon]

Royally Cute Household DIY's - 3 DIY Projects to Make Your Household Cuter! - Royals Lesson!

Originally posted to www.onlyfunthings.org on April 04, 2018

Ciao Royals! Today's lesson is a fun crafty one- 3 DIY projects to make ordinary stuff cute!

What you'll need for all DIY projects:

-plain desk drawers

-plain hangers

-magnetic tape

-charms/small items

-lace

-hot glue gun and hot glue sticks

-ribbon

DIY #1- Cute Desk Drawers

This DIY is very simple. All you need is plain desk drawers (you can get these at Walmart or Staples) and some lace, ribbon, and hot glue. Glue the lace on first, then tie 3 ribbon bows and glue them on as well. And done! This DIY is super easy and looks really elegant, fancy and cute!

DIY #2- Embellishing Your Hangers

Nobody wants boring hangers right? So let's decorate them, three ways!

1. You can tie lace around the hook part of the hanger, or

2. You can tie a simple ribbon bow on, or

3. You can tie on a small cute charm, here I opted for an emoji.

If you want them to be a little more secure, you can hot glue the bows onto the hanger.

DIY #3- Make Your Own Magnets!

All you need for this is some magnetic tape and a small item (I'm using a little heart plush confetti). 

All you need to do is cut the magnetic tape to fit your item and stick it on your item! I added it to the mini-fridge with a couple other magnets I got at ROFcon (speaking of which, does anyone know what anime the girl is from? She came in a kawaii blind bag full of stuff, and I don't know what she's from.)

Adding a bunch of cute magnets to your fridge can turn it from boring to cute!

Remember to Stay Awesome and Love Yourself!

[beaniebaebie]

About me🫧🪷

Hey you can call me CC or Cee

🫧 cis she/her

🫧22 y/o

dni if you’re a pervy creep, fetishizing our 3ating d1sorders, under 18, or plan to t3rm my pals on here cause we’re all struggling and this is a safe space. Don’t play the hero in a story you’re not apart of.

I’ve been on 3dblr since 2018 and have gone through the 4n4/recovery cycle so many times it’s not even funny. T3rm3d to hell and back.

‼️IF YOU HAVE YOUR LIKES AND FOLLOWING PUBLIC YOU WILL BE BLOCKED‼️

^^ this is for safety reasons, anybody going on a reporting spree can go through your likes and following and i really don’t need to be t3rm3d again

💜sleepy 24/7

💜i love food and it’s sad

💜crafty

💜toddler mom

Stats

🫧5’3

🪐hw: 251lbs

🫧lw: 198lbs

🪐sw: 243.6lbs

🫧cw: 232.8lbs 🤢

🪐gw1: 200lbs

reward: Apple Watch/fitness watch

🫧gw2: 175lbs

reward: treadmill/walking pad

🪐gw3: 150lbs

reward: kindle paperwhite/physical book series

🫧gw4: 125lbs

reward: new wardrobe

🪐ugw: 104lbs

reward: giant crystal statement piece

[hannathecartoonlover]

Alright I’m gonna say something you can agree with or not but

I despise 2012 April’s character design for one

I don’t like her outfit it’s kinda bland and I just don’t like it

For two I am good with her having red hair but I wish they put a little more depth into it safe to say I decided to redesign and change 2012 April o Neil

So drumroll please

.

.

.

Introducing!

April O Neil!!!

Okay so I had some ideas for this April

1. She is a 16 year old like in 2012 version

2:

SHE IS NOT A PHYSIC or moves things with her mind

Or half krang she is a regular human girl

She has dreams to become a journalist she is apart of her high school journalism club and also in a turtle club (that she made)

I like the idea that she has a hyper fixation with turtles so when she meets the turtles like Donnie and everyone else she is not scared no she is like fangirling asking them questions on diet what type of turtles they are

Unlike 2012 April my April treats Donnie with a lot more respect instead of like leading him on she’s kinda brain dead that he even likes her

She doesn’t fight alongside them but she is crafty making little trinkets to confuse enemies she is the inside gal getting the info instead of doing the fighting

She is very energetic and hyperactive she is a high functioning autistic she is though a huge extrovert

Her mother isn’t part krang she is a regular woman she is a biologist but did have a part in studying the krang they were furious of being taken and tested on so they kidnapped Aprils mom her dad is protective but helps her and the turtles

Now the relationships she has with the turtles well start with Donnie

Donnie: April and Donnie out of all the turtles are the closest she is always asking questions about his inventions Donnie (obviously) has a crush on her because of this she is so well…energetic sometimes it’s hard for him to handle her but he cares about her

(Though they don’t end up together)

Leo : honestly Leo and April are honestly like a father trying his daughter not to get killed and always tries to make sure she doesn’t well die he is impressed by her ability to learn quickly and also her ability to be able to get some interesting information from her love of studying she is able to look into the latest news info because of her dad being a reporter

Raph:

Honestly when raph first met April he was scared not because she was human but how energetic she is she is always asking him questions about everything and raph gets a little annoyed but he does have to admit he respects her fighting spirit..

And the youngest

Mikey honestly these two are peas in a pod they both had chaotic younger sibling energy April likes to teach Mikey different things since he enjoys being around her she also loves ice cream kitty and honestly gets along

I hope you all like this interpretation of April I wanted to give her more personality I guess

And do my boi Donnie justice…

Because I just hate how April lead him on I prefer well 2018 April which I kinda based her off

Some aprils from the past and smoosh them together

[gerbelx2000-blog]

Introducing Blue Blood Killer, a project that I will do in class and a future series that I will do.

SPOILERS:

Blue Blood Killer takes place in Europe, where a secret organization is sworn to protect those with superpowers from getting killed by an alien race known as the Caeruleans. The main characters are all humans except for the one that is a Caerulean who despises his species' ethics and views towards the homo sapiens. This story carries action-packed fantasy and a comedic tone. It also explores how both sides in a war may have grey moral compasses—similar to Animorphs, Deadpool, B the Beginning, and other modern X-men comic titles. 

2008: The story starts in Porta Venezia, Milan, where Airi Rossi, a spunky young girl, meets a shy, young alien boy– later known as Aoki Lombardi– after meeting each other in a forest where a spaceship crash landed. Airi and Aoki would become the best of friends as time passed. They grow in mutual understanding, with Airi understanding Aoki's powers and Aoki understanding human culture. Aoki was the only alien until the war began. His parents sent him away to avoid his capture by the Grand High Arclight and the Caerulean guards.

Nine years later

2017: A giant blue goop from the sky splashed all across the regions of Planet Earth, including European regions. The goop demolished buildings and statues and even caused earthquakes, tsunamis, and other natural disasters. The ones that survived have been contaminated with the blue goop from the sky, and the ones that didn't have succumbed to the disasters. Survivors have built makeshift hospitals and refugee camps–-Including one in the Milan Cathedral— in order to tend to each other. With their newfound powers, some people have attempted to rebuild establishments, monuments, and homes. Some have even attempted to replant new crops and jumpstart electricity for refrigeration, guidance, and communications.

6 Year War

2018:  Things have died down, at least for the moment. But right when Airi and Aoki were settling into their new home, a group of Caeruleans and Caerulean-Human mutations known as Azurites ambushed their home and began attacking them. Right when the Caeruleans were about to inject a concoction that would diminish her powers, Airi manifested the power of luck onto the plasma-like lycanthrope Aoki, causing him to obliterate the Caerulean soldiers and Azurites with a giant blast. Recognizing they were targets, the two raced out of their home and tried to find a place where they could not be found. As they began searching for a place, a teleportation disk stepped into view and warped them into a high-tech facility. This secret hideout was located underneath the grassy side of Parco Sempione. Another location was in Milan. 

This is where the two meet the stoic, no-nonsense Office CEO turned commander Edgar Watson and tech specialist Thea Cirillo. Their new goal is to save hundreds if not thousands, of lives from the Caerulean who try to terrorize and wipe out their superpowers. From there on out, they formed an organization known as the Lapis Reale. 

Aoki meets three more Caeruleans during the 6-year war. In 2020, he met an ill-tempered and antisocial Cerulean named Telice Cortecepts, who lives in the Vertical Forests of Milan. In 2021, he met Nizami Konojami, a crafty and eccentric Caeruelean who wields the power of the weather and is known for pranking Aoki. And in the middle of the summer, he meets Ciel Shimumu, a psychic Cerulean Aoki was supposed to marry by order of the High Arclight. 

2023: Years after saving countless lives, including ones who would become members of Lapis Reale, their new objective is to get rid of the person who started this war: an immortal Caerulean and leader of Caerule, known as the Grand High Arclight. The Grand High Arclight decides that since their soldiers couldn't muster any strength to wipe out the human race, they would have to take action. Grand High Arclight resorted to kidnapping all of the human race and eating it, regaining more power and immortality so that they could recreate their race. 

Not wanting to die, Airi, the rest of the Lapis Reale force, and the reformed Cerulean soldiers team up to find ways to prevent them and the innocents from becoming digested. While doing so, Airi and Aoki have also spared the injured soldiers after fighting them to see if they're willing to switch allegiances. If possible, the two also help the aliens, who are non-soldiers around town, and give them food and shelter.

They began crawling out of the Grand High Arclight's digestive acid and trying to find their brain(their weak spot). This attempt was arduous as Azurites were lurking within their stomach, trying to rip the bubble the Earthlings were in and then kill them. However, once they reached the brain, they finally shut it off, resulting in the Grand High Arclight's death and their ship shutting down. After getting out of the ship and realizing that the Grand High Arclight was the one that powered the ship, the Airi and the group scrambled to find the controls. Having full knowledge of the Caerulean language and technology, Aoki and several of the reformed Caeruleans powered up the ship and piloted it back home. The story ends with a festival celebrating the two races' victory, defeating their immortal godlike tyrant. 

Blue Blood Killer (ブルー・ブラッド・キラー) Characters.

Airi Rossi(アイリ・ロッシ, Age 28, Tychokinesis):  A spunky, optimistic girl and the aunt of a girl named Hiromi who always gets herself into trouble no matter how big or small. However, she makes up for her clumsiness with her incredible knowledge of astronomy and astrology that she inherited from her father, and her willingness to help others in need, even after going through so much disasters. Her main superpower is luck, meaning she can increase the probability of her and her friends.  She and Aoki have been best friends since childhood. Prior to the war against the Caeruleans, she grew up to be a cop.

Aoki Lombardi or Niro Oregine(アオキ・ロンバルディ/ナイロ・オレギン, Age 28, Plasmakinesis, Wolf Physiology): Quiet, kindhearted, lonely Caerulean and at some point paranoid. After being separated from his parents and sent all the way to Earth, he became scared and alone until he met and befriended Airi. Prior to the war against the Caeruleans, he was a Mineralogist and Petrologist, and he would rather not have anyone including himself destroy life on a planet. Because that would see himself as a monster.

Thea Cirillo(テア・シリロ, Age 29, Technokinesis):  A sassy, partying, and mischievous, Tech specialist/hacker and a good friend mainly Airi and Aoki. In the aftermath of the destruction from the Blue Goop, and after being shafted by her estranged family, she traveled all the way from Paros and straight to Italy to find Edgar and her new coworkers.

Edgar Watson(エドガー・ワトソン, Age 41, Metalkinesis): Stoic and perfectionist man who was once President of the office building QUOCA Distribution(Quality United Observation Collective Administration) and is now leader of Lapis Reale. He is usually calm and collected, but when faced with any sort of nonsense or a threat that greatly impacts him and his associates he will lose his temper.

Marco Orlando(マルコ・オーランド, Age 38, Dragon Physiology): A wrestler with a big heart of gold and a muscle of a Titan. He had a wife named Key and a young daughter named Marcella and ever since they were killed, he had been devastated and angry, causing the newfound draconic powers to overtake him and go on a kill spree. After Lapis Reale defeats and reforms him, he decides to train himself both emotionally and physically in order to keep his inner demons at bay.

Benjamin Hoffman(ベンジャミン・ホフマン, Age 26, Hydrokinesis and Merfolk Physiology): A Jewish sailor borne from France dedicated to his job and his daily life routine. When the goop destroyed all of the areas in France, cities were destroyed his captain crew mates as well as families were killed and he was stuck in the ocean. Everything was all crashing down. However, Lapis Reale managed, he slowly had to get used to having new people in his life as well as having a new job. He’s used to having a routine and has a bad habit of overthinking, but his strength comes in unlimited geographic and oceanographic knowledge.

Kline Ledger “McCoy” Rossi(クライン・レジャー・マッコイ・ロッシ,Age 40, Jinx Manipulation): Former professor at Caraway University with a Ph.D. in astrophysics, an old friend of Edgar and Claude and the real father of Airi Rossi. Very lax and antisocial individual contrast to his cheery attitude prior to his kidnapping by the Caerulians. McCoy is his pen name.

Titus Gardener(タイタス・ガーデナー, Age 60, Elasticity): A kind old man who works and lives in the gardens of the Milan apartments. Like He’s a pacifist and sees the good in nature despite the flaws, hence why he’s not keen in a participating a war and would rather act as a part of a rescue team. He’s good friends with and would often bring tea in order to comfort them during a stressful situation.

Ciel Shimumu(シエル・シムム, Age 28, Psychokinesis): A Caerulian and a former significant other for Aoki/Niro who would often times sticks to the rules, especially, however will not outright dictate anyone and would rather stick to the sidelines if need be. However due to her psychic powers, she cannot ignore those suffering, human or Caeruleans. She’s good friends with Hinako and Airi Rossi.

Hope you guys like it.

[imaginativemind29new]

Happy STS! Here's your question revealed:

Question 1:💜(Purple Heart)

What surprised you the most (either about your story, your characters, or yourself as a writer) in the course of working on your WIP?

Thank you for sending me the question :) And that's a good one actually.

Well the thing that surprised me most about my WIP The Heir's Curse is how it developed from a "Portal Fantasy" into a High Fantasy story. In my original first draft my main protagonist traveled from our world through a "portal" to Askaela, where as now the whole thing is set in the world I created and it makes so much more sense and everything rolls better now. But I needed to discover this through writing it :)

Characterwise it would be Baz that surprised me the most. He started out as a morally grey side character but well what can I say? He was very noisy in my head and now he has his own POV in the book and upgraded himself to a "second" protagonist just like the crafty pirate that he is lol

And when it comes to myself as a writer I think what surprised me the most was that when I started posting my first written piece online 2018 (omg how time flies lol) on Wattpad that people actually wanted to read what I wrote and enjoyed it :) I started out with fanfiction and still enjoy it and I must say that without the feedback of my readers on my fanfics I would have never had the courage to even try and start writing my own original story, let alone a whole book. I met the kindest and most awesome people through entering the writing bubble and made some really good online friends and I just appreciate everyone of them so much <333

I'll end this ask with a quote of Anne Shirley cause that's exactly how I feel about our little writers (and readers) bubble:

“Kindred spirits are not so scarce as I used to think. It's splendid to find out there are so many of them in the world.” ― L.M. Montgomery, Anne of Green Gables