#I have a different horn design for her in mind so this is just a random test

[0nsyu]

To share a quote from the tattoo artist:

Shisa and Hibiscus This, like Rikiya's, is a design that brings the essence of Okinawa to the forefront. It resembles the standard karajishi seen in irezumi, but the way its ears stand up, among other things, differs subtly. — Horitomo

Taking into account the rest of Horitomo's commentary on his designs (featured in the 10th and 15th anniversary books), as well as commentary from Yokoyama, there is for sure a wealth of evidence for the idea the tattoos are meant to represent the characters in question! I've always felt Yakuza 3's are particularly well-thought out and Nakahara's is no exception, coinciding with Yokoyama's estimation that his writing got a lot tighter overall from that game on.

Lot of good points brought up here, and there are a few things that come to mind about the origins and cultural context surrounding the shisa I'd like to add.

Firstly, shisa are not considered a form of komainu. The two are thought to have evolved separately from the shishi/karajishi at different times. "Shisa" is the Okinawan pronunciation of "shishi," and they're called "shiishii" in Yaeyaman. "Komainu," on the other hand, is chiefly thought to suggest the idea was brought to Japan via Goryeo/Koma, or perhaps more broadly the area around mainland China according to some.

Komainu came to be some time after shishi were brought to Japan from China. Shishi originally came in symmetrical, open-mouthed pairs, but thanks to Japanese sensibilities favoring asymmetry, "shishi-komainu" pairs (with an open-mouthed shishi on the right and a close-mouthed komainu on the left) became popular.

They have other differences, of course: komainu may or may not have horns while shishi never do, among other things, but a number of their features have become muddled in meaning and difficult to distinguish. The term "shishi-komainu" for the pair has in a sense become just "shishi" or "komainu" colloquially because of this, with the distinction between shishi and komainu only being made if they physically differ from one another in a way that's recognized. If you see one with a beribboned ball (like the one pictured in your post above, actually) and one with a cub, though, that's a male and female shishi/komainu respectively.

Shisa were brought to Okinawa from China around the time (or shortly after) the asymmetry between male and female was established, which may be why the open-mouthed and close-mouthed variants came to denote gender instead of species, but that one's entirely speculation on my part. Another difference between shisa and shishi-komainu is that they actually don't come in pairs as often as the game suggests; more often, sure, but there are plenty of examples of lone shisa.

This relates to the final difference I want to highlight for this post, which is that while shishi-komainu guard the emperor and the divine, shisa guard villages and homes; lone shisa were often erected to guard against fires, while pairs were erected to ward off evil. Famously, the lone Tomori shisa, the oldest recorded stone shisa in Okinawa, was used as a shield by US military forces spying on Japanese military forces during WWII. Today, the bullet holes that mark its surface have faded considerably.

So I do think it's interesting that Nakahara has a lone shisa. Shisa are, after all, often tattooed in pairs, on both sides of the chest or on the arms. Where that leads me personally, though, isn't that Kiryu represents the missing half of the pair. With regard to Saki, Kiryu doesn't say a word to her outside of Premium Adventure, and he leaves her care to Rikiya and Mikio, Haruka who volunteers, even the other orphanage kids—everyone but himself, essentially. And she's only staying at the Morning Glory for a week or less before Nakahara gets better, most of which Kiryu is in Kamurocho for. The oryu, like the shishi-komainu, is loyal to the emperor (in this case, Daigo as sixth chairman, a reading Mine's tattoo reinforces) and leaves his responsibilities behind to attend to him.

But it's not specific to Kiryu. To me, no one person represents the missing half of the pair, because there is no missing half of the pair. Nakahara is the lone shisa that guards not just his daughter and his men but his community, a community that loves him and his men and his daughter in return, in stark contrast to most other yakuza organizations in the series. And like the lone Tomori shisa, with its bullet holes from a conflict Nakahara is not even one generation removed from, his must have faded by now too.

Shigeru Nakahara's tattoo being a shīsā (J. シーサー), a regional form of the komainu (J. 狛犬), is actually really cute, and I like how it's surrounded by an Okinawan floral motif.

Shīsā are these iconic Buddhist creatures that you can find in a lot of Japanese shrines and other sacred sites. They're supposed to be protectors that almost always come in pairs. Earlier, you can encounter a substory with a married couple looking for the partner of a shīsā statue that they bought alone that introduces the player to this concept.

What I like about Nakahara's shīsā is that it's alone, he only has one on his back, but as a character he's defined by two particularly strong bonds. One is with Saki, his adoptive daughter, the character he is protecting and whom the desire to protect acts as a power up here, and the other with Kiryu, who is implicitly, in my nerd headcanon here, being positioned as the counterpart guardian during this storyline.

I may be totally off here but I want to believe this is the case because it is more evidence to my growing Yakuza Tattoos Are Advanced Fursonas Theory.

I also just think it's a really cute design for a fat old Okinawa jiji to have.

*the komainu are themselves a regional form of a broader East Asian concept, and I'm pretty sure but not certain that "komainu" itself is a portmanteau meaning "Korean dog," and they're also sometimes referred to as karajishi, meaning "Chinese lion." This is not to say that the symbolism and narratives associated with them are universal!! It's kind of like how gumiho (K. 구미호) foxes in Korean mythology tend to be real assholes who turn into hot women to eat your guts, while their role in Japanese mythology is influenced by the Inari Ōkami (J. 稲荷大神) fox religion.

Shīsā specifically have a lot of Ryukyuan religious influence, and tend to be gendered, with the male having his mouth closed to keep evil out and the female having her mouth open to let good in, though I've heard the reverse. Shīsā can be found in Okinawa on gateposts to non-religious buildings just like Morning Glory, and have been built for a variety of reasons like warding off fires. According to Ryukyuan legend, they were even used to ward off dragons.

Mythology and culture are super complex living things and I'm being very very very broad here. I apologize if I'm incorrect, I am just a student. Please be nice to me.

[ilikedetectives]

[fei-rest]

Life Series In Your Style Challenge!

I did the challenge! These are all generic designs for everyone because in my head, they all have slightly different designs for each season.

Design Notes:

Grian: Purple eyes because Watcher and the colours of his wings represent the life series colours

Scar: His scars are meant to be explosion damage caused

Mumbo: Vampire, that’s it

Jimmy: Canary Jimmy!

Joel: I tried to make him look more ogre like (referencing his original skin being just Shrek) so teeth and ears

Scott: He’s an elf to reference his Empires Season 1 character because I like ESMP S1 a lot

Impulse: I like the design choice of giving him horns that quite a few fanartists do

Skizz: Pretty much just his skin design plus halo because I see a lot of people give him angel features?

Tango: Saw another post that pointed out the similarities between his skin and a Minecraft bee so bee antennae, he’s wearing a leather biker vest

Etho: I tried to make him look as dissimilar to Kakashi as possible, the hearts on his headband are the life series hearts

Bdubs: Pretty much just his skin design, not much to say there

Cleo: I tried to give her really big 80s hair

Martyn: Listener marking on his face to reference his CC self’s inclusion of EVO Lore in the Life series (also in my headcanon, Martyn is kind of a Listener himself but he’s not too aware of it) and Ren’s red colour in headband because they ally a lot

Ren: Martyn’s green in his hair tie to connect the two of them together more design wise

Lizzie: Hair buns are triangular to mimic cat ears and feather ears to link her to Jimmy (seablings and kind of canary curse)

BigB: It’s just his base Minecraft skin but in my mind his outfits changes a lot for each season

Gem: Deer motifs to parallel Pearl’s wolf motifs, also because deer are nimble and she is shown to be someone who is difficult to kill (there’s also some irony because she’s often “hunted” I guess by other players)

Pearl: Wolf motifs because she has an army of them (also to parallel Gem)

[megbanned]

Hi Meg megbanned! It’s a pleasure to meet you. I just wanted to ask something. Your UWD concept fascinates me. How did you come up with it?

Hi hiiiiii!

Time for loreeeeeeeee XD

This is kind of old but basically- before entering the fandom I was creating a new fursona and sonicsona

Thiis one

But after knowing the series 1 year ago (November 1), it occurred to me to make my fursona into a drone, but I wanted it to keep their design.

So then I did this first concept for my drone

It looks a little weird since I didn't know how to draw the drones body, so I just made it similar to the Sonic style, I even included 5 fingers and the paws X'D

Although its appearance changed when it became a drone, I had more in mind that it would be like a small demon drone, something silly.

This was the first reference I made about my OC, it still had 5 fingers at that time and the design of the body where the lava was was different (I didn't know that drones had cores or the sign on their chests) and also my own oc was the first post about murder drones that I had made on twitter X'D and I call it just "A worker drone from the underground"

After creating this OC I said to myself "why don't I make more OCs with the same concept?" So I created 3 more

Although after a while I got a little annoyed that they looked so similar in terms of "drone model" and eventually differentiated them slightly in markings and colors (ABS was the second OC I created, so she is still very similar to her first concept and MB), I think by this point I was starting to think more that they were already a different type of Worker drones x'D

I mean: -They have Worker Drone bodies. -They have horns. -They have tails. -They have lava characteristics and different abilities and weaknesses.

They were definitely another type of drones and to clarify the above I had made this information sheet since I had been asked what my OC was about.

Pretty old information and designs x'D

And then I wrote a little more about my drones here https://www.tumblr.com/megbanned/744965835843649536/i-got-a-qeustion-so-pretty-sure-your-mascot-is?source=share

So after this I already had a simple base about what these drones were, they already had their first part of the lore and what they could do.

After a while, some friends and other people started asking me if they could create a drone similar to mine I didn't know what to answer because at first I only kept them for myself and my stories.

Unfortunately it took me a while to think about what to do…

After that I thought I could do something more with them, create more lore for them, establish their abilities and weaknesses a bit more, more basic information and more freedom regarding their designs. So I started making some custom designs for close friends.

Plus I also did some roleplaying since that helped me figure out what else they could do while answering my friends' questions.

In addition, other friends gave me advice on how to balance the drones and bring them closer to the Murder Drones canon but also leaving some artistic freedom.

Also, something funny is that at one point I got to write a script for a fake analog horror video about these drones XDDDDDD doing that helped me clarify more information.

And well, after a couple of months, having free time, and with my knowledge of closed and open species, I was able to compile all the information in this Guideeee

And that's how this subtype of drones appeared x'D

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA

[raven-at-the-writing-desk]

So for new year cards...

Jack SSR is actually so cool; I like it. Malleus SSR is beautiful and all, but he really reminds me of a bride in forced marriage tropes. 😭

[Referencing the Twst JP Jan 2025 schedule!]

Finally, some good fucking food for Jack stans 😭 Port Fest feels like so long ago… fbjssbdjjs I feel like I can’t appreciate his design as much as others can. I’m not into the skintight undershirt on a character as buff as Jack is, and I'm confused as to why his gloves are... like that??? But!! I do like his fluffly little boa thing and how enthusiastic his pose is. You can tell he’s really putting his all into the New Year Sale~!

Malleus got another new hairstyle (any hairstyle that's different than his default one is a win in my book www)!! I think it's a well-liked look among his fans; I already saw so many people commenting that he looks like a love interest in a reborn as a villainess isekai or something to that effect.

I also saw some chatter around the thin fabric that Malleus seems to have over himself. A common joke is that it's a "wedding veil", but given the traditional Japanese clothes everyone is wearing for the new year, it's more likely also a Japanese article of clothing. A friend theorized that it's a 被衣 (kazuki/katsugi), a garment worn over the head that fully covers the body. These are mostly donned by noblewomen to cover their faces when they go out--and that sort of makes sense, given that Malleus himself is a noble. How demure and mindful... I thought the veil could also be a frost blanket (you know, to protect the budding flowers from the cold)?? But I'm not entirely sure right now; maybe the vignettes will give us more context!

A friend and I were speculating as to what flowers might be featured in the initial card art and the conclusion we came to was ume (plum) blossoms. The color and shape are similar, and they're a classic flower in winter anime. Something else I noticed was that the same flowers seem to appear in Sebek's New Year Attire from two years ago! If you compare Malleus and Sebek, you'll notice that the lighting is much warmer in Sebek's too. In fact, all previous SSR cards are pretty much like that, save for maybe Trey but at least Trey is shown to be in front of the shop. It really makes Malleus's card "stick out", since he's the only one that appears to be in a lonely and isolated location, just him and the plum blossoms.

On the subject of clothing worn by Japanese women! The same friend and I talked about Jamil's New Year Attire too. (Figured I'd throw this in here since I'm already talking about the other three 2025 New Year boys. Don't wanna leave him out, y'know??)

You can see that he has his hood up in the initial card artwork; my friend joked that Jamil's a newlywed. Why? Brides that choose to dress traditionally for their wedding days wear a wide white headdress/hood called a 角隠し (tsunokakushi), which covers an elaborate hairstyle like Jamils'/j. The "tsuno" (horns, as I'm sure you're all familiar with) in the name refers to the "horns of jealousy"; the tsunokakushi is meant to blanket the jealousy so she can enter her new married life at peace.

Of course, the shape, color, and context of the tsunokakushi is very different than what Jamil's got going on and the Twst team most likely did not intend for this comparison to be drawn, but I thought that this was interesting to share ^^ (*feeds Jamuil yumes this delulu cultural trivia*)

Aaaand let's close out with Floyd! The answer to his question is simple, actually. To put one's arm inside the kimono is just a very casual or relaxed way to pose. It suits Floyd and his attitude, doesn't it?

[gh0st-t0wn3]

I finally had time to make proper designs for the Trio!

Redson: Ver 1

Ver 2

I couldn't decide on if I liked it better with the braids or not so I just posted both, but anyways!

I gotta admit, I used to not like the idea of redson having Bull features (except for a small pair of horn maybe) but the concept really grew on me and now I really love it and wanted to try making my own design and I'm really proud with how it turned out.

I would've added more scars, since Guanyins throne pierced his entire body, but there came a point where it just looked like there was too much going on so I had to get rid of a few scars to tone it down, so we're just gonna say they faded over time, okay? Okay.

I also made him Miao (one of the largest ethnic minorities in southwest China) on PIF's side, and Mongolian on DBK's.

The Miao ethnicity of China has a long history, rich culture, and an ancient folk religion. Adorned in beautiful traditional clothes, possessing natural talent for singing and dancing, they live in uniquely designed indigenous architecture, which I think fits perfectly with how I imagined Princess Iron Fan and with her; Redson.

As for DBK being Mongolian, I saw someone else talking about this headcanon and I just liked it so I decided to use it, I don't really have a specific reason for it, I just thought it fit, not sure why though, it's just one of those things that makes sense even if you don't know why, you know?

Mei:

I made her taller and gave her a long dragon tail (like really long, it drags along the floor if she's not holding it up), though her scales are pretty much everywhere across her body they're most noticeable on her shoulders, thighs, and face (they're a bit hard to see in this photo because they're kinda hidden behind her hair, but I did give her scales beside her eyes)

I also gave her horns these little spiral designs around them, gave her sharper nails, and designed her ears to look like coral, since she's a water dragon and I thought they looked cool.

Honestly idk what else to say about her design, I didn't have anything specific in mind when designing her, I kinda just had to wing it, but I'm happy with how it turned out :)

(I also made her Bengali, on her dad's side, but it's not really important or has any reason behind it, just a headcanon I've had for a while, don't know where it came from though)

MK:

Alot of people have speculated that the monkey form we see during the fight against Azure in season 4 isn't MK's full form yet, that we're just seeing a fraction of what he's yet to become, based on the fact that while he has the weird side burns, the tail and the face marking, he also lacks a natural skin tone, they didn't give him a proper nose etc, so I wanted to play with the idea.

I decided to make him this strange mix between human and monkey, leaving him pretty much human with the addition of his tail(s), and weird li'l monkey feet.

(I was also gonna give MK more arm/leg hair, it was in my first sketch, but I forgot to add them when I was doing the line art and didn't realize until after I saved it as a jpeg, so that's my bad, but I'm gonna add it in to any other art I make)

It's also a bit hard to see in this, but I designed his staff with more details, specifically adding dragon-esque imagery to the Golden ends, this is because (for anyone who's new to the fandom/hasn't read JTTW) Wukong's staff was originally one of the several pillars that held up the sea in the dragon palace, until he stole it and shrunk it down to use as his weapon.

I also did MK's clones :)

Porty MK:

I gave him stripes of coloured hair and gave his tails all different colours, though I don't think he would actually dye it, instead I like to think that he would use that really crappy dollar store spray in hair dye (or hair chalk). I kept the fishnet clothes that I added in my originally design of him for my headcanons post, and decided to give him striped elbow length fingerless gloves.

I also gave him a cropped shirt, ripped shorts and these weird fingerless glove-esque shoes for convenience, since regular shows seem like they would be uncomfortable.

Edit: my dumbass forgot Porty's stupid print jacket 😭

Artist MK:

For Artist MK I gave him overalls and a jacket over it, which he wears specifically for when he's doing paintings so he doesn't ruin too many of his actual clothes (I know I said that this was inspod by Circusapple, which it still is, but this is almost exactly what I wear when I'm painting too, just in different colours).

I also gave him those gloves that digital artists wear so they're hands don't accidently trigger something on the screen because everyone knows that every artist just walks around with their art glove on even when it's not necessary.

Delivery MK:

I have to admit, I was never a big fan of MK's work uniform just being his regular clothes with a work jacket thrown over it so I wanted to try and make him look a little more professional and decided to instead give him a chef coat (similar to the one Pigsy wears on the show as well), with a logo for the restaurant on the chest, along with it I gave him plain black pants, since casual red jeans didn't seem very professional (I know he's just a delivery person, but if you were to look at pretty much any food corporation, even people who do deliveries have to wear uniform, so it's always been kinda strange to me that he's just in regular clothes). 

The shoes were harder to make professional given the whole "half-monkey" thing so I opted to give him the same strange fingerless glove-esque shoes for comfort and convenience, but made them plain black as well.

[kozachenko]

I swear to god, Zanmu has just been on my mind recently, she's taking over my fucking brain please send help

Artist's Note:

Why is it that everytime I do a drawing of Zanmu I always make the canvas size fucking huge and it ends up being a living nightmare to fucking export. I swear to god I had to go from 1200 DPI to 600 to 350.

Exporting hell aside, I loved working on this piece. With Zanmu's design, I wanted to combine all the design details that I love and have seen in other people's drawings of Zanmu and give them my own personal touches. First of all, her sleeves were inspired by @amemenojaku's design for Zanmu, and I absolutley love that detail because not only does it make her feel more regal, it also can be a callback to Satori and old hell, and also gives me the idea that Satori's fashion sense was inspired by Zanmu because IRL a lot of historical fashion was inspired by what the nobles were wearing at the time, and since Satori was around since when Old Hell used to be Hell, she probably took some wardrobe inspo from her (or it could be my headcanon that Satori could've been Zanmu's royal advisor or she was in her court or something but that theory is kinda grasping at strings from other headcanons I have, but that's for a different post). Also, the eye makeup she has was inspired by @jothelion's drawings of Zanmu, and like, I fucking love that detail because it just adds so much like omg I just love it sm.

And now for the design details I put in. I gave Zanmu tassel earrings because I think they'd look great on her. I also really like to exaggerate her hair and really try to make it look wild, as well as having little grey hairs here and there. I also try to add some wrinkles to the corners of her eyes, but TBH I don't know how visible that detail is, since the image is pretty fucking big. I also really exaggerated the tassles/strings on her outfit, since I really wanted to play around with the potential flow they could have. Also, big fan of giving Zanmu longer sleeves and pants. IDK why but I just like how it flows better. Also big fan of making her taller, idk why a lot of fanart makes her short. Also, I placed her horns closer to the front of her head as I just think placing horns in that position looks cool.

Also, if you're wondering about the halo, I took some inspiration from a few of Caravaggio's paintings where he often depicts saints with this very thin halo around the top of their heads. I just liked that detail a lot so I thought I'd include it.

Fun fact, I was originally gonna make the four skeletons Chiyari, Biten, Enoko, and Hisami but I didn't like the prospect of having to draw four more characters, so I chose to replace them with skeletons (if you wanna get silly with it, Zanmu got Hisami to kidnap Aya, set up some skeletons with bones from her bone collection and told her to take a picture of her).

I kinda gave up on Zanmu's feet and the one skeleton's hands (as if drawing hands normally is hard enough but NOPE, HAD TO MAKE IT LIVING HELL FOR MYSELF BY MAKING IT A SKELETON) and the quality of the image may suffer because of how much I had to fucking compress it (Zanmu's presence alone was enough to make the computer lose all of it's desire and motivation to export the drawing of her lmao), but I have been hacking at this piece for a while now, plus I need to learn when to call it quits when it comes to drawings). Also as I was fixing up the hands there was one spot where I forgot to clean up with the sketch and I can't fucking unsee that now and it's going to fucking bother me until I fix it but fixing it requires going back and putting my computer through hell so yeah.

So yeah, that's about all I have to say with this drawing, it was fun but also a nightmare lol

[callmemonster68]

JUNGWON - Sweet Corruption ( smut )

"Y/N: Do you think you can run away from me?  (his voice was a mix of amusement and authority) You belong to me, Jungwon."

Weekly challenge: Contamination secret-moonstruck & callmemonster68

He was pure, disciplined, untouchable… until he called her.  A whisper in the darkness, an unconfessed desire, and suddenly, Jungwon was no longer alone.  Y/N, a succubus thirsty for pleasure and domination, would drag him into an abyss of lust from which he would never escape – and, deep down, he didn't even want to.  But even the most docile toys can learn to bite...  and when submission gives way to hunger, who is really in control?

Succubus is a female demon that appears in dreams to seduce men, usually with the aim of having sexual relations.

Pairing: Jungwon X FemReader Succubus (Masterlist)

Genre: Obscenity

WARNING: text a little longer than I usually write

Warning: graphic description of gore ( bloond/injuries ) explicit content, unprotected sex, suggestive, penetration, explicit language, climax, sex, swearing, loss of virginity, hickeys, messy make-out sessions, dirty talk, compliments, rough sex, touching bruises, handcuffs, chains, sadomasochism , masochism, brands, group sex,double penetration, oral sex, anal sex, masturbation, yandere, obsession

The night was silent, the room dark, illuminated only by the cold light of the monitor.  Jungwon adjusted his glasses on his face, his heart racing as he finished yet another study marathon.  He was methodical, disciplined, and avoided distractions.  It has always been like this.  But, that night, something was different.

The air grew heavier, a sweet and forbidden perfume lingered in the atmosphere, and Jungwon felt a shiver run down his spine.  He blinked, confused, as the computer screen flickered as if it had been corrupted.  A dragged whisper filled the air.

Y/N: You called me...

He turned around, and then he saw her.

Lying on his bed as if she had always belonged there, a woman with pale skin and dangerous curves watched him with eyes shining a deep pink.  The curved horns framed her hair as black as night, and a long tail, ending in a sharp tip, lazily swayed in the air.

Jungwon: W-who are you?  (he stammered, swallowing hard)

Y/N: Ah... so sweet.  (she slowly rose, her ample breasts barely covered by a black corset that seemed designed to provoke) — I am Y/N.  And you called me, little boy.

Jungwon recoiled, almost knocking over the chair.  His face was on fire, the words stuck in his throat.

Jungwon: I didn't call anyone!  I was just studying!

She laughed, and the sound was sinful.

Y/N: Yes, I was.  But your mind... ah, your mind was crying out for me. You are too pure to realize, but your desire was so strong that it crossed the barrier between worlds.  And here I am.  (the succubus approached, a sadistic gleam in her eyes) To teach you a few things...

Jungwon tried to speak, but she was already on top of him.  The soft claws slid over his chest, feeling the heart pounding beneath the thin shirt.  He shuddered.

Jungwon: T-take your hands off me...

Y/N: Oh?�� You say that...  but your body says otherwise.  (Her smile widened, her sharp teeth visible for a moment) Come on, sweetheart.  I promise to be gentle... at first.

He didn't know if it was fear or excitement, but when her lips brushed against his neck, his mind exploded with sensations he had never imagined feeling.

Jungwon: If I give in, what happens to me?

Y/N: You will know a pleasure beyond your dreams... and perhaps never wake up again.

Jungwon felt his own body tremble under her touch.  The heat emanating from her was almost suffocating, a stark contrast to the cold air of the room.  Her eyes were fixed on hers, which seemed to glow like embers about to consume everything around.

Jungwon: Never wake up again?  (he whispered, his voice trembling, but without stepping back)

Y/N smiled, a mischievous glint crossing her ruby lips.

Y/N: Ah, sweetie…  (she slid her claws down his chest, tearing the shirt he was wearing, feeling his breath falter) Don't be afraid. Just enjoy it.

The shiver that ran down Jungwon's spine was not just fear, it was something more.  Something he couldn't name, but that was growing inside him, burning like embers beneath his skin.  The succubus brought her face closer to his, her breath warm and intoxicating, laden with a sweet and addictive aroma.

He held his breath as her lips brushed against his jaw, slow, teasing, as if savoring every little reaction she drew from him.  Y/N's hands moved up to his neck, fingers playing with the soft strands of hair as her tongue slid across the sensitive skin below his ear.

Y/N: So innocent... (she murmured, her sharp teeth brushing against his skin) 

Jungwon shivered.

His mind screamed for him to retreat, to resist.  But his body... his body had already decided for him.  The heat spreading through his veins was a silent promise, an impossible temptation to ignore.  He felt his own fingers close around her waist, hesitant, as if testing the limits of his own surrender.

Y/N let out a satisfied sigh.

Y/N: See? (she whispered against his lips) You are already mine, little boy.

Jungwon closed his eyes for a moment, his thoughts jumbled.  When he opened them again, Y/N was on him, straddling his lap, her firm thighs pinning him against the chair.  The black corset she wore accentuated every dangerous curve of her body, and the horns gleamed in the pale light of the monitor.

Jungwon: What do you want from me?  (he asked, his voice laden with something he didn't want to admit)

Y/N tilted their head, a predatory smile on their lips.

Y/N: I want to devour you.  But don't worry, sweetie.  (she slid her claws down his neck, slowly descending to his chest) I promise to make this unforgettable.

Jungwon's heart hammered against her ribs.  When her lips finally captured his, he knew there was no turning back.  His last resistance crumbled the moment she deepened the kiss, pulling him into an abyss of lust from which he might never want to escape.

Y/N slid her hands over her own body before pulling the bodysuit to the side, revealing herself completely to him.  With a hungry look, she positioned herself over him, guiding herself until she fit perfectly.  Jungwon let out a muffled moan upon feeling her, his senses overwhelmed by a pleasure he had never experienced before.

Y/N: So hot... (she moaned, moving slowly at first, savoring every tremor that passed through his body.  He held her waist, trying to keep up with the rhythm, but she laughed, asserting her dominance) Not so fast, sweetie…  I am in control.

She slid the corset down, exposing her ample breasts, the nipples hardened.  She held Jungwon's neck and brought her face closer to her own breasts, her eyes shining with a silent command.

Y/N: Suck it.  (she murmured)

Jungwon hesitated for just a moment before wrapping his lips around her nipple, sucking fervently.  Y/N moaned in approval, burying her fingers in his hair, guiding him to lose himself completely in her.

Her movements intensified, the sound of their bodies colliding filling the room along with the interrupted sighs and moans. Jungwon was at her mercy, every nerve in his body being explored and dominated.

At the peak of pleasure, Y/N threw her head back, a satisfied smile on her lips as she felt Jungwon shudder beneath her. When the last tremor of pleasure coursed through her body, she slid her fingers over his sweaty chest and smiled.

Y/N: Virgins are always the best. (she murmured, satisfied, before gently biting his lower lip)

Jungwon was exhausted, his body still recovering from the intense experience.  His chest rose and fell in a rapid rhythm as he tried to organize his thoughts. Y/N slowly stood up, watching him with an amused look.

Y/N: Rest, sweetheart... (she whispered, leaning in to place one last kiss on his lips) But don't get used to the peace. I will return for more...

He barely had the strength to respond before she disappeared into the darkness of the room, leaving only her sweet and forbidden perfume in the air. The monitor flickered for a moment before stabilizing, as if nothing had happened.

And so, Jungwon's nights were never the same again. Whenever the darkness took over the room, she returned. Always hungry, always demanding. He became her toy, her nighttime entertainment. There was no escape, and deep down, he no longer wanted to escape.

During the day, Y/N watched him.  Invisible to human eyes, she followed him closely, her eyes burning with possession and desire.  She saw Jungwon interacting with other people – his classmates who laughed sweetly at him, the boys who gave friendly pats on his shoulder.  That irritated her.  He was hers.  Even if he still didn't accept it.

As night fell, Jungwon felt the room grow cold, a portent that she was there.  Y/N appeared suddenly, straddling his chest, her predatory smile revealing a cruel amusement.

Y/N: You spent a lot of time with those girls today...  (whispered, lightly tugging her hair) It bothered me.

Jungwon: Y/N…  I was just studying!  (protested, but a low moan escaped when she pressed her sharp nails against his sensitive skin)

Y/N: I don't want excuses.  I want you to learn a lesson...  (murmured against his ear, as his hands roamed his body with a mix of pleasure and torture) You are mine, Jungwon.  Just mine.  And I will make sure you never forget it.

He gasped, feeling each of her touches like a burning flame, a mixture of desire and fear taking over his being.  That night would be more intense than the previous one...  and he knew he was lost.

Y/N pulled Jungwon by the wrists, forcing him against the bed with a strength that didn't match their delicate appearance.  Her eyes sparkled with something between desire and cruel amusement.  With a subtle gesture, black chains appeared out of nowhere, binding her arms above her head.

Y/N: Let's test your endurance, sweetheart...  (she purred, sliding her sharp nails across his exposed abdomen, tracing red lines that burned slightly)  

Jungwon shuddered, his body tense and his breath erratic.

She pulled his hair firmly, tilting his head back and exposing his vulnerable neck.  A low laugh escaped her lips as he tried to resist, only to receive a fiery bite in response.

Y/N: You like this, don't you?  (she teased, running her tongue over the spot where she had bitten, feeling the warm and pulsing skin under her lips) Your body never lies to me.

Jungwon tried to protest, but any word was cut off when Y/N slowly scratched his thighs, their cold fingers contrasting with the heat burning inside him.

Y/N: Every mark on you, every moan you let out tonight... will be a reminder of who you belong to.  (his voice was low, dangerous, laden with sadistic pleasure)

He writhed beneath her, a mix of shame, fear, and excitement dominating his mind.  But Y/N wouldn't let him escape.  Not tonight.  With a predatory smile, she continued her sensual torture, determined to show Jungwon that he could never belong to anyone but her.

Without mercy, she tore the clothes he was wearing and pulled the bodysuit to the side, fitting herself against him in a precise and demanding movement.  Her wildness left no room for hesitation – she set the pace, sinking onto him and making his entire body tremble.

Y/N: Come on, sweetie... (she murmured, gripping his chin tightly and forcing him to look at her) I want to hear you moan my name.

She moved against him with strength and precision, alternating between a torturous rhythm and fierce thrusts that elicited every reaction she desired from him.  When he tried to pull away, Y/N laughed, her eyes shining with mischief as she dug her nails into his thighs, keeping him exactly where she wanted.

Y/N: Do you think you can run away from me?  (his voice was a mix of amusement and authority) You belong to me, Jungwon.

He hesitated for a moment, pride battling against the absolute surrender she demanded.  But when Y/N pressed her body even closer to his, a hoarse moan escaped his lips.

Jungwon: I... I belong to you...  (he gasped, the words coming out trembling and laden with submission)

Y/N smiled, satisfied.  She leaned in, biting her lower lip before whispering against his mouth:

Y/N: Good answer. Now be a good boy and obey me.

She punished him for what she considered his mistake, alternating between bites, scratches, and fierce thrusts, until he was completely surrendered to her.  The sheets were soaked with sweat, the bodies glued together in a frenzy of pleasure and domination.

When they finally reached the peak, Jungwon felt her body weaken beneath her, her mind completely overwhelmed by intense pleasure and exhaustion.  Her chest rose and fell rapidly, trying to catch her breath.

Y/N slid to the side, still watching him with that possessive gleam in their eyes.

Y/N: It was a productive night, wasn't it?  (she whispered, sliding her fingers across his sweaty chest) But this isn't over yet.  I'll be back for more...

He tried to respond, but his voice failed.  All he could do was watch her disappear into the darkness, leaving only the promise that this would not be the last time.

And so, the nocturnal meetings continued.  In the silence of the dawn, she always returned, hungry and merciless.  And no matter how much he tried to deny it, every night he longed for the moment when Y/N would appear again to claim him.

Jungwon was different that night.  Sitting on the bed, his eyes moist, his face flushed, he looked at Y/N with a glimmer of need and despair.

Jungwon: Y/N…  (he murmured, his voice trembling) Corrupt me...  make me yours forever.

Y/N's eyes widened, a wild smile forming, something dark and primitive dancing in their eyes.

Y/N: Oh, sweetie…  you finally understood.  (her voice was hoarse with pleasure) You have no idea what you're asking for.

Jungwon: I know...  and I want this. I want to be yours. I don't want to be weak anymore.  Please...

She laughed, a low and vibrant sound.  Then, slowly, her skin began to change.  Her eyes turned deep red, her horns grew, her tail elongated and wrapped around his body.  Her flesh pulsed, something black and viscous dripped down her skin.

Jungwon gasped as the shadows enveloped her completely and, in seconds, she appeared before him in her true form: bat wings spread, sharp fangs gleaming under the dim light of the room, pointed claws gliding over her skin.  The black energy flowed from her like a river, dripping and spreading across the floor.

Y/N: You will never be the same again. (her voice was now a demonic whisper)

Y/N threw herself at him, their lips merging in a kiss that burned and consumed.  The black substance infiltrated Jungwon's skin, penetrating every fiber of his being.  He arched his body, feeling something inside him break and be reborn.

Their eyes, once so innocent, now shone with a dark hue.  Their nails had grown, their breathing was heavy, and the slime dripped down both their bodies, sticking them together in a viscous and forbidden embrace.

Y/N: Now...  (Y/N whispered, licking their lips) You are mine forever.

Jungwon smiled, his eyes shining in intense red.

Jungwon: Yes... my master.

Months later, he was no longer the same.  Submission had given way to something wilder, fiercer.  That night, when Jungwon thought he still had it under control, it was his turn to dominate her.

He held her by the wrists, pinning her against the bed, his eyes shining with dark lust.

Y/N gasped at the feeling of his strength.  Her laughter was interrupted by a moan when Jungwon pulled her hair and imposed himself over her.  Now, he returned every touch, every torment she had taught him, and Y/N, for the first time, tasted the flavor of her own submission.

He turned her face down, gripping her waist tightly and pulling her against him.  The palm of his hand came down firmly against her exposed skin, a crack echoing through the room.  He penetrated her with a supernatural force, without mercy.  Y/N gasped, their eyes shining with a mix of surprise and pleasure.

Jungwon: You always teased me, always tested me...  (he leaned over her, biting her earlobe) Now it's my turn to teach you.

His fingers traced a path over her body before pulling her up, forcing her to look at him.

Jungwon: Tell me who your owner is, Y/N. (his voice was hoarse, laden with authority)

She hesitated, a defiant glint in her eyes, but when he pulled her by the hips and moved firmly against her, a moan escaped her parted lips.

Y/N: You... you are my master...  (she gasped, her eyes briefly closing, feeling each intense thrust he gave her)

He smiled contentedly, leaning in to bite her collarbone, marking it.  His hands ran over her body, alternating between gentle touches and dominating squeezes.

Jungwon: Good girl...  now surrender completely to me.

The night progressed, marked by the sound of bodies colliding, interrupted moans, and obscene whispers.  He explored every part of her, took her in every position he desired, until she was completely exhausted and submissive to him.

When they finally stopped, Y/N was lying against his chest, her body trembling and satisfied.  Jungwon stroked her hair, a satisfied smile on his lips.

Jungwon: Now you know... I am your master.  And you will never be able to dominate me again.

Y/N smiled softly, eyes half-closed.

Y/N: We'll see...

But both knew that, from that night on, the roles had changed forever.

Next week's challenge: Mermaid

✿ If you don't reblog and comment, you can be sure I'll be showing up in your dreams tonight... and I won’t be as sweet as in the story ✿

[lalalian]

I always think to myself, "I'm out of ideas... I'm out of actually cool, creative ideas, will I have to shut all my shit down? How am I supposed to continue posting if I've got nothing..." but then, the next second I'll come up with something that genuinely could be a whole ass dr

...

here's a dump of some of the drs I've been wanting to make into filled scripts for awhile now, but I haven't even started designing the scripts for them yet.

Some of them are literally just titles, but idk I just know I can work with it yk?

since I finished some prototyping hw today, I'll put in a little more effort sectioning this post

some of the ideas in question

cloud catcher: steampunk reality based on a cloud city, you've got a job as a cloud catcher, your job is to catch and sell different kinds of clouds, have a cloud shop

inedible edible cafe: inedible things here (in our OR) would be edible in this dr.. Initially I only wanted to include slime as a dish, but now I want to make dishes with different ingredients, like puffy sticker cereal or sum shit

shifting school dr: okay so this actually was a trend on shifttok for a sec, it was called a 'mysterious school' idk why. anyway, this school was supposed to be it's own dr, but I think i may include it in my dreamscape dr

magitech engineer dr: ngl this idea was in the fucking basement of my mind-- ain't nobody gonna wanna shift here besides for someone that actually likes crafting things. idk i just feel like it’s a niche idea

number magic: uh so no, that's not the title for this dr-- I just really wanna make a dr with this kind of system. idk I was just in world lit class and I realized the poem I was reading was repeating the number 5. we were supposed to analyze the poem, but my dumbass just started daydreaming... anyway, next idea

fantasy cosmetic makeup maker dr: so like imagine handmaking make up with like... mermaid pearls or like ground unicorn horns (sourced ethically of course-- unicorns will shed their horns like baby teeth throughout their lifetime. I cannot imagine depriving a unicorn of its horn... imagine doing that... what a psycho😨) you could make like a mermaid line, a sky beauty line, IMAGINE THE PACKAGING. STOP. WAIT. FLOWER KNOWS. AHHH.

guardian flame: I have so little down for this DR lmao 😭😭 essentially like you're some sort of being that's been assigned to protect another, probably someone who isn't as strong as you. the kinda oddball part about your drself in particular is that you have to go to school to train how to be a good protector, but like you've already got a person you need to protect. nobody is assigned to protect anyone until affffftteeerrr graduation, but ur stuck with an idiot

futuristic skater/futuristic biker: self explanatory! I also wanted this to be in a high school setting. this idea stemmed from me just wanting a high school futuristic dr, cuz like yk I was curious about what high school students would need to learn. what would be considered important to learn about? would all students be taught about how to make technology we would find difficult to make today? what about psychology class? what new theories would arise? what would students think about our generation (in our CR) today? would they think we're stupid, crass, or selfish? anyway, initially I just wanted to go to school and walk around... but, I had a dream about living in the future, more abt that in the next idea (this idea is getting long). Instead, I think I wanna deviate a bit from what I would usually do here and in literally every other school dr I have-- I want to experience what it'd be like to be a... deliquient? idk, growing up i kinda just was just that quiet girl that listened to her parents... soooooooo why not do smth different? I'm still not gonna drink or do drugs tho, boooooooo ik so boring 🙄🙄 oh also I was gonna have a group of friends that were also skaters or bikers and compete in definitely legal biker/skater competitions

futuristic entertainment district: anyway more about that dream, essentially everyone was wearing these levitating rocket boots that looked a lot like roller skates (they had those wheels at the bottom of the shoes). the city was like a huge pot hole filled with stores on the side, but like it seemed like parts of the land was broken apart and floating around-- even those had advertisements and people singing and dancing on them. like this pot hole city was filled to the brim with advertisements, shops, stores, entertainment places, literally I remember that there was a huge section of like idol shit. there were a lot of people darting around the place using those levitating boots I was wearing, but there were also futuristic floating cars. imagine cyberpunk but if it was located in a big ass pot hole. yah, that. idk i just wanna explore

dystopian futuristic dr: similar to cyberpunk in the fact that it's a world dominated by companies; I want to join an underground group that wants to overtake the gov and make the world less ass

singles inferno - introvert ver: I actually have all the contestants scripted + designed a script for this DR, but I haven't worked on this script in a whiillleeeee. I wanna be song jia. not literally, but like I want to have her charm, yk? ok so the introvert part-- a lot of the game will take place in a group chat room. you do challenges in-person and in this chatroom to get a date, sometimes it's a random date, but most of the time it's like your choice. very heavily inspired by a game called picka!

a minecraft roleplay dr: I know at least one of yall cringed so hard at this, trust me, I knooowwwww-- but I really want to be like the next aphmau or smth. oh except I don't want to make kid vids, tho I'm sure yall knew that right. I want to recreate aethergarde academy in minecraft (ALSO ALRUNA TOO OMFG) but then I also wanna do other things that aren't dr related. idk I just know that this DR's gonna be sooooo fun. I haven't even decided on a channel name yet 😭😭

...

uh so I prob got more, but these were just the ones that came to mind

I'll prob make a part two when I'm lazy with posting

if anyone wants to use these ideas, please do credit me! if one of yall see someone using my ideas without credit, plz plz tell me, ty!

[ashxketchum]

Now it feels like we’re celebrating the 25th Anniversary 😍

This new art for an upcoming collaboration with Karatez is just simply stunning. The theme is (very obviously) “idol” and I personally love the futuristic pop concept they’ve added to the outfits. Although exact date and merch details haven’t been shared yet, they shared a few layouts of the key art.

The outfits are also great this time around because of their little references to the partner Digimon’s Perfect evolutions. Listing them down one by one as always.

Taichi: The blue markings on his jacket plus robotic arm markings on his right sleeve are a nice shoutout to MetalGreymon.

Yamato: We see WereGarurumon’s pattern on his jacket and a few belts wrapped around his hands that captures the punk-grunge vibe of WereGarurumon well. It may be Yamato’s affinity to music, but he looks extremely in his element in this art, it’s not often we see him so raring to go in official merch art (he’s more of a soft smiles guy usually).

Sora: Her gloves and the red bandana on her arm coupled with the feather in her hair are clear shoutouts to Garudamon. It’s kinda funny to me that being the girl who’s crest is a heart symbol, she’s making a victory sign while Mimi and Hikari are both making different types of finger hearts 😆

Koushiro: Honestly they were really subtle with the reference for him and even twitter couldn’t exactly answer my doubts so I’m gonna have to see Koushiro stans step up and answer whether the reference in his outfit limited to the markings on his jacket resembling AtlurKabuterimon’s chest?

Mimi: I think she’s the one with the most easy to catch references, her skirt resembles Lilymon’s and her hair tie looks like Lilymon’s flower canon. I love that she’s making the big finger heart because it’s just so very Mimi. If Yamato suits the passionate side of being an idol, Mimi is definitely meant for the cutesy visual vibe that can make fans go crazy over just a wink and a smile.

Jou: He’s wearing three belt like bracelets around one wrist like Zudomon which makes his a minimal reference though not as subtle as Koushiro’s. I do feel that they could’ve done a bit more with his look, maybe add a horn to the side of his headset? I also can’t wait to see the full art for each kid individually cuz I do think him and Yamato are wearing similar bellbottom pants!

Takeru: The feather on his headset and the yellow suspended straps are a decent reference to HolyAngemon. Considering that they wanted to keep the outfits limited to one colour per kid, I think this is the best way they could slip in the reference, though I wouldn’t have minded a few rings.

Hikari: The feather on the headset, the corset-ish belt around her waist and her gloves are very nice references to Angewomon. Keeping Hikari’s innocence as a kid intact while referencing a Digimon that is undoubtedly considered one of the most sexiest mons in the franchise would have been really tough and I salute the illustrators for coming up with this design! I also like the OG Korean finger heart she’s making, such a cute look on her.

The cherry on top are each of the Digimon partners holding supportive cheering goods for their kids. Piyomon’s love for Sora goes hard with her big name banner. Meanwhile, Agumon and Palmon kept it simple with haoris, Tailmon and Patamon too decided to go the simple route with light sticks. Gabumon, Gomamon and Tentomon seem normal from afar with their hand fans but when you get a closer look on all the hearts around Koushiro’s name on Tentomon’s fan, you know the three spent time making those themselves.

All in all, a pretty amazing illustration to be able to get merch of!

But wait that’s not all, andGallery has also teased a future cafe collaboration with Digimon Adventure on their twitter, more info will be announced on 19th Feb but they did share a preview of what to expect.

[dovalore]

parkour civilization but i think way too deeply about the fighter layer

lore and design thoughts under cut

oh yeah, buckle up for this one

design notes - apf

ah yes, emf's species my beloved (i will not stop interpreting skins as them) ex1 ex2

apf's albino, so his eyes are bright red and his fur is completely pale

also yes, that's his full name here, it's not an abbreviation of anything

but he also answers to ghost if that helps

which kinda leads me to my next point, in a way. i associate this song with him (caution: loud)

the other song i associate with him is this (SPOILERS FOR FFXIV DAWNTRAIL) (specifically the third story dungeon) (you will not escape my love of ffxiv even in parkciv)

his tail isn't broken, its just kinked and has been for his entire life

despite looking like they could snap off if you pinch them, apf's horns are actually really sturdy

fighter boots have spurs on them, kids get a trainee version that have a stud in the back instead, y'know for safety reasons

wears dark clothes to make himself stand out less, the sleeves of his hoodie got progressively more tattered until he got sick of trying to stop them from falling apart so he tore them off himself

he uses bandages to substitute their absence, if he wraps them just firm enough, they won't get caught and tear on things as often. probably. he's making do

his tail isn't wrapped because it restricts its movement too much, which is dangerous when he uses it for balance

he does have two eyes, but he's also got a long ass fringe that seems to almost always cover one of them

design notes - seawatt

he's just a little guy!

there's not too much going on with his appearance at the moment, but he is wearing the same necklace as he is in this, it's just being covered by his paws (i also don't... really have an actual design in mind for it so it's still just kind of a vague thing)

lore

meta: initially it was just gonna be present apf, but then i thought about naphia's animation and i was like, yeah! let's add his past version as well, why not include seawatt? he's in the video and a fighter too, then it kinda just has a domino effect from there (i am deeply unwell about parkour civilization)

the colour of the effect particles around present apf is specifically F82421

apf's parents disappeared when he was still small, but he was taken care of by the adults around him, seawatt's parents included

apf and seawatt are roughly the same age and have been friends basically their entire lives

because of his upbringing, apf sees basically everyone as family, so everything he knows about the world and parkour comes from his family

one of the more prominent figures in his life is ms ami, his (and seawatt's) mentor. her lessons were absolutely vital to his development as a fighter and later on, his survival after the fighter layer was erased

seawatt might be the the one that introduced brewing stand jumps to the series, but even his considerable skill with them pales in comparison to apf's. granted, he didn't have to use them in life or death situations as often as apf did, so the gulf between their skill level really only becomes a thing post erasure

of course apf knew that his layer was going to be cut off from the rest of parkour civilization, everyone there did. but he couldn't just leave them there to fend for themselves, especially not when most of the people who took care of him as a kid were growing too old to do parkour

the difference between him and seawatt is that he understood why it had to be this way because he happened to be there when the champion briefly returned to say goodbye to an old friend

so after the layer was wiped, apf spent most of his time scavenging for food and blocks, most of the former would be given away to the people he was looking after

as time passed, he didn't have to push himself as far to look for food because... well, the number of people he cared for gradually dwindled, be it from natural causes or... other reasons

by the time seawatt returned to the fighter layer, there was only one person still being watched over by apf

he didn't get to see them before being taken to the master layer though, so he has no idea if they're alright. he'll ask to go back once he's able, though

design note i'm putting here instead of up there because it has more context now: yeah, he was designed to look unfriendly despite being the exact opposite of that. just like our first impression of this guy and then like, actually knowing what he's like in the series

not entirely based off the fact that he gave his last piece of steak to evbo when he went to face the parkour villain, but remembering that particular detail while drawing kind of just solidified this specific image of him in my mind as someone who really cares for others despite everything

[brw]

Do you think Carol Danvers is an industry plant?

I'll be honest I kind of don't believe in industry plants as a whole, just because I think it's kind of silly, but I'm assuming you don't mean in the literal sense of "musician or artist with corporate backing but isn't upfront about it", but instead on her being pushed less because of demand and more because of corporate mandates.

And yeah, that's definitely true. Carol became Captain Marvel in 2012, and it's not a mistake that that year is also the origin of what many people call the fourth wave of feminism, which also gave rise to an increasingly aggressive "Anti-SJW" culture and incel culture online in reaction to this new feminist movement that focused more on body shaming and body positivity than previous waves. It definitely feels like Marvel was trying to capture some of that energy and momentum with Carol, while also probably feeling a little self conscious for the past decade of her showing her ass with Frank Cho and Greg Horn covers every month.

It does make sense; Carol's character was conceptualised as a means of capturing the feminist movement of the 70s, so she's always been very tied in with feminist movements and the culture surrounding those movements, which has always informed how she has been depicted and designed. In the 70s, a woman owning her sexuality while also being brazen and physical and fighting with her fists was thought of as more empowering, while in 2012 being more covered and in a position of power and leadership was instead the emphasis. Neither of these positions or lines of thought are wrong, they just speak to different era's priorities shaped by the culture around them.

But it is also that Marvel seemed to become increasingly aware that they lacked a strong female character in their main line up of solo title characters the way DC had Wonder Woman. And with the MCU completely erasing Janet, doing that to Wanda, and making Natasha very much so a b role in other characters' stories, I think there was a growing anxiety that they needed to fill this vacuum with someone, and Carol, who had enjoyed a lot of prominence in the 2000s as an Avengers mainstay, who didn't have the baggage that Janet had and hadn't been ruined by comics and films alike like Wanda was at that time in her history, who already had this legacy of feminism as a core part of her conceptualisation, was the natural choice.

But it has also always come across as kind of... odd. It's always going to stick in some people's mouths, because Carol was not the first woman to hold the Captain Marvel title. Probably other than Mar'Vell himself, she is the most conventional, least challenging person to hold that mantle. Monica Rambeau as the second person ever to hold the title, being a black woman and the first black person period to lead the Avengers, has had that history largely underplayed and ignored (and I don't necessarily think she should "take back" Captain Marvel or anything, but she was the first person to make that title a legacy and it's weird how that has been downplayed to suit Carol's narrative by Marvel). Genis-Vell was interesting as a clearly unstable, mentally ill man holding this power and this legacy, later becoming a villain because of his struggles with his mental health and powers and how they interacted. Phyla-Vell and Noh-Varr are both queer, lesbian and bisexual respectively. Like Carol is probably the least diverse person to hold the Captain Marvel mantle after Mar-Vell, so it was always a little odd how much Carol's marketing and depiction acted as if she was this great figurehead for women with superpowers, who is a massive inspiration by virtue of being Captain Marvel, a woman who leads the Avengers, when Monica did that in the 80s!

But anyway. I don't really think Carol is an "industry plant" in, well, any context, because by virtue of being published by Marvel Comics, every character is an industry plant. They are an inherently money-minded, capitalist entity. Every character is going to be thought of in part by how they sell. If publishing this character or this story will bring in money, or not. That's just big publishers as a whole. Carol's history and trajectory into Captain Marvel, while interesting and representative of a larger cultural movement, is definitely not the first instance of this, and really isn't anything new to big two comics and how they react to things.

[enquire]

Mystic Moonshade

I think I finally figured out what to do with Mikako, so here we are.

This design was a little more out there, as I went for making her a zebra/okapi/pony hybrid!

My intent was to give her a connection to other forms of magic, and give her a bit of a mysterious vibe. The one zebra in MLP we get, Zecora, is an expert in potions and obscure medicinal magic/plants, and is a general example of a pony who uses alternative magic in a way.

I think Equestria's non-unicorn based magic; things like alchemy, potions, charms, earth pony and pegasi magic, curses, magical creatures, and of course, spirits, ghosts, and the like, would fit in well with the 'ultimate excorcist' talent. So Moonshade is an expert in all things supernatural, and obscure. (since magic is an everyday thing in Equestria after all) Still focuses most of all on the departed, but she has a lot of knowledge /interest in various stuff.

Her okapi aspects came from wanting to give her extra horns (which might be capable of producing some slightly different magic) and because the markings give here a bit more a mysterious vibe which I liked. It's a bit more detailed, but I think it's fine for now at least. Her unicorn horn functions the same way any other unicorn's would.

Anyway, on to her little background info segment:

Mystic Moonshade is passionate about Equestria's strangest and most unknown phenomena. Ever since she got her cutie mark, she's been uncovering secrets and solving mysteries; from hauntings to ancient artifacts, Moonshade explains the unexplainable. Either via science, magic, or through healing the hearts and minds of the ponies involved.

She's discovered and named several new creatures, placated spirits, and even managed to lift the decades old curse or two. But her biggest strength might not lie in the supernatural, but rather in soothing the hearts of those faced with the problems and occurrences she is called to solve.

When she was just a filly far too young to remember her parents or where she came from, Moonshade fell into a river and almost drowned. She was swept far away, only managing to survive by clinging to a hollow log.

She was spotted by a pony named Spark Stardust, not far from Canterlot, who immediately dived in after the tiny filly. After rescuing Moonshade, he brought her home to stay with himself and his son, Gizmo.

She couldn't offer any explanation as to how she had gotten there, or much of any information about herself beyond her name. The Equestrian Guard opened an investigation into her parents, but without much to go off of, and a huge distance potentially between Canterlot and where she had fallen into the river, they had very little success.

No pony ever came forward looking for a missing filly matching her description, and the leads quickly ran dry. After a year, Moonshade had already begun to become a part of the Stardust family, so when the time came that Moonshade was officially labeled an orphan, Spark decided to adopt her.

It took some time for Gizmo and Moonshade to adjust to it, but in time, they became extremely close. Nowadays, the two of them are often seen together, and both support the other in any way they can. Gizmo has created multiple inventions in order to help Moonshade in her work, including a arguably effective ghost detector, and a more practical set of very durable saddlebags with locks for when Moonshade comes across an item with less than stable properties, or that is particularly valuable. Meanwhile, Gizmo's go-to unicorn for help testing his inventions is his sister. They have participated in many experiments together, both scientific, magic, and everything in between.

Gizmo's inventions often rely on magic as much as science, and most of his knowledge on the subject came from Moonshade. He also has gone on many of his sister's quests and travels, helping her bust myths and the occasional ghost.

Moonshade has an uncanny ability to read other ponies. While she cannot read others' thoughts, or anything like that, she can sometimes sense more hidden emotions, and other things like that. If Moonshade says somepony is giving her a bad vibe, it's probably with good reason. This leads to her both being an excellent judge of character and being very good at noticing when something is wrong. For example, she was the first one to pick up on and understand Saber's invisible wounds even though he almost never lets a single glimpse show on the outside. She also has a knack for sniffing out secrets.

This ability of hers only gives her insight into where to direct her attentions, though; it doesn't reveal all, and in fact can sometimes be altogether unhelpful, as the feeling that something is wrong without being able to pinpoint what can be quite frustrating.

Moonshade is more of an extrovert than her brother, being fine with meeting various strangers for her work, and the one responsible for introducing her brother to many of his acquaintances and friends.

Out of the group besides her brother, she is closest with Thrift, as the three of them were childhood friends. She also managed to get Ember to warm up to her impressively fast, despite them not knowing each other for as long or and living in different places. The two of them bonded over their penchant for unraveling supposedly unsolvable puzzles, and reading. Whenever Ember visits Canterlot, she makes it a priority to spend time hunting through the cities many bookshops with her.

Moonshade is not as close with Saber as he is with Gizmo, but they are still good friends, and with Gizmo and/or Thrift often around they are often drawn together regardless. (and happy for it) Saber is one of the few ponies Moonshade often finds herself spending time with in comfortable silence.

It's not like she and Clover aren't not friends, but for some reason, there always seems to be a bit more distance between them, and Moonshade is a bit bugged by the fact that she knows very little about him compared to everypony else. Despite him being very close with some of her closest friends, she is more familiar with most of her acquaintances than she is with him. And for whatever reason, they never seem to end up one on one, either.

I think that's it for her! I always start these background posts thinking 'I don't have enough lore for this one yet' but then end up filling up the post by the end haha. To be honest, I struggled a lot with her design, and going a more unique route helped me land somewhere, but I'm still not entirely sure about it. I'll have to think about it.

Also, I think "mystic" moonshade is alright, but perhaps another first name could be better. Also, Spark Stardust for Hanzo is still up in the air. I'll see if it sticks... I wanted he and Gizmo to have a family naming convention that fit with Stardust Industries, but it is a bit unusual to have the exact same word in their names by MLP standards... I was going for something like the Pie family names, but I'm not too sure about "Spark." It's just okay.

Saber Frost, Cold Steel, and Radiant Ember are my favorite names so far. Coming up with pony names is surprisingly fun. It's great when I can get some phonetic similarities in as well haha. (Radiant Ember - Rei Mekaru anyone?)

[shadebloopnik]

Some really messy sketches on a small little AU with Carmilla as a Fallen Angel Warrior.

Different from the Exorcists who slaughter Sinners, and more dedicated to the actual protection of Heaven against the darker forces. The designs haven't been thought out much, but I like drawing the horns, so I thought it'd be a cool warrior hairdo, like how Exorcists wore demonic masks (I was really bored in class okay-)

Her daughters, Odette and Clara are there too. They looked pretty different even as twins, which were a bit of an oddity at the time. They were often made to dress alike, and act alike. Most viewed them as a package deal rather than taking time to understand their individuality.

Its why they're dressed so freely in hell, relishing in how different they can be whilst still having a great bond.

Her daughters are ultimately what causes her to fall. Drawing the half horn half hair down style looked a lot cooler in my head, but it was fun regardless.

Some secret regarding her daughters get found out, Heaven making her choose to either cast her daughters down or join them. Carmilla didn't hesitate.

More info on the AU/fic in the cut belowww:

I dunno if im ever gonna expand on it, but I loved the idea of making it Zestmilla. Maybe Carmilla met the old Overlord in one of her trips in hell, maybe fighting in a battle there? Or helping establish order? Anyway, she was alone when she met Zestial, and the two were quiet the enemies when they met. They fought, though didn't aim to kill, resulting in a close fight with Carmilla as victor. She wasn't an Exorcist warrior, and saw no need to immediately end this Overlord. She wasn't sent there to do mindless murder, and would like to avoid useless battles if she could. Besides, he was polite enough, and though she didn't trust him, he didn't grate on her nerves either. Zestial was quite taken with her, suspicious and quite murderous towards an angel, but liked her well enough for her wit and level headedness. Her grace and skill in battle was also admirable.

They bump into each other many more times, over the course of Carmilla's visits to hell, and with each meeting, they turn a bit more cordial, even striking an unlikely friendship, that blossoms into much more. It takes them about a hundred or so years(bc i LOVE relationships that REAAAALLLY take the time to develop and build on that trust and love) before they become romantically involved. They seem like the couple who would take it slow, being cautious and not rushing anything less it would harm the other.

And though Carmilla's trips to hell were halted, their love was not for naught as she gave birth to Clara and Odette. Her one regret was not being able to give Zestial the great news, he would've been an amazing father.

She manages to hide their identities for a good while. The two had rather angelic features, wings and all, and humanoid forms unlike their father's. The only thing that pointed to their demonic heritage were their eyes, whose sclera was the same shade of red as her iris. It was easily hidden with simple spells though. The two girls bore quite the resemblance towards her, even with some oddities, and were left fairly alone, being able to remain undetected for decades.

(I just left this post to sketch this out real quick lol, just to get the coloring in mind, not set on the design but I dont mind it.)

The peace couldn't last. After a while with Odette and Clara still being considered young as angels, their secret gets out. Maybe the spells wore off, or by a slip of the tongue, but for some reason or another it gets found out that they're half demons. They were attacked, and the daughters were stripped of their wings and sentenced to be cast down to Hell, left at the mercy of the next Extermination. Carmilla was given a chance to redeem herself and stand back, and let her "mistakes" be washed clean.

Carmilla fought back, her wingless daughters clutching to her own feathers for protection. She scooped them up, flying away to hell, less they get any more damaged. Try as she might, however, they didn't manage to escape unscathed. She plummeted into Hell; feeling the curses and painful burn of magic at her back, nipping at her form.

It was as if Heaven and Hell itself tore her apart with her descent, both pulling with reckless abandon, shaping her into what they wanted.

She couldn't even afford to lose consciousness; she had her daughters to protect after all. Both girls were weak and bleeding, their backs aching from where their wings used to be. Carmilla glanced at her own feathers, and felt her heart break. It looked just as painful as it felt. Her once sleek and razor sharp looking feathers were nearly singed beyond repair. She retracted them, less she attract more enemies with them in display.

She struggled to get up, carrying her daughters with her despite the weakness in her legs. She didn't even have her spear with her, weaponless except for the ballet slippers she'd forged herself with angelic steel. Her hair was down and unruly, all three of them covered in burns and cuts and bruises and bleeding wounds. The attack came out of nowhere. Her daughters weren't even given a chance to defend themselves.

Weaponless. It can't happen again.

She manages to drag her daughters with her, only one place she could think of approaching. Its been decades since she's been to Hell, she hopes the territories didn't change too much. She was hesitant in going to Zestial for help. After all, its been years, and she'd left without being able to say goodbye. He'd be justified in hating her, and she wouldn't hold it against him. At the least, they could hide somewhere in his territory. His lands were one of the best choices, the demons residing under his rule were fairly disciplined. In a place as dangerous as Hell, an environment that was fairly familiar to her gave some bit of comfort. Even if he didn't accept them, even if he was unaware of their existence, Carmilla was satisfied with simply a place to rest.

She needed not worry though. As soon as Zestial heard the slightest news about strangers in his territory, he rushed to meet them himself. He noticed the large crash just some hours before night fell, and couldn't help the spark of hope. He was greeted by the sight of a few dead bodies, 1 or 2 who thought they could get lucky taking advantage of a weakened opponent. He arrived just in time to see a third fall, bloodied heels clicking on the ground below. The figure stood tall, though was clearly tired and heaving deep breaths. He barely noticed the two smaller figures in the distance, his gaze focused solely upon the lone woman, whose silver hair was still so beautiful even with all the dirt and blood matting it. He stepped closer, the sound of it causing the woman to turn and-

It didn't matter how dark it was. It didn't matter how her sclera was now the same shade of red as her iris were, as if it were inverted. He'd recognize her anywhere.

Without caring that he'd get stabbed himself, he rushed to pull her in a tight embrace, feeling her freeze beneath his arms. He buried his face in her hair, nuzzling it even with the blood and dirt, afraid as though she'd disappear if he ever let go.

He felt her large hands wrap around him and for the first time since his existence in Hell, he felt as if he could cry. This was real. This wasn't a figment of his imagination, nor a result of insanity. She was here. After all these years she came back to him. He couldn't be happier.

He immediately takes her and the two girls back to his residence, letting them clean up and helping patch their wounds. When he found out the two were his daughters, he felt as if- yea no, he was crying, this wasn't just a feeling, he couldn't stop the tears from streaming down as he hugged the two as firmly as he could without aggravating their wounds. He felt so angry for them, enraged that heaven could deal out such punishments for something the girls couldn't control.

He took them all in, preparing rooms for everyone. He prepared one for Carmilla too, not wanting to push his luck. It has been years after all, and he didn't want to force himself onto her should she decide she didn't reciprocate anymore. In the end, they all slept in the same room. Carmilla wanted to be with Zestial, feeling safer with someone else in the room to stand guard, and her daughters crawled back to her, far too afraid to sleep in such a new place alone after everything that happened.

So they all snuggled in the same large bed, Zestial keeping a respectful distance from the young girls as to not frighten them, all the while letting his webbed cloak wrap around Carmilla in comfort.

Carmilla fell asleep last, her thoughts running wild. It was all so much, but right now, here with her daughters in her arms and under Zestial's embrace, she felt at peace for the first time in a long while.

Glancing at the mirror across the room, she hummed at the changes in her eyes. The only thing she could think of was how was that she finally matched her daughters. Maybe it wouldn't be so bad after all, she'd think, drifting off into sleep.

[that-basic-simp]

Masquerade

Mizu X Fem!Reader CW: N/A WC: 1.2k+

"Why are you dragging me along to this?" I asked Akemi.

"Who doesn't love a masquerade ball?"

"People who don't like dances and crowds," I said.

"You'll love it," Akemi said. "I heard someone you like is going to be there."

"More like someone you like."

"Taigen," she smiled. She's had eyes on him for the past few months and they even shared a class together.

"How come you haven't made a move on him?"

"Just want to make sure he's the right one."

"Akemi, you're not going to know if he's the right one by just ogling at him."

"You can never know until you try. Anyway, are you ready? Have your mask?"

"Yes," I showed it to her.

"Need me to tie it for you?"

"You can when we get there."

Leaving our dorm room, we headed down to where the masquerade ball was going to be. It was one last dance before the graduating seniors left. This is what they do for the seniors every spring. Reaching the building, Akemi and I walked up to a group of her friends. They welcomed me, since I was kind of lonely. I didn't mind her friends, but sometimes they were a bit too loud here and there. Before stepping into the room, Akemi helped me put the mask on and that was when Taigen and his friends walked by. Akemi, being Akemi, dropped what she was doing to stare at him.

The mask fell from my face and I fumbled to catch it. It fell onto the ground, bouncing slightly away from me. Sighing, I walked over and went to grab it, when someone already did for me. Following their hand up from their arm, I found the person who picked it up. They had on a typical suit, but without the jacket. White button down with a black vest and a dark blue tie. And their hair was pulled down into a ponytail that rested on their shoulder. What intrigued me was the mask he was wearing. It took on the typical appearance, where it only covered the eyes, but its design was completely different. Instead of intricate designs with lace and other fabric, and with feathers adorning it, this mask was painted to match a phoenix's feathers. And right at the top sides of the mask were horns jutting upwards. And the eyes were completely unseen. The only thing about their face I could see was their mouth.

"You dropped this," he said.

"T-Thanks," I said, taking the mask.

"You look," it looked like he eyed me up and down as his head tilted up and then down. "Stunning."

"Thank you. And you're handsome yourself."

He smiled before entering the room. Akemi came over to me, apologizing for stopping in the middle of tying the mask.

"Who was that? Do you know him?" I asked Akemi.

"Only his name. Mizu."

"Mizu," I repeated. It was like a stinging sensation on my tongue when I said his name. Intoxicating.

"Yeah. He and Taigen are on the fencing team and he has beat him numerous times," Akemi said with some spite in her voice. "And Taigen is the best."

"Clearly he isn't when Mizu has beat him over and over."

"It doesn't matter. Mizu isn't really a valuable member on the team since they hardly use him."

"Only unless they need to," one of Akemi's friends said.

"Ise!" Akemi scolded her.

"Wait, what do you mean by that?"

"There was a competition they were losing at. Taigen was growing frustrated and even had some penalties called on him. Their last resort was to put Mizu in. He won against every opponent and won for the team."

"And what did they do?"

"Just gave him a pat on the back and then celebrated without him."

"Of course," I whispered.

Once we all had our masks on, we walked into the room where the music was blaring, the lights were dim, and there were a number of people in there. Some were already on the dance floor while others were drinking and talking to their friends. There was a large balloon being tossed around.

I tried to find Mizu, but the room was so dark that I couldn't even tell where Akemi went. Wandering around, I eventually found her and her friend group at a table. I sat down with them and they began talking before getting something to drink. I let out a sigh, not wanting to be here and rather be in my room reading. Or something more productive instead of sitting here on my phone. A slow song came on and all the couples started to get onto the dance floor. Typical.

I picked my head up and watched as Akemi and Taigen walked onto the floor. Well, seems she made her move tonight. I smiled, happy for her. Her friends seemed to be happy as well as they were cheering her on. They formed a small circle and danced with one another. It reminded me of high school when those who didn't have dates would form a circle and sway with the music together. I was one of those people, of course.

"Excuse me."

Turning, I found it was Mizu standing before me. Reaching out a shaking hand, he bowed slightly.

"May I have this dance?"

"O-Of course."

I set my phone down and placed my hand in his. Standing up, we walked onto the dance floor and started to sway with the music.

"I apologize in advance, I am not the best when it comes to dancing and rhythm."

I smiled. Not only was he strong and powerful, but he was a dork. It made my heart flutter.

"Don't worry. Neither am I."

"So, what brings you out here?" he asked.

"Akemi wanted to go to this and kind of forced me to go. You?"

"As stupid as it sounds, I'll be getting extra credit for attending. One of the graduating seniors is on the fencing team. He is the one who organized the event. So our coach made us come here."

"And you'll get extra credit?" I chuckled.

"Something like that. I don't know how I'll be getting extra credit for a team sport."

"Your coach is kind of dumb."

"I know," he sighed. Even if I couldn't see his eyes, I could tell he rolled them.

"How come you hide your eyes?" I asked.

"My eyes are hideous and therefore, it makes me hideous."

"I doubt that," I said.

"Want to see for yourself?"

"Unless you turn me to stone, I don't want to," I chuckled.

He smiled, "I promise I won't turn you to stone. But we do need to head out if you want to see it with better lighting."

"There's no re-entry if we leave."

"And?" Mizu asked. "I was put down for that extra credit the minute I showed up. I don't need to stay here any longer than I have to."

"Then why ask me to dance?"

"Seemed lonely. And in need of someone."

I smiled softly at him. Once the song ended, I headed back to the table to grab my phone and walked out of the room with him. Now that I got him in better lighting, there was something oddly feminine about him. Maybe it was his waist and how it was kind of curvy. As I was facing his back, he reached up and untied the mask that was around his face. Turning around, I was met with the most beautiful set of blue eyes I have ever seen. They reminded me of the ocean and how mysterious it was, yet it was beautiful.

"They're blue," I said.

"Yeah," he lowered his head, looking ashamed of the color.

"They're beautiful."

Lifting his head up, his eyes widened.

"Um," his face flushed a light pink. "T-Thank you."

"You're welcome, Mizu."

"How do you know my name? I don't even know yours."

"Akemi knows of you. And my name is Y/N."

"Beautiful name," he said.

"Thank you," now it was my turn for my face to turn a light pink.

"Will I see you around?" Mizu asked.

I nodded my head, "I'm sure you will."

[tyttamarzh]

DEATH FAMILY!!!

I figured my family portrait needed to be updated, enough changes have happened, the reboot, the new home, the EK, the Tallulah change… so here's my new version.

Now they are posing from the dock of their new house (the background is horrible, I know, I'm sorry).

Really Phil and Missa's designs are practically the same.

Missa has not changed from his previous designs, with or without his mask.

(there are some changes in Phil, the most noticeable are his corrupted wings)...

But the children… ohh! The children had to have changes... I always had a conflict with Chay's design, because I didn't want to do it with black hair (with black hair and his skeleton mask he looked like just a mini Missa without anything else), but I felt bad about making him completely blonde, bc I felt like I was leaving Missa out, but now with Tallulah taking on characteristics from Missa, it's easier to relax with Chay's colors.

Chay prefers to wear his mask to appear more dangerous, since his face is actually very cute and that is not at all threatening as a warrior. He has the hardcore heart of his father Philza and some details paying homage to his hero Technoblade (the small pink braid in his hair) (AlsoIn my HC they can show or hide his tails or horns and other dragon features).

This is my Tallulah's design.

The closeness between Missa and Tallulah and the fact that they already have a father-daughter relationship warmed my heart. My previous design of Tallulah never completely convinced me, perhaps because I still felt like she was foreign in some way, perhaps because I had made her only because she was supposed to be there, but in my mind the idea that her presence was something "temporary" prevented me from get completely attached. Now she finally managed to sneak into my chest and it was really fun to design her again, this time giving her Missa's characteristics, because now he is her father completely, as much as Phil and there is no longer any problem of saying it without thousands of voices coming to reproach for it and clarify that they are only their temporary parents.

I decided that the children's colors would be a mix of their parents' in different tones, having a similar color palette. So Tallulah has Missa's hair and Phil's eyes, while Chay has Phil's hair and Missa's eyes (Chay with purple eyes Yay!) leaving their delicate balance between yin and yang intact.

I wanted to give Lullah a striped hat, like Phil's emote, but I opted to merge it with the mushroom hat. I also left the flowers in her hair because I thought they were very pretty. I wanted to give it a style between punk and emo, but I chose to mix it with the boho style and it suits it well. ALSO I gave him a bone flute, because I read somewhere that someone mentioned that Missa had made him a bone flute and I died of tenderness.

I don't know why I'm giving so many explanations about this, it was just necessary to upload the images and say goodbye, sometimes I feel like an obsessive fool for talking about things too much, but anyway…

I just wanted to share this, see you!!