#btw this is not the last time i'll be drawing something for this event. i am. working on something. teehee.

[atlas-of-galaxies]

you know what they say. another day another emurui

[shizucheese]

Okay okay okay, I need everyone to listen to me about this.

I know I kinda talked about this before in a reblog to someone else's post, but the idea has been rotating in my brain ever since and I feel like it needs to be further explored. A lot of people have been talking about the differences between TMA and TMP, and memeing about how people can actually quit the OIAR (which btw, I'll believe when I actually see it, by which I mean if we're able to get through the entire series without Teddy either coming back or turning up dead or otherwise facing "You can quit but you can never leave" levels of repercussions) but like nobody, from what I've seen, has been talking about what imo is the pretty glaringly obvious element at play here. So let's talk about the spider in the room, shall we? What do we know about the Magnus Institute in TMA?

People came there to give statements regarding their spooky experiences, including people who had doubts about doing so (because they weren't sure if the Institute was reputable, because they weren't sure if they believed what they had experienced, because they served a different entity so what reason would they have to do something for The Eye, etc).

The head archivist would ultimately become the Archivist, an Avatar of the Eye.

The Archivist's abilities included enabling statement givers to give their statements without going off track or leaving out details (we even see what happens when it's not the Archivist taking the statement), and being able to compel people to tell them things against their will, from statements to their darkest secrets.

You couldn't quit, at least not without gouging your eyes out.

The Magnus Institute was a part of the Eye.

Or was it? Because the other thing we know about the Magnus Institute is that the Web was using it as part of its plan to break free from the TMA world and gain access to the other worlds out there. How much of the compulsion aspects of the Institute-- people being drawn to the Institute to give statements, the Archivist's ability to draw statements and secrets out of people, people's inability to quit the Institute--was actually because of the Web? Where does the Eye's "compulsion to seek out knowledge even if it could be bad/ harmful" end and the Web's "not being in control of your own actions" begin? Was the Archivist--at least in the form Gertrude and John took--really purely an Avatar of the Eye? Or were they an Avatar of a mix between The Eye and the Web, much like how Martin, if he were to ever become a full fledged Avatar, likely would have been a mix of the Eye and the Lonely, just like his domain in S5 was? After all, Jonah was an Eye Avatar, was he not? And as far as we saw, he never needed to compel information out of people. He just Knew it (and used it to torment people).

One of the themes I've been playing around with in my TMA fanfictions since I first finished the podcast for the first time last winter is how the course of history would be different in the alternate worlds, where the Web wasn't interfering--at least not on the same scale, or for the same reasons--since it had already gotten what it wanted at the end of TMA. And I think that's exactly what we're seeing a version of in Protocol. I think the OIAR is what it looks like when it's entirely the Eye at play, with 0 interference from the Web. The Eye is all about having your secrets exposed, being watched, being followed. The tape recorders--something that would need to be turned off and on (controlled) in order to record something--were a tool of the Web. Now we're "witnessing" the events of the podcast through the audio from security cameras and other things that are constantly running; constantly seeing and listening without needing to be turned on and off. The statements aren't being given by people who somehow found their way to the institute and were on some level or another compelled to tell their tales. They're journal entries detailing a person's private thoughts. They're letters meant only for the eyes of the recipient, sharing secrets not meant for anyone else. They're recorded therapy sessions.

And the statements that are related to the Eye? The ones read in John's voice? They're forum and blog posts, which not only makes them the only ones whose sources didn't have the same expectation of privacy as the others, also ties them to the Web, since computers and websites were previously established as being associated with it.

[shaanks]

Random but do you have any Eustass Kid fics that you like? I struggle to find ones where he's not written like an asshole (nsfw is okay too btw!) I also like kidkiller/kidlaw or character study/coming of age type ones or modern au...just anything please<3

Oh man, okay!!! :"D I know tryin to find stories where he's not written as like some kind of abusive shithead is like. hard as fuck. I feel very lucky to have stumbled on the little Kid Enjoyers community that I have, and I'll try to give you some good recs. Just as a disclaimer, a lot of what I read and engage with tends to be like nsft stuff, so that's going to be a lot of what's on the list. Also there is the possibility for spoilers for the current arc, I'm not sure where you are in your one piece journey alsedkjfasld

Okay, so:

@quinloki : Has pretty much my favorite characterization set for Kid of all time. They write mostly smut and op x reader stuff in both shortform and longform formats, and have a variety of faves, so if you like their style and have faves other than Kid there's more stuff in there too. c:

Some of my fave pieces of theirs are shorter ones, so they're good starters, I'll link em here, here and here . (the links are gonna open to punks-never-die205, that's one of their sideblogs)

@swampstew : Writes STUNNING work both short and longform, absolutely loves Kid, and if you like her writing she has a huge backlog of stories both on her blog and on her wattpad. A++++ 10/10, she also runs a blog and is writing a longer series for Killer, KillerCook, which is SO splendid.

She also does headcanon lists, a TON of events, and x reader things, I'll link some starter ones here, here, and here. (the last one is to an anthology of short stories and drabbles on her wattpad that is a ton of fun)

@standfucker : good GRACIOUS me, okay listen. Standfucker does it all. A+++ Kid characterization. Hot, well-balanced, well-written stories. They write for a bunch of characters and also do like, multiple people in a pairing/scenario stuff, and it's all phenomenal.

First one is one of my personal favorites, which involves all the Kid Pirate officers here. This is also one of my fave pieces, you get Kid all to yourself in this one here.

@wyvernslovecake : If you'd like something a little more crew-oriented and a little less x reader smut oriented, PLEASE I am begging you look into their Kid Pirates and Cross Guild little drabble posts with their character Shriek (who is the cutest little bat mink on the Grand Line), and the named characters Gabriel and Gryphon who are [spoiler characters for current arc] and adopted by the Cross Guild. Everything they write (and draw!!) is so delightful and fun, it will brighten up your day by AT LEAST tenfold.

Here, here, and here are some good examples <3.

@eustasssimp : She has a lot of like shorter form x reader and headcanon posts, and write Kid like the gruff secret softie he is. <3

Some examples here, here, and here.

@cyborg-franky : Again, he has a truly prodigious backlog of writing, so if you enjoy his Kid stuff and have other faves, you could truly spend hours and days enjoying some excellently written fun stuff here.

here, here, and here are some examples.

**

I am absolutely certain I'm forgetting people lmfao, my working memory is very bad and I'm nursing a concussion, but hopefully this gives you at least a bit of a start!! Everyone listed, and really everyone in this little section of the community, is lovely, sweet, and wildly talented. There's a lot of friendly open sharing 'round these parts, and I hope you find somewhere to land and enjoy the big guy too. If none of these does it for you, or if you'd like additional recs, just let me know and we'll figure something out.

Thank you so much for your lovely ask!!

[insertsomthinawesome]

I'M BAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAACK!!! Okay so honestly I have been very very inconsistent over the years with just disappearing for periods of time due to various things 😂 So it probably seemed pretty normal to most people.

But it felt different on my side, so I'm excited to be back in business. I took a month long hiatus! 31 days of not drawing digital art. Its not something I talk about on here? But I've been suffering from some serious long term Art Burnout for.... a really really long time. Long enough that I should've taken a break probably years ago. It finally got so bad that I could barely draw. I was scared to do it (cause it always looked "bad" in my eyes [i'll come back to that]) and doing it was exhausting and disheartening.

I talked it over with somebody and realized that the fear and anger and frustration I felt towards my own artwork was uh. Not Normal or Healthy. And I finally committed to taking a real break for once.

I still drew a little bit by hand? Traditional art has always felt like it has lower stakes for me (i don't often share it online, and sometimes I don't even share it with friends) so I did some of that when I felt like it. But Digital art was completely off the table.

I had put such an immense pressure on myself to make my digital art perfect, to make as much of it as quickly as possible to satisfy something. It wasn't fun anymore. I'm proud of what i've made over the years! But for a long time now the stuff I've been making was made while hating every second of making it. With some rare exceptions.

I hated my art! It was a combination of Perfectionism, taking in too many external expectations, and the burnout. If you hate doing something its kinda hard to love it even when you want too lol. It wasn't "Bad" in the sense that the quality was low and it was ugly! It was "Bad" in the sense that it was unhealthy for me to keep doing it at that point in time.

I'm glad to report though, that with my hiatus officially over as of Wednesday last week: I am once again. In Love. With doing art, and being an artist :)

I put off taking a break for years cause I was scared that taking a break would mean that I would never achieve all the things I wanted to do with art. I was scared it was a stupid and lazy thing to do that would mean I'd never achieve my dreams. And Also even though I kinda hated drawing, I also loved making art. Its a weird duality that I can't even really explain??? I hated it but I also loved it. I wanted it but I also wanted to run from it. It wasn't until I was more mature and had more clarity and insight (and unfortunately also until the problems got worse) that I was finally able to let go of those fears and just do it.

And I'm really really glad I did. It was everything I needed. And I hope to strike a better balance in the future with art. Taking more breaks when I need them, or just when other things have my attention like reading or Video games (Some star rail got played during this time xD)

From the outside things probably aren't going to be that different?? At this point I don't really have any sure plans to post anything I've been drawing since my Hiatus ended. I might or I might not xD I'm still a hobbyist artist taking things at her own pace, but I hope that it shows how much happier I am :)

Whumptober 2023 is being officially put to rest by this post btw! I was in major burnout when that event started, and I'm ready to just, move on from all the past expectations I'd shoved on my shoulders. If I feel like filling any of the prompts or going back to any of the ideas I'd come up for it I will! But I'm not going to worry about doing it unless the desire sets in. Thanks to everybody who's been so kind to me throughout my time on here as an artist! Ya'lls tags and screaming and kind words, the fanfic, the asks and the responses? Its been fantastic :) You guys have made me laugh, smile, and cry tears of joy. I hope from here that things only get better and sweeter! And if I have bad days again, that's okay too.

Here's to 2024 and whatever it may bring ya'll :D 🎉🎉✨✨🧡💜

[akaryuga]

Everyone!! ヾ(＾-＾)ノ 🎄✨🎅🎁🌟Merry Christmas!! This year, I've been to many Christmas markets! I even set up a small Christmas tree with my roommates! But drawing... I'm working on a short comic that about the Christmas artwork from last year... yes...I haven't finished it yet, HAHA, there are still 5 pages to draw. I'll upload it once it's done.

BTW, it seems like there isn't an event for the HPHM Secret Santa this year? Or did I miss it? That make me feels like something's missing this year quq I hope there will be one next year...?

And...Haha, I'm using social media less and less, but I still in love with Merula! >:D

Honestly, sometimes when I see others getting more attention, being more social and interactive, I feel envious and inferior, and start to think that I'm not good at drawing and such. Of course, I'm very grateful for all the support, who love my drawings, and who chat with me! ♥(´∀` )人Thank you all of you make me feel warm!

((Although I always forget to reply or disappear for a very long time...((I'm really sorry, I'm not that good at socializing, haha, forgive me.

But I just don't want numbers to affect my mindset, so I'm focusing on improving myself in real life, exploring different artworks, games, and meeting new people through live streaming. Also go out with my roommate to exploring around.(ㄏ￣▽￣)ㄏ ㄟ(￣▽￣ㄟ)

But I'll try hard to update... after all, I've actually drawn a lot of things that I haven't posted. (つ´ω`)つ It's a shame not to show our lovely Merula to everyone, haha! (Yes, I've cleared a lot of the ASK, just haven't posted yet HAHA...sorry)

[wanderinstar]

Tagged by @eddie-rifff Thank you!! ✨️

What book are you currently reading? none

What's your favorite movie you saw in theaters this past year? either X or Bodies Bodies Bodies. This last one was really fun and people even clapped at the end!

What do you usually wear? I like wearing dresses, weather permitting, and I also wear jeans and boots a lot. I love wearing earrings too. I don't have a favorite color for clothing, but I think I wear neutral colors more

How tall are you? 1.61 m

What's your star sign? Do you share a birthday with a celebrity or a historical event? I'm a Capricorn, and I was born on Christmas 🎄✨️

Do you go by your name or nickname? I go by many names 😂😂😂 some people simply call me Camila, others call me Bárbara, because it doesn't sound like a surname at all, but like a first name. My dad calls me Biba (which means gecko in Portuguese btw, I love it!), I have a friend who calls me Camiloca, most of my friends call me either Mila or Cams, and I still have other nicknames like Mi and Mil!

Did you grow up to become what you wanted to be when you were a child? well... if we're talking about a profession I never really knew what I wanted to be

Are you in a relationship? If not who is your crush if you have one? I'm single and waiting for the day I'll at least have a crush on someone, it's been a while

What's something you're good at vs something you're bad at? I'm good at getting good grades but I suck at doing anything beyond that

Dogs or cats? I like both, but if I had to choose one, dogs!

If you draw/write, or create in any way, what's your favorite picture/favorite line/favorite etc. from something you created this past year? I started making gifs, but I don't think I have a favorite

What is something you would like to create content for? I already do now! I make gifs of my favorite bands and artists that don't have a big fanbase here on tumblr

What's something you're currently obsessed with? I guess nothing :(

What's something you were excited about that turned out to be disappointing this past year? can't think of anything that disappointed me this past year, but a couple days ago I went to Starbucks for the first time and I was so excited! I thought it would be super cool! But man... maybe I wasn't lucky cuz the place was dark and even a bit depressing, and the service was well... not groovy. People working there looked like they were being held hostage. And the beverage I asked tasted like nothing! It was really underwhelming

What's a hidden talent of yours? man, I can't think of anything

Are you religious? no

What's something you wish to have at this moment? not something that one would "have", but I really wish I knew how to adult!

I'll tag @fancycolours @thespiritofvexation @burn-on-the-flame @theyseemefoldin @rabin-or-horn @vanillaveils @hoppkorv @carlpalmer @vibesfromepicforest @modernmanblues @vegitable if you want to :)

[ryker-writes]

Bonjour! Been meaning to follow you for a while now but uhhhh, t'was busy. Your flower event looks super cozy; and you yourself seem so as well ^v^

If it's alright, could I put in an ask for this flower event? (I'll even give you flowers in return)

Personality; I have two main sides. The one is super playful, and likes teasing friends, a bit hyper-active. But that's when I get comfy with people. Usually, I'm pretty calm, and take on an older sibling role in my friendships. I always try to be a safe place for people to come too. Also, I am cursed with thoughts; gifting you all the brain worms and paper bags, please take them away from me P L E A S E . I also tend to be blunt and straightforward, which has made me sound rude but I don't mean to be. Another thing is that I'm awful when it comes to time blindness; did I talk to someone yesterday? No.... it was 3 weeks ago ; - ;

Hobbies; writing, knitting, drawing. I also do silly dances to get out energy but also to work through writer's block (yes, it helps). Occasionally I "harass" my friends, but it's all good fun. Basically anything creative, and I've probably done it (ink making, ceramics, embroidery, etc.) Also, I used to know a bit about flower language, but it's been lost to me over the years, so Wikipedia & the Farmer's Almanac are my best friends.

There's no pressure btw, take all the time you need and make sure you give your hands a break.

No worries! And thank you! I'm happy to meet someone who's also been interested in flower language! And gasp flowers in return?? How kind!

Ryker's flower garden event

Anyway

I would give you...

A pink hyacinth!

Hyacinths are one of the flowers that change meaning depending on the colors. The pink one means playfulness or playful joy! This fits perfectly with your more playful side of your personality when you have energy and tease your friends! In Victorian times, these flowers were everywhere in gardens to symbolize the beginning of spring and helped uplift peoples spirits!

A white heather!

Heathers are also a flower that's meaning changes depending on the color. The white heather means protection, wishes will come true, and is a symbol for good luck. I chose this flower to represent your other side of your personality. The older sibling role and you being a safe space for others really makes me think of the protection side of this flower!

A fir!

I know it's not a flower, but a fir tree has a meaning too! Fir trees are symbols of time! They can last anywhere from 500 to 1,300 years and are often seen as very old trees. I chose this tree for you because of your time blindness. In long lifespans like the fir tree's, time can blur together. But with time comes wisdom!

A light blue wisteria!

The wisteria flowers have many different meanings depending on what culture you look at at what color. The light blue wisteria flowers mean inspiration, growth, and development. I think this matches perfectly with all your hobbies since they require inspiration and in doing creative hobbies, you develop and grow yourself! Another interpretation of the wisteria flowers means will you dance with me? I think that fits how you dance to help writers block, and it may be something I try too when I have writers block!

Thank you again for sending in your ask for the event and the follow!

[coolfireguy73]

Hey there, just wanted to drop by and tell you that I absolutely love your cryptid au. Also I read that you have troubles with writing the story. It's alright to take it slow and even take breaks from it from time to time, don't rush it and don't worry too much about the language barrier, after all, you could always rewrite and improve it before and after posting the chapters (besides that we are all pretty patient, aren't we, fellow readers/watchers?). Write down the stuff that comes up on your mind, maybe even create a mindmap for it. Btw. have you ever considered possible "alternative endings"? Kinda like in those story based games where your decisions changes the outcome. Whatever you may write down doesn't need to become canon, even the thought process could be interesting on it's own and perhaps even help you develope a better storyline or events. Buuuuuut take what I said with a grain of salt since I've been also trying to write a story for years but rarely touch it, also having to deal with language barrier but also speech impediment and none of that story has been posted yet xD (also could we have some more bloopers/outtakes, pretty please?)

Thanks a lot !

It's funny I still receive asks about my cryptid AU, it's been a while since the last update 😅

I still really love the characters but I really need to work on the story. I think I'm in a better head space to work on it now than I was last time.

I've taken a much needed break, even though I didn't really know I needed one.

Working on the child mercs comic helped me a lot too. Well, it could be said the other way around as well. I knew I rushed into the AU without a strong enough plan and took note of that for the comic.

(Btw I've got the full story for the comic finished ! And I'm pretty happy with it.)

I think what I'll do now is take the time to think of a story while working with what I've already have. I'll try to save this AU 😅 !

I also need to take more time to write the chapters, and also also, I plan to draw more little drawings to illustrate the chapters.

As for the "bloopers/outakes", if you are referring to the few little doodles and comics I did of the cryptids, sure I can do more. I actually been wanting to make some.

(I you were thinking of something else please tell me ;) )

[therubberotter]

The circus is in town! I'm not too into that kind of show, but they don't use animals, and I find this particular one quite cute :)

This week has been too much.

Last weekend I started feeling a bit off, and by Monday I had already developed a full-blown cold. It wouldn't be that bad, but I'm a teacher and I need to use my voice. Also, due to my thyroid operations, one of my main nerved surrounding it became damaged, and one of my vocal chords paralysed.

Now, I'm at severy risk of choking everytime something like this affects my throat. It triggers the damaged nerve and closes my throat almost entirely. And it's happened several times over the week. Some of them in front of my coworkers :/

Also, this was PET scan week, so I had appointments every day of the week. But I managed! Thyrogen really kicked my ass this time, though. By Friday, the combo of thyrogen+cold+mild toothache+waking up very early each and every day+low grade fever got the best of me. I just wanted to curl up and cry.

However, thanks to my dad and mum and their help I pushed through it all. Had the last blood draw, took my tablets, and I felt much better! Then, my dad took me to my old faculty for breakfast. I had a blast exploring the building and calling back old memories. I love that place! Being able to spend some quality time with dad was also lovely. We ate, talked, and listened to some music together in his car. And then he took me to my mental health appointment.

That also went well. The antidepressants are helping a lot, so unless I feel poorly again, I just need to do follow ups with my GP.

BTW, thyrogen was awful, but the nurses were some amazing people. The second day, I just sat there waiting for my shot and nobody called me. When they realised I had been sitting there for a while, we started laughing because they had thought I was a student! I felt flattered, to be honest xD

The PET scan was A experience. Had to be there an hour early so they could give me a special medicine because apparently I'm too small :/ and I spent the whole scan holding back my cough...damn cold again!

But I have survived!! My students have finished all their exams now (though I got MAD at one of the other teachers for messing up my answer sheets and at my students for nor telling me). I gave it all during storytelling on Friday. I'm surprised at myself for finding it so enjoyable! I even kept making funny voice despite my sore throat!

Also, I made some delicious pan pizza on Tuesday, and I've been enjoying the winter sun and looking after our garden. Look at those flowers on our nut tree!

Long and eventful week, indeed! I'll be resting a lot this weekend, see if I can get rid of this cold at once. 🔮

[ruki--mukami]

So, dress up game made into an official tag?

BTW, are you planning the open interaction for August of will you continue one from July?

🧩 Yep, the dress up game is seen as an "event" of sorts to me, so I decided to give it its own tag much like the other memes, special occasions, and holidays seen on this blog. It's also an attempt at me organizing my blog since a lot of my posts are all over the place given how there's over 4.4K of them now.

Also, I planned on being a lot more active with the July open interaction, but as you can see I got distracted by other things going on the blog. Sorry to those I haven't replied to yet, but I'm hoping to extend it to August since that's still summer time for me anyways and it lines up, ahahaha. So, I've decided to keep that open for two months as opposed to the usual one, since it was the open interaction with the most participants thus far. ^^ The first one (grocery shopping) had 12 different threads, the bite one had 7, and then the beach one totally blew those two out of the park with a whopping 16. I also don't want to punish those who haven't participated by neglecting their threads (unrelated to any event) either, but I've been slacking on those too honestly. Basically what I'm trying to say is — I hope to reply to everyone soon, no matter which thread it is.

For the August open interaction, I originally planned on doing a summer festival setting but now that I think about it, the Japanese festivals are usually to honor some kind of god or the changing of seasons from what I read. It's ironic for a Vampire to want to attend that, lmao. Though I suppose it doesn't have to be a religious thing, and on the plus side, Ruki gave a ton of kimonos out recently so it kind of fits HAHAHA. Definitely let me know what you think about the idea for those who are (or aren't) interested in a summer festival open interaction for August. I intended on alternating between open interactions in terms of cruel vs soft (grocery store - soft, random bite - cruel, beach - soft) which would mean the August one would have to be a bit dark to maintain that balance.

And since I've honestly got so many open interaction ideas, I'll probably spoil them under the cut for those who want to "prepare" in any sort of way. 🧩

So, I already mentioned that for August I had a summer festival idea planned, but I'll at least reveal what I anticipated for the remainder of the year.

September — I was going to do a Vandead Carnival type of thing, but honestly, that might be too similar to the festival activities, haha. I don't like to make things repetitive. However, I might make it a school open interaction instead after finding out more OCs attend the academy than I expected. Though I'm not sure what exactly they're going to do at school just yet (maybe partners for an assignment, maybe a library encounter, I'm still vacillating between options).

October — Now, here's where things get a little crazy. My friend suggested that Ruki should hold a Halloween event where he judges everyone's costumes for the fun of it (there is no "ranking" system or "winner" or anything like that — he just wants to see people dress up, and I'm still working on the reasoning for that as well, haha). Of course, I will dress him up as well and perhaps even draw something over his sprite to align with the Halloween spirit. Really tempted to do a Vampire dressed up as a traditional Vampire for the laughs again.

November — I think an open interaction where you cook with Ruki might be cute. Hoping to make him invite the person he's interacting with to the Mukami manor to help him test a recipe of his choosing.

December — Of course, I'll be damned if I miss out the opportunity for a Christmas date. Yes, it's weird for Vampires to celebrate Christmas, but there is actually a Mukami Christmas special in Vandead Carnival so I'd like to create a similar atmosphere as that. I already did one like that last year where they went shopping together but we don't talk about my 2021 writing. So, instead of Christmas shopping, I'd like to plan something more romantic. By then, I'm hoping his current relationships will be more fleshed out, and for any newcomers, it could be a ploy for Ruki to bite them later most likely.

I got more ideas cooking in my head but I don't want to reveal too much.

[blueteller]

"Trash of the Count's Family" Review Series: Chapter 1

Trash of the Count's Family Manhwa: Chapter 1

Regarding spoilers: I am writing my reviews from the perspective of someone who knows the whole story of TCF Part 1. However, I will try my best to avoid giving away future twists and plot points, and will only allude to things being hidden or explored later on. I hope that is okay with everyone.

We start with the image of burning candles on a golden chandelier – once again reminding the audience that this family is loaded.

Someone calls out for Cale, and I noticed that the order of events is switched here from the webnovel. There Cale is woken up by Ron, and becomes aware of his transmigration right in front of him, calling out "Cale Henituse?" in confusion, making Ron think he is drunk. I admit the manhwa handled it with a bit more grace, making the scene flow more naturally by having Ron arrive while Cale is in the bathroom. It's always a bit awkward when a transmigrator obviously acts out-of-character and yet the people closest to them don't seem to realize it.

Speaking of awkward: I decided to make an awkward-meter. From now on, I'll be ranking awkwardness on the scale of 1-5. 1 is barely noticeable, 5 is extremely obvious. It's mostly for all the upcoming "no-eyes" or "one-eye" shots. And trust me: there will be A LOT of them.

There are a couple of images where Cale is wet from the bath – yes, fanservice once again – but I'd like to focus on how well the water drops and puddles are drawn. The water isn't colored blue, so there will be moments in the future when it'll be difficult for the author to make it visible when someone gets drenched. However, it still looks quite realistic. Well done.

Next we see Ron Molan for the first time. I've seen some fanart drawing him with a mustache, which made me wonder if he was ever described with it in the novel. However, I never found any evidence of it. Thus, it makes sense that Ron doesn't have a mustache or a beard, even though those are considered quite "butler-y" to have.

While Ron's smile is perfectly polite, the artist somehow managed to convey a sense of danger and slyness in it: I'm truly impressed. On the surface he might seem like a nice old man, but as Cale explains to us, Ron is a skilled assassin with a merciless nature.

Cale acts nonchalant while making plans to send this dangerous man off with the protagonist of "The Birth of a Hero", Choi Han. Ron gives him a sideways look which simply screams "Danger!!!", so Cale is understandably anxious.

Another servant comes in (is it Hans? It seems like Hans... But I'm not 100% sure, since he wears a different uniform later on) and Cale is dressed up for the day. Due to his request of something simple to wear, Cale gets a white shirt with a frill. Cale admires himself and decides that the body he's in can make any clothes look attractive, and let's be honest here – he is 100% correct. Cale Henituse is a looker.

Cale passes a number of servants on his way (once again emphasizing how freaking rich this family is) and – oh look, it's those lamps on the left! The lamp which Choi Han used to beat up OG Cale in the last chapter! Haha, I guess those things are popular. I dub thee the Lamp of Enlightment, lol!

A servant nervously stutters when greeting Cale and he's displeased with the realization that she's scared of him (btw, the disgusted face he makes honestly looks hilarious). Cale contemplates OG Cale's character once again, noting that he wasn't known for hitting servants: he was trash because he liked to drink and play. While it all sounds very simple and straight-forward, for the first time the audience gets the sense that there is something more going on with OG Cale's reputation. Why is he regarded as such a scary individual if he didn't hit his servants? An element of mystery behind Cale's predecessor slowly enters the scene.

Cale decides it's for the better if other people leave him alone. He enters the dining room where his family is waiting for him.

I once read an interesting post on twitter regarding the meaning behind the sitting places in this image. While I think it might have been unintentional on the artist's part, it's still something neat to talk about. The table has 10 places ready (for some reason...? I don't get why there would be set dishes for empy seats. Maybe it's supposed to be a Rich People Thing), with Count Deruth sitting at the opposite end on the table. His wife, Violan, Cale's step-mother, sits on Deruth's right, while Cale's younger siblings – Basen and Lily – sit on his left. However, there is an empty space between Deruth and Violan, implying that it was left for Cale. Whether OG Cale usually took that spot or not is unknown, but if one were to read deeper into this, we could conclude that it symbolizes Cale's status in the family as Deruth's rightful heir... which directly contradicts the information Cale provides us in his next inner monologue.

Cale tells us that his step-mother and siblings avoid him and apparently find him difficult to handle, judging by their scrutinizing stares. Of course, there's the possibility of Cale being an unreliable narrator here and sees only what he wishes to see. He expresses that it's the perfect environment for him to live alone quietly; however, he doesn't consider the very likely possibility that they're only looking at him like that because he's acting WEIRD. Being literally a stranger to them all, Cale takes a seat at the end of the table, far away from everyone else. If OG Cale usually sat between Deruth and Violan, then no wonder they would take notice.

And now, finally what I've been waiting for: let the Misunderstandings(TM) begin!

Cale eats some sausage and smiles thinking how juicy it is. That by itself is apparently quite unusual, as Basen looks completely shocked at seeing Cale smile. Cale remains oblivious to it.

The Count hesitantly adresses Cale, who comments that the food is delicious. Cale's father is shocked by this, as he had been expecting Cale to say that it tastes like trash. Despite his confusion, Deruth nervously expresses joy that his son is enjoying the meal. Cale casually returns the sentiment, much to the consternation of everyone else. Cale is unaware of the atmosphere and thinks how nice it is to be trash as no one is criticizing his manners.

Cale has no intention to be the Count's heir, as it would be a complicated life which would take a lot of work. He'd rather peacefully laze around as the Count's older brother. Meanwhile Basen is nervously looking at him, and has no idea that Cale is currently plotting on shifting the Lord of Territory position onto him. Cale thinks it's a forgone conclusion, since his character is "trash". But things with this family do not appear so simple from an outsider's perspective.

Cale, you oblivious potato... you should learn to read the room!

Anyway, Cale finishes his meal and Deruth asks if there's anything he wants. Cale thinks for a short moment before asking for ✨money✨. We learn that Cale very much likes money. Deruth agrees as Cale's siblings watch Cale with confusion in the background. They look so cute.

Cale's "innocent" smile switches to the image of Cale being completely shocked at the amount of money he recieved from the Count. Cale realizes just how unbelievably rich this household is, and starts to reconsider his options.

Cale asks Ron about the date, and Ron informs him that it's the 29th of the third month in the 781st year of the Felix Calendar. Basically – it's March 29th, 781. Cale realizes he has to hurry, as Choi Han will soon arrive in the city.

And that's the end of the chapter! It was very nice, I liked it even more than the last one. The art style is gorgeous, and the comedy comes across very well. There were no particularly awkward shots in this chapter, and every person's clothing style was different and unique, even the servants. It was very well done. Loved it!

Feel free to leave comments!

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[daily-escuella]

Javier - an Observation #02

I'm not sure what I'm hoping to achieve with these observations. I just want to talk about them, feel free to discuss it further or correct me if I missed something!

This observation contains: Chapter 5 spoilers, Injury analysis, Blood

Everything is below the cut~!

Javier's injury on Gurama

Early on, after arriving to Guarma, Javier is shot. The first two times I played, I was like ouch, his poor knee, and then kind of forgot about how freaking bad that would be as the game advanced. But now I'm back to say WAIT A MINUTE. Ouch wtf!

I'd like to discuss the severity of the injury, point out times where it looks like it wasn't actually the knee, (which could help matters down the road), point out times where yeah it's clearly the dang joint of his knee that got shot holy crap, and then talk about how tf this man healed so gosh darn fast.

I took screenshots of the cutscenes to analyze it.

First contact with the bullet, it's pretty clear it's his knee, though the position does change in later shots, but I'll get into that.

Here we see the trajectory. From here it would be reasonable to argue it might have grazed him, and I'm not ruling it out, but it's also likely it was a fairly direct hit. That blood spray, the position of his leg... It's bad either way.

In this shot however it looks like a direct puncture and it hit slightly above the knee. (my drawing is a little off, his knee cap would be slightly higher, but here it would seem to have missed the joint, colliding with the much less vital muscle of his thigh)

However! You can see here, the blue X represents the position we saw him hit in the last panel, meanwhile the hole of his pants is almost directly over his knee now. The clothes could move of course, but there's no exit wound, and the nature of the fabric hole doesn't lend to a graze by the bullet. (Of course we see people get shot all over in this game, but cutscene injuries can be taken more "realistically" imo)

Later on...

After all of the island missions, it has been approximately 40 hours since Javier has had his wound tended to. We could venture to say that someone treated him off screen, but why would they? They intended to torture him for information and his wound isn't life threatening.

((Timeline: -First day Javier is shot around midday

-boys sleep through the night

-Arthur goes to meet Leon the next day (24hrs since injury)

-is tranquilized and wakes up next to Leon at night

-the next morning Arthur meets with Dutch

~40hrs since injury))

This next segment, I always assumed he was dragged by his bad leg. It seems the likely thing for these sadistic assholes to do, and it lends to it being the case especially because of Javier's reactions. Getting dragged around by your leg isn't going to feel good regardless, but he cries out and tenderly holds his leg when they move him. This is a man who was smashed against a table repeatedly in a bar fight and then sets his own jaw without a sound. He's tough and rarely shows when he's hurt so he's clearly in pain here! Previous events wouldn't allude to anything else causing it.

It's... the wrong leg though!! You think he'd be holding the hurt one, even while being dragged by the good one, not wanting to let his fresh injury drag in the mud... Ouch.

Later on again...

We see Javier again after defending the fort. (I have no earthly idea where he was during this btw, they don't allude to it, I couldn't find him, they just popped him into another dimension while they fight I guess)

His injury has been.... tended to....

It's now fairly clear it was his knee based on the position of the bandages. They're bloody too. I want to say it's bleeding again because of tending to it? But where it's over his clothes, that is pretty unlikely. The bandaging is filthy, he's filthy, everything is filthy, it's fair to assume they didn't clean and properly treat it under his clothes. Beyond Arthur cauterizing his own and the rest guzzling miracle tonic, I haven't see any of the fellas here treat a gunshot wound before. Javier, you're on your own kid.

Also he's WALKING on it already, I hurt just looking at him.

The boat ride home

((Another shot of this bloody, and bloody poor excuse, of a bandage job.)) From my research, the boat ride would only have taken around 2-3 days, maybe 4 if we're being generous. And yet, by the time we see Javier in Lakay, he's walking normally!

He arrives back before Arthur, he's clean and dressed too. I want to say maybe someone finally tended to him, and likely they did, but oh boy, it would not be looking good after all that time.

Though he doesn't join the shootout with the Pinkertons, instead guarding the vulnerable in the house, he can be seen picking up bodies afterwards

Around a week since getting shot and already back to his old self.

Conclusion: Miracle Tonic is one hell of a thing I guess??

[mammonprotectionsquad]

Casually including flower language: check!

Btw, the mentioned heart tattoo was inspired by my own. Because I draw in it as well, at times xD

Anyway! Came up with the idea this morning, thought it was cute and I hope you guys like it, too~

Words: 1848

"I adore you..."

V/Jihyun x Reader

It all started during Jihyun's first art exhibition, after his self-healing journey. Not only that, but it was also the first one that was all about his paintings and not his photographs. So it was a new experience, one that left him a little nervous. 

While he would've usually picked up his sketchbook to draw, in order to ease his nerves, that was no option during an event like that. So he was somewhat fidgety and tense. 

That's when you grabbed the first pen you could find, handed it to him and offered that he could simply draw on your arm. It was the first thing that came to your mind. At first he was a little hesitant, but after some encouragement and telling him that you were absolutely fine with it, he eventually gave in. He started with the tattoo on your wrist; It was a simple one, just the outlines of a heart. Perfect to fill with random shapes, making it nearly look like a mandala. 

Later he started drawing more. Usually anything that came to his mind in that moment, which were usually flowers, trees, the rough shapes of mountains or a simplified landscape. Anything that was possible to look somewhat nice, drawn on skin with a simple pen. 

But seeing how it actually helped him to calm down again, you made it a habit to carry pens in basically all your purses, even making sure to have a variety of colors, so your boyfriend could go all out and be as artistic as he wanted. 

Of course there would always be people that gave you strange looks, probably because wearing a nice dress for any sort of event like that, paired with doodles and sketches on your arms were kind of a stark contrast. 

In all honesty though, you couldn't have cared less. After all, Jihyun was always there to support and comfort you, whenever necessary. And in turn you happily did the same for him. Not to mention that you always adored everything he left on your skin. More often than not, you made sure to take pictures of whatever he drew on you. 

It was during another event, where he ran on very little sleep, since he'd been on a time-crunch to finish the last piece, when you noticed that he was once again rather tense and not all too talk-aktive. You two didn't need any words to understand what the other one needed. Him taking your hand and giving it a squeeze was enough for you to get the hint. 

After reaching into your purse, you held the pens in one hand, while holding out your other arm, that was now serving as a small canvas. 

As always, you were curious to see what he would draw and this time, he settled for some very delicate and minimalistic flowers, paired with a crescent moon, making it look like they grew out of it. You immediately fell in love with the design and made a mental note to definitely take a picture of that as well. 

"Are those forget-me-nots?", you asked eventually, to which the artist nodded, too focused on his work. Your entire face lit up at that. "Those are some of my favorite flowers..." 

Now that was something that actually made him look up and his expression softened. "I'll keep that in mind", he murmured and, like magnets, you got drawn to one another, until your lips met in a brief kiss. Afterwards he went back to finish the small drawing on your arm. 

When you returned home that night, you had asked him to take some pictures of everything, but then refused to wash it off, just yet. Instead you were standing in front of the mirror in your shared bedroom, shifting your arm this and that way, as an idea hit you. 

Though you got pulled out of your thoughts when you felt arms encircle your waist from behind, with a warm chest pressing into your back, which you leaned into with a quiet hum.��

"Are you sure you're really fine with me doing that all the time?", Jihyun spoke up, his voice quiet as his fingertips brushed slowly over the lines on your forearm. The touch sent a shiver down your spine and for a moment you closed your eyes. "I've seen the way people looked at you. I don't want you to feel uncomfortable." 

With a chuckle, you turned around in his arms, so you were able to cup his cheeks in your hands, your thumbs stroking over his cheekbones. 

"Darling... I really don't care how other people look at me. If you drawing on me helps, as I've told you before, I'm more than happy to be your living canvas for the day." Your tone was light, cheerful, and it was honestly the truth. Besides, it gave you the opportunity to watch him up close, when he got lost while he drew on you. And that was honestly always endearing and adorable. "I loved every single piece you've left on my skin, so far. And I'll always wear them proudly."

Noticing how he still looked worried only made you more confident with your plan. You used your current position to pull him in for a deep kiss, one hand moving up into his hair, so you could rake your fingers through it. 

"Sometimes I'm still wondering what I did to deserve you...", he whispered against your lips and you were quick to interrupt him with another kiss. 

"You deserve all the love and happiness this life has to offer, Jihyun. And I'll always be there to help and support you as much as I can." 

Seeing how he finally seemed to relax fully, you two decided to call it a night, since it had been a long day, and curled up in bed, limbs entangled and being as close as possible. A silent reminder that you were there for each other, always. 

A couple weeks passed by, Jihyun was busy with a painting commission, which was absolutely perfect for your plans. 

It had been a bit tricky at first to keep it a secret, though while he was working away in his studio, you left him a message that you'd be out for a couple hours, but promised to return with something for dinner.

That was how you found yourself at a tattoo studio, absolutely giddy about your decision. While the tattoo artist worked on your right forearm, he asked about the design, so you told him the story, ending with saying that especially the moon and forget-me-nots had been your absolute favorites. 

Since it wasn't your first tattoo, it wasn't all that bad and the tattoo artist also did an amazing job to distract you by easily keeping the conversation flowing. 

And as soon as the session was over and you got your first good look at the tattoo, you beamed, admiring the work on your skin. Now you only had to hope your boyfriend wouldn't think it was a weird thing to do... But you were positive that wouldn't be the case. 

As promised, you picked up his favorite food on the way back and sent him a text to let him know that you'd be home soon, so he'd finish up in the studio in time. 

"Jihyun? I'm back!", you called out cheerily, kicking off your shoes, before you put down the bag containing the food, so you could slip out of your jacket. Though even if the tattoo was protected by a layer of foil, the movement of fabric was still irritating and you let out a quiet hiss, of course just when Jihyun rounded the corner to greet you. 

His smile faltered immediately and made room for a worried expression, as he reached out to grab your wrist carefully. 

"What's wrong, love? Are you hurt?" 

Even if you felt bad for making him worried first thing after you came home, you just couldn't help but chuckle and quickly shook your head. 

"No, I'm not injured... Though my arm is a bit sore. I'll show you why~", you basically chirped and rolled the sleeve of your sweater up, then removed the foil to show off the tattoo better. "Tadaa!" 

For a moment, all the mint-haired man did was stare, with his fingers still loosely wrapped around your wrist. Eventually he glanced back up at you and the look in his eyes let you know that he did recognize the design. 

"Is that-", he cut himself off, obviously not quite registering what he was seeing. 

"Yep. It's the last thing you drew on my arm canvas." 

"Why?"

Your smile didn't falter and you reached up with your free hand to brush his bangs out of his eyes, before your hand cupped his cheek. Instinctively he leaned into it, his eyes big and round. 

"Because it was my favorite. You know I like the moon and, as I told you back then, the forget-me-not is one of my favorite flowers. Not to forget what it stands for. Do you know the meaning?" 

Jihyun shook his head, finally letting go of your wrist, in order to rest both hands on your waist. 

"They symbolize true love, fidelity, deep compassion and good memories. And I think that's all very much fitting for both of us. So... What do you think?" 

There was something in his eyes you couldn't quite place and for a moment he was quiet. You were already worried that he didn't like it. Maybe you should've asked him beforehand? It was his art after all. And when you were just about to apologize, he suddenly pulled you into his chest, arms wrapped tightly around you, while his lips met yours in a kiss that made you feel dizzy and warm. 

"I adore you...", he breathed against your lips and his eyes were so full of love, you could've melted on the spot.

Immediately you relaxed again and got on tiptoes to peck his lips again. 

"So you're not mad I didn't tell you about it before?" 

"Of course not. If anything, I am extremely flattered that you deemed my little doodle worthy enough to have it permanently on your body..." He was still visibly in awe at your decision, after all tattoo's weren't a small thing. They stayed, unlike his drawings with pens. 

"Babe... You're my favorite artist and this? This was one of the best decisions I've ever made. No regrets. Depending on what you'll come up with next, I might even get another design of yours tattooed", you added giggling and even your boyfriend had to chuckle.

"Well, maybe I should think of things that would match this one then, hm?" 

You agreed with a quiet hum and, if it hadn't been for the food getting cold, you would've been perfectly comfortable to stay in his arms and share more kisses, while gushing about how much you loved everything he came up with. 

All his work was always amazing and you'd never tire to tell and show him exactly that. 

Masterlist

If you'd like to get added to the tag list, please let me know 😊

@ayamewhump @white-wallflower @ultrasupernini

[irisvseyelash]

[Part 1] Aww good luck for your revisions and exam, Iris! Wish you have successful exams and getting all good&satisfying grades. Amiin.. 🙏💕💖 About sideblog, I'll encourage you to make that! You could post some of your drawings along with hcs or snippets of your fic/draft, as a way to vent or practicing your skills. You have my support! 😤👍✨ Yeah same, I also feel too insecure to make a fic when I had no writing skill. Making random hc is my specialty, not writing fic *hands up in surrender*.

[Part 2] Btw, have you seen Garou's promo art for chinese edition of Road to Hero game? It has Garou in Highschool uniform! 😳💖 Last week I wrote Batarou HS AU and today there's this Highschooler Garou promo art, what a coincidence! Now I imagine Badd has Garou as his senior in my HS AU with an appearance like this: twitter(.)com(/)dailygarou(/)status(/)1297020663530696704 👀✨ No wonder Badd will fallen in love with him, he'd be swooning (internally, ofc), aww.. 😍😩💗💘

[Part 3] Consider: Badd secretly had a huge crush for his senior prior the tutoring event begin, he's attracted by Garou's style and handsomeness (also his reputation as both troublemaker and school prodigy, whoaa, Badd's truly respected him!) but quickly pissed off by his bastard personality once Garou opened his mouth, lmaoo! But soon enough, once they both warmed on eachother, Badd could see Garou's soft side and kindness. Plus his family already welcomed Garou, even adored him.. 😚

[Part 4] Speaking of Batarou HS AU, it's still WIP for I still working on the main event. Already writing the bonus part of it, instead, lol what is this randomness I can't anymore with myself 😜😅😂 Anyways, I'm preparing something for the fandom on the next month, and it's including you, too! It's nothing big and idk if it's good, but I hope it will keep you all entertained 😚💕 Just wish me luck to not become a procrastinator and piling my planned WIPs in discontinued works again 😞😔😅

Ameen.. Thanks again Dyan 😭💓💓💓💓 Oh yeah! Happy Belated Awal Muharram to you! I totally forgot about that astaghfirullah😂😂

👀👀👀 should I? I think I'll link it up in the reblog of this post, that blog. Tbh, lately it's been feeling like I have lesser and lesser time for writing fics or shots and more and more AUs and HCs keep popping up, like one of my recent HCs of Tareo being Orochi's son :/

But heck *waves white handkerchief* I don't do AUs and HCs as well as you either.

Oh my god About Garou's promo pic forgive me lord for I have sinned 💦💦💦 He has no right to even wear his uniform like that. pFT IMAGINE IIDA TENYA NYOOMING TOWARDS HIM FROM THE SCHOOL GATE—

*cough* anyway, Yes I've seen the promo pic and holy heck I would be lying if I said I didn't squeak when Ruby first showed it to the discord server 😂😂😂 It was... Interesting, I guess. Okayyyyy Iris stop exposing yourself 😂

Okay but tell me that Garou wouldn't make any straight guy to not fall for him, platonically or romantically. I mean heck the school probably loves him but he's just such a dick that the faculty and the student body just dislikes him.

Awwwwwww my goodness imagine Badd bumping into him on the first day of school and just— *rereads part 3* HOLd on this is kinda similar to the plot of a Breddy fanfic I read on Wattpad 'You had me at Watch It' or something. Okay anyway but Garou just opening his mouth as a bad first impression would be canon fight me 😂😂😂 if it wasn't for his intimidating, rbf expression, it would be the way he talks or the way he acts

And BABY SOFTGAROU YES AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA where else can you get a cunning and bright troublemaker like him to only add on to your already effed up family who all probably have the same taste in others but only have the goddamn troublemaker be a babey and a cloud aafnfnfhdn

Oh yeah, your HS AU! Can I has a teeny weeny snippet before you totally post it??? Pleaaaase *insert doggo eyes* and oH RANDOMNESS MY FAVOURITE 😂😂😂 (ignore the begging, I was listening to Vivaldi's 4 seasons and was being dramatic)

Gassssp you're including me??!?!? I hope it doesn't have a deadline, cause my studies and exams schedules will never be tolerable at any rate in time ( TДT)

Let's all just pray that procrastination doesn't catch up to us and whack us in the head ≥﹏≤