#asker: saltyr3mix

[pyrriax]

top 5 favorite writing tropes/metaphors

frothing at the mouth. ahem. OK so im gonna be SO normal.

Moths. just. moths as a metaphor. (you couldnt tell based off the fact i have done this one TWO separate occasions with zero relation to one another.)

Things about the sky being wrong. especially in cases where its representing a character's relationships. (yeah thats anothero ne....)

A TROPE. Unconventional soulmates. like soulmate aus but where theyre either not romantic or otherwise subverted

Are wingfics considered a trope. Because yeah. (also broken/missing wings/dead birds as metaphors. these go hand in hand)

Fire. Metaphor for literally so many things.

[pyrriax]

trick or treat?

as a treat, a little oneshot i remembered exists! though, i do warn it isn't canon in the slightest, and it fucks up pandora's actual views && intentions. so, take it with a pinch of salt ^_^ its a little something on the horror side of things along with the warped perspectives i love so much

Pandora feels like he's met God, standing atop the walls of this mechanical death trap. It lures him in, whispering promises of freedom and forgiveness for his nature, for who and what he is and has become. Monster, monster, monster, it whispers to him, words twisting in his mind and threatening to break all rationality completely.

There's something almost peaceful about the silence, as the divine beast rests in the middle of empty space. Horns and halo, wings and tail, a creation unlike any other. Its gaze amaranthine, silent in its observation of him. Practically beckoning him from his perch, as close to the not-quite sky as the invisible force it holds will allow.

"Come, come rest with me. Come sit, let the pain fade from your mind, dear monster. Join me." Its voice is soothing, gentle, warped.

Anachronistic as its presence is, the juxtaposition between a natural entity, something flesh and blood, and the deadly unfeeling of the stone and metal all around, it's comforting. Maybe, somewhere in the back of his mind, where he's hidden it away from sight, too unsightly to be even looked at any more than it has been, there's a part of him that craves this.

Be it finding God, or l'appel du vide, it's a comfort that disgusts him deep in his heart. Just like the fire that started it all, that brought him to this infinite hell that he'll never know freedom from.

Horns and halo, wings and tail, soil and blood, roots and ash. Night is here, and God is with it. Beckoning, and he lets go of that small thread of rationality. There's nothing to return to, home nothing more than naught, friendships long severed by his own foolish mistakes (though really, was the mistake his intention, or was it stemmed of the hatred and destruction of others?)

Welcomed by the only thing that remains, it's a gentle thing. Being held by something unfeeling, something that's beckoned him forth to join it in the space between reality and fiction. Horns and halo, wings and tail, a creature between angels, demons, and humanity itself. Between it all, something far greater than all that he's seen.

It hums a quiet tune, a familiar thing that distantly reminds him of his sister. He wonders for a small moment what her name was, and why she was so important. Because all he remembers really of her is that last moment, scorn and hatred on her face and words full of anger.

A quiet sound fills his ears, one beyond God's humming, and it's that of a metallic hiss, something clicking and chittering. Something that should scare him, though he can't quite remember why. Tik-tik, it almost whispers, like the ghost of a heartbeat. Tik-tik, tik-tik.

Oh, god, not God, not you, he can taste blood. He can hear his own heartbeat in his ears, feel the quiet pain in his chest and the ache in his leg. Breathing is difficult, Pandora realizes all too late.

God holds him with love, with the care he realizes he doesn't deserve as his chest feels tight, and he blinks away the haze at the edge of his vision.

Looking a hungry beast in the mouth, it's painted a beautiful shade of crimson. One of his own making.

Beautiful, beautiful, beautiful, finally, something of My making that deserves such a thing. Beautiful. Perfect. They'll see, they'll know, My creation will remain.

He can smell iron, taste it where it sits heavy on his tongue, breathe it in with every gasp, even though his body rejects such a movement. Focusing so intently on this divine destroyer ahead, he's made silent peace with the white painted red of his canvas, as messy and perfect as the beast's destruction is.

And the haze returns, moonlight filtering through clouds as God holds him in its arms once more, lets him rest his head and allow the pain to fade.

Watching in silence as the beast devours, the stone infinity fades away into red oblivion and the echoing sound of fire's crackling and the divine's beating heart.

Infinity, infinity, infinity. Your infinity, My infinity, you've blessed me. Blessed me so, please, create me as I should be. Let me shed this exuvia and become the angel you seek. I won't doubt you again, God, I will never doubt you.

[pyrriax]

JUST FINISHED CHAPTER 20 CAME HER TO RAMBLE BECAUSE IHBGVFCDXSRDTCFYVGBUHN THOUGHTS

THAT WAS

A LOT OF INFORMATION I AM SO NOT PREPARED FOR WHATS TO COME

Everything in this chapter was great! Pandora fighting for his life was written beautifully as always. Flashbacks were supper fun we love to see toxic sibling dynamics BUT ALSO WORLD BUILDING AND CHARACTER DEVELOPMENT? VERY EXCITED TO SEE WHERE THAT GOES.

DON'T EVEN GET ME STARTED ON OUTSIDE THE MAZE POVS. THEY ARE SO COOL. AND NYX! MY GUY HAS LORE NOW LOOK AT HIM GO!!! SO HYPED TO SEE HOW THAT PLAYS OUT.

I really want to finish it this week but we will have to see. thought i would give you an update because you've made me go INSANE again. love your writing so much <3

i'm so glad to hear you've enjoyed it so far!!!!!

also!! since you read chapter 20, i highly recommend reading the alternate version that includes the entirety of that scene between pandora & tzvi <3

vvv

im thinking about writing some more out-of-maze povs of things! also some more stuff with sarah and marlow!! those two are my beloveds and theyre presence is a fun little easter egg that i need to start including again (theyre the source of some of the earlier beginning notes/summaries! along with the original fic summary)

also!! nyx has more lore / story which i'm 100% going to be sharing when i get around to writing it! :)

[pyrriax]

going to drop these here and run-

(i was doing pose and angle practice and was just thinking about wtds and it kinda just happened? i've been debating with myself over whether or not these were good enough to send to you or not. they are just practice sketches after all. but um. yeah. Have them i guess. i figured you wouldn't hate it. i might go back and do better fleshed out drawings of these guys at some point. they were very fun to draw. you have great character designs. i should probably go read more now. anyway bye. Hope im not to awkward about all of this just a lot of nerves. )

IM ACTUALLY GONNA CRY WHAT??? YOU DREW THEM?????

SALTY I LOVE THIS THESE ARE AWESOME IM GONNA JUST AUGNFDHJKM

[pyrriax]

You seemed to like the first ones so uhhhh here is more because i really enjoy drawing this guy. digital this time!

AUVFHJNDMKVFDK,LM?????/ MY BOY. MY BOY!

[pyrriax]

O!Krow and Oc of your choice for the head cannons?

AAALRIGHT LETS GO!

c!Krow

1. It used to ask the people in clearing two a lot of questions when it first woke up in the maze because it didn't know a lot about the world 2. After the whole prison incident it has a horrible fear of enclosed spaces 3. Loves winter (yes this is because of that moment where it first experienced snow and that was a happy moment it had with Magic) 4. Oh! See also: Fear of water / drowning. Wonder why. 5. Did I hear paranoia swag? Paranoia swag 💪 6. It mimics people's speech and small phrases, kind of parrot-ish but like okay. I project a bit. 7. It once dyed its hair like. Blue. In the maze, and absolutely just vehemently hated it so much (even though it was kind of funny) 8. Once everything was like. All said and done and it was out of the maze (this is assuming STARR isn't needlessly cruel and like. yknow. it's given some flavor of freedom) it immediately delved into learning all it could about the world it's practically never experienced 9. I headcanon it listening to a lot of artists like Enon and Apes of the State (highly recommend btw) 10. Another post-maze headcanon: It kept a book where it wrote down everything, and once that book was filled out completely, it burnt it :) [Something about catharsis because good LORD it needs that] 11. It never stopped wanting to be better / be a good person, and a while later, it wound up trying to move on, starting over again (it wasn't easy, and it was still angry, so angry, but it didn't want to live in the past anymore)

aaaaaaaand an OC of my choice? OC of my choice!

Lyra (WTDS)

1. Loves quarterstaffs and pikes as weapons, does not use them because she hates close-quarters combat 2. Has trouble with emotional regulation and also has no clue what the fuck a "healthy coping mechanism" is 3. She absolutely used to collect quotes in a notebook, both from conversations she had and from books she read 4. I think she has a nasty habit of getting really close to people when she talks to them and unintentionally intimidates everyone 5. Actually has a soft spot for taking care of people, even though she hates to admit it 6. She fights before anything else! I think she'd refuse to back down even in a losing battle 7. Well versed in unconventional means of communication (e.g. flowers) 8. Loves the smell of lilacs!! 9. Favorite color is purple, absolutely 10. HATES goodbyes. Like actually hates them. She will not say goodbye to anybody eever. Ever.

[pyrriax]

YOU

OH HAUNT

YOU HAVE BROUGHT TEARS TO MY EYES/GEN I AM CRYING RIGHT NOW

i just finished chapter 14 of wtds AND NOT RECOVERING. AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH

WHERE DO I EVEN BEGIN?! IT WAS JUST SO GOOD AND SAD. SOMEONE PLEASE HELP PANDORA. AND LIKE EVERYONE FOR THAT MATTER.

But why do i have the feeling its only going to get worse from here. im scared. i have a few theories and 10 chapters to catch up on. but its also super late for me and i much like to keep destroying my emotional well being i need sleep.

i will say one last thing before signing off though. Nyx is my favorite so far. ive had this traumatized wet cat of child for 2? chapters i think. but they mean so much to me already. idk i tend to get invested in the weird side characters. i want to call out the one spefic line about him contentiously looking at the wall for his name. that was so clever and cool and abfghfnkdsalhfuiihvnk it left an impact i guess.

Anyway off to sleep i go, im going to sue you for making me cry/j

<3

things get worse before they get better ( and then they get worse again :) )

[pyrriax]

YOUR TURN Uhhhhhhhhhhhh C!Bek and C!Apo for the opinions board. (Or if your feeling really cool Pandora and Melody yes i am actively read wtds while writing this)

ALRRR HELL YEAH

in order: c!apo, c!bek, melody, pandora

[pyrriax]

4 and 10 for the writers ask game?

4. What are some themes you love writing about?

Grief/guilt, Love (usually in tough situations & impossible places), Change, Death, "Being more than what everybody expects you to be" (or however you phrase that briefly), Immortality/Curses, Tragedy- the list goes on. I generally love writing characters struggling with self-acceptance or fighting to be understood by peers or family alike.

10. What are your strengths wrt writing?

I'm good with writing emotion, along with pacing stories (at least according to everybody when I share snippets?) and scenes. Oh! Also just. One of my strengths is literally just writing characters who are at least a little out of their mind, but are still of the assumption that things are fine. It's just how it is, man