#I. I FEEL THAT SO MUCH. She's not 'canonically' but she's still like a sister to me so seeing fan art of us together makes me so overjoyed.

[haltraveler]

This rules. If I may expand on some of these points:

Tying back into what you said about there not being only one “canon”, the divorce between Hephaestus and Aphrodite is very much a “depends on the telling” thing, though it’s the most common version of it. Also it depends whether Hephaestus’s second wife was Aglaia or Charis.

The origin of the “Persephone willingly staying with Hades” idea is that to a modern audience, there’s a seeming disconnect between the origin of her and Hades’ marriage and the portrayal of the two after they’re married. While an Ancient Greek writer wouldn’t feel there was any inconsistency, to us it feels weird to read about the two of them sharing power and largely being faithful to each other after such a violent origin. In addition, it’s possible that Persephone as an underworld goddess is older than Hades, so people like to give her a more willing connection to that domain.

Medusa is pretty enigmatic before Ovid, but it’s clear that she was born a monster because she’s the sister of a bunch of other monsters. There was something with her and Poseidon but it’s very unclear if it was consensual (knowing Poseidon, probably not but it wasn’t the cause of her being a monster)

Also to expand on Artemis and Apollo, they in many ways represent the opposing spheres of wilderness and civilization. Along with hunting and, later, the moon, Artemis is the goddess of wild animals and vegetation (also childbirth, childcare, and chastity). Apollo is the god of music but also of logic, laws, the foundation of cities, medicine, and herding (also prophecy, light, coming of age, and a bunch of other things).

“Your favorite Greek hero probably did terrible things” is very true. Perseus is often quoted as the least problematic but he did still solve a LOT of his problems with violence (though a decent amount of it was justified, fuck Polydectes). Heroism was seen by the ancient Greeks as something measured by the glory you earned, not by being a nice person.

a quick psa to anyone recently getting into greek mythology and is a victim of tumblr and/or tiktok misconceptions:

-there is no shame in being introduced to mytholgy from something like percy jackson, epic the musical or anything like that, but keep in mind that actual myths are going to be VERY different from modern retellings

-the myth of medusa you probably know (her being a victim of poseidon and being cursed by athena) isn't 100% accurate to GREEK mythology (look up ovid)

-there is no version of persephone's abduction in which persephone willingly stays with hades, that's a tumblr invention (look up homeric hymn to demeter)

-as much as i would like it, no, cerberus' name does not mean "spot" (probably a misunderstanding from this wikipedia article)

-zeus isn't the only god who does terrible things to women, your fav male god probably has done the same

-on that note, your fav greek hero has probably done some heinous shit as well

-gods are more complicated than simply being "god of [insert thing]", many titles overlap between gods and some may even change depending on where they were worshipped

-also, apollo and artemis being the gods of the sun and the moon isn't 100% accurate, their main aspects as deities originally were music and the hunt

-titans and gods aren't two wholly different concepts, titan is just the word used to decribe the generation of gods before the olympians

-hector isn't the villain some people make him out to be

-hephaestus WAS married to aphrodite. they divorced. yes, divorce was a thing in ancient greece. hephaestus' wife is aglaia

-ancient greek society didn't have the same concepts of sexuality that we have now, it's incorrect to describe virgin goddesses like artemis and athena as lesbians, BUT it's also not wholly accurate to describe them as aromantic/asexual, it's more complex than that

-you can never fully understand certain myths if you don't understand the societal context in which they were told

-myths have lots and lots of retellings, there isn't one singular "canon", but we can try to distinguish between older and newer versions and bewteen greek and roman versions

-most of what you know about sparta is probably incorrect

-reading/waching retellings is not a substitute to reading the original myths, read the iliad! read the odyssey! i know they may seem intimidating, but they're much more entertaining than you may think

greek mythology is so complex and interesting, don't go into it with preconcieved notions! try to be open to learn!

[gilbirda]

How to Write Women, a quick guide by me

Hello! I was recently inspired to write a series of educational posts so I thought maybe it would be useful for someone.

I want to preface this that there is no criticism intended. I understand that female characters in general have been neglected in media, and I don't blame fandom for not understanding how to write a woman if there hasn't been a good reference in their lives.

My objective is that you, the reader, finish this post with a basic structure and few questions to ask yourself when writing a female character; and with the terms and curiosity to research more if you'd like to expand.

I'm no professional writer, but I've been writing for more than 20 years at this point, and I specialize in writing female protagonists and writing organic romantic storylines.

Here we go.

I want to write a woman, where do I start?

Writing women, at the end of the day, is no different than writing a man. Really, that's the trick.

Disappointed I'm not giving some kind of hot takes about this?

Good.

Because it should be that simple, but to get to that point we should unravel some baseline thought process that can and will get in the way even if you try to write a good female character.

A few questions to ask yourself are:

Why am I writing this character?

Does she have agency in her own story?

Does she have her own goals and aspirations?

Let's break them down:

Why am I writing this character?

What do I like about her? Is she annoying? Is she a hero? A villain? An antagonist? What thing do I like about her canon characteristics (for fanfic writers)? What would I change?

As mentioned at the beginning, female characters usually are not very well written. They are usually fridged or used only as a reminder that MC (usually a man) has emotions and vulnerabilities.

Take a moment to think about it. Think about the feelings her character gives you, and what are the things you do know about her. Think about wasted potential, or unanswered questions about her actions and plot lines that left you wanting more.

If you find her annoying, wonder why — usually, a female character being "annoying" or "not interesting" is tied to her not being developed enough, and pushed into a one-dimensional role. Pay attention at how many speaking lines she has, that usually gives you a clue of how much her character is developed.

Once you have decided who you want to write, this is where it gets interesting.

What kind of story do you want to tell? What role does she play in it?

When making the structure of the story and developing the plot, wonder about how exactly the female character(s) add to the table. Again, female characters can fulfill any role in a story, but watch out!

Bitchy mean girl lesbian

Motherly mommy mom/sister/friend that takes care of everyone

The "healer" of the team

These 3 roles have been used as boxes to fit female characters for ages. Be careful if you think you are pushing her into one of these.

But how can you avoid the tropes?

Does she have agency in her own story?

Or: if you remove her from the story, nothing changes?

Go into your mind palace, and remove the interactions and scenes the female character is in. Does the story still work? Could her lines be easily delivered by someone else?

If the answer is yes, then she doesn't have any agency.

It doesn't matter if she is a main character or a supporting character — she should have a say on the events or some kind of influence in the development of the plot.

Maybe she has a skill that is needed multiple times during the story, or maybe she has past experiences that are a mystery and unraveling her secrets reveals a plot twist, or maybe turns out she was the traitor all along. Make her MATTER.

Does she have her own goals and aspirations?

Or: Is she existing for someone else's sake?

This one is useful for the "mommy" character or the "healer" character.

Go into your mind palace again and think if you remove the female character's loved ones from the equation, does she have something to do?

If the answer is no, then she doesn't exist for herself.

She could still love and take care of others, but she has to exist for something else than that. Make her dream and yearn, and make mistakes, and sacrifice thing for selfish reasons.

Romance is usually a goal given for female characters (and that's a whole other topic I hope to write another post about), and it's a good one! Just be careful with falling for the trap of swapping the people (usually men) she exists for.

Give her hidden agendas, convoluted selfish secret reasons, make her want to destroy the world! Make her want to pursue the truth, chase someone for revenge, be a thrill seeker. Make her HUMAN.

In Conclusion

A quick trick I use when I write female characters is: If I swap her gender, nothing changes?

Of course there's nuance, but that keeps me grounded when even the questions I went over in this post are not enough for me.

Again, writing female characters should not be that different from writing men. If it feels different, ask yourself why and try to understand where the thought comes from.

NOTE: If the point of the story is to discuss the problem of codependency, or portray a toxic relationship, by all means skip checking about agency or her having goals. Rules are there to break them, but first you have to understand them.

I hope this helps someone and I will add and edit this post as needed, maybe to add useful links.

Happy writing!

[miraculouslbcnreactions]

I'm personally not a fan of the 5 minutes to detransform rule. It was fine in the earlier seasons, but it's ultimately not a fun gimmick. It makes the five segmented designs of the miraculous seem pointless, specifically with adults. I, personally, would have the segments represent uses (i.e. five sentimonsters, five cataclysms, five time jumps through burrow, etc.) before they have to consciously detransform to recharge the kwami powers. I think it gives the characters more purpose than just being a one time use power per battle/episode (and they can still contribute without the abilities), and it nerfs some of the more overpowered abilities to create more risk.

Hey, same brain! I argue for a very similar fix!

My ideal version of the miraculous is that you get five charges that the spots, claws, etc. count down. Then, once the charges are used up, the spots, claws, etc. reappear and start counting down. I don't think you should get all five charges at once, though. I think you should either need to train to get more or that getting more should be a product of age.

I take this stance because I like the idea of older or more experienced Chosen having more power, but I hate canon's one-or-all approach. It just feels silly. There's no buildup to more power. You just randomly get it one day. Boring! Way more fun if the characters get it slowly over time.

It would also fix another issue I have which is that the miracle cure shouldn't be free. It should cost Ladybug the same way a lucky charm does. It would be so interesting if she could do it mid-battle, but then also have to recharge, making it way more of a strategic thing than just a final cleanup move. It goes perfectly in line with my preference for Chat Noir having a sister move that is the opposite of the cure. Ladybug can do a wave of Creation, Chat Noir can do a wave of Destruction, but both cost a move so they have to be careful about when and where they use them. That just makes so much more sense lore wise!

[gurobitsu]

Hello hello, I’m sorry for doing this anon but it links back to my dead main that I don’t use anymore 😅 I saw your reblog of my Mista backstory rant and the tags reallyyyyyyy interested me, we have a lot of the same ideas! If it’s alright with you, would you be willing to share a more in depth version of it? I’d love to read it! (o^^o)

YIPPEE i’m so happy to hear that!! i pretty much never talk about my own hcs (kinda nervous 😛) so here’s what i got…

* for the gurobits nation keep in mind this is SPECIFICALLY only for mista IN JJBA, usually the mista i draw/my “version”/characterization of him is a completely different au. this is just how i see Him as the Character in the show

⚠️ TW for some sensitive topics !!

guido mista backstory written by yours truly…

* i’ll use an asterisk for when something that’s ACTUALLY from his canon backstory pops up

mista, youngest of 4 (3 sisters who are 10+ years older than him), was born to (unnamed… never headcanoned a name for them…) mother and father in palermo, sicily. i’d picture his mom to be short and stout, and his father tall and bulky. his mother was loving and sweet, but his father was a deadbeat jackass who… wasn’t a good rep for mista, the only other boy in the family. and despite being a caring mother, she couldn’t be a good mother. she couldn’t always be there for her children due to their household already struggling with income, living in a poor part of the city, taking care of 4 children, and verbal/physical abuse from mista’s father. and being a victim, she ended up also contributing to the cycle of abuse but in a neglectful/emotionally unavailable way.

later along the line, mista’s parents divorce and his father eventually goes to prison (either for battery or assault… smth bad but expected). mista is around 10-12 now, and is pretty much told to be the “man of the house”. their way of living was honestly… heavily patriarchal.

* this is around the time his neighbor’s eye got scratched by the cat. he may not have developed a fear of the number 4 because of it, but it certainly made him scared of cats lol. and also! i don’t really think there was any big event that “gave” him tetraphobia. i personally headcanon he has ocd and has always been particular about numbers and patterns in general, and as a kid he learned and observed 2 things: 4th cat went crazy, and he’s the 4th child (at this point in time he began to really hate his life and had become heavily neglected).

he was homeschooled until 14 when he started high school. a very bad student. big jock though. no he did not get along with the ladies, no he was not popular. he was bullied actually. skipped all the time, which is what caused him to drop out. started smoking and sneaking out a lot, quite reckless behavior. not to be “cool” or anything, but just to feel something. he’s honestly always been alone with only a few friends who were neighbours, street thugs, or… dealers

* a funny little thing i like to think is that mista always had long curly hair that went to his neck/shoulders. around 15, he got lice and had to go bald 😭😭 and he hated it and wore a beanie all the time. which is why when we see him at 17 in his backstory, he has a buzzcut (he just decided to continue keeping his hair like that because he thought if he grew it out he’d get lice again) and that damn hat he STILL doesn’t take off (he’s insecure about his hair. i also think he was bullied for his hair BOTH when it was long and after he had to shave it. poor boy)

he left at 16 after dropping out and financial issues in his home. it wasn’t “kicking out” necessarily, his mother didn’t want to, but she couldn’t afford to keep him in the house and his sisters were already beginning to move out. his mother also got in a fight with him the night before about dropping out of school and not getting his life together, so he technically it was also his choice to “run away”. she basically implied she was kicking him out, but he decided to take on the decision for himself (like finishing off what she started i guess).

mista is now homeless. he had frequently stayed either at friend’s places or on the street (upgraded to a tent at one point). eventually, due to mutual connections, he ended up getting close with a group of people who were… up to no good, to say the least. bad, bad people. think narancia’s backstory. but they didn’t treat him badly — just got him into bad situations. lots of drugs. clubs. hookers. started smoking (don’t really think he stops until bucciarati discourages it, but he was never strict enough to make mista quit). and the classic beating up people for money (over clint eastwood. this petty mf 😭). but mista never really saw it as “bad”. he was having fun, making money, had friends, and wasn’t getting abused. in his eyes, at least.

eventually he ended up prostituting(?) himself… like, shin-from-nana style. and that’s how he got places to stay and made good money. often from older women and sometimes men. he never really saw it as “wrong” though, because he didn’t know any better. but he glorified it and thought he was the luckiest guy ever because “ooh they all think i’m mature for my age and are letting me into adult spaces! and i’m getting women! cool!” (no mista you are a victim)

* aaand now he’s 17, with a decent rental apartment. he’s not as close with the “bad” group anymore, kinda stopped being into it. didn’t leave them in bad faith tho (he’s just a chill guy like that… literally “i have no enemies”) (although let’s be real he did NOT need to be put in those situations at that age).

* and then boom ladidadida the same backstory sequence you see in the anime.

—

and if all of this was hypothetically canon, we can extrapolate so much more from his personality/character, like:

- hypersexuality due to Exposure throughout his life and especially during his teen years

- lots of insecurity… that never gets talked about because this boy REPRESSES!! doesn’t like showing vulnerability.

- mommy issues and daddy issues

- used to being independent, but DESPERATE for attention and love. but won’t accept that 🤪🤪

- not including hookups, he’s never been in an actual relationship. he’s too messyyyy and has commitment issuessss and doesn’t know what real love feels likeeee

- he’s not a suave playboy he’s a WEIRDO. an oddball. he’s a strange NEURODIVERGENT man with TRAUMA (i mean yeah, he’s a sleazy outgoing flirt, but he does NOT have game)

- he misses his family a lot. especially his mom. he regrets leaving her but he’s too afraid to come back. he doesn’t like facing reality. he’s all for blissful ignorance. a bit selfish, yeah. his family was left to assume he was dead. he wishes he got to enjoy his childhood more. although he was never really able to.

- also he had a family dog. one of his sisters took it though (he’s a dog guy, really likes animals actually. took care of the dog a lot as a kid. that’s kinda why he’s good with the pistols)

- actually like tons of untreated diagnoses holy hell

- i’m probably forgetting more rahhh

—

anyways, hope you all like it !!! idk if this is an unpopular opinion but i really do believe mista’s personality is a complicated one. i feel like everyone slightly mischaracterizes him one certain way, even if only slightly (like if he had a route in a dating sim, it’d probably be the hardest one. he’s a messy character). he’s not quite a “himbo”, but he’s not smart either. he’s flirty but he isn’t a charmer either. he’s outgoing but he isn’t a people-person either. i think that’s what makes him so interesting, he’s the most realistic character to me.

that’s honestly why he’s my favorite, he INVOKES something in me and captured my attention in such a way that i HAD to investigate him and understand him further… IK his ass is hiding so much. i’ve psychoanalyzed him so much that i’ve accepted him as an oc atp 😭🫶 can’t let him go…

feel free to share your ideas everypony!! ^_^ i’d love to hear more… (this was super long sorry)

[brummiereader]

@zablife Aberama 😭!

Lee, this was absolutely incredible story telling! You had me sobbing at Aberama's visons of Polly and Bonnie. And the thing that made this story so special, was how intune it was to the way he lived, and I think one everyone would agree, he would've gone back to after losing Polly and Bonnie If he hadn't of died in canon.

I always love when stories have a slight supernatural theme to them, especially when it comes to a culture that is rich in superstitions and otherworldly beliefs.

he most often glimpsed a female figure who disappeared with the slightest blink. Nonetheless, he comforted himself with the feeling of her presence, understanding it was Polly's way of making herself known. So beautiful. Not only did it give me goosebumps to know Polly's presence is still with him and he's able to find some comfort in that, but the added element of him being in the forest just adds to the almost, eerie calmness about this story.

Across the glowing embers of the fire Bonnie punched the air in front of him, glancing down at his feet to ensure he had the correct stance. - Aberama grinned to himself as he watched the boy practice, pride swelling from within until he could stay silent no longer. - Bonnie boy!" he called to his son, waiting to be met with the warmth of his hazel eyes. Instead, he found a somber Bonnie looking toward him, a distant yet haunting look in his eye as he fixed Aberama with silent accusation. There was no way I wasn't gonna quote this entire part! Absolutely phenomenal perspective and way of showing not only his grief but how much he yearns to see his boy like this again. Wow, you have me tearing up a little here 😥. I feel like this is gonna stick with me for some time. You really moved me with this beautiful scene.

Just like everything about this haunting story of visions and grief, Leonora's reappearance into his life at that exact moment is just as mysterious. I think it's a great compliment to Aberama's character that you had him leaving the Fury's camp to for a life of solitude. It just emphasises the depths of his despair.

���You belong with us.” The stubborn insistence in her voice reminded him how protective she’d been of him since childhood. We all need someone in our life that can pull us out of these kind of moments. She sought him out to bring him home ❤️. And the added element about her stubbornness being a trait she's had since childhood, warmed my heart with how quickly Aberama gave into his sister 🥰. Maybe he had been waiting all along for someone to take over and guide him back to the people he still has in his life, but forgotten.

Beautiful story, Lee ❤️.

Nothing to Come Home to

Aberama Gold & Leonora (OC)

Summary: Years after the devastating loss of both Bonnie and Polly, Aberama is a shell of his former self, but his sister comes back into his life at the perfect time.

A/N: Requested by @justrainandcoffee with the prompt "There is no home to go back to." Inspo drawn from "Vienna (In Memoriam)" by The Army, The Navy.

Warnings: mention of blood, mention of a weapon, fighting

Lightly treading between the saplings and low vines, Aberama came to the trap he’d set the day before and lowered himself toward the ground with a deep sigh. Studying its contents, he gave a satisfied nod toward the plump rabbit caught between the metal jaws before reaching to depress the springs. The action caused him slight difficulty due to the ache in his left shoulder which only worsened in the crisp autumn breeze.

Freeing the carcass in one swift movement, he grasped the hind legs just as the fading sunlight announced the end of the day. He straightened with a grunt to face the trek back through the forest, a shiver racking his body. The impending winter was already settling in his bones with an icy feeling of dread, the familiar weight returning to his steps as he marked another year traveling alone.

Crushing the dried leaves to dust beneath his boots, he trudged on as the last rays of glimmering light winked through the branches. The oddly patterned shadows danced in the periphery of his vision, turning his head as the guarded instincts of an assassin seized him. However, his intuition had become unreliable as he most often glimpsed a female figure who disappeared with the slightest blink. Nonetheless, he comforted himself with the feeling of her presence, understanding it was Polly's way of making herself known.

Today it was not only the shadow, but the call of the blackbird that caused him to halt where he stood. One more chirp and he circled back to chase her beautiful ghost, but she'd gone. He closed his eyes for a moment, a faded likeness of her dark curls and knowing smile enough to remind him of what seemed like a lifetime he’d lived without her. He swallowed down the bitterness of his disappointment as he clutched the rabbit to his side with renewed purpose.

---------------

A full stomach and the soft light of the fire lulled him into a peaceful revery that evening. The faint pop and hiss of the flames sang to him softly as he burrowed beneath an old quilt Esmerelda sewed in the days before her wedding to Thomas Shelby.

For the first time in years, he chose not to recall the mighty fury and pain of sacrificing everyone he loved to one man. Instead, he relived happier times, the memory of all his children beside him playing on the insides of his eyelids before his exhausted mind ushered them into darkness.

The merciful reprieve wouldn't last until dawn, the crack of a snapping branch jolting Aberama awake. Across the glowing embers of the fire Bonnie punched the air in front of him, glancing down at his feet to ensure he had the correct stance.

Aberama grinned to himself as he watched the boy practice, pride swelling from within until he could stay silent no longer.

"Bonnie boy!" he called to his son, waiting to be met with the warmth of his hazel eyes. Instead, he found a somber Bonnie looking toward him, a distant yet haunting look in his eye as he fixed Aberama with silent accusation.

“Bonnie?” Aberama uttered in a hoarse whisper.

Blood began to pour from Bonnie's broken jaw as his wail of agony shattered the heavens.

As the object of his nightmares came sharply into focus, Aberama stifled a scream. He stood to take a step toward his suffering child, hand outstretched to bring him close where he could make him safe. But one more step into the light of the campfire and he realized he’d been mistaken. The dark and hollow eyes staring back at him were not that of his son.

With panic pulsing through his veins, Aberama reached for the blade he concealed in his boot, willing his trembling hand to strike true. However, with years of disuse, his limbs failed to cooperate. Disarmed within moments, he raised his fists as an alternative means of protection. Bested once more, he felt the air leave his lungs with one harsh blow to his stomach.

He was still hunched over, gasping for breath when he heard a woman's voice shout, "Stop! That's enough."

Aberama turned toward the sound slowly, a delayed sense of recognition washing over him.

"Looks like the cat did a number on ya," she declared, her gray blue eyes taking in the frail, graying man standing before her. Even in the dim light of the early morning hours, he could see his beloved sister was smiling.

"Leonora, is that really you?" Aberama asked, afraid to touch her for fear she would vanish like everyone he'd grown to love.

Her chin bobbed as she replied, "I'm here. I'm real."

Aberama's eyes flooded with tears at her words, unsure how to tell her he'd struggled with delusions for too long.

Luckily, she noted his hesitancy, explaining why she'd come to find him. "The Fury's said you'd gone off on your own." Then more softly she added, "I was worried when I didn't receive word."

"It's been a long time," he acknowledged with a tight smile.

"Too long," she agreed. "Where have you been Abe?"

"Here and there. A life I don't really recall making," he answered with a deep sorrow that made her heart clench.

"You sound like a man buried beneath the ground," she noted sadly.

"I've lost so much..." he told her, hand swiping down his face to hide the tears.

"Leave behind what you can't change, brother," she advised, placing a hand to his back for support. "Come home."

He shook his head, lips pursed tightly before declaring, "There is no home to come back to."

"That's where you're wrong. Family is your home," she asserted.

“My son and fiancée are dead,” he reminded her bitterly. “Where do I belong now?”

Gripping his stubbled chin with a bejeweled hand she locked eyes with her younger brother. “You belong with us.” The stubborn insistence in her voice reminded him how protective she’d been of him since childhood.

A deep hearty sound erupted from his chest, he hadn't experienced in some time.

---------------

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[roots-symphony]

seeing a post or fic about Jinx and Isha:

it doesn’t make them mother and daughter:

[arolesbianism]

Despite how much I suffered making my last isat au Aris sprite redraw, I decided to do it again and once again went through hell doing it. There’s like a billion mistakes in this (such as her having the wrong arm rip) but at the end of the day I’m still happy with how it turned out :]

[selfship-confession-box]

being fictionkin and having a familial f/o from that sourcemedia is like... omg, i get to see fanart of myself and my sibling and a fanart of me and my dad too? very cool dare i say. but at the same time be brought with the crushing feeling that it wouldnt be the same because they're not here.

── 🌱🫧 . (can these emojis be my anon sign-offs?)

.

[cuteniaarts]

@katkastrofa, circa 40-ish hours ago: Hey, what if our newest bunch of OCs adopted a baby from one of the other brothel girls who knew she couldn’t afford to raise one? That would make for some fun shenanigans :D

Me, with a notoriously non existent sleep schedule, instinct of self preservation or concern for my poor wrist: Alright, bet. Watch how fast I can make you fall in love with this hypothetical baby >:)

Daneli as a gentle and loving caretaker-turned-adoptive-mother is something that can be So Personal, actually, and originally I was going to leave it at this quick sketch, but then I got carried away thinking about what this child will grow up to be like raised by this little gang of misfits, so…

Here she is!! A little older and so, so beautiful, I need more of her in my life immediately, she’s way too precious

And, because I wouldn’t be me if I didn’t also add a sapphic element to this absolute cinnamon roll, a small crack ship that I’m only half serious about for when she’s a little older still:

All in all, we may be getting impossibly far from canon, but I for one already cannot get enough of sweet darling Kumisai <3

(I fully drew three pieces from scratch in 9 hours I cannot feel my brain or my hands anymore send help)

[burritowitch]

there's a black label blue beetle book in my head that will not ever ever leave now i don't think

[eikichi-supremacy]

seriously what kind of industrial grade hair spray or product or grease is kuwabara using to keep his pompadour that consistent. his hair is literally never down. Even in official art. One where they're in the hot spring and his hair is perfect. They have a beach episode and it remains untouched. HE SLEEPS WITH IT STYLED LIKE THAT. we get one manga panel with it slightly undone and that's the only proof we have that kuwabara's pompadour isn't simply a cleverly disguised helmet. show me his curly hair while I'm asking nicely 😤😤

[iamthescalesofjustice]

idk if anyone has done this before but da2 au where you think at first its a both twins lived au and then find out bethany died and thats actually non-warden amell posing as her. something something escaped with jowan maybe, found her relatives in lothering, sought refuge with them and when bethany ended up dying it was way lower profile for amell to take the place of her cousin than try to get in to kirkwall with them as a non-immediate family member (especially given that leandra is publicly coming in as an amell and theres a resemblance and its known revka had mage kids taken to the circle and im sure theres a bulletin out or whatever for an escaped apostate matching amells description). points if people comment on how ‘bethany’ clearly takes after her mother. leandra is not normal about it. aveline knew the real bethany at least in passing bc of living in the same town and treats this as a reason for her distrust of hawke and co and one of the reason she sabotages carvers application with the guard. 

[ampheenix]

Death Note au for BSD?? yes please >:))

Younger Dazai as Light- Odasaku died a year ago, robbing his life of any colour it had, and he puts on a bubbly facade around his classmates and friends (the ADA) but in reality struggles to feel anything. One day he comes across the death note, and is stunned as he realizes its powers.

Oda had told him before he died to ‘be on the side that saves people’ (same as canon) and Dazai realises that the death note is his chance to fix the world, becoming Kira to get rid of criminals who (in his mind) killed his best friend.

(An older, less immature Dazai like in the series might have made a different choice, but in this au he’s more like 15-yr-old PM Dazai- except still traumatized from Oda)

Mori as Ryuk, who explains the power of the shinigami to him, amused with Dazai's decision to kill criminals using the notebook (He'd look even more terrifying than Ryuk as a shinigami tbh, less monstrous and more human-like but that makes him all the more eerie).

Akutagawa as Misa, holder of the second death note and puts Kira up on a pedestal, revering him for murdering the criminal who killed his family. Dazai uses him to further his goals, feeling nothing towards him although the younger boy borderline worships him (pretty similar to canon).

Chuuya as L, along with the rest of the PM as the police force. In this au Chuuya still has a hot temper but it’s more of a controlled, and efficient rage- he might be amiable in company but as soon as the door slams shut he’s gritting his teeth, kicking his chair back as he takes his anger out on a new case.

(At first I thought Chuuya as L might not fit due to the differences in intelligence, but really Chuuya is far smarter than he lets on- he's a tad gullible though)

Kouyou as Watari, who discovered 8-year-old Chuuya and brought him to an orphanage for intellectually gifted children (Wammy’s House), and being the most intelligent he became almost like an uncrowned king. Aka a parallel with the king of the sheep, if you will.)

[house-on-sand]

@misunderstoodthebeatles

barbara & jason as a batgirl & robin who share a family, mission, and murderer. as a sister & brother.

“the lady, or the tigress?” (young justice) // batman: gotham knights (#44) // soirée fantastique (natalie diaz) // batman: gotham knights (#43) // “barbara gordon” (titans) // antigonick (anne carson) // batman: turning points (#3) // the fall of the house of usher (steven berkoff) // batman: under the red hood (2010) // batman: arkham knight // a brother named gethsemane (natalie diaz) // task force z (#8) // batman: arkham knight // batman: urban legends (#3) // antigone (jean anouilh) // gotham knights // libation bearers (ian johnston) // gotham knights // batman: wayne family adventures (#53) // batman (vol. 2) (#17)

[dullahandyke]

thinking about akudrive and feminism which is a thinly-veiled way of saying im thikning about doctor

[silkentine]

Me when they are the sisters ever: 😭😭😭 They came out soooo freaking well. I won’t lie, they took me a thousand years to finish but through the constant support from all of my buds (and my latent bisexuality), we made it 😤

Hopefully you guys know the deal by now: design choices, easter eggs, and (NEW!) closeup shots below the read more. ⬇️

I wanted Ace to have a very down-to-earth vibe and looked at Aussie beach-girls, coastal cowgirls, and vaqueras for reference. (IDK, I’ve just always envisioned Ace as part-Australian🌺 and Mexican 🏴‍☠️) Her clothing choices are mostly natural or utilitarian materials like the painted wooden beads on her top, her woven fabric and leather belts, and her denim jumpsuit. I gave her bikini top a zen-garden kind of feel because I read the first Ace’s Story Novel and I loved how idyllic and peaceful they made Sixis Island sound so I wanted to invoke that in some way.

Speaking of her painted wooden beads, they hang off the back of her top and represent her connection to Sabo and Luffy. They watch her back once she sets sail. She only wears one red glass bead earring because the other one got ripped out of her ear when a child, leaving her earlobe torn (don’t think about it too much 😢). Also, YES! she does wear a hibiscus flower just like Rouge (because I hate you and I want to make you cry, muhwahahahaha).

Also, I really wanted her to have super textured curly hair that licks behind her like flames. I am always considering whether or not a character should have long hair or not because I don’t want it to be a hindrance if they’re in a fight (or if they ARE a fighter with long hair, how to they avoid an enemy making use of that?). Ace is, of course, a Logia-type Devil Fruit User so I think she wouldn’t have trouble with people grabbing it LOL I get the feeling that she doesn’t take very good care of it even though it looks amazing. Like you’d think it would be soft and bouncy just by looking at it but if you ever get the chance to run your fingers through it, it’s a total rat’s nest and there’s sand and food all up in it. She still falls asleep while eating 😂 but she tries her best to only do it around people she can trust (woman moment 😔).

Honestly, her design is not that different from Ace’s canon look. It feels really vital to Ace’s character to have a lot of skin showing. And he’s always hanging all over himself with his hips all cocked like the weight of the world is too much to stand up straight. It is certainly not my OWN preference to make her an absolute smoke show. That’s just the character, okay? (I’m partially lying and the proof is that I turned the emblem on Ace’s hat strap into a sternum tattoo for no other reason than that it is sexy af.)

Here are some closeups of Ace:

Now for Sabo, I’ve made her very girly. I tried putting her in pants or something more militant but she told me that she’d wear the big poofy sleeves and hiked-up ruffled skirt. I think Sabo has always had a strong grasp on his fashion sense and individual flair and I truly believe that his personal style is one of the major influences for the rest of the Revolutionary Army resulting in the very flashy, queer, steampunk aesthetic (aside from Dragon’s plain-ass cloak). So of course I had to implement her nonconformist look when reimagining her as a woman and dress her up to the nines.

I’ve given her very ornate jewelry that is there to tell a story, even if she herself doesn’t know it. I like to think she picks up stuff from her travels that resonate with her, such as a damaged set of earrings with one stone missing or red cup-shaped shells featuring three nestled pearls. Another accessory that cannot go unmentioned is her dragon claw hat pin that keeps her top hat resting on top of her hair (and is definitely used as a weapon when the situation simply doesn’t call for trusty metal pipe). She also has a veil that obscures her prominent facial scar. I imagine she’s not very keen on the reminder of the incident from her childhood that took away her memories. I also kept her chipped toothed because 1) it’s fucking adorable and 2) is a visual reminder that she no longer aligns herself with the nobility who would have gotten such a thing fixed. She is so poised in almost every outward facet of her life from her dignified role as the Chief of Staff to the elegant materials in her clothing that it can be easy to forget she was also a rough and tumble forest dweller. Every time Koala remembers this, he lets out the biggest sigh.

Her hair is inspired by Gibson Girls and Elizabeth Swann from the first Pirates of the Caribbean movie. I wanted it to be fussy and tidy but fall apart when she’s in moments of distress. For example, when she remembers her sisters, her hair starts to look like Ace’s flaming mane. I’m so in love with her, I think she looks like an adorable little porcelain doll that would fuck you up. I made an effort to keep her eyes a little bit manic. I get lost in her steely black orbs (and also Ace’s warm brown ones, but we’re talking about Sabo rn).

Here are her close-ups:

Plot notes for this AU:

For this series of character designs, I wanted the expressions and outfits to be aligned with the canon plot but I don’t know if I have the heart to kill fem!Ace in my AU. I’m too attached and ASL has suffered enough!!!!! But Ace’s death is also a major defining moment for Luffy so it feels disingenuous to completely avoid it. Also a huge aspect of Sabo’s character is carrying on Ace’s will and I have so many thoughts about how the Dressrosa Colosseum scene would play out if they were all women. Oh well, I’ll cross that tragic bridge when I get to it. I’m definitely going to draw some Modern AU Girl Piece ASL though. They deserve to hang out with no stakes 😭 They are sisters!!!

Check out the tag “girl piece” on my blog for my other One Piece genderbends! 🥰