#and lotus flowers are her favorite flowers mainly because there are so many at her teacher's house

[arcxnumvitae]

Normally, Longmu, one of the deities, names each Red Eye after their have been made. However, Huaxiu had volunteered to do so in Minglian's case. Despite being in the midst of having no emotions, a fate that had temporarily befallen all of the current Red Eyes (minus Zhaohui) due to Qingshan's rampage, Huaxiu is surprised he managed to come up with such a nice name, Minglian-- "bright lotus".

He obviously had taken inspiration from the lotus flowers that grow abundantly n the lake that abuts his home. That aside, the lotus also has a rather positive meaning being a flower that grows from the mud of the waterbed into a pristine bloom. Perhaps, subconsciously, some part of him hoped that her less than stellar beginnings, made to be the replacement of a traitor and also born without the ability to feel emotions, would be something she would rise above in her life.

He thinks she's succeeded at that already.

[frostfeather13]

Talking About Cookies Part 1

Hydrangea Cookie

Spoilers for Season 7 of CR:OB ahead! And a major spoiler for The Frost Witch and the Lantern in the Snow story from CR:K

So Hydrangea Cookie is probably one of my favorite cookies across the entire Cookie Run Franchise.

She’s so pretty from her color palette to her design motifs, I especially love the long flowy sleeves and the colors!

Her trial theme also slaps and was the first I got the Diamond Rank on.

She also has a god damn frog as a pet!! And the frog has a costume!!!

This frog costume makes me wish we had a costume gacha for the pets. 

There are only two cookies that are canonically friendly to her. The rest are tense. Lotus Dragon (obviously) and Cherry Blossom. Cherry Blossom is an odd choice but I can see it.

Just imagine these two going on long walks admiring the hydrangeas and having picnics. Them watching the fireworks together, Cherry Blossom getting Hydrangea more off track of her duties to have picnics. Them looking longingly into the other’s eyes as they slowly move closer… and I am practically writing a fanfiction at this point. 

She’s in general pretty friendly towards the other cookies (even Pomegranate) but isn’t a fan of Purple Yam (cause he’s loud) Ginseng (cause they don’t agree on the whole ‘life draining lotuses’ thing) and Bellflower (because she tries so hard)

Her Magic Candy skill is also pretty cool, the color of the hydrangea jellies depend on how many of bear jellies she collected. If she collected mainly yellow bear jellies then the hydrangea jellies are yellow and it’s the same rule for pink and frozen bear jellies.

Oh and her main skill is beautiful, I love the look of the hydrangeas and it just looks so pretty. Did I mention how much her music slaps? Because the music slaps.

One thing I love about Hydrangea’s personality is that she will drop everything to look at the flowers. She also doesn’t mind getting soggy unlike most cookies. She just goes with the flow and I love that about her. 

That is where I was originally going to leave this, but then season 7 came out.

So now I have so much more to say!

First off, she straight up was willing to die for the Lotus Paradise. 

The way she was just so okay with it, makes me a bit concerned about what is going to happen to her during the story. 

So I did some digging into what hydrangeas symbolize and found out it depends on the color, given that Hydrangea walks through pink, blue, and purple hydrangeas I’ll be going off of those colors.

In general - sincere emotions, gratitude, deep understanding, grace and beauty

Pink - heartfelt emotions, romance, true feelings, and heartfelt emotion.

Blue - feelings of regret, frigidity and apology.

Purple - deep understanding and a desire to deeply understand someone.

To quote the book Tar Baby, Toni Morrison says “A dead hydrangea is as intricate and lovely as one in bloom.”

Just an intresting quote I found while looking up what hydrangeas symbolize. And it kind of ties into her max affection jelly quote:

“None can stop the cycle of blooming and wilting.” 

So given this information, I think something terrible is going to happen to Hydrangea during the story. I don’t want her to get hurt but given her devotion to Lotus Dragon, it’s possible that she could sacrifice herself for Lotus Dragon (and she attempted to with the whole ‘live draining lotus’ thing). If anything does happen, I’ll cry more than I did during Sherbet Cookie’s death. 

There was also recently an official ‘Which Cookie Run Villian Lies Within You’ quiz, one of the results is Hydrangea and it labels her as ‘the Unintentional Villain’

It mentions that she has an easy time understanding others and that she has a lot of optimism. It calls out that if she keeps empathizing and understanding others she could be ‘the World’s Greatest Advisor’. (Which ties into the symbolism of hydrangeas)

Then it mentions that if you (the reader/Hydrangea) were traveling with heinous criminals you would be okay with it. And it explains that it maybe makes you the scariest out of all of them.

Given that this was from an official personality test, it’s easy to say that this is how Hydrangea is and feels. 

Needless to say Hydrangea has some issues. 

Regardless, Hydrangea Cookie Supremacy

Anyway this was pretty fun, I might do this again if y’all are into it. 

Before I forget here’s a doodle/sketch of Hydrangea in my own style instead of me trying to replicate the CR art style like I normally do. 

[seyaryminamoto]

What is something Sokka only ever did and does with and for Azula? I'm not talking about his love but an act. The hairdoing question was because I like the first time he does Azulas hair lots It is a particular thing and the imagination him only doing Azulas hair is individual. I did not ask because of jealousy rather of particularity. I can't find anything he only did does for with Azula

... Right. So, in about 200 chapters worth of story, you haven’t seen anything Sokka has exclusively done for Azula? I... do advise you read more closely. But if you don’t want to...

Represents her as her personal fighter, at first because of their deal, after their relationship blooms he does it because he’s 100% devoted to her in every way that counts. To him, their bond is one of a kind and he does his best to grow stronger so he can continue to fight with and for her, so she may be granted all the respect she deserves. He outright rejects being sponsored by anyone but her, and even when they had no choice but to have Zuko sponsoring him (chapter 56), Sokka said it wasn’t the same because he wanted HER. So her role as her sponsor is one of a kind for him, and he absolutely would never have that kind of bond with anyone else.

Protects her with his body whenever they’re falling off places, something Azula has remarked on more than once. He takes the worst of the impact every time, shielding her however he can. To this day, I’m pretty sure he hasn’t done that with anyone else? (chapter 38, chapter 77).

He opened up to her when he was troubled (chapter 50), sharing some of his innermost turmoil and suffering, letting her help him when he usually would rather not burden anyone else with what plagues him. Further proof of how deeply he trusts her, enough to start putting aside his bad habit of bottling up his troubles for her.

Refused an opportunity to go home AND reconnect with the first person he truly felt comfortable with in the FIre Nation (Piandao), choosing to stay by Azula’s side instead and protect her from people who would most likely harm her (chapter 54).

Nearly killed two gladiators whose sponsors were attempting to marry Azula against her will (chapter 70, chapter 169).

Put aside every shred of his dignity and accepted all punishments Azula forced on him, enduring everything because he thought he deserved it for wronging her (the ENTIRE Rough Rhinos arc).

Gave her the better portions of food during their accidental trip through the forest (again, Rough Rhinos arc) AND saves food for her (chapter 124), meaning, prioritizing her needs over his own. We all KNOW how much Sokka loves food, Azula more than anyone, and the implications of him not eating so she could have more were pretty clear regarding how much she means to him, as far as I can tell.

Cooked for her, sometimes to catastrophic results, but he still tried :’D (chapter 131, chapter 151 to a fault).

Writes haiku for her, and it’s SPECIFICALLY STATED that he only manages to complete proper poems whenever he’s writing about her, as everything else he writes he leaves incomplete or adds too many syllables (chapter 38, chapter 104).

Controls his strongest impulses very often when it comes to physical affection throughout Part 1 (namely in Ember Island and Giving In arcs), always privileging her needs above his own. He’s willing to stop before outright penetrative sex in chapter 97, for Azula’s benefit, and only goes for it when she directly asks him to. Her comfort and happiness are the priority, not his own.

Embarrasses himself willingly just to make her laugh (I’m sure there are many possible examples of this, but right now I can’t find them, but I found one instance of it in chapter 130, at least).

Challenged a nobleman (Kuan) for behaving disrespectfully towards Azula, by dismissing her interests and choices, yet Sokka restrained himself when Azula demanded it of him (chapter 36) and accepted the punishment Kuan forced on him without further protest or causing any more trouble for Azula.

Looked after her when she was sick, no matter if she was really mad at him at the time (White Lotus Attack arc).

Cheered her up after the first ball in the Festivals, after listening to her personal plight with Admiral Zhao (chapter 94)

Offered to teach basic swordsmanship to a kid so that the kid’s father would be on good terms with Azula, helping her craft stronger political allies (chapter 133).

Defends Azula constantly before anyone who may try to undermine or insult her (outright punched Zuko for saying thoughtless things about his sister in chapter 64, lashed out at Iroh for talking shit about her in chapter 95, attacked Rhone as soon as he spoke against Azula in 114 and threatened him in 160).

Comforts her often whenever she’s troubled, especially in matters pertaining her parents and the unpleasant strife they’ve caused her, both in the past and in current times (Ember Island arc, The Fire Nation Festivals arc, The Fire Lord’s Shadow arc). He’s also not judgmental, doesn’t tell her what to think, he mainly listens and helps her deal with her conflicted feelings.

Gladly agrees to change their original deal so he can stay with Azula for good instead of returning to his family, as he intended (chapter 107, Whaletail Island arc).

CRAFTED A BETROTHAL NECKLACE FOR HER??? :’) (chapter 131)

MARRIED HER. TWICE (Return to Shu Jing arc). I mean... really. The very logic of marriage says it’s something absolutely special you don’t do with just ANYONE? And they certainly live by that logic, completely. That something so obviously unique to his relationship with her happened so recently and yet you still sent this ask is... weird to me. Very weird.

In a slightly more intimate note: Sokka has never slept through the night with anyone but Azula. He has never woken up with someone beside him other than Azula. She’s literally the only one he’s ever done that with, and the only one he ever wants to do it with. Started in chapter 64, has happened many, many times since.

Endeavors to become a better painter because she inspired him to keep trying. They’ll start making collaborative art together starting in chapter 201 :’) and in 221 they will make a veeeery special artwork that’s basically their masterpiece.

Climbed a volcano to find a flower to give to her as a token of everlasting love? (chapter 125) :’D 

Nearly died at the hands of Jeong Jeong’s schemes all be it to stay loyal to Azula (also chapter 125).

Got her a Fire Lily in the Festivals, something no one else had ever done for her, cultural connotations of it demand I single this out because it’s a big deal in the Fire Nation, he’s never done that for anyone else and never will (chapter 146).

Constantly asks for her lychee wine, her favorite drink, whenever they go places. The fact that Azula’s heart seems to grow twenty sizes every time he goes out of his way to find her perfect drink should be pretty telling...?

Overworked himself to make her dragon’s perfect armor as a birthday gift for her (Azula’s birthday arc), then still managed to win a fight for her sake despite his body was in bad shape.

Told her being without her feels like sleepwalking through life, waiting until she’s around again so he can wake up and feel like himself once more (chapter 86).

Offered his services and support in helping in the fulfillment Azula’s dream of offering women in the Fire Nation bigger opportunities and roles to make a difference in the world, by training the Enforcers in swordsmanship (Whaletail Island arc).

Accompanied Azula throughout her investigation in The Fire Lord’s Shadow arc, offering her all the support he could in that endeavor, day and night if need be, no matter how dangerous things got he was always there with her.

Trusted Azula so much he allowed her to BEND THROUGH HIM :’) I can guarantee that there’s no way anyone else can do that with Sokka other than Azula.

Sneaks out of his house, or his cabin, to spend nights with her whenever they can afford to, seen all throughout Part 2.

Changed his entire worldview to understand hers, just as she changed hers to understand his. Developed genuine empathy with someone who should have been his enemy, and saw through her to understand her humanity, something NO ONE BUT HIM had done before, and something he’s certainly not willing to do for many people he started out hating, or that he hated at any point in time (literally seen all through the story).

So... 33 items not enough yet, I wonder? Then stick around. The last arcs of Part 2 pack more than a few punches and many unique Sokkla interactions and situations that MIGHT just serve for you to finally see that their bond is actually one of a kind? Despite I’m pretty sure the story that already has been published proves it completely already... but I guess you may have gone too long witthout reading it in full detail? Eh, whatever the reason may be, you can see for yourself there’s a ton of unique things Sokka and Azula have only done with each other.

[nyrator]

some more ny life updates, feat. MBTI stuff, dreams, financial decisions, ACNH checklists, and Radiohead opinions

incredibly depressed lately to be honest, but trying not to be too depressed for this post- basically a place to vent without being super negative because it be public and stuff, helps calm me down, maybe

helping other people with depression is too hard for me, I think. Feels bad to distance myself, but I think avoiding rumination is all I can do when it gets to that point

decided to re-take one of those personality things recently because why not, friends were doing it. I don’t hold much weight to them personally but at least I seem to be consistently this result every few years

for reference, an earlier test:

https://www.16personalities.com/istp-personality

reading through the weaknesses and romantic parts, it almost eerie how it describes me. It’s wrong on the sex part, but feels right just about everywhere else. They even quote me on saying this at the end part. The nice thing is, apparently Kresna’s personality result is my ideal match, which is fitting.

I tend to think my personality is a very flawed one, unfortunately, at least when it comes to social relationships. I don’t like being flattered or praised, nor do I tend to show appreciation to those that deserve it, I feel. Feeling people are slighted by my lack of attention or affection for them more and more.

Energy in general is such a hard thing to grasp. Lately I just can’t seem to do or focus on anything, nor do I have any strong desires to do anything. Feels hard to draw or make anything, and I’m wondering how I’ll finish up that Artfight thing. All I want to do is lay in bed and sleep, maybe just change my sleep schedule and only be awake when no one else is, and just keep to myself

been laying in bed a lot lately, and I’ve noticed a trend in actually having dreams when I’m taking a nap- or at least, that weird “trying to take a nap but keeping eyes half-open basically because I don’t actually want to fall asleep” zone

both dreams I had this week involved different things that I forget, but the core part was basically my family assaulting me, pinning me to the wall, and speaking my darkest secrets into my ear.

First one was my late sister being a prick and possibly uncovering my secret and me trying to get rid of her, while her boyfriend grabs me by the throat and lifts me off the ground into the wall as she mocks me. Second one that I just had earlier tonight, I don’t even remember the context, but basically had my mother disgusted by me, forcefully pinning my arm behind my back and slamming me face first into a wall, telling me she’s aware and disgusted by all my secrets.

Earlier this month, I also had one of my first dreams in months, but it was one of my reoccurring humiliation dreams. Except this time, there was blood. It was a very uncomfortable dream.

I wonder if these dreams mean anything about my psyche or whatever lately.

but yeah, have a lot of money lately, yet still feels sickening to spend money on myself still. I feel like I’ve spent too much on myself lately, and it feels bleh. I like spending money on Kresna, but he doesn’t let me do it often, but it’s always appreciated when he does.

ended up setting up an eye exam in three weeks- decided to order my own frames this time, but shopping for frames is hard. Ended up buying these two (since I always seem to have to buy two pairs for some probably insurance-related reason), but frames are extremely hard to shop for, at least for me, and that lavender look I like is extremely hard to come by

I wonder if I show my appreciation for lavender too much- I think I want to go for thicker frames like the top one, though the bottom ones are like my old frames (same company), and have that metallic lavender look that I love. If I ever had a dream car, it’d be in that color, honestly.

speaking of cars, my neighbor is trying to sell us her old 1997 Saturn for $250, but I’m not sure if I want it, to be honest- One, it’s so old, two, it’s a stick, which I only have basic knowledge on how to drive, and three, I don’t like driving. I think my mother told her yes, which is unfortunate, but we’ll see how it goes.

some other financial decisions lately- bedding, bottles, and slippers (not shown- the more convenient backless purple slippers I now regularly wear, as well as more personal items)

throw pillows are good for holding while sleeping and for preventing my arms from waking up entirely numb sometimes

been thinking about buying more clothes and furniture, but now that I probably won’t be getting the extra $1000 with my unemployment, it’s even harder to justify buying anything. I’d like a new desk, at least- something able to display things would be nice. My boss told me I’ll be going back to work soon hopefully, so that would be nice, especially since this virus is a good excuse to not bring back my coworker and to give me full-time hours, but even then, spending money is hard. Been thinking about a new mousepad since I’ve had this old one for longer than I can remember (probably a college gift), but even something simple like that is tough.

in other random news, slowly trying to make progress in ACNH still- and by that I mean I’ve finally started keeping a checklist for items (had Bugs/Fish already, but now have DIYs and man there’s so many DIYs I’m missing, also Dresses - Umbrella tabs of clothing, basically everything but Tops and Bottoms so far, and mannn, there’s a lot of stuff, but I basically have almost every accessory/sock/shoe in purple/pink at least, now just grinding my way through the rest of the colors I skipped. Also caught a Golden Stag today, only three beetles left (Giraffe, Hercules, and Elephant, I believe)

should probably start saving my extra bugs/fish for making models for Justin Beaver and Hot Topic, I realize- collecting those models really doesn’t interest me much, but at the same time, I have a weird obsession with trying to 100% Animal Crossing games (at a reasonable speed, of course- figure I’d wait until next year to worry about those two)

haven’t tried dreaming yet and honestly my island is still a mess that I’m still hesitant because I still have no idea what to fill it with or how to organize it

one last thing I did buy is the rest of the Radiohead albums though- I now own all their albums, except disc 2 of In Rainbows, though. Should probably listen to that on Youtube, not sure where to find a physical release of it. Decided to rank them, because I like ranking things apparently, even though overall it doesn’t mean much since my tastes shift constantly, and every album is good to listen to in my opinion (honestly more of a way of solidifying a future “best of” playlist)

Personal feelings of ranking at the moment:

Hail to the Thief (every song is top tier, I just want to shout them all out, but in particular I think “A Punchup at a Wedding“, “Myxomatosis“, “2+2=5″, and “Sit down. Stand up” are my favorites)

In Rainbows (my old favorite before HttT blew it away, though I think ”Weird Fishes/Arpeggi” is still my favorite Radiohead song, also shout outs to “Videotape” and “Jigsaw Falling Into Place”)

Kid A (I was lukewarm to the album at first, but it has a lot of tunes that stand out to me, “Idioteque” is also one of my favorite Radiohead songs, also shout outs to "Everything in Its Right Place" and "How to Disappear Completely")

OK Computer (this is where placings start getting fuzzy, “Paranoid Android” was their first song I ever listened to and loved back in high school, thanks to Ergo Proxy, great song, though I think I’ve oversaturated myself to this album by having it play as my driving music when I still had a car. Shout outs to “Exit Music (For A Film)” and “Let Down”. “Karma Police” is also up there but feels a bit less than those I suppose)

A Moon Shaped Pool (I’d place this higher when I’m looking for a more somber/reflective album to listen to, otherwise about tied with OK Computer. My favorite on the album, “Daydreaming”, is what reintroduced me to Radiohead and got me obsessed with them- this album was my first album, though it’s definitely softer compared to their usual stuff. Also driving music so a bit oversaturated, and it feels harder to shout out specific songs, but shout outs “Ful Stop”, “Glass Eyes”, and heck, basically most of the later songs on the album)

Amnesiac (Some good songs, but just not to the levels of the others. “Knives Out” is a great song though, and I tend to like the first half of the album more than the last half, last half is pretty weak to me honestly- though I got it fairly recently, so may require more listenings)

Pablo Honey (the latest album I got, so it’s still fresh in my head and thus nothing is permanent with it compared to the others, but mannn, people undersold this album, it feels solid front to back. I honestly want to put it higher, I think. Hard to identify individual songs, but shout outs to “Blow Out” in particular, “I Can’t” as well- but again, every song is great, so might say it’s close to A Moon Shaped Pool levels in rankings)

The Bends (one of their first albums I got, also a car album, but definitely didn’t click with me like the others. I have warmed up to it more than I originally did at least- I mainly got the album because heck yeah “Street Spirit (Fade Out)” is a great track, also shout outs to “The Black Star”, that’s like, one of my random “mouth out the chorus in the car” songs. I also tend to have “High and Dry” in my head a lot for some reason, but yeah, good car music, but not much else going for it I think)

The King of Limbs (the second-latest album I own and also the least listened to album I own, but it feels very... non-standout-ish. Like it’s almost too simple-sounding, or repetitive, or something, definitely the weakest album in my personal opinion. Can’t even think of a song to shout out, so I guess “Lotus Flower”, honestly, but again, I need to listen to the album more. Good background noise but just nothing that jumps out at me)

but yeah radiohead is definitely my favorite music group, I’d say, and also realize almost every album has a bonus disc, so hm, more music to find it seems (admittedly I’m not a fan of live music in general, which seems to fill up a lot of these bonus discs)

[bugheadfamily]

Bughead Family Discord Member Spotlight

This week the spotlight is on Mari ( @writeraquamarinara )! Click the read more link below to get to know our member!

Spotlight by Mila, @jughead-jones | Graphic by Katie, @betty-cooper

Mari | @writeraquamarinara

Name: Mari

Age: 18

Location: Montreal, QC.

Any other languages aside from English people can contact you in?: Italian.

Favourite Riverdale characters and ships?: Betty, Jughead, Pop, Fred, Mary, Kevin, Joaquin, Bughead, Joavin, and Choni.

Favourite moments from S1 & S2?: The scene that got me hooked to the show was when Reggie questioned Jughead about killing Jason, and he replied with a snarky little “It’s called necrophilia, Reggie. Can you spell it?” Other favorite moments are pretty much any Bughead scene from S1, but especially their first kiss. I had been shipping them together since the Blue and Gold scene in 1x03, but 1x06 really hit me hard. They’re both two broken kids who find solace in each other. As someone whose mother is all too similar to Alice Cooper, hearing Jughead tell Betty that they aren’t their parents made me so emotional. I rewatched that scene on repeat when the clip came out on Youtube the next day. To this day I can’t listen to Emily Afton’s Lost without crying. I also really love the hug from 1x13 after Betty, Veronica, and Archie go to Southside High for Juggie. S2 favorite moments are also only Bughead scenes, but not all Bughead scenes, if you catch my drift.

What are your hopes for S3?: Are a coherent plotline and consistent characterization too much to ask for? Also maybe have the parents on the show (other than Archie’s) actually respect their children and treat them well, but that’s never going to happen. On a more realistic note, I’m hoping to watch some fun interactions between Josie and Kevin now that they’re going to be step-siblings.

Other fandoms you’re into?: I don’t really have an online presence in other fandoms, but I do love to geek out over Percy Jackson, That 70s Show (specifically JackiexHyde), The Office, Parks and Rec, To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before, and nearly all of the Marvel movies.

What are some of your favourite movies/TV?: As I mentioned: That 70s Show, The Office, Parks and Rec, To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before, and Marvel. I’m currently bingeing The Good Place and The Mindy Project. I also went to watch Crazy Rich Asians in theaters and loved it. So basically I’m trash for rom and com. Sue me. (Or don’t. I’m a broke college student who can’t afford that ish.)

Favourite books?: The Book Thief, The Color Purple, Radium Girls: The Dark Story of America’s Shining Women, Pride and Prejudice, and, most of all, The Glass Castle.

Favourite bands/musicians?: Nina Simone, Alicia Keys, ABBA, Of Monsters and Men, Christina Perri, and Imagine Dragons. 

If you could live in any fictional world which one would you choose and why?: I thought a lot about this question. The obvious answer would be “one with magic, or mermaids, or superheroes”. But then I thought that I’d rather live in a world like ours, more realistic, but where women are equal to men, diversity is celebrated, people accept each other for who they are. That’s a very idealistic world, I realize, and (if my preteen love of dystopian novels has taught me anything) one that’s most definitely unattainable, but it’s still nice to think about it. If anyone knows of a fictional world like that, sign me up.

Favourite food?: Gosh, that’s a hard one. Probably my grandma’s lasagna.

Favourite season?: Fall, definitely. It’s my birthday season, and I love the colorful leaves and breezy weather and going apple-picking with my family and friends. Unfortunately, Canada’s fall doesn’t last much more than a day, so I missed out on all that this year.

Favourite plant?: Nelumbo nucifera, aka the Lotus Flower.

Favourite scent?: Aftershave? Weird, I know, but it reminds me of my childhood and my father.

Favourite colour?: Periwinkle.

Favourite animal?: Hummingbird.

Are you a night owl, an early bird, or a vampire?: Night owl, definitely.

Place you want to visit?: The Alhambra Palace in Granada, Spain, the Jameh Mosque of Isfahan in Iran, and Ryoanji in Japan.

Do you have pets? If you do, tell us a little about them: I don’t have any pets that live with me currently, but I’ve got a pet back home with my parents. She’s a rescued pup from Mississippi, probably some kind of mix between a Pointer and a Labrador Retriever. Her name’s Sassy and she’s super energetic. If you had asked me this question a week ago I would’ve also said I had a cat named Puma but he was twelve and had cancer, so…yeah.

Tell us a little about yourself?: Um, I never really know what to say to that question. Like, what do you really want to know? I’m Mari (the name comes from my AO3/tumblr username, and not my real name). I was born in New Jersey, grew up in New York and Italy, now go to university in Montreal. I’m super passionate about art history, women’s rights, and politics. I hope to be a dermatologist, but honestly, who knows where life will take me. I’m the oldest of four and the first in my family to go through the American school system, so my parents have always referred to me as their “guinea pig”, and that totally hasn’t given me a weird obsession with being the perfect child, perfect student, perfect daughter. For some very obvious reasons, I relate way too much to Betty Cooper.

Fun or weird fact about you?: I fenced competitively for eight years of my life, traveling all around the US and to Europe for training and national competitions, including the Junior Olympics.

Asks for fanfic authors:

How long have you been writing?: I’ve been writing since I was little, but they were always stories with original characters. I didn’t start writing fic until I was sixteen, nearly seventeen, so it’s been a little over a year.

Which is your favourite of the fics you’ve written?: Geez, that’s a tough one. As much as I love my little one shots, I’d have to say Little Talks. It’s largely based on my own high school experience, and therefore my own way of coming to terms with the end of that chapter of my life.

Favourite fic/chapter/plot-point/character you’ve ever written?: Oof. Another tough one. Um, I’d have to say that I really love my characterization of Alice in Blue Sunshine and Golden Rain. She’s a villainess, but hopefully one you love to hate.

Which was the hardest to write, and why?: Again, Blue Sunshine and Golden Rain. I have a bit of a plot twist planned for the story, but I’m really not sure what kind of reception it’s going to get from readers, so I’ve had the chapter half-finished for months. I just need to get the motivation to finish it, and the courage to say “I don’t care if people hate this, or think it’s weird.” I’ll get there eventually.

How do you come up with the ideas for you fic(s)? (examples: Do you draw inspiration from real life? Listen to music? Get inspired by TV/movies?) Do you have an process to your writing?: I’ve answered this in a tumblr ask before, but I get inspiration from anywhere and everywhere. Mainly from real life, because I like to observe and speculate and ask a bunch of “what if”s and go from there. So, like I mentioned, Little Talks is largely based on my life. But there are definitely some plot points in the story that are a result of me going “well, what if I had done this? Or he had done that?” Another example of a real life-inspired fic is my oneshot I <3 You, which was inspired by that instastory (Cole or Lili’s? I can’t remember) of a cake with bright orange frosting that spelled out I <3 You. I also take inspiration from other creative works, such as books or movies. One of my many upcoming fics is based on How To Train Your Dragon, and another is a crackfic based on the Suite Life. Other times, fic ideas come to me out of nowhere. I was in the lab last summer, waiting for my breast cancer tumor slides to go through antigen retrieval, when I came up with the idea for Blue Sunshine and Golden Rain. My brain works in very strange ways.

Idea that you always wanted to write?: I’ve always wanted to write a lot of fics (I have a whole list of them), but they’re in the works so I won’t spoil any more than I already have. The main fic that I don’t even have an idea for but just want to write is a heartbreakingly angsty fic. One that makes me cry while I write it. Here’s hoping it comes to me soon, because I feel like that could be a really interesting experience as a writer.

Favourite character to write?: Alice. Which is strange, because I don’t like her in the show, but there are so many different directions you could take her character that she’s always so interesting to me.

Best comment/review you’ve ever received?: Oh, well, all of them? Is that an answer? Because all comments and reviews make me super happy. But if I had to choose one then I’d say any comment from @earthlaughsinflowers, @mothermaple, @dottie-wan-kenobi, or @notanotherotherone. I kind of cheated by not picking one, exactly, but oh well.

Best and worst parts of being a writer?: The best part of being a writer is putting a story that you put a lot of your soul into and getting support and love for it. Because I only put stories out there that I’m happy to write, happy to read, but to see that they make other people happy, too? That’s an amazing feeling. The worst part is the amount of time it takes to do absolutely anything, especially when you’re not in the right headspace to write. When I’ve had the worst week ever, and I have to physically push myself to spend time that should be spent resting to write because an update needs to come out soon, it goes from being a fun hobby to being a stress-inducing chore.

Do you have any advice to offer?: I haven’t been a fic writer for a long time, so I wouldn’t say that I’m going to offer up the wisest advice, but here’s what I’ve garnered so far: Do what makes you happy. That goes for all of life, not just writing, and is often hard to follow, but here’s how I see it: If you want to write a story because it makes you happy, write it. If you want to quit your WIP to start something else because that makes you happy, do it. If you need to take a break from writing altogether because it’ll make you happier, take it. Write what you want to write, at the pace you want to write it, and don’t let anyone tell you otherwise.

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This is the twelfth instalment of Bughead Family’s Member Spotlight series. Each week, a member’s url is selected through a randomizer and they will be featured in a spotlight post. In order to participate, please join the Bughead Discord (more information found here). Thank you.

[itsalliepg]

The first Valentine’s Day – Part 1 – Zig X Scarlett (MC)

SUMMARY: Zig and Scarlett (MC) are celebrating their first Valentine’s day together! But as it’s Wednesday, he has plans to extend this celebration to the next weekend.

PAIRING: Zig X Scarlett (MC)

RATING: Everyone

WORDS: 2.071

NOTE: Hey! Finally I’m posting the first of eight parts of this series about Zig and Scarlett’s (MC) first Valentine’s Day. I started to write it in February, right after I realized PB wouldn’t do a Valentine’s Day spin off this year :((( so I thought my OTP’s first Valentine’s Day should be written by me LOL I delayed a bit to post because I had an idea that made me write again some parts: this could be the perfect moment for them to say those three little words...

English isn’t my native language. I write to practice and learn, so please sorry any mistakes. I hope you like it, and if you do, I’d appreciate if you like/comment/reblog!

Tagging @flynnomalleys @maxwells-nut @seawhite-seafair @molly7998 @ziggy-o @purpledinosaur4ever @writtenbycandy

Scarlett woke up early on that cold winter morning. It was snowed all night and she glanced to her window to see Hartfeld covered by white. Suddenly, her phone buzzed and she grinned when she saw Zig’s name on the screen.

She opened her wardrobe and quickly dressed up, and then she grabbed her backpack and headed to the coffee shop, where Zig was already waiting for her outside. She ran into him, and when he saw her, his face broke into a wide smile. Scarlett threw her arms around his neck and he wrapped his arms around her waist, lifting her off the floor.

               _Oh, my god, Zig! Can you believe this is our first Valentine’s day together? – she pulled back with a grin and he lowered her before cup her face between his hands to a passionate kiss.

               _The first of many to come – he smiled – so, I have something to you – he turned to a bench where was his backpack, and behind it, he took a cup of latte, with cinnamon and caramel, and a chocolate cupcake – I know these are your favorites – Scarlett smiled sweetly.

               _Thanks, Zig – she grabbed them from his hands with a quick kiss in his lips – I have a gift for you too, but I didn’t even think to bring it now.

               _Hey, this is not my gift, babe – he pointed to her hands – did you really think I’d give you a latte and a cupcake for our first Valentine’s Day? – they giggled – I’ll give you tonight.

               _Oh, yeah? – her eyes were wide – and did you plan something for us tonight?

               _How about a nice dinner at a nice restaurant? I’ll pick you at your home at eight, okay?

               _Great! What should I wear?

               _It’s not a fancy restaurant, if that’s your doubt. You know your boyfriend’s a broke college student – Zig pouted and Scarlett stroked his cheek.

               _And you know that your girlfriend too! She doesn’t need anything expensive, just be with you – they closed the distance to another lingering kiss – and I think I have the perfect outfit in mind.

               _I’m pretty sure you’ll be stunning tonight – he smiled and looked at his phone – although I’d love to stay here with you all the day, my biology class starts in five minutes.

               _My psychology class too. So I think we should be going �� hand in hand, they headed to their classes, and parted ways after one more kiss. Thoughts about their date later popped into their heads during all the day.

Later that day, Scarlett was in her room getting ready for dinner with Zig. She wore a dark blue dress, with long sleeves, round skirt, whose hem was just above the knees, black pantyhose and high heels. She picked her purse and the gift over her desk and went into the living room, where Zack, Kaitlyn, Chris and Becca were watching TV and sharing a pizza.

               _Wow, Scarlett! You look incredible! – Zack whistled and Scarlett whirled, with one hand on her waist.

               _Yeah, Zig will be speechless! – Kaitlyn giggled.

               _It looks like he’ll take you to a special place tonight.

               _Well, he didn’t give me too many details, Chris, he just said it isn’t fancy.

               _But with this outfit, you could go to anywhere five-star – Becca smiled.

               _Thanks, Becca. And how about you, Singles Club?

               _I suggested we could go to a bar to flirt, but nobody got excited – Chris sighed.

               _Sorry, Chris, but this moment in my life is about finding out myself, and becoming a better person, so then I’ll be ready to love again – Becca threw her hair back, smirking, and they all cheered, laughing.

               _That’s awesome, Becca! And you, Kaitlyn? Why you don’t call Annisa and invite her to hang out?

               _I don’t want to rush things. We’re getting to know each other slowly and I like it that way.

               _Just like me and Grant…but I’m very glad for you and Zig, and Tyler and Abbie! I talked to him today and things are great between them.

               _Oh, thank God they finally made amends – suddenly, a honk outside warned that Zig had arrived. Scarlett said goodbye to her friends and left the house. Zig was waiting for her, leaning his car, arms folded against his chest to protect himself from the cold. When he saw Scarlett, he smiled and wrapped his arms around her.

               _Didn’t I say you’d be stunning? – she smiled and they kissed – ready for your gift?

               _Sure! But let’s do it in the car? It’s so cold out here! – they got into Zig’s car and Scarlett gazed at him, with his gift in her hands – happy Valentine’s day, Zig – she gave him the gift and Zig opened the package, and found a little box. Inside it, a picture frame with the photo they took in Little Italy. Scarlett smiling at the photo and Zig kissing her cheek. There was also a card, with a message in Scarlett’s handwriting: “Thanks for this date. I’ll never forget this night, so funny and romantic, but mainly special because I was with you”. Zig grinned as he read and turned to hug and kiss Scarlett.

               _I’ll never forget either. And yeah, being together makes anything pretty special. I’ll put this beside my bed, to look at your smile every night before going to sleep and every morning after waking up – he put the photo back in the box, and Scarlett put it in the glove compartment in the car as he turned to get a larger box behind his seat – now it’s your turn, missy – Scarlett opened the gift and found a stuffed owl. On the card, Zig wrote: “The owl is a symbol of wisdom, intelligence and is often linked to writers. I always found it a beautiful meaning. And it has everything to do with you, especially this one that is cute and adorable just like you” – Scarlett chuckled, looking fondly at Zig.

               _That’s so sweet! Horton got a friend! I’ll call him Zig Junior and cuddle with him when you can’t spend the night with me.

               _That’s the idea. But I hope he doesn’t become your favorite cuddle buddy – Zig smirked, taking her face by her chin.

               _Impossible. This title will always be yours – Scarlett closed the distance for a searing kiss. When they pulled back, she noticed a strange look in his eyes – Zig? Are you okay? Is there a problem?

               _Scarlett, I… - he sighed deeply – I…I love you – he looked at her eyes, smiling shyly.

               _Zig… - she grinned widely.

               _Maybe you think I took too long to say it, but this kind of feeling is new for me. What I feel for you…it’s much stronger than I’ve ever felt for anyone before. You saw me beyond my appearance and my rough manners, you made me want to be different, you made me feel special and able to do anything I wanted. All that things I said to you, I was trying to express it. And today, I thought could be a perfect moment to say it: I love you, Scarlett.

               _Oh, my angel… - she stroked his cheek – you didn’t take too long, you said just in time. And you also changed my life. With you I feel really extraordinary, strong and beautiful. You always remind me of the good things about me, and I feel safe and confident with you. I’ve never felt like this before either. I love you too, Zig, I love you so much – he also grinned before another lingering kiss – it couldn’t be a perfect Valentine’s Day without these three little words, right? – they smiled again.

               _Yeah, you’re right – he rested his forehead on hers – I’m the luckiest guy in the world.

               _And I’m the luckiest girl in the world – they kissed again – so, let’s have dinner? I’m hungry!

               _Sure, let’s go – Zig started the car and they headed for the downtown. He parked the car beside an Asian-themed restaurant, and got out of the car to open the door for Scarlett – please, lady – he reached out to her, and she caught it, beaming.

               _Thanks, sir – holding hands, they headed to the restaurant’s door, but Scarlett saw another restaurant across the street that made her chortle.

               _What’s so funny? – Zig asked, confused.

               _Nothing, just…I’ll tell you inside, let’s go in – at the door, the maître nodded at them and led them to a table near a big, gorgeous picture of a lotus flower. The maître moved away to call a waiter, and Zig pulled the chair to Scarlett. She giggled.

               _I'll get used to it this way.

               _Hey, tonight’s a special night, you deserve, my princess – he winked while sat on his chair, and a waiter arrived with the menus and left after taking orders. Scarlett took one of Zig’s hands on the table.

               _So, who indicated this place to you?

               _One of the guys of football. He’s a Thai food fan and I’ve been waiting for a perfect opportunity to come here with you – he squeezed her hand.

               _I’m happy to try new things with you – she smiled – but now I’ll tell you why I was laughing when we arrived. There’s a restaurant across the street where I went last year with James when I met his parents. Do you remember that fiancée fiasco we mentioned during our summer road trip?

               _Yeah, and you guys never told me the rest of the story! – Zig leaned back, crossing his arms, laughing.

               _Now you’ll know. His parents were really hard at that time, they expected to see James as a business major and…engaged. So, he asked me to pretend to be his fiancée during a dinner with his parents. We created a story about our first meet, and we had to take all the possible care to keep our roles – Scarlett looked at Zig, an indecipherable expression in his face, before he burst out laughing.

               _Oh boy, and how they discovered it all was a big lie?

               _Well, after using all our theatrical skills, James decided to face them and told he wanted to be a writer and I was just a friend…at first they argued with him about his decision, but they accepted when they saw how talented and passionate he is.

               _Wow, this was such a story – he laughed, shaking his head negatively – but you won their sympathy forever, as I saw when we went to their summer house.

               _Yeah, they know I was just trying to help James.

               _So…that day in Little Italy wasn’t the first time you had a role-play dinner? – Zig smirked and Scarlett giggled.

               _Apparently not. That’s why I was great that day – she rested her chin on the back of her hand, winking to him. Zig took her other hand and kissed it.

               _We should do this again, it was fun.

               _Yeah, not today, because we’ve already talked to the waiter, but soon.

               _Yeah, very soon – he looked into her eyes, grinning. She arched an eyebrow.

               _Zig? What do you mean?

               _I have another surprise for you, Scar. But it’s a gift for both of us – he took both of her hands – I know you’re working hard to save the house, and I’m working hard on the dance team and on improving my social skills, so I think we deserve a break. I made a reservation for us at a guesthouse at a small city in the hills. It’s one of those with cottages, you know? I researched a lot about the place, it's pretty and we won’t spend much. We go on Saturday morning very early and we’ll be back on Sunday night. What do you think? – Scarlett’s face lit up.

               _Zig, it’s perfect! A break is all we need…

               _Exactly. And since this Valentine’s Day is our first and we couldn’t stay together all day, we’ll have the whole weekend for just of us.

               _Sounds amazing – it was Scarlett’s turn to kiss Zig’s hands – you’re the best boyfriend in the world, Zig.

               _I just wanted our first Valentine’s Day to be special – he smiled.

               _And you did it, my angel – Scarlett winked and the waiter arrived with their orders. During the dinner they continued to talk about the trip over the weekend.

Thanks for reading!

Do you want to be tagged in future fanfics? Leave a comment!

[the-mermaid-typist]

Meet The Writer Tag Game

@pens-swords-stuff tagged me for this fun thing, thank you so much, my lovely ~ :D

Rules: Answer the 10 questions, write 10 questions, then tag 10 people.

1. Your main character is designing their own Dream House. What does it look like?

Oh how fun! Lemme think …

Well, Lexia, I think, would like something by the beach. She’s not a city girl, despite what many might think (you know, always sneaking off with Adom to some far off place, adventure-seeking and all that). I think she’d want a nice porch, and lots of windows, too, so she can always be connected to the outside without always having to actually go outside. And, the more I think about it, her house would be filled with things that remind her of other people (Rembrant and Hera, her parents, Miles and Stephen, and lots of things from her travels) so from the outside I can imagine it might look something like a museum of maudlin. Kinda has that sadness that comes along with holding on and nostalgia. You just know she’s seen through a lot and doesn’t really want to let go of much.

This tenancy would probably annoy her boyfriend, Miles, a lot because I see him as something of a minimalist. He values simplicity and wouldn’t want anything super big. If he lived in the real world, he’d be enamored with the emphasis on simplicity you find in Eastern homes and culture. So, when Miles and Lexia inevitably share a home together, that will be something they’ll need to work out! I feel like Miles could help her let go of some of that baggage, though (”Collect moments, not things” style). I think Miles would have a killer garden though; that’s where his money goes.

Isva’s house would be full of art, I know that much, but I don’t know where exactly it would be or what it would look like from the outside. Like Lexia, she’s kind of a relic-keeper herself! (there’s a pun in there if you’ve read my draft, but you haven’t, so lmao) lots of stuff from her adventures and just … trinkets. Like an old witch’s house, really. Very bohemian and soft.

2. What is the weirdest thing that has ever inspired a WIP?

Honestly, my inspirations for most of WIPS have not been fairly weird. Most of the time I’m inspired by something I’ve seen or read, or my imagination going to places it wants to for fun’s sake, conjuring up things that light me on fire. So I can’t really think of anything that would be weird by anyone’s standards.

3. Which character in your current WIP is the most fun to write, and why?

So far, Lexia and Rembrant have been the funnest to write so far. The more I think about it, the less surprised I am by how interesting Rembrant is to me; I’m a sucker for serious dad characters. I love dad characters. Dads, guardians, you name it. Maybe because I never had a father myself, exploring those “Batman dad” types is always really interesting to me and they always unfold in a way that’s particularly fascinating for me.

Lexia is fun mainly because she’s the type of main character I’d love to read about. Really courageous and compassionate, really sexual (which is an aspect of female characters that’s always ignored or not touched upon in YA or New Adult fiction; it’s always the guys!) and she’s awfully funny to me, as well. Just a little gumdrop I wanna hold close lmao.

So far, in The Raven’s Wing, all the characters have been very fascinating (Honorable mentions to the twins, Miles and Stephen, who are also pretty fascinating!)

4. Choose an 80s song for your main character(s) theme song!

Not really theme songs but songs that suit the characters and their conflicts so shushh

Lexia: What a Feeling by Irene Cara

Miles: Rush Rush by Paula Abdul (it came out in 1991 but shut up shushh) or Take My Breath Away by Berlin

Stephen: Don’t Stop Believin’ by Journey

5. The characters in your current WIP are in high school. Who gets voted “Most Popular/Most Likely to End up In Jail/Friendliest” etc?

Lexia: Most likely to travel the world

Miles: Most likely to befriend everyone at his first job

Stephen: Most likely to … (I have no idea so imma leave this blank lol)

6. Tell us a place in the world that you desperately want to visit, and why.

Idk man, I just want to visit every place Europe has to offer me. I love Europe, but I really want to go to England, as it’s called to my heart for so long now. I’ve never liked living in the US and probably never really will if we keep going in tHIS DIRECTION

7. What is the absolute trashiest TV show that you’ve ever watched?

I’ve loved Maury ever since I was a little girl *insert laughing-crying emoji* Do not idolize me for you do not know my flaws.

8. Hollywood comes knocking, wanting to put your life story on the big screen. Who’s cast to play you? What about your nemesis/love interest?

I honestly don’t know who would/should play me, as no one really reminds me of myself? As long as it’s a black actress and they get my deep voice right lolol I don’t care.

And as for love interest… Someone older than me, like Hugh Laurie or Tom Hiddleston … Or Cillian Murphy. Also any actor who has ever played the Doctor is fine it’s all fine lmaooo.

As for a villain, idk it has to be someone who’s really good at evil like Isabelle Fuhrman or Sean Harris (and idk I think I’d just be smiling at them the whole time)

9. Favorite flower(s) and why?

I love me some roses because I am a starry-eyed maiden at heart. It’s just the classic romantic flower, and I’m a sucker for traditions and cheesy romantic cliches like that.

Lotus flowers are breathtaking, also lilies and if I ever have a daughter her name is gonna lily (or ivy — see what I’m doing here? Lol)

10. Is there a genre that you’d love to break into in the future?

Spy fiction!!!! I have a spy WIP but I have no idea what I’m doing and I’ve seen all the mission impossible movies is thAT ENOUGH

TAGGING: @promptsforthestrugglingauthor @kagami-sage @reining-in-the-fire-writing @write-like-a-freak @brynwrites I can’t think of anymore people so lmao You dont have to participate if you don’t want to! No pressure!

And whoever wants to do this, I’m tagging you too!

[cielizzydefencesquad]

Can you do Soma X Elizabeth? I'll like to see it since I think they can be a cute couple

Soma x Lizzy? The sweetest and purest of all couples on this planet? My heaaaart. Thank you so much for requesting this @theplaytheroist and @saemi-the-dreamer

Who is more likely to catch a cold? My precious baby Soma. But around Lizzy he doesn’t want to complain or be seen as weak and wimpy so he tries to avoid her whenever he’s ill but Lizzy—our darling bundle of sunshine—won’t let the person she loves suffer all by his lonesome (and Agni knows Lizzy will be coming over so he excuses himself for the next few hours).

She and Agni prepare risotto, pumpkin soup, and hot mulled wine.

Soma’s so touched he won’t let go of Lizzy’s hand, even as she laughs and says it’ll be harder to feed him with one hand. Soma’s reply? “That’s even better! That means you can stay here longer! I don’t—I don’t want you to leave yet.” And in a quieter voice he confesses, “I don’t want you to leave at all.” 

Who hogs the blankets? Soma XD he still hasn’t adjusted to English weather so he requires at least 3 coverlets, a cashmere blanket, and maybe an extra duvet. Lizzy, whose blood runs hot, just ends up shifting all the blankets to Soma so she can sleep without sweating.

“Aww you look so cute!” Lizzy giggled. “All cocooned up—look at your cheeks! You’re like an adorable, darling bunny!”

Soma blushed and shyly came to grasp her hand, fingers intertwining. “Are you sure you aren’t cold?” 

Lizzy shook her head. “I’m a Midford. We’re hotblooded by nature. Mother says that’s where the brazenness comes from.”

“Brazenness?” Soma rolled over. “Well if you want to be extra brazen then come here!” He held open his arms, eyes bright. “Let me give you a kiss!”

Who kills all the flowers? Soma XD he and Lizzy have a little garden all of their own at their estate, Sita Lotus (named after the Hindu goddess Sita, the daughter of mother earth and a representation of feminine power and virtue) where they cultivate lotus blossoms and basil (considered one of the most sacred plants in Hinduism).

Who eats all the candy before Halloween? Soma—it gets even worse after Edward, following his tour of North America, brings back a barrel of pure Vermont maple syrup that Agni uses to flavor his caramels. Needless to say, Lizzy had to start setting caramel limits to keep Soma from cleaning out the whole pantry.

Who takes the longest showers? Neither—they take bubble baths together. (Although it took quite a bit of coaxing on Soma’s part to get Lizzy to agree to something so…so…scandalously indecent.)

“It’s just like cuddling in bed!”

“It is not!” Lizzy protested, cheeks bright pink. “We…we would be nude in the bath, Soma—!”

“Well, you don’t bathe with your clothes on do you?”

“No, but—“

Soma wrapped his arms around her, surrounding Lizzy with the scent of roses and spicy cinnamon. “We don’t have to if you don’t want to but I really think you English folk are in need of some fun. How do you stand these stuffy summers all bundled up like that?”

Lizzy blushed. “We don’t move very much.” She paused. “We’re quite devoted to sitting.” 

Soma laughed, pressing half a dozen kisses to her forehead in delight. 

Who goes to bed at 5am but wakes up at 8am? Neither. Soma can sleep through the apocalypse.

Who makes sure the other has a healthy breakfast? Soma. He has Agni grow mangos and persimmons in their glass gardens so as to give Lizzy a taste of eastern fruit.

What pets do they have? Soma’s elephant (that they’ve named Persimmon because Lizzy’s become addicted to the fruit), a baby chick named Theodore (who’s besties with Phipp’s chicken, Cecily), three King Charles Spaniels (Ferdinand, Isabella, and Philip), a Bengali tiger named Oberon, and a white crane named Horatio.

Wedding

Who proposes? Soma does! … with an elephant parade, flower floats, fireworks, dancing gypsies, music, trumpets, and gold. A LOT of gold. (Basically the whole Elizabeth Taylor sequence from 1963’s Cleopatra XD)

During this parade Soma and Lizzy sit side by side on Persimmon while everyone (and I mean, like, 90% of high society) watch in awe (and envy) before Soma gets down on one knee and proposes with a diamond the size of a tangerine.

“Soma this is beautiful but I don’t think I’m going to be able to wear this on a daily basis.”

“As my princess, you’ll never have to lift a finger! I’ll shower you in precious jewels and Venetian silks and the love of a million shining suns!” 

“Soma—“

“Behold!” Down below four footmen dressed in identical uniforms of crimson brocade appeared carrying a wide, spherical sedan chair with a pink lotus carved on top. “Your feet shall never tire, your gowns never dirty, and I will—“

His speech, already beginning to reach a fever pitch, was halted when Lizzy pressed her lips against his.

And suddenly, Soma decided, elephants and gold glitter and trumping fanfares weren’t nearly as important as his princess’s sweet lips. 

Who actually enjoyed the planning? They both did XD in an extravagant mix of Indian and English culture to craft a wedding so pricey that it cost more than three times the prince of Wales’ parliamentary allowance.

When Soma was told of the tab, he merely smiled. “Why, that isn’t nearly as bad as my elder brother’s wedding! You don’t know how hard of it time it was to find a solid gold carriage! The entire thing was so heavy we needed sixteen white Arabian stallions to pull it! Father was quite amused.”

Would their wedding be small or grand? Grand. Just…luxurious, ostentatious, expensive, theatrical. Soma and Lizzy were married at their estate, Sita Lotus. The guest list included the English 400 (the 400 most elite blue blooded aristocrats and businessmen), Soma’s various relatives and siblings (which made up the other 300), the Phantomhive, Midford, Grey, Phipps, and Trancy heads were also in attendance.

Elizabeth’s wedding sari was of crimson silk with hand embroidered patterns of flaming phoenixes, rising suns, and hummingbirds in flight. Her gorgeous blonde hair (now grown to fall at her waist) was left loose, intertwined with lotus flowers, while a crown of gold and emeralds sat atop her head.

When Ciel saw her, he commented, “It wouldn’t surprise me if Elizabeth’s very gown and jewels surpassed the cost of the royal treasury.”

Which guest was happiest to see them get married? Agni. And Edward. And Ciel. And Finny. And Frances. And Alexis. And Paula. And Sieglinde. And—well, you get the picture XD

Children

How many children would they have? Soma hails from a large family and Lizzy absolutely adores children so most likely six at the very least.

Would they adopt or have them naturally? Naturally!

Who is the strictest parent? Lizzy. She teaches her children the value of hard work, discipline, respect for other people no matter commoner or noble, and to always devote themselves to goals they truly want to reach.

Are their children in homeschool or public school? Initially homeschooled by Agni until they’re old enough to attend Weston.

(Lizzy says no, Soma love, they all can’t arrive riding on elephants and tigers.)

Who is the favorite parent? Oh they (and Agni) are adored beyond reason by the children, who—while they may not always agree with their parents—still value and respect their judgment.

Who checks on the kids in the middle of the night? Agni! He has no wish for his prince or princess to arise after they’ve spent all day chasing after children, managing the estate, and the various businesses Soma owns around the world. (Including banks in Germany, paper mills in Finland, coffee plantations in South America, various estate managing companies, global investments, huge shares in North American canned goods—mainly maple syrup, landowning, and three publishing companies.)

(When his cousin-in-law Ciel expressed surprise at Soma’s vast business portfolio, he replied: “Mine? Honestly it’s quite a pittance compared to that of my siblings.” —> Which then caused Ciel to wonder: just how wealthy was the Kadar family anyway?)

Who decorated the nursery? Lizzy and Soma together! Gold patterned walls, wide airy windows, arched marble pillars in gem pink, white marble floors, cradles made of hand carved satinwood and painted gold, the latest toys from Funtom, and personalized Bitter Bunnies for each of their six children.

[withered-rose-unbreakable-lotus]

Mutual Tag

I was tagged by: @just-another-nerds-little-world Thank you so much, honey ^^

Nickname: none anymore, but a friend occasionally calls me Queeny.

Zodiac: Aries

Height: 1,62m

Age: 24

Time: 22:51

Fave Bands/Artists: It’s a long list so, in case any of you is interested, I am giving you the link to my About page, in which I have already listed all my favorite artists in many art fields, if you scroll down in the Bio & Stuff box: http://withered-rose-unbreakable-lotus.tumblr.com/about

Favorite Songs: I honestly have so many but I will try my best to make a current top 5 from the top of my head. I will try doing it like just-another-nerds-little-world, to put both western and eastern music tastes in.

Top 5 fav Western songs (in no particular order)

Maria - Christina Aguilera

Rumors (Nightcore ver.) - NEFFEX

Lovely (Nightcore ver.) - Billie Eilish feat. Khalid

Fall in Line - Christina Aguilera feat. Demi Lovato

Dinero - Jennifer Lopez feat. Cardi B

Top 5 fav Japanese songs (in no particular order) (i haven’t passed the latest cds I got in my computer, so this is mostly the 5 songs I listen to, the most, lately)

Anthem - DOG inThePWO

Nemesis - Ruiza

Teddy - REIGN

Lin - Lin -the end of corruption world- (final lineup version)

Falling - the Gazette

Song Stuck In My Head: Rumors by Neffex has been constantly playing in my head lately and only if I listen to it once a day it stops XD

Last Movie I Watched: Museum, with Oguri Shun

Last Thing I Googled: Lin -the end of corruption world- because I was looking for whether the title of the song I mentioned above was correct or not. :P

Other Blogs: I have 15 other blogs, most of which are fanblogs I never finished, so they are still locked, but the one for REIGN and the one for the Valentine are open and get updated once a month ^^’.

REIGN fanblog: http://club-reign.tumblr.com

The Valentine fanblog: http://fi-ance-trust-thevalentine.tumblr.com

Do I Get Asks?: I get some occasionally.

Why I Chose My Username: Because I needed sth more representative of myself and my aesthetic so, being a moody person most of the time and having my love for roses grow stronger after becoming a Versailles and D fan, the first part represents my being a person who has lost the will to fight yet finds shelter in the eyes of a man like Kamijo, who calls all his fans, therefore me, too, roses, (which for me is a beautiful flower that I don’t see myself to be, yet this man makes me feel proud to call myself that, even if I never bloom again) and the second part, derives from the symbolism my musical savior and inspiration in life, since I was really really young, Christina Aguilera, had used for her album “Lotus“. It represents the me who, even though I lack the strength to keep fighting to become who I want and having lost my dreams, I still crave to break free from saddness and rise above like a lotus keeps blooming even after receiving lots of rain and bad weather conditions in general and it’s, like Christina says, “the unbreakable flower“ that despite all the hardneships it might face, it will still rise above the mud and bloom beautifully and gracefully. Sorry if I sounded confusing, I am crazy after all and I talk too much :p

Following: If it’s how many I am following then 375.

Average Amount Of Sleep: 8 hours.

Lucky Number: 9

What Am I Wearing: a white tank top and a pair of black track trousers (if that’s the name of athletic trousers, eng isn’t my first language, sowwy)

Dream Job: mainly music video director, but honestly I wish I could work on both image and video direction and editing in the japanese visual kei music industry.

Dream Trip: used to have a lot, but realizing I want too much, I just narrowed it down to the place I want to go the most and that’s Japan, without return, please :p

Favorite Food: I’ve got none anymore, really. I mean, of course I like some stuff and hate others, but I don’t have one that I go crazy about. The only edible thing I call my favorite at this point is chocolate.

Play Any Instruments: No, but I wish I could play the guitar, or the piano, or the violin, or rather, all of them together :P.

Fave Song: Answered 10 above, I don’t think there’s any person who can choose only one.

Play Any Sport: No. I hate sports and exercise. :p I used to play tennis once, though.

Hair Color: light brown

Eye Color: brown

Most Iconic Song: There’re lots.

Languages You Speak: Greek, English, basic French and Japanese.

Random Fact: hahaha OMG I don’t know. I hate my life? A random fact about me is that I hate my life XD. And I’ve been wanting to leave my country since I was a baby. (My parents joke about it, but if I did that ever since I started walking, I guess it’s pretty serious)

Describe Yourself As Aesthetics: I am a little confused because my aesthetic is based on my worldview and tastes so I guess: Red, chocolate of every kind, pcs, dancing scenes, music, body positivity, astrology, dark or spooky stuff, palettes of colors, history books, blood, vampires, videogames, horror movies and gore art, fantasy art, art galleries, canvases full of colors, a world map maybe, love is love pics, tears, self hating pics and acts, anger, feminine guys, guys with makeup, metrosexual men, bdsm pics, romantic pics, ahm....there is more, it’s hard to tell.

Tagging: @call-my-master , @abnormalbox, @afangirls play along if you like.

[patricksilvrrozartistry]

Current Music Obsessions: March 1 - 15. 2017

March has been a month of PURGING for my watch later playlist on YT. The honorable mentions part of my list is pure proof of that! I don’t have that many obsessions, but I have WAY TOO MANY honorable mentions. Hopefully the rest of the month won’t be this excessive. ANYWAYS, let’s see them!

The Secret Of Ocean - Let The War Begin Overdown - Ether Ruins Helén - Muinainen muoto Lionville - Bring Me Back Our Love Edenbridge - The Moment is Now Ignea - Leviathan (Ultra Sheriff cover) Evenline - Echoes of Silence Walk in Darkness - Heavy Wings of Destiny feat. Emiliano Pasquinelli Face the Maybe - New Dawn Righteous Vendetta - War is Killing Us All Light & Shade - You Are Ignea - Theatre of Denial Dakesis - Destined for the Flame Daedric Tales - Son of Storms Sleepwalker - The Truth Grimfaith - After a Sin Nova Collective - Ripped Apart and Reassembled Manntra - Sin Scenario II - A New Dawn Divitius - Paralyzed The Dead Kids - Dance with the Devil The Hardkiss - Антарктида Stonelight - Echo Metaprism - Catharsis Tenebres - Pain Eternal Ulsect - Fall to Depravity Ayreon - Everybody Dies

I actually have a reasonable amount of obsessions this time! Let’s see how long this will last, though.

1) Vesania - Phosphorror

I discovered this song when I did the Name That Tune Challenge with Wednesday Aleen back in February. This was my favorite song that she sent me. The orchestrations and the overall flow to this song is just absolutely epic. If any of you know of any symphonic black/death/extreme metal bands that you think I'd like, send them my way! I'm really wanting to get into more extreme bands.

2) Ruins of Elysium - Serpentarius

This is the first single from Ruins of Elysium's upcoming album, Seeds of Chaos and Serenity, which is a concept album centered around Sailor Moon. Now I haven't watched Sailor Moon since I was a wee babe, but I plan on changing that soon! ANYWAYS, this song is absolutely gorgeous and epic and I cannot wait for the album to be released!

3) Persefone - Prison Skin

I came across these guys on Facebook one day and decided to give them a listen and I'm digging what I'm hearing so far. VERY proggy and rather aggressive, but it also has this atmospheric feel to it, or at least this song does. I really want to listen to more of their stuff, because this song is pretty damn epic.

4) Hollower - Disconnect

I discovered these guys several months ago, but it was only an instrumental that I heard of theirs. This is the first full on song I've heard from them and I am really digging it! It's like a blend of djent, metalcore and progressive metal and I'm loving it. Also them being from Atlanta is a really great perk. Adding these guys onto my very small list of metal bands from my home state that I actually like (the other two are Khaotica (female fronted black-ish doom metal) and Baroness (doomy/indie progressive metal)). I'm definitely going to check out more from them!

5) Shade Empire - Anti-Life Saviour

Shade Empire is a band that I've known of for a hot minute, but haven't fully dove into yet. I REALLY need to change that IMMEDIATELY. This song is one of the most beautiful black metal tracks I've heard in a very long time! It's absolutely gorgeous and so entrancing. It always blows my mind that some of the most dark/aggressive bands can create some of the most beautiful songs out there. HIGHLY RECOMMEND THIS TRACK!

6) Banks - Gemini Feed

I came across Banks through Facebook randomly one day from seeing an ad saying they're going to be in Atlanta soon and saw one of my friends liked her page so I decided to give her a listen and this was the song I found first. This song is so catchy and amazing. LOVE IT! Definitely am going to check out more from them! It's weird how I can go from listening to black metal to experimental/pop right after.

7) End My Sorrow - Wither Away

This was a random YouTube discovery and I am obsessed. This is some proggy goodness right here! It's aggressive, fast, very catchy and just such a great jam. It's a bit repetitive, but that's part of why it's so fun to listen to. The front woman has a great voice too and is one that I usually don't gravitate to, but is always one that I LOVE. If you're looking for a fast, fun, progressive metal jam, this is definitely a great one!

8) Chronos Zero - Oblivion Pt. 02: The Trial of Maat

This is my first time hearing these guys and I am DEFINITELY going to check out more of their stuff. This is some wonderful, epic proggy goodness. It's aggressive, it's powerful and VERY proggy. It has a bit of a weirdness to it since it changes pace quite a few times and is a bit chaotic, but that's what makes it amazing. HIGHLY recommend this for all the fans of slightly chaotic prog!

9) Kobra and the Lotus - Gotham

I've been a big fan of these guys for a few years when I randomly stumbled upon 50 Shades of Evil. Over the years, these guys have definitely evolved, but this current sound that they're bringing out with these singles for their upcoming double album are giving me LIFE! It's not so much classic heavy metal like how they started, but is more of a progressive power metal sound and I'm LOVING IT! I can't wait to hear what else they bring with the double album this year, because I'm hyped so far.

10) MAB - Illusion

MAB is a band I discovered many years ago through their song Suicidal Angel. It wasn't until I think last year that I started to actually look more into them, which is when I originally came across this song. In the early parts of the month, I started thinking about this song and rekindled my love for it. It's such a great song of theirs. They have a really interesting sound that blends punk, gothic metal and a WEE bit of classical together to create their beautiful uniqueness. HIGHLY recommend you guys to check them out!

11) Eivør - Í Tokuni

I have absolutely no clue what language this song is in, but this version is WAY beyond better than the english version. ANYWAYS, I first came across Eivør a few years ago when I randomly stumbled upon Undo Your Mind, but never looked more into them. Then about a week or so ago, this pops up in my recommended videos and I immediately fell in love with it and blasted it for nearly an hour. It's so good! I love the weird whispery/growly sounds and the overall flow and beat. Also the visuals in the video are absolutely STUNNING!

12) Earth Electric - Meditate.Mediate

I think I found a new proggy post metal band to fall in love with. This song is absolutely gorgeous. The singer has this beautiful, haunting, ethereal voice and the guy hitting the low notes mixed with her voice just give this song this wonderful feel. Definitely something I can find myself vegging out to.

13) Nighon - The Greatest of Catastrophes

This was a recommended video on YT and I'm so glad I decided to give it a listen, better yet that I decided to continue listening past the first minute! I wasn't into it at first because I thought it was going to be something completely different, but then their female singer started singing and I began to fall in love with the song. Her voice is so strong and beautiful and it complements their male vocalist's so well. A beautiful blend of industrial metal and symphonic metal. And their female singer looks drop dead gorgeous in the video! I'm definitely going to look more into these guys!

14) GrimFaith - Flower and the Bone feat. Lisa Johansson (ex-Draconian)

I discovered this song/band one day because I was curious if Lisa (Draconian's former female singer) had done anything recently, and according to the metal archives, this was the latest thing she has done, so I gave it a listen and fell in love. I've been on a pretty decent post metal/sludge/doom/gothic doom metal kick lately and this song is feeding that. Such an epic track and it's so nice to hear Lisa again, even though this album came out in 2013, but you catch my drift.

15) Trees of Eternity - Hour of the Nightingale

I have been OBSESSED with this album ever since I got my copy of it (and matching shirt) in the mail in the later part of February. I’ve listened to it so many times since getting it. I remember when I first listened to it in its entirety, it didn’t get me as emotional as I was expecting to get. But when I listened to it the first time the day I got it, I cried so much. The only thing that kept me from sobbing/ugly crying was singing along to the songs. We miss you so much, Aleah.

And those are my obsessions for the first half of March! Hopefully the second half won’t mainly consist of honorable mentions.

[kuuderekun]

The Gospel According to the East

https://jaredmithrandirolorin.blogspot.com/2019/11/the-gospel-according-to-east.html

In the mid 90s Shoujo Magical Girl Warrior Anime Wedding Peach in almost every episode the title character in her proto Team Rocket Motto style speech expressing her disapproval of the monster of the week's actions declares "I will NOT forgive you".  However by the end of this episode that is proven wrong, she is actually very forgiving, even the main big bad is redeemed in the end.  And in at least one episode this alleged refusal to forgive is contradicted within seconds of proclaiming it. The God of The Bible never expresses a refusal to forgive nearly that unambiguous, but I do think it's a good analogy for how to look at the many passages of The Bible that makes people think of Yahuah as some angry God of vengeance.  The passages that make critics of my soterology think Jesus clearly isn't going to save everyone even though several key passages of Scripture clearly say He will.  Yes when He's angry He sounds like no one has ever been angrier at anyone then He is at His children.  But as Psalm 30 and 103 say His anger only lasts for a moment. This is no where near the only time Anime speaks to my view of The Gospel and God's True Nature.  It shows up elsewhere in the Magical Girl genre like Daybreak Illusion which I talked about in early June, it's in Nausicaa of The Valley of The Wind and SSSS.Gridman and in a post I made about Higurashi. Soterology isn't the only area where I feel Western Christianity has been corrupted by 15 centuries of mixing with Platonic Philosophy and Roman legalism.  But to critics of what I believe, me unapologetically saying I see the True Biblical Gospel more in the fiction of Japanese Pagans then American Evangleicalism seemingly proves their point. But I also have posts dedicated to proving Universal Salvation isn't Pagan, at least it's not compatible with true Ancient Paganism, (I won't speculate on how Universalist modern Wiccans, Druid, Odnists and Kemites are).  True Ancient Paganism was if anything the opposite, no one is saved, there is no hope of escape from Hades/Sheol. And actual traditional Shinto mythology is no different, (remember even in Japan Anime is a niche interest).  Izanami and Izanagi are eternally separated with her forever trapped in Yomi.  Otaku Media and also some Shoujo media seem to be the product of a deliberate rebellion against that pessimistic theology even when seemingly working within it. David Bently Hart in his recent interview with Peter Hiett talks about how a lot of classical Greek plays like Antigone are about a character offering themselves as a willing sacrifice for the good of the community.  He sees the Passion narrative as being like that at first, but the Gospel is the subversion, God rejects the Sacrifice by Resurrecting the Victim.  And that too reminds me of what separates a lot of my favorite Anime from most Western Supehero media. "Where there is death there will always be Death" is a quote from Men In Black 3.  Everyone knew someone had to die in Avengers Endgame, that they couldn't just undo the Snap without any Sacrifice, I love the film even though I was hoping they'd subvert that and was disappointed when I knew they wouldn't. But in Anime this is rejected often.  In Magical Girl Anime like Prisma Illya where she is constantly told she can't save both and constantly says NO to that.  As well as in Digibro's Otaku Hero's Journey premise where saying they will fix the world without anyone needing to die is a vital element.  In Stein;Gate the show seemed to be based on saying they can't save both Mayuri and Kurisu and so the character often jokingly called Cristina willingly sacrifices herself, and if it were a normal American show it'd have ended with episode 22, but it didn't. I'm not saying Western Media never does that, but it's less common and far more likely to be criticized.  Just imagine what a review of The Lion The Witch and the Wardrobe would be like from a critic who didn't know it was a Christian allegory? Aslan's Resurrection would have been labeled a cowardly cop out. So the question is, why?  If it's not natural for Paganism to be like this, yet these writers are non Christians often explicitly drawing on Shintoism in these stories.  And according to mainstream history Japan's first and still primary contact with Christianity was via Tridentine Catholicsm.  Why does this one particular subculture keep unintentionally echoing the Gospel? It could be the same way certain Greek Pagan writings were selectively useful to Paul in places like Acts 17 (Peter Hiett's Acts 17 sermon is pretty good).  Or maybe it has something to do with the controversial theory that "Nestorian" Christians came to Japan in the 5th-9th Centuries? The history of the Nestorian schism is more complicated then most Calcedonians and Miaphysites want to make it sound.  It ultimately had little to do with Nesotriaus and it was mainly made unfixable by Jusitnian's obsession with condemning Theodore of Mopsuesta, who taught Universal Salvation just as unambiguously as Gregory of Nysaa, but did so from a hyper Literalist rather then Origenist view of Scripture.  Isaac of Nineveh and the Book of the Bee show that this branch of Christianity was where Universal Salvation thrived during the Dark Ages of the Churches West of the Euphrates. There is no controversy that the Nestorian Church had a strong presence in China during the 7th and 8th Centuries because of the Xi'an Stele.  It is also well known that during the Asuka, Nara and early Heian periods Japan had a lot of contact and cultural exchange with China, for example this is when Buddhism came to Japan.  And Christians have a commission to bring the Gospel to the Ends of the Earth, Nippon was as far as they knew the Eastern End. I don't want to say anything to definitive on any of the specifics of this theory.  It often gets wrapped up in Lost Tribes theories which I'm far more hesitant to endorse.  But I notice that these theories do involve claiming certain figures traditionally viewed as Buddhist to have been actually Nestorians.  The Xi'an Stele used Buddhist imagery like the Lotus Flower, showing these Chinese Nestorians were just as okay with drawing on the local secular philosophies as the Greek Churches were (I do not think all Christian use of Greek Philosophy is bad, I just really distrust Plato and Augustine).  Both religions had a monastic tradition and both claimed to offer "Enlightenment" in some sense.  So I could see reactionary Shinto traditionalists distrustful of any foreign Chinese influence not bothering to distinguish between them. So is it possible these tendencies of Anime I like are echos of the Gospel of Theodore of Mopsuesta?  I would need a lot more links in the chain to make that argument solid, but it's an idea rolling around in my head. The Good Gods of Otaku Media are often Goddesses.  That could just be a reflection of Amaterasu as the usual chief Kami in Shintoism.  But I have also argued on my blogs for there being a Feminine side to the God of Abraham.

[blackcreativestalk-blog]

Meet Mia Coleman

By night she is a graphic design maverick, creating gorgeous, eclectic designs for Kitty Cash, Rookie Mag, and William Okpo (to name a few). By day, she is a member of the Parsons School of Design’s class of 2019. Meet Chicago native and art maven, Mia Coleman.

Dubie Toa-Kwapong: Tell us a bit about yourself. Who is Mia Coleman?

Mia Coleman: I'm a creative from Chicago currently living in Manhattan. I study design and technology which explores various types of code-based design. I freelance as a graphic designer because I love illustration and gif-making!

DTK: What were some your earliest experiences with art? How long have you been creating? 

MC: My first memories of art-making are from elementary school. Sometimes I'd make something nice and my peers would ask me to teach them how to do it. I didn't take art seriously until high school when I started taking classes at a free art center near my home called Marwen. Marwen not only exposed me to new media, but it also exposed me to the agency side of the art world.

DTK: What is your main medium? Do you work with other media?

MC: I mainly work in Adobe programs to create digital art or graphic design. I tend to actually draw things and then alter them digitally. I was into photography and film for a second, but I really stick to digital design.

DTK: Are there any artists in particular who have inspired you?

MC: When I applied to art schools I reached out to Krista Franklin, one of my favorite Chicago artists, for portfolio feedback. I complained to her about there not being enough Black woman artists and she put me on to Lorna Simpson, Njideka Akunyili Crosby, Carrie Mae Weems, Mickalene Thomas and Wangechi Mutu. I had never heard of some of them, but soon fell in love with all of them. All black artists inspire me and this world would mean nothing without their work!

DTK: What are some works of art (visual, literary film, music) that have been pivotal to your growth as an artist?

MC: So many projects came to mind as I read this question. Kahlil Joseph's video for "Until the Quiet Comes" by Flying Lotus is one of the most inspirational. I was amazed by the way Joseph portrayed hip-hop (music and dance) as a vessel for black immortality. I tried to mimic his style in a mini-doc about my neighborhood of Cabrini Green, but it's so gentrified that I ended up of telling a totally different narrative. 

DTK: You’re from Chicago and are currently living in New York while attending Parsons School of Design. How have the cultural influences of these two cities made their way into your art?

MC: Chicago raised me! Chicago will always have the biggest influence on my personal work. There's a certain level of tough love and integrity that all Chicagoans have and I definitely keep that in mind when I make any personal work. NYC exposed me to different members of the African Diaspora and I would love to explore cultural diversity in my work more. But like, Chicago all day!

DTK: What does your artistic process look like? Do you work from memory, from images?

MC: My process depends on the medium and the client I'm working for. When I make things for Rookie, it can be whatever I want as long as it relates to their monthly theme. When I create for Kitty Cash, I have to use a reference image because the cartoon versions of her interviewees should really favor them. When I make things for myself, I write down thoughts, create a color palette, and just start making.

DTK: You’re a freelance graphic designer and you frequently collaborate with DJ Kitty Cash. You also work with Rookie Mag and William Okpo. What drew you to working with these individuals/brands?

MC: I found out about Rookie Mag through a fellow Chicagoan. I loved that the platform was made for young girls by young girls. I just started submitting to them and continued to work for them. I had my first internship with Leo Burnett in Chicago at 18 years old and was thirsty to find an internship in New York. I reached out to William Okpo as soon as I saw that they needed a graphic designer. I met Kitty Cash while working an event for William Okpo. Cash later reached out to me when she began "Kitty's Crush" a blog series about her super talented friends.

DTK: Is there a particular piece that has flowed easily, from the image in your mind and onto paper?

MC: One illustration of mine called "BLUEBLACK". It had been a while since I had done a pencil drawing, so I drew a sad-looking girl from my imagination with some flowers in her Afro. I finished the drawing in Adobe Illustrator. I was feeling depressed about being black while I made it, which is why the colors and title literally involve blue and black. 

DTK: Do you have in audience in mind for your art? Who are you speaking to? Is your audience subject to change?

MC: My personal work is for black people. My freelance work is for the client's intended audience.

DTK: Do you have certain hopes and dreams for where you would like to see your artistic journey go?

MC: I would like to create an experience, like work for the Museum of Feelings. It would be in an art space in Chicago's overlooked neighborhoods. I want it to be accessible to people without the means to make it all the way to downtown Chicago. I also want to get more people of color involved with design and coding, because both fields are overly saturated with white males. 

DTK: What would you like people to take away from your work? Where can we find your work?

MC: Most of the time I'm just hoping my work makes people smile, but I have a few pieces that are meant to make you uncomfortable and question your environment. My work can be found on miacoleman.net!