#and this was a fun way to slightly explore character designs

[fiery-emblems]

The other day I drew an idea for "what if branded could transform", but really I just wanted to design a dragon. In reality I think you could take the idea way further.

What if you were to take the idea of branded being half laguz way more literally?? Basically I think it would be cool to have more of a half transformation resulting in what are basically monsters from myth and legend. Of course, I continue to have an interest in a story where the branded are the main characters and the heroes so, making them look like monsters but actually be good guys is fun to me!

The first and most obvious version of this idea would be the half human/half wolf (werewolf). I don't think they would lose themselves like werewolves, but they are the most iconic animal human hybrid design!

The next most obvious design would be half human/half bird (harpies). I think its important to really push the animal aspect and not just make them sexy sexy mostly human things. I think it would be fun to explore the design differences between hawk harpies, raven harpies, and heron harpies.

The cats are the hardest ones to design imo because there aren't that many human/cat hybrid monsters in mythology that aren't also mixed with even more animals. Its probably fine to just follow the example of the wolves and do were-cats though. Still cool!

For dragons I actually think there are a couple different directions you could go in. For this idea I basically went with your standard high fantasy/DnD demons and devils. There's only one half dragon in Tellius but this is another case where it would be really fun to design different looks for red, white or black half dragons since the ones we see in canon have slightly different builds and horn designs plus the different skin colors. (I would go with different skin colors like tieflings. The whole idea is for them to look like monsters and I think dragons should be scary!!)

The other idea I had would be for half dragons to be oni? Basically the same design sensibility but you would lose the wings. My reason for this idea is because oni are cool dragons in Tellius are kind of seen as this terrifying force of nature that could destroy everyone if they wanted to, which is kind of what oni are as well. I think it could work nicely.

[minhosbitterriver]

🍿 𝐂𝐈𝐍𝐄𝐌𝐀𝐓𝐈𝐂 𝐒𝐄𝐂𝐑𝐄𝐓𝐒 ( stray kids )

❛ In the hushed shadows of an empty cinema, you and Hyunjin find yourselves doing anything except watch the film.

𝐡𝐰𝐚𝐧𝐠 𝐡𝐲𝐮𝐧𝐣𝐢𝐧 + male reader ೯ ( 𝐨𝐧𝐞-𝐬𝐡𝐨𝐭 )

𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐝 𝐜𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐭: 3.2k 𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐦𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐢𝐦𝐞: 12 mins

꒰ 💌 ꒱ ミ This piece was requested by a lovely Anon! It was especially fun to explore the agoraphilia kink and it might or might not have awakened something in me, sorry not sorry. Requests are currently open! I hope you guys enjoy, reblogs and feedback are much appreciated! ── ( 𝐥𝐢𝐛𝐫𝐚𝐫𝐲 )

𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐰𝐚𝐫𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐬: MDNI, FWB trope, agoraphilia (the kink related to having sex in a public space), handjob, blowjob, let me know if I missed anything!

( 𝐠𝐮𝐢𝐝𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐞𝐬 ) ( 𝐭𝐚𝐠𝐥𝐢𝐬𝐭 & 𝐚𝐧𝐨𝐧𝐬 ) ( 𝐫𝐞𝐪𝐮𝐞𝐬𝐭 𝐥𝐢𝐬𝐭 )

꒰ 🫙 ꒱ ミ Tip Jar!

The large screen cast a solitary glow in the otherwise dark and empty cinema room, its flickering light the only beacon amidst the shadows. The film, having premiered only a week ago, played out its animated scenes, but your attention was never captured by the vibrant characters or the lively plot. It was the heart of the week, the sun hanging high in the sky outside, and the cinema was hushed in a midday silence. The movie, a colorful tapestry of whimsy designed for children's delight, had been carefully selected by Hyunjin as part of a deliberate plan.

He knew that a matinee showing of a children's film would ensure privacy, a quiet refuge from the bustling world outside. The choice spoke volumes of his thoughtfulness, a gesture meant to cocoon you both in a rare moment of undisturbed togetherness. The dim ambiance and the occasional laughter from the screen seemed distant, like echoes in a cavern, as the true magic unfolded in the space between your entwined fingers and shared, whispered words.

His hand rested with a gentle weight on your upper thigh, a touch that felt both grounding and electric. Though his gaze appeared firmly fixed on the screen ahead, you could sense the unspoken intentions behind his seemingly casual posture. His fingers, warm and slightly calloused, felt like they were weaving a spell of anticipation and desire.

Your breath caught in your throat as you felt him inch just a fraction closer to your already eager core, a subtle yet powerful movement that sent ripples of longing through your body. You couldn’t tear your eyes away from him, the flickering light from the screen casting playful shadows across his face. His smirk, a tantalizing curve at the corners of his lips, told you he was fully aware of the effect he had on you. It was a dance of silent communication, a game of tension and teasing that left you breathless and wanting more.

The room seemed to shrink, the outside world fading into oblivion as every fiber of your being focused on the closeness of his touch and the promise of what it held. The distant sounds of the film became a mere backdrop to the intimate symphony of your shared moment, each second stretched out, dripping with delicious anticipation. His smirk deepened as he felt your reaction, a silent victory that only fueled the fire between you both.

It wasn’t long before Hyunjin’s hand found its way to the apex of your thighs, pressing firmly against your clothed core. The sensation was immediate and overwhelming, and suddenly breathing felt like a conscious effort rather than a natural reflex. Each inhalation was shallow, your chest rising and falling in a rhythm dictated by his tantalizing touch.

Your hands clung to the armrests of your seat, knuckles white with the force of your grip, as your body involuntarily arched and buckled against his hand. The need for more, for deeper contact, pulsed through you, a throbbing ache that begged for release. Hyunjin, sensing your desperation, was unreserved in his approach, his fingers moving with practiced skill as they massaged your length through the fabric of your jeans.

The roughness of the denim contrasted deliciously with the tenderness of his caress, each movement sending waves of pleasure coursing through your veins. You could feel the heat pooling low in your belly, a fire stoked by his every motion. From the corner of your eye, you glimpsed the outline of his own arousal, straining against the confines of his pants. The sight sent a jolt of satisfaction through you, feeding your ego and heightening the intensity of the moment.

In the dim, secluded theater, with only the flickering light of the screen to witness your secret encounter, the world outside ceased to exist. Each touch, each whisper of movement, was magnified in the hushed silence. Hyunjin’s breath, warm and shallow, mingled with yours, creating a private symphony of shared desire. His eyes, dark and intense, flickered with a mix of mischief and ardor, reflecting the storm of emotions that raged within you both.

There was never any kissing between the two of you, no trace of affection mingled with the deeply intimate actions that had become your shared ritual. Lips never met in tender embrace, and there were no soft whispers of endearment. Instead, the connection you forged was raw and elemental, stripped of the frills of romance. Behind closed doors and within the shadows of dimly lit rooms, you found a thrilling liberation in the mutual use of each other’s bodies. Each encounter was a secret symphony of touch and sensation, free from the constraints of emotional entanglement.

The exhilaration of this clandestine arrangement was a heady intoxication, a rush of adrenaline that coursed through your veins each and every time. The absence of romantic gestures and the lack of emotional responsibility created a unique and intoxicating blend of freedom and anticipation. You both existed in a world where the only currency was the explicit pleasure you pursued together, a hedonistic exchange that left no room for the complexities of caring beyond the immediate moment.

This arrangement, devoid of conventional intimacy, was pure bliss—a potent addiction that occupied your thoughts through every waking moment. The craving for these encounters became an ever-present undercurrent in your daily life, a hunger that only grew stronger with each rendezvous. The physical connection, unburdened by the expectations of love or the weight of emotional commitment, was a sanctuary of sorts, a place where you could lose yourselves in the primal joy of unrestrained passion.

Each touch, each breathless moment, was a testament to the unique bond you shared—one that thrived in the dark, away from the scrutinizing eyes of the world. The thrill of secrecy, the raw, unfiltered pleasure, was an addiction that neither of you could resist. It was a dance of shadows and light, a tantalizing game that blurred the lines between reality and desire, leaving you both perpetually yearning for the next encounter.

Growing weary of the languid touches that teased more than satisfied, you decided to seize control from Hyunjin. Your fingers, light and teasing, trailed a deliberate path up to his painfully hard arousal. The unexpected contact elicited a raw, unguarded moan from his plump lips, his eyes flashing with a mixture of surprise and irritation. Yet, his glare only made you chuckle softly, a sound that vibrated with quiet confidence and amusement.

Determined to unravel him with your touch, you felt a rising tide of desperation to see him surrender. Your movements became more purposeful, almost urgent, as you deftly tugged his pants and underwear down just enough to liberate his beautiful, aching member. The sight of him laid bare before you sent a thrill through your veins, your own need intensifying at the vision of his vulnerability.

Hyunjin sighed in relief, the tension momentarily ebbing away, only to be replaced by a darker, more intense gaze. His eyes, heavy with desire, watched as you surveyed the dimly lit cinema room, ensuring your clandestine encounter remained undisturbed. Satisfied that you were alone, you slowly sank to your knees between his legs, the anticipation of what was to come heightening the electricity in the air.

The dim glow of the screen cast ethereal shadows over your form, accentuating the intimate tableau you created together. Hyunjin’s breath hitched, his eyes never leaving yours, a silent acknowledgment of your shared hunger and the shifting power dynamic. As you positioned yourself, the world outside the darkened room ceased to exist, leaving only the palpable tension and the promise of exquisite release.

His chest rose and fell with shallow breaths, each exhalation a testament to his struggle to maintain composure. Your hands, now steady and confident, moved with a precision born of intimate knowledge, eager to draw out every shiver and gasp. The intimacy of the moment, the raw, unfiltered need, created a cocoon around you both, a sanctuary of desire where every touch, every glance, spoke volumes.

Hyunjin’s quiet moans filled the space, mingling with the distant sounds of the film, creating a symphony of pleasure that echoed in the secluded darkness. Your control, your neediness, intertwined seamlessly, crafting a moment of pure, unadulterated passion that left both of you breathless and yearning for more.

Hyunjin was already leaking, a tantalizing sight that made your mouth water with anticipation. The glistening evidence of his arousal only spurred you on, your desire mounting with every passing second. You wrapped your fingers around his throbbing length, feeling the heat and the pulse beneath your touch. Slowly, deliberately, you began to stroke him, each movement measured to draw out his pleasure.

As your hand moved, Hyunjin’s reaction was immediate and intense. He threw his head back, his face a portrait of pure ecstasy. His mouth fell open, a silent cry of pleasure escaping his parted lips, and his eyes squeezed shut as waves of sensation washed over him. The sight of him, so undone by your touch, bolstered your confidence, fueling the fire of your own arousal.

With a surge of boldness, you finally took him into your mouth, the familiar taste and texture igniting a spark within you. You fought to suppress a moan, the urge to vocalize your pleasure nearly overwhelming. The sensation of him filling your mouth, the weight and warmth of him, was intoxicating. You reveled in the control, in the power you wielded over his pleasure.

Hyunjin’s response was visceral. He hissed through clenched teeth, his head snapping forward to watch you. His eyes, dark and intense, were filled with a mix of surprise and unrestrained desire. His brows furrowed, the tension etched across his features, but his jaw remained slack, a testament to his struggle to contain his sounds. The effort to maintain some semblance of control was evident, yet you could see him teetering on the edge, each moment threatening to push him over.

Your movements were slow, deliberate, savoring the taste of him and the way his body responded to your ministrations. The flickering light from the screen played across his face, highlighting the sheen of sweat on his brow, the way his lips trembled with every suppressed sound. The intimacy of the moment, the raw, unfiltered connection, created a heady atmosphere that wrapped around you both.

Every subtle shift of his hips, every strangled breath, fed your own desire. The rhythm you established, the ebb and flow of pleasure, was a dance you both knew well. The darkened cinema room, the backdrop of the distant film, became a world unto itself, where the only reality was the shared ecstasy and the bond forged in the heat of passion.

With each stroke, each gentle suction, you brought him closer to the edge, the anticipation building between you. Hyunjin’s gaze never wavered, locked onto you with a mixture of awe and desperation. The connection, so deeply physical, was underscored by the unspoken understanding that this moment, this exchange of pleasure, was something sacred and profoundly intimate.

It was almost uncanny to experience Hyunjin’s unusual silence. You had grown so accustomed to the symphony of his voice, the way he filled intimate moments with his melodic praises and unrestrained moans. His words, often slurred by the intoxicating waves of pleasure, were a chorus of erotic melodies that resonated deep within you, igniting your own desires. The quiet now was both a stark contrast and a thrilling challenge, a testament to his struggle to maintain control.

Yet, even in his silence, the intensity of his need was unmistakable. His normally expressive self found new ways to convey his desperation, his fingers tangling in your hair with a grip that spoke volumes. The usually tender touch now firm and commanding, guiding your head in a rhythm that matched his urgent desires. The sensation of his fingers fisting your hair, each tug a silent plea for more, sent shivers down your spine.

Hyunjin’s hips began to move with a mind of their own, thrusting to meet the rhythm you established. Each upward motion synchronized with the downward movement of your mouth, creating a perfect harmony of motion and sensation. His normally vocal nature was replaced by a more physical expression of his need, every thrust a wordless cry of pleasure. The quiet, punctuated only by the sound of your movements and his ragged breaths, created an atmosphere thick with unspoken longing.

The flickering light from the screen danced across his face, highlighting the tautness of his jaw and the fire in his eyes. The restraint he showed, the effort to maintain some semblance of composure, made the moment even more electrifying. His usual clinginess, now intensified, was a physical manifestation of his pleasure, his body seeking yours with an almost desperate fervor.

As you moved together, the dance of your intimacy became a testament to your deep connection. Each motion, each shared breath, wove a tapestry of desire that wrapped around you both. The darkened cinema room, once a simple backdrop, now felt like a secret world where only the two of you existed, bound by the intensity of your shared experience.

Hyunjin’s control wavered with each passing second, the struggle evident in the way his body tensed and relaxed in quick succession. The quiet was a fragile thing, threatened by the rising tide of his pleasure. His eyes, dark and intense, locked onto yours, communicating volumes without a single word. The normally eloquent Hyunjin was now a creature of pure sensation, his need for you transcending language.

Every movement, every touch, was a symphony of silent communication, an intricate dance of desire and control. As you continued, the thrill of his intensified clinginess and the unusual quiet created a heady mix, a potent blend of intimacy that left you both breathless and yearning for more.

Your free hand moved to caress his balls, the delicate yet firm touch sending jolts of intensified pleasure through Hyunjin’s already electrified body. The effect was immediate and profound; his actions became increasingly erratic, a beautiful chaos of movement that reflected the storm of sensations you were conjuring within him. His face, a canvas of raw emotion, scrunched up gorgeously in response, each twitch and contortion a testament to the bliss you were eliciting.

As the tension mounted, he leaned forward, his need to be closer to you overwhelming his senses. His movements pushed your nose against his pelvis, the intimacy of the action driving both of you to new heights of arousal. You could feel his release building, a palpable tension that seemed to vibrate through his entire body.

When he finally reached the peak of his pleasure, you felt the hot, thick rush of his release spill down your throat. The sensation was overwhelming, filling your mouth to the point of gagging. The fullness was both a challenge and a thrill, a testament to the depth of your connection and the intensity of the moment. You struggled to breathe, the sheer volume of him making it difficult, but you relished every second of it.

Eventually, Hyunjin’s iron grip on you relaxed, his fingers loosening their hold on your hair. You pulled back, gasping for air, the sudden rush of oxygen a stark contrast to the suffocating fullness you’d just experienced. The cool air on your face and the lingering taste of him in your mouth created a heady mix of sensations that left you reeling.

Hyunjin’s gaze softened, the fierce intensity giving way to a tender vulnerability. His breaths came in ragged gasps, each one a testament to the overwhelming pleasure he’d just experienced. You could see the gratitude and the residual pleasure in his eyes, a silent acknowledgment of the profound connection you shared.

The dim light of the cinema cast gentle shadows across his face, highlighting the lingering flush of arousal on his cheeks. The room, once a simple setting, now felt like a sacred space where the boundaries between you had dissolved. Every detail, from the softness of his touch to the taste of his release, was etched into your memory, creating a moment that was both ephemeral and eternal.

As you both recovered, the world outside seemed distant and unimportant. The intimacy of the moment, the raw, unfiltered connection, had created a bubble of reality where only the two of you existed. The echoes of pleasure and the warmth of your shared experience lingered in the air, a promise of more moments like this to come.

Just like that, you returned to your seat, slipping back into the plush cushion as if nothing extraordinary had transpired. With a composed air, you swallowed the lingering evidence of your intimate adventure, the remnants of Hyunjin’s release settling deep within you. The calm facade you wore was a stark contrast to the storm of emotions that had just raged between you.

Beside you, Hyunjin was utterly spent, his chest rising and falling in an effort to catch his breath. His skin glistened faintly under the dim cinema lights, a sheen of sweat marking the intensity of your shared moment. His eyes, still glazed with the remnants of pleasure, never left your figure. The way you appeared so nonchalant, so composed, despite the passionate exchange that had just unfolded, captivated him.

Your core throbbed with a dull, insistent ache, a testament to the desire that still simmered within you. The anticipation of what was to come made it difficult to focus on anything else. You shifted slightly in your seat, the ache intensifying with every subtle movement, a constant reminder of the unfinished business between you.

Hyunjin’s gaze lingered on you, a silent promise of continued pleasure hanging in the air. The unspoken understanding that the fun was far from over added an electric tension to the room. The film continued to play, its plot a distant murmur, overshadowed by the anticipation of what awaited you both once the credits rolled.

As you both sat in the dim light, the world outside the cinema seemed to fade away. The mundane reality of your surroundings contrasted sharply with the charged intimacy you shared. The darkened room, filled with the flickering glow of the screen, became a private haven where your desires could roam free, undisturbed by the outside world.

Hyunjin’s fingers twitched slightly, a subtle indication of his renewed interest. The thought of continuing your escapade in the confines of the car sent a thrill through you, your body responding eagerly to the prospect. The anticipation built steadily, each passing moment bringing you closer to the next chapter of your passionate adventure.

The film’s soundtrack provided a background score to your thoughts, each swell of music mirroring the rising tension between you. Your composure remained intact, but beneath the surface, a tempest of desire brewed, ready to be unleashed once more. Hyunjin’s presence, his proximity, only added fuel to the fire, making the wait both torturous and deliciously exciting.

In that shared silence, the air thick with unsaid words and unmet needs, you both found solace. The bond forged in those stolen moments of pleasure was a testament to the depth of your connection. The promise of what was to come loomed large, a tantalizing prospect that kept you both on the edge, eagerly awaiting the privacy of the car where your desires could be fully realized.

꒰ 🏷️ ꒱ ミ Permanent taglist: @agi-ppangx @sunnyrisee @jisunglyricist (Click on the link to join! All you have to do is answer a few questions to help me stay organized!)

🍉 FROM THE RIVER TO THE SEA, PALESTINE WILL BE FREE! DAILY CLICKS! STAYBLR FUNDRAISER!

[valtsv]

What you find compelling about VAL is easy for me to intuit; I'm curious about what you find compelling about Shrue with regards to pairing them? I love them both as characters; I just remain perpetually confused as to pairings. Your writing is great btw; just interested to hear you talk about Shrue.

first off i need to confess that i shot myself in the foot a bit by using fandom shipping terminology to come up with the "VALshrue" portmanteau, because i don't have any desire to ship them in the typical romantic sense (or even sexual tbh, but that's an essay for another ask or post). in the best case scenarios where they aren't abusing each other and making each other worse it's still extremely aromantic - in fact any amatonormativity tends to contribute to the (unavoidable) toxic elements and make them more miserable and that is by design.

anyway! the anathema formerly known as adjudicator temerik shrue. my silly rabbit. i don't often talk about them in as much depth as VAL (which is truly a failure on my part) but i do absolutely adore their horrible ass just as much and want goodbad things for them. the easy answer to why i find them compelling is that a weaselly, hypocritical alcoholic public servant complicit in some of the worst abuses and exploitations the societal values they uphold are built on, contending with an impending inevitable divorce that will seal the nail in the coffin on their profound loneliness by drowning their regrets in more liquid shame, and denying their hand in their own and others' misfortunes at every turn - until their back hits the wall and there's nowhere left to run - is just such a fun character for me to play with. what if harry du bois was even more of a pathetic loser and a massive (but extremely funny) cunt about it too.

the slightly more thematically coherent answer is that i absolutely love a character whose hell is self-made and who can never balance the scales of that suffering, or their complicity in it, and has to understand that in order to ever develop as a person. the potential there is an absolute goldmine to me. how can you stand to live with yourself? why should you? why shouldn't you? and as much as i think their canon ending is beautifully written, i love to explore what might have happened if they didn't get an exit, and still didn't get what they wanted. if they had to put their money where their mouth is and try to build a better world, despite being cynically convinced that it probably isn't possible and that most people, them included, don't deserve to see it. honestly a huge part of the appeal of VALshrue to me is that not only are they absolutely awful people who've sacrificed everything that might have made their lives worthwhile to a heartless, insatiable cycle of violence that will never love them back, who less "redeem" themselves than succeed in recognising that the harm they've done has no justification and no meaning beyond feeding the same system that will eat them without remorse in turn when its use for them runs out - which is far more interesting and important to me than pure fantastical heroism - but they're immensely pathetic and selfish and self-sabotaging in very ugly, human ways about it. and that's SO much fun to play with as a fan creator.

also personally i think that they have a bit of a repressed sadistic streak that, while very much the result of the way they're constantly degraded and manipulated by everyone around them, is still incredibly destructive and maladaptive and extremely fun to unleash by poking them with sticks until they snap about it. and even more fun when VAL is the one poking them, intentionally or unintentionally ^_^

[delphianactuallydoodling]

The Gallery Wall pt 2: electric boogaloo The Yap Post

DISCLAIMER: I read this book once and almost a year ago. I tried my very best to refresh my memory through various ways, but really I should just read it again.

I tried to keep everything as book accurate as possible, but if I skipped over stuff then that's probably why. I plan to make more fanart in the future, so I'll keep any corrections in mind for the future.

That being said, I want to get into some of the inspiration and thoughts behind my designs for the Greek class.

A general critique I have for people's designs for all the characters is that they exist in a sort of time period-less void. We know the story is set in the 80's, yet that style is not explored very much. I don't know if this is because people easily associate the 80's with neon colors and other garish aesthetics that feel like a total opposite of the ambiance of this novel. However that's not an accurate portrayal of what a lot of 'normal' people were wearing during that time.

Despite the Greek class being maybe slightly old fashioned in an old money sort of way I don't believe they would totally disregard the trends of the time.

Camilla

Camilla quite suits the 80's. The trend of pastel clothing is in line with Donna's description of the twins wearing mostly white or other light colors.

I'm not necessarily opposed to the Camilla with a bob agenda, but there were more than enough icons in the 80's that were rocking a pixie cut adjacent hairstyles for me to go even shorter. I ended up going with Molly Ringwald for my main source of inspiration hairstyle wise. The curls add to the angelic description.

Longer hair than a bob is out of the question. I find it a kind of weird design choice. Sometimes it comes off to me as if people can only view Camilla as either a tomboy or very femme. I'm a firm believer that short hair is neutral and doesn't necessarily lean toward masculine looking. It's all about styling and Camilla certainly seems to like feminine things.

I imagine her to be slightly boyish looking, because she resembles her brother. I sketched them at the same time to ensure they would resemble each other, not having one particular refence in mind. Ironically I think my earlier versions resemble each other more than my final versions. Charles' design felt lackluster however so I redid it.

Charles

Originally I wanted to give Francis Wham era George Michael hair, but then I read his description again. However Charles is a sort of popular attractive man for the time period, so why would he not have big hair. Thus the transfer was made. This did have as a consequence that in some stages of the process he very heavily resembled princess Diana. I thought that was quite funny.

For Charles I did the opposite of what I did with Camilla. For Camilla I made sure she was pretty in a bit of a boyish way, so for Charles I made sure he didn't turn out too masculine. We don't want Chad Charles.

Francis

Here I'm starting to doubt myself a little bit. A lot of people draw Francis with slightly longer hair, but compared to Camilla he doesn't get any people complaining. I might have missed a passage somewhere, but I also like the idea that my interpretation is just different from others.

When I decided for myself I was going to give him very short hair I knew I had to draw some inspiration from Annie Lennox. She's obviously very fashionable, as is Francis, and known for wearing suits. I had to tweak the design to be more classical and to include a necktie. He feels very maximalist, so on top of his described pince-nez glasses I drew him with an earring and a bunch of brooches.

As for the make-up I know he'd get hate crimed on campus, but it's a fun thing to imagine. Although I left it out of the final design for that reason.

I don't mind Evgeniy Shvarts as a fancast. I think he has similar facial features to what I had imagined.

Henry

Henry is often designed too skinny and/or too conventionally attractive. It's a difficult balance to keep him looking severe and off putting enough, but also broad enough and almost handsome. One thing is for certain that man doesn't give a flying fuck about what currently in style. I haven't been able to figure out if those 'English suits' have a particular cut in that time, but I can't imagine him walking around in an 80's oversized suit with big shoulder pads. However not a tight 70's suit either, so take that as you will.

I'm not too mad at Zane Holtz as a fancast. He's certainly broad enough, but I find him to be too conventionally attractive. However it's a lot better than some others I've seen. I also don't believe him to wear his hair like that. Not a lot of people notice his scar, so that leads me to believe it's at least partially covered by his hair.

I ended up giving him browline glasses, because I thought if I ever did end up drawing Bunny them having different glasses would set them apart more design wise. However after I finished the drawing I saw that passage that says he has the same wire frame glasses that bunny has. I like that the browline glasses make him look even more stern, but if we were to go for accuracy I'd have to change it.

Richard

Richard was the hardest for me to design and honestly I still don't know what I imagine his facial features to be. All I knew was that I wanted him to have a fuck ass haircut. He seems like the sort of dude that hasn't changed his hair in years. The only thing that's changed is that his mom used to cut it and now he does it himself. That's how I landed on a late 70's, Beatle-esque mop that's in a constant state of being slightly too long. He's somehow handsome enough to pull it off though, much to his own confusion I imagine.

He's wearing a sweatshirt that is noticeably less formal than the others. Paired with that tweed jacket he borrowed from Judy Poovey.

General

I'm going to be honest I didn't have a particular idea behind the strip of light besides that the drawing would be too boring without some interesting lighting.

Rapid fire composition choices:

Henry's portrait is greyscale and his frame features a rose to give the whole thing an in memoriam feel

His portrait is bigger and in the top corner to make it feel like he is looming over the rest

Francis' portrait looks more like a painting than a portrait photo to compliment his classic style

The obvious stain where another portrait used to be. His presence can't be completely erased by that and the little frame featuring bunnies still being on the wall

Richard's photo is sun bleached and slightly damaged. Like he either took it with him from home and they never bothered to replace it or the rest of the group just didn't care enough to be gentle with it.

That's also the reason why his is the smallest portrait and is placed in the corner.

The ferns in the bottom corner

Butterfly for transformation corny

If you're still here sorry for yapping so much and THANK YOU for reading. Thank you in general for y'alls nice comments and reblogs. I read all your yapping, I love it. Please let me know your thoughts!

As I said in my last post I want to make more fanart in the future.

[generic-sonic-fan]

Hi, it's me again, yes💔. May I ask for your opinions of Orbot and Cubot? I know it's a really vague question, and they're mainly just comic relief, but they're plaguing my BRAIN. I ADORE your takes on characters they make me so joyous, man

Hi!!! Apologies for the late reply on this ask (and apologies to everyone else who's submitted asks that I also haven't gotten around to answering, oops!)

Until you sent me this ask, I really haven't had definitive thoughts on Orbot or Cubot. It felt like they sort of fell outside of my expertise, so to speak, but I'll spill some of the thoughts that have been gathering in my brain for you:

Orbot, in my humble opinion, is at his best when the audience is never entirely sure whether or not he's planning on betraying Eggman. I absolutely crave the ambiguity of "does he really have any attachment to Eggman or is he just playing along for the bit?" His "Big Bro" comment to Metal Sonic in that one short never quite felt sincere to me, and we all know that Orbot is the first to complain about the boss behind his back.

I don't think you need to go as far as "Orbot is secretly pulling all the strings behind the back of a completely oblivious Eggman", but it IS fun to play around with a "Eggman sincerely underestimates Orbot and one day this will come back to bite him" idea. For me, it's more interesting to explore an angle of betrayal for Orbot that isn't oriented towards world domination, but instead just about assuring a comfortable and stable life for himself.

Orbot knows the statistics for robots who betray Eggman. Intimately. He's probably had to file every report about Metal Sonic and Omega and Gamma and all the rest. He knows that Sonic could offer a somewhat decent way out- see Gemerl -but he doesn't quite provide the level of, shall we say, luxury he aspires to. Orbot's dream life to me is living in a mansion with servants to buff his finish every morning. So he's waiting for his best opportunity for that. And if that requires toppling the Eggman empire so that his creator doesn't threaten to hunt him down and destroy him for leaving, then so be it.

It would just be really funny to me if, for all of Sonic and Omega's efforts to kill Eggman, it turns out the butler (Orbot) did it. For reasons entirely unrelated to Eggman's whole "conquering the world" or "building inferior robots" schtick.

As for Cubot. . . I know that canon often portrays Orbot as hating him, but I actually really love it when fanon experiments with them actually caring for each other in some capacity.

Like, yes. Cubot is the dumb one. Eggman made him to have something to laugh at and something to yell at whenever he gets mad. But it would be interesting to spin that dynamic with Cubot being slightly self-aware- think something like Forrest Gump here. Cubot knows that there's something "wrong" with him, and he knows that Eggman enjoys yelling at people who do stuff wrong, and he also knows how much Orbot hates to be seen as doing stuff wrong or being yelled at. So Cubot decides he'll take the fall to keep everyone happy.

Of course, Cubot is still the dumb one. Numbers don't really make sense, his movement servos are a little sloppy, and he knows he's missing a few logic parameters. The dictionary in his language processing is a smaller file size. His processor overheats at the complicated stuff. So instead he focuses on what he's good at.

I think Orbot knows all this. And as much as Cubot irritates the hell out of him with his constant mistakes, he knows that in a twisted way it's not Cubot's fault- it's Eggman's design. I think you could pour in some enemies-to-friends in there, where at first Orbot hates Cubot when they're first activated, but over time Orbot gets to know him and gets to slowly realize why Cubot acts that way.

Sort of like a "he's an idiot, but now he's my idiot" sort of way. And of course Orbot is still going to play up his own exasperation with Cubot in front of the boss, and maybe a part of it is still genuine when he's worried about either of them getting punished for it, but underneath that there's an understanding.

It's still very much a "I'm stuck with you moron in this shitty minimum wage job" sort of vibe, but anyone who's worked minimum wage can recall that there's still an element of fondness and familiarity that comes with that.

They're assigned employees at birth. I don't think Eggman will ever treat them like family. Certainly not like Sage. Sort of not like Metal Sonic (who is in a very strange position about why Eggman is more willing to call him "family", but that's another post). Not even like Omega- Omega was a prized creation, a thing for Eggman to dote on as a way to celebrate his own genius. Orbot and Cubot are. . . there to do a job. A job that is mostly about entertainment, but also about menial tasks.

Fucked up, really.

[dramamines]

Top ten Bsd characters?? :D

okay im not gonna write a lot about each choice cause i just cant be bothered, but ill try give a quick explanation of each choice

Ryuunosuke Akutagawa: this should come as a shock to absolutely no one. he's been my fav since day 1, he fits the trope i like in characters so well, and i just love the depth of personality he has. his development has been incredible, and hes just such a well written character. he's also funny af

Edogawa Ranpo: this one may be slightly more surprising, but i absolutely adore ranpo 😭🫶 he's also so well written, and i love his backstory sm. untold origins is one of my favs of the light novels. hes also just so silly and i love every scene with him <33

Nikolai Gogol: goddd i love nikolai so much. he's such an icon, and i love the way he's been written. im desperate for his backstory, i need to know what made him this way 🙏🙏 his character design is also incredible, i love a good clown/playing card motif

Osamu Dazai: he's popular for a reason. he's sososo well written, and i love exploring his personality and backstory. he's such a multifaceted character, and i just love it so much. he's also sooo funny lmfao

Atsushi Nakajima: the mc himself!! i love atsushi a lot, he's so underrated 💔 i think hes super well written, and i love the development he's gotten so far. so many people overlook aspects of his personality, i love how mean he can be lmfao. he deserves so much better give my boy a break 💔

Fyodor Dostoyevsky: as evil as he is, i genuinely love fyodor. he's so interesting to watch, i love delving into his motives and backstory. i also eat up religious imagery every single time, omlll. he's just so complex and its so fun to watch. he's also so funny to me, and i love his interactions with dazai and nikolai 🫶🫶

Chuuya Nakahara: once again, popular for a reason. I love chuuya, i eat up every second of the small amount of screentime we get 🙏🙏 he's such a great character, especially after having read stormbringer. hes also just so funny and works well with so many other characters

Kunikida Doppo: my king!! he's so underrated tbh, it makes me sad 💔 i love him a lot, i love his ideals, and how unique of a character he is. his interactions with aya are so sweet too, i love him a lot. he's also a really funny character, and i love his chemistry with the other ada members a lot

Akiko Yosano: god i love yosano, she's so cool, and has such an amazing backstory. she's genuinely so well written, and her past with mori as the angel of death is amazing. she's such a complex and interesting character, and also just such an icon.

Sigma: i love him a lot, he deserves so much better 💔 he's a really interesting character, and just such an icon tbh. i love his interactions with dazai and nikolai, my man needs a break 😔😔 i really like looking into his personality, and his morals compared to the others in the doa

HMs: Poe, Tecchou, Jouno, Kyouka, Kenji, Bram

[yourresidentstanlover]

I can't sleep and I have to get up in less than 4 hours for school n shit, so have some of my thoughts about fiddlestan and fiddauthor.

DISCLAIMER: I have not read the entirety of The Book of Bill, or Journal 3. I've only seen snippets online. I want to get them both, tho. I'll get my hands on em once it gets less cold and icy around here.

Sooo fiddlestan. I like it, and it has a loooot of potential for angst. HOWEVER, I don't like when people villainize Ford just to make Fidds get with Stan. I do think that Ford cares deeply about Fiddleford, he just doesn't really know how to express it, and is entirely oblivious to any feelings Fiddleford may have for him (c'mon man, he left his wife and kids to study weird shit in the woods with you).

Now for Stan with Fiddleford, I don't really see that relationship lasting, at least not healthily (is that an actual word?? Whatever, you know what I'm sayin). If going the angsty route, I think Fidds would at first try to replace Ford with Stanley in an attempt to regain the man he lost. And Stanley would be open to the affection Fidds gives him cause he's touch-starved, and I don't think anyone's said "I love you" to him for a minimum of ten years. But Fiddleford would realize that Stan isn't Ford, no matter how much he tries to delude himself into thinking he is. And Stan would realize that Fidds just isn't his type or somethin.

Ok now fiddauthor. I love this so much, both when Stanford and Fiddleford are young and when they're old (people are sleeping on that old man yaoi!!). I also headcanon Ford as asexual. I looooveee the thought of fiddauthor in the 70s while they were in college, breaking up for whatever reason (or just kinda drifting apart if it wasn't a committed relationship or whatever), and Ford's lil heart breaking when Fidds marries Emma May.

Alternatively, I do kinda like the thought of a poly relationship between Fiddleford, Emma May, and Stanford. That would be a fun au to make a comic about. I have been wanting to make an Emma May design for a bit now lol.

But when they're older and working in Gravity Falls, oh god sooo much angsty potential with infidelity and unrequited feelingsss (technically they're both in love with each other, but neither are good at ✨️ communication ✨️). Ford would probably be so absorbed with Bill, and listening to his manipulations to actually recognize Fiddleford's feelings for him.

And when they're old ass men? Ugh so much fluff can happen from them finally making up for lost time or somethin. People really sleep on the true old man yaoi lmao.

On a slightly separate note, I do ship Billford, and I have thoughts about it that I'm not gonna get into here. But I'll give ya the abridged version: I like shipping it, I don't like romanticizing it, and i like seeing how the relationship had a lasting effect on Ford. I don't like shipping them post-weirdmageddon, and i don't think Bill can truly be redeemed. I have mixed feelings on those redemption au's. I also like triangle fucking jokes. I'm sorry but that is comedy gold.

Also I'm gonna (eventually) make a post talking about my oc x canon ship (Kyle x Stanley). I personally love them (obviously), they're two gay old criminals who have shockingly similar pasts. What's not to love? Also it's a fun way to explore writing older characters with different body types, since before, most of the characters i drew were young twinks, beefed up guys/girls, and skinnier women. Drawing these old men has really helped with diversifying the body types I draw.

Alright, ramble over. Goodnight everyone.

(Also while writing this, I broke into a coughing fit. I hope i didn't catch my dad's cold lmao. God is trying to stop me from talking about yaoi, but dammit, I can't be stopped >:3)

[loudlyhappycupcake]

Here are some ideas for a Monsters, Inc. AU where Mary, the daughter of Randall Boggs, goes to daycare:

**Story Ideas**

* **Fitting In:** Mary is a half-scarer, half-human child with unique abilities and a striking appearance. She struggles to fit in with the other daycare kids, who are mostly human or full-scarers. She may be teased or excluded due to her differences.

* **Finding Friends:** Mary discovers she has a special connection with the daycare's shy and withdrawn janitor, who is actually a retired Scarer hiding from the CDA. They form an unlikely friendship, teaching each other about their worlds and helping each other overcome their fears.

* **Uncovering a Conspiracy:** The daycare is not what it seems. Mary uncovers a secret operation where children are being harvested for their screams to power a new energy source. With the help of her janitor friend and a group of misfit kids, she must stop the conspiracy and save the children.

* **Learning to Scare:** Mary inherits her father's scaring abilities but struggles to control them. She attends a secret Scarer training program hidden within the daycare, learning how to scare responsibly and use her powers for good.

**Themes**

* **Acceptance and Belonging:** The AU can explore themes of acceptance and finding your place in the world, especially for those who are different.

* **Friendship and Loyalty:** The story can highlight the importance of friendship and the bonds formed between unlikely allies.

* **Overcoming Fear:** Mary's journey can be about facing her own fears and helping others overcome theirs.

* **The Power of Friendship:** The AU can emphasize the power of friendship to overcome challenges and fight for what's right.

**Visual Cues:**

* Mary's appearance: Give her a unique design that blends human and monster features, like Randall's chameleon-like skin and human-like hair.

* Daycare Setting: Design a daycare that is both whimsical and slightly sinister, with hidden compartments and secret passages.

* Scarer Training: Show the Scarer training in creative ways, like using shadow puppets or playing pranks.

**Additional Ideas:**

* Introduce other characters from the Monsters, Inc. universe, like Mike and Sulley, in cameos or supporting roles.

* Explore the consequences of Randall's actions on Mary's life and how she deals with her father's legacy.

* Create a heartwarming ending where Mary finds acceptance, uses her powers for good, and brings her parents back together.

If you'd like, tell me more about what kind of story you envision for Mary, and I can give you more specific ideas!

@shironezuninja @freyzw0rld @jedimemories @clairaquos @untitled14360 @twiliartsdreams2017 @gametoon @gamebruh12 @daydream358 @bloodmoon24 @bossbabyfan2 @ajaxus166 @princess-paige-place-of-fun @princesshillaryellaworld25 @princessfandom812 @leo-x-u-raptor-fan @punk-63 @aromantyczno-liryczna @bitter-yet-civilized @moonlighteclipse17 @jazzyrazzy157 @ladysegagenesis @ladybugsonfire @pastelmermaidgirl @cartoonfan21 @wolfie245 @saltysoulballoon @hicksthings

[beckpoppinscosplay]

'Fallout: new Cleveland'

or designing a OC cosplay in a existing universe

(you all were so kind to my last cosplay post but i saw a lot of tag curious about the character so lets explore).

I knew I wanted to build a fallout vault suit but as a cosplayer I am addicted to character design. I wanted to do an original twist, and what better way than design around my beloved home town. I double checked and characters do mention being from ohio (like the mothership zeta abductees) so there is enough ohio standing that I felt comfortable to get designing.

I wanted to focus on post-wwII ohio being being both a booming factory town and culturally being a little 'ahead of the game' (early rock'n'roll adopters, popularity of horror hosts) to make the vault suit feel unique to here. After all the designs change slightly from game to game, why wouldn't all different regions have different designs produced at more local factories.

Of course when you start to design something in a universe, I wanted to ground it and make it recognizable so I kept a lot of the broad strokes around a very recognizable face

Doing 1-for-1 choices like the glasses and the hair felt easy. Slipping in little design elements like the yellow collar instead of the blue outlined in yellow like most in-game vault suits. I also kept the weapon, radaway and pipboy pretty true to game. As long as I looked like the vague idea of the classic vault girl, I felt like I could get silly.

(i also cheated on my vault number, i couldn't decide on one so i conveniently have a cute little backpack to cover my back, emotionally my vault number is of course, 69) I decided early on that my suit would be a two piece, a wetsuit style jacket and 1940s style factory girl pants. Not only did I feel it fit my plus size body really well but it opened up a lot of video game movement in the body (it wasn't as tight, if I bent or posed everything stayed pretty elegant and streamlined without bulging or pulling.) I felt it married the scifi and the retro design of the game really well (a literal superhero jumpsuit top and these 1940s working woman pants) and tied it to cleveland (as a factory boom town I kind of pictured that the very people in the vault may have been the ones making some of the mass produced items in the game)

my pants were from a reproduction pattern

real 1940s deadstock cobalt buttons for my hip fly

my 'wet suit' getting weathered

Once I had the bulk of the suit sewn, I knew I wanted to be pretty chewed up, a real level-2 unlucky sap. I didn't want a lot of cool gizmos and I wanted to look pretty beat to hell. I personally have a history in working haunts so I had a blast melting, bloodying, and rusting everything on me. Then I got to the really fun little localizations. Since Cleveland was an early rock'n'roll town I had to give her some buttons for things she might have enjoyed as a cool gal about town. I got custom buttons made and then sanded them down and chemically rusted them so they looked like they were not holding up well getting splashed with whatever crud she was running into.

I also wanted to do an undershirt that was a fun joke to pull out at con. an icon of late 50s/early 60s cleveland was the horror host ghoulardi which felt so in tune with the weird spooky scifi of the games .

so I had to get one of his classic t-shirts, beloved by every ohio rock band for the last 50 years, to make him a ghoul-ardi

the last little silly touch (and cleveland touch) was my lunch box on my belt which is a little final pam from 'monster factory' joke made out an old hello kitty first aid kit

I hand painted it repeated between sandings and rustings so it looked REAL messed up and added layers of stickers, most importantly an ad for the red ryder bb gun near and dear to cleveland's heart.

I don't really have a name for her (i have been calling her Bethany Esda, aka monster factory) but I do enjoy picturing her running around a post fallout cleveland full of lake erie monsters and shambling rock hall ghouls.

thanks for your interest!

[miloscat]

[Review] Lorelei and the Laser Eyes (PC)

Pew-pew eye-lasers not included.

Sayonara Wild Hearts continues to be one of my favourite games, and after my annual birthday playthrough of it, I decided to check out the Swedish developer Simogo's latest game. Unlike SWH it's not a technopop thrill ride but a moody and atmospheric puzzle adventure, which it turns out is more in their wheelhouse anyway as they have three other games in their catalogue that could be described this way!

In 1963 an eclectic German artist, Lorelei Weiss, is invited to an isolated hotel in central Europe by an eccentric filmmaker. Supposedly, they are going to collaborate on a new art piece, but what you find instead is a series of riddles and locks hiding a mystery that stretches into the past and the future. As you open more doors you uncover the series of occult events that led to a tragedy, and the reasons behind the surreal happenings at the hotel.

You control Lorelei as she strolls around this cramped and obtuse place (or breaks into a light jog if she's had an espresso recently). Helpful menus keep track of documents you've seen, your inventory, and a log of questions and events; referencing these is essential, but I also found it useful to have at least one other external source of note-taking (plus photos of the screen), to cross-check solutions and maps. These menus can be a bit fiddly with the "controller" interface, since it's a one-button game; I played this on my fancy new Steam Deck and it worked well apart from this. I haven't played too many of these deep game-wide puzzle experiences, but I certainly found this easier to get along with than Myst or La Mulana.

While you navigate the hotel, certain recurring themes help to reinforce the puzzle elements: specific years and character names have importance, and there's a maze featured prominently which you explore in a few different ways. There's plenty of spatial reasoning, number, and logic puzzles which are catnip for me, apart from which the game makes sure to have references for any required knowledge like Roman numerals, Greek letters, astrology concepts, etc., so it's all self-contained. Apart from getting hung up on certain puzzles that I didn't yet have the required clues for (I needed a slight nudge every now and then), I felt good about the difficulty and the game consistently made me feel smart when I made a deductive leap or connection.

The sound design is classy and minimalist, while the look of the game is very striking, mostly monochrome except for highlighting certain things in a bright crimson for effect, especially the eponymous laser eyes. The subtly shifting textures add to the heightened mood of this eery, slightly threatening place, but notably important things are easy to spot in the game world. I should note too that the threat rarely becomes overt; outside of specific, telegraphed events there is no risk of a game over, softlock, or point of no return, and the game doesn't jumpscare you or employ disturbing imagery for shock value.

LatLE likes to play with the reality of the story in fun ways too, and not just in anachronistic plot details. At certain points you play an in-game "prototype" of the game itself on a Playstation 1-like console, complete with tank controls, fixed camera angles, and texture warping. There's also sequences that ape early graphic adventures. These diversions are very relevant and mandatory, as all clues build towards a final puzzle in a most satisfying way. Of course, there's also the occasional optional diversion like collecting figurines representing Simogo's prior games, and even Game Boy-like minigames based on them, my favourite being the LatLE action-maze game demake!

I'm glad I gave Lorelei a chance; not being an aficionado of this genre, I nevertheless had a fantastic time puzzling through this intricate mystery. I love how it balanced fantastical elements with the mundane, in an authentically grounded European setting (and a bit of tongue in cheek wryness at times). It never got overwhelming, consistently dripfeeding problems and the necessary clues and tools to solve them, all while looking damn good doing it. Also, there's a cute dog! And maths!! What more do you need?

[rg-bugs]

Lost in the moon

~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•

Sun/Moon X reader

Word count: 2521

Summary:

You decide to check out the daycare where you meet Sun, after the daycare closes you leave. But you gets lost and don't exit the Plex in time and get looked in. You end up meeting Moon and try asking him for help

Notes:

I got lazy with the ending cuz this fic took me nine days to write and I've had enough with it, so enjoy

•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~

You stroll around the pizza plex enjoying the overpriced pizza, arcade games and various attractions that the place has to offer. At one point you got lost in the pizza Plex, but you got help from one of the glam rocks and at the same time you also got the chance to take a picture with them, which in all honesty was quite nice of them. Though you're terrible with names. (But you do remember them being a chicken with green earrings). Was it Sheikah? Sheek? Oh It was Chicka! Chicka the chicken! Even if your day was filled with exciting activities, you could not help yourself but to feel disappointed and isolated. Even surrounded by people constantly throughout the day, it fell short of what you had hoped for.

As the sun's light begins to dissipate, you find yourself meandering through the expansive building, observing as people gradually depart as the bustling crowds disperse. With less than an hour left until closing you start to make your way to the daycare. It was the only place you hadn't looked at yet today. And in addition, since the daycare closes an hour earlier than everything else, you believe that there will be an absence of strangers staring daggers at you, and wondering why a random adult is there, though you thought of it more reminiscent of a curious child exploring.

You don't do too well with copious amounts of crowds surrounding you for the entire day. So you need a quiet place to sit down for a bit to get your self level headed from the day. You know the two characters that work in the daycare, Sun and Moon. You have seen their posters here and there plastered on the walls. If you were going to be honest for a little while you thought that their names were Sundrop and Moondrop, but no, it's the candy they advertise.

You enter the daycare and you start to hear funky but kinda nice music. you start to bop to it slightly, and it makes you feel slightly better. You tread quietly up to the metal fence next to a slide where it said ´slide in to fun!´. You looked down at the play area and at first glance you saw two large jungle gyms connected with a bridge and a ball pit. Man you wished this was the daycare you went to when you were a kid, because this looked amazing this could easily be any kids dream come true. But your train of thought was interrupted by the feeling that it felt like something was staring at you but you can't pinpoint where it's coming from, so you just shrug it off as anxiety. You make your way down to the lower level of the daycare to sit on one of the benches to rest before you start making your way out of the Pizza Plex.

You have your back turned away from the big daycare doors as they fling open and you freeze in shock as you hear a loud chery voice behind you. "Why hello there friend! All the kids have already been picked up. So what concern do you have here to be here at such a late hour?" You berated yourself for forgetting that there are two daycare andents, of course they'd still be active. You turn your torso around slowly to face who is behind you, having both legs firmly rooted into the floor. As you turn you see a very tall robot with eyes that are chalk white and triangles around his head designed to look like sun rays. He had a big smile, and hands stretched to his sides and stood there with a mighty posture looming over you.

"I-" you took a deep breath to try to get the words out of your mouth as he stood there patiently with both of his hands clasped together. "I just wanted to get away from the crowds for a bit. I didn't mean to disturb or anything- I can leave if you want me to." At that last part you lift up your hands in a nervous mock surrender. "Oh no you are welcome to stay, we were just curious as to why you were here. We thought that maybe you took a wrong turn and got lost or something." He started to sway on his feet rocking back and forth, seeming to hold back his excitement that would explode like a balloon any second now. He suddenly stops standing on his tippy toes; "Oh how rude of me! I forgot to introduce myself, my name is Sun! And what would yours be?" turning his head to the side out of curiosity. Your body fully turned towards him and were more relaxed. This seems to have pleased Sun. You told him your name, plain and simple. You did wonder however, he said"we "a bit earlier, but there was only one animatronic in front of you. You wanted to ask him where Moon was. Maybe he was inside cleaning or was just shy.

"Where is Moon? I would like to say hello to him too." You say it a bit too nonchalantly. He lets out a nervous chuckle and plops down from being on the tips of his toes. "Well he’s only out when the pizza plex is closed as security. Sorry to disappoint." He slouches down a bit but quickly perks up and says. "BUT! I can say hi to him from you, does that sound good?" He starts to fidget with his hands. It was nice to converse with Sun and it helps to distract you from the day. Your legs were aching from exhaustion and you just wanted a place to collapse and catch your breath "Yeah i think that would be nice. Well I'm going to go and sit down somewhere now. It was nice meeting you." You wave him goodbye as you turn away. "Goodbye! The pizza plex closes in thirty minutes!" He waves goodbye and the bells on his wrist jingle. You give him a thumbs up without turning. You feel a small gust of wind hit you as he closes the heavy doors in one swift motion.

You have your gaze on a seat with a table, you speed walk towards it and slump down. Resting your head on your arms as you let out a sigh of fatigue. You allow your mind to wander and overanalyze everything that you've done today to every minute detail, like how you fumbled on that mini golf ting and lost your grip on the golf club and it fell into the indoors river, or how you could not control the gocart properly and jerking forward trying to workout how it works, or how you needed the staff to get you out of a labyrinth designed FOR KIDS! Your spiraling thoughts were broken by the speaker announcing that they close in five minutes and something about a free drink voucher that you could get.

You lift up your head and blink away the sleepiness. You start making your way to the exit of the daycare, not paying attention to where you were walking. You wander and take a turn and… you are not at the entrance gate. You definitely took a wrong turn somewhere to end up at the theater. You couldn't do one thing correctly today it seems. The way back had stairs not a corridor. You start to backtrack back to the daycare slightly panicking. Now speed walking out of the theater and going towards the stairs. You hear a concerned voice "Hello again! I can tell that you're lost, it’s just to go up those stairs and take a left and there's the entrance gate, it's impossible to miss it. You only have like two minutes so you better run" You turned to look at the door that was slightly cracked open and Sun's head was peeking through looking worried. Wow that's a way to rub it in that you had the sense of direction of an egg (or like Zoro from One piece).

Your mouth turns into a line as you have to bite your tongue to not say something snarky like ´yeah, no shit sherlock´ or ´wow this is life changing information´ he was just trying to help you. So instead you opted for a simple thanks with a tired smile and told him ´goodnight, rest well.´ "I hope you do too, it looks like you need it. Goodbye!" he slid back in and closed the door. You really must have looked tired, and you were tired too. You just wanted to get home and sleep. You continued to speed walk up the stairs and took a left. You hear the lights turn off in an ominous voom. You stand still so your eyes try to adjust to the sudden darkness you found yourself in. You eventually got adjusted to the dim neon lights that came in different arrays of colors.

At that moment you realized that the Plex had closed. You looked at the entrance and saw the shutters were down. You were too tired to panic, you were just pissed at yourself now. “Great, Now I'm stuck in here. Unless I get staff to help me”. You opted for Sun's help because you knew at least where he was. You sigh and turn on your heel harshly. As you approach the entrance you don't hear the music playing, it's way too quiet for your liking. You see that the daycare is pitch black, but you continue. You aggressively walk down the stairs and yell out "Sun are you there? I got locked in and I would like to go home and sleep. Please can you help me?" You are met with silence. You were starting to get annoyed (not at Sun just that you didn't want to go into the play area looking for him). You go up to tug on the door and it won't budge, it's locked. You remember that he told you that Moon is security and maybe he was nearby, ( you assumed he would probably have the daycare as his starting point).

You let go of the handle and groan as you pinch your nose bridge, feeling as you felt an annoying headache creeping in. "Moon! Are you nearby? I kinda need help" you yell out.

No answer. You hear a soft jingle of bells. "Where are you?" you mutter under your breath thinking it is Sun making the noise. As you look to the side trying to see movement through the darkness in the play area. No luck, nothing is there. You hear a raspy voice next to your ear whispering "Behind you."

"MOTHER OF JESUS!" You screamed out. You jumped, turning around to see the fucker, whispering in your ear, next to you. It was a blue and white animatronic, it had a wire from its back to the ceiling, hanging upside down like Spiderman does. It has red eyes and a starry night cap with a big sharp smile on its face. Ah this must be Moon. You were eye to eye, just staring at him while he chuckled in amusement. You tried to muster up courage and put on your best smile, but you still sounded shaky in your voice. "Um… are you Moon? If so, can I get some help?" He pauses and his eyes turn pitch black, his head flips around to be right side up with his body still upside down. His smile flattens and eyes are wide open and he is too close for comfort. You swallow the lump in your throat. You took a deep breath and said "I got lost and now I'm locked in." You had your arms crossed and had your weight on one leg as the adrenalin had started to dissipate, as you look in his eyes you can see red pupils staring right back.

His body started to get down to stand on the floor, the wire detaching and going up to where you can't see it, but his face remained in the same spot. He let out a small chuckle and started to smile again as he rose to his full height. He was just as tall and intimidating as Sun was. Looking down at you he said "You are an intriguing one." You paused for a bit, you were confused at his response "Thank you, I guess?" tilting your head to the side. He turns around and starts walking away from you, but stops when he realizes that you're not following and he gestures to follow him. You start to follow him, pleased that you're getting help.

”So, where is Sun? He was in the daycare a few minutes ago.” He turns to look at you and what sounded like him taking a sharp inhale to say something, but he stops himself from doing so. He looks displeased. He thinks for a moment as both of you walk up the stairs and take a turn. “We share the same body, if the lights are on Sun is out, if the lights are turned off I am the one who is out.” He states begrudgingly. You think to yourself that that's quite cool at first, but you realize it must be torment to be in the same body. “Can I ask one more question?” you look up at him, he looks annoyed “why are you asking persimmon now? You didn't before” he said with bewilderment. “Is it like a nap for the one who is not active?”

As you have almost reached the doors he stops for a bit now being behind you and says "Didn't your parents teach you not to trust strangers?" He chuckles. "Oh har har funny joke, it’s obvious that you are Moon right. right?" You turn back to look at him and you see nothing. You hear the creaking noise of the shutters opening. But at the moment you don't care, you were wondering where (THE FUCK) Moon went, and he was avoiding the queston. You look around yourself up at the ceiling and consider walking around and looking behind things, but you were technically trespassing at this point so it's good to not stay any longer. Especially with what he just said, and you ain't taking any chances. You probably pissed him off with that question. You cup your hands around your mouth and yell out "Thank you Moon! Goodnight." And that was it, you opened the glass door and out of the Pizza Plex.

The metal shutters don’t close immediately until youre a small distance away. You look behind you to watch it close and you see an upside down head peeking thru with completely red glowing eyes. As the shutters slowly descend you see Moon waving you goodbye, a bit surprised to see him you wave back until you can't see each other anymore. You might come back and visit, those two were intriguing too. But for now you just need to get home and sleep.

[nygmaass]

I think you can only answer a Question once so I’ll just tag you, since it’s easier to split this into two parts. @kazissexy

“What would you consider to be the media that best represents Q&E? and add onto that- What do you think is essential when writing their characters?”

(This is reuploaded but slightly tweaked to hopefully answer this question by giving an example of bad writing, in reference to rogues!)

The first issue is the way the riddler treats Q&E within Rogues! Is weird and there’s no way the girls would take that treatment. they are working for Edward because it pays well, and they like to. They worked well together before Edward, and they even work for other criminals if he’s not available (Nightwing Vol 2 #1,000,000, 1998). They would not stick around for poor treatment. They are not meek in any way, and do not need to be portrayed as such. Even in Questions multiply the mystery (1995) when they are abandoned they come after the riddler with an axe.

Furthermore:

• ​Nina in particular is treated badly. She is an idiot to put it plainly, she lacks the intelligence or ability to keep up with Edward. It feels like her only purpose is comic relief not to play an actual role. It comes to a point where I’d question if she was necessary to include.

• There is definitely an imbalance in how Query and Echo are portrayed. They do not read as equals, Query is the more competent one, the one who Edward can prefer and trust while Echo is barely tolerable and frankly quite lazy. How does one forget to do their job?

• The only form of personality codotverse Q&E have is lusting over Jonathan and giggling like school girls, Which is disheartening to listen to, why are two strong women being reduced to that? It also feels a little wild considering Query is a lesbian (as seen in Robin Vol 2 #93, 2001) through her Labrys axe tattoo. The labrys axe was a commonly claimed symbol in 70’s among lesbians (though not now). “Send out the right signals so other women can cruise you” (The pink paper, 1995) in reference to wearing an Labrys axe. Echo isn’t confirmed, but likely to be queer to. They are clearly visually queer punk women taking inspiration from the lesbian BDSM scene in the 90's. Related reading would be Robinson, S. (2018) who writes about this new acceptance in the 80’s and 90’s of “sex radicalism”among lesbians creating a community to explore “a range of sexual practices and aesthetics more commonly linked with gay men, such as sexual sadomasochism (S/M) and leather.” If you want to know what this looks like Chloe Sherman has a book ("Renegades, San Francisco: The 1990s") of photos of lesbians that show the queer culture and fashion at this time (she has some of these photos on her instagram) it does not need to be explicitly said when it is ingrained in their design. They are queer women.

•Codoverse also feels like it ignores their comic book relationship. The way Edward and the girls interacts canonically isn’t strictly boss/worker, there’s quite a blur in boundaries. Edward both LIKES and fears the girls. They have a very physically close relationship that isn’t typical when you look at other characters and henchpeople (especially if you look at other henchpeople of the riddler's) he is fond of them, and they hold a fondness for him... They are affectionately close. Codotverse portrays a very different idea of their relationship that just feels cold and very black and white.

Both girls are neglected and poorly written

(This is more personal issues as well as alternative idea to fix it)

•I also find it odd that Nina is a gamer, which is really not the biggest deal, but there was more potential to build on what was already there. She’s a biker. We know that, we know her and Diedre are very bold and fun girls. They get enjoyment from the thrill of what they do. Query is shown to be trigger happy and it's clear they are both reckless. So why not have them as joyriders and adrenaline junkies because that’s who they are. I’d even like to see them in roller derby something that differs from comics but still is in line with their characters. Roller derby has a big punk and lesbian culture. It is fun, fast pace and has a positive relationship with sexuality of women which seems perfectly suited to them. If you want to read to get an idea of derby culture Jessica Stites (2008) is a good place to start.

Their personalities felt so tame and out of place in Rogues! for the characters they really are. They deserve to be portrayed better, they are interesting characters and sure comics do not delve deep enough into who they are as people (I wish there was more) but rogues! Does an awful job.

Sources l've referenced (outside of comics)

Jessica Stites (2008) Roller derby queens: short skirts, fishnets, and full contact. Inside the lesbian underground of the Los Angeles Derby Dolls. The Advocate

Robinson, S. (2018) "the new lesbian sexual revolution": Lesbian sex radicals in Sydney during the 1980s and 1990s, Australian Historical Studies, 49(4), pp. 441-456. doi:10.1080/1031461x.2018.1522654.

Sherman, C. (2023) Renegades: San Francisco: The 1990s. Berlin: Hatje Cantz.

The pink paper (1995) Queer icons: Labrys. London: Gay Times, Ltd.

[annymation]

Kingdom of Wishes- A "Wish" Rewrite AUs

AUs are Alternate Universes, new ways to look at how a story could've gone if a few things were slightly different, it's a fun writing exercise to take your story and change it up a bit to see how the characters would react to these changes.

So I did that with my wish rewrite, and I came up with some pretty fun scenarios.

(Warning: that’s a lie, some scenarios here are not fun at all)

So let's begin:

Asha the Star & Aster the Human

That's exactly what it sounds like, Asha and Aster switch places!

In this scenario, Aster is an orphan whose mother was a musician, that's right, musician, not an artist

His grandfather used to say his mother could sing so beautifully and write songs so engaging that people could see whole stories form in their heads, she inspired people to imagine whole new worlds

That was Aster's dream, to write beautiful melodies, sing a song that could inspire people, see beyond reality

So same things that happened with Asha happen to him, he defies the royals (Who also change in this AU, we have Amaya as a queen regnant, so she's above in power than Magnifico, she being the one who has blue blood while he got married in, and their personalities switch. To me that's the funniest thing, like can you imagine Amaya as the drama queen that get's the whole spotlight and has anger outbursts sometimes like the Red Queen and Maleficent? While Mag is in the background just being calm, mysterious and I guess having a fatherly persona? What a twisted vision)

Anyway so they take Aster's wish, change it up yada yada yada Aster goes to make a wish upon a star and we get Star Asha babeeeyyy

Now design wise, Aster as a human would have brown hair, while Asha, as all wishing stars, would have blonde hair, with this hair style

Loooooong blonde braids that flow in the air constantly like Princess Celestia hair from MLP, and speaking of princess, yeah, she dresses like one too.

Imagine being human Aster here, you wish upon a star and suddenly a beautiful magical princess with gorgeous flowing hair shows up to help you, I would've died

So anyway, Asha has a very energetic and optimistic personality, and much like Aster was in Kow, she's fascinated by earth

When they come up with a plan to inspire the people of Rosas, Asha's idea is to make people draw, express how they feel, make them reflect if they're really happy with this system

Aster of course thinks that's not a good idea at first but she convinces him, so the whole arc of them being found out at the plaza happens yada yada yada let's cut to the good stuff

Instead of giving Aster a magic pencil, Asha enchants his's grandfather's mandolin, so Aster can play beautiful songs that can magically bring anything he imagines to life

So then we get their "At All Cost"... But I actually think Star Asha would sing a different song, she'd sing something like this:

This song just gives me major Kow! Asha vibes, and I'd love if Asha was played by Denee Benton cause I'm a huge fan.

And then the story proceeds as usual and we get to the climax, where instead of singing This Wish Reprise he'd sing something more like this:

Once again, I'm here to say I love Jordan Fisher and I can't imagine anyone better than him to voice Aster.

So yeah he'd have a very dramatic song where instead of using his guitar (That the queen broke) he uses only his voice and the last bit of Asha's magic to defeat the royals, along with everyone's hopes on his side.

Sooo yeah Asha later turns into a human thanks to true love's kiss, her hair turns dark brown, the end!

I like exploring this one because it shows how Asha and Aster are different with her being an artist and him being a musician, human Aster would be very different than the Aster we know though, being absolutely focused on the task at hand of saving his people, so Asha would help him loosen up a bit and have hope things would be better.

Kids AU

Okay so this one is more of a joke, but like... Kingdom of Wishes... But it's Ponyo, only genderbent

Basically I asked myself "What if Asha wished upon Aster when she was a kid?" well, when she was a kid, so was Aster.

So we'd have a story of a little 6 year old becoming friends with her wishing star. While her grandpa Sabino, still alive and very old, tries to hide this star and protect his spunky granddaughter from the king and queen that are after Aster

Of course the royals would have a harder time finding out who could've wished upon a star since they don't know who Asha is as a kid

But on the other hand, Asha and Aster would be a lot more naive and reckless, Aster would tell Asha "Hey! The king and queen are really mean! They change the wishes, wanna defeat them together" and Asha would be like "YEAH!" and off they go put themselves in danger

Don't think Magnifico would go easy on Aster just because he's a toddler, oh no, he'd drain all this child's power as soon as he caught his hands on them, which is why Sabino would be having a panic attack trying to keep them safe.

But what's really cute about this scenario is just imagining kid Aster interacting with the world, using his magic to play with Asha, and of course Sabino being a protective grandpa.

Bad Ending AUs

You guys know me, of course I have a whole section for not one but TWO bad endings lmao I'm so evil.

What If Asha's Cursed Wish Was Granted?

Yup, remember Asha's cursed wish? That would turn her into a obedient princess that would follow Magnifico and Amaya without question? Remember that wish? Yeah what if THAT happened hahah

Anyway, I thinks it's best if I just show you how that'd play out (Warning, the angst is STRONG in this one):

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"That's right, now hold still my dear, this will feel just like waking up from a pleasant dream." The king said as he lifted up her "wish" to grant it.

Asha felt herself frozen in fear, she wanted to speak up, but the fear of what could happen to her if she did outweighed her her strength to fight back.

She could only watch as the bubble popped and became a swirl of green magic enveloping all around her. Asha felt herself change, and not only because her clothes began to magically morph into a beautiful dress... She felt herself change from the inside out, starting with her mind.

Her desire to run away was muffled by a new desire to stay still as the king asked her to. But Asha knew she had to fight back because- Why did she have to fight back? This is what she wanted, to fit in and make people happy, now she finally could, thanks to Magnifico- Asha heard a voice that sounded like her's fill up her mind, popping any idea of resistance like bubbles- Why resist at all? It's easier to give up- She couldn't give up, she couldn't lose herself- But she doesn't even know who she is, and everyone tells her she's like a princess anyway, don't they? Her saba used to say so, her friends, even Aster said she's beautiful like a princess-... Why isn't he here?

She felt her eyes welling up with tears, realizing how helpless and alone she was. Asha knew she couldn't hold on to her consciousness for much longer, as the king's magic promised to make all her pain go away, leaving only bliss, her own freewill was fading away. But even then, a little bit of her is still fighting, tightly clinging onto the last semblance of thought she has left... Before it suddenly slips, and everything is gone… She is gone.

... She did feel like she woke up from a dream, the king was right, as he always is.

The magic that was surrounding her disappears, fully absorbed into Asha's very being. She's now fully transformed, wearing a princess gown, her hair braided and pulled up into a bun that resembled a rose.

... A single tear ran down her left eye, but the cheering crowd couldn't see it. All they saw was her smile, a blissful, carefree smile plastered on her face.

...

Aster ran back to the plaza as fast as he could. But once the star arrived there... Asha was gone, and so were the royals. The people were walking around commenting about what just happened... He heard people mumbling about how kind the king and queen were for adopting an orphan girl to be their princess...

All it took was one moment, one moment of distraction, one moment that Aster turned away from her... And he lost her... But they wouldn't give up, never, as long as he's on this earth, he will grant her wish, her true wish, no matter the cost.

The star didn't even think twice, revealing his true form in front of everyone, and flying off to the castle to look for Asha.

He looked through all the windows, all the many rooms of the castle, until he stumbles upon a room on the west wing tower, and in there, sleeping peacefully on a comfortable bed, he saw-

"ASHA!" The star screamed, using his magic to unlock the window, he got in and quickly shook her to wake her up "Come on! We gotta get you outta here!"

The princess rose up from the bed, gracefully stretching her arms as she did so, blinking her now unfocused eyes, that if you look closely you could see a small and faint green light sparkling in the center of her pupils.

She smiled at the star as if they were paying her a visit "Greetings Aster, so wonderful to see you-"

Aster grabbed her by the shoulders and just shook her back and forth "SNAP OUT OF IT! This isn't you! You're stronger than his magic, I know you are! You can fight it! Come on, Asha, look at me!" Aster gently places a hand under her chin to make her look at him in the eyes, he can't see her spark anymore... But he still reaches out to her "You wished upon me because you wanted to SAVE Rosas from them, remember? That's the whole reason I'm here, to help you." they give her a bittersweet smile, even though he's filled with sadness.

The girl giggled, in any other context it would be an adorable sound... But it just filled Aster with dread, seeing how his words weren't getting through to her at all. But nothing could've prepared Aster to what she said next "... Then where were you when I needed?"

... Those words pierced through him like a dagger, the star was speechless, now just staring at her, filled with sorow

"Indeed, where were you?"

Aster froze upon hearing the king's voice coming from the other side of the room. He turned around to see both Magnifico and Amaya sitting on comfortable chair next to a table with tea, if Aster could smell he would've probably felt the sent earlier.

"You took so long we were starting to wonder if you just flew back to the sky" Amaya said before sipping on her tea cup

Aster tried to escape through the window, but before he could reach it, he was trapped by the king's magic.

Magnifico and Amaya laughed as the star struggled with all his might to free himself from the king's magic, to which the king just jeered "I suppose a princess was of use to us after all, serving as bait to catch you, little prince"

And just like that, Aster is all alone at the villains mercy.

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

I tricked yall with a false sense of security starting with two wholesome AUs only to then drop the most heart crushing stuff I've written in a WHILE.

Also thank you @gracebeth3604 for inspiring me to write that scene of Asha losing her conscience as the spell took hold of her, when you helped me write that nightmare sequence in chapter 8... So yall can blame Grace for this /j

Aster Turns Himself Into A Blackhole

What a title huh? Anyway, I've said plenty of times how Aster is very inspired by Rapunzel, so I wondered, what if that "Wither and decay" song from the Tangled series affected Aster the same way that it affected Rapunzel?

I didn't quite explore much Aster's frustration with the fact he couldn't hurt the king and queen the same way they hurt Asha, that's kind of a more internal frustration he doesn't show much, but it proves how human Aster is, to the point that he feels human emotions such as vengeance

But as we say here in Brazil: "Revenge is never complete, it kills the soul and poisons it."

So... Let's see if Aster choose a darker path, after he thought that he lost Asha for good in the climax.

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

Aster was chained to the floor, all he could do was watch in horror the king drop Asha and all their friends off the tower.

... She was gone...

Just like that, Aster couldn't keep her safe, like he promised he would.

Without her, Aster felt his world growing dark, his own light was fading away. There was no hope for him, no hope for Rosas, no hope of granting her wish... So... Aster had nothing... So he had nothing left to lose.

... The star remembered once listening to a song, a song that stars sing when they're at the very end of their long, LOOOOONG lives. After all, everything must come to an end. The lyrics of this song were actually an incantation, a spell of death that allowed a star to snuff their own light away, turning themselves into... Something else... Something a lot more destructive.

The stars always warned him to NEVER sing that melody. And fly away as fast as he could if he ever heard some other star singing it... Aster never knew fully why, all they said was that the song would make him dangerous...

Well then... That was just what Aster wanted to be right now.

Suddenly, Aster felt the touch of the queen's hand, snapping them out of their thoughts. She lifted his scowling face, to give him a snark comment before they began to drain away his power "What's with the grimace, my dear? Is there something you wish to say?"

And so... The star began to sing.

"🎶... Wither and decay...🎶" Aster's voice was haunting, not at all as warm and lively as it always was when he sang... This was different.

Magnifico was previously looking down on his people, but the sound of those lyrics made the king turn around in cold sweat... He knew that spell.

"🎶...End this destiny...🎶" Aster continued to sing, his eyes were closed, and his face began to contort with discomfort. The star felt himself... Change.

The queen just raised an eyebrow and mocked "What's this? Trying to put us to sleep with a lullaby? hahaha *cough cough* haha" She didn't seem to pay much mind to her own coughing

The king minded it a lot though. He could see the roses on Amaya's hair begin to wither rapidly.

Magnifico's voice was trembling as he ran to his wife "A- Amaya-"

"🎶...Break these earthly chains...🎶" Aster opened his eyes... They were completely dark.

The queen's blood ran cold "wh-what ON EARTH-" she feels herself being pulled away from the star by her husband.

"ENOUGH! I ORDER YOU TO STOP!" The king commands, using his magic to cover Aster's mouth with glowing vines similar to the ones holding him down... But the star... Or rather, whatever Aster is becoming, is not weak to forbidden magic.

Aster breaks free from Magnifico's magic, leaving the two royals mortified.

"🎶…And set the spirit free…🎶" Aster didn't even react to the fact he was free, in fact, they didn't seem to notice the world around him at all, lost in their despair, all they could do was sing, floating above the ground. Tears kept running down his now inky black eyes.

Their hair changes from a yellow and lively flame to a dark and slowly shifting shadow. The star dust flowing out of their cape disappears, now his cape hides only dark nothingness under it. The light coming from the brooch bellow his neck now resembles a vortex... A blackhole.

"Magnus... I thought you said this thing was harmless" The queen is clinging to her king, she begins to feel... Strangely lightheaded, like she’s about to pass out.

"I- I didn't think the star would do this- *cough!*" The king feels a pain in his chest, his legs growing weaker. He stumbles forward "We- we must leave NOW"

But Aster had other plans for them, the former star finally moved. In the blink of an eye the king and him were face to face. With one swift motion Aster took the king's staff and threw it away from the edge of the tower.

The royals were shaking in fear, the entity was towering over them, dark inky tears still flooding his expressionless face.

As a last resort, Magnus desperately tries to reason with them "He-hehe now now Aster, let's talk about this, alright? You wouldn't actually want to-"

"🎶Take what has been hurt🎶" The haunting melody continues.

The king and queen kneeled down. They felt weaker by the second, the queen was whimpering and the king was gasping for air. It was becoming hard to breathe, hard to move, hard to think. They were both holding on to each other, even though they could barely hold on to their own lives.

"🎶Grant them no mercy🎶" Aster was looming over the two mortals, staring at them as they withered away. Aster felt himself grow stronger, for he was slowly but surely absorbing their very life essence... The corners of his mouth started to lift up slightly.

The two villains collapsed on the ground, shaking and wincing in pain.

"🎶Bend and break the reigns🎶" He was previously emotionless, but now, seeing them like this, Aster is consumed by a feeling he never thought he could feel before... It was ruthlessness. He was enjoying seeing the life drain away from them, the same way they wanted to drain his life away before... In a way, Aster understands them now.

The power to take was really different from the power to give... But if felt just as good, if not better.

"🎶And set the spirit free... The spirit free~...🎶" Aster finishes the lyrics, looking at the two lifeless bodies below him with twisted glee.

... Asha arrived at the top of the tower, as she never actually died, she managed to save herself and her friends with her magic pencil, and with it, she made her way back to Aster, hopeful that she could save him in an nick of time

"Aster! I'm here! Are you o-" She felt her heart stop, her whole body frozen in place when she saw the corpses of the two royals laying down... Beneath a floating figure that looks like Aster... But she knows that's not him "What... What have you done?" Asha takes a few steps back

He doesn't seem at all surprised to see her alive and well, simply tilting his head to the side as he floats towards her "What I had to. I mean, that's what you wished for, right? To defeat them." The creature spoke calmly, but with a twisted smile spread across their features.

"No-not like THIS!" She was trembling, seeing her own reflection on the dark pools that he now has for eyes "A-Aster please, this isn't funny, turn back to normal, NOW"

"Hmmmmm I don't think I can" They shrug, while drying the tears that were previously falling from his eyes "And even if I could, why should I? When like this, I can actually keep you safe"

"... Keep me safe from what?" She felt tears welling up on the corner of her eyes, Aster couldn't really be gone, right?

He embraced her, but it wasn't the same warm and secure embrace Asha fell in love with... He was holding her tightly, not letting her run away.

"From anyone who tries to keep us apart, of course." The blackhole whispered lovingly, but that gave Asha no comfort, it only cemented her fear, sending chills down her spine "And as long as your wish doesn't come true... As long as aaaaall those people down there aren't free... I'll be able to stay here... Loving you... Forever." They sound more and more deranged with every word.

Asha felt trapped, in the arms of the one she once loved.

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I bet ya'll weren't expecting evil Aster... Welp! Evil Aster is a thing now.

This is probably the darkest thing I’ve ever wrote for real, don’t let me do this again yall

@uva124 actually sneaked a little drawing of this Aster in one of her sketches here

So yeah! These were the alternate AUs! Two wholesome ones, and two very heavy with no comfort ones, perfectly balanced as all things should be.

Hope you guys forgive me after this hahaha see you guys next time! Bye!

Thank you for reading!

[consumeroflemoans]

Hiiiii analyzing every part of the Subnautica 2 trailer that I can because I am unwell.

Starting off we have a diver in a deep empty abyssal-like area. Typically in the depths there is a source of bioluminescence or at least rock formations for light to reflect off of. The only place inside the game there’s this much empty darkness is the dead zone.

This could mean we have the chance to explore the dead zone! Or that there’s a new area that has similar features to the dark depths of the void.

This would be a banger feature to have considering how horrifying the dead zone is to traverse already. It would provide a new difficulty to the game if we had to confront or avoid packs of adult leviathans to progress.

The trailer then shifts to what could be the safe shallows or twisty bridges equivalent in this game. It seems we’re getting what looks like a proper reef! It’s super neat to see the game being more colorful with its environment design.

We also have a clear look at a new species of fish in this game. Considering its shape and large eye it could be a tropical/reef version of the peeper (or maybe the feather fish?). Or it could just be a new edible fish entirely!

All in all cool design. I do like how vibrant they look

Ok now for one of the most hype things in the trailer. Some sort of hermit crab based leviathan? It would be fascinating to have a leviathan that shows up in the shallows instead of only in deeper water. It could provide an additional challenge but I think this would be something similar to the reefback. Perhaps one of the elements of gameplay would be making it lift itself to access things hidden beneath it?

Next up we have what looks like an underwater city or at least a big building in the background. It’s pretty much a given there’s mysterious underwater structures in this franchise but I personally think it would be fascinating to have a proper Atlantis style city in Subnautica. This could also maybe incorporate the Architects into it? Like maybe after Al-An went to his home planet he brought back more Architects to cure the Kharaa and they set up a base.

Then again this also doesn’t exactly look like Architect architecture which is more of a cube structure. It looks closer like a temple’s architecture from what we can see. Maybe it could be a new alien species? That seems less likely

Next we have a specific feature that I am so hyped to see. It looks like Subnautica may be adding rip currants or something similar. Something that would actively make it more difficult for a player to swim to the surface. This would be so interesting because other than caves/islands/ice flows we generally never have something preventing us from going to the surface in Subnautica. Nothing actively pushing the player back at least. This would be a fresh new difficulty to get used to (if done correctly, at least. It could also be very annoying)

From there we get into something extra curious. It seems like we may have a second human in this game. Before Subnautica’s concepts have been based in the fact your character is alone on this planet with the odds against them. The way I see it, this addition can largely go three ways:

- a possible addition of a co-op system to Subnautica: unlikely, but it has been semi-popular in modding communities. People would have fun playing with their friends but I think it would take away from the horror aspect of Subnautica, one of its major draws

- a human companion that joins you in your journey: slightly more likely than multiplayer, but still not the direction I think they’d go. This could open the game to having puzzles that need two people and a companion could function similar to the sea monkey (bringing you needed items basically). This would also require a lot of AI and would probably be more annoying than anything else, however

- someone like Marguerite or Al-An that shows up in cutscenes and phone calls but mostly stays in one place: the most likely scenario. It could be we have a home base of sorts where this person is stays and gives the player hints and coordinates

Also as a note the vehicle she’s driving looks like a sea truck. Please oh please tell me it is not Sea Truck 2.0

Aaaand now we’re onto the most hype part of the trailer. We have a new leviathan!

This one looks a lot like a Kraken type with a bunch of limbs. It could maybe be related to the crab squids? Like a dead zone version of them? It could explain why it’s attracted to the vehicle

Or as a completely out there theory this could maybe be architect technology like the warpers? It may just be me but the way it moves its hands and its claws are very much reminiscent of heavier machinery. It would be so banger if the architects built themselves a leviathan.

Either way it would be fascinating to encounter a leviathan with the ability to seek out a grab a player with ‘hands’. Before creatures typically grab with their mouths or pinchers like the Reaper. This would be an interesting twist to learn to avoid

In conclusion I am unwell about this game and the theories are buzzing. I am so hyped

[tibby-art]

your grian is also what i strive to look like as a transmasc how has this happened to two separate people

anyways does your grian design just not care about gender roles and presents however she wants or do you not draw her more feminine since transfem grian isn’t the major head canon to avoid confusion?

i like learning about people’s lgbtq head canons XD

i think she just presents how she wants, yeah! i imagine she mostly wears more gender-neutral clothing like… sweaters, collared shirts, sweaters over collared shirts, lol. which is basically what most people’s grian designs already wear, i just enjoy exploring that character design concept in a slightly different direction i suppose? im certainly not the first person to hc grian as transfem, but i think for me it started when one day my friend sent me a drawing of grian i had done and joked that it looked just like our other friend who is transfem. it was funny bc it was true, but it made me realize i had a lot more fun drawing grian when i thought of the character as being transfem lol.

so as for why my grian isn’t super feminine, i think it’s also just because a lot of trans people i know personally tend to present similarly (that being, dressing more gender-neutral and not really worrying about gender stereotypes). that’s not to say all trans people present this way of course, just that i know a few folks that do! so i guess i enjoy drawing a character that reminds me of those around me. alternatively i know lots of transmasc people who enjoy dressing feminine as well and so on. for full disclosure i’m a trans man myself, so i don’t want to pretend i know everything about the transfem experience specifically, but i can at least relate to the trans experience overall o7

either way it makes me really happy that trans people on all wavelengths have been sending me messages saying that my grian gives them gender envy LOL. it’s really unexpected since i don’t draw grian as often as cub or scar for example, but it’s still really appreciated nonetheless :’)

[copperbadge]

If its not too personal could you talk about what was the inspiration for Michaelis? He's got a lot of depth to him, especially for what could have been a one off character in the background after Fete. Also the way he mourns but carries on really resonates with me in Jes.

Oh sure! I mean, on the one hand it is quite personal but it's a kind of personal I really enjoy sharing. :D Michaelis began life as the Standard Hallmark Parent -- you see them a lot in the movies, the parent who is

1. Kinda grouchy

2. Usually pushing their kid slightly too hard in slightly the wrong direction (with the best of intentions)

3. Often a widow/er

4. Practically a cameo designed to stress out the lead, but easily attractive enough that they could be romantic lead themselves in the sequel.

There are actually several Hallmark films where the over-sixty characters are either the supporting romance in a one-off film or the main romance of a sequel film. (The Wedding Veil films, which despite their flaws are actually very enjoyable, have a Michaelis-like character for the mother of the male lead in the first movie, and she then becomes the major supporting romantic lead in the fourth movie.)

By the time I got to Michaelis talking to Eddie at the end of the script for Fete, I'd grown to really like him. When I adapted the script to a novel, I liked him even more. I thought that I could do a sequel with him getting jolted out of himself a bit -- and I was encouraged by how many people liked him in the initial read through. The main inspirations for the actual plot of Infinite Jes were, one, Gregory jokingly suggesting he do a podcast, and two, Michaelis's defensive dismissal of Gregory's question about what he's done for companionship since Miranda passed.

Over the course of writing Infinite Jes, he came to be a collection of themes I've explored or wanted to explore, sometimes themes I knew I wasn't skilled enough to handle yet. The core of him is based on a professor I worked with as a student; the confidence that occasionally tips into arrogance, the keen intellect that likes to take things apart, the ability to look at some toxic family traits and decide "RIP but I'm different" and be a present, nurturing masculine figure, all come from that professor, who had a huge impact on me.

But I have also been fascinated for decades now by a certain kind of character in fiction, someone who has had a devastating loss and keeps going, even if they aren't driven by something like revenge. Profound grief is difficult and fascinating for me, and I finally felt capable of exploring that fully, perhaps because the pressure on romance novels is a bit lower at times.

And honestly, a lot of him is me, processing the fact that I am aging in fandom. I'm older (44) than the oldest person I knew in fandom (38) when I joined it at the age of 14. I have, for lack of a better word, a position in fandom, a status, that affords me certain perks and requires of me certain obligations. Not to call myself elected king of fandom ("I didn't vote for him!") but the duty I feel to fandom, both as a culture that raised me and a found family, is very similar.

Most of my characters contain some of me, but Michaelis and Jerry contain far more of me than most, perhaps because I'm in a place to do some reflection. Michaelis -- intelligent, experienced, hopefully a mentor, but also lonely and detached at times -- is who I'm coming to grips with being; Jerry, the charming fuckup with power but no real clue how to use it, who is doing his best to grow up a little later than a lot of his peers and figure out how disability fits into his identity, is who I still see myself as.

So yeah -- I find Michaelis incredibly fun and compelling to write for, and I think that's because I had hit a skill level in my work where I could combine a lot of tropes and themes into one character and use him to explore why I enjoy them so much. But he definitely began life as the Hallmark Widowed Dad. :D Well, there are worse origin stories.