#also I kind of like that dark tone for her skin I think in modern aus where she can’t be gray

[swordmaid]

a little distraction 🤭

@enderose ‘s silvia with shri’iia for the murder mystery au. pose from this photoshoot!!!

[fuctacles]

An offer you can't refuse

@stevieweek Day 1: Stobin + Dom!Stevie | T | 2127 | no cw | bar setting, modern au, Steddie, Buckingham, Stobin, Hellcheer, mentions of polyamory, everyone is horny, Eddie is a switch for hot ladies | Ao3 Stevie Week: Day 1 | Day 2 (art) | Day 3 (art) | Day 4 | Day 5 | Day 6 | Day 7

"I hate you so much!" Robin slurs slightly, her hand slapping against the bar. Stevie presses her lips together, trying not to laugh at her distressed and intoxicated friend. 

"Why this time?" she inquires, calmly sipping her drink. 

"You're so pretty!"

"Why, thank you," she beams, but Robin huffs. 

"Stevie," she says, putting her drink away and grabbing Stevie's face. "You did this on purpose," she accuses, though her tone has no real anger. "For not dating you when you wanted to."

"Uh-huh."

"And now you got so cute. But I know what your farts smell like!"

Stevie snorts, but Robin presses her cheeks harder together until her lips pucker out. She stares at them, dark and shiny with the lipgloss she uses. 

"Robs..."

Robin only shakes her head with her hands, making a wild sound of distress and frustration. It forces Stevie to put away the drink and grab her. 

"Stop it, you're ruining my hair!"

Robin grumbles but lets her pry her hands away.

"You hate me because I'm hot?" Stevie asks, amused. Robin huffs.

"I didn't say you're hot," she protests.

"But you think that?"

"Evie." Her fingers flex like they're itching to abuse her hairdo and makeup again but Stevie keeps her wrists in a tight grip. "You know you're hot, you bitch. And I'm stuck here—a 6 with a 10 for a best friend. And if we weren't best friends, if I didn't know about your gross pickle breath, you'd be exactly the kind of girl I crush on, but—!"

"But you're stuck with a hot best friend?" Stevie asks, pouting sympathetically.

"Exactly!" Robin deflates angrily.

"I mean, we can make out if you want," she offers with a shrug.

Robin, in her drunken state, seems to be considering it, before she crunches her nose.

"No, thanks." But then, her frown deepens. "But if we had, like, a threesome? Or foursome?"

"Ooookay." Stevie pushes her away, so she sits fully on her barstool instead of perched on the edge to be right in her friend's face. "We can get back to it when you sober up. See if you still want to see me naked then," she snorts. There was a time when this kind of confession would lead them to the back of their current workplace, but Stevie shares the sentiment that their relationship had evolved in a completely different direction by now. Robin was too much like her sister. 

And she doesn't want to think about a threesome with her sister right now. Not with the alcohol pumping through her to the beat of the music.

It wasn't Robin's usual scene, but ever since Stevie's transition, she's been helping her to get out more. Thanks to that, her experience with women has been expanding. Stevie got something from these outings too, they helped her feel better in her skin, feel like a real woman, and be treated like one. Back when her features were stronger, and her makeup skills lacking, the club lights helped to hide them. Now they both felt comfortable in these settings and knew where to go to to feel safe and have fun.

But sometimes it was nice just to be in their tiny New York apartment, just the two of them, and a mildly amusing sitcom on their second-hand TV. Stevie presses the back of her fingers to her friend's shoulder.

"Do you want to go home?"

Robin shakes her head slowly.

"Not yet. Let's dance for a bit."

Dancing was also something that hadn't been a Robin thing until Stevie dragged her into it. She was still uncoordinated and awkward but after a few drinks, neither she nor other people seemed to care. So they finished their drinks and Stevie pulled her onto the dancefloor.

She usually dragged her friend out to the bar in hopes of helping her find a girlfriend or at least a hookup, but having fun with her friend was more than enough after a week of working in a quiet bookstore. So, with a pleasant buzz fueling their movements, they dance close together, hands laced because they are that comfortable with each other. And since it was a queer-friendly club, someone unfamiliar with them couldn't tell if they were friends or lovers. 

People would bump into them and make offers they have to decline. It's been assumed they were a pair of lesbians looking for a threesome more than once. But since Robin wasn't into dicks and Stevie was afraid of how people would react after finding out she had one, it's always been a 'no'. Even if she liked the idea of having sex with multiple partners. It was tricky being born a woman, and even more becoming one. 

So when someone gently touches her shoulder, she sobers up in case she needs to defend herself and her friend.

"Do you mind swapping up?"

She turns to see a long-haired man wearing a leather jacket, one of many frequenting a club like this. But instead of another man accompanying him, he has a petite blond girl by his side. 

Stevie hesitates and turns to Robin to find out what she thinks about it. She does seem wary as well, but interested in the blonde girl nevertheless. So, hesitantly, Stevie nods. 

"One dance," she decides, accepting the man's extended hand. 

But she's not about to let him dream up impossible scenarios in his head. Halfway through the song, a pleasant mix of energetic and sensual, she leans into him, so she can be heard over the music. 

"If you're hoping for a foursome, it's not happening. We're not a couple," she says before pulling away to watch his reaction. He seems surprised at first before shaking his head. He's the one to lean in now, and his breath hits her neck in a way that makes her body throb. 

"Don't worry, I'm just wingmanning for my friend tonight," he says and they both turn to where their friends are dancing next to them. They seem to be getting into it, hands grasping at hips or thrown over shoulders, bodies pressing tentatively together, shy yet hungry.

Stevie huffs out a chuckle. 

"Same here," she says, raising her palm. The guy seems surprised but he laughs and slaps her hand in a high five. 

"Wanna grab a drink, give them some space?" he offers, and Stevie nods. They give their friends a heads up, and they both seem to be equally reluctant about being left without their human shields, but with the assurance they'll be waiting at the bar, they let them go. 

Stevie's the one to lead the way, and she likes the feeling. To be leading a guy where she wants him. She's always been a people pleaser and still is, but there's something about being in charge that just tickles her brain the right way. Which has been something she's been missing since she's started being hit on as a woman.

"What do you want?" she asks once they reach the bar, before catching her mistake. But the man doesn't seem to either notice or mind.

"A simple screwdriver," he answers without missing a beat. "Just need to let loose tonight."

Stevie nods and flags down the bartender. She orders the screwdriver for him and a strawberry daiquiri for herself. After she's done with the order, she can feel him leaning over her. He's not touching her, his hand dropping to the bar counter, but his presence hovering over her makes her feel caged in. In a good way.

"I'll pay," he offers, flashing his card, and the bartender nods, reaching for the terminal. 

Stevie looks up at him, but craning her neck like that is uncomfortable, so she turns, which in turn makes her chest to chest with him.

"I have money," she protests with a pout. 

"I don't doubt that," he agrees with a nod. Behind her, he reaches out with his card to swipe it through the terminal. It brings them even closer together for a second, and she tries not to fucking smell him because she's not a creep. "But I haven't paid for a cute lady's drink in a while. Please let me have it," he asks, and he's not doing the I'm better than you routine so she nods.

"Fine. I'm paying for the next one, though."

"Of course." He smiles, tucking his wallet into an inside pocket of his jacket. She notices the dimples appearing on his cheeks. They're stupidly cute.

"There's an empty seat there, wanna sit while we wait?" he offers and she nods. No matter how often she wears heels, they never feel easier to deal with. 

He leads her to the stool he pointed out, but then before she can hop on it, he grabs her hips and puts her on the leather cushion himself.

"That was unnecessary," she murmurs, knowing full well she's on the heavier side. She tries her best not to blush while he leans against the bar next to her, in the already limited space. She has a ridiculous urge to spread her legs for him, to make more room, but she kills that thought immediately. 

"Sorry." He looks actually apologetic. "I didn't mean to make you uncomfortable. I just don't have many opportunities to treat a woman properly. My friend Chrissy, you see," he points his chin to the dancefloor where Stevie notes with pride that Robin's hands are now confidently wrapped around Chrissy's hips. "She's strictly on that feminist lesbian agenda, and while I'm completely on board, of course, I still want to treat someone like a princess, you know? She used to let me..." he trails off, hesitating before he catches Stevie's curious eyes. He sighs. "Okay, so we do have this friends-with-benefits kind of thing? But we're not like, together-together," he starts rambling. "Only when we get really unlucky on dates. She's more women-leaning. And we're both dominant? So I swear we're not looking for a foursome—"

Stevie has heard enough. She pressed two fingers to his mouth.

"It's fine, shut up. We've been thinking about it anyway."

"About what?" The man blinks.

"A foursome." She shrugs, and he suddenly seems to be choking on air. Stevie observes it with amusement while the bartender slides their drinks to them. She grabs her daiquiri. "It's just a thought," she reminds him. "You might not be into me."

The guy blinks. He grabs his glass like a lifeline.

"Why is that?" he asks curiously, but his eyes wander down her body like he already has an idea.

"I have a dick," she confirms what he's probably thinking.

He closes his eyes, and she braces herself for the inevitable rejection. It's happened countless times before, she can handle it once again. Even if he's insanely hot. 

"Damn, I was hoping but I didn't know how to ask."

She blinks at him owlishly, her face falling.

"Huh?"

"Is that weird?" The guy retracts into himself and she can sense another incoming word vomit. Robin has similar tells. "I just think it's hot. I go both ways but I prefer women and I love a girl who's packing. But strap-ons kinda kill the mood for me? Of course, it's fine if you don't want to use it, I wouldn't make you do anything that makes you feel anything less than the beautiful girl that you are."

He holds her gaze for two seconds and then busies his mouth with the drink in his hand. 

Stevie leans on her elbow, eyeing the man curiously. It seems her flirting skills won't be needed tonight. The man was gone without her doing much of anything. 

"You sure you're a Dom?" she asks, raising an eyebrow. "You don't sound like one."

He doesn't take offense, to Stevie's pleasant surprise. His cheeks get redder in the neon lights.

"I make exceptions," he says with a shrug. "For exceptionally beautiful women." He's laying it on thick but she'd be lying if she said she wasn't eating it up. 

"And that would be me?"

"Absolutely," he nods eagerly. She considers him for a long moment and he holds up the silence, albeit he goes twitchy under her gaze.

"What's your name?"

"Eddie," he answers immediately like he's been waiting for her to ask. "Yours?"

She moves her mouth thoughtfully, feeling his eyes on her lips before she makes up her mind.

"Miss Stephanie," she says with finality.

The shift is immediate. His pupils blow out and he straightens up, ready to listen to orders and serve. A feeling of power shivers through Stevie's body. 

"Finish your drink and we'll go somewhere quiet."

"Yes, Miss." He nods obediently, sipping on his orange drink.

"You won't be needing your friend's help tonight."

[missorland]

Yeesssss I’m late for the Zestmilla week!! (I’m late for everything don’t kill me please hehe) This October has been really chaotic but now I have more time and hopefully the inspiration to keep up with the Zestmilla week.

As always my apologies come by the hand of moreeeee headcanooons!

So this is part 3 of my Zestmilla headcanons ;)

Zestial often tries to "modernize" his speech so that people can understand him more easily, but when he gets nervous he forgets and begins to speak unintelligibly. When he proposed to Carmilla, the poor woman did not understand a single word and he had to repeat it several times.

Carmilla's love language is physical contact and acts of service (does protecting her family count as service?) and whenever she can, quality time. Zestial's is basically all of them.

Carmilla spends the day giving orders, after all she is a successful and busy businesswoman, and because of that she lets Zestial decide for her when they go out to dinner, or go to see a movie. Of course he always chooses what he thinks she will like the most.

Something Carmilla always makes time for is taking care of her hair. She loves to keep it healthy, glossy and silky. That's why she has endless hair care products. Zestial once used one of them to wash his body and Carmilla had to excuse him when she was internally trying not to kill him.

Like a good English lord, Zestial adores Carmilla's ways. She is a calm, serene and sober woman. She is very elegant and sophisticated but she is also soft and kind to the people close to her. Of course, as a good Hispanic that she is (I'm not sure if she's Latina or Spanish, so I'll leave it up in the air), she has a passionate side that she shows from time to time. These moments in contrast to her usual calm leave Zestial completely enthralled.

Zestial likes to paint, especially the realistic style. He doesn't like to show his paintings to anyone, but Carmilla found them one day while looking for something at his house and she was so amazed that she asked him to take some home. She took one that Zestial had painted of himself when he was alive, basically because she found him extremely sexy with his goatee, wavy dark hair, and knight's armor.

Zestial has an hyperfixation on Carmilla’s neck and shoulders. The smooth skin, toned muscles and collarbone are too much for him. Of course she knows it and that's why she wears that open neckline.

[i-will-change-this-someday]

Honestly, I think it's a mix of both people taking everything from the original Odyssey as gospel and the fact that Calypso is a dark skinned woman of color that she's being treated as this evil being not deserving of any amount of nuance.

I saw the exact same level of hatred and vitriol towards Eurylochus immediately following Thunder Saga, and as far back as the casting of Ares. Characters and actors with darker skin either get harshly criticized, or in some cases, heavily fetishized (you would not believe some of the shit I've seen regarding Antonius). It's just that Tumblr isn't nearly as open about this as tiktok.

Jay has made it a point to only allude to certain elements of the myths. He has NEVER been explicit about there being actual assault like that in the musical towards certain characters on screen in the present time. It's only ever been implied threats or referenced in backstory. He's been good about avoiding certain topics when adapting the myth to his vision. Unless he comes out and says "yes, Calypso did that", we can't just assume she did in Epic the Musical.

I think the fandom really needs to chill and recheck their biases. They don't have to like Calypso. I certainly don't. But the level of hate I'm seeing towards her in comparison to the other gods? Seriously making me second guess being in this fandom.

I haven't read The Odyssey, but I know that EPIC made a lot of changes, so it's weird to me that people would stick so closely to that interpretation of Calypso, especially when people seem to really like Circe, who I think also assaults Odysseus (or at least coerces him?)

But yeah, it's also probably a lot of racism and sexism that has made her so hated. It is truly shocking sometimes how some people will be so harsh and critical to a character (or actual real life humans) just because of their skin tone, cause you know they turn the other cheek for the same actions or worse if they're done by someone pale and hot.

Yeah, I think Jorge does a good job at only alluding to things like that, not that those kind of things should be ignored, and I think if people want to analyze the original source material through a modern lens that's all fine and good. But that's not what EPIC: The Musical is about, and to try and handle that subject well would take too much time; it's just not the story that is being told here.

(Within the Musical itself, if people want to explore such things in fanfic, go off I guess? But also maybe if you're on the topic of someone forcing themselves onto an unwilling partner, maybe talk about some other characters than just Calypso. *Side eyes Antinous and Circe)

That's completely fair, but I'll be honest, if you don't want to be in a fandom with any racism or sexism (Or any kind of bigotry) then you'll basically have to never be in a fandom. There's always going to be hateful people about those kinds of things, so I just avoid them and try not to let it ruin the rest of my fandom experience.

(Also sorry, wasn't trying to lecture you, just saying that I don't think we should let those people drive us out of fandoms we want to enjoy) (also if you just decide to take a step back and only consume the source media, that's also fair)

[indignantlemur]

What are andorian cosmetics like? And what about skin care? Or even something like perfume?

Hey! Great question!

I spent some time thinking about this and I think, generally speaking, Andorian cosmetics/haircare/skincare/perfumes are largely similar to Terran cosmetics (with different formulations and colour ranges, of course) in terms of the basic types of items. Lipstick, shampoo, moisturizer - that sort of thing. The key differences are going to be in the formulation/ingredients and the colour ranges where cosmetics are concerned.

I also made a very rough chart of all the canon Andorians I can find with different degrees of cosmetics:

The first row is Andorians with no cosmetics. The middle row shows small amounts of cosmetics. The bottom row shows the heaviest use of cosmetics I can find.

For cosmetics, that means eye/lip/cheek products are all common, though I add a caveat here in that it doesn't look like most Andorians use any kind of mascara to darken their eyelashes outside of Talas and Tarah. Everyone else, with the exception of Tysess (who has the excuse of not being animated in a hyper-realistic style) tends to have pale eyelashes - presumably uncoloured/tinted, but with the older images it's a nightmare trying to get a close up with the resolution I need to be sure. I included two pictures of Talas to show the contrast between the two looks, one of which shows her with darkened lips and eyeshadow, and one which shows more nude tones that make me think she's meant to appear to not be wearing any cosmetics. I find it interesting that the males depicted either have no cosmetics whatsoever or oodles. Part of that is because TOS-era cosmetics were done stage theatre-style, meaning overly dramatic to be seen well from a distance, and I try to take that into account with my headcanons.

(The use of purple and violet tones is probably meant to be a mirror of how Humans use red/pinks in a lot of our cosmetics, since Andorians are purported to flush a purpled-blue tone rather than a dark blue. )

Where my headcanons are concerned, Andorians are very fond of vivid colours in all aspects of their lives, so it makes sense that cosmetics would play into that somewhat. A number of the Andorians we've seen on screen have been members of either Starfleet or the Imperial Guard, or otherwise engaged in official business - not the sort of place you show up with neon orange eyeshadow and lime green lipstick. Military folks are expected to keep whatever they wear professional, muted, and otherwise unnoticeable. Civilians, by contrast, have a great deal more freedom in terms of the what and how much of their cosmetic choices. Both men and women utilize cosmetics freely on Andoria - or don't as their preferences dictate. On the whole, wild and vibrant colours are quite popular with civilians, though neon shades go in and out of fashion randomly as far as any outsider can tell. Now and then there's a 'natural' trend that runs through the populace, but it rarely lasts more than a year or two. Most Andorians consider 'natural' makeup very boring.

In terms of skincare (and these are purely my headcanons from this point onwards), the Andorian formulations would run in similar veins to what Humans have on the market, but the formulations would be very different. Andorian hair and skin is very similar to Human hair and skin, but it is not the same. Andorians have much less active sweat glands, for example, and their semi-osmotic circulatory system likely means that they absorb chemical through their skin a little more easily than Humans do.

As such, Andorian cosmetics and personal care items are all made with extremely 'clean' formulations. They don't tolerate harsh chemicals in their products, and some of the things that are in modern Emigre-era Terran cosmetics would likely cause adverse reactions - particularly the preservatives. Likewise, Andorian-formulated cosmetics might cause contact allergies in Humans, up to and including itching, redness, peeling skin, rashes, hives, even chemical burns.

For haircare, I had to consider the effects of being in a high humidity, high-salt environment on Andorian hair - which is tricky because Andorian hair has a different structure than Human hair does. It has a highly porous core surrounded by a thick outer shell. This unique structure helps retain heat in icy conditions, but makes it a nightmare for hair products to have any effect on. So, Andorian hair products are generally formulated to contain heavy, deep-penetrating oils and place a great deal of emphasis on moisture-retention and smoothness. Most Humans, excluding those with very dry and very curly hair, would find Andorian hair products far too heavy to use, and even then such products are liable to leave one's hair feeling uncomfortably heavy and oily.

With regards to perfumes, I feel like Andorians would actually be really enthusiastic about perfumery. The natural materials found on Andoria would be rather different than what Humans might be used to, of course, as the planet is not exactly known for hosting a vast array of flowering plants. Many early perfumes were made using distillations of fungi, extracts of the few deeply coveted flowering plants available, fruits, and an array of animal-derived musks which ran the gamut from heavy and indolic (I mean this in the perfumer's sense of the word, not the other way; that is, having a waxy, pungent, and/or buttery quality) to light and almost sweet. Very rarely, materials would be harvested from the sea as well - though these were exorbitantly priced due to the danger presented to the harvesters.

Perfumes on Andoria are solid, rather than alcohol- or oil-based, largely out of necessity due to the freezing temperatures. In earlier iterations, rendered and purified animal fats were used as the bases for these solid perfumes. Over time, animal fats were replaced with soft waxes and refined fruit butters, though purists maintain that perfumes made with rendered animal fats have a more complex scent profile. The average perfume-wearer can't tell the difference, of course.

Much like with cosmetics and skincare, there is a risk of adverse reactions to Andorian perfumes when worn by aliens, though many modern perfumes are made with replicated or chemically-identical, lab-created materials that lack the potential irritants (usually trace amounts of naturally occurring chemicals) that naturally sourced ingredients would carry. It's very much a your-mileage-may-vary sort of thing.

In terms of formulation, classic Andorian perfumes used four sets (or chords) of notes. For comparison, many classic perfumes in European history were structed with three chords: the top/head (fleeting and quickly-fading notes; the first impression), the middle/heart (the theme; lingering top notes meeting new ones; the buffer between head and base), and the base (the longest lasting chord; the foundation upon which all other notes rest; rich, heavy, and long-lasting). Andorians include a fourth chord, often something incredibly subtle and difficult to parse from the rest of the notes but which imparts a notable characteristic to the overall scent. Modern Andorian perfumes generally keep to this structure, but now and then a perfumer goes rogue and makes something absolutely unhinged. They're either lauded as revolutionaries, or laughed out of the room when it comes time to present their final product.

There isn't an overall scent profile that Andorian perfumes fall into. They can range from sweet florals to heavily spiced to brightly green and darkly musky - and everything in between. On the whole, the biggest difference between Andorian and Terran perfumes is that Andorian perfumes do tend to be milder, having a much lower sillage (or smaller 'aura') than Terran perfumes usually have. This is partly due to their solid bases, but also a deliberate choice as well.

I think that about covers it! Feel free to reach out with any further questions if I've missed something!

[watsername]

If you aren't tired of talking about maneskin and fashion already, may I ask what are your fave Vic outfits? Looking at it from the perspective of Vic as a separate individual, not part of a band. I am more into women's fashion so I find it hard to look at Vic's outfits as just a part of a whole and some of the outfits that are iconic for the fandom bc how well they work together with the boys' just look ugly and unflattering to me.

ok this is difficult bc she haas so many fucking great outfits but i hve limited space so this is just a small selection from her or the bands instagram

staring with this iconic moment the rush wedding promo . i love this so much i love the mix of textures and fabrics between the dress the lace veil the fur there’s a lot going on but not so much that it clashes i love the accessories esp the gloves but i think the best thing about the outfit for me is for sure the jacket i love the that it bro he’s thsi huge dramatic shape to the outfit i love the slightly off white colour so it’s breaking up the whiteness just a little without changing the meaning of the outfit completely . i love this it feel bridal but in a vintage kind of vegas wedding way it still feels sexy and a little slutty which is so good for her she looks amazing idc

gonna keep a similar vibe and look at a few more dresses like . tbh miss girl could walk out in a potato sack and still pull it off she’s so beautiful . but what i live about these is the way they’re accessorised bc it makes it more than just wearing a dress and more crating an outfit i love the inclusion of the belt across the balck dress personally it’s not something i would’ve thoight of doing bc i feel liek that drop waist effect paired with a low rise belt would cut off the torso in a way u wouldn’t like but this just goes to show u if u don’t at least try it ur never gonna find out i like it i love it the same goes for the ruffle shawl i think it just elevates the outfit and brings out more personality

i’m gonna put all three of these your outfits in the same category bc these to me are just quintessential victoria stage outfits titties out looking hot she eats every single fuckinf time . i think the third on there is also extremely underrated i love the shoulder pads and the kind of exaggerated silhouette from them i love the way that the stuffing helps to emphasise her figure and break up the outfit a little i think she looks phenomenal in it . u can probably tell i love a globe moment i think they’re a super underrated accessory and it makes me so happy to see her wearing them i also love dark colours and smoky grunge makeup on her i think it’s super complimentary to her skin tone esp the navy blue i genuinely believe that it so fucking phenomenal on her and i love the mix of fabrics there the pvc and the velour it’s just . so iconic .

this is just a little appreciation for her causal outfits too i love the way vic dresses herself and watching her over the past 2 years kind of fidn and develop her style has been so interesting i love that she’s kept these vintage vibes and brings it into modern trend with the y2k but still manages to keep a slightly western vintage tie in which i adore i think her layering is super fun playing with different lengths styles and fabrics in her shirts she knows herself and her body super well she knows what works for her and she’s super fucking hot

this is me in my controversial era i love vic una. suit . i love the tartan suit i think it’s hate on a little too much i think the colours compliment her well and the fit is amazing it’s tailored perfectly i LOVE that chunky belt almost straying into corset belt territory with that cinching effect i love the gloves and how they match the belt and the shoes like the gloves just add in that little bit of Sexy that’s in every måneskin outfit and i think she looks great .

they also went through a phase with these huge feather cuffs i remember them wearing them on a talk show and in the gucci campaigns they did a while back they definitely wore a lot of this in their gucci era and honestly i live for it i think she looks so cool and i wanted an outfit like this so bad when i saw her wearing that . i also love vic in pink . idk vic in suits i love its a completely different silhouette than her stage outfits and they’re always styled and accessorised to still emulate that femininity and sex that’s integral to her personality

[mayobedo]

Initial thoughts on the Natlan characters now that I've had the day to simmer on them

Disclaimer: I am white. I figured I should make that clear. I just want to get my thoughts out there.

In general, I think the more modern look is very unique and something we haven't seen in Genshin Impact before, but they do feel kind of safe. They're very vibrant too, which fits all the color we've seen from the Natlan previews. Unlike a lot of the Fontaine designs initially there's few I actively dislike, but perhaps they'll grow on me, like many characters have. They just sorely need some melanin given the cultures Natlan takes inspiration from.

Ranking each character we've seen individually based on my initial impressions, from best to worst, under the cut (pictures included).

1. Xilonen

Out of everyone in the teaser she immediately caught my eye. The jaguar (or possibly other big cat) theming (as well as being a proper catgirl) and image of her lounging in a tree, bathing in sunlight gives off a sense of power. Kind of like a real big cat! But you guys probably know I tend to like the tall women a lot.

2. Mavuika

I think a lot of people, myself included, expected the Pyro Archon to be a Himeko expy and/or light-skinned. And well, she seems to be both of those. The leaks of the Pyro Archon in a conquistador outfit did have me worried given real world history, but I'm very relieved to see that isn't the case.

Seeing her in a bodysuit when I first opened YouTube did have me puzzled at first, but seeing the full outfit really brings it together. Hoyo does put a lot of research into things, so I'm interested to see any analyses on her design, too!

And the sunglasses are peak. From what I've seen it's a controversial design element, but I think it really adds to her character. She really seems like a friendly archon all around. I wonder how "war" plays into all of this.

She's also the first archon without dark or white hair--it's just straight up red. Which makes me hope she'll change up the common tropes archons tend to have (please i don't want the two archons plotline for the 4th nation in a row). is really I really liked the flame hair concepts from her leaked designs, so it's nice to see we still got that in some form here.

3. Kinich

Kinich has a pretty cohesive design, and the color palette is pretty pleasing to look at, too. But I can definitely see the Xiao comparisons. I hope his personality makes him stand out from him.

The most perplexing thing about him though is how his design focuses a lot around pixels--Ajaw is a pixel dragon. The Sumeru Dendro characters do have their computer/tech themes (Alhaitham and Nahida especially, the latter of which is Irminsul's avatar), but this seems a little...much. Even when considering Natlan characters have more modern designs.

Taking the "Teyvat is a simulation" theory (and similar) in mind, I feel like Ajaw is going to play into that. Or they're just a pixel dragon because Hoyo thought it would be cool.

4. Mualani

Her design makes me think she was originally designed with a darker skin tone, but late in the development process someone told the designer to make her skin lighter, so we got the tan she has today.

Honestly her and Kinich are pretty close, probably interchangeable. But the main thing that bothers me are the orange highlights on her hair. They're a little off-putting.

But overall, I think her design is cute! As a character I get the impression she's going to be chill. Like "girl next door" vibes.

5. Iansan

I really don't have much to say given we've seen her before, and I didn't have much to say back then either. I do hope they give her a good amount of focus given she is a Teyvat Travail character, and I think they will, given it's a pattern they haven't broken. But Hoyo does like breaking patterns... I'd rather be optimistic, though.

Iansan is, however, the first character on this list we don't know the element for. I remember thinking initially she would be Geo, but now we know of two Geo characters, surely they won't have three Geos in the Pyro Nation, right?

I think she's most likely to be Pyro, but I've seen people throw around Electro too since I heard she's named after a lightning spirit. It would make sense--she has a lot of purple in her design. But I'd like to throw out my wild guess that she's Dendro. Why? Well, her eyes are the Dendro green, and if she isn't, then it's impossible for every element to be represented by a Teyvat Travail character. And I highly doubt Pulcinella is going to be Dendro.

6. Ororon

yeah that sure is a genshin character. cool cape though.

He's probably important given he's with Capitano of all people. Maybe he's a Fatuus, but I don't see any Fatui symbol on him. It would be nice to have more playable Fatui.

One thing I'm noticing just now is that he has heterochromia. Hoyo doesn't give out heterochromia willy-nilly. Definitely a mysterious character for sure.

As for element I'm pretty sure he's Anemo with how prominent teal is in his design. If that's true, he'll be our first tall Anemo man! Only took four years...

I am curious about his name, though. It every other language his name is Olorun. I wonder if the misspelling in English is intentional, or if it was just a localization error.

7. Kachina

She's cute...but that's really all she has going for her. I will say, though, the big fluffy ears are unique.

but basically melanin would've saved her

8. Citlali

The only reason she's at this spot is because of what we've seen of her personality so far. I can't think of a particularly hot-tempered female character in Genshin, and I think she might fulfill that niche.

But her design... I think the main thing that bogs it down is the dull pink color used for her hair. With the light skin tone she has it's kind of clashing. It's nice to see another character get colored eyelashes, at least.

I...really don't know how to put my dislike of her design in words. I don't think she's the worst design in Genshin, but she's far down there.

9. Chasca

I'll be honest she just feels like Natlan Clorinde. She stands out from her as a distinct character, but they still give off the same vibe.

I like her design better than Citlali, I will give her that. She just feels kind of boring compared to everyone else.

There are a few small details that are neat--the shoulder mole, textured eyebrows, elf ears... But yeah. She'd really have to impress me to make me want to pull her.

~

So yeah, those are my thoughts. I think this will be fun to look back on later down the line, when Natlan's story is done and we've gotten to know these characters better.

I am excited to see where the story goes, but honestly I'm more excited for the exploration than anything else. It looks super fun, and I can't wait to finally get my hands on the Saurians.

[mistwraiths]

4 stars

I really enjoyed this, mostly because I LOVE dragons and there absolutely needs to be more dragons in fantasy books. Was this the greatest thing I've ever read? No. But if you like romance and dragons, and simple fantasy setting, I think you'll like it.

When I didn't think too hard about the worldbuilding, the plot itself and its holes, the history of the world, or the mechanics of this world, I liked the book better. That sounds like a bad thing to say. This book has fantasy but it doesn't really buckle down on it because it's more focused on Violet and Xaden.

What I mean is: I don't understand what the war is about or for?? Like they're stopping gryphons and their riders attacking or something?? Why?? But also there's a treaty or something??? They trade certain things but apparently that doesn't stop the war? This has been going on for 600 years but some things have happened over time like the treaty. There was a rebellion not long ago but we aren't told what for. (I know now at the end but not even a good made up reason is given???)

I don't understand how the wards work. How they're created? How they're created? The magic is described enough but like so there's ~wild magic outside the wards and only dragons can channel magic within wards and through people and it won't kill their soul or whatever. It's all a little confusing.

I don't understand the tone either. Is this kind of medieval Europe vibes? But why is the dialogue so modern?? It gives me ACOTAR vibes where its fantasy but modern feeling/writing and its palatable. I prefer my adult books to be more adult-y I suppose?

Parts of this book feel very similar to a mix of books. Quadrants where you are either Healer, Scribe, Rider, or Infantry feel almost like Divergent-y. Violet's brown hair going to silver through the length felt reminiscent of Mare Barrow and then her power literally being lightning felt like Red Queen-ish. Xaden with his dark hair and golden skin and being tall and his shadow wielding powers felt a lot like the usual love interest of any popular book right now. Don't get me wrong, I still enjoyed this book.

To me, I did feel like the pacing was off. The first 200 pages or so was very enjoyable, with her struggling and making friends and trying to survive and claim a dragon. But after that, this book dragged quite a bit. A lot of the scenes felt like they went on for longer than needed. Once she gets a dragon, it's mainly about Xaden and her. I was under the impression that this was meant to be a military fantasy type book, like we were going to like get battles or like discover that the leadership was hiding things. There's like... one scene where Violet and Liam find something about a outpost and the teacher doesn't say anything about it. And they are confused for the page, and then promptly nothing else happens. The way we learn about what the book mentions of the secrets the leadership is hiding and her suspecting isn't really her suspecting at all? She sees it firsthand at the VERY end. It just felt like a misdirection in the summary.

I do like Violet. Is she frustrating at times, yes, but I found her to be a good MC and to actually be smart and tough and capable. I love that the book SHOWS me she's smart, it doesn't just tell me or have her ask a million questions to be answered by the love interest. She's a good person and compassionate. The whole two dragons bonding was a little eyerolling to me but whatever. To be honest, the only annoying thing about her was her not thinking Xaden didn't care for her/love her, when she gave Dain a million chances, and at the end where she acted like everything was lies.

I do like that the book highlights her differences and while there is ableism the book always shows how terrible and shitty it is. I say differences because it mentions that she's sickly but also her joints are weak and pop out/bones break easy but it never specifically states what she suffers from. Maybe it mentioned she's chronically ill but she never shows pretty much any symptoms. She talks about being in pain too. But she's never sick in the books and her bones aren't like glass. So, it did kind of feel disingenuous with its representation to me. She does have to train to get better but everyone has to do that.

There's a big part where it mentions she can't make jumps/pull herself up because not only her disability but she's short. How short is she? Are there NO other short people who experience that problem too about the vertical ascent? Also, a big majority of the book focuses on her being unable to keep her seat on a dragon. It's mentioned MANY people fall to their death. Um?? Why not make saddles a regular thing? It's been 600 hundred years and there's no advancements???

Xaden was good, we don't really get to know him a lot. Other than Violet being immediately hot for him, that's pretty much all we get until we slowly see he's a decent and good guy. I do respect that he never tries to make choices for Violet and he treats her like she can handle herself and helps her. I really admired his loyalty to all the rebellion kids and how he feels responsible for them. It's absolutely asinine and ridiculous that people make children suffer for the actions of their parents. It honestly makes me wonder about how great the dragons REALLY are when they're marking children and going along with it.

I'm also really glad that this was never a love triangle. She shut that shit down so fast. Dain was literally the WORST friend and just so god damn awful nearly every time. And like HE KEPT SOUNDING LIKE A BROKEN RECORD about literally everything.

Big spoilers ahead

When we find out the truth that Xaden's been keeping, Violet acts like it's SUCH a huge betrayal and she hates him because he didn't trust her, etc. Let's not forget that they haven't REALLY been together together for not even 24 hours yet. Plus, like... that's SUCH a huge secret. You have to slowly really trust someone because it could endanger SO MANY PEOPLE. This isn't a "don't tell people I met with a group of other rebellion kids to help tutor them through the year" kind of small secret. This is a EVERYTHING YOU KNOW IS A LIE AND YOUR FAMILY IS COMPLICIT AND PEOPLE WILL DIE IF TOLD kind of secret. I'm not saying she doesn't have a right to be angry. HOWEVER, I think she could be more "I'm angry that you didn't feel like you could trust me, but I understand how big and hard of a secret this is."

Also, we don't know for SURE if Dain did steal memory from her or not. I absolutely wouldn't put it past him to be honest and wouldn't be surprised if he did. HOWEVER. There's a mention that specifically states that command and leadership didn't expect the rebellion kids to survive and bond dragons, and states specifically that they aren't quite sure what to do with them! Xaden and his third years are the first about to graduate!! It makes more sense to me that leadership just either set them up to die because it was an easy solution. Especially since we did have that scene where Violet tells Dain to never take without permission and without asking and he's like omg I didn't ask?? And apologizes. Doesn't mean he DIDN'T DO IT I'm just throwing it out there. It's all just speculation.

I do think I'll keep reading the series whenever the next book comes out. I'm interested and I like the dragons and characters.

[dazzle-writes]

Thank you!! I'd love a stranger things matchup <3

I'm a straight female and my pronouns are she/her, I'm 20.

Physical description - I'm 5'9 and I have long and curly dark brown hair and brown eyes. I have a fair skin tone, I'm slim and I've got full lips and fairly large eyes. I also have these dimples that I really like! I love getting all dressed up.

Personality description - It takes me a while to feel comfortable around new people but once I do, I become really talkative and outgoing. I love helping out and I'm the therapist friend, people come to me to vent or for advice and comfort. I'm smart and ambitious; I love being the best at everything I do, but I'm deathly afraid of failure and disappointing the people I love. I'm quite the hopeless romantic and I love being in love! I adore big and small romantic gestures and I love domesticity sm!! I also daydream a lot and I can get lost in my own world for hours. I can be quite dramatic and stubborn and I tend to be withdrawn and distant at times. I get frustrated easily and I'm quietly competitive. My love languages are acts of service and quality time. I'm a ravenclaw, my mbti is infp and my enneagram is 4w3!

Hobbies/likes - I love reading, my favorite genres are poetry, Russian lit, and mysteries! I love learning about new things and knowing a little bit of everything. I adore adventures, witty and playful banter, joking around and having indepth discussions on anything and everything! I adore all forms of art and I have quite a few creative hobbies! I listen to a lot of modern/indie rock and I love watching films of all kinds.

I'll be okay with whatever you want, headcanons or otherwise!! Can it be please angst with a fluff ending? I'd also like the nsfw if you're okay with it!

Thank you very much!! I love your energy, it's adorable!! hope you have a wonderful day ❤️

UWAAA!! I'm so glad you like my energy!!! I am really excited to write this!!

I was originally going to match you up with Eddie but....honestly I could see you two as being related or siblings more than anything!! Straight up twins!

I DEFINITELY match you up with Steve!

Steve is a fellow romantic, so I can totally see you two constantly out-doing each other in big romantic gestures!!!

However, you both met in high school, when Steve was still very much so a Huge Asshole, and occasionally picked on you.

You often huddled in the library, pouring over books and mystery novels like you couldn't breathe without them. You often hid out there instead of in the noisy lunchroom, eagerly reading or even writing your own poetry. You had a small notebook, filled with your favorite poems and small verses you had written, doodles and even notes from your friends. It meant a lot to you, and you carried it with you everywhere.

The perfect target to really get under your skin.

It was Nancy who finally got them to stop, Steve and his little gang having been tossing your notebook back and forth, ripping a page from it each time and tossing them onto the ground.

"Hey, C'mon, give it back! It means a lot to me!!" You said, trying to jump and catch the notebook. Steve and Tommy just laughed and snickered at you, before Steve cracked open the book.

"And to my great love, the daydreams of my mind, I promise thee space in my thoughts forevermore." Steve read out a tiny verse you had written, mockingly waving his hand in the air. "Seriously, what is this shit! You think you're some kind of Hemingway?"

You groaned and picked up the abandoned pages, wincing as he ripped that one out too. He crumpled it up in his hand, and you fought very hard to hide the tears building in your eyes as he continued to destroy your journal.

"You know, you're a special kind of asshole to do this, Harrington!" You said, jumping for the notebook again. Steve tossed it over to Tommy, but it was quickly intercepted by Nancy who had a bitter look on her face. She began chewing Steve out as you took your notebook and ran, unable to find the page with your own poem on it.

You quickly switched to the art room when Steve learned you frequented the library, indulging yourself in painting and sketching instead. You soon found peace with that hobby, letting yourself have a little break from your notebook. This little hobby stuck with you while you graduated and got you through a horrendous job waitressing at a local diner.

Finally, you landed a gig at Scoops Ahoy. Your coworker Robin was a dream to be with, she got your style and your humor. She even convinced you to start a new journal, so you pasted all the old pages from the first one inside, and began writing again. You worst nightmare came true one day, when you saw Steve Harrington walk through the door instead of Robin.

You had half a mind to quit right then and there, and the other half to chew him out for every tease and torture you went through with school.

"You son of a bitch!" You said, the second option having won out. You threateningly waved your scoop in his face, as if you were a lion tamer in a circus. Steve raised his arms in surrender, backing up away from you.

"Hey, hey! Watch where you wave that thing! Easy, Y/N!!!" He said, as you chased him around the tiny ice cream scoop.

"I'll wave this wherever I damn well want! You deserve worse for the number of times you made school living hell!!!" You screamed. He yelped as you swung at him, jumping on top of a freezer and waving his arms out to you.

"Okay, I do! I'm sorry! I'm sorry, Y/N!!" Steve said, flinching as you wielded your mighty ice cream scoop.

"Yeah you better be-What? What did you say?" You asked, staring at him incredulously. You both were breathing heavy, adrenaline and anger flooding your veins. Steve merely gulped and slid off the freezer, still holding his hands out to you.

"I.....I said I'm sorry. I can't make up for high school, I know. I was an asshole." He said, before he scratched the back of his head. "If I could take back all the things I said and did I would."

You stared at him, surprised to see this level of maturity from someone who used to laugh when Tommy called you "Edgar Allen's Hoe". You looked him up and down, before finally easing your stance.

"Your girlfriend finally teach you to play nice?" You sneered, putting your scoop back into your apron pocket. The tension between you two was thicker than steel. Steve just snorted at your comment and shook his head.

"Ex. She left me because I was an asshole."

You found it hard to feel bad for him when he said that. You huffed through your nose and crossed your arms. He just sighed before rooting around in his pocket. "I actually begged Robin to switch shifts with me today, because I wanted to give this back to you..."

He pulls out a crumpled piece of paper and hands it to you, not meeting your eyes. You gingerly took the paper and opened it up, gasping as you saw the page of your notebook you never found.

"You.....You kept it all this time?" You said, reading the tiny verse you had written over and over again. Steve nodded and chuckled.

"I thought what you wrote was...pretty." He said, turning away to hide his pink face. "Anyway, if you don't mind, I'd like to start over? And maybe be friends?"

He stuck his hand out to you, still giving you the space to say no if you wished. You decided to give him a chance, seeing as he had returned that final piece of your notebooks puzzle to you.

"Fine. But I won't hesitate to shove this ice cream scoop up your ass if you test me again, Harrington!!"

He smiled with relief, and you two shook hands to honor the deal. You quickly grew into a routine with him as your coworker and friend, often times the three of you Scoops Ahoy employees grabbing dinner after work together. Steve quickly wormed his way into your life, and your wriggled your way into his. Carpooling when you had shared shifts. Hanging out at the library to try and help him figure out what he wanted to do with his future. Occasionally babysitting his gaggle of middle school friends with him. Overall, it was rather nice seeing him so domesticated and grown up.

Some days you really regretted saying yes. Like right now, when you were screaming bloody murder as you tried to escape from Russian clutches. He tugged you behind him as you separated from the rest of the group, and you dove for a utility closet, tucking yourself against each other. You both flinched, grabbing onto each other as guards ran past, muttering to each other in Russian. Steve began to gently pat the top of your head, trying to calm you down. He whispered into your ear as quietly as he could that he was so sorry that you got pulled into this mess.

"Hey, when we make it out of here, I'm gonna take you to that bookstore down the street and you can pick out whatever you want, okay?" He said, pressing his forehead to yours, and gently stroking your cheek. "And....And I'm also going to ask you out properly, because I've begun to really like you. I like the way you talk about things. And I like the way you sketch on napkins at work when you are bored. I like your hair and your eyes. I like the way you describe things when you write poems in your notebook. I like you."

You both flinched again as you heard a loud bang, but stayed hidden in that closet.

"So, when we get out of this, what do you say?" He asked, staring at you again.

You figured the kiss you gave him was answer enough.

(NSFW below!! Done more headcannon-esque)

Escaping the Russian lab was easy. Keeping Steves hands off of you while you two were together? That was a task no man could handle.

He never pushed your boundaries; he always knew just when to kiss you and just how to slide his hand down your back to make you weak in the knees. For as much as a loveable goofball he was on the outside, Steve was an utter devil with you in bed.

He would eat you out until you couldn't remember your own name. Sometimes he would make you pick a poem so he could mutter it to you in between your thighs, his lips constantly grazing over your clit. He was eager to please you, so much so that he often forgot to do anything for himself.

Fav position is def missionary. He just can't help but want to see your face and kiss it over and over! He just cant help but want to please you again and again and again.

Lord if you call him a good boy? Get a wheelchair.

Sometimes you have a deep urge to walk up to Nancy and ask her why the hell she left Steve. He tells you that he wasn't always this good, especially when the two of them were together.

Listen, he has such a breeding kink but he does not want any mini-hims or mini-yous until he has two rings on your finger and a roof over your head, so he is a condom KING.

never unprepared to fuck. NEVER.

His only thing is he doesn't like doing it when he's drunk because he gets pussydrunk on you so easily and doesn't have the willpower to control himself anymore and can easily overstimulate you.

AAHHHHHH!!! I hoped you like!! Its been forever since I've watched stranger things so I was scrounging tik tok for edits to get a good image of him in my head, I hope you enjoy!!!

[marveltmntgirl]

Name: Nylla, like (Va)nilla. No last name, duh

Age: ok get ready... 1,000+, BUT, BUT!!! Mentally like a PTSD ridden 17 year old :)

Height: ok, get ready... 6'0" :) Raph loves a tall queen. (he's 5'4" in my mind okay let me have this short king)

Species: Angel 🫨

Appearance:

Picrew is Astrolavas’ Maker 2.0

Important Features: Ugh she's so pretty. Anyway- long, LONG black hair in box braids (Picrew didn't have the option but you get the idea, it's voluminous). She can tie them up or have them whipping around, whatever she wants. Sharp, bright blue eyes, dark skin, wide nose, full lips. Big angel wings ofc. STRONG BODY!! She's got broad shoulders and MUSCULAR arms!! This is important to me!!

Personality: Solemn, patient, strong-willed, protective, deeply caring (she cares so much), passionate

Relationships

Raph - Sees bits of herself in Raph and in his passion to protect, the first person in a long time to challenge her and get her to open up— uh oh, what are these feelings??

Leo - she sees much of his father in him, is proud of his rise to leadership

Mikey - Cares for him in an almost-mom way, sees how he wants to be the 'fixer' of the family but is suffering from a lack of acknowledgment

Donnie - admires his intellect, is worried that he leaves his heart too unguarded

Splinter - best friend and also weirdly a father figure to her, they chat over tea every day 💅

Casey - Raph's twin, in a bad way. Please stop encouraging him

April - Doesn't dislike, but doesn't connect to very much

Shredder - Disappointed, despises, gets a little shaken up by several times

Karai - Too far gone, doesn't consider part of the family to protect

Omorfiá - Oh dear, a human disaster. Leo, get away from her.

Grace - Approves, thinks shes very sweet, becomes a mother-like figure to

Bláthanna - Oh no another human disaster— Mikey get away from her.

Abilities:

Flight (duh)

Invisibility

Minor wound healing

Creation Backstory:

I... don't remember exactly how I came up with Nylla. I guess the first two are more special to me :) (jk jk)... tbh I just wanted to make two characters to pair with Raph and Mikey, partly for online RP and partly to complete the set... this may be why these two feel a bit different to me. I'm not even sure how old I was when I made them, I might have been 14-15...

She was, once again, inspired by a single picture, a Valkyrie type fan art. Originally this was an angel character wearing armor and with blonde hair. I held on to the blonde hair for a bit before thinking... "Why would she have blonde hair?? She's not wearing wigs or getting it done??" So I changed that to braids, and that has remained fairly consistent. As with most of my characters, once I found a Picrew that could capture my mental picture, Nylla came together visually through that.

Nylla went through a few shifts in clothing. At first I kept her in her inspiring-image outfit of some sort of chest-plate armor. Then I kind of figured that wouldn't work in her past or present, so I changed it to a kimono for missions and a sort of modern-japan styled outfit for downtimes. Later on I was kind of never using the downtime clothing so I narrowed it down to one outfit: a white and black keikogi and black jika-tabi (yeah... I do my research)

Another change was she used to have a sword that was only sharp, or something stupid like that, in her hands (mjolnir much?). I ended up dropping that too.

She started as a MAJOR pick-me. Like, wow, it was bad. It might still be bad. I'm trying to tone it down. But she's always been a protective figure and ingrained in the Hamato history since the beginning. And I mean the BEGINNING. But the mix of her backstory and wanting to be accepted in the present family resulted in some... bad moments. Horribly cringy. It's a hard balance. I kind of just had to chill her out and work out the flaws in her personality (and also... grow up a bit myself, I was probably projecting).

Now I would say... Nylla is still one of the toughest and arguably more complex characters to write, with her apprehension to open up emotionally due to past pains, but also her desire to have close connections because she broke the "angel rules" and had close connections in the first place. But she is also incredibly fun, a badass, and is a vehicle for emotional maturity and themes of motherhood and the trials and different forms of love and how grief can change you throughout your life, and what that could look like if you've loved for 1,000 years...

Sorry, I started rambling. I kinda tapped into my older sibling/parentification energy writing her :,)

Nylla can fly. Of course, she's an angel. She can also turn invisible. I felt like that would be interesting and also kind of make sense, since angels aren't supposed to be seen, but they stick out pretty obviously. So, invisibility :) Technically, it's just them shifting into a different light spectrum than the human eye can see, if you wanna know the fictional science. Healing, well... shes an angel, and a protector, she has to bring something to the table. It does have its limitations. She can only heal surface wounds of minor to medium size, it's gonna scar, and it takes her energy to do it so she has a limit to what she can heal in a day. She cant heal illnesses or terminal sickness either.

Developing most characters of mine kind of goes with the thought process "okay, REALISTICALLY, how would this affect their appearance/personality". And seeing some online theories regarding the MCU's Falcon and his INSANE core strength to be able to fly... I came to the logical conclusion that Nylla is hella jacked :) and thus came to the even more logical and almost canon conclusion that Raph loves buff women. You're welcome.

Because she's very involved in the daily lives of the Hamato's, she has to live close by. I always had her living in the higher levels of the Dojo tree (from the 2012 show) and that's kind of stuck ever since. I just think it's so fun... her setup is almost treehouse like, with a platform made of salvaged wood and a suspended canopy bed, and her few belongings scattered about in open boxes. Homeless aesthetic :)

I made Nylla with the intention of her eventual romance with Raph, so their relationship was already in mind with her creation, but it went through a lot of changes in dynamic. It's a tricky thing to work with an ageless character who's supposed to be romantically involved with a far younger, aging being. It's hard to not dip into the weird Edward x Bella vibes. My only excuse is... I made her when I was a preteen, so... it wasn't intended to be creepy? I just wanted her to be cool.

I think now I have it settled, and have always had this in mind, that Nylla and Raph's relationship is a slow one that never really "happens" (i.e., real big romantic gestures don't happen) until years after their initial meeting. It starts with an initial distrust and distance between them that is slowly bridged with mutual challenge of their characters and beliefs, mutual love for their family, understanding and connection over their passionate and protective natures, and a friendship that grows deeper and more intimate over time.

I really enjoyed weaving her into the Hamato storyline up to the present day. I don't remember if her story was always so heartwarming and also tragic, but it ended up becoming a really sweet found-family/outliving said family as an immortal kind of story. My favorite parts to write/think about are flashbacks to Japan and her old life there...

Spin offs:

SEVEN YEARS — I haven't written Nylla's part for Seven Years yet, but it will most likely keep close to her original story with themes and notes. A protector, forbidden/long simmering affection, etc.

A KNIGHT TO REMEMBER — This is also not written yet but I have sat on this story idea for years. I just love the idea of Nylla as a knight (maybe a nod back to her inspiring picture) escorting a haughty prince through the snowy forests... the VIBES...

If I had to describe Nylla in one word: Muscles 😳

If I had to decribe Nylla in three words: Buff mom friend

[mara-and-its-the-same]

Hi again mara!! Could I also get a Coraline for stranger things please?

I'm a straight female and my pronouns are she/her.

Physical description - I'm 5'9 and I have long and curly dark brown hair and brown eyes. I have a fair skin tone, I'm slim and I've got full lips and fairly large eyes. I also have these dimples that I really like!

Hobbies/likes - I love reading, my favorite genres are poetry, Russian lit, and mysteries! I love learning about new things and knowing a little bit of everything. I adore adventures, witty and playful banter, joking around and having indepth discussions on anything and everything! I adore all forms of art and I have quite a few creative hobbies! I enjoy working out and I love playing badminton! I listen to a lot of modern/indie rock and I love watching films of all kinds.

Personality description - It takes me a while to feel comfortable around new people but once I do, I become really talkative and outgoing. I love helping out and I'm the therapist friend, people come to me to vent or for advice and comfort. I'm smart and ambitious; I love being the best at everything I do, but I'm deathly afraid of failure and disappointing the people I love. I'm quite the hopeless romantic and I love being in love! I adore small and big romantic gestures and I love domesticity sm! I also daydream a lot and I can get lost in my own world for hours. I can be quite dramatic and stubborn and I tend to be withdrawn and distant at times. I get frustrated easily and I'm quietly competitive. My love languages are acts of service and quality time.      

Thank you very much!! I also checked out a bit of newsies and found it really nice! I couldn't complete it because I have loads to study and I've been up all night catching up with my workload 😭. I watched the 1992 version and I was wondering if it's a good version to watch?

HAAHHAAA yes i knew it! You said you reread the other pairing i gave you so i was wondering which it was and i had an inkling that it was the russian classics one and i was RIGHT and i’m so happy. Also my collection has grown and now i have the collected Chekov and The Brothers Karamazov to work through <3

Well obviously domesticity=Steve Harrington, of course there are others out there, but i don’t think they all yearn for such a life.

OH MY GOD WHATVIF YOU MET AT LIKE THE COUNTRY CLUB AS TEENAGERS!!!! Ok so like you’re just playing badminton with your friend whatever but then he comes over to the next court (i’m sorry i don’t know how badminton works) and your friend/opponent is like raising their eyebrows at you and looking at him like “ooohh check out that guy, he is so your type.” and you’re like “ugh, knock it off you silly goose” so then they keep seeing him looking at you. Like just sneaking glances and missing the birdie because he’s so distracted by you and then whoever he’s playing with makes a bad serve/hit whatever and it lands near you because they’re just so sick of watching you two glance and flirt with your eyes and all that. So you go to be nice and pick it up for him but you reach for it at the same time and then you look into each others eyes and it’s love 🥹🥹🥹

I think you’d both make great conversation and you’d connect really well. Your personalities are similar enough to get along, but there’s enough differences that you’d help each other grow as people.

I think that you’re both afraid of failure and disappointing others so that you’d be really reassuring to each other and make sure that you both feel loved and respected in your relationship.

He would looooove your ambition, and how smart you are. He’d go crazy for it. He’s your #1 cheerleader 24/7. And while you’re out there doing your thing, being brilliant and winning badminton tournaments or whatever it is you aspire to, he’s always in your corner. Ready to be there for whatever you need and have all the domestic gestures waiting at home.

And with your love of movies, his job at family video sure comes in handy <3

✨✨✨✨

And i love love love that you found newsies 🥰🥰🥰 personally, my favorite is the 1992 movie version, however i do have a solid appreciation for the musical, Jeremy Jordan is such a darling always and forever.

Also i’m so sorry this took so long, i lost it in my drafts i’m so sorry but i hope you like it <3

[spiderfunkz]

sam → send me a description of urself (ex. personality, interests, looks if ur comfortable, gender preference, and anything that you'd like) + fandom(s) & i'll ship you with someone.

Congrats on 300 followers!! Your blog looks super cool <3 <3

Can I please get a ship for stranger things and marauders? I'm a straight female and my pronouns are she/her

Physical description - I'm 5'9 and I have long and curly dark brown hair and brown eyes. I have a fair skin tone, I'm slim and I've got full lips and fairly large eyes. I also have these dimples that I really like! I love getting all dressed up and experimenting with my makeup.

Personality description - It takes me a while to feel comfortable around new people but once I do, I become really talkative and outgoing. I love helping out and I'm the therapist friend, people come to me to vent or for advice and comfort. I'm smart and ambitious; I love being the best at everything I do, but I'm deathly afraid of failure and disappointing the people I love. I'm quite the hopeless romantic and I love being in love! I adore big and small romantic gestures and I love domesticity sm!! I also daydream a lot and I can get lost in my own world for hours. I can be quite dramatic and stubborn and I tend to be withdrawn and distant at times. I get frustrated easily and I'm quietly competitive. My love languages are acts of service and quality time.

Hobbies/likes - I love reading, my favorite genres are poetry, Russian lit, and mysteries! I love learning about new things and knowing a little bit of everything. I adore adventures, witty and playful banter, joking around and having indepth discussions on anything and everything! I love all forms of art and I have quite a few creative hobbies! I listen to a lot of modern/indie rock and I love watching films of all kinds.

Thank you very much <3. I hope you have a lovely day 🌟

steve harrington : ur a perfect match for him hello???? he would love to see all the pretty dresses you would wear on dates, admiring your beautiful face as you put on lipgloss. he would search for hours to find you books that he thinks you would like, searching every aisle in the library. gifting you books and flowers in return of all the things you've done for him. loves hearing you talk about your interests and plans study dates with you just for him to get distracted and stare at your pretty eyes and dimples.

james potter : james was the first thing that came into my head when i was reading your description (or maybe its james potter variants i ship u with Oops). gets lost for words when you show up to dates in pretty dresses and makeup, compliments u a bunch bunch!!! loves helping you pick out dresses (he's an expert), "i think this one looks lovely, but everything looks lovely if its on you love!". loves spending time with you watching films and going to theatres in the muggle world. he would also love your humour and making jokes together, probably asks you for ideas for pranks.

[mangora]

I’ve waited long enough to do one of these so here are my cast predictions now that the name dropped

Priya: A big sweetie but an early to mid boot, probably gets taken advantage of somehow, I don’t think she’s fully gonna snap but she probably does get to throw something at someone so good for her. Her design is a bit bland, I think she could maybe use a small detail like a hair clip/headband or something to make her stand out more, but it’s cute :0

Millie: Very responsible and kind, sort of “mom-like”, but learns she doesn’t have to be so nurturing to everyone/deal with the problems of others once Priya is voted out maybe? I think she at least gets past the merge. She has one of my favorite designs I love her everything

Ripper: A sarcastic little asshole but not to the point Noah was, he’s just like clever and witty but doesn’t really piss people off and he’s way more chill to try stuff. Idk how far he gets maybe an early boot maybe like middle post-merge. He’s a cute lil guy

Damien: Very easy-going, that’s really all I have to say about him. I think he’ll be kind of an early boot but he’s cool. Love his designs tho, the shades of blue and green w yellow accents. Yasss.

Axel: Very tough, very jaded, but also like a little unhinged as she deserves. Sort of like season one gwen if she got to be feral. Definitely going to go far (at least I hope pleaseeee go past the merge Axel ily). She’s so cool easily one of my favorite designs, very fresh and grunge

Chase: Already like him. He seems very milquetoast and just like your classic supportive friend but I like that and hope he gets around the merge. His design has just enough spice, I love his hair and head shape. He does dress like Cameron tho which, sorry cameron, is not a compliment

Zee: Funky, very funky, seems very chill and happy. I think they have a silly voice. They probably get voted out early but they have a good time. Everyone shits on them for their weird shapes but I love them. Very weird /pos

Scary Girl: Probably gonna be another top 3 antagonist with some mysterious sympathetic past. Goblin-esque but more in like an eerie way than a manic way. Obviously I love a good goth, the dark Lolita dress is very like rare in the td style and I love it actually

Caleb: Early boot, a bit dumb, idk that’s most of what I have to say. He’s chill, pretty normal. His design is cool tho I love the pastels on the clothes mixed with the sort of ruddy/cool skin and hair tones

Nichelle: Hot take I think she’s gonna be an early boot. She’s a blogger maybe? Or an influencer? Idk. She’s pretty chill though, I think she and Julia are either good buds or natural enemies. Her hair is so cute tho and her color scheme

Julia: I know people think she’s a villain but I think she’s gonna be more of a chill Bridgette type who’s just trying to get through. Definitely post-merge. Smokes weed. Her design is very basic but it’s alright, it’s recognizable, I like the more muted colors as opposed to the old td bright yellow blondes with neon clothes. She does feel like a shitty modern disney edit by a tik toker as a person tho

Bowie:…Definitely gonna be a stereotypical gay character. I mean. Come on. But whether they do it in a fun way or a shitty way is yet to be revealed. Maybe mid season? Also is an antagonist at some point. He’s okay, punchable face and ugly green pants but his color scheme and jewelry are nice

Wayne: The more outspoken one of the pair. He and Riu are like Katie and Sadie but more chill idk. Kinda just a guy

Riu: Takes the backseat to Wayne but still a nice guy, just shyer. I feel like Wayne gets voted out and Riu has to adjust without him like how Sadie would’ve in season one if the writers weren’t cowards. Also just a guy tbh their designs are okay but like forgettable

Emma: Sweet pushover horse girl. She and Priya are also friends but Emma’s more observant idk when she gets booted but I hope she stays for a bit I like her. Her design is sooo cute tho she’s very warm and friend shaped and has just enough detail

MK: A little judgmental and a bit gremlin-y but overall chill. I know they’re gonna get the early boot due to a misunderstanding or rumor. Very nice colors I love the warm cools and cool warms (this is minus the weird bright yellow skin which…mmmmm yuck), love their layers, why are they so smalllll

[romeave]

Hey could I request you do a fit rating of Lucinda, I think there’s a good amount of variety there. Much thank

MYS FIT REVIEW - LUCINDA

MYSTREET SEASON ONE - CASUAL

Absolutely iconic. Very faithful modern update from her MCD fit. Black and white with the orange is very halloweeny, and the black bow is a cute alternative to a witch hat. The pattern is kind of underwhelming, especially since half the cast wore it all winter.

9/10

MYSTREET SEASON ONE - FORMAL

Unpopular opinion but I prefer this one to her casual! It’s a superior callback to the MCD desgin, taking everything that works about it and improving it for the modern day. The sleeve pattern was unique to Lucinda during season one, and the lilac is just sparingly enough to stand out. The large bow is purple and is easier to see than the black one, and her hair part for this fit was unique to and cute. Also the skin shading actually looks nice here

10/10

PHOENIX DROP HIGH - UNIFORM

Again, the uniform itself if kind of ugly. But I’m fairly certain Lucinda is the only character who wears white stockings instead of white socks so good on her for being unique. Lucinda’s PDH hairstyle doesn’t radiate Lucinda energy but she’s like 15 let her grow into her own

5/10

PHOENIX DROP HIGH - GYM

Still a rancid school gym uniform, but the indigo is a nice color on Lucinda

3/10

PHOENIX DROP HIGH - PAJAMAS

This is the first instance of Lucinda in lilac and honestly, not a fan. It’s very similar in rone to her hair/skin and makes her look washed out. The design of the nightgown and socks is nice and simple. And the coordination is cute.

4/10

MYSTREET SEASON TWO - CASUAL

This is probably the worst of the liliac Luci fits. She’s washed out, only has white as a compliment, and I have no idea what that bathing suit is supposed to be. The asymmetrical bottom wrap drapes harshly, the white tube top matches nothing, and there’s a lilac stripe just…across the top of her shoulders. Its not even attatched to anything. It is so horribly awful Bin changed Luci’s entire fit for the faster car music video

1/10

MYSTREET SEASON THREE/FOUR - CASUAL

I don’t know why Jesson decided to keep Lucinda in this shade of purple for this long, but this fit is better than the last two. The sweater design is cute even though the colors have the same value, the bottom is nice, and the pink neck thing is a nice accent.

The big issue with this fit is it’s not a Lucinda fit. If the yellow spots were a different color, I could easily see this ensamble on Aphmau. In order for a fit to be Lucinda’s general brand of casual, it must include a head piece large enough to be visible from most angles and visible skin. This aint it cheif

2/10

MYSTREET SEASON FIVE - CASUAL

Solid bathing suit. Orange and blue are complimentary, the design makes tenchinal sense, and Lucinda is not washed out! Making the bracelet magenta was an odd choice, and would have looked better if it was red

7/10

MYSTREET SEASON SIX - CASUAL

Finally back to her iconic Lucinda brand with good enough functionality for her whole on the run from the government thing. The cool tones of her outfit contrast nicely with her hair, and the deep maroon shirt compliments her eyes without standing out. Her hairpiece is a dark bandana, which is both practical for the situation and a nice homage to her gigantic bow. The crop top just makes the skin quota without while managing to still be plain enough for a hiding fit. Good job

9/10

MYSTREET SEASON 6 - FORMAL

The cut? Ugly. The colors? Drab. The mask? Awful. I know they’re on the run but how did Jesson manage a worse lookj for Luci than Lilac Luci? Disgusting

0/10

OVERALL SCORE - 5/10

[floweroflaurelin]

Hi two questions because me and a friend are arguing about it

1) is Pearl smiling or no. I think she is but my friend says she’s neutral

2) did you intentionally model Pixlriffs after modern depictions of Jesus of Nazareth bc my friend thinks you did and you’re making an intentional statement about his character

Hahaha awww you’re arguing about lil ol’ me? That’s what I like to hear 😇

1) Is Pearl smiling or neutral? Pearl’s expression is one of kindness with a hint of satisfied tiredness from a successful day working out in the sun. (Besides having abundant freckles, her cheeks, nose and shoulders have a hint of a sunburn.) She’s relaxed here, but her lips even when largely neutral have a natural up-turn on the corners. (My little sister has the same thing!) She’s not deliberately smiling like Jimmy is, but she’s not completely neutral either… Hope this helps 😚😉

2) Is Pix intentionally modelled after Jesus? No, not really. Statement about his character? Yeah! I did design him to look like a wise and spiritual leader from a desert climate, and to make that read quickly I borrowed elements from Prince of Egypt’s Moses—the length of the hair, the shape of the beard on the jaw. However, my Copper King is white with a tanned, olivey skin tone—and so with those two facts combined you do pretty much get a lot of modern Jesus interpretations 😂 I’m a Muslim and genuinely don’t know a lot about Christianity but if I was gonna design my own modern Jesus, he’d probably look a lot like my Copper King portrait does hahahaha

Some more fun facts about my Pix design: I wanted to emphasize both that his eyes have seen a lot and also that there’s mischief in the slight curve of his lips. He’s wearing kohl around his eyes because desert, and this helps to draw the corners of his eyes downwards, as though heavy from the weight of what he’s seen and done as keeper of the Vigil. As well, his eyes have more highlights in them to draw you in, but unlike Pearl there’s no black pupil defined in the dark blue! Mysterious but sharp eyes, since the Copper King is spiritual and clever. However, he also loves pranks and messing with people and playing practical jokes, so there’s a bit of a wry and more youthful upturn to his lip that keeps him from looking sorrowful or fully weighted down from responsibility. I’ve seen a few people in the tags noticing that, and it makes me really happy!

I could talk about little details in my designs all day so if you’re ever arguing again please do come let me know, I love talking about myself and also sowing conflict 😍😍

[wardensantoineandevka]

2, 9, and 14 for the CR ask meme please! :))

;Weirdly specific and overly long Critical Role Ask Meme

2. Favorite unhinged shopkeeper.

What the FUCK is Keona the Keen's deal? Like, Matt compares Isharnai's physicality as reminiscent of Keona's, but also says that Keona isn't a hag. Also totally wild that Ludinus recommends shopping at her place and tells the Nein to tell her that he sends his regards, and it seems to be genuinely friendly. I'm just obsessed with this woman, what is the deal here.

9. Location in Exandria you'd like to see in a possibly canonical one-shot/EXU but with non-main campaign characters (as in Song of the Lorelei/The Darrington Brigade)

Yes, I know, the Shattered Teeth is Domunas, but I am going to say Shattered Teeth anyway. I would love to see an ExU set there to explore the modern sociopolitical and geographical landscapes there. I think the Wanderman Assembly and Ossended Host conflict is totally up my alley, and I'd love to unpack the consequences of ExU Calamity on that region.

14. Describe the art you would most like to create or commission if talent/money were no object.

I have so many, but the one I think about a lot is like, portrait of Fjord seated at a dinner table, fork and knife in hand. It's a bust-length direct head-on, as if the viewer is sitting directly across from him at the table. There's like a slice of meat, like a roast cut style or something on his plate of something serpentine (like, full "hank", still has the scales and skin on and everything so it's identifiable). He has whole yellow eye speared on the end of his fork and is lifting it to his mouth to take a bite. He's looking directly at the viewer. Maybe the Star Razor is lying directly across the middle of the table between the viewer and his plate, and if there are any other items on the table, they feel figurative or allegorical, maybe even a little surrealist. It has the vibe and tone of a baroque allegorical painting, with the dark and dramatic lighting, like a Velázquez or something.

I just really love kind of dark, surreal / allegorical, tense, and kind of off-putting stuff like that.