#a really very important character for me because she’s such a good canvas

[obzessed]

HP characters : powerpoint presentation headcanon

This is so random but here is how I imagine marauders' era characters doing a powerpoint presentation

The Marauders

Do over the top presentations, (down to using costumes, yes) would make the wildest powerpoint (too many colors because they can’t agree on anything)

They make it really fun and entertaining tho

use the airplane (flying broom ??) transition, except the airplane is on fire for some reason

indian drama level of presentation

Will Not stop giggling and interrupting each other

Jocks in middle school vibe, but they’re actually really smart

here to clown and have a laugh

generally get a high grade but get points deducted for clarity and taking too damn long

Severus Snape (+bonus Lily Evans)

In a solo presentation, Severus would make perfect, pristine presentation

King of bullet points

University standards powerpoints

only uses peer reviewed articles

always criticizes said peer reviewed articles

Never uses notes, but doesn't look the audience in the eyes ever

Doesn't look at the audience period

He's not shy, he doesn't even do it consciously

Extremely complicated subjects, Will Not Dumb It Down For You

If anyone has a question, will look at them as if they’re the biggest idiot in the room

The type to explain by simply reformulating what he just said

If they still don’t understand either sighs dramatically and moves on, or sighs dramatically and start drawing on the board, speaking veeeryyyyy slowly, you let me know where I lost you idiot fellow classmate

Actually explains really well when he puts in some effort, has this clean cut way of decomposing each problem and detailing each point, then tying it all back together that makes it really easy to follow

writing on the board and drawing legitimately helps him lay out his thought process

the condescension is just a plus

Type of presentation that is objectively very good and interesting and well thought out but like. no one cares. bring back the airplane transitions.

For a few people sufficiently advanced and interested and who actually understand what he’s talking about, (and who are not rebuked by his style and general attitude), it’s a v good presentation

Positive : Always adds something new and generally brings really pertinent arguments, genuinely passionate about what he’s talking about

Teachers pick up on his fast out of the box thinking and surprising creativity

his powerpoint design is a little depresso, no colors except to highlight important words

very minimalist and to the point

Regulus argues every point of his presentation

Academic rivals to lovers frfr

Gets point deducted for his attitude and his “lack of enthusiasm”

NOW Severus + Lily = best of both worlds, get an O everytime

Lily always insists on using canva (their pwp designs are so cute)

overall they balance each other really well

I feel like Lily would get a little giggly if she fumbles

The marauders would def shout “boring” and giggle like middleschoolers at the back of the class during Snape's presentation

Snape's ability to remain unfazed in the face of bs stems from there

God help them all if they get paired up for a presentation

Marauders + Severus

Snape would have to settle for at least one airplane transition

It would become a war of adding and deleting each other's progress on the pwp design

they split it in two but they try to gain terrain on the other's part like in Clash of Clan

They are at WAR

“I am a commander in battle and your slides are but a village on a map” James Potter

“Fuck you” Severus Snape

“Go jump off an airplane if you like them so much”

Somehow the presentation is even more chaotic than the previous one

passive aggressively asks the other to click on the next slide

always takes the other's question just as they're about to speak

If Snape sees a single one of them look at their notes for too long it's on sight (RIP Pettigrew)

Bc Fuck if he's gonna lose points over this

best or worst grade

lots of brain cells

Teacher tried to make the braincells hold hands but the brain cells are Enemies

[bonefall]

i'm ngl depicting thunder's prosthetic as a burden is pretty uncomfortable even if it is something some amputees experience because like. there's a huge stigma around prosthetics already you know? it's like having a parent forcibly strap a child into a wheelchair when they don't need it and having a horrible experience with it and that being your only character in a wheelchair. some full-time wheelchair users do resent their wheelchairs but when that's the only time you're bringing it up at all it feels like you're playing into our society's perception of wheelchairs and mobility aids in general as useless and best and divine punishment at worst. idk do let me know if i'm wording this wrong because i really do love better bones! it's just that this detail is... strange.

I mean, I'm open to feedback if that's not something I should do-- but I do actually have other characters in prosthetics and mobility aids! A lot of them! Thunderstar's actually the only one who ends up rejecting his own, because I also wanted to depict that it's bad to force a device onto someone who does not want one.

Especially in circumstances like Thunder Storm's, where that sort of device would be actively unhelpful for his lifestyle. It might help in open field environments like moorland, but then I got more feedback and realized that it would just make a lot of unwanted noise in a forest (since cats have carpal whiskers to help them figure out where to place their paws). Then I figured it was a good way to show how BB!Clear Sky doesn't actually listen to his son's needs and acts differently when he's not "grateful" enough for his gift.

But he's far and away from the only one with a mobility aid or prosthetic!

I haven't figured out Frog entirely yet, but he's going to be the first cat with a "wheelchair" type device, to set up a long line of cats through the generations improving on it (Probably not much more than a reinforced canvas or durable leather, as this was the age of very early flax processing)

Wildfur's the next in the big advancements, even making the Great Journey in his own and getting a side story based around Littlecloud and Cinderpelt collaborating over this

The device is then improved upon by Jessy for Briarlight, giving her a level of independence and confidence that she needs to finally cut her mom out until she learns how to behave

Deadfoot has a brace for his front paw because the joint is loose (it was based on a friend's carpel tunnel bracelet) which is affectionately referred to as The Bonker; his name is also now an Honor Title (Old name: Hoprunner) for inventing a battle move by distracting with his good paw, and then SLAMMING his other limb down hard on his opponent. It's called "deadfooting."

I think mobility devices are super important, usually massively improve quality of life, and I just enjoy designing them, so the choice to portray Thunder Storm's as negative was a very deliberate one that I did in response to what I thought was a desire in representation. Even the fact it's a hind-leg prosthetic was thought out, since those have a much higher satisfaction rate in humans than hand prosthetics, but in a cat would probably be the opposite.

Still, I'm not missing a limb, so now with all of that context presented, do you still think the same thing? Should I just add even more limb prosthetics to make the ratio of satisfied prosthetic users vs Thunder Storm even steeper?

Sunlit Frost is actually going to have a bite on his good paw go septic (the other side has permanent damage from the fire). I could have that paw get amputated and have Thunderstar "return the favor" for how Sunlit Frost created the prosthetic he rejected by helping him build his own. A pawsthetic, if you will

OR would it be better to just remove the subplot of Thunder Storm grappling with/rejecting a prosthetic that is unfitting for him entirely, and have all prosthetics be 100% treated as positive in the narrative?

[batberryparfait]

i think the fact that June Egbert as a character is like. in some ways a deconstruction of the "self-insert protagonist" as a trope (i.e. "the protagonist of your story has very few unique individual traits beneath the surface, in theory so the audience can relate to them no matter what, but now they as a person are hollow and apathetic because they aren't much of anything at all") makes the fact that to this day a sizable chunk of the fandom still treats her as just a blank canvas to project onto both really funny and really irritating.

and i don't mean projection in a fun headcanon-y way, that doesn't matter at all. i think the Crockerberts are Polish/Irish-American because i'm Polish/Irish-American and they remind me a lot of myself and my family. that's normal. that's fine. everyone does that to every character and it's cool and good.

i mean like. you guys do realize June has a character arc and traits of her own, right? you do realize that you can read the comic and see the things she does and how she reacts to the world around her and extrapolate an actually complex and interesting character from that, right??? you don't have to just make up a new character and call her June, you do know that, right???????

she doesn't spend the entire comic just doing what she's told by Rose, Terezi, and Vriska for no reason! that's thematic! it's showing that she exercises no agency over her own life and will just go with whatever she's told!!! that's a character trait!!! she barely reacts to the deaths of all of her fucking friends and treats the entire scenario where everyone she's ever known and loved is dead like it's just a mild annoyance! because she's aloof and apathetic!! that's a character trait!!! that's a way that she actually is in the fucking comic!!!!

That One Fic that i won't name (because it feels weird and mean-spirited to directly shit on fanworks in a way that the like. author could see and read. if i wouldn't say it to their face i won't say it behind their back) has absolutely ruined how people view June. you're throwing out an incredibly well-developed and interesting character arc just to replace her with an OC, and nine times out of ten that OC is just another character anyway!!!!!! you're just replacing June with someone that's standing right next to her in the scene!!!!!!!!

i think June mimicking the people around her, trying to act in a way they expect from her, is an incredibly important character trait that reflects so much about who she is and what she represents in Homestuck. that does not mean you should just turn her into Vriska 2. there's enough Vriska 2's. we're at like Vriska 10: Vriska Takes Manhattan or something at this point.

[elrxiel]

What baffles me most about gw*nriel is people giving Gwyn traits that are not even close to the canon.

It's like for them Gwyn is an empty canvas they can pour themselves or their fantasies into. They paint her as a badass warrior, as the next heroine, as a saviour of Ilyiria - not to mention some of them give her traits that are canonically held by Elain such as indicators of her being a good spy or her being associated with roses. There are so many theories and fics I've seen where the idea of Gwyn is not nearly what she was portrayed by SJM. It's very interesting that nothing like this happens with Emerie but when it comes to Gwyn - a side character who's not even that relevant to the plot, at least not yet - some people seem to paint her as the most important character in the whole series and really believe that she will be the next main, even before Elain (who has so many possible ways of development or versions of a story that can be told that is based on what is actually in the books).

Seeing her as a more interesting character than Elain is a matter of personal opinion and it's not what this post is about. But if you truly see Gwyn as a better partner for Az, a better main character of the next book or overall, a better character, please at least stay true to the canon. At least use her actual personality while speaking about her.

I don't think her character is meaningless or pointless, I would actually love to see her involved in the upcoming war. I just hope that maybe her further showing up during the story will finally clarify her personality more and people will actually stop treating her as someone she clearly is not, stop giving her traits that belong to other characters just to justify their poor theories and see she is enough the way she is.

I feel like the only reason gw*nriel is a thing is because some people cannot stand the idea of a slightly different character than Feyre, Aelin or Nesta leading the next book. They cannot stand not having a warrior girl but a soft, feminine woman. So they chose Gwyn to make her the next Aelin or Feyre in their head. It's really sad tbh.

[rangerzath]

I've finally played the Lake House and now I'm going to talk about it for awhile. Spoilers below the break.

I will start off by saying this is one of the BEST DLCs I have ever played in any game.

I have always loved Kiran as a character since we first saw her, but The Lake House really highlighted just how fantastically rounded and detailed this character is given the short amount of time we spend with her. Her humor, the fear she experiences, but above all the determination she has to do her job makes a great character.

I appreciated how much we see of the everyman FBC agent. Not everyone at the FBC is a parautilitarian, a lovable scientist dork, or the Director. There are normal people working there believing in what they do. This is a very important part of the overall story of this organization to me. Often I see the Bureau demonized as a whole by the fandom and that really upsets me. Bad apples are everywhere, as we see in this DLC. But we also see how a good person like Kiran stands up against it. Even through the emails and documents we find in game you see good people trying their best against that evil. I am again thankful for Remedy's writing team that they really highlighted that. Even going as far as showing Darling denying a request to capture live test subjects, which means he learned after Dylan. You even see that Trench denied outlandish requests despite being being in the late stages of a galactic war raging in his mind.

You know I had to talk about Trench and Darling, but it was nice to see them again in this way. They still felt a part of this world in a way that made sense. Document storytelling has been one of my favorite things about Control. They present us with just enough framework to use on our own canvas to try and piece together details of those blank pages.

Did I get emotional over signatures? Yes, yes I did.

The atmosphere of this DLC hit all the right horror points. From the moment you walk into The Lake House it captures all the scariest horror vibes from the main game. The paint spattered on the walls like blood, but somehow even creepier because of how it wouldn't make sense to see paint like that (until you figure out just what is happening). Being helpless to the painted because again you are just an FBC Agent not a parautilitarian emphasized this feeling.

Using a picture frame set up with Kiran telling Saga what happened at The Lake House made sense and gives us the point in time Kiran would be providing this information. She left us clues in the main game with her dialogue of something horrible that went down at the Lake House, so it feels very appropriate that we get to see that in detail.

The question that resounded throughout this DLC of what is art was very appropriate given the struggles we face today with AI and plagiarism. How is art perceived and how does its emotional impact play on its viewer? Again the writing team really shines here with all the little details. The room with the ATDs was truly horrifying. I don't think they have ever made a room with no one feel so ominous.

Obviously there was a lot in the DLC for Control fans. We will be speculating on every detail for the next couple of years. I always hoped this last DLC of Alan Wake would lead into Control 2, so I couldn't be happier to see just that happen.

Unlike some DLCs that feel as though they were an afterthought, the story feels like the natural ending of Alan Wake 2's story. It felt like the only goodbye we would have with this game and its characters.

The ending song was a beautiful final note to capstone a game that Remedy struggled for so long to make, and I imagine at times doubted that it would ever be made.

I often struggle to put my feelings into written words, but I wanted to try and get them out. Remedy's future looks bright with multiple games on the horizon, but we see how quickly companies can run into issues and nothing is set in stone. Anything could happen in these uncertain times. We may never see these characters again, and most certainly not in the form they are now. It makes me really sad to think we may never see Saga and FBI Casey or Kiran ever again. Maybe there won't ever be an Alan Wake 3. Maybe we won't see Alan battle the Dark Presence again. Maybe we won't ever see Dark Place Casey's echos pave a path for Alan. Maybe we won't see Alice show us just how much a character can grown into her own. Maybe we don't even get to see more of Jesse, or Emily, or Arish. I already know with the passing of James McCaffrey some of these things are impossible. But its not only death that separates seeing a character again. The song End of an Era highlights this goodbye. This end scene. The curtains close. It is an end.

What I appreciated in this song was that it highlighted the struggle of getting to that ending. No matter what goal you are trying to reach, whether it's Alan trying to escape the Dark Place, Jesse finding out what happened to her brother, any one of us creating things that make us happy, that path always has its ups and downs. And that end will always be bittersweet. It will change us. It is a goodbye.

Whatever Remedy creates in the future it could be something we may like or something we may end up disliking. They could ruin characters or make brand new ones for us to fall in love with all over again. We can take that or leave it. Whatever they decide to do. Maybe we like Firebreak and their new type of Remedy game, maybe we don't. But none of that will change how we felt about these prior games and how these characters made us feel at this moment in time. We can look back and remember how it made us feel. When we laughed, when we cried. The journey they took us on.

I will always be grateful that I was able to experience these games. They moved me in ways I cannot find the words to fully describe. I will carry these feelings forward and cherish this memory.

“There are no happy endings. Endings are the saddest part, So just give me a happy middle And a very happy start.” - Shel Silverstein

[theoxenfree]

re: art and art history, this is one of my favourite pieces that I learned about during my one (1) art history class! (sorry it's a little long ajdhfhs)

It's "Pieta" by William-Adolphe Bouguereau, which is a biblical moment that has many artistic depictions (i think the most well known one is the statue "madonna della pieta" by michelangelo iirc)

the subject matter is mary grieving her son jesus after he passes on the cross, but the thing that makes this painting notable for the time period (according to my art history prof) was that most depictions of the virgin mary and jesus were very focused on depicting them as "beautiful" and "dramatic" as possible, so the raw (almost furious) grief that you see on Mary's face here was extremely unusual compared to the other depictions of pieta/virgin mary at the time.

it is important to note that the painter was grieving the passing of his own son when he painted this.

needless to say, this piece resonated so much with me in so many different aspects which solidifies its spot as one of my favourite art pieces of all time! (michelangelo's pieta is worth checking out too!)

heya, bitti!!! thanks for expanding on this conversation, I think this is so sick! I'd love to hear about more paintings/other aspects of art history that you like!

so, with the background info you gave me about how, at the time, paintings were made to be more "beautiful" and "dramatic", what I find really interesting here is that every other character within the painting are just that. beautiful and dramatic, particularly jesus. they really embody what I envision other similar paintings of the time are trying to encapsulate—but, mary is such a drastic departure from that. I can imagine it was a really jarring piece for ppl to see around that time period

bc even though most of the portrait is fairly muted in terms of the vividity of colors, it's all still fairly "bright", particularly jesus. but then you have mary here who is not only sitting there in raw, controlled anger, she's also much darker than any of the other characters in the painting, which effectively gives deeper depth and disquiet to the painting as a whole. you can really see just how intensely the artist focused on mary's darkness and shadows and the intensity of her stare. the artist probably thought he was seeing himself look back from the canvas.

I'm really not an art history person, never once took a class, but one painting that I see which never fails to evoke emotion from me is:

The Execution of Lady Jane Grey by Paul Delaroche. I particularly like this one because of the historical background to it wherein she was only queen for nine days before mary tudor had her deposed and beheaded. poor kid was only 17. to me, this piece is extremely emotive and so powerfully so that I can spend, like, minutes just staring at each character in the painting.

my favorites are jane grey's ladies in waiting (particularly the one who is thrown against the wall with her back turned) and the priest/bishop/whoever. the lady in waiting is trying to create distance from jane, hide herself from the sight, and dressed immensely dark compared to jane, whereas I feel like the priest/bishop/whoever is almost embracing her, supporting her, gently guiding her to the slab—maybe a final act of kindness towards her??? you can absolutely tell the executioner doesn't want to be there, either.

I also find it very interesting that lady jane grey is also so vivid compared to the rest of the characters in the painting. my brain automatically interpreted it as the artist trying to portray her "innocence" (she was 17, man).

idk man, it's such a good piece to me. I love it!

[asher-agere]

is it alright if I can ask for hcs for cg transmasc toya and little transfem honami? I think they’d be a fun duo.. a pair of calm ones in their respective groups

This request honestly stumped me for a bit. Their shipping wiki page is literally non existent (╥﹏╥), not that I was shipping them, just looking for interactions hehe. However I love a tough request! Makes me really think about the characters hehe

Transmasc Caregiver Toya + Transfem Little Honami

° ᡣ𐭩 . ° .୧ ‧₊˚⋅ ☆

✿ These two initially meet through Saki I think! Honami sees Toya and instantly is interested, she thinks there’s more to him. And Toya is just happy to be actually approached by someone! I think they’d start talking mostly out of curiosity, but over time they’d realize that they get along really well! Like Anon said they’re both quiet souls, but they both have a lot below the surface!

✿ I think Honami would tell Toya she regresses and Toya is just like “Oh… Ok” Then he immediately goes to research all about it because he has no idea what that means. Honami gets worried when he isn’t responding (ó﹏ò｡) But then he comes back and explains! It makes her so happy that he cared enough to look into it for her hehe

✿ I think regressing with someone not directly in her friend group could actually be really good for Honami! She’d feel much less pressured to be the one taking care of everyone! She’d be able to relax without feeling super responsible and just let Toya take care of her! And Toya of course would never pressure or judge her hehe, he’s just happy to help out

✿ When Honami regresses it’s very cozy! They’ll have nice music on in the background, coloring books. Yes Toya colors too! He needs to support his baby of course! They’re both very neat and good at staying in the lines! I just finished the "Draw what you love♪Rainbow Canvas" and I think Toya would be perfect for Honami to draw with! Toya would never judge her in the slightest! And he’d get really good at guessing what she’s drawing

✿ Toya will win Honami so many stuffed animals! Anytime he’s in an arcade he’ll check the claw machines and it’s just like “Oh… Honami might like this” One or two tries and he’s got it! He’ll also check prize counters! He’ll play as many games as he needs to! If he sees something and thinks of his little one he’d gonna get it! Sometimes he accidentally gets her duplicates hehe, he’d get really embarrassed but the baby doesn’t mind. She’ll give him one so they can match!

✿ Dysphoria can be yucky for the both of them of course ૮꒰◞ ˕ ◟ ྀི꒱ა. Toya is very much so a dysphoria hoodie kind of guy! He’ll get anxious holding Honami against his chest because… Chest. But Honami is a very polite baby! She’ll be content to just rest her head in his lap or hold his hand! She’d never want to pressure him!

✿ Honami’s dysphoria can look very different. Poor baby doesn’t want to be a burden, so she tries not saying anything! But every touch makes her feel gross, if a toy looks too boy-ish she wants to throw it away. Eventually it’s all just too much and the baby bursts into tears ｡°(°.◜ᯅ◝°)°｡ This alerts Toya to the problem! And he can switch up his comforting methods!

✿ He’ll pick out some cute clothes for Honami, then let her change in peace! He’ll be waiting right outside her room though of course! While she’s changing Toya will get important equipment. A pacifier that has some kind of feminine pet name on the handle (Baby Girl, Little Girl, Princess, etc.), a warm pink blanket, a get a bottle filled with some apple juice!

✿ I think that Honami would love baking when she’s feeling dysphoric because baking is generally seen as a feminine thing to do! Obviously that’s foolish and she knows that, but meeting those gender norms is very comforting (Coming from someone who got into football when I was experimenting as a trans boy). And Toya will happily help the baby bake!

✿ Pet names! My favorite part hehe. In general I think Toya would use a mixture of three things! Classic pet names “Baby” “Little One” “Sweetheart”, pet names based on Honami’s interests “Apple of my eye” “Little Drummer” “Astro-Baby”, and gender confirming pet names! “Baby Girl” “Little Girl” “Princess”

° ᡣ𐭩 . ° .୧ ‧₊˚⋅ ☆

I hope you enjoyed! I struggled a bit with this one, but doing research and really studying the characters like this helps me understand them a lot better! So I’m very happy I got this request! Thanks Anon!

[cosmiclove-heavenstruck]

My Not So Short Ramble About The Bear Season 3

(Spoilers: Ehhh, I did not really like it... I do like this frame though:)

I did kinda not so feel this season of The Bear, but let‘s start with what I liked: The Tina-centric episode was one of the best in my opinion (and directed by Ayo? Let's go, queen). She‘s a lovely character and to see her journey and how she got to The Beef and Mikey was very heartfelt and warming. It was also very nice to see Ebra happy again after he felt so out of place last season. And it‘s always good to have Olivia Coleman on my screen.

There were some fun moments. The Fak brothers are funny (to an extent), Richie and his daughter are super sweet, so there’s that. I like when all these characters clash, when things go wrong, when they scream at each other, when tensions get high and they need to achieve something. A show like this needs this energy.

Unfortunately, there is barely any engery this season.

This season was very slow. Look, I don‘t mind focusing on specific characters and getting to know them, but a whole episode dedicated to Sugar and her mom in the hospital because the baby‘s coming just for it to… not really go anywhere? Yes, some dialogue was really good but we don't leave the hospital room for 90% of the episode and they're just not strong enough to carry that. There wasn't even a big reunion, not even Carmy calling Sugar back, you know since she left pregnant and just didn‘t come back?? She could be in labor in Home Depot isle three, for all you know! Yeah, he‘s stressed and ill and all but that‘s his sister! Did he ever call her? Did he go see his niece? Why the fuck is it Sydney that cooks them food and brings it over and he isn‘t even shown talking to his sister once? (I mean, I know, Sdyney‘s great and she and Natalie are tight so that was sweet of her, but you get my point.) It just makes me so mad. There should have been a breakdown at the restaurant when they noticed! Hello, everybody loves Sugar! You'd be fucked without her. And y'all send her to get paper towels and don't give a flying fuck that she doesn't come back? This could have been a moment of peace between Richie and Carmy. The whole family should've been at the hospital. Instead it's... two Fak brothers. And even if they missed it, why couldn't Carmy go along with Syd to make up for his mistake? His love language is cooking and he and Sugar seemed so close the last two seasons so why never mention their relationship again?

While I mentioned I liked seeing Ebra happy again, I wish we'd gotten more of his character. In the beginning, it felt like they'd just sidelined him because he doesn't fit the high cuisine or whatever. Then he gets some support by some other guys but and yeah, he is happy and I love that, but it feels like the creators just wanted to get him out of the way even though the window business makes the only money in this hell house? He's fucking important to this success so treat him like it!

Montages and aesthetic shots of food cannot fill all the season (well, apparently, they can) because that‘s not storytelling. Yes, I want to see the food, but I don‘t need ten flashbacks and montages and slowmotion shots per episode. Speaking of flashbacks — what is it with Claire? Why are we doing this? Why would Carmy pine after her for months? She is so… bland, watered down — almost like a canvas for people who fancy JAW/Carmy to imagine themselves as Claire. It feels fanfiction-y, right? "You‘re a nurse and went to high school with Carmy but loose track of one another…" The Bear is capable of interesting, real-feeling characters so it‘s sad to see the screentime get wasted for her when all I want to see is what's happening in the restaurant.

What I mean is, this season was slow. Way too slow. There was so much time wasted on nothing that could‘ve been cut. Like the Natalie-goes-into-labor-episode and most of the first one as well, to be honest. The points that were supposed to come across to the viewer — how Carmy becomes this stressed out, shouting, cold chef high on perfectionism fighting with past desicions and getting a star for the restaurant, how that affected the whole staff, how it fucks up Sydney because he becomes so much like his former chef — they could have been better wrapped, a bit quicker paced. Have the funeral of the Ever more mid-season, have the surprise review consequences NOW and not just as flashes so I have to pause the episode to read anything/leave it hanging on a cliffhanger, have Syd fucking explode for once and tell Carmy how it is, how he is turning into the asshole he hates. Make it extra bad by having a conversation between the two earlier in the season on how bad it was for Carmy and not her "learning" about his past at the funeral dinner. Make her leave. Make him regret what he's done, make him feel what he's missing.

Really, I was yelling at Syd to leave through the last few episodes. Leave, get out, work at a different restaurant, find a new environment. Carmy doesn‘t need to have wallow in his feelings for minute on end on how he should apologize to Claire, he should apologize to Sydney and Richie and everyone he‘s stressing out so much. If Sydney only leaves by the end of season 4 I‘ll riot.

I don't even want to say I'm not hoping for anything to happen between Syd and Carmy, like I actively need them to get away from each other as of right now. But! I liked the call-back to the "best meal Sydney's ever had" and that that was the one time Carmy decided to go his own way and not follow the instructions of his chef. Which is why the theme of being haunted could've fit so well with them! It's just a joke in the beginning by the Faks, but then Sydney leaves The Bear and Carmy feels actually haunted by her. Doesn't even have to be romantic. The potential was there.

Some other smaller things: 1. The timing was so hard to tell. They should've worked with different lightnings or make it less confusing, but as it is now, I was constantly questioning myself when this took place. 2. I can't really complain about the casting of so many actual chefs because I just don't recognize them (oops, sorry) but while I liked to see the different dynamics between them and Carmy at least, it feels so rude to all the POC characters in the kitchen working their asses off and not getting any plot lines. 3. Again, again nothing really happens. I said it up there somewhere, if you'd cut the montages and flashbacks and filler stuff, how much plot are you really left with? When I think of all the important points that happened, they should not take ten episodes to show.

This could've been beautiful. But now it's just the bad kind of messy.

[spider-jaysart]

Hi!! I saw you reblogged the character ask game so can I ask for both Damian Wayne and Peter Parker? I love those boys and I'm curious 😊

Thank you and take care 💖/p

@zephyrwrites2

Aww you take care too and yes, you certainly can get both :)

Damian Wayne

1. sexuality headcanon:

Demipan

2. Otp:

Damijon💕

3. Brotp:

Damian and Jon

4. Notp:

Any batcest one and the canon ships with Mar'i and Cassandra Cain, plus any ones that have adult characters paired up with him, including the adult ones that were aged down just to be with him too, like Raven, Cassie, and Cassandra

5. First headcanon that pops into mind:

Besides sketchbooks, he also owns an expensive drawing tablet that Bruce got him for one of his birthdays. He makes good use of it, but he still prefers traditional more though since that's what he grew up with, so it's not something he stopped doing after getting an art tablet. He just loves the good feeling of getting out all his pencils, brushes, paints, and having fun expressing himself with them right there on his canvas or in his books. Another reason he perfers it more is because he can actually travel with a sketchbook too and just draw wherever he wants and especially because he also hates it whenever a digital drawing he's working on just suddenly deletes itself because of some error while he was in the middle of drawing it, which upsets him VERY much all the time. Most times when that happens, he just really needs a moment for himself to calm down, plus, process and mourn his erased piece that never got to be saved and truly finished.

6. Favorite line from this character:

"I'm from Earth. I'm ticked off. And I'm looking for a clown." From Adventures of the Supersons #7 (This is one of them that makes me laugh lol)

7. One way in which I relate to this character:

Okay, so remember that one Wayne family adventures chapter where Damian is struggling so much to socialize in school and it's all just so awkward for him? Well, that's me too, because I relate too hard to that lol (there's also the fact that we both love art and draw all the time too)

8. Thing that gives me second hand embarrassment about this character:

Nothing

9. Cinnamon roll or problematic fave?

Problematic fave but one that I love very much💖

Peter Parker

1. Sexuality headcanon:

I usually just see him as straight, but I'm not against any other kind of sexuality for him at all though

2. Otp:

Hmmm, him and MJ are sweet (the Rami version of it is definitely a mess though), but I also really like Peter x Michelle from the mcu and Peter x Gwen from the Amazing Spider-Man movies too hehehe

3. Brotp:

Peter and Ned. I just love how silly and fun they are with eachother lol

4. Notp:

Black cat. She's a villain who loves living the thief life, plus, I just don't believe she's right for Peter since she's more in love with his Spider-man identity and always sees things like a game, which just doesn't work for a real relationship

5. First headcanon that pops into mind:

He got braces in middle school and would always pick orange and yellow for the bands when he got them changed every month

6. Favorite line from this character:

"What's important is not standing by and allowing someone to suffer or die because you do nothing. If you don't get that, then you don't get the first thing about being Spider-man." A line he says in the video game Spider-Man edge of time

7. One way in which I relate to this character:

We care for others a lot and always want the best for them

8. Thing that gives me second hand embarrassment about this character:

Nothing at all

9. Cinnamon roll or problematic fave:

Cinnamon roll frrr💗

Thank you for the asks! I enjoyed answering them!!

[void-chara]

haha wow i hate how 90% of the celeste tag is just crossovers with other media. anyway here i am to contribute to the problem!

listen at least its a different crossover than usual. adding variety to the suffering. itzsubz celeste au because im mentally ill about him and also i love this game. yippee!!

as usual with my art posts, ramblings and explanations are below the cut

so first hi if ur here from the celeste tag Sorry! quick explanation of What This Is: Itzsubz_ is a youtuber and twitch streamer i enjoy a lot, and recently(a few months ago) he played celeste, which reactivated my celeste fixation after months of dormancy. and that lead to me doubling my goldenberry count lmao(before that i had golden for 1a 2a 1c 2c and 3c. currently i have goldens from 1a 2a and 1c-8c. currently working on 3ag and have been for a few months). so anyway yeah im Really Normal sooo i made a crossover au ! his youtube videos are cool but i cannot in good conscious recommend his streams. hes kind of awful. obsessed with him tho

also the color scheme makes it look like i put him in the badeline role but actually he takes the place of madeline. for Part Of Him/badeline-equivalent im gonna differentiate by givin more of the inhuman characteristics of his online persona and stuff.

now. if ur here for the guy, not the game, you may be asking yourself a very important question right now: why tf does he have tits. and the answer is this: you can take the transgender(character trait) out of celeste but you cannot take the transgender(allegory) out of celeste. so tbh why bother taking the transgender(character trait) out of celeste. sooo i made him bigender in the au. shes like if a girl was just some guy. yippee!! i do a little projection

the guy herself i drew the way i usually draw but with the background i got a bit more experimental and tried some new stuff! i really like how it turned out, especially the mountain and snow

the reason the canvas is so long is because i made this to be my new phone wallpaper since i wanted a new one. also heres some other versions! first is without filters, and the other two are alternate filters.

i loooove creating content which caters specifically to me and absolutely no one else in the world lmao. hope someone enjoys it anywya tho ! also i have plans for less niche art to be posted eventually. currently workin on an ivory drawing, and then after that i have a few plans for more celeste stuff(not crossover this time! ..and also a few more crossover.)

[topazadine]

Mistakes I Made When Self-Pubbing My First Book (Part 2: Presentation Edition)

"Don't judge a book by its cover" is utter bullshit because that is the #1 thing people do when purchasing a book.

This is the typical process someone will take when clicking on a book listing (though not everyone will do it in this order):

Look at the cover

Read the blurb

Check the reviews

Read a sample

Decide to download

Personally, I check the reviews before I look at the blurb if the cover has caught my attention, but I know many other people read the blurb first.

So you need to have these things locked down. I, being an idiot, did not have these things locked down before I decided to publish 9 Years Yearning. Let us examine my failures.

Making my own shitty cover instead of paying an artist

Now, a caveat.

A lot of self-pubbed writers are excellent graphic designers and really take the time to make a beautiful cover before they publish.

I'm not talking about these supernaturally blessed individuals who can do both. They have my utmost respect.

I'm talking about me, a person who has no design skills and can't draw for shit.

Here is the progression of my book cover.

The first one was made by me using an Unsplash stock photo on Canva. It's boring.

We can tell it's taking place in some rural area (Mongolia-ish, given that this is a photo of Mongolia), but what the hell else do we know about it? We don't see the characters or anything. It very much looks like your typical self-pub cover that the writer spent five minutes on. Shoddy and unprofessional.

The second one was purchased on Fiverr for like $50. It's cute, to be sure, and I'm not knocking the artist because they did exactly what they promised they would do. But it still doesn't tell us much about the story itself. Would do better for like a worldbuilding grimoire or something because it doesn't give us many details.

And now the third one is, in my opinion, absolutely gorgeous, and I will fight anyone who says otherwise. It captures the mood of the setting, shows the characters, and demonstrates that this is a fantasy novel through the fonts and character design.

The artist is Katarina on Fiverr, who will be doing the rest of my series as well. She truly understood the assignment and I am incredibly grateful to her. Katarina is also LOVELY to work with, so if you have a fantasy novel in the pipeline, you should really consider working with her.

My book sales took off significantly after I introduced the third cover. Not phenomenal, of course (why is not Katarina's fault), but definitely way better than before.

I could have gotten more sales if I had presented a good cover during the first 30 days of publishing, when Amazon gives new releases a little boost to help them along. Because I designed a shitty cover, I lost all of that extra marketing power. People were seeing my book, but they weren't clicking because they assumed self-pub = terrible. (Rightly so. A lot of self-pubbed books are terrible.)

But really, I was just a cheapskate. I figured I could just make my own cover and people would magically be attracted to it somehow, which was dumb of me. So I wasted a lot of time when I could have been making sales. I wasn't taking marketing seriously.

So, my tips to other self-pub writers:

If you're not capable of designing your own great cover, then work with an artist. Make sure the artist works in your specific genre, because there are different rules for each genre. Get comp images of other book covers you like to show the artist, or make a mockup (I'll show you one in a second). Very dark covers don't tend to sell well, especially ones in blues and greens. Even if you have a dark romance, try to lighten it up a bit. Fonts are incredibly important because they "prime" the reader to guess what kind of mood the story has. Don't clutter up the cover. Have two focus points, the most important text, and that's it.

For my second book, Pride Before a Fall, I provided Katarina with an incredibly shitty mockup of what I wanted (again, I am not an artist), as well as a ZIP file of the character, their clothing, the horse colorations, and so on.

This made it go much much faster because we weren't constantly messaging back and forth for edits. I only needed her to tweak two things: the clothes Orrinir was wearing and Erix's coloration (Horse 2 in the mockup).

Katrina put some of her own artistic vision into it, of course, but the spirit of what I was trying to show was absolutely there. I vastly prefer her version.

I'll be doing this with the third book as well, which has a slightly different vibe. I have the image in my head, and I just need to figure out how to put it on the page so she can make it better!

Writing a ~mysterious~ blurb

When I first published 9 Years Yearning, I had the same blurb for it as I have on the splash page for The Eirenic Verses:

Uileac Korviridi, student at the Bremish War Academy, expects to focus on his studies and protect his little sister - not fall in love with Orrinir Relickim, the hotheaded infantryman who can't seem to leave him alone.

Which is fine for a list of all the different books in the ten-part series. It is now included in the series list in the back matter for the second book, too.

But it doesn't really tell readers much about what they can expect from the book except that there's a boy, his little sister, and another guy.

It's too vague, too short, and too confusing. Most people would not click on something like that because they have no clue what to expect.

I also didn't need to include the name of the country; you need to avoid throwing too many fantasy names at readers right away or they start to shut down.

The blurb for 9 Years Yearning went through a lot of changes until its current iteration:

Uileac Korviridi, orphaned at age 11 during a raid on the family farm, cherishes the happy memories of living with his late parents. Fond reminiscences are all he has to comfort him in the stern confines of the War Academy, where young boys are trained to protect their besieged nation from a powerful enemy. Even as he forces enthusiasm for his military studies, he must balance his loyalty to his little sister, Cerie, who is training at the High Poetry Society to become a magical wordsmith. In contrast to Uileac's bucolic past, Orrinir Relickim is a former Future Boy: one given up to the War Academy by neglectful parents before enrolling in training. His life has been typified by invisibility, making him desperate to gain attention from anyone - especially Uileac. The two start as resentful quasi-enemies: Uileac despises Orrinir's success in their studies, while Orrinir resents Uileac's happy childhood and delicate looks. However, as they understand one another better, they cannot resist this pull they don't yet understand. What follows is a tale of teenage longing, with all the awkwardness and miscommunication it entails. Set in a sweeping world with poetry magic, 9 Years Yearning offers a brief glimpse into a beautiful country besieged by its enemies, constricted by a mountain range made with words. With lush descriptions, deep emotion, and lyrical prose, this novella sets the stage for grander conflicts in the 10-part Eirenic Verses series. Dive into a world where poetry makes power, seen through the eyes of two young men preparing for war.

It's probably not perfect, but it does have most of the components of a good blurb:

Quickly explains the main character's backstory, goals, and motivations.

Introduces the love interest and his backstory.

Explains the primary conflict without giving away too much.

Tells us what the vibe of the story is (teenagers growing up and being awkward).

Mentions one of the special things about the setting (High Poetry) but also makes it clear that this is not the primary focus (or it would have been put up front more). Readers can tell that it's going to be a background element that will probably be discussed in further detail later on in the series.

Discusses the themes, settings, and what readers can expect from the prose.

Tells readers that this is the beginning of a series.

Note that I did not include any review quotes. That's kind of controversial, but honestly? I don't pay attention to those when reading a blurb unless I immediately recognize the quoted person's name.

Since I don't have a big name reviewing my novel, I'm not going to include opinions from people no one knows. I also know that people can pay to get those quotes and they're not always genuine; they're cherry-picked.

The blurb is crucial for getting readers who like your cover to spend money on the book. You must show that you're a great writer and provide them details about what they can expect. A highly polished, engaging blurb that is descriptive but not spoilery will intrigue people.

Not making enough graphics and visuals

People like visual advertisements more than they like giant walls of text.

It's why advertisers moved away from things like this ....

To things like this ....

Of course, 1920s magazines were not printed in full color, so they couldn't have the bright vibrant reds of the 2020s ads, but the layout is what is important.

Current advertisements don't have a lot of text because humans are visual creatures. Great book advertisements are the same.

Now, obviously I do not have the budget or star power of these authors and marketing agencies, but that doesn't mean I can't do something what I do have. Which is access to Canva and my book covers.

But I did not do that with my first book. I didn't do any visuals at all. Instead, I just threw the link around everywhere and expected people to click on it. Which is pretty dumb tbh. Of course no one's going to click on a random link that you didn't explain anything about! We've all been Rickrolled at least once!

And then I got no sales and was sad about it and realized I was dumb to do that.

I am fixing that with Pride Before a Fall. I changed all my socials to have a banner for my book, including just a few words.

Excellent, marketing agency quality? No, of course not. But it's something visual anyway. It's clear that I put some thought into it, that I have a professional cover, and I'm pretty clear with what I want you to do: preorder the fucking thing by January 1st.

And again, I'm picking up some preorders already. I expect that as I continue to produce more visuals, I'll get more preorders. And, of course, my upcoming ARC campaign will help too.

I have seen some artists do little videos for their books which look pretty interesting. I will likely do this when I'm a bit further along in the series by working with a visual artist, but I'm not quite there yet. Soon, though.

So that is part two of my series on my failures. Part 3 will go into depth about the importance of reviews and how not to go about getting them.

And if you made it this far, maybe you'll consider buying my book, which is somehow good despite all my failures!

Please do not forget to leave a review! It's essential, as I will explain in Part 3. And I have heard that those who leave reviews for self-pubbed authors are more likely to find a really nice crunchy leaf on their next walk. mmm mcrunnchyy

[bigfrozenfan-fanfics]

Chapter 73 - Surprises and a nomination

Links: Chapter overview, Character list, Map, Glossar Rating: M over all Publishing cycle: around every 2-3 weeks

Remarks: all my chapters contain carefully selected music tracks (try to use headphones). It’s your own decision if you want to use them or not while reading. The purpose is to musically support the respective mood of the plot. If you can please use a browser for reading (not the Tumblr app) due to the text formatting and music.

“Alena, are you awake yet?” asked one of the men in the lavvú camp, standing in front of one of the tents. For the noaidi, one of it had been dismantled from Kolgrimr's former camp and rebuilt right next to those of her twenty men especially for Alena. “We need to speak to you urgently,” he said somewhat impatiently.

          There was nothing to be heard inside, but the next moment the tent’s canvas was pushed aside and Alena stepped out into the fresh air of dusk.

          “I'm awake, I've been awake for a while actually, because I was meditating. What's up?”

          “We smell winter approaching and so do our reindeer. They are getting impatient and are ready to migrate to the winter camp with the other herds. We need to get back to our families, Alena. It's time.”

          The noaidi nodded. “Yes, you are right about it and I too feel it is high time. Many families who have a further way to go than you and I will surely already be on their way north. However, I'm afraid I must stay here in the Northuldra camp for another day and night, for there is something very important for me to do. Therefore, if you do not mind, I would like to ask you all to ride ahead. Dismantle the lavvús and get ready to leave. I will see you on the plateau in two days.”

          “Árnason is staying here too? We could take him with us.”

          “No, that's all right. I'd like his company on the way back and he can help me on the road. Tell his family that it will be a little late and everything will be all right. They don't need to worry.”

          “We will. Please take good care of each other and good luck.”

~~~

Elsa had left the kota early and was strolling leisurely through the camp, looking for Yelana. She felt very well this morning, although she had hardly been able to sleep last night after what had happened. It had also become quite chilly and she was looking forward to these temperatures. “I don't mind the cold … finally, it’s here again,” she muttered to herself and, just for fun, let a few big snowflakes form on her hand and float above it.

          I wonder where the nature spirits have gone, Ahtohallan is free again now; she thought and looked around to see if she could spot Bruni or Gale somewhere, but saw nothing that pointed to them. Nokk hadn't shown itself yet either and the earth giants preferred to stay among themselves anyway, along the river to the north. She shrugged her shoulders, perhaps she would summon them later today.

          There were hardly any Northuldra on the way yet, she really was an incorrigible early riser, as Anna sometimes joked. But then she did run into someone, just as she was turning around one of the huts. Suddenly Honeymaren was standing in front of her and they both just smiled at each other silently at first. Then, for a change, it was Elsa who took the initiative, taking Honeymaren completely by surprise. After a quick sideways glance to make sure no one was watching, she stepped forward and gave her a gentle kiss on her full lips.

          “Good morning, Maren,” she wished her softly with a smile and that made Honeymaren beam. She immediately fell around Elsa's neck and kissed her back, with passion. Elsa returned the embrace and even played with Honeymaren's tongue because she was doing the same to her. It was a situation she could never have imagined before last night. It felt great to taste Honeymaren's lips and tongue, to feel her body heat and to breathe in the scent she gave off so soon after getting up.

          Maren has made a different person out of me; Elsa thought with amazement and at the same time great satisfaction and they smiled happily at each other as they parted again.

          “Why are you out so early in the morning?” asked Honeymaren.

          “I could ask you the same thing. You probably couldn't sleep, could you? I, on the other hand, am just an early riser and wanted to see if Yelana was awake yet. I want to talk to her about what brought us here in the first place because of her.”

          “And that would be?”

          “I don't know, that's the thing. She acted very secretive and we supposedly really needed to see it before we could talk about it and decide.”

          “Strange … I can't even think what it could be.” Honeymaren mused strained. “Except …” Her eyes widened. “It can only be one thing really! Yes, I'm pretty sure of that now, but …”

          “But?”

          “It's a Northuldra secret that no outsider has ever been privy to. It was even whispered to me once by Ryder that Yelana specifically did not invite you to it then because of … because of the danger you posed to our people when Kolgrimr had not yet shown himself but the effects caused by him were already being felt. Everyone was pretty scared.”

          “Wait, it has something to do with Kolgrimr? What is it that Yelana has been keeping from us so far?”

          “No, nothing about Kolgrimr, it's about our Ting place.”

          “Your what?” Elsa was completely taken aback and stared at Honeymaren with big question marks in her eyes.

          But Honeymaren suddenly shut up and said, “It's probably better Yelana explains it to you. I'm not allowed to talk about it and I've actually already told you too much.”

          “I see …” Elsa looked at her sadly and put a hand on her shoulder. “I'm revealing something to you too, but it's something I'm not really supposed to talk about to you either.”

          “What?” Honeymaren looked at her uncomprehendingly.

          “Just this much … maybe you will make these kinds of decisions all by yourself in the future.”

          “Well, that … I guess that's it then. I've suspected it for a while now, ever since Yelana made those hints to me, but then said nothing more about it. At the time, my mind was also elsewhere.”

          Elsa nodded, no longer seeing any reason to keep it from her when she already suspected or thought she knew anyway, “You're right about that. Yelana feels she is too old to lead the Northuldra and wants to nominate you as her successor officially.” They strolled on as they spoke without taking any particular direction.

          “Well, I knew it. But for that she needs all the Northuldra and the remaining elders, and that can only be done in one place. All right, if she has already earmarked me for this, then I might as well tell you the secret and about our Ting House, where all important decisions are made that affect us all as a people. Actually, the assembly is called Norting and apparently goes back to centuries of tradition when we had a noaidi and a grand council of elders. There is even a separate entrance for her and I know from Alena that her assembly tent, her big lavvú, also has such an entrance. It's comparable to your council meetings in Arendelle, only with us it's not just a few but almost everyone who votes at the end.”

          “That makes sense,” Elsa mused, “and yet Yelana is planning something that will affect all of Arendelle and she also spoke of great changes and a new opportunity with many new possibilities.”

          “Hmm … I wonder what that could be. You've really got me curious now. Come on, let's look for her together, because last night she wanted to talk to me urgently and I want to bet it all boils down to me and the Norting. Incidentally, that would be something I would change first and foremost should I become the new leader. And I'm not even sure about that yet, by the way.”

          “And what do you want to change?”

          “Until now, only men of a certain age were allowed to participate in our Norting, with the exception of Yelana as our leader, of course, but otherwise no women. And yet we do so much for all our people, not only taking care of the little ones and raising them, cooking, making clothes for the men and all that. Even our healer hasn't been allowed to come so far and she really takes care of everyone. That has to change and become the way it used to be and where among our council of elders there were also many of us women, so we had an equal say. After all, this concerns all our people here in the forest!”

          “That's a really excellent resolution, Maren, and …. hey, we've arrived at the beach after all, I wasn't paying attention to where we were going,” Elsa said in surprise as they suddenly stepped onto sand.

          “Neither did I. It's interesting that we both keep being drawn to the same place. Maybe that means something, who knows “

          Surprisingly, they found Yelana sitting there on their tree trunk and Honeymaren remembered that she too liked to get up very early and seek the peace of nature. What better place to do so than this place and they both exchanged meaningful glances.

          “Excuse me, Yelana, but may we disturb you?” asked Elsa quietly as they both stepped behind her.

          Yelana startled slightly and wheeled around.

          “You two, and together … interesting.”

          Elsa and Honeymaren looked at each other questioningly. Elsa in particular wondered at this remark.

          “You're not interrupting, of course, so please come closer and sit with me.”

          They both settled down to the left and right of Yelana, and the first thing they did was to wish her a good morning.

          “How can I help you both?” asked Yelana.

          “You know why, or surely you can already guess,” said Honeymaren.

          “You mean because of what I told you yesterday, when your family and everyone else arrived from Arendelle, that you and I had something important to discuss?” Yelana turned her head once to Elsa and then back to Honeymaren, then cradled it gently. “Could you two perhaps sit down next to each other, so I don't have to keep looking back and forth.”

          “But of course, Yelana, sorry,” Elsa said, switching sides to sit close to Honeymaren on her right.

          “Well, actually I wanted to discuss this matter with Honeymaren alone first, before announcing the event to our people, and with it the surprise for you, Elsa, why I wanted you and the queen to be there. But looking at you both and how close you seem to have become since yesterday, I might as well speak frankly.”

          “Nothing escapes your notice, does it?” asked Honeymaren, amused.

          “Only rarely, Honeymaren, that's true.” Yelana had to think back at that moment to one of the few deceptions in her life, when Gyda had lied to her about her son Kolgrimr and she had foolishly defended and taken the old liar's side at the Norting as well.

          However, her expression must have reflected her feelings because Honeymaren asked, “Are you all right?”

          “Yes, yes, it's nothing, just a sudden memory.” Yelana's face brightened again. “Well, I'm sure you can already guess that I want to put you forward as my successor in front of all the Northuldra, and I also assume that you've already spoken to Elsa about it. And that I can only make this announcement in a special place has probably already been told to you, Elsa, by Honeymaren as well, hasn't it?”

          “How …”

          “Experience, Elsa, good judge of character and powers of observation. Something you still lack a little, by the way, Honeymaren, but that will come in time.” Yelana sighed. “But I feel there is more … and it's between the two of you. And before you ask, Elsa, I've known about Honeymaren's love for you for a long time. I'm just surprised that despite my advice to her about the far-flung locations and the vast difference from you of royal blood, you two seem to have found each other after all and are, shall we say …. together as lovers.”

          Elsa's jaw dropped, something that really happened to her only extremely rarely, but she could not reply because she was too perplexed. She had already realised in the castle of Arendelle that evening from Yelana's look that she knew about Maren's feelings for her, but the fact that Yelana had now also seen through their fresh relationship was something completely different.

          Yelana grinned slightly, “But are you sure about the consequences and the difficulties such a relationship entails? You are the big sister of the queen and you have a lot of duties in Arendelle, Elsa, besides the big responsibility. As for you, Honeymaren, know exactly how our people feel about such a union, If they ever discover your secret, you and Elsa would face severe consequences, you may even be banished. You will have to lead them all in the future and make decisions for our people.”

          They both nodded and nevertheless looked at each other unabashedly in love in the presence of the old, wise Northuldra.

          “We know that, Yelana, and I am grateful that Maren has shown me a side of life that is completely new to me. Besides, Anna would even approve this relationship and she has suspected it for some time. As for Maren and her people, we're already paying attention.”

          “Maren then, very nice that name … I'm happy for you and after you saw the secret place and my ideas about it as far as Arendelle is concerned, I now even see a new way for you to be together. At least for a certain time. But more about that tonight under six … er …” Yelana counted briefly, “… no eight eyes, because Anna has to be there too, and by the way, it's good that she probably already knows. Right?”

          Elsa fussed a little. “Well, not really yet. I … we still have to tell her.”

~~~

Anna woke up with a shudder and pulled the reindeer skin up a little further to her chin to snuggle in tightly. She blinked and realised by the light from above and from the light coming in through the gaps in the hut's flap that it was already daytime. She just didn't know what time it was.

          It had become quite cold, so cold that she was shivering slightly, and she had no nightgown with her this time, so was lying completely naked under the fur blanket. Stupidly, her clothes would hardly protect her from the cold today, for she had not expected wintry temperatures, at least not so soon.

          She glanced to the side where Elsa was supposed to be lying, but of course she wasn't there and had probably already got up hours ago. How long had she been asleep, she wondered, and peeled herself out of the covers to dress and look outside.

          As she pushed the flap outwards she heard two pairs of boots clap together in salute to her left and right as the guards stood at attention and placed the outstretched fingers of their right hands to their temples to salute their queen, looking at her freely, courageously and with a decent face.

          “Take it easy, boys, we're not in Arendelle,” Anna muttered as she stepped out and gave them a quick, smirking look. “Good morning, by the way. Do you know where my sister Elsa is?”

          One of the guards replied. “She left the hut hours ago, but asked not to be followed, Your Majesty.” Anna nodded, pondering.

          It was indeed an advanced morning and the cooking fires with small cauldrons on them for breakfast were already going everywhere. Or was it already noon? Anna couldn't tell as she glanced up shiveringly at the overcast sky with no visible sun.

          “Why didn't Elsa wake me,” she muttered to herself, trudging through the camp in search of her, slightly annoyed. “Well, maybe it's because she didn't think about the fact that, unlike her, I do mind this cold?” she scolded herself, holding her hands over the flames of the nearest campfire to warm them. “I really need something warm to wear around my neck.”

          She was still wondering if it was time for breakfast, or worse, lunch already. Elsa had been awake for a long time and was off somewhere in the camp. If Kristoff were there now, he would surely give me a loving hug and rub my back and arms nice and warm; she thought. “I miss him already, even though it's only been a few days,” she then whispered, looking into the flames in front of her, but seeing into an imaginary distance where Kristoff was walking towards her, waving at her with a smile.

~~~

A few hundred kilometers further south …

“A wonderful good morning,” Karl wished his two guests good-humouredly as they came down the stairs, “Please sit down, breakfast will be ready in a moment.”

          “You too, Karl,” Kristoff said with a smile and looked for an empty chair at the table.

          Kai hugged his brother briefly, holding him at a distance again to look him in the eye and said, “It's so nice to have breakfast together with you and your sweetheart after so long. You even changed almost nothing in my old room. Unfortunately, I didn't have time to go upstairs last time. When I look at my old things and think of the past …”

          “I know, because I always firmly believed that you would return to visit us one day! Please sit down in your usual place opposite me.”

          Kai settled down and looked around the rustic living room curiously.

          “I don't see much that's new here either, Karl, except that painting over there, which I haven't seen before.”

          “That was painted for us by the neighbour's daughter. She's very talented and often walks across the plateau with her easel. We really like this view of the valley and we told her so. She wouldn't let it go and just gave it to us the next day when it was finished.”

          “I know this viewpoint, I stood there once too many, many years ago and a little further away from it we both stood when I was here last time, when we had our big reunion after so many years and looked down into the valley. That was really nice to experience with you, Karl. So I see you and I still have the same taste.”

          At that moment Karl's wife came in with a full tray and put it on the table to serve everything for breakfast.

          “Good morning,” she said cheerfully to the group and then looked directly at Kristoff. “I didn't know what you eat in the mornings in Arendelle, Your Highness, so I have prepared what Karl and Kai always like. It's just simple country produce, of course, but I hope you like it anyway,” she added apologetically after sliding a plate over to each and placing the rest in the middle.

          “My personal tastes are not that different, because I love fresh scrambled eggs and country bread with lots of butter on it,” Kristoff said, his mouth already watering at the sight of the steaming plate. “Thank you very much, and please just call me Kristoff, …um…”

          “Hanna, my name is Hanna.”

          “Hanna, yes … We don't have to be so formal here with Kai's family.”

          She poured tea into the waiting cups and sat down.

          They enjoyed their breakfast in silence and could hear a few chickens clucking through the half-open window outside and a barking dog in the distance, still very small from the sound of it. He seemed to be romping around with some small children, because bright laughter also came from them.

          As Kristoff finished eating, took the cup, sat back contentedly in the chair and took a sip of herbal tea, he said, “I like these happy, rural sounds. It's very different in Arendelle. It's always a bit noisy there because of the sounds at the harbour, the market and the rattling of the horse-drawn carts on the cobblestones. And you can't miss our big tower clock either.”

          Just as he had said this, a longcase clock near the stairs struck not exactly quietly. Kristoff startled a little and everyone had to laugh at that.

          “Sorry, Kristoff,” Hanna said, “but as for the latter, we have something like that too, only a little smaller.”

          “It's okay, I just hadn't seen it or I would have been forewarned.”

          “It's eight now, so why don't we go on a tour of the village and ask the farmers about the supplies they can spare for Arendelle. We can also ask the two bakers here for flour,” said Karl, looking at the large clock face.

          “And afterwards, please don't forget to ask the baron if he can spare some time for me,” Kai added and Karl nodded at him.

          “But of course, I haven't forgotten.” He glanced at Hanna as she stood up. “Is there anything else we can help you with, dear?”

          “Leave everything, I'll clear the table by myself. You'd better get going, because this is all going to take a lot of time, I'm sure. See you later,” she said, already starting to put everything on the tray.

~~~

In the far north, Anna was sitting at one of the larger campfires in the Northuldra camp, also enjoying her breakfast. She was glad that it wasn't as late as she had feared, but she hadn't discovered Elsa, even though she had searched the whole camp. Instead, a Northuldra could help her with her problem because she was so cold. She felt much better now and the hot soup that had been made from the leftovers from last night did the rest.

          Just then, Arendelle's stable boy Lars walked by with Árnason by his side, engrossed in conversation, and she greeted them both. Lars didn't recognise Anna right away, but then was all the more startled and bowed deeply before continuing on with his new friend, who only waved at Anna with a smile. At that moment, Anna spotted her sister stepping out of the forest with Yelana and Honeymaren and coming closer. As they were about to pass her, Anna rose.

          “So there you are Elsa, been looking for you all morning. Good morning, Yelana and Honeymaren.”

          Everyone immediately stopped their discussion, for Anna had the impression from the gestures that it was one, and looked at her in some amazement.

          “What's that strange thing you're wearing?” asked Elsa with raised eyebrows, looking her up and down. The other two could only grin.

          “Well, I was freezing and had a woman make me a poncho out of reindeer fur. All that's really missing is a belt to hold the monstrosity together.”

          Elsa laughed, “Oh, sis, you're always good for a little surprise. But I guess we can have something better made for you, can't we Yelana? Something that would go well with Kristoff's leather outfit. That's what you like so much about him, isn't it?”

          “That would be great, Elsa. This one ruins my figure a lot, but I just couldn't think of anything better and I needed something to warm me up real quick.”

          “You poor thing,” Elsa commented, stepping towards her to wrap her in her arms. “Got rather surprisingly cold, I agree.”

          “If you'll let me sit with you later, I'll get us something from yesterday too, Elsa, and see where Mum and Ryder are while I'm at it,” Honeymaren remarked.

          “Of course,” Anna and Elsa said almost simultaneously.

          “And I'll go ahead and inform everyone,” Yelana added, nodding at them and making off with Honeymaren.

          “What does she mean by that?” asked Anna as they both sat on the long wooden log in front of the fire.

          “It's about what Yelana wants to show us and about a special gathering of the Northuldra because of Ma … Honeymaren.”

          “Ha, gotcha!” exclaimed Anna. “You were about to say Maren again. That's how you addressed her last time here in the camp a long time ago, when we had to flee from Kolgrimr.”

          Elsa twisted the corner of her mouth and looked at her sister with a slightly lowered gaze. Anna raised her eyebrows in response. “Is there something I should know, sis?” she added, somewhat stretched.

          “Well … er …,” Elsa swayed her head uncertainly, as Anna had seen Yelana do occasionally.

          “Now tell me,” her sister urged, nudging her lightly.

          Elsa expelled the air. She just had to confess it to Anna and hoped she wasn't too scared about it. “We've been together since last night, Maren and I.”

          Anna's breath caught and she could only stare at Elsa for seconds. Then she hugged her tightly.

          “Really now? Like, really as a couple?” she then asked as she held her sister by the shoulders a little away from her and looked deep into her eyes. Elsa nodded bashfully.

          “But that's great! You've finally found the courage to do it. I'm so happy for you! What did you do? Did you kiss her and all the the romantic stuff?”

          “Anna!”

          “You can still ask your sister about it, can't you? I'm so curious how you experienced it and how it came about so suddenly. Tell me … come on … please, give me some details …” Anna was all excited and had to think back to her conversation with Elsa under the radiant night sky, with the soft background music from the field camp.

          “It kind of came naturally and by the way it was more than just a kiss, Anna. It was … beautiful with her and … exciting,” Elsa replied softly.

          “You had really made love to each other and you … even down there … caressed?” Elsa nodded.

          “But only she me.”

          “Wow, I experienced the same thing with Kristoff … In the bath and later in bed too.”

          “But not with the … I guess.” Elsa pointed tentatively at her mouth.

          “Oh yes he did! He did and it was fantastic. Now I know how you must have felt.”

          Elsa smiled dreamily. “Yes, I'll never forget that either … my first time. She was so gentle and tender, Anna, but then also so tempestuous, you can't imagine. Next time I will try to do the same for her if we get a chance. After all, here with the Northuldra, unlike in Arendelle, it's taboo.” Anna nodded in understanding.

          “You amaze me, sis, that you were able to jump over your own shadow and finally put your heart and soul to a great love. I'm proud of you and very delighted you have found someone who loves you for what you are.” Anna hugged her again and out of the corner of her eye saw Honeymaren coming towards her, balancing three guksis in front of her.

          “I'm back and I brought you something warm,” she said as she sat down next to them and handed over the bowls.

          “Thank you,” they both said, and while Elsa began to eat, Anna unintentionally looked at Honeymaren a little more closely, looking at her with different eyes than before, now that she was her sister's lover. But Honeymaren noticed these glances immediately, paused with the spoon in front of her mouth and lowered it again in surprise to look at Elsa reprovingly.

          “Elsaa? You've been chatting with Anna, haven't you?”

          Elsa almost spluttered the stew out of her mouth and looked at Honeymaren from the side, caught. All three women now looked wordlessly into each other's eyes in turn, not quite knowing how to react. The secret was out now and there was no turning back.

          “Don't worry, Maren … I can call you Maren, can't I? I don't mind at all, really. Elsa and I have no secrets from each other and I can only say it's nice that you two have found each other and are happy. Because I am too, for my dear sister who has finally discovered love for herself,” she said smiling with an affectionate look at Elsa.

          Honeymaren breathed a sigh of relief. “It's all right then. Elsa already told me that you wouldn't mind such a relationship.”

          No one said anything more and instead contentedly spooned the delicious stew into themselves. A little later, Elsa stood up and asked for the empty guksis.

          “I'll go to the camp and take the bowls right away. I'll also make sure with Yelana that you get something better to wear, sis.”

          When she was gone and out of sight, Anna moved a little closer to Honeymaren. Her expression darkened as she did so and when she had her face just inches from Honeymaren's, she raised her index finger in the air in front of her in warning.

          “I can promise you one thing though, Honeymaren. If you ever harm or hurt my sister and make her cry, you will bitterly regret it. Because if you do, I will finish you off.”^

          Honeymaren took hold of Anna's index finger and slowly pushed her hand down. She smiled in understanding and nodded slightly in response. Then she replied in a low voice, "Anna, I know you care deeply for your big sister and I will protect her with my own life if I have to, you just have to believe that. I will never hurt Elsa, because I love her more than anything."

~~~

In the afternoon, Anna wore a gakti tailored for her and, except for her strawberry-blond long hair, was hardly distinguishable from the Northuldra around her. She found the clothes very comfortable and they also warmed much better than her royal traveling clothes with the short bolero over the thin dress. She was especially taken with the comfortably warm fur boots, which looked confusingly like Kristoff's.

          It was a long procession across the forest, always heading north. They walked for almost an hour between first light birch trees and then through increasingly dense vegetation. When they finally arrived in front of a wide brook, the way seemed to go no further, because on the opposite side high bushes blocked the way. At least that's how it looked at first glance.

          But Anna and Elsa only had to follow the others and waded across a shallow ford to the other bank. Where just a green wall prevented them from going further, a narrow path suddenly opened up as the Northuldra bent the branches to the side in front of them.

          What they saw then, as they stepped into the almost circular large clearing beyond, took both of their breath away. There was something magical about this place and the unusual, large building in the middle of it.

          Yelana stood waiting not far in front of them, facing them.

          “How did you guys build this?” asked Elsa, impressed, as she stood in front of her. “It looks like the birch trees grew through the roof and are supporting the whole building. And then there are these straight as a die tall birch trees all around the outside. Even our best builders in Arendelle can't get that right. You have indeed not promised too much, Yelana.”

          Anna, too, stood open-mouthed and finally looked up at the open spire, which had a pyramid-shaped little roof above it. Someone was standing up there looking down at them.

          “I'll tell you my idea for this a little later, after I've made the proposal to my people and it's been voted on. Why don't you go ahead inside? I have to meet someone first and I'll be right up.”

          The sisters followed the others through a large double doorway inside into a large hall that was already well filled. Both looked up in amazement at an impressive, free-hanging construction of a winding staircase that led up to the top of the tower. The crowd in front of them made way and let them through to the front, to where Honeymaren was already standing and waiting at the foot of this staircase with an equally astonished face.

          Behind them now the entrance was closed audibly loud and it became quiet in the hall. Everyone was waiting for something, or rather someone, because shortly after Yelana, followed by Alena, entered through a side door and went forward to join the three of them.

          She stood in front of them, while Alena went to Honeymaren's side and nodded to her. The noaidi had her drum in her hand and the young Northuldra already guessed what she was going to do with it.

          “Thank you all for coming. I will now share with you why I have called a Norting,” Yelana began. “Today will change many things for us and I hope for the better. Today is also a very special day because for the first time in many decades, a noaidi is present and will look into the near future for us.”

          All eyes then turned to Alena and Honeymaren nodded imperceptibly.

          “I have to tell you today that I have grown too old to remain as your leader and will be leaving you shortly.”

          A murmur went through the crowd and many a person shouted “But why?”, or “We want you to stay, Yelana!”, “After all these decades you want to leave us? We need you, Yelana!” and other voices. The old Northuldra gave them a pass and felt grateful for these heartfelt reactions.

          When things quieted down again, she continued speaking. “The danger from Kolgrimr and his allies is finally over, our people are safe again and we see the open sky above us. We, the people of the Sun, will have a new leader, someone who has courageously proven herself and significantly helped to banish this danger at the risk of her own life and even had to suffer a heavy loss. You all know and love her, because I am talking here about Honeymaren Nattura!”

          There was actually almost no one in the hall who was not astonished by this and this could be clearly read in the faces. But no one started the grumbling or cried out.

          “You must be wondering if it's the right choice, and even though I'm firmly convinced of it myself, in a moment Alena, who was actually just visiting and got dragged into the tragic story, will look into the future for us.” Yelana waved behind her, beckoning the two to join her. “Please both step forward.”

          Honeymaren and Alena complied, the young Northuldra keeping her head down and her hands crossed in front of her.

          “Alena was an instrumental ally in the outcome of the war, for she discovered and uncovered a fifth monolith and guided Elsa, our fifth Spirit, to the spiritual plane, where she was ultimately able to free Ahtohallan and, with whose help Kolgrimr and his evil mother Gyda were banished forever. You can all imagine what our future would be like if this had turned out differently. Ryder Nattura and his new friend Indu from the far north, together with Honeymaren and Elsa, fought our enemy Kolgrimr at that fifth monolith and together they were able to drive him into Ahtohallan's trap.”

          She paused for a moment. “Ryder, Indu, please step forward and show yourselves. And you too, Elsa, please.”

          As everyone stepped beside Yelana in amazement, she smiled and raised her voice.

          “Please now honor our liberators, all of whom stand beside me!”

          It took only seconds for applause to erupt, many in the hall clapping their hands, and all who had a battle staff with them stamping it rhythmically on the floor. A little later, the first ones sang a joik of honor, testifying to their great gratitude. Yelana also stomped her short birch staff on the ground and sang along loudly.

          It went on like this for minutes, and many a tear and a grateful smile appeared on the faces of the honorees. Anna had gone to one of the upper steps to see everything better and clearly showed pride in her countenance, for Elsa, but also for the two Nattura siblings.

          When it was finally over, Yelana asked for a vote on whether Honeymaren was accepted as the new leader at all. The vote was by a show of hands and no hand was seen not to go up.

          “Do you accept the election, Honeymaren Nattura?” asked Yelana.

          The addressed was moved, but still felt uncertain, especially because a plan was going through her mind since the conversation with Alena. And this one had also become difficult, because now she had a relationship with her beloved Elsa.

          Honeymaren was unsettled, so, surprising many, she replied, “I want Alena to look into my future, because I need certainty about a particular thing.”

          Silence returned and the noaidi stepped forward. She first looked deeply into Honeymaren's eyes for a few moments before she began beating the drum, walking slowly around her and singing a joik. At some point Alena stopped, closed her eyes still standing upright, and had fallen into a trance. The joik and drum fell silent for seconds.

          “I see Honeymaren. Very clearly, as if from far away. She will go on a long journey. I see her moving with the great herds of reindeer, in ice and snow, and I see a journey of experiences and discoveries. She is finding herself, learning new skills, and meeting lots of people of the People of the Sun who speak many languages. In the process, she travels far up into the cold north, to where the reindeer migrate each year. This journey will take a whole year and when she returns down to the summer camp with the great herds of reindeer, she will be a new person and ready to become the new leader of the Northuldra. She will usher in a new era and take the first step into a new future.”

          Minutes later, Alena opened her eyes again, lowered her drum and looked at Honeymaren in surprise. Then she spoke to Yelana and everyone else present.

          “And it will begin with me, for she will accompany me to the great reindeer camp on the plateau, along with the captured Northmen and some Northuldra who will follow her willingly.”

          She paused for a moment and turned to the young Northuldra, “I am surprised myself by what I saw, Honeymaren, but there can be no doubt. It is true, and I believe you have already toyed with the idea of accompanying me, haven't you?”

          Honeymaren nodded sadly, for she had to think of the great love she had to leave behind for this journey. “Yes, it is so and I was very unsettled. But now you have seen it and through you I know which way to go … for all of us.”

~~~

---

Remark: I hope you have enjoyed this chapter! Please leave a comment if you liked the story, I would be pleased to read your opinions, even criticisms. If you want to be tagged as soon I publish the next chapter please let me know, except you are already tagged :-)

Tagging: @true--north @annaofthenorthernlights @dronning-formynder05

[waheelawhisperer]

Gavial for the ask thing, yeah?

Gavial my beloved croc wife

NOTP: I can't really think of a genuine NOTP for Gavial, so I'm gonna make a controversial pick here and go with Gavial x Tomimi strictly because a) Tomimi being a romantically-unsuccessful failwoman is funny and b) @annierosaart showed me a screenshot that implies Utage wants to NTR Tomimi (because Utage's a fucking bully apparently)

BROTP: Gavial x Doctor. It's canon tbh, just look at her Alter's voice lines. Like come on, in her Invincible voice lines alone, she offers to take the Doctor back on vacation to see her home, wants to take them on a joyride in one of Zumama's mechs, and is implied to give them a shoulder massage. She also does in fact take them to see Acahualla in the Great Chief Returns event and shows a lot of care for her fragile little noncombatant Bro over the course of the event. It's clear from Great Chief Returns and her Invincible talk lines that the Doctor is very important to her, and even her regular form's talk lines imply some degree of closeness. Seriously go read them they're so good.

Also, Dreamer and I have conducted intensive research and concluded that Gavial, being a true Bro, would tell Doctor "nice cock", very loudly and to Kal'tsit's dismay, and give it a friendly squeeze, whether the cock in question be physical or spiritual. You know, as Bros do.

Gavial x Minimalist is my second BROTP, if only because Stitch Canvas is a little bitch and would totally hate it and I think that would be funny.

OTP: Gavial x Doctor. Yeah Gavial you just wanna rub all the tension out of their shoulders I'm sure that's totally platonic (also her Medic talk lines say she initiates physical contact to get closer to people alscoxcnv). Between that, the talk lines mentioned above, the way she took Doctor to a waterfall to go swimming (with their friends but still) and the way her talk lines indicate that both the Doctor themself and their good opinion is very important to her, this ends up being another one of the Doctor x Operator pairings that I feel actually works with the Doctor as a character instead of as a player stand-in.

Second choice pairing: Gavial x Pozëmka. Ideal City was so funny I legit spent the whole event thinking "Damn Pozzy wants that croc strap but she refuses to admit it and has no idea how to get it even if she did so the Belligerent Sexual Tension is just driving her nuts" and also they look cute together honestly. Gavial x Tomimi and Gavial x Eunectes also totally rule.

Fluffy pairing: Gavial x Doctor, Gavial x Tomimi

Angsty pairing: Gavial x Tomimi. Gavial is not great at angsting in general from what we've seen, but pre-Great Chief Returns Tomimi can carry the load for both of them.

Favorite poly ship: Gavial x Tomimi x Eunectes

Weirdest pairing: I don't think I really have any truly weird Gavial pairings but I really like the idea of Gavial x Indra x Specter x Lappland being Bros and Troublemakers and starting fights and causing problems. They make each other worse and more annoying.

[x-authorship-x]

Hi Torship 💛 i just need some advice for writing OCs because i saw your OC shisui post and i immediately remembered how quickly you're able to introduce really solid OCs in your Fics and... how?!?! Mine are always so obvious and blehhh :'0 thank youuuu

Hiya~

Whooo boy, so obviously every writer is different and will have different tips, you don't need me to tell you that. I'll just try not to talk your head off too long and keep this productive 🤣 so, I'll show you how I build up a "shop window" OC and an "full package OC".

So, when I say 'shop window', what I mean is: this character is walking past, only briefly interacted with, but must have enough of an impression to enrich the scene. You can't just be surrounded by blank canvas, thats a completely different effect

E.g- Tadame, the Hokage's Receptionist in HOPE AU:

Think about when you meet a stranger. You notice at least one thing that makes a lasting impression. A pretty dress, the smell of smoke, how they made you feel (maybe they wanted to shake your hand and you didn't know how to refuse?), an accent, etc etc. For Tadame, she is notable for a few things:

Her fashionable style. Shisui almost immediately informs the reader that she is a plain-clothes ANBU. This makes her ease and composure even more striking. It broadens our idea of what ANBU get up to. It's also good to see an unapologetically feminine woman being a badass bodyguard... Whilst in a cheeky nod at the "Moneypenny Bond Secretary" character.

She is warm and familiar. We're used to people being awed, stressed, or angry around Shisui etc, Tadame makes a point to be extra friendly. She is also very comfortable with the Hokage, who is deferred to by everyone (even Kakashi at this point). This sets her apart, reinforces her personality as consistent without needing much exposure, and gives us an immediate idea of what routine is like in the Tower.

She demonstrates her own off-camera motivations, life, and relationships by her actions. She makes Shisui pick tea, even ones that Sarutobi doesn't enjoy. She smokes heavily, a contrast to her very sophisticated and feminine image (I based her on Audrey Hepburn in Sabrina, actually), and she takes part in festival preparations with (presumably) a large cohort of coworkers which hints at Tower life as well as Konohan culture.

This is all done very quickly. We don't see Tadame a lot, we don't get much dialogue and, when she's not present, Shisui doesn't think about her. Bear in mind that overcrowding things is just as frustrating as not building up enough. As a chronic purple-proser, i know this is a bit rich coming from me lmao

TL;DR: i make most of these decisions off the cuff. Start with "what does the protagonist need to recognise in this OC?" Is it the accent that's important, is it their job, who they're related to, what theyre doing? Tadame was the ANBU bodyguard who could get Shisui directly in to see the Sandaime, he immediately noted how unassuming she was for the power she had. He played nice with her, hence why he catalogues so many details right off the bat. Compare this to Shikaku's receptionist, who is noted as being very angry with Shisui for ignoring protocol... Until he apologises to her, because if this lasting impression, and she is convinced to forgive him. The T&I receptionist is a running joke that Shisui forgot his name once and was so embarrassed afterwards that he constantly reminds himself of it later.

Okay, let's keep going and pray I get more coherent lol

Full package OC: e.g Akira, Shisui's main Crow Summon from HOPE AU:

Full Package OC is exactly what you think it is. Fully fleshed out, dialogue, screen time, treated as one of the main cast. The main thing here is moderation (how to avoid a Mary Sue, as you might say) and realism. I think it's actually easier than a shop window OC.

You need a motivation, a good quality and a flaw. Even better if the last two are connected.

Akira:

Akira is a Crow. To be a Crow - I decided as a nice contrast to Shisui and Itachi's modesty despite riches and genius - is to be extremely frank about how great it is to be a bird. It's ownership; like how corvids nick shiny things, the Crows think of their Summoners as their belongings and not the other way around. Birds are a collective, they fly en masse with a few stand out personalities, so it follows that the Summons would function similarly. They aren't like dogs or cats, who will follow (in varying ways) leadership. Whoever's in charge is circumstantial to the tasks in need of doing and whenever Shisui looks like he's in charge (in the fic), that's just professionalism. It's plenty for the reader to chew on, it fleshes out the Summons as a whole, and it sets up a baseline expectation for the readers being introduced to any Crow.

Building on that, Akira's motivations become a little easier. He wants to, like any bird, preen and puff up. He has illusions (that aren't illusions tbh) of grandeur, of how humans are supposed to behave (he doesn't get out much), and he boldly claimed the pursuit of "noble adventure" when he agreed to work with Shisui. Everything Akira does, therefore, needs to fit in this mentality. That he is special, that this makes Shisui special by association, and that Shisui is is Shiny Rock Summoner to be possessive over. He also, like all Crows, speaks differently from the other characters, which sets him distinct in the reader's mind. Voila!

Akira's strength, it becomes clear, is his devotion. He is all talk when it comes to complaints; in a tough spot, he is so ready to square up to anyone and anything that he gets extremely pissed/hurt when Shisui denies him the chance. This absolute faith and engagement with Shisui is brilliant for the narrative, Shisui as a character, and with connecting the audience to Akira. As the audience is encouraged to want the best for Shisui, they share a common goal with Akira.

This ties into Akira's fault, which is his pride. He's hard to work with, he doesn't like to admit his wrongdoings or back down from a 'slight', and that means Shisui is often forced to put up with Akira acting out or sabotaging tasks, knowingly or not. It also makes Shisui hesitant to trust him for more delicate operations, and Shisui occasionally laments that Itachi was matched with Arakan, who is more feeble but also of sweeter disposition. However this fault is frustrating but endearing, so readers may actually like him more because of this behavior. They think it's funny or maybe Akira is expressing the anger that readers connect to but no other character is displaying.

TL;DR: Akira has a baseline motivation that he shares with his (OC) kin, which allows the readers to immediately make assumptions every time they meet a new Crow (All Crows see Shisui&Itachi as their possessions, themselves as dignified and Noble, and as outsiders as intruders to be distrusted and chased off). Akira's strength, his devotion, is linked to his flaw, his pride. Both of which, however, connect him to the reader and build a relationship between OC and audience, even without Shisui directly involved. The key to a Full Package OC is to match the likable with the dislikable. For someone you deeply love, flaws should be something that can be lived with (Akira's pride), worked on (Shisui's esteem, recklessness, over independence), or something to be struggled with (Kakashi's self destructiveness). Similarly, strengths need grounding in motivation/context, like Akira (he is devoted because it is rooted in his history with Shisui and the culture of crow summons) or Shisui (his loyalty and creativity come from his determination to do his family proud, to keep the peace his grandfather worked for) or Kakashi (his devotion and extreme skill came at the price of his innocence and his loved ones). If you make an OC and feel it's going wrong, try consulting this balance again!

Maybe I've just waffled on about my own OCs for way too long but I hope you can see what I'm trying to show. You have to treat OCs like real people, like they have a life off camera and they're not just plot devices or tools for you to throw on the page. If they have a name, they have a person behind it. If you don't want to do this, do not give them a name or a very strong description. It could prove distracting and the audience might fixate on a detail that they think is a clue but you actually just tossed in there randomly. God knows that drives me wild, sometimes.

Anyway, I'm sorry this is so long (🤡) but I didn't want to cut it shorter and not be helpful, so....

Best of luck with your writing, Anon! ✨

[burinazar]

(Note: this is a twitter crosspost with a little bit of editing and extra links, so if you saw this as a thread on my twt, then there isn’t really anything new in this post, unless you never saw my Freshly Tatted Baby Waz art since the main thing I added was a link to it.)

One of my drafts, “Scars and Ink”, is about Irumyuui comparing her marked skin to Vueko and Belaf’s scars. The parallel that all three of them bear physical evidence of violence/abuse has always struck me as incredibly poignant and folding well into the parallel we were already invited to draw between Vueko and Belaf’s scars and how the two might regard these reminders of what they’ve lived through. Anyway, I wondered if it would belabor the story to add a smol moment with Wazukyan; they aren’t close, of course, and the focus of the story will remain on Irumyuui’s relationship with her parents, but it feels like a great opportunity to incorporate that Waz has tattoos, which i headcanon as rooted in trauma like Iru’s own tattoos.

Corollary: I struggle to pin down a precise estimate on how upset or resentful Vueko, Belaf, and Irumyuui as individuals ever actually were with *him* and the agency he had in the situation, but to me, canon hints strongly B and V far more blamed themselves. As for Iru….hmmm. Well. I wonder.

The entirety of Irumyuui’s character/feelings and how it’s handled by the narrative is very interesting. Some folks have said they found Irumyuui undercharacterized; while I respect where they’re coming from I disagree. Instead a lot of her characterization is presented indirectly, blanks we must fill in reading between the lines, versus her actual scenes and dialogue.

Wishes and desires made manifest is, of course, of central importance of the Ganja/village arc. And it was irumyuui’s wishes and feelings and their manifestations that were the most important of all — yet there is explicit textual mystery to the shape and extent of those wishes.

Vueko, Belaf, and Faputa all have their own necessarily partial and biased guesses on how she really felt, what she really wanted, and how that shaped the events that came to pass. Besides input from these characters, we can also glean information from the village’s function. Why did Irumyuui give what she gave to Belaf and then all the other Ganja (except Vueko)? What does that say about how she felt towards them? We are invited to answer for ourselves.

imho a crucial element of Faputa’s growth during the climactic events is that she reassesses her self conception in light of receiving new information on Irumyuui, because she reevaluated what Iru “really wanted” as well as accepting the incompleteness of her prior knowledge. To me this part is also the text itself engaging with the viewer and inviting us to draw conclusions on how Irumyuui really felt, what she wanted, whether she ever really wanted revenge or simply the end of her own suffering, whether she ever assigned blame at all.

I think of this sort of thing as characterizing through the use of negative space. Afaik this is not a real storytelling term, I made it up lol, but I’m getting at something a bit more specific than just “the story leaves something ambiguous” (also something different from “this isn’t even in the story so we can decide it ourselves”, which I’ve also been known to describe using the concept of negative space as a metaphor for...oops sorry!) That is, although it seems at first that some element is not clear or specified, upon a second look we find that the outlines which are around that white patch of canvas contain the shapes and clues that give you a pretty good idea of what is in it.

[biggreenstache7]

what's the lore behind nick's creation? are there any other woodpeople?

So, basically, (or not so basically because I can take a while talking about this), Nick came from a huuuge domino effect where if basically anything that has happened didn't, she wouldn't exist.

I'm probably gonna lose my thread here so sorry if this doesn't make sense at some point. But, to figure out where nick came from i first have to go back to when i realized john was a Cool Character (to say the least) to me.

so i've been a siiva fan for about 4 years now (if you really want to know, since Exactly january 31st 2019) and i quickly grew to be a fan of the lore. and my favorite character was woodman, and you don't really need to know this because this story starts in 2020, but it sets it up a little, probably. i've always Liked woodman and at first he was the only real character attachment i had to siivagunner.

Ignoring anything that happened in between then and 2020 (very ironically, since those were the last appearances john ever had and i totally ignored them while they were coming out, lol), we flash forward to march 2020, where i started reading a book called the priory of the orange tree (this has NOTHING to do with siiva, but it's really important and nick wouldn't exist without it as i'll explain later, so bear with me. also really good book i recommend it thoroughly btw) this will be important soon enough

OK THE FIRST ACTUAL IMPORTANT MOMENT was. april 1st (2020). where harmony friends (aka hinchy) hosted a sort of character voice request thing on the siivagunner discord since it's john's VA and idk, probably just felt like it. And i was there, and i requested some goofy "be gay do crime" line, which she said, and idk why but i think that sort of meaningful-esque interaction caused me to go back and look at john's previous appearances and have him like, slowly become a meaningful character to me.

so we're around april to may now. i'm still reading the Book (which i'll shorten to tpotot for convinience) and thinking about john like maybe once every few days and, the thing about this book is that it has like, multiple character povs. and one of them, which is the main focus here, was this sorta cowardly sorta morally grey 60-ish year old gay man called Niclays Roos. Who i was mildly fixated with because his pov spoke to me Immensely, and still does.

so what i started doing was sorta projecting that sort of character onto John, with a few other traits i had picked up on from what little content she has. (silly interests despite being supposedly uptight and professional coming from her interest in eddie murphy's haunted mansion in spooktacular iii, etc) also the moment i became interested in him i Knew he had to be gay like that was almost an immediate click and maybe why i connected him to niclays in the first place, which brings us to our next moment.

so here's another thing about niclays. he had a lover. (ex-lover, but i don't wanna dwelve too much into it cause tpotot is cool and you can find out abt it on ur own) called jannart, who was a general contrast to niclays in the short segments he appeared in, being much more relaxed, much bolder and open about himself, and also. a painter. who took an interest in niclays because he wanted to attempt to capture the beauty he saw in him onto canvas)

DO YOU GET IT NOW!!!!!!! i saw this sort of almost relationship template, and when faced with the fact that john had no contrast funnyman in siiva that i could put together with him like a kid knocking dolls against eachother to make them kiss, well, you can imagine the rest.

so after a while of just thinking about it, on a 40 minute car trip on may 16th 2020, while listening to color my life by chicano batman on loop, i came up with nick, loosely and vaguely, decided that i wanted him to be a woodman too because it just felt. Right (did consider human for maybe a minute before shutting it down) and began drawing him the moment i arrived to my destination.

i still have the sketches which is cool but not on me rn and it might take a few months to get the notebook back but i'll remember to update this post when i do for a fun little snippet. it even has the word "jonnick" right next to them, which i believe i chose at the time because "johnnick" already had like, 2 results, and i wanted something original. i sorta regret it now because it almost sounds like a typo but i got too attached to change it lol

also nick's canon birthday is actually may 17 to me but only because that was the day i actually decided i wanted to pull through with this Very self indulgent thing (not as a bit) (real) and also the day i drew his ref (under a read more at the end of the post cuz its UGLY ASF)

so yeah, a few people already knew about this, but i don't think i ever wrote it out fully in a public space before yayyyyy.

tldr got attached to john in april 2020 for little reason and it spiralled and i projected part of another character's personality onto him and that character had a partner which caused me to give the same thing to john and then that went from being half joke to a fully realized character who's like a real living person in my head. yay! and it's been 3 years since their very stupid goofy beginning and they've grown to become almost an extension of myself with how much i've developed them and think about them. also yay!

to answer your other question (lol); i didn't make any, save for like one time where i made a woodsona as a bit, but according to my own fuckin story robots (including woodmen) are massproduced and only in rare occasions grow sentient but like, yeah it's totally 100% possible that there r other sentient woodmen out there just livin their lives n shit. you can make one if you want! i grant you my knight's permit 🫡

this exact drawing is still on my tumblr if you scroll far enough down, lol.

here's another one that came before it that i could find and that i reference pretty often as being the first (atleast digital) jonnick drawing. i remade it in 2021 and included it as a photograph in another painting i made last year. yay! that was so many fun facts just in one day. but now i have to get back to playing animal crossing new leaf on my nintendo 3ds