#Linnea writes stories

[saturnville]

congratulations, mr. president. literally almost finished! update: it’s finished!

[linneanirell]

I must have looked lovely during the days you quietly said your goodbyes. I realise now, what I thought was love within your eyes, was grief, and the dreams you created, the tales you told, was you living them for the very last time. I was caught up within those dreams. Like a child, I believed the illusion of it all. With your words, and with your hands, you placed steppingstones in front of me, and I walked upon them, not realising they were made out of nothing, and the plunge was indeed far. My heart was beating so incredibly loud that I was unable to recognise that yours had stopped. When did it begin to wither? First you were frozen in time. There was no before nor after. Everything was so still and you looked beautiful. I held onto you until you became solid. For how long has your body grown stale? I wish I would have known that your heart was ebbing. You carried your disease so well. Only now, when worms and maggots occupy your eyes, can I truly see. How did I look when I smiled at you those days? Do you remember? How did my warm skin feel against yours? My rosy lips? My tender hands as I brushed your hair from your eyes? Does my voice still echo within your ears, alongside those promises you made? Like a whisper? Can dead hearts even feel anything at all, after having withered? 

Today’s poem  ❧  

End to End by Linnéa Nirell

❧ ig

[okaycarlamae]

I.i Linnea

as powerful as a marigold

[itsisla-dubois]

perfectly manicured nails flipped through her own stack of fliers, trying to separate them for ease of handing them out. isla felt that this task was a bit beneath her, especially considering her prestige in the competition circuit. but, for the sake of keeping her work and her name in the dance world, she plastered her infamous smile (that tended to border more on smirk than anything) on her face and continued to help out linnea with passing them out. "forget them" her french accent drawing out the words as she peered over pink sunglasses. "probably have two left feet and couldn't even do a plie if told step by step directions." a hand reaching to flip some of her long blonde hair out of her way. "we could just, you know, go and hang them up then go do something better with our time."

Status: Open Location: Outside Elegance Dance Studio @aurorabaystarter

Linnea was standing outside handing out some fliers with another one of her coworkers just to get a little more attention to the studio. Sometimes people wouldn’t realize something was in town unless it was thrown at them. And she was always willing to help someone new dance. “ I promise it’s fun! And it’s all different types of dance “ she replied as someone walked away with the flower without acknowledging her. “ I don’t know if this is working “ she said out loud but gave another smile as she handed another flier out. “ would you like to learn how to dance? “

[crybabylipstick]

Melanie's tattoos and the story + info about each of them:

1. Candy Hearts

Melanie got a tattoo of pink and blue candy hearts on her left elbow in July of 2014. They were done by her friend and tattoo artist Lauren Winzer. It is one of her first two tattoos.

2. Teddy Bear

Melanie got a tattoo of a yellow teddy bear on her upper right arm in September of 2014. It was done by Lauren Winzer.

3. Pin-Up Girl

Melanie got a tattoo of a retro pin-up girl holding a juice box on her upper right arm in November of 2014. It was done by Wayne Fredrickson.

4. Ice Cream Truck

Melanie got a tattoo of a pink and green ice cream truck on her left bicep in June of 2015. It was done by Lauren Winzer.

5. Balloon Animal Dog

Melanie got a tattoo of a blue balloon animal dog on her left forearm in June of 2015. It was done by Lauren Winzer. She got this tattoo because when she was four, her parents threw her a birthday party which she wasn't satisfied with, because no one came to it, which inspired her to write the song "Pity Party."

6. Carousel Horse

Melanie got a tattoo of a carousel horse on her left forearm in July of 2014, on the same day that she got the candy hearts. It was done by Lauren Winzer. It is one of her first two tattoos.

7. Cake

Melanie got a tattoo of a pink birthday cake on her upper right arm in March of 2015. It was done by tattoo artist Marie Sena. The design was inspired by Chloe Tersigni, a former friend of Melanie who created the storybook artwork for her debut album, Cry Baby.

8. Ice Cream Cone

Melanie got a tattoo of a colorful ice cream cone on her right forearm in February of 2015. It was done by Linnea Pecsenye.

9. Bunny Kewpie Doll

Melanie got a tattoo of a kewpie doll in a bunny suit carrying a melting ice cream cone on her left forearm in June of 2015. It was done by Lauren Winzer. Melanie spoke about the tattoo, which was inspired by two childhood memories, in an interview with Fuse, stating, "This one is based on a couple of experiences from when I was a kid. My first word was "mine." It happened when I was in my walker in my driveway and my dad snatched an ice cream out of my hand and I just screamed "mine!", like "Give me my ice cream! Why'd you take my ice cream?" And then there's a picture of me outside dressed as a bunny. So I just did a little kewpie baby dressed as a bunny, holding ice cream that's melting, just to mix the two experiences".

10. Angel

Melanie got a tattoo of an angel with a retro hairstyle on her left calf on an unknown date in 2015.

11. Block of Cheese

Melanie got a tattoo of a block of cheese within a heart on her upper right arm in February of 2015. It was done by tattoo artist Josh Barg. In an interview with Fuse, when asked about the tattoo, they said, "I love cheese. I’m obsessed with cheese! I’m like the biggest dairy queen in the world".

12. Kewpie Doll Heads

Melanie got a tattoo of two kewpie doll heads on her upper right arm in February of 2015. It was done by tattoo artist Linnea Pecsenye. The boy on the left is smiling, while the girl on the right is crying, representing happiness and sadness.

13. Ice Cream Cone

Melanie got a tattoo of a colorful ice cream cone on her right forearm in February of 2015. It was done by Linnea Pecsenye.

14. Heart-Shaped Lollipop

Melanie got a tattoo of a red heart-shaped lollipop on her right forearm in November of 2014. It was done by tattoo artist Wayne Fredrickson.

15. Bunny Head

Melanie got a tattoo of a bunny head and a kn*fe on her right forearm in February of 2015. Melanie shared the story behind the tattoo with Fuse, stating, "It was actually my first pet ever. And then I got a dog and my parents told me I couldn't have a bunny and a dog, so we all decided to give the bunny away to a friend of a friend who already had a bunny. So we thought 'It'll have a friend, that’s amazing, that's awesome.' So they left my bunny and their bunny in the backyard unattended for like, four hours. They ended up finding their bunny in their neighbor's backyard and my bunny's h*ad was in their yard". The bunny in the story is Whinnie.

16. D*c*pitated Girl

Melanie got a tattoo of a little girl whose h*ad has been c*t off jumping in the air, with roses spilling out of her neck in October of 2015. It was done by tattoo artist Gary Royal. The tattoo is an illustration by Japanese artist Masami Yanagida, and the girl's blouse says "For Joy", referencing the phrase "jump for joy".

17. Teardrop

Melanie got a tattoo of a teardrop on her right forearm on August 14, 2015. She got the tattoo in celebration of the release of her debut album, "Cry Baby".

18. Love is a Maze

Melanie got two tattoos of couples on each of her thighs in December of 2015, although they weren't finished until April of 2016. The tattoos are both illustrations by Masami Yanagida. The one on her left thigh shows a clothed couple with their heads in a maze.

19. S*x is a Game

Melanie got two tattoos of couples on each of her thighs in December of 2015, although they weren't finished until April of 2016. The tattoos are both illustrations by Masami Yanagida. The one on her right thigh depicts a n*ked couple with their heads in a lottery wheel.

20. Elmer Elephant

Melanie got a tattoo of Elmer Elephant from the Silly Symphonies short of the same name on her left calf in October of 2015. It was done by Shon Lindauer. It goes along with her Tillie Tiger tattoo.

21. Tillie Tiger

Melanie got a tattoo of Tillie Tiger from the Silly Symphonies short, Elmer Elephant on her right calf in October of 2015. It was done by tattoo artist Shon Lindauer. The tattoo goes along with her Elmer Elephant tattoo.

22. Tooth

Melanie got a tattoo of a tooth with a face and rosy cheeks on her upper left arm in January of 2016. When she was a baby, she was biting on an apple and she lost her tooth in it and she thought it was pretty funny because the entire event caused her to become crazy. It was done by Nat G.

23. 222 Heart

Melanie got a tattoo of a small heart with the number 222 inside of it in January of 2016. It was done by tattoo artist Nat G. She tweeted, "The number follows me around everywhere. Usually whenever I see it something good happens". 222 is also Cry Baby and Angelita's class room number in "K-12". 222 is Melanie Martinez's angel number, which is why she got it on her arm.

24. Madeline

Melanie got a tattoo of Madeline from the media franchise of the same name, as well as a quote from the series on her left calf in January of 2016. It was done by Nat G.

25. Masami Yanagida Illustration

Melanie got a tattoo of a man whose body is c*t into pieces, with the words "Love Love You" written on his midsection in December of 2015. The tattoo is an illustration by Masami Yanagida.

[quindriepress]

This week's spotlight is on Beth Fuller and her comic Witching Hour. Beth is an illustrator and concept artist from Dublin, Ireland. She’s considering putting down the stylus pen and heading off into the wilderness to live as a hermit, but likes hot showers and horror films just enough to keep her in civilisation. For now, anyway. (@bethfuller | website | instagram | twitter)

"Witching Hour is about a young girl sent on a mysterious journey by her father. Two pale trees with intertwined branches form a strange gate at the edge of 12-year-old Esio’s town, and beyond it lies an old, ruined land. Over their pints, as dusk falls, the villagers say it’s where lost things - and people - eventually end up. She’s got sandwiches, an apple, plasters, a bottle of Tipperary Kidz water and a Horrible Histories book in her rucksack and she’s heading off into the unknown, with only a talisman to guide her. There’s no telling who she might meet along the way."

Read the spotlight below the cut!

"That’s the initial rundown, anyway. Speaking more subjectively, I wanted to create a setting where two totally different characters - as different from each other as you can get - are forced to work together and end up changing each other’s lives. I really do think you can get on and find common ground with almost anyone, in the right circumstances."

Witching Hour took several years to incubate. "I’d been working on a comic slowly and haltingly since I was 18. There are pages kept deep, deep in my computer with old, badly drawn versions of Esio in a radically different setting, but it never really made sense as a story. I don’t think I made it past page three! Still, the fantasy atmosphere and character of Esio stuck with me over the years. Plus I really like to mix the dull, routine and mundane aspects of everyday life with things that are otherworldly and strange."

"Eventually we had a visual narrative module as part of my degree, and while recalling my old comic pages (I was mulling over it in the shower, which is where I think many of us do our most important thinking) an idea came to me that would form the basis of Witching Hour. Adding this to the embers of my previous project gave me more than enough fuel to sit down and start drawing.

"I have plenty of ideas for what I want to get up to next. I’ll work on a tarot set, keep working on freelance concept art and illustrations, design some tattoos, maybe try my hand at another comic at some stage. As always, feel free to get in touch and let me know if there’s anything you’d like to see from me!"

Beth draws inspiration from many sources: "The landscapes of south-west Ireland. Horror films, foreign language films, fantasy films, anything animated. The writing of Michelle Paver, Neil Gaiman and Ursula LeGuin.

"For me, though, it’s primarily the work of other illustrators that has inspired me the most, and it’s often only through seeing and evaluating lots of different brilliant styles that you can start to discern your own tastes. As a child, the obligatory Ghibli film catalogue. Then the work of Chris Riddell, Max Prentis and Ian McQue were enough inspiration to foster an interest in art school. I went, studied Illustration at DJCAD, and discovered Jake Wyatt, Celia Lowenthal, Juliette Brocal, Linnea Sterte, Jack T. Cole, Evan Cagle, Alphonse Mucha and (of course) Moebius. Seeing their work is like taking the creative spark and making it into a deodorant flamethrower."

Beth's work often centres around fantastical worlds and sweeping landscapes. "I think somehow you always come back to what you know. Sometimes you don’t even notice you have a fascination with something until you start to create and it keeps returning.

"My family and I spent a lot of time around Irish coastlines growing up, especially during the warmer months. Kerry, in the south-west, has mountains that turn brown in winter, then when summer comes are carpeted with a haze of purple heather, not unlike the hills of Scotland. There are crumbling ringforts and monastic ruins on isolated hilltops. I could be in the most beautiful place in the world but still miss the coconut scent of Kerry gorse. The fantasy aspect is fun to play with, and it adds a nice sense of mystery, but fundamentally I think the landscapes I draw are an attempt to capture, and return to, the shores I kicked about on as a kid."

For aspiring comic creators, Beth has this advice: "This is a common one, but I think it’s still worth saying: if you have a story, get it down. You don’t need to consider yourself a comic artist to make a comic. You also don’t need to wait around for the right time, or enough expertise - nobody is going to give you a nametag with ‘comic artist’ on it. If you can draw, and you need to say something, just start drawing boxes and see where it goes. Also, ‘Necropolis’ by Jake Wyatt is really good."

You can pick up Witching Hour, alongside the other three comics in our 2023 collection, right here on Kickstarter! 

[redgoldsparks]

March Reading and Reviews by Maia Kobabe

I post my reviews throughout the month on Storygraph and Goodreads, and do roundups here and on patreon. Reviews below the cut.

Delicious in Dungeon vol 4 by Ryoko Kui

I'm reading these books so fast I can barely remember which parts of the plot happened in which volume but know that I am still having a great time!

Delicious in Dungeon vol 5 by Ryoko Kui

Oh, this story has taken a darker turn, and also just introduced a whole bunch more characters. Will I be able to keep track of them all? I hope so!

Dragon Keeper by Robin Hobb, read by Anne Flosnik 

Unfortunately, this is definitely the weakest Robin Hobb book I've read so far. I was expecting to like it less than the glorious, 5-star previous trilogy, but I actually think I'm going to skip the rest of the Rain Wild Chronicles and read summaries online to get to the next Fitz books. This book follows five main POV characters. This works fairly well for the first half, when the characters are all in different physical locations. However once all of the characters meet up, we start getting the same scene from multiple different POVs, which feels extremely repetitive. Also, almost EVERY SCENE includes a flashback, often a lengthy flashback, sometimes to something that happened only the previous day and could have been told as present-moment action. This writing choice baffled me. It's something I can't remember struggling with in any of Hobb's previous books, but by the end it was driving me up a wall. The book also moved very slowly; the stakes feel lower, and the character far less emotionally true than in the two Fitz trilogies. Disappointing, but I will keep moving forward towards the next part of the series I want to read.

Delicious in Dungeon vol 6 by Ryoko Kui

Damn, a lot of characters get murdered in this volume! Good thing almost everyone who dies in the dungeon can be revived. Also, very excited to finally meet the cat ninja I've been seeing fan art of since before I even started the series :3

Delicious in Dungeon vol 7 by Ryoko Kui

I am still completely caught up in this series. I love the glimpse of Senshi's past revealed in this volume, and the lore of the dungeon that is still being revealed. There was a line in here about how the dungeon leaves you alone if you don't ask much of it, but that if you have strong desires it throws even more obstacles into your way. Our heroes have such big goals right now, but they're marching ahead regardless!

School Trip by Jerry Craft 

A satisfying new installment in the New Kid series from funny, talented, charming Jerry Craft! I appreciated how this volume started to complicate some of the students who had been left a bit one-dimensional in previous books. Several people stood up to and called out a bully; new friendships were built; and Jordan Banks left Paris even more inspired than ever to follow his dreams of becoming an artist. This series has a lot of jokes, but also a lot of heart!

A Frog in Fall (and Later On) by Linnea Sterte 

Minor frog is less than a year old, and is dismayed when winter begins to steal all of the light and warmth from his world. Instead of bunking down safely with his mentor to wait for spring, he sets out on a journey with two vagabond toads passing by on a quest to make it all the way to the tropics. They tramp through the Japanese countryside, encountering tree spirits, new friends, dangers, and views the likes of which minor frog had never even imagined. This is a gorgeous book; every page worth pouring over, an economy of line and detail building a beautiful and mysterious world of talking animals and miniature packaged foods. Made me want to draw.

Dark Rise by CS Pacat read by Christian Coulson 

In 1820s London, orphaned Will tries to earn enough as a dockworker to survive- and evade the killers pursuing him. Violet dresses in her half-brother's clothes and sneaks onto a ship in the Thames to watch a man be branded with his master's mark. Katherine excitedly anticipates her engagement to one of London's richest and most mysterious lords; his gallantry nearly makes up for the fact that he's twice her age. And in the bowels of one of that lord's ships, James tortures a man for information. All of these characters are 16 or 17 years old, but all of them are tangled in an ancient conflict between the Light and the Dark which stretches back into an age of magic before history. This is CS Pacat's YA fantasy debut, and it contains a lot of tropes very familiar to both YA and high fantasy- there are shades of both Tolkien and Rowling in this. Its fast-paced and action-packed, but especially in the first third of the story, the characters all felt fairly thin. None of them have quirks, hobbies, career hopes, relationships outside of immediate family, school, or work; or much more than a brief sketch of past. It took until the mid-way point for what I consider Pacat's major strengths as a writer to emerge: intense, homoerotic interpersonal sparring between characters operating under major power imbalances. Every scene in which the seductive, manipulative, powerful evil gay faced off against the good boy chosen one crackled with energy. Unfortunately, there were only four of these scenes in the whole book. It ends on a cliff-hanger, because of course it does, with a tempting set up for book two; but that doesn't entirely excuse the fact that the first 50% felt like set up. I will definitely keep reading, but long-time Pacat fans should take note that this is toned down version of what I expected based on Captive Prince.

Feeding Ghosts by Tessa Hulls (re-read before event)

What an accomplishment! I savored every page of Feeding Ghosts, absolutely floored by the labor and courage that went into the writing of this book. The inking is gorgeous, the history is clear, digestible, and devastating. This book threads the line between honesty and compassion in a way that I appreciate so much in any memoir, but especially one dealing with family. Hulls lays out the story of three generations of women starting with her grandmother, Sun Yi, a Shanghai journalist who faced intense persecution during the rise of Communism in China, who penned a popular and scandalous memoir and then suffered a mental breakdown. This left her only daughter, Rose, a student at an elite boarding school with no parental figures and no other family to lean on. Eventually Rose earned a scholarship to an American university and in the end moved her mother into her California home. Sun Yi haunted that home during the author's own childhood. The unexamined trauma and codependency of Sun Yi and Rose drove the author to the extreme edges of the Earth, seeking freedom from their ghosts. But in the end, she stopped running from her family history and turned, instead, to face it. Shelve this book with Maus, Fun Home, Persepolis and The Best We Could Do. Re-read it for a second time and got even more out of it on a second pass.

Delicious in Dungeon vol 8 by Ryoko Kui

Laios and company realize that their encounter with changling mushroom rings had more consequences than they'd realized- its the body swap episode! This visual humor is contrasted against increasing dangers from both above and below, as nastier monsters and political machinations begin to close in on our heroic adventuring party. I'm now over halfway through this series and almost feel like I should start reading it more slowly to savor it, but I'll probably just keep devouring it instead.

Lunar New Year Love Story by Gene Luen Yang and Leuyen Pham

High school senior Val grew up knowing her family was unlucky in love; for generations, relationships in her family have ended in heartbreak. Her childhood love of Valentines Day ends with a shocking family revelation and what feels like the beginning of a curse. Then her Vietnamese grandmother sweeps her off to a Lunar New Year celebration in downtown Oakland and a pair of cute lion dancer boys catch her eye. Could one of them break the spell on her heart? This story offers a classic and satisfying rom-com, with Val torn between an outgoing, rich, but flaky boy and a broody, shy, loyal one. The story takes several kdrama style twists and includes ghosts, saints, red envelopes, confessions, fights, reunions, tears, and kisses. For a comic, its wordy; the pages are dense with small panels and thick with dialogue, but also illustrated with such warm, humor, and realism. I really liked that the story included as much of Val's relationship with her family and best friend as romance. And the lion dancing scenes practically leap off the page with color and energy!

Witch Hat Atelier vol 10 by Kamome Shirahama

This series remains as visually stunning as ever but I'm struggling with how every single book expands the cast. There are so many characters now that I don't care about that much, and have trouble remembering from volume to volume. I wish the story line would stick more closely to Coco, her classmates, and their main mentors!

Delicious in Dungeon vol 9 by Ryoko Kui

Oh the stories are all converging! The savior at the bottom of the dungeon is probably a demon! Ituzumi saves the day! I am still having a great time reading this series.

A Dowry of Blood by ST Gibson read by Abby Craden 

A short, very queer, very poly retelling of Dracula focusing on his coven of enthralled lovers. I liked the way the book breezed through history, as the dysfunctional little family moved from one major European city to the next, with snatched moments of glittering joy interwoven with violence and plague. The story is fairly simple, and has a happier ending than I expected, or honestly think the characters deserved.

City of Dragons by Robin Hobb

I DNFed the previous book in this series and just read a summary online before skipping ahead to this one. I think that was a very good choice for me. This third one was more engaging and a bit more action packed, with some cool discoveries about the city of Kelsingra and the nature of Elderlings. But the Rain Wild Chronicles as a whole do not stand up to the quality of the Farseer books. There are so many POV characters that a few of them get only two or three scenes in this whole book. I don't feel that I deeply know any of these characters; while at the same time watching Hobb pair them off at an extraordinary rate- in the last book five sets of characters got together and in this book an additional two couples are developing feelings for each other. Between this and a kidnapping, a birth, a murder, and a lot of blackmail, this series feels like a soap opera.

Delicious in Dungeon vol 10 by Ryoko Kui

Almost two TPKs in this volume, yikes!

Delicious in Dungeon vol 11 by Ryoko Kui

You know shit's getting serious when the character who has been the series main villain up until now is partially devoured by a different, worse villain. Exciting changes coming to this dungeon under it's new lord and master!

Squad by Maggie Tokuda-Hall and Lisa Sterle

When Becca gets invited to sit with the popular girl clique at her new high school, she's thrilled. But the friendship turns bloody and complicated when she learns that her new friends are actually werewolves who need to kill and feed on a human once a month. If she joins them, Becca will gain superhuman strength and a pack; she'll never have to fear a male predator again, because she will be a predator herself. I loved the queer rep and the twist on werewolf lore; I wish it had been a little longer and more developed. Give me multi-page transformations sequences!

Delicious in Dungeon vol 12 by Ryoko Kui

I love seeing all these plot lines come together! Building towards a wild climax.

Delicious in Dungeon vol 13 by Ryoko Kui

I went out and *bought* vol 13 of this series because my library didn't have it yet, that's how hooked I am. And now I have to wait until JULY for the final volume! (But also, thank goodness I didn't get into this series any sooner or I'd have a much longer wait).

[aaknopf]

A multi-generational saga courses across the pages of Ædnan, by Sámi-Swedish author Linnea Axelsson, translated from the Swedish by Saskia Vogel. The verse epic follows an Indigenous Sámi family who have herded reindeer for generations, as the forces of colonialism and modern development of their ancestral lands threaten their culture and livelihood. The story is told by a small chorus of characters from the 1910s through the current day, and we become especially close to Lise, who left her Sámi family, following her brother Jon-Henrik, to be educated at a residential school for “Nomad” children. This excerpt from Chapter XII takes place in the early 1970s, along the Great Lule River Valley, where the state-owned Vattenfall company was developing hydroelectric resources, and Lise is graduating into a world unimaginable to her parents.

. .

The river climbed silently up the hills

as soon as Vattenfall whistled it came creeping:

–

Streamed backwards up its deep channel and drowned the earth

When the great Suorva Dam for the third time was to be regulated

–

Entreaty

shone from Mama’s eyes

–

She explained clearly to the Swedes 

that the fishing will suffer if the water rises

–

There was probably no one who understood what she was saying

– –

After the social studies lesson I went with the others to sit on the gymnasium floor

–

Almost all of Malmberget’s students had been dismissed from class

– To participate in the miners’ strike meeting

 –

Someone had heard that Olof Palme was coming

that he would travel all the way up here 

–

To the mining company’s and Vattenfall’s world the one that he himself had helped build

–

It is what he is guarding

It is all that he can see

–

The mine boss’s voice

flowed wildly above the crowded hall which was hot with bodies

–

His voice was so robust his conviction so intense

–

I glanced at Anne who was sitting beside me leaning against the wall bars

and she smiled back at me

–

Soon we would be leaving school too 

–

And could start working join the union

–

You took the job you wanted that’s all there was to it 

– 

Switchboard cleaner or cook

with the old folks at the Pioneer or the children in day care

– –

I spend the weekend up at Mama and Papa’s 

–

I stand with Jon-Henrik

 –

Watching the river flow murky across the slope

–

That brushy slope

where he and I used to go it’s underwater now

 –

How are our tracks ever to be heard Among the Swedes’ roads and power stations

–

It’s Jon-Henrik who says this he had also been drawn down to the dam

–

To work for Vattenfall as soon as school was done

 –

I’m surprised when he says

That he’d preferred to have taken up with the reindeer

–

Been elected into the Sámi community

And learned to guide that wandering gray soft ocean across the world of the fells

–

Just as the lot of us were once taught at the Nomad School that this is what the Sámi do

that this is how we all live

–

He laughs and says:

–

Who knows what the spring flood will bring with it

this drowned  earth may yet be fertile

More on this book and author:

Learn more about Ædnan by Linnea Axelsson.

Check out The Rumpus for a conversation between Linnea Axelsson and Susan Devan Harness about Axelsson's Sámi heritage and the decision to write Ædnan in verse. 

Click here to read Linnea Axelsson's op-ed piece for LitHub on Scandinavia’s hidden history of Indigenous oppression.

Visit our Tumblr to peruse poems, audio recordings, and broadsides in the Knopf poem-a-day series.

To share the poem-a-day experience with friends, pass along this link.

[fluffytriceratops]

w r i t i n g m a s t e r l i s t. <3

please read my rules before interacting with my blog & requesting, thank you.

︵‿︵‿୨♡୧‿︵‿︵

TMNT:

2003:

Casey Jones: Leonardo: Donatello: Dating Headcannons. Raphael: Michelangelo:

2007:

2012:

Casey Jones: Study Date. (old) Leonardo: Hostage. (old) Gimme Them Cuddles. Donatello: Raphael: I'll Kick Your Ass. (old) Michelangelo:

Bayverse (2014/2016):

Casey Jones: Leonardo: Dating Headcannons. I'll Always Be Here. Fanfiction Blue Eyes. Belt Kisses. Donatello: Dating Headcannons. Cookie Confession. Belt Kisses. Raphael: Dating Headcannons. The Cursed Mark. Belt Kisses. I Burn For You. Michelangelo: Dating Headcannons. Anything For Her. Belt Kisses. Most Ardently (Pride & Prejudice AU story, Leo x Reader): Preview. Chapter One: Mr. Hamato.

ROTTMNT (2018):

Leonardo: Gimme Them Cuddles. Donatello: Raphael: Michelangelo:

︵‿︵‿୨♡୧‿︵‿︵

Transformers:

Bayverse:

Prime:

Optimus: To Cybertron and Back.

︵‿︵‿୨♡୧‿︵‿︵

Ninjago:

Masters of Spinjitsu:

Lloyd Garmadon: Kai Smith: Sleepless. Cole Brookestone: Jay Walker: Zane Julien: Incandescently Happy. Morro: Sensei Wu: Lord Garmadon:

︵‿︵‿୨♡୧‿︵‿︵

Haikyuu:

Nekoma:

Kenma Kozume: I Miss You. (old)

Aoba Johsai:

Toru Oikawa: I Don't Need You. (old)

Inarizaki:

Atsumu Miya: Let Her Go. (old)

"Incandescent": Atsumu Miya Fanfiction: - originally called "sour cream". - Intro. Profiles. Chapter One: mrs kwan is my sugar daddy. Chapter Two: bootymeat. Chapter Three: there he is, mr. america. Chapter Four: i want some lettuce. [no longer posting chapters on here after the 4th one. to continue reading the fanfic you must either read it on my wattpad, ao3, or quotev.]

Itachiyama:

Kiyoomi Sakusa: "Apple Juice". [Fanfiction.] Apple Juice - Chapter One: oi with the poodles already. [no longer posting chapters on here, to continue reading the fanfic you must read it on my wattpad, ao3, or quotev.]

Karasuno:

Ryunosuke Tanaka: Just Friends.

︵‿︵‿୨♡୧‿︵‿︵

My Hero Academia:

︵‿︵‿୨♡୧‿︵‿︵

OCs:

TMNT: Random Facts About Kristina &lt;3 Timelines [Ft. Alba, Iris, Kris, & Ro] Random Drabbles/Headcannons with Kristina and Raphael Forever & Always [Raph & Kris] Random Facts About Monet Random Facts About Nefertiri Kris and Raph being cutiepatooties. How long Kris and Raph kept their relationship hidden from her parents. BNHA/MHA: Promposal. [Shigaraki & Linnea] (old) Forced To Stargaze. [Shigaraki & Linnea] (old) I Don't Love You. [2nd Gen: Ryuu & Callisto.] (old) Feelings For Kaiga. [2nd Gen: Tamashi & Callisto] (old)

FRIENDS WRITING FEATURING MY OCs: Mamacita Part One By: @digitl-art-monstr Mamacita Part Two By: @digitl-art-monstr Family Yokai Stuff By: @digitl-art-monstr Wedding Night By: @rheawritesforfun Human Family Stuff By: @digitl-art-monstr Pops Knows Best By: @rheawritesforfun Meeting The Mother By: @digitl-art-monstr Pillow-fort Talk By: @rheawritesforfun Red Ear Sliders Are Invasive By: @rheawritesforfun Springtime Prime By: @rheawritesforfun Iris Lord, Baby #1 By: @digitl-art-monstr Married But They'll Stay Idiots By: @rheawritesforfun Rise And Shine By: @rheawritesforfun Animal Bride Rewrite Story Feat Kris & Raph By: @lec743

︵‿︵‿୨♡୧‿︵‿︵

︵‿︵‿୨♡୧‿︵‿︵

[ click here for my art masterlist. ]

[ click here for my fandoms. ]

[ click here for commission info. ]

[ click here for admin info. ]

[ click here for my blog & request rules. ]

[ click here for rp information. ]

[ghoulsbeard]

self rec tag game.. from @vakarians-babe thank you Laura :) i was not going to do this initially but i think its good to practice being positive about your own work… the rule is to share five of your own works and tag five people

passing the tag with no pressure of course … @mxssrelay @antivantalon @favoriteblogonthecitadel @everybodyknows-everybodydies @blackinquisitors @metzlishepard & anyone who sees this & wants to do it :)

something you adore… i was really excited to use some of the words in this one. starts off with one of my favorites lol

something that was challenging to create… all of it is challenging haha. seriously… :|

something that made you laugh or smile… i love writing about them goofing around because linnea is often very serious and has her walls up and clem i think enjoys surprising her... this is from later in 3 when they’ve become better friends which is nice in its own way also :’)

something that surprised you… it did genuinely surprise me how many people enjoyed this little story. it felt very slapdash and a bit nichey to me as i scribbled it and then like a hundred people liked and reblogged it lol. kind of scary

something you want other people to see… eugh.. hm… this was hard… i think this one is sweet. i think i got pretty close to their voices

[talesfromaurea]

Tales from Aurea - Session 5 Now Posted!

Session 5 - Operation Black Cloud is now posted on Royal Road (link here). Enjoy!

Chapter summary: At the behest of Linnea, the companions attend an Ordo Draconis council session. There they meet a ratfolk agent named Kisha Flickwhisker, who claims she has evidence of an Irkallu plot taking place right in the heart of Aurea.

Taglist (ask to be +/-): @drippingmoon, @kainablue, @splashinkling, @space-writes, @aroyalpaininthecass, @thelaughingstag

Curious what this story is about? Check out the WIP Introduction here

Chapter preview under the cut

Ordo Draconis agents filed into the subterranean audience chamber. Light from freshly-oiled sconces reflected off the bright white walls and the gold threading on banners bearing the Imperial sigil. The seating was arranged in concentric circles, with a curved council table off to one side. Linnea led the companions to sit with her in one of the middle rings. It had been almost a week since they arrived in Aurea and the long-awaited meeting was about to get underway.

“Grandmistress Anya,” the herald announced. All the agents stood in salute and the companions clumsily rose to their feet to do the same.

The leader of the Ordo Draconis made her way to her seat at the council table. Despite her noble bearing, she was humbly dressed in a plain, navy blue robe, her curly gray-blonde hair pulled away from her face with a simple tie. The simplicity of her dress seemed at odds with the enormous reverence shown to her as the room fell silent when she entered. Though elderly, she was tall and stood up straight, her eyes clear and piercing. Kaja’s stomach churned as she watched the Grandmistress take a seat. Something about the old woman made her nervous.

“The meeting is called to order,” the chairman said, her deep, strong voice easily carrying to the back of the hall. “Our first petitioner is”—she squinted at a sheaf of parchment papers—“Agent Ulla. Step forward.”

As Agent Ulla stood in the center of the room, reporting on the growing difficulties on southwest trade routes, Sakrattars couldn’t help but wonder why he and his companions had been invited. They were the only people in attendance not wearing the navy blue of the Ordo and, furthermore, Jo was the only natiuhan present and Amale the only lycaeon. In short, they stood out like a sore thumb. Sakrattars noticed more than one agent eying them discreetly but Linnea either didn’t see or didn’t mind, and Grandmistress Anya had not looked their way at all.

“Agent Dimitri Vasiliyev,” the chairman summoned once Agent Ulla was finished. A young man in his early thirties entered the circle. He was handsome, with suntanned skin, wavy black hair, and a short, well-groomed beard. His dark brown eyes had an alluring, mischievous sparkle.

“My friends,” he began cordially, his Volgarian accent thick. Leif frowned. Stjornugaard and Volgaria were ancient enemies, with no love lost between their people. “Gorzog Ironfang of the Snowskull Steppes can no longer be ignored. He has amassed an army of several thousand strong and has been slaughtering all who stand in his way. The only city he has yet to breach is the ferix stronghold of Forgeheart.”

“It’s Forgeheart Keep, actually,” said a bored agent seated in the front row.

“No, actually, it’s not. Only outsiders call it that,” Dimitri said, gaining a few murmurs from the crowd.

“The orcs and the ferix have been killing each other on the other side of the Datharian wall since the beginning of time,” an older man seated at the council said. “Why should it be any concern of the Empire? We have plenty of our own problems.”

“Because, Councilor Barla, if Forgeheart falls, Ironfang is out of targets in the Steppes. There will be nothing stopping him from uniting the last of the Snowskull orc tribes, and then he will turn his gaze southward to Datharia. And, as you so eloquently stated, the Empire does not have the resources to repel such an attack, especially since the Balthissican front is draining many of our supplies as it is.”

Barla was unmoved. “We don’t know that—Ironfang could go north too. Into Volgaria.”

A flash of anger ignited in Dimitri’s eyes, vaporizing his easy-going persona. “Volgaria! If he was, I would lead him there myself!” he snapped. “The ferix could be a powerful Imperial ally. Grandmistress,” he implored, “you must see the wisdom of what I’m saying. Ironfang is no petty warlord; he’s a conqueror. And conquerors don’t stop until someone stops them.”

Grandmistress Anya nodded her head once in assent. “I understand, Agent Vasiliyev.” Her voice was deep and calm, at once commanding respect and gentle from age. “However, Councilor Barla also has a valid point. Our legions are few and our agents fewer. I’m afraid we cannot ask this of the Empire.”

Dimitri’s jaw tensed and he turned away, heading back to his seat without another word.

[siena-sevenwits]

Coffee or tea? Tea is my go-to and the one that properly has my heart, but coffee is special and indulgent and full of associations (one of my coffee-obsessed characters who got me into liking coffee at all, driving into the city with my mom, solo adventures to the coffee shop to write.)

Early bird or night owl? My brain crashes around 7:30 PM, and then wakes up again properly around 9:30 and stays turned on till frighteningly late - or rather early.

Chocolate or vanilla? Well, chocolate, of course.

Spring or Fall? Fall is all things beautiful. It is the very shortest season where I live, but it is the real New Year. My birthday, my new school year, my fresh motivation.

Silver or gold - You are gold / You are all I see / You are aurum scarce and meant for kings...

Pop or alternative - I like both! Tough pick. I often have trouble knowing exactly where the line is, especially with all the indie folk I listen to that has something of a pop sound.

Freckles or dimples - Freckles.

Snakes or sharks - Snakes. Specifically the little garter snakes that are always slithering across my path

Mountains or fields - The wonderful Rockies!

Thunder or lightning - Ideally both, but thunder is a joy whether I get to watch the storm or not. Nothing better than sitting in an old, old building, sipping tea and feeling the thunder shaking in the building's fibres.

Egyptian mythology or Greek mythology - Well, Greek!

Ivory or scarlet - Scarlet's my favourite colour, after all!

Flute or lyre - I think it's the lyre.

 Opal or diamond - Neither are high on my radar, but I do like the sheer variety of opals

Butterflies or honeybees - Honeybees, but I love bumblebees even better. They're just so clumsy and good natured and round, and for many years it was believed they could not sting, because they so seldom do! 

Macarons or eclairs - I used to live in St. Therese residence in college, and we were supposed to throw a big party for the other residences themed around our patron saint. We didn't want to do a roses theme, so we took our cue from the fact that in her final illness, she told one of the other nuns that she was craving a chocolate eclair. Great big chocolate eclair party! Good memories.

Typewritten or handwritten Handwritten for poems and snail mail, typewritten for everything else.

 Secret garden or secret library - Library.

 Rooftop or balcony - I often go up on the roof of my parents to stargaze or watch fireworks, and occasionally see aurora.

Spicy or mild - I could compete with the British Empire of old in terms of my desire to obtain all the spice.

Opera or ballet - Opera, you have my whole heart! Especially the bel canto era! Rossini was one of my teen obsessions!

London or Paris - I desperately need to go back to London.

vincent van gogh or claude monet - Van Gogh. Though I am sentimental about the animation of "Linnea in Monet's Garden" from my childhood.

Denim or leather - Leather

Potions or spells - Potions. 

Ocean or desert - There is no joy to compare with a two hour trip on BC ferries.

Mermaids or sirens - I need to enjoy more stories with mermaids in them, but obviously I will choose them over sirens.

 Masquerade ball or cocktail party Is this a question? Masquerade!!

@telthor Thanks for tagging me! Anyone who ought to be in bed right now is officially tagged.

[cameronluvr]

𝒘𝒆𝒍𝒄𝒐𝒎𝒆 𝒕𝒐 𝒎𝒚 𝒑𝒂𝒈𝒆! ‧₊˚ ☁️⋅♡𓂃 ࣪ ִֶָ☾.

: ̗̀➛ 𝓶𝔂 𝓶𝓪𝓼𝓽𝓮𝓻𝓵𝓲𝓼𝓽 ⋆.ೃ࿔*:･

𝒂𝒃𝒐𝒖𝒕 𝒎𝒆 ;;

my name is linnea, i’m 19 and i’m from sweden so english isn’t my first language 𓆉

my favorite shows are outer banks, YOU and stranger things! 𓆩♡𓆪

i love the colors beige & green ִ ࣪𖤐

i’m in love with rafe cameron. that’s it. that’s all. જ⁀➴

𝔀𝓱𝓸 𝓲 𝔀𝓻𝓲𝓽𝓮 𝓯𝓸𝓻 ;;

rafe cameron ₊˚ෆ

other obx characters ‹𝟹

more coming soon! : ̗̀➛

𝓶𝔂 𝔀𝓸𝓻𝓴 ;;

i mainly focus on dark!characters. all stories contain individual content warnings. read at your own risk! ₊⊹

my requests are currently OPEN.

i will NOT write about ;; incest / stepcest / minors / gore ༘⋆

kinks may be limited depending on what i’m comfortable with ׂׂૢ

@cameronluvr — this will be updated as i progress further into writing. ˚୨୧⋆｡˚ ⋆

[peace-coast-island]

Diary of a Junebug

Go with the flow like the autumn koi and swim away without a care in the world

I should strive to be more like the autumn koi in the Moonlit Choral Brook. They follow the rhythm of the river like it’s a dance, always moving forward. I wonder how the world looks from their point of view through the crystal clear water.

We’re in Sunburst Villa for a fishing tourney involving autumn koi obviously. They’re kinda like the village’s mascot, so it’s no exaggeration to say that they’re everywhere. I don’t mind, I think koi are pretty, especially the autumn koi with its warm and vibrant colors.

Along with the journey, there’s MellowCon, an anime convention where Alexi and Emma are attending. Of course, I got a couple signed prints from them, one of them having been commissioned from Cheyenne, who regretfully couldn’t make it. Luckily, the next convention Alexi’s going to is about half an hour away from where Cheyenne lives and they have plans to meet up with some old college friends during that weekend.

We’re also hanging out with Jamie and the Linnea Squad for some sightseeing. Jamie wanted to treat the Linnea Squad to a vacation when she found out an old friend and her traveling party was in the area, so she introduced them to us.

The fishing tourney has been fun in a chill, low-key kind of way. I always prefer events more of that pace than something big and extravagant. Sure, those can be fun, but they also can be draining. For me, fishing is about taking it easy, so it makes sense for it to be a low stakes kind of thing. It would be nice to catch lots of huge fish and get a nice trophy, but that’s not a priority for me. I’m just here for the cool sea creatures.

MellowCon was also fun, although it’s not really my scene, so I didn’t really spend a lot of time there. To be honest, I really only hung around Alexi and Emma because I’m not familiar with the other shows and games over there. Really, I only know a very small handful of characters they play, specifically from Pillars of Stone and Flame. Still, it was fun looking around and seeing all the art and cosplay.

At least I was able to get into the conversations revolving around Pillars. Along with Emma and Alexi, it seems like a lot of the English VAs really kicked off their careers with Pillars - and most of them happen to be fans of the game too. The new update’s coming next week with a new exploration area and story chapter, both which I’m hyped for.

Along with the excitement for the new update, we also talked a bit about that dev, the one who was memed in an interview for coming off as a snob — and rightfully so, to be honest. Apparently, she made a spectacle of herself in a podcast by being sort of passive aggressive towards the fanbase. From my understanding based on translations, she doesn’t like the criticism towards the writing, except she kinda blows it out of proportion.

I mean, I kinda get it, but at the same time those criticisms are usually valid. I got interested in Pillars for the story and exploration, and while I am invested, I find the writing to be uneven at times. In other words, when it’s good, it can be really good, but when it’s bad, it falls flat. At least, in my opinion, the story has improved a lot since the beginning, though pacing seems to be its weak spot.

The podcast also goes a bit into Constellation Matrix, which is another game produced by the same company as Pillars, and that was what prompted the dev’s rant as she worked on both. I don’t know too much about Constellation Matrix’s lore, but there’s a lot of comparisons made between the character Fury and Pillar’s October - who happens to be played by Emma - in terms of their character arcs being similar.

From the gist of it, Fury was a fan favorite, at least until the writers butchered her character arc so badly that she died an anticlimactic death. In other words, she was a well written character with a lot of potential to take the story in another direction. Fans speculated that the writers didn’t want to commit or something, so they decided to kill her off and then act like she never existed. Of course, fans protested and the phrase “offed like Fury” became a thing. Even the company and the devs poke fun at it occasionally.

I mean, imagine screwing up so badly that you sort of became a cultural phenomenon, like, damn. I can see the parallels between Fury and October, which are likely intentional, though I think I have faith in Pillars to not pull an “offed like Fury” with October. I mean, October’s second character story chapter’s coming out in the new update, so she’s not disappearing from the spotlight anytime soon. Really, the only thing I’m worried about at this point is the pacing, especially later on when the story begins to focus on other characters.

And on an unsurprising note, that dev isn’t a fan of “offed by Fury” and went off on a tangent on why it was necessary for Fury to die and people were too dense understand what it meant for the narrative or something. I didn’t understand most of it, but she seemed really defensive over that for some reason, which is what people are memeing over because it really is ridiculous.

Aside from hyping about Pillars, the biggest highlight of MellowCon for me was seeing Alexi and Emma with their fans. Both of them never imagined that they’d make it as voice actors, not with the way their families discouraged them from pursuing it. And now here they are, living the life they never imagined would be possible if they hadn’t taken the plunge. It really is amazing to see.

Alexi had a pleasant surprise when her brother showed up with his friends to support her. She mentioned that out of her family, she has a difficult relationship with her oldest brother and their father after the accident. The way she describes it, they see her as damaged goods, a traumatized amputee who should be ashamed to be alive. Sounds harsh, but that’s just the sad reality of how some people are.

While things are far from ideal between Alexi and her brother, at least they’re talking. It’s sad that they used to be close, only for him to pull away when she needed his support the most. She said the worst thing was that he was being dishonest, always making up excuses to justify treating her like she’s less of a person. And when her voice acting career took off, she felt that his “support” was purely superficial, as in he only cared when it benefitted him.

As for her father, not only he looks down on her, he also thinks that voice acting is not a real job. His response to her getting more recognition as a voice actor was basically along the lines of, “Do these people have anything better to do? Aren’t they tired of her yet?” How rude.

Alexi said she wasn’t super close to him as they didn’t really have a lot in common to begin with, but they got along pretty well back then. She described him as old fashioned, the kind of person who thinks that people should just develop a thick skin and get over it. Basically, although he’d never say it outright, he’s ashamed of having a disabled and mentally ill daughter.

By now, Alexi’s accepted that they’ll never see eye to eye. She admits that she can be difficult, though I don’t think that’s an excuse for him to cast her aside like that. Sounds like the kind of person where there’s just no winning with them. When you’re at your lowest, they make fun of you for being weak. And then when you stand up for yourself, they complain that you’re unreasonable and stuck up. Sometimes you just have to say “Fuck it, I’m not bending over backwards just to get your approval.” Alexi’s been through a lot of shit and she doesn’t have time to deal with people like that. Good for her!

Then we met up with Jamie and her friends, the Linnea Squad and Caerwyn’s adventuring party. Linnea and her comrades are still traveling with Jamie from time to time, mainly because they need a mentor figure to look up to. They’re still at large, so going off on their own isn’t the best option.

Linnea’s still trying to reason with Jet and Gabe, but it seems like her pleas go in one ear and out the other. There’s no point in forcing them to talk if they refuse to, so she has no choice but to let it go. She and the others are still hoping for a reconciliation, but knowing how stubborn and hardheaded their friend is, they’re gonna need a lot of patience before things settle down. As long as he’s not causing trouble, and potentially putting the rest of the squad at risk, Jamie advises that it’s best to leave him alone for now. Sounds like a tricky situation, though I think the squad’s handling it well.

As for Caerwyn, she’s an elf mage who’s adventuring with her apprentice mage Salka, and Kalle, a warrior from the Glacial Mountains. They were planning to travel further up north, but they encountered problems at the Hallowed Pass. There was another member, a healer mage they picked up during their travels who later parted ways not too long ago, right before the group headed towards the Hallowed Past.

The ordeal the party experienced over there caused a considerable setback, but since they’re not on a strict schedule, it’s not that big of a deal. Basically, there were a bunch of curses and monsters acting haywire to the point that the roads became inaccessible. Caerwyn said it was just their luck that their healer mage just left because he happened to have an innate immunity to some of those curses, which would’ve made cleaning up a lot more easier. Still, it wasn’t anything that Caerwyn couldn’t handle.

While Caerwyn and Salka took care of the curses and flying monsters, Kalle handled the beasts and whatever physical obstacles came their way. The whole cleanup took nearly four days and they succeeded in reopening those routes, a feat that Caerwyn said would be considered impossible for most mages and warriors. I don’t think she’s exaggerating, otherwise, I think Jamie would’ve called her out.

Those four days really tested their stamina, especially for Kalle, so they have to take it easy for a while before going back on the road. Since they have to cross the mountains and blizzard season is approaching, which can get deadly in these parts, the group figured that it’s not worth risking their necks out there. Along with overexertion, Kalle also sustained some injuries while fighting, so he had been on strict bed rest orders.

Caerwyn and Salka are almost fully recovered while he still has to take it slow. And of course, he’s gone a bit stir crazy from being in bed all the time, but at the same time too tired to really do anything. That can be a drag sometimes. At least he was well enough to join us on the tourney for a bit and catch some autumn koi.

Since there’s no way of knowing when’s the next time they’ll cross paths again, Jamie and Caerwyn have a lot of catching up to do. Jamie says Caerwyn doesn’t have the best sense of time because she has a long life, so Salka often has to keep her in line or else she’d be taking them on detour after detour. After all, she may have all the time in the world, but for us humans, we don’t really have that luxury.

Salka has explored the village in and out, so she’s become our tour guide. The three of them tend to do their own things when they’re staying somewhere for a while. Caerwyn likes to look for shops that sell magic stuff, according to her, shadier a place looks, the more likely you are to find some treasure. Jamie wasn’t exaggerating when she said that Caerwyn’s a walking tome on magic. While she’s off doing that, Salka’s exploring the shops and replenishing on supplies, and Kalle’s running around helping the locals out.

There’s a cafe that’s not too far from the tourney, so it’s become our hangout spot. Not only the pastries are good, they also have these cute autumn koi rice cakes for the occasion. It’s kinda become our thing to end the night with rice cakes, green tea, and a couple card games.

The nightlife is pretty active here, so Caerwyn and Salka have been using these game nights to seek out a new member to join their party. As their journey goes on, they realize that they need a healer, preferably a licensed medic. The guy who left, Emlyn, wasn’t a medic, but he was a mage who Caerwyn considers a genius. Not only he’s immune to most curses, which is considered unusual, he can easily heal ailments that are difficult for even the most experienced mages. And the worst part, according to Caerwyn, instead of putting his gifts to good use, he spent most of his life living with regrets. Based on her tone, I wonder if she’s speaking from experience.

Before going off their separate ways, Emlyn left a notebook on various spells and medicinal herbs for common ailments, which has been a godsend for them. While that alone has been helping them get by, Caerwyn’s open to recruiting a medic just to be safe. According to her and Jamie, those kinds of mages are considered to be very niche, which is why it’s hard for them to find one. Basically, mages aren’t very common, and licensed ones, especially in the medical field, are very few and far between. Emlyn happened to be a unique case, so their replacement has some big shoes to fill.

Well, like Caerwyn says, there’s no rush. It’s not healthy to live life burdened by worries and regrets. Sure, there are things that are outside your control, but don’t let that stop you from living. Although Caerwyn’s made a name for herself as a powerful mage, she says she can’t help but feel like she hasn’t done enough, which is why she’s on this adventure now, to take it slow and really get to know her companions before she inevitably outlives them like most of her friends.

After getting burned out with the incident at the pass, she said seeing the autumn koi swimming in the river reminded her why she and Salka set out on this journey in the first place. Instead of a definite endpoint, they’re just going with the flow like the koi, and they’re content with that. Even if you decide to stop moving, the currents will take you along anyway whether you like it or not, so you might as well let it carry you away. You’ll end up somewhere, and you have the choice of exploring your surroundings or just burying your head in the sand. Like I said before, sounds like Caerwyn’s speaking from experience.

It won’t be long before we all go our separate ways again. Jamie hopes it won’t be too long before she and Caerwyn cross paths again. There may be no guarantees, but considering how much Jamie travels, Caerwyn bets that they’ll meet up again in the future, and hopefully introduce her to their medic. From how Jamie, Salka, and Kalle talk about her, Caerwyn is an interesting figure, one who I really hope to meet again in the future if fate allows.

Read on AO3

[xoteajays]

EDIT BELOW

okie here’s what i’m working with, using the game as a character base for now (pokemon more hairstyles blease)

bonus rhythmi is first, i just wanted to make her in-game. rika ship. the main character of my current pokefic wip, tcom. kalosian daughter of saguaro, history dork, has trauma. should have dark hair but pkmn doesn’t have a coloured-tips option. mid-height of the trio (5’2”). partner pokemon is fairy-tera skitty.

cilla is the perrin ship. she’s a big fan of ghost types. her fav teacher is raifort. doesn’t necessarily care for all history but loves ancient pokemon lore and mysteries. also loves scary stories, both reading them and writing them. hair should be super long but pkmn hates me and won’t do more than one long hairstyle. the tallest of the three (5’8”). partner pokemon is dark-tera sableye.

nea (short for linnea) is the drayton ship. her team is all food themed. she has albinism and overprotective parents. if she had to pick a fav teacher it’d probably be hassel but she’s planning on transferring to blueberry anyway. likes art but only ever does scenery work, loathes doing character studies and if she does draw you, it’s a huge sign of her liking you. shortest of the three (4’11”). partner pokemon is fairy-tera fidough/dachsbun.

also using nea for my newest playthrough of scarlet. for funsies.

[roxynychus]

Cannot remember if I've shared this here before but if not, here's an old doodle of my metal band front woman Linnea, AKA OC who story I still need to write #536

I also need to draw her again sometime