#and carapace with the tail and silver lines for legs

[inhumanheresy]

Kneeling tall had apparently been a bad idea. So much for giving a good first impression, but Morax chuckling with genuine laughter is far better than the many alternatives.

And the extra space he now takes up had apparently come at the expense of knocking hard against the poor tea table, the cups spilling all over when the side of his shin hit and shoved it, though the heavy-bottomed pot itself remains mercifully upright.

<…you're still taking this astoundingly well, Morax. You sure you don’t feel any need to drive off the defiled creature in your domain?> Looking over the man even now, with Ajax before him in all his dark, menacing Abyssal glory, he's... he doesn't flinch. On the contrary, Morax’s grin is bright, the searching path of his gaze curious. He’s even concerned for his wellbeing.

Something curls and tightens in Ajax’s chest.

Tartaglia releases his hold on the adeptus’ forearm, though his hand remains there beside it, open and still. The tips of his now-silver claws brush silk as Morax’s wandering touch explores his bracer, the armor dark black with the same submetallic sheen as his carapace, and the mirrored pairs of crystal ridges that lie alongside the elbow spur.

To keep from scraping the ceiling again inadvertently, Tartaglia hunches further down with a creak of sabatons, leg guards, and stiff, leathery tassets. Even his mantle seems to react to him attempting to make himself fit into a smaller space, the void-and-stars pulling in and down to lie more like a normal cape in reflection of his bowed posture rather than its usual proud, broad spread.

<I hadn't exactly been thinking about the room's height when this whole thing started. I hadn't intended on things going this far at all, but here we are. And I did warn you that there’d be damages.> His voice doesn't seem to be spoken aloud anymore, not really, even though the tone lower than his normal one remains, and his huff of bemusement still comes from his chest like a proper sound.

<I'm all right, at least for now. Better than in-between for sure. The pain is more dispersed, and my tolerance is greater in this form anyway.> Returning to his human shape is going to be hell when Ajax does so, but maybe he can hold out long enough that the stress and drain of the change at least doesn't knock him out cold for the next several days. <An ache remains, but nothing more.>

In his sight as it is now, Morax is lined and detailed in blindingly bright elemental gold, the soft, misty temperature colours within that aura cooler than many of the other living bodies he’s seen — not extremely so, but enough to be noticeable. ‘Old lizard’, his mind supplies fondly.

That thought draws his mind to Morax’s more draconic features, and while he still hasn’t learned to interpret the motion of Morax’s tail as well as he can read his facial expressions, the perked-up floofy tip and gentle but slightly faster-than-usual swishes say ‘excited’ to him, and perhaps ‘curious’ as well.

<You have more questions.> The crystal spines on Ajax’s back flex, rising, their gleam more apparent over his shoulders. <And you can touch more firmly than that; I’m not going to break.>

the very real, physical pain tartaglia feels is, perhaps, more obvious than he might imagine and certainly more apparent than he would wish it to be. and though such feelings are dwarfed by comparison, it is uncomfortable to witness, the continuously shifting form settled before him. still, morax's gaze remains steady. and though he cannot— would not— dare to interject himself into so personal a secret, now that it has been shared, he can still bear full witness to it.

his words are his permission, not merely an attempt to appease or pacify. admittedly, there is a twinge of selfishness in it; he remains curious, perhaps dangerously so. yet surely, within his own domain, he could contain any unchecked influence.

and so, he takes a gentle breath, ready.

that grin— it is a flash, however, brief of the man he knows so well. but, a moment later, it is gone. and his voice, too, is changed into something hauntingly adjacent to the one grown so familiar. the man hisses, trembles, all the while clinging to him as the anchor he is determined to be. and as the very air even begins to shift, sharpen, he stills himself so throughly that he does not even breathe in that moment.

i'm still me, that voice proclaims. he believes it, readily, nodding.

the transformation is swift once unbound, a swathe of color and shifting bone that is as difficult to watch as it is for him to truly follow, admittedly, all spikes jutting haphazardly amidst darkness and carapace. he exhales, then— at last— and notes how the air feels thicker, cut by lightning. and the dark-light flicker of a cape only adds weight, intensity to that.

that singular eye remains focused. and as the creature stills, morax realizes that a clawed hand— far colder than the man's before— now very nearly covers his forearm entire. his eyes drift from his enclosed arm back to that eye once, then twice. and then, he seems to relax, satisfied.

there is... relief there. yes, he can sense it. and the shift that follows is not one born of the same vein of discomfort. this form is... taller than he'd expected, larger. and as if on cue, the ceiling answers his thoughts with a scraping noise.

shit—

morax blinks, eyes shifting up and narrowing to find the new scar in his ceiling tiles. and then, his head dips and he very quietly begins laughing.

" you should have warned me that my current abode would not suffice for a man of your stature. " he begins, at last returning his gaze upward to that strangely familiar eye. he grins, his curiosity sated. in truth, though their situation is... certainly unusual, he cannot help but be positively delighted.

" under ordinary circumstances, i would ask that you apologize to my ceiling. however, i did encourage you. the fault rests with me this time. " he pauses, then, to collect himself into something far more serious, gentle. and the hand that had come to lay over tartaglia's arm dances delicately over the freshly formed armor, pausing occasionally as his eyes follow, inspecting.

" how are you feeling? better, i should hope... ? "

[glowingplant]

Lady Vaeyalin of the Nightmare Court

Vaeyalin is one of my favourite characters of mine and I’m super happy with these pictures!

[starr-fall-knight-rise]

Humans are Space Orcs, “Crime Scene.”

WARNING: Relatively graphic depictions of a dead alien, and discussion about a horrific crime scene, so read at your own discretion.

This idea was taken from a suggestion by some of the readers and then adapted a little bit, so I hope you all like it. 

Rain drummed down in great sheets from above, falling like curtains from the uppermost spires of the city skyscrapers and lofty towers. Rain collected on open wires and came dripping down in trickling runnels of water, only to collect in great puddles on the pavement gurgling away into the gutter to vanish down storm drains.

Massive, colorful, neon signs hung above in the driving rain, casting reflection down onto the sodden pavement giving an eerie sort of light to the darkness. There were few people on the street at this time, though figures could be seen flitting from the shadow of one overhang to another. Despite their efforts, the soaking cold was nearly impossible to avoid.

As unoccupied as the street was, it gave more than enough room for a dark figure hurriedly splashing through puddles as his long leather coat whipped behind him, collar pulled up against the rain.

Massive television screens running with rivulets of water rose up on all sides boasting advertisements ranging from fur care to skin cream to casino resorts. The voices of these advertisements babbled through the rain, impossible to understand with a background of white noise.

The echoes rose upwards, following the trail of advertisement screens as they rose ever higher into the night, taking up every available surface until the very peaks of the skyscrapers high above in the rainy mist.

The darkly clad figure was joined a moment later as two other figures hurried from the shadows, one no more than two feet tall, and another that towered over the first figure by nearly a foot.

Little eruptions of water leapt up from where their feet splashed through the puddles.

A delicate silver halo outlined the figures as rain bounced off their bodies and back into the air.

With a motion of his hand, the first figure motioned his companions sideways, and into a long-dark alley. The stream of water that ran down it’s middle was nearly ankle deep, and the three figures made to avoid the worst of it, walking along the side of the alley, though sometimes they were made to choose between ankle deep water or refuse.

The rain grew harder, drumming down against their backs as they hurried across another cross street, down another alley and towards their final destination.

Foot  traffic had picked up now, though it happened to be as a direct result of the bright neon caution holograms blocking off an area of buildings just to the right of their alley.

A dark furred Tesraki, posted out under an umbrella-like energy field waved them through without bothering to check their ID.

The three of them stepped through the cation hologram and towards the shopfront passing under a curtain of water, and into the little shop beyond where they stopped.

They waited there for a few moments, until a figure appeared from the long line of shelves: A Tesraki wearing a large hat, with holes cut in it for the ears.

“Admiral, I’m glad you could make it.”

Admiral Vir shook water from his coat, and undid the belt that held the front together, allowing it to hang open. He then removed his hat, shaking it out beside the door.

To his right, Sunny shook runnels of water from her carapace, while Dr. Krill cleared droplets from his prismatic orange eyes.

Admiral Vir adjusted the collar of his shirt, absent of a tie, “We came as soon as we heard.” He said fitting the hat back onto his head. His face was slick with humidity, though the protruding brim of his hat had kept the worst of the rain from his face.

“We do appreciate it.” The Tesraki lifted a hand, “Follow me, but don’t touch anything.”

Admiral Vir held up his hands to show the mostly-dry leather gloves he wore, “Not a problem.”

The Tesraki nodded it’s head and led them further into the shop past lines and displays of cheap touristy trinkets likely manufactured for a quarter of the price on Noctopolis. Just to their right a refrigeration unit hummed. Peering past the glass Admiral Vir was surprised to see cans of human soda preserved behind the glass.

They passed through the side of the shop, and were stopped outside the opening to the back room, where another Tesraki insisted they put plastic covers over their shoes and feet.

Everyone was supplied with gloves, before they were allowed in.

Sunny flexed her hands against the strange rubber synthetic, though Dr. Krill seemed right at home.

Admiral Vir was the first to step through, passing into the dim back room to immediately be met by the sharp tang of blood. He paused as if he had hit a wall face screwing up in response to the smell. It wasn’t human blood, of course, it was Tesraki blood, a smell that had been all too common during the Drev war.

He blinked hard, allowing his eyes to adjust to the room, which was dark, mostly, except for the flickering holovision on the wall across. A couple of technicians were busy setting up flood lights on the side of the room. His vision was mostly obscured, by a large sofa just to his front, but slowly, and with direction from the Tesraki, he inched around the side until he was finally able to get a good view of the scene before him.

He crushed immediately and turned his head away fighting down a sudden and surprising bout of nausea, though it passed within moments.

He turned his head back inch by inch grimacing slightly as he did.

Rosy blue light from the holovision glittered down on the scene before him glittering lightly off a coagulating green pool that appeared almost black in this lighting. The figure was stiff and still having not been moved since it was found.

The dead Tesraki lay sprawled on its side in a pool of his own blood, an expression of fear and horror frozen on his face. Admiral Vir had to force himself to look closely at the body, which he could see was missing it’s tail, a leg, and one arm. Looking around he could find no sign of where the missing limbs might have gone.

“We’ve never seen anything like it before.” The Tesraki said, walking up to stand beside him.

Admiral Vir grimaced, “Never?”

“No, never, which is why we called you.”

He turned to look at the Tesraki, long leather coat brushing against his pants just above the knees, “Why? I’m no detective.”

The Tesraki nodded, “We know, but you have to understand, we have NEVER seen anything like this… not EVER.” He leaned into his emphasis, turning to look at the Admiral, “Tesraki don’t commit crimes like this. If we want someone dead, there are always traffic accidents and poisoning.”

Admiral Vir raised an eyebrow, “I wasn’t aware Tesraki were even capable of committing murder.”

“Not directly, no.” 

He paused staring at the body as the implication set in, “You don’t think a Tesraki did this.” 

Off to the side of the room, the technicians had managed to rig up the lights, and the room was suddenly filled by double beams of blinding white light illuminated the scene before them with sharp contrast. The black blood became green, the shadowy mound, which had been the body was suddenly brought into sharp relief, each hair visible in excruciating detail on it’s dismembered body.

“Sweet Jupiter.” He muttered 

His oversvation from before had been correct. The Tesraki was missing three of his five limbs. The blood pool in which he lay was a good four foot circle around him. The eyes were open and glassy, staring up into nothing. His face and lips were twisted into an expression of pure horror. Coagulated blood matted the fur along his back and sides. His remaining arm was covered in a line of deep and shallow defensive wounds while the fur about his chest was matted with green icor.

“What do you know so far?”

“Nothing much, we’ve been waiting for them to set up the lights.”

Admiral Vir motioned Dr. krill forward, “Think you can take a look?”

The doctor nodded his head, “I believe I can.”

At his announcement one of the Tesraki walked forward offering up a floating platform for the Dr. to stand on. He looked as if he was about to reject the offer, but took it, using it to keep off the floor around the crime scene as he floated closer to the body.

Admiral Vir rested his hands on his hips as he watched.

“Who is he?”

“His name was Inenor, the owner of the shop you came through on your way in. Admittedly he was no one of great renown, mostly profited in selling high priced and cheaply manufactured trinkets to tourists, a practice that might be frowned upon, but not one that generally gets you killed.”

“Or dismembered.” Admiral Vir added, reaching down a hand to rub absently as the junction where his stump met his prosthetic.

The Tesraki nodded, “Yes, by all rights he was your average shopkeeper in the tourist district. None of his wares are particularly expensive, he had no more enemies than his average shop rivals, no family, and, based on our cursory glance through his online history, no involvement in any other nefarious groups, plots, schemes or otherwise.”

“Shop rivals?”

“The other shopkeepers in the area selling the same thing.”

“And you don’t think it could be one of them.”

The Tesraki shook his head, “No, they may not like each other, but Tesraki business owners rely on competition to keep the economy working in each district. Prices fluctuate between shops creating a constant cycling of where the tourist goes for the least expensive or highest quality goods. It avoids stagnation, and allows for a dynamic environment where money is always trickling in. They may hate each other, but they understand how to work a balanced system between each other.”

Admiral Vir glanced over at Kril, who was busily scrutinizing one of the Tesraki’s stumps 

“So you think a human did this.”

The tesraki held up his hands, “I didn’t say that.”

“It’s alright. I can see where you are coming from.” again, he looked away from the body, “A nobody who works a shop in the tourist district on an alien planet is brutally murdered and then dismembered. There is not history of such a crime ever being committed by Tesraki in living memory. The Rundi couldn’t do it  as the water content in Tesraki blood could hurt them, not to mention they aren’t known to be tourists. We can rule out the Gromm, Celzex, Bran and Iotins for similar reasons.” He took a few steps forward, “Gibb and Vrul are completely off the table as they aren’t nearly strong enough or vicious enough to do something like that.”

The Tesraki was nodding in agreement.

“So you must have come to the conclusion that there are really only three options. Burg, Drev…. Or humans.” He walked around to the other side of the couch to get a better look at the missing tail. Though the stump was matted with congealing green and black blood, he could still see a small spike of bone protruding from the flesh, “And the Burg have been withdrawn from GA airspace since the burg war, and are only now starting to return, so it couldn't be one of them. That leaves Drev and humans. Drev have a history of dismembering their victims but…..”

Sunny stepped up beside him just then, resting a hand on his shoulder. He felt her squeeze lightly, though to everyone else it wouldn't have been noticeable.

“But generally they do not take the limbs with them.” She added before pointing to the body, “Those cuts are too clean. A drev would rely on power first cutting into the leg, breaking the bone and then ripping through. IT would be a much messier process.”

Admiral Vir nodded, allowing her hand to linger on his shoulder longer than was absolutely necessary before stepping away.

Dr krill leaned back from his work and looked over at them, “I tend to agree with Sunny’s oversaviton. These cuts were very clean, probably cone by a sharp knife or scalpel of some kind. The bone itself has been sawed through. Now whoever did this were no medical professionals as the cuts were half hazzard and mostly center on the middle of the bone.” He turned to look at them more intensely, “Besides, whoever came here came for his limbs specifically.”

There was a shocked pause.

“You mean.”

“I mean the Tesraki was dismembered postmortem. Cause of death was likely strangulation.”

Admiral Vir shook his head in disbelief, “You mean they came here…. Specifically for his limbs.”

 Krill nodded, “it would seem so.” He glanced over at the Tesraki, “Nothing else is missing.”

The Tesraki shook his head, “Credits are still there, and the manifest is showing that all his wares are here as well.”

“Why would someone take the limbs?” Sunny asked, incredulity coloring her voice as she stared down at the gory scene before them.

Krill sat up “How about the prodigum, they are known to feast on decaying flesh.”

Admiral vir shook his head, “No, if it was a prodigum they would have taken the whole body, not just the limbs, besides, they have connections with the slave trade and get most of their exotic feeding there. This entire thing doesn't make sense for them.”

“Does that mean, Admiral, that you are suggesting….”

“Suggesting that humans did it?” He finished, and the Tesraki nodded.

Admiral vir paused for a moment before sighing, “It would seem so as much as I hate to admit it. Humans are more than capable of doing something like this, and brutal murder is not somethng we are strangers to.” He walked around to the other side of the body again, holding onto the lapels of his jacket, which were now mostly dry, though he couldn't feel sure past the leather gloves he wore, “We have a brutal human-like murder on the edge of a major human tourist district. No cash or credits are missing, none of his wares (which don't seem worth thieving anyway)  and whoever they are they likely went after his limbs for…. Some reason.”

From the corner of her eye, Sunny saw a flash of guilt on the man’s face, and knew he was withholding something.

“How long ago did this happen.” He asked 

“Not more than a few hours.”

Admiral Vir tapped his foot on the floor, “Than they couldn’t have left planet just yet. It wasn’t a military installation as I know where all of those are located, and none of the fleet were here during the time of the murder. It would have to be a civilian.” He pulled up his sleeve to check his implant, “i will call in and order all civilian transport grounded. That should give us enough time to investigate if you find anything, don’t send any of your men in, but call me.”

The Tesraki nodded in agreement, “Thank you Admiral.”

“Let me step out to make the call.”

The Tesraki let him go, and he stepped out the door, pulling the now soggy plastic covers off his boots as he made his way to the front of the stoor. Sunny listened patiently as he called a halt to all civilian transports, smiling a little when he ordered the man to stop complaining and do as he was ordered by power of the combined UNSC and GA.

Eventually, he cut the call and turned to look at her.

She could tell by the pained expression on his face, that his original thought had only gotten worse.

“What are you thinking?” She mumbled softly, looking over her shoulder to make sure no one was listening.

He paused before answering, “I think I know why they took his limbs.”

Sunny paused, “What! Why?”

The human grimaced, his face shot through with pain and shame, though that seemed odd as he hadn’t done anything.

“I think…. I…”

A horn blasted from outside making the two of them jump before it faded into the distance.

Admiral Vir hung his head, “I think they are going to….”

She put a hand on his shoulder, “spit it out.”

“Eat him!”

Sunny froze, and the two of the locked eyes, one horrified, the other ashamed.

“No….”

“Yes….”

[rena-rain]

Miraculous Holders’ Costumes - RANKED

#1 - Dragon Bug

Dragon Bug’s design is the freaking epitome of asymetrical balance. Everything about this suit is both smooth and sharp. The curving stripes and spots give the impression of fire licking up her body, same with the flame-shaped horns in her hair. You can hardly go wrong with black, red, and gold. The upward-pointing hair accessories reflect her downward-pointing pigtails, adding more subtle balance, and I love the details on her mask.

#2 - Rena Rouge

This design really suits Alya. The shape of the white front is both slimming and compliments her curves, and the black accents at her extremities are an excellent counterbalance to the white and orange. Also something about the coattails just completes Rena Rouge’s look! It’s the right shape too, because fox tails are on the bushier side, unlike cats and mice.

#3 - Chat Noir

Chat Noir’s costume can be described as “black cat meets knight in shining armor but modern.” Let’s go from the head down. The change in hairstyle balances out his cat ears. His blond hair, green eyes, and gold bell are beautiful contrasts to the black suit, which has a subtle texture to the fabric. There are visible seams over his shoulders, arms, and torso that add visual interest to the design and makes his suit resemble armor - even more so with his boots and gauntlets. Those details are fantastic because black is extremely slimming and they give some emphasis to his shape. Between the ears, eyes, bell, claws, and tail, you could never mistake his aesthetic as anything but catlike.

#4 - Hawk Moth

Do not tell me Hawk Moth’s costume isn’t sleek as hell. The monochrome works for him, the suit pairs well with his weapon being a staff, the overhead silver helmet-mask gives him a great villainous feel, and every pointy detail gives a sense of evil butterflies. I love that his miraculous is the focal point of his outfit, the light color contrast really draws the eye.

#5 - Snake Noir

They definitely combined the best elements of the Chat costume and Aspik costume for Snake Noir. In a word, you can describe his design as “lithe.” The cyan pairs well with the green, especially because there’s a Chat Noir-green diamond on his chest. The snake elements are a bit subtler, with his head smooth, the design tapering down his body, the fangs on his mask, the scale texture on his suit and the lines running down his arms. It’s cohesive, elegant, and stark.

#6 - Bunnix

I think Bunnix is meant to resemble a snowshoe hare. They didn’t give her a tail, but I think that’s what the little rounded ball accents are supposed to represent. The markings are bold and evenly distributed, making her look balanced and symmetrical. She actually has a vague vintage feel to her design: the white torso is reminiscent of a corset, which goes with the gloves, boots, and umbrella/parasol. Like Chat Noir, Alix’s hair makes a great contrast with the light blue and white. Also POCKETS.

#7 - Carapace

I love how much Carapce emulates a turtle. His hood and cowl are shaped like a turtle beak and also hide his face, serving both to protect his identity and give the impression he can physically retreat into his costume. His shield looks like a shell, the designs on his hood look like common markings on turtles’ heads, and he has a tortoiseshell pattern on his chest and shield. Like Chat Noir, the lines of his suit give his arms and legs visual interest.

#8 - Queen Bee

As much as I personally dislike the color yellow, Queen Bee’s costume has a straightforward elegance about it. Obviously the black and yellow stripes resemble a bumble bee but they’re also good for Chloe’s slender body type.. The black “neckline” and “gloves” are regal in flavor, suiting her moniker. You get a distinct bee impression from the sharpness of her stripes (a reminder of her stinging power), the black swirl around her hair, and the antennae-like hair ribbon.

#9 - Multimouse

Multimouse is another example of a well-balanced and symmetrical design. It uses the reliable faux gloves and boots design with colors that go well together. Her buns and jump rope look like mouse ears and a tail. I have a suspicion the animators came up with it to easily combine with other miraculous powers, mainly by changing the color of the pink stripes post-unification. Overall, this costume is very cute. I won’t go over every permutation of the multimice combos since very little changes other than color.

#10 - Lady Noire

Overall, Lady Noire’s suit is minimalist and elegant in a sharp, modern kind of way. Black is naturally slimming, and Marinette is already very slim, so the horizontal green accents help emphasize her curves. I don’t love the green lining of her ears, but I suppose that keeps the design consistent. I’m absolutely in love with Lady Noire’s braid (and I’d be remiss not to take the chance to point out this is the only time we see her hair properly black instead of blue). Her suit has a completely smooth texture, unlike both her Ladybug suit and Chat Noir’s, which I found odd and does’t do her petite frame any favors.

#11 - Mr. Bug

I’m glad they gave Mr. Bug black panels on his sides. The full-cover spots of Ladybug is fine for Marinette, but Adrien has a bigger frame and it would just look ostentatious on him. This design emphasizes his shoulders and slims him down a bit. He actually looks like a football player (American football, don’t @ me about this). He ranks just below Lady Noire because of the hair.

#12 - Aspik

OMG what a cutie pie. I can’t not say it - he looks like he’s wearing a corset in the left pic. Not a good or bad thing, I’m just saying. Look at this cutie pie! Aspik actually looks more snake-like than Viperion, imo: the design is sleeker and he’s got the diamonds over his head, that’s a nice touch. The snake scale pattern is a great detail. I had to step outside my own bias with this one because snakes really freak me out and so does Adrien without hair.

#13 - Jade Turtle

He’s less turtle-y than Carapace, but I was pretty happy with the Jade Turtle costume. The Asian style obviously suits him, and it makes sense because he was originally from China, while many of the others would be more used to Western clothing at a young age. Fu has a tortoise-shell pattern on his hat and shoulder guards and his shoes look like turtle feet. However, His chest plate deviates from the turtle theme

#14 - Viperion

My favorite parts of Viperion’s costume are his mask with the little snake fangs and the scale texture of the suit.As I mentioned above, it’s less snakey than Aspik’s. The lines suit his shape pretty well, but don’t taper down his body in the way a snake slims from chest to tail. I just feel like something’s missing from the outfit as a whole.

#15 - Ladybug

There’s just...nothing all that special about Ladybug’s costume. The red and black do suit Marinette’s pink coloring and dark hair, and contrast with her blue eyes. The bright color and pattern emphasize Marinette’s curves pretty well and make her look a little bigger than her slim stature. All that said, the suit is both busy and plain somehow.

16 - Pegasus

While I do love the hair, something about Pegasus’ costume is both too subtle and too over-the-top somehow at the same time. He has a lot of bells and whistles, though I suppose it’s supposed to look similar to horse tack. The winged shoes seem completely out of place. It’s not that I think he looks bad, but he doesn’t look particularly cool either.

#17 - Mayura

The one sin of Mayura’s outfit is the giant slit up the skirt, but kwamis is it a sin. The colors all go together and the headpiece matches the hem, and it has a distinct cold-weather theme going on with the boots, fur collar and cuffs, and full coverage design. That gets negated by the slit, which exposes nearly all of her legs, something that works far better for a summer evening dress.

#18 - King Monkey/Roi Singe

I’ve tried to figure out what it is about King Monkey’s costume that looks less than optimal, and I’m pretty sure it’s that it isn’t balanced well. He has large gloves, and elaborate crown and hairstyle, a thick collar, and a thick belt high up his waist. It makes him look kind of top-heavy. Similar to Pegasus, but to a greater extent, he’s washed out by the excess of neutral colors that the red doesn’t counteract very much.

#19 - Ryuko

I expected the dragon outfit to be more exciting. Other than the tail design (and the horns???), there’s just nothing dragon-esque about this. Come on, Chat Noir got ears, claws, and a tail; Viperion and Snake Noir got little scale motifs all over and fangs on their masks; Multimouse got bun ears and a tail; Carapace got a shell and a beak; Rena Rouge also got ears and a tail on top of a design reminiscent of a fox’s fur markings. Imagine the awesome tail and claws and fire motifs we were deprived of with the dragon. The best parts of Ryuko’s design is the embellished mask, her reptile eyes, and the red/black/gold color scheme, which are pretty cool.

[mutating-the-city]

Muse Info

Subject 1, aka Red/Buster (Raph)

Age: 17

Species: Turtle Mutant

Height: 7’5

Pronouns: He/him

Attractions: Questioning

Description: A mutant alligator snapping turtle with bright green skin, an orange plastron with forked top edges, a dark green carapace with three dorsal ridges, and a large, muscular figure. He has spikes on his shoulders and elbows, yellowish scleras and teeth, red eyes, and a sharp tooth protruding from the right side of his upper jaw. He has a short tail with spikes along the top, similar to the ones on his shoulders. Said tail is about half as long as one of his legs. He has a thin scar across his neck, usually covered by a dark metal neckpiece with a red circle at the front. He also wears a red mask that covers the top of his head with long, torn tails. His mask has a tear underneath his right eye. He wears red cloth around his elbows, white wraps around his hands and lower legs, and black shorts.

Subject 2, aka Blue (Leo)

Age: 16

Species: Turtle Mutant

Height: 5’6

Pronouns: He/them

Attractions: Bi (extremely)

Description: A mutant red-eared slider with lime green skin, a mustard yellow plastron, and a green-blue carapace with a teal pattern. He has red stripes over his eyes, yellow stripes on his upper arms and thighs, and bluegreen eyes. He wears a blue mask with two long tails and black wraps on his forearms and lower legs. Slung across his back are a sniper rifle and a sword with a blue hilt.

Subject 3, aka Purple/Specs (Donnie)

Age: 16

Species: Turtle Mutant

Height: 5’4

Pronouns: He/them

Attractions: Bi Ace

Description: A mutant spiny softshell turtle with jade green skin, a light brown plastron, and a silver metal carapace with spikes along the rim. They have geometric purple markings on their shoulders and thighs. They also have a large head, yellow-tinted teeth, and thick black eyebrows. Replacing his forearms and half of his left upper arm are two extremely advanced robot arms with silvery plates and occasional small lines of purple. The outside of his upper left thigh and entire lower right leg and foot are also robotic. He wears a purple mask with short tails and a pair of silver goggles with thick opaque purple lenses. Underneath these goggles their eyes are purple with slightly yellow-tinted scleras and pupils that become reflective in the dark. They also wear black wraps on their forearms when disguised in the city, to hide their mechanical parts.

Subject 4, aka Orange/Ollie (Mikey)

Age: 15

Species: Turtle/Spider Mutant

Height: 4’6

Pronouns: He/it

Attractions: Questioning

Description: A mutant ornate box turtle with blue-green skin, a bright yellow plastron, and a blue-grey carapace with a yellow pattern. It has geometric yellow markings on its shoulders and thighs, orange eyes, slightly tinted scleras, a tooth gap in the right side of its upper jaw, two fangs on each side of his mouth, and a forked tongue. He has four eyes and four extra spider limbs on his back, coming from under his shell. Its mouth can split open to reveal four spider-like mandibles, and it can also turn its eyes completely red. It wears an orange mask with short tails, orange socks, black wraps on its lower legs, and orange knee pads with red faces on them (a dead face with a zig-zag mouth on the right and a grinning face with sharp triangular teeth on the left. Both of the faces have four eyes).

[suddenlybear]

Connected

•••

A crab meandered along the cool sands of the beach, damp carapace catching the moonlight with a silvery glint much like the night elf’s snowy head did while she sat in the sand, staring intently as it scuttled. Araane held a handful of tiny pebbles and was trying to bounce them off the hard shell of the crustacean (who was extremely unappreciative), not even pretending to listen to her newly appointed druidic mentor.

“…And even if it does not appear so, it is like the most intricate of spider webs, co---” Nakahana paused in his lecture, great hooves displacing sand as he paced behind his kaldorei student. Frowning, he glared down at Araane, the tips of her silver-spun hair nearly brushing the sand she sat in. Without warning, a whoosh heralds a thick, strong tail slapping -hard- against the insolent elf’s back.

With a satisfying yelp she jerks at the stinging blow, dropping her pebbles and sending the crab hurrying away. Growling, she tried to rub at the spot on her back he smacked, snapping in accented Common. “Would you -fucking- cut that out, you’re going to break my -fucking- spine someday, Nak!” Nakahana sighed, the massive tauren’s velvety ears pinning back briefly. She sure loved that human word, ‘fuck’.

“Then pay attention, -theroshan-. Did you hear anything I just said? At all? In the slightest?” he asked with a hint of pleading exhaustion in his voice. The elf who was older than him by nearly five thousand years rubbed her face with both hands while groaning like some bratty calf. “Yes, Nak, I -did- as a matter of fact,” Pointing to the massively impressive new addition to the seascape, she gestured wildly at Teldrassil. “It’s a big tree, it’s important, blaaaaah blah. I don’t know why, it’s just going to fail like all the others, it already failed in giving us back what we sacrificed.”

Another, but markedly gentler smack is delivered with a jet-black tail, this time upside Araane’s head. Having enough of this now, the nimble elf rolls to her feet and brushes herself off while glowering up at him. But he didn’t have eyes on his student, but on the colossal tree across the waves.

“It’s not Teldrassil’s fault it could not do so, Araane. It is Archdruid’s Fandral’s, for giving his people false hope. But for his faults, he and the Circle wrought something -amazing-,” stepping beside her, he gently tilted her chin so her gaze fell on the great tree once more. “There, out of nothing but the sheer strength of life itself, has the most beautiful of homes been made for your people, Araane. A home like none other this world has seen. A home that feels, and lives and grows beneath your very feet. Teldrassil’s roots run deeper than any world tree before it.”

Turning, Nakahana makes a broad gesture with one arm towards the forest behind them. “We druids are more connected to the land than one might think, and it is because of roots. The trees may speak through them, to us, to each other, to the land itself. They are separate but bound in a massive network that spans this world. A human might fell a tree and think that is all there is to it. But that tree’s pain is echoed through the forest. Like a spider’s web, where one strand touched sends vibrations through the whole web.”

Quieting, he watches Araane, looking for some sign she listened -this- time. And to his pleasant surprise, she was looking thoughtfully towards the world tree, long brow furrowed. “And us? We feel that pain as well?” Nak nodded, then shrugged, moving to rest a hand on the elf’s narrow shoulder as he too looked towards Teldrassil.

“It depends on the druid, and it depends on the tree. It is a part of why druids become enraged when destruction happens to forests, for sometimes the pain echoes so powerfully within their spirits it is unbearable.”

Several long, contemplative moments pass before Nak heaves a sigh, giving Araane’s back a little push. “Well, come on, dinner isn’t going to hunt itself.”

•••

 A mere week had passed since Araane had been hurried through her mending process by Alnarra, in order for her to go to the frontlines in Darkshore and help defend her people’s homeland. It had been a surprise to the irreverent elf, finding her guts knotted with worry instead of the usual resounding ‘meh’ whenever faced with tragedy. She never felt close or deep ties to the world tree, not like she did for her homelands for Feralas. In fact, she only ever visited Darnassus for religious reasons, or to as the guards might say, be a miserable little shitstarter. Was it pride that drove her to do so? Some sort of misplaced nostalgia or long-buried patriotism? Araane tried not to linger on it and focus on the highly enjoyable task at hand.

Which at the moment, was bearing down upon the little sin’dorei shit that thought he could just hop on top of her and ram a poisoned blade between her massive ursine shoulders. Said dagger was still protruding from her thick hide, the venom it was coated with unfortunately doing so very little to tip the odds in the rogue’s favor. The auburn-haired sneak was using every trick in his book to avoid his impending mauling, Araane’s roars of indignant fury muffled in the dense forests of Darkshore as she swiped and snapped at the quick, little elf who flipped about trying to escape her maw. She always hated trying to catch these acrobatic assholes, it was like trying to grab a fly with your bare hands. So it was with immense satisfaction when steely jaws closed around a leg that was a little too slow to pull away in time.

The rush of warm blood was always rewarding, filling the great ursine with a macabre vigor at her success. And what better way to celebrate it than by repeatedly slamming the elf against a nearby tree until it was oozing mush? With a savage growl Araane reared up to do just that, the poor thing in her mouth shouting in agony and vainly trying to pry her jaws open before his whole body was whipped about like a rag-doll. The first strike against the thick trunk filled the air with a cracking noise, and it wasn’t from the tree, the second… well, the second never came, as an overwhelming sense of dread and pain surged through Araane. With a startled, muffled yelp she tossed the maimed but alive(?) sin’dorei off into the underbrush, suddenly unimportant as her large head shook about while she paced with snarling, gruffing snuffs.

Something was wrong. Horribly, horribly wrong. The trees were -wailing-. Anguish. Pain. Terror. Araane shook her head again, trying to clear her mind just as Nak had taught her, and gently pressed her forehead against the trunk of the very tree she was about to brutally kill someone against, urging it to answer her. Where? Where must she go and what must she destroy to soothe this? Incoherent pain and confusion was all that answered her. It was then that the first traces of smoke were picked up by her keen nose. Fire.

Rearing up, she turned and charged towards the ocean, barreling through crowded thickets and briar as if they were tissue paper. The smoke was getting easier to smell with every bound she made, and as the trees began to thin, a golden glow seemed to shine through the spaces. A gold that turned deeper, more red as she neared the beach, the stench of smoke starting to become overwhelming to her sensitive nose. All at once Araane burst through the tree line, huge paws sinking into sand as she skidded to a halt, the sight that met her nearly beyond belief. Teldrassil was engulfed in flames. It was as if a frost mage had frozen her in place, watching in horror as flames bigger than Stormwind Keep licked up the sides of the world tree, leaves replaced with fire lighting up the dusk sky. And the ash. It was reaching the shore now, falling with all the serenity of snow.

It wasn’t until an ember landed on her snout that Araane snapped out of it, looking bewildered as she swiped a paw at her face. This can’t be mauled. You can’t roar a fire away. What could she possibly do? What could -anyone- do? Where were her people’s leaders? Were they there, within the tree? She could only assume Malfurion himself was doing what he could. The unmistakable sound of siege weaponry reached her ears as she paced the beach, coming from the direction of Lor’danel to the south. There, there was something she could do, the bastards must be pushing the siege during the burning. Shifting rapidly, her stormcrow form flapped hard, flying low and close to the water as she sped towards the port city.

She might’ve reached it and dove happily into the droves of horde flooding into it, if not for the sputtering cry for help she heard from the waters. Banking hard enough to make her wince, Araane saw two kaldorei in the water, a female with green hair struggling to keep herself and an unconscious, badly burnt sentinel afloat on a charred log. Her strength was obviously sapped though, her sooty face stained with tears as she desperately tried to keep the sentinel from slipping under the choppy water, crying blindly for help.

And so it came, in the form of a bear dropping ungracefully into the water with a large splash. Swimming quite strongly towards the two, she gruffed at the now extra terrified night elf, trying to look as appealing as a massive, one-eyed monster bear can. Not that the poor dear had much of a choice, and with Araane helping she managed to get the sentinel, and herself, onto the ursine’s broad back. Swimming back to shore, both passengers were dislodged as soon as they hit solid ground, the green haired elf began sobbing hysterically. This became even worse when Araane shifted back to her elven form, as the woman flung her arms around her scarred neck, crying against her chest as she shook.

Standing stiffly, the red-clad druid didn’t quite know what to do. That was becoming today’s theme, it seemed. Clearing her throat, Araane ever so gently and awkwardly put her arms around the distraught kaldorei, holding her as she wept, lips pursing in a tight line as words utterly escaped her. It was the bedraggled survivor that spoke first, pulling away abruptly to stare at her with eyes full of fear as she babbled in darnassian. “P-please, please th-there’s, there’s more, please! S-s-so many d—b—please! So many jumped, too many, too high up, th—they, they---” breaking down again, Araane frowned deeply as she knelt down with the other woman, pulling a hand away to start snapping her fingers.

“Hey! Listen, HEY!” shivering and quieting abruptly, the survivor looked up with watery eyes. “Listen to me, understand? It’s important that you keep ahold of yourself for as long as you can. You need to find help for her,” nodding her head to the sentinel, who was at least breathing more or less normally. “Now, what’s your name?” Sniffling and shaking, the other elf murmured hoarsely. “L-Lenaella…” Looking around with a grimace, she spotted a small outcropping of rocks. Getting up, she leaned down to take ahold of the sentinel’s armpits, dragging her towards them as Lenaella followed. Tucking her against the rocks, she was more or less out of sight from both the road, the sea and the sky. Turning to Lanaella, Araane takes her shoulders, holding them firmly and making sure she looked her in the eye.

“Now listen. They are probably evacuating Lor’danel, the sentinels and priestesses will have set up a rally point close to the mountains. You need to find them and get some to come back and get her. She’ll be safe here, I mean she already looks dead anyhow.” This was not comforting, making the other kaldorei’s eyes widen, voice quavering. “W-why can’t you carry her as before??” Araane shakes her head, looking towards the water, appearing red as it reflected the inferno not so far away. “I… need to see if there are more out there,” the druid said with hesitation, the words feeling strange in her mouth. Shaking her head, she lets go of Lenaella and points towards the forest. “You can do this. You got this far, right? And it is thanks to you she lives. Now you have to make sure she keeps living.”

The elf’s trembling lip sets as firmly as it can, a resolute nod following as Lenaella turns on her heel to hurry into the trees. A last glance was spared to the sentinel to ensure she was still breathing, her own scarred face scrunched up in trepidation and discomfort, and Araane was in the air, flying away from the combat and towards a sea that was rapidly filling with death.

[toonatic92]

(TW/CW: Mild language)

[Image description: A black and white pencil drawing of Airis and Malx Nin, two gods from my fantasy story, 'Daisy Bubblegum'. The drawing depicts both their monstrous true forms and their standard humanoid forms and gives some information about each of them. In the top left is Airis, an elderly anthro pigeon with four arms, four pairs of striped wings and a serpent tail instead of legs. They are wearing a loose chiton-like dress and two bangles on each wrist. They are smiling kindly with one pair of arms outstretched in a welcoming gesture. Behind them is their true form, a giant bird-headed serpent with the same number of wings and four sets of eyes, beaks and arms along the length of their body. Next to them is bullet pointed text that reads: 'God of the air, sky, winds, birds and creator of the world and all life', 'Nonbinary (they/them)', 'Associated with pigeons, snakes, butterflies, silver and the number 4', 'Kind grandparent'. In the bottom right is Malx Nin, a muscular human man with beetle features like antennae, shiny armour-like carapace on his face, shoulders, arms and legs, and insect wings. He is wearing a loincloth and several jewelled metal cuffs connected by chains all over his body. He is standing stiffly and glaring. Behind him is his true form, a giant shiny scarab beetle wearing the same chained cuffs but this time, the chains are tethered to the ground. The text next to him reads: 'God of the earth, minerals, insects and king of the gods', 'Cis man (he/him)', 'Associated with beetles, gold, gems and the number 6', 'Humourless arsehole'.]

In the world of 'Daisy Bubblegum', anthropomorphic birds are the dominant species. There are many countries, each with their own bird species. Daisy's country is Pritani, home of the Anseri, the ducks and geese. The Anseri are an ancient culture that once worshipped a whole pantheon of gods, but now worship a single god who is a combination of all of the old gods, that is if they don't worship different gods or none at all. The old gods have been forgotten by the Anseri, but they still exist and control their world, just in the background now instead of directly part of the Anseri's lives and legends like they were before. The only mortal they have any influence over is the Chosen One, a role that has existed since ancient times. The Chosen One is a special mortal chosen by the gods at birth to be their champion, fighting evil and protecting other mortals. A new Chosen One is selected when the old one dies and the current Chosen One is Daisy. In the story, the gods play an important role, giving Daisy advice and training to help her fulfil her destiny.

Airis is the god of the air, sky, winds and birds. They were the first god and they created the world and all things within it, but their favourite creations were the Anseri, their chosen people. They also created all the other gods in their pantheon, who are their children and grandchildren. Airis is a grandparent figure to the other gods and to their Chosen One, Daisy, giving advice and being kindly and patient. They prefer not to get involved in the necessary duties of running the world, the gods and the mortals, despite being the first god. They leave all that boring stuff to their son, Malx Nin, and focus on keeping their part of the natural world running smoothly and dispensing advice to their relatives and the Chosen One. They seem like a harmless eccentric, but they are still the most powerful of all the gods and will demonstrate that power to veto Malx Nin's decisions and keep the other gods in line, if necessary.

Malx Nin is the god of the earth, minerals and insects. He and his wife, Phin Ptia, were the first two gods Airis created to be in charge of the land and water in their new world. Malx Nin is in charge of not only the earth, but of the other gods and of mortals, a job that was given to him by Airis when they got fed up of being in charge. It's his job to keep the gods on track, otherwise they might start getting sick of their repetitive jobs and revolt, and to keep the Chosen One in line. He only has very slight influence over mortals anymore. Ever since the gods started retreating from interacting with mortals because it got overwhelming, mortals have over time lost faith in their gods and their existence, so now he has little influence over what they do. He's hoping to get this back via the Chosen One, but until then he satisfies his control-freak personality by bullying the other gods into submission, especially his children Xan and Xanthia. He also advises Daisy, but it's less advice and more barking orders at her and invoking her duty to the world to get her to comply.

There will be more of these in the future. I plan on doing Malx Nin's family (Phin Ptia, Xan, Thia, Xanthia) first and then moving on to the rest of the Anseri gods.

Pencil on paper.

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[readbookywooks]

An Underwater Forest

WE HAD FINALLY arrived on the outskirts of this forest, surely one of the finest in Captain Nemo's immense domains. He regarded it as his own and had laid the same claim to it that, in the first days of the world, the first men had to their forests on land. Besides, who else could dispute his ownership of this underwater property? What other, bolder pioneer would come, ax in hand, to clear away its dark underbrush? This forest was made up of big treelike plants, and when we entered beneath their huge arches, my eyes were instantly struck by the unique arrangement of their branches - an arrangement that I had never before encountered. None of the weeds carpeting the seafloor, none of the branches bristling from the shrubbery, crept, or leaned, or stretched on a horizontal plane. They all rose right up toward the surface of the ocean. Every filament or ribbon, no matter how thin, stood ramrod straight. Fucus plants and creepers were growing in stiff perpendicular lines, governed by the density of the element that generated them. After I parted them with my hands, these otherwise motionless plants would shoot right back to their original positions. It was the regime of verticality. I soon grew accustomed to this bizarre arrangement, likewise to the comparative darkness surrounding us. The seafloor in this forest was strewn with sharp chunks of stone that were hard to avoid. Here the range of underwater flora seemed pretty comprehensive to me, as well as more abundant than it might have been in the arctic or tropical zones, where such exhibits are less common. But for a few minutes I kept accidentally confusing the two kingdoms, mistaking zoophytes for water plants, animals for vegetables. And who hasn't made the same blunder? Flora and fauna are so closely associated in the underwater world! I observed that all these exhibits from the vegetable kingdom were attached to the seafloor by only the most makeshift methods. They had no roots and didn't care which solid objects secured them, sand, shells, husks, or pebbles; they didn't ask their hosts for sustenance, just a point of purchase. These plants are entirely self-propagating, and the principle of their existence lies in the water that sustains and nourishes them. In place of leaves, most of them sprouted blades of unpredictable shape, which were confined to a narrow gamut of colors consisting only of pink, crimson, green, olive, tan, and brown. There I saw again, but not yet pressed and dried like the Nautilus's specimens, some peacock's tails spread open like fans to stir up a cooling breeze, scarlet rosetangle, sea tangle stretching out their young and edible shoots, twisting strings of kelp from the genus Nereocystis that bloomed to a height of fifteen meters, bouquets of mermaid's cups whose stems grew wider at the top, and a number of other open-sea plants, all without flowers. "It's an odd anomaly in this bizarre element!" as one witty naturalist puts it. "The animal kingdom blossoms, and the vegetable kingdom doesn't!" These various types of shrubbery were as big as trees in the temperate zones; in the damp shade between them, there were clustered actual bushes of moving flowers, hedges of zoophytes in which there grew stony coral striped with twisting furrows, yellowish sea anemone from the genus Caryophylia with translucent tentacles, plus anemone with grassy tufts from the genus Zoantharia; and to complete the illusion, minnows flitted from branch to branch like a swarm of hummingbirds, while there rose underfoot, like a covey of snipe, yellow fish from the genus Lepisocanthus with bristling jaws and sharp scales, flying gurnards, and pinecone fish. Near one o'clock, Captain Nemo gave the signal to halt. Speaking for myself, I was glad to oblige, and we stretched out beneath an arbor of winged kelp, whose long thin tendrils stood up like arrows. This short break was a delight. It lacked only the charm of conversation. But it was impossible to speak, impossible to reply. I simply nudged my big copper headpiece against Conseil's headpiece. I saw a happy gleam in the gallant lad's eyes, and to communicate his pleasure, he jiggled around inside his carapace in the world's silliest way. After four hours of strolling, I was quite astonished not to feel any intense hunger. What kept my stomach in such a good mood I'm unable to say. But, in exchange, I experienced that irresistible desire for sleep that comes over every diver. Accordingly, my eyes soon closed behind their heavy glass windows and I fell into an uncontrollable doze, which until then I had been able to fight off only through the movements of our walking. Captain Nemo and his muscular companion were already stretched out in this clear crystal, setting us a fine naptime example. How long I was sunk in this torpor I cannot estimate; but when I awoke, it seemed as if the sun were settling toward the horizon. Captain Nemo was already up, and I had started to stretch my limbs, when an unexpected apparition brought me sharply to my feet. A few paces away, a monstrous, meter-high sea spider was staring at me with beady eyes, poised to spring at me. Although my diving suit was heavy enough to protect me from this animal's bites, I couldn't keep back a shudder of horror. Just then Conseil woke up, together with the Nautilus's sailor. Captain Nemo alerted his companion to this hideous crustacean, which a swing of the rifle butt quickly brought down, and I watched the monster's horrible legs writhing in dreadful convulsions. This encounter reminded me that other, more daunting animals must be lurking in these dark reaches, and my diving suit might not be adequate protection against their attacks. Such thoughts hadn't previously crossed my mind, and I was determined to keep on my guard. Meanwhile I had assumed this rest period would be the turning point in our stroll, but I was mistaken; and instead of heading back to the Nautilus, Captain Nemo continued his daring excursion. The seafloor kept sinking, and its significantly steeper slope took us to greater depths. It must have been nearly three o'clock when we reached a narrow valley gouged between high, vertical walls and located 150 meters down. Thanks to the perfection of our equipment, we had thus gone ninety meters below the limit that nature had, until then, set on man's underwater excursions. I say 150 meters, although I had no instruments for estimating this distance. But I knew that the sun's rays, even in the clearest seas, could reach no deeper. So at precisely this point the darkness became profound. Not a single object was visible past ten paces. Consequently, I had begun to grope my way when suddenly I saw the glow of an intense white light. Captain Nemo had just activated his electric device. His companion did likewise. Conseil and I followed suit. By turning a switch, I established contact between the induction coil and the glass spiral, and the sea, lit up by our four lanterns, was illuminated for a radius of twenty-five meters. Captain Nemo continued to plummet into the dark depths of this forest, whose shrubbery grew ever more sparse. I observed that vegetable life was disappearing more quickly than animal life. The open-sea plants had already left behind the increasingly arid seafloor, where a prodigious number of animals were still swarming: zoophytes, articulates, mollusks, and fish. While we were walking, I thought the lights of our Ruhmkorff devices would automatically attract some inhabitants of these dark strata. But if they did approach us, at least they kept at a distance regrettable from the hunter's standpoint. Several times I saw Captain Nemo stop and take aim with his rifle; then, after sighting down its barrel for a few seconds, he would straighten up and resume his walk. Finally, at around four o'clock, this marvelous excursion came to an end. A wall of superb rocks stood before us, imposing in its sheer mass: a pile of gigantic stone blocks, an enormous granite cliffside pitted with dark caves but not offering a single gradient we could climb up. This was the underpinning of Crespo Island. This was land. The captain stopped suddenly. A gesture from him brought us to a halt, and however much I wanted to clear this wall, I had to stop. Here ended the domains of Captain Nemo. He had no desire to pass beyond them. Farther on lay a part of the globe he would no longer tread underfoot. Our return journey began. Captain Nemo resumed the lead in our little band, always heading forward without hesitation. I noted that we didn't follow the same path in returning to the Nautilus. This new route, very steep and hence very arduous, quickly took us close to the surface of the sea. But this return to the upper strata wasn't so sudden that decompression took place too quickly, which could have led to serious organic disorders and given us those internal injuries so fatal to divers. With great promptness, the light reappeared and grew stronger; and the refraction of the sun, already low on the horizon, again ringed the edges of various objects with the entire color spectrum. At a depth of ten meters, we walked amid a swarm of small fish from every species, more numerous than birds in the air, more agile too; but no aquatic game worthy of a gunshot had yet been offered to our eyes. Just then I saw the captain's weapon spring to his shoulder and track a moving object through the bushes. A shot went off, I heard a faint hissing, and an animal dropped a few paces away, literally struck by lightning. It was a magnificent sea otter from the genus Enhydra, the only exclusively marine quadruped. One and a half meters long, this otter had to be worth a good high price. Its coat, chestnut brown above and silver below, would have made one of those wonderful fur pieces so much in demand in the Russian and Chinese markets; the fineness and luster of its pelt guaranteed that it would go for at least 2,000 francs. I was full of wonderment at this unusual mammal, with its circular head adorned by short ears, its round eyes, its white whiskers like those on a cat, its webbed and clawed feet, its bushy tail. Hunted and trapped by fishermen, this valuable carnivore has become extremely rare, and it takes refuge chiefly in the northernmost parts of the Pacific, where in all likelihood its species will soon be facing extinction. Captain Nemo's companion picked up the animal, loaded it on his shoulder, and we took to the trail again. For an hour plains of sand unrolled before our steps. Often the seafloor rose to within two meters of the surface of the water. I could then see our images clearly mirrored on the underside of the waves, but reflected upside down: above us there appeared an identical band that duplicated our every movement and gesture; in short, a perfect likeness of the quartet near which it walked, but with heads down and feet in the air. Another unusual effect. Heavy clouds passed above us, forming and fading swiftly. But after thinking it over, I realized that these so-called clouds were caused simply by the changing densities of the long ground swells, and I even spotted the foaming "white caps" that their breaking crests were proliferating over the surface of the water. Lastly, I couldn't help seeing the actual shadows of large birds passing over our heads, swiftly skimming the surface of the sea. On this occasion I witnessed one of the finest gunshots ever to thrill the marrow of a hunter. A large bird with a wide wingspan, quite clearly visible, approached and hovered over us. When it was just a few meters above the waves, Captain Nemo's companion took aim and fired. The animal dropped, electrocuted, and its descent brought it within reach of our adroit hunter, who promptly took possession of it. It was an albatross of the finest species, a wonderful specimen of these open-sea fowl. This incident did not interrupt our walk. For two hours we were sometimes led over plains of sand, sometimes over prairies of seaweed that were quite arduous to cross. In all honesty, I was dead tired by the time I spotted a hazy glow half a mile away, cutting through the darkness of the waters. It was the Nautilus's beacon. Within twenty minutes we would be on board, and there I could breathe easy again - because my tank's current air supply seemed to be quite low in oxygen. But I was reckoning without an encounter that slightly delayed our arrival. I was lagging behind some twenty paces when I saw Captain Nemo suddenly come back toward me. With his powerful hands he sent me buckling to the ground, while his companion did the same to Conseil. At first I didn't know what to make of this sudden assault, but I was reassured to observe the captain lying motionless beside me. I was stretched out on the seafloor directly beneath some bushes of algae, when I raised my head and spied two enormous masses hurtling by, throwing off phosphorescent glimmers. My blood turned cold in my veins! I saw that we were under threat from a fearsome pair of sharks. They were blue sharks, dreadful man-eaters with enormous tails, dull, glassy stares, and phosphorescent matter oozing from holes around their snouts. They were like monstrous fireflies that could thoroughly pulverize a man in their iron jaws! I don't know if Conseil was busy with their classification, but as for me, I looked at their silver bellies, their fearsome mouths bristling with teeth, from a viewpoint less than scientific-more as a victim than as a professor of natural history. Luckily these voracious animals have poor eyesight. They went by without noticing us, grazing us with their brownish fins; and miraculously, we escaped a danger greater than encountering a tiger deep in the jungle. Half an hour later, guided by its electric trail, we reached the Nautilus. The outside door had been left open, and Captain Nemo closed it after we reentered the first cell. Then he pressed a button. I heard pumps operating within the ship, I felt the water lowering around me, and in a few moments the cell was completely empty. The inside door opened, and we passed into the wardrobe. There our diving suits were removed, not without difficulty; and utterly exhausted, faint from lack of food and rest, I repaired to my stateroom, full of wonder at this startling excursion on the bottom of the sea.